July 22, 2009 -- At Leech Lake

The approaching storm at 5:05 p.m.

7 Days and Counting...

One week from today I'll be on a plane jetting my way back to San Jose, California and away from the peace, serenity and beauty of Leech Lake. I have many things that require my attention in California so it is necessary for me to be there, but if given the choice, I'd remain here in the northwoods.

Today we awoke to a day much like yesterday -- sunny, but with a good amount of billowy white clouds in the sky, a light wind of 5-8 mph out of the SSW, and a humid 68 degree temperature. As the day progressed, the cloud cover increased, the rumble of faraway thunder could be heard and the threat of thunderstorms hung in the heavy air.

At 1:00 p.m. I took Ashley for a long ATV ride around the Ottertail Peninsula. While we were south of Moose Lane, we started to get pelted with very large rain drops. I turned the ATV around and headed for home. But within a minute, the rain stopped, the sky cleared, so we decided to continue our tour of the peninsula.

This evening my sister-in-law Sandy and her son Jackson are going to be coming up to the lake for a visit. Sandy has graciously agreed to take Liz and Ashley back to St. Cloud on Friday (thus saving me a 6-hour round trip) so Ashley can catch her flight back to San Jose on Saturday. Liz is going to stay at Grandma Coyle's for another week.

I knew there is "a-storm-a-brewin'", but I thought it might be fun for Liz, Ashley and I to go fishing for a little while before the storm actually hit. So at 3:30 p.m. we all got in the boat and made our way out to 12 feet of water straight out in front of our house.

With the slight breeze blowing our boat was pushed north toward Malay's. We all were using jigs tipped with leeches. We caught a couple of small perch, but that was all. Since Liz wanted to go for a run, and Ashley was having a hard day and wanted to go back to the house, we cut our stay on the water short, and headed in at 4:30 p.m.

After dropping off the girls on shore, I went back out onto the lake to do a little more fishing. I was only out there for 20 minutes or so when I could tell the storm was getting close. The temperature began to drop, the wind began to pick up, and I saw some bolts of lightening.

I came ashore at 5:00 p.m., and within 15 minutes the storm was upon us. The wind blew like crazy, the rain came down hard, and lightening and thunder abounded. Then just as fast as the storm came up, it passed. By 5:45 p.m. the sky was clearing, the wind had died down, and it looked as if it will be a beautiful evening.

My sister-in-law Sandy and her son Jackson arrived at the lake at 8:15 p.m. After getting their car unloaded and some brief conversation, I took Ashley and Jackson out fishing.

As usual, we trolled The Alley in 8-10 feet of water using #9 Minnow Raps. We caught a couple of perch and rock bass, and then I caught two walleye. The first was only 14” and immediately went back into the lake. The second walleye, however, was 17” and perfect eating size so I kept it. If we catch one more walleye tomorrow, or a couple of nice-sized perch, we’ll have enough for a fish-fry dinner.

The weather tonight couldn't have been nicer. The temperature was 64 degrees (sweatshirt weather), the wind was slight at 5-8 mph out of the SSW, the water temperature was 68.8 degrees and the moon was 1 percent waxing, or basically still a new moon.

The kids and I came ashore at just before 11:00 p.m. after another wonderful night of walleye fishing on Leech Lake.