In less than 24 hours from now I'll be at the Minneapolis/St. Paul airport having lunch and awaiting my 2:30 p.m. CDT flight to Bemidji.
I am very excited about getting to Leech Lake, getting my boat in the water and doing some walleye fishing. If all goes according to plan, I should be on the water fishing sometime late on Wednesday.
I'll try to have my first "at-Leech-Lake" post tomorrow evening.
Stay tuned.
Monday, May 18, 2009
Sunday, May 17, 2009
More On Leech Lake's Great Walleye Fishing
In 48 hours I'll be on a plane on my way to the Bemidji airport. From there, I'll pick up my boat and drive to our cabin on the Sucker Bay of Leech Lake. Then on Wednesday I'll put my boat in the water, and by that evening I hope to be able to post my own report on the walleye fishing at Leech Lake.
Until then, here's another report on the resurgence of Leech Lake's walleye population.
This is from TwinCities.com, the St. Paul Pioneer Press
Landing a Leech Lake lode
The walleye — and the anglers — are returning to this largely undeveloped north-central Minnesota area, where one guide says the fishing is the best it's been in years.
By Chris Niskanen
WALKER, Minn. — Even after 35 years, Jeff Woodruff hasn't lost the thrill of hooking the Minnesota state fish.
Sure, the walleye isn't a super-charged fighter like a bass, but Woodruff lives on Leech Lake, one of the finest walleye lakes in Minnesota. He may have guided his first clients in the 1970s, but Woodruff still couldn't suppress a giggle Monday when he felt a jolt at the end of his line.
"That fish just hammered that jig," Woodruff, 62, cried out, as he simultaneously reached to grab the landing net.
"He just choked on it. It is one of those good-sized ones, maybe too big to eat," he gushed.
Woodruff has a sweet swing with a landing net, like Joe Mauer belting a double up the middle, and with a flash of the nylon-webbed scooper, Woodruff had the flailing Leech Lake walleye in the boat. With a weather-cracked hand, Woodruff pinned the walleye against a metal ruler and eyeballed a piece of black tape set at 18 inches.
The fish's tail failed to touch the tape.
"Nope, that's a keeper," he said with satisfaction.
The walleye made a loud bonking sound when it hit the inside of the livewell.
PRETTY, UNCROWDED
Woodruff has seen tornadoes suck water out of Leech Lake. He's guided the wealthy and powerful. He has landed a 55-inch muskie. But it has been years since he has seen such good walleye fishing on this north-central Minnesota lake.
"We had no trouble catching a limit on the opener," Woodruff said. "A lot of guys had a limit by 10 o'clock."
With the feds continuing to control the lake's cormorant population and the Department of Natural Resources entering its fifth year of walleye restocking, Leech Lake is getting a helping hand.
I've been following the Leech Lake walleye resurgence for the past three years, so once again I marked my calendar to fish the lake on the Monday after the opener. Last year, on the same day, local bait shop owner Jack Shriver Jr. and I had fabulous walleye fishing, boating dozens of fish, so I wanted to see if I could duplicate our success.
When Woodruff and I sped out of the public landing Monday morning, headed for Star Point, it was no secret the fish were biting. Even on a weekday, more than a dozen boats drifted lazily across Star Point's shallows, with landing nets popping out of their holders with regularity.
Woodruff grew up in nearby Hackensack, the son of a lumberjack. He headed to the Twin Cities to find his fortune, but grew tired of the bustling city life and came back to Leech Lake 20 years ago when he landed a job as a fish-house operator.
Last year, he had 91 guide trips on Leech Lake and enjoyed all of them. In addition to its superior fishing, Leech Lake has another advantage, he said: miles of undeveloped shoreline. The place is just easy on the eyes, he said.
"Just look at this," Woodruff said, waving to an unending stretch of woods and wetlands. "Leech Lake is just a pretty place, with all these undeveloped points. In the fall, you can sit out here and practically watch the leaves change color. The lake's big enough, you don't ever have to sit in a crowd of boats."
HIGHS, LOWS
Woodruff almost didn't live long enough to see the walleye rebound.
A few years ago, he was driving down Woodtick Trail during the muzzleloader deer season when he had a stroke. When he finally made it out of the hospital and into physical therapy, the best he could hope for was to get around with the aid of a walker. Fishing from a boat — much less loading or unloading a trailer — was out of the question.
