Thursday, October 01, 2009

October 1, 2009 -- On Leech Lake

Welcome to October in the Northwoods. It's a gray, rainy morning with the sky completely covered in rain clouds, the ground is wet from a recent shower, and the temperature at 10:00 a.m. is barely 40 degrees.

Noel Hancock and I were supposed to go back into the woods today to cut some firewood from dead, fallen trees, but I think I'll call him and reschedule. I don't mind being back in the woods if it's cold, because the hard work warms you up. But I don't like being back there in the rain. Using a wet chain saw is not the best idea.

Despite a stiff 20 mph ENE wind, spitting cold rain and 44 degree temperatures I decided to go fishing at 2:15 p.m. It wasn't unsafe on the water, just uncomfortable. I was on the water for only 90 minutes and caught a handful of small- to medium-sized perch and a small hammerhandle.

There must be something to the old adage about "the fishing is the least when the wind is from the east," because the fish just weren't biting. Of course, my adage is "you can't catch fish from your living room couch," so even though it was cold, windy and wet, I was on the water. There will be plenty of time for sitting comfortably on the couch when I'm back in California.

The water temperature had dropped to 57. 8 degrees. The sunset was at 6:57 p.m.

This evening after dinner I had a fire in the fireplace. The rain started up again and the temperature at 11:00 p.m. was back down to 40 degrees.

I'll try to get out onto Leech Lake for some more fishing tomorrow; despite reports of more cold and rain.