July 1, 2009

Kathleen and I left the hotel around 10:30 a.m. and went to the MSP airport to pick up Joe and our two dogs, Marco and Elsa.

After meeting Joe in the baggage claim area, we waited around for the dogs to be taken off the plane. This was the first time Marco and Elsa had flown in a plane so before leaving San Jose, Joe gave them each a pill to relax them. When the dogs arrived in their kennels, Marco was very lethargic and sluggish, but Elsa was as full of energy and as ready to play as ever. She probably could have taken three of those pills and still felt no effect.

We got Joe, the dogs and the kennels loaded into the truck and with all haste left Minneapolis for Leech Lake. We did make a quick stop in Grand Rapids to buy groceries, but were once again on our way back to the lake.

We arrived at the house around 6:30 p.m., unloaded the truck, got a bite to eat, and then Joe and I went out fishing.

We left the boat lift at 7:45 p.m. The air temperature, which had been a high of 82 degrees during the day, had cooled only slightly to the mid- to high-70s. The wind was light at about 5-7 mph out of the SSW. The water temperature was 73 degrees and the moon was at 3% waning (almost a new moon).

We decided to troll, as usual, from Second Duck Point to just past the Malays in 8-12' of water, at a speed of 570 rpm on the Mercury Smart Craft. Using a purpledescent-colored Rapala Minnow Rap, Joe caught 3 decent sized pike and one perch. I used my usual hot steel colored Minnow Rap and caught a very big 30" plus pike (my Lakeborne Tackle "Judge" tournament ruler only goes to 30 inches and this esox lucius was longer than the ruler).

Welcome to the lake Joe!