But there he is today, running his boat up and down the ramp and beating the waves for walleyes. His special gift, he said, is the chance to fish with his 13-year-old grandson, Ian, in a walleye-fishing tournament at the end of this month.
"That's the real bonus," he said.
Ian has learned a lot about his grandpa's fishing life because Woodruff sat down one day and wrote a 30-page book of fishing stories and gave it to the boy. Every so often, the boy calls Woodruff on the phone and asks, "Did that really happen, Grandpa?"
Woodruff has to answer "yes" every time, even to the infamous moment his dangling cigarette burned through the fishing line of a client trying to land an 8-pound walleye.
"Most embarrassing moment of my career," Woodruff said.
FISH R BITING
Possessing a GPS-like mind for Leech Lake's structure, Woodruff wasn't satisfied when things slowed on Star Point. "Let's reel up and try a new spot," he said.
Wind is a critical element of successful walleye fishing on Leech Lake, and a calm day can kill a good bite, so we kept our eyes on the sky, praying a few small storm cells would keep the water frothy and the walleyes biting.
When the walleyes weren't snapping at our rainbow dace minnows and spot-tailed shiners, the perch were hammering our baits. Some were small, but others were 9-inch keepers and a few were nearly a foot long. We were filling the livewell with yellow-flanked perch, in addition to keeper walleyes.
Regulations require anglers to throw back Leech Lake walleyes between 18 and 26 inches, and before long, we both had landed and released several walleyes over 20 inches.
One swam up to the edge of the boat and nailed my minnow as it drifted just below the surface. "Now that's a hungry walleye," Woodruff said.
He said he's satisfied the extra regulations are helping protect the lake's walleyes.
"You're able to keep about half of what you catch, which is good. When you got people paying you to take them fishing, you like to get a meal, too."
Fishing still sustains communities like Walker, even if the resort industry is about one-third the size it used to be. "I remember when there were 74 resorts on the lake, and in the chamber of commerce book this year, there are 23," Woodruff said. "Every year, we seem to lose a few more."
Resorts might succumb to the changing whims of vacationers and rising property values, but walleyes are still a draw on Leech Lake. We outraced a storm to the dock, having landed 15 walleyes, and kept a half-dozen "eaters" and a dozen fat perch.
The fishermen are returning, and Woodruff likes what he sees.
"On Sunday, the white spray was coming from all directions as boats headed back to shore and guys headed back to the city. It's good to see it again," he said.
Woodruff can be reached at 218-547-1405. His Web site is fishrbiting.com.
LEECH LAKE FISHERY AT A GLANCE
State and federal officials are taking a multipronged approached to restoring Leech Lake's walleye fishery.
Federal officials are continuing to cull double-crested cormorants from the lake, in hopes of reducing the population to 500 nesting pairs or about 1,000 individuals. This spring, there were 3,000 individual birds. It is the fifth year of such culling. Experts believe the birds eat not only walleyes but also young perch that are the mainstay of walleye diets.
This week, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources again will stock millions of fry into the lake, the fifth consecutive year of the stocking effort. The stocking continues next year, after which the agency will evaluate the effort. Managers want the lake to have self-sustaining walleye populations, as in the past.
DNR regional fisheries manager Henry Drewes said researchers may never know why Leech Lake's walleye population began to plummet in the early 1990s. He said the most important thing is that yellow perch and walleyes are recovering with cormorant numbers under control.
Until then, here's another report on the resurgence of Leech Lake's walleye population.
This is from TwinCities.com, the St. Paul Pioneer Press
Landing a Leech Lake lode
The walleye — and the anglers — are returning to this largely undeveloped north-central Minnesota area, where one guide says the fishing is the best it's been in years.
By Chris Niskanen
WALKER, Minn. — Even after 35 years, Jeff Woodruff hasn't lost the thrill of hooking the Minnesota state fish.
Sure, the walleye isn't a super-charged fighter like a bass, but Woodruff lives on Leech Lake, one of the finest walleye lakes in Minnesota. He may have guided his first clients in the 1970s, but Woodruff still couldn't suppress a giggle Monday when he felt a jolt at the end of his line.
"That fish just hammered that jig," Woodruff, 62, cried out, as he simultaneously reached to grab the landing net.
"He just choked on it. It is one of those good-sized ones, maybe too big to eat," he gushed.
Woodruff has a sweet swing with a landing net, like Joe Mauer belting a double up the middle, and with a flash of the nylon-webbed scooper, Woodruff had the flailing Leech Lake walleye in the boat. With a weather-cracked hand, Woodruff pinned the walleye against a metal ruler and eyeballed a piece of black tape set at 18 inches.
The fish's tail failed to touch the tape.
"Nope, that's a keeper," he said with satisfaction.
The walleye made a loud bonking sound when it hit the inside of the livewell.
PRETTY, UNCROWDED
Woodruff has seen tornadoes suck water out of Leech Lake. He's guided the wealthy and powerful. He has landed a 55-inch muskie. But it has been years since he has seen such good walleye fishing on this north-central Minnesota lake.
"We had no trouble catching a limit on the opener," Woodruff said. "A lot of guys had a limit by 10 o'clock."
With the feds continuing to control the lake's cormorant population and the Department of Natural Resources entering its fifth year of walleye restocking, Leech Lake is getting a helping hand.
I've been following the Leech Lake walleye resurgence for the past three years, so once again I marked my calendar to fish the lake on the Monday after the opener. Last year, on the same day, local bait shop owner Jack Shriver Jr. and I had fabulous walleye fishing, boating dozens of fish, so I wanted to see if I could duplicate our success.
When Woodruff and I sped out of the public landing Monday morning, headed for Star Point, it was no secret the fish were biting. Even on a weekday, more than a dozen boats drifted lazily across Star Point's shallows, with landing nets popping out of their holders with regularity.
Woodruff grew up in nearby Hackensack, the son of a lumberjack. He headed to the Twin Cities to find his fortune, but grew tired of the bustling city life and came back to Leech Lake 20 years ago when he landed a job as a fish-house operator.
Last year, he had 91 guide trips on Leech Lake and enjoyed all of them. In addition to its superior fishing, Leech Lake has another advantage, he said: miles of undeveloped shoreline. The place is just easy on the eyes, he said.
"Just look at this," Woodruff said, waving to an unending stretch of woods and wetlands. "Leech Lake is just a pretty place, with all these undeveloped points. In the fall, you can sit out here and practically watch the leaves change color. The lake's big enough, you don't ever have to sit in a crowd of boats."
HIGHS, LOWS
Woodruff almost didn't live long enough to see the walleye rebound.
A few years ago, he was driving down Woodtick Trail during the muzzleloader deer season when he had a stroke. When he finally made it out of the hospital and into physical therapy, the best he could hope for was to get around with the aid of a walker. Fishing from a boat — much less loading or unloading a trailer — was out of the question.
But there he is today, running his boat up and down the ramp and beating the waves for walleyes. His special gift, he said, is the chance to fish with his 13-year-old grandson, Ian, in a walleye-fishing tournament at the end of this month.
"That's the real bonus," he said.
Ian has learned a lot about his grandpa's fishing life because Woodruff sat down one day and wrote a 30-page book of fishing stories and gave it to the boy. Every so often, the boy calls Woodruff on the phone and asks, "Did that really happen, Grandpa?"
Woodruff has to answer "yes" every time, even to the infamous moment his dangling cigarette burned through the fishing line of a client trying to land an 8-pound walleye.
"Most embarrassing moment of my career," Woodruff said.
FISH R BITING
Possessing a GPS-like mind for Leech Lake's structure, Woodruff wasn't satisfied when things slowed on Star Point. "Let's reel up and try a new spot," he said.
Wind is a critical element of successful walleye fishing on Leech Lake, and a calm day can kill a good bite, so we kept our eyes on the sky, praying a few small storm cells would keep the water frothy and the walleyes biting.
When the walleyes weren't snapping at our rainbow dace minnows and spot-tailed shiners, the perch were hammering our baits. Some were small, but others were 9-inch keepers and a few were nearly a foot long. We were filling the livewell with yellow-flanked perch, in addition to keeper walleyes.
Regulations require anglers to throw back Leech Lake walleyes between 18 and 26 inches, and before long, we both had landed and released several walleyes over 20 inches.
One swam up to the edge of the boat and nailed my minnow as it drifted just below the surface. "Now that's a hungry walleye," Woodruff said.
He said he's satisfied the extra regulations are helping protect the lake's walleyes.
"You're able to keep about half of what you catch, which is good. When you got people paying you to take them fishing, you like to get a meal, too."
Fishing still sustains communities like Walker, even if the resort industry is about one-third the size it used to be. "I remember when there were 74 resorts on the lake, and in the chamber of commerce book this year, there are 23," Woodruff said. "Every year, we seem to lose a few more."
Resorts might succumb to the changing whims of vacationers and rising property values, but walleyes are still a draw on Leech Lake. We outraced a storm to the dock, having landed 15 walleyes, and kept a half-dozen "eaters" and a dozen fat perch.
The fishermen are returning, and Woodruff likes what he sees.
"On Sunday, the white spray was coming from all directions as boats headed back to shore and guys headed back to the city. It's good to see it again," he said.
Woodruff can be reached at 218-547-1405. His Web site is fishrbiting.com.
LEECH LAKE FISHERY AT A GLANCE
State and federal officials are taking a multipronged approached to restoring Leech Lake's walleye fishery.
Federal officials are continuing to cull double-crested cormorants from the lake, in hopes of reducing the population to 500 nesting pairs or about 1,000 individuals. This spring, there were 3,000 individual birds. It is the fifth year of such culling. Experts believe the birds eat not only walleyes but also young perch that are the mainstay of walleye diets.
This week, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources again will stock millions of fry into the lake, the fifth consecutive year of the stocking effort. The stocking continues next year, after which the agency will evaluate the effort. Managers want the lake to have self-sustaining walleye populations, as in the past.
DNR regional fisheries manager Henry Drewes said researchers may never know why Leech Lake's walleye population began to plummet in the early 1990s. He said the most important thing is that yellow perch and walleyes are recovering with cormorant numbers under control.
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Three Days and Counting...
This is my last weekend in California for the next several weeks. Beginning Tuesday, I'll be at our house on beautiful Leech Lake.
I spoke with my neighbor and friend Tom Malay yesterday and he said weather conditions for the Friday of the second weekend of the Minnesota walleye season couldn't have been worse -- 24 mph winds out of the NW, 3-4 foot waves and whitecaps, rain off and on, and temperatures that fell from a high of 65 to the mid-40s. In fact, the forecast for last night called for temperatures below freezing and the possibility of snow showers.
Tom said he saw 3 or 4 boats heading north on Sucker Bay struggling against the wind and pounding waves on their way back to Birch Ridge resort. "Real white-knuckle weather," according to Tom.
Today looks a little better. The Weather Underground web site says that the wind today is around 15 mph gusting to near 30 mph, the sky is clear and the temperature is hovering around 50 degrees. If you can get on and off the water safely, it probably isn't a bad day for walleye fishing.
I'll be making my first post from Leech Lake either Tuesday night or Wednesday next week. Stay tuned.
I spoke with my neighbor and friend Tom Malay yesterday and he said weather conditions for the Friday of the second weekend of the Minnesota walleye season couldn't have been worse -- 24 mph winds out of the NW, 3-4 foot waves and whitecaps, rain off and on, and temperatures that fell from a high of 65 to the mid-40s. In fact, the forecast for last night called for temperatures below freezing and the possibility of snow showers.
Tom said he saw 3 or 4 boats heading north on Sucker Bay struggling against the wind and pounding waves on their way back to Birch Ridge resort. "Real white-knuckle weather," according to Tom.
Today looks a little better. The Weather Underground web site says that the wind today is around 15 mph gusting to near 30 mph, the sky is clear and the temperature is hovering around 50 degrees. If you can get on and off the water safely, it probably isn't a bad day for walleye fishing.
I'll be making my first post from Leech Lake either Tuesday night or Wednesday next week. Stay tuned.
Friday, May 15, 2009
First Week of Walleye Season Update
Here's a brief mention of Leech Lake in today's Bemidji Pioneer.
Leech Lake was another good lake for walleyes on the opener, but heavy winds also hampered anglers efforts much of the first week of the season.
Walleyes were biting well in both Portage and Sucker Bay of Leech Lake as well as on some of the larger points like Ottertail and Pine Point in the main lake. Most of the walleyes were biting in 8-12 feet of water on either rocks or on the edges of the emergent cabbage weed beds.
Leech Lake was another good lake for walleyes on the opener, but heavy winds also hampered anglers efforts much of the first week of the season.
Walleyes were biting well in both Portage and Sucker Bay of Leech Lake as well as on some of the larger points like Ottertail and Pine Point in the main lake. Most of the walleyes were biting in 8-12 feet of water on either rocks or on the edges of the emergent cabbage weed beds.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Another Report from Opener
Here's another update on walleye opener from Leech Lake.
Leech Lake: Adam Arnold of Reed's Sporting Goods in Walker said the best bite in 10 years is happening on Leech. Some anglers are catching 23-27 inch walleyes, with lots in the 14-18 inch range. Best have been standup Northland Fireball jigs with shiners.
Goose Island and Pine Point produced some limits for about 500 boats there over the weekend. Best areas on the east side are Partridge Point and Sugar Point, which are producing some walleyes over 24 inches.
Leech Lake: Adam Arnold of Reed's Sporting Goods in Walker said the best bite in 10 years is happening on Leech. Some anglers are catching 23-27 inch walleyes, with lots in the 14-18 inch range. Best have been standup Northland Fireball jigs with shiners.
Goose Island and Pine Point produced some limits for about 500 boats there over the weekend. Best areas on the east side are Partridge Point and Sugar Point, which are producing some walleyes over 24 inches.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Walleye Fishing On Leech Lake Makes a Comeback
Originally published in the Mankato (MN) Free Press.
Leech Lake Makes a Comeback
Leech Lake traditionally has been a favorite opening-day destination for walleye anglers.
But in recent years, a bit of the luster has been lost on the sprawling lake with its many bays, islands and rocky points as the walleye population fell on hard times.
For whatever reason — a real or perceived problem with unchecked cormorant populations, poor walleye recruitment and overfishing, angling success four or five years ago was poor.
Well, measures have been taken to control the cormorant population, the lake has received intensive walleye stockings, and beginning last year, a slot limit was imposed to restrict harvest.
And I’m pleased to report that Leech Lake once again is back as a walleye angler’s destination.
On Saturday morning, along with Brian Fowler of Eagle Lake, Larry McCreary of Faribault, and probably 75 other boats, I fished off of Leech Lake’s Stony Point.
It was typical weather for an opener, of course: cloudy skies, temperatures in the 40s, northwest winds whipping up a bit more than a walleye chop, and just for good measure, an occasional squall line of rain.
Just the kind of weekend weather you’d be tempted to complain about, except that you were fishing.
We began fishing at a leisurely 9 a.m. and by 9:15, had our first fish in the boat — a fat 16-incher that went right into the live well for the evening fish fry.
The imposed slot limit for Leech requires that walleye from 18 to 26 inches be released. There is a daily limit of four fish and one fish 26 inches or larger may be kept.
Fishing in 10 to 16 feet using jigs and shiners, through the course of the day, we had steady action.
And judging by all the landing nets waving in the breeze, so were most everyone else.
By 3:30 p.m., we had our 12 legal fish to ensure sufficient walleye for our supper. But the kicker really was the fish we didn’t take home.
Through the course of the day, we caught and released several dozen fish that fell into the protected slot. A few measured just a fraction over 18 inches but most were in the 24-inch range — fat, deep-colored healthy walleyes that bode well for the future of Leech Lake.
The largest fish we boated was the 26 inch-plus walleye I hooked about mid-day. While it could have been legally kept, we instead were intent on taking home some eating-sized ’eyes instead.
It was late in afternoon Saturday when the sun finally poked through the heavy cloud cover briefly and spread some welcome warmth into our chilled hands.
At about that time, Larry McCreary landed yet another slot-protected fish — this time a 25-incher.
“Isn’t it something when you start to consider big fish like this a nuisance,” he said as the big female walleye drifted back into the depths of Leech Lake.
Leech Lake is back and the future looks bright.
Leech Lake Makes a Comeback
Leech Lake traditionally has been a favorite opening-day destination for walleye anglers.
But in recent years, a bit of the luster has been lost on the sprawling lake with its many bays, islands and rocky points as the walleye population fell on hard times.
For whatever reason — a real or perceived problem with unchecked cormorant populations, poor walleye recruitment and overfishing, angling success four or five years ago was poor.
Well, measures have been taken to control the cormorant population, the lake has received intensive walleye stockings, and beginning last year, a slot limit was imposed to restrict harvest.
And I’m pleased to report that Leech Lake once again is back as a walleye angler’s destination.
On Saturday morning, along with Brian Fowler of Eagle Lake, Larry McCreary of Faribault, and probably 75 other boats, I fished off of Leech Lake’s Stony Point.
It was typical weather for an opener, of course: cloudy skies, temperatures in the 40s, northwest winds whipping up a bit more than a walleye chop, and just for good measure, an occasional squall line of rain.
Just the kind of weekend weather you’d be tempted to complain about, except that you were fishing.
We began fishing at a leisurely 9 a.m. and by 9:15, had our first fish in the boat — a fat 16-incher that went right into the live well for the evening fish fry.
The imposed slot limit for Leech requires that walleye from 18 to 26 inches be released. There is a daily limit of four fish and one fish 26 inches or larger may be kept.
Fishing in 10 to 16 feet using jigs and shiners, through the course of the day, we had steady action.
And judging by all the landing nets waving in the breeze, so were most everyone else.
By 3:30 p.m., we had our 12 legal fish to ensure sufficient walleye for our supper. But the kicker really was the fish we didn’t take home.
Through the course of the day, we caught and released several dozen fish that fell into the protected slot. A few measured just a fraction over 18 inches but most were in the 24-inch range — fat, deep-colored healthy walleyes that bode well for the future of Leech Lake.
The largest fish we boated was the 26 inch-plus walleye I hooked about mid-day. While it could have been legally kept, we instead were intent on taking home some eating-sized ’eyes instead.
It was late in afternoon Saturday when the sun finally poked through the heavy cloud cover briefly and spread some welcome warmth into our chilled hands.
At about that time, Larry McCreary landed yet another slot-protected fish — this time a 25-incher.
“Isn’t it something when you start to consider big fish like this a nuisance,” he said as the big female walleye drifted back into the depths of Leech Lake.
Leech Lake is back and the future looks bright.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
One Week and Counting...
One week from tonight I'll be at our house at Leech Lake.
I am really looking forward to my visit. As usual, there will be a lot of work to do, but I enjoy working around our properties. I'll have to get the boat cleaned up, the equipment in it, and then I'll need to put my boat in the water. I'll have to get the canopy on the boat lift. Run the electricity out to the end of the dock to power the electric motor for the boat lift.
I'll have storm windows to take down and screens to put up. I'll have to remove the insulation from the crawl space vents to air out the house. Then I'll have tons of work to do in the yards at both the house and cabin. I'll have flower beds to prep. Trees to trim. I'll need to clean out the fire pit and get it ready for another season of campfires. Put up the hammock. And on and on.
But no matter how much work there is to do, I don't mind because I'll be doing it on the shores of Leech Lake. For me, there is no better place in the world do to such work.
Oh, and I'll have to get some walleye fishing in as well. My "at-lake" reports will begin next week.
I am really looking forward to my visit. As usual, there will be a lot of work to do, but I enjoy working around our properties. I'll have to get the boat cleaned up, the equipment in it, and then I'll need to put my boat in the water. I'll have to get the canopy on the boat lift. Run the electricity out to the end of the dock to power the electric motor for the boat lift.
I'll have storm windows to take down and screens to put up. I'll have to remove the insulation from the crawl space vents to air out the house. Then I'll have tons of work to do in the yards at both the house and cabin. I'll have flower beds to prep. Trees to trim. I'll need to clean out the fire pit and get it ready for another season of campfires. Put up the hammock. And on and on.
But no matter how much work there is to do, I don't mind because I'll be doing it on the shores of Leech Lake. For me, there is no better place in the world do to such work.
Oh, and I'll have to get some walleye fishing in as well. My "at-lake" reports will begin next week.
Monday, May 11, 2009
Leech Lake Walleye Opener Report, Part 2
My neighbor John Newman filed this report from Sucker Bay, Leech Lake during Saturday's (May 9) walleye opener.
It was a pretty chilly and breezy opener on Leech Lake. I was not even going to go out, but when saw a few nets in action among the flotilla (parked off Second Duck Point) I ventured out for a few hours. I caught a pike and a few perch. I had a sizeable hit of some sort, but no walleye were boated. As for the other anglers, I saw a few fish netted, but could not tell if they were walleye or pike.
Not the kind of success that some folks had on opener (see Good Opening Day on Leech Lake post), but at least John made it out onto the water.
It was a pretty chilly and breezy opener on Leech Lake. I was not even going to go out, but when saw a few nets in action among the flotilla (parked off Second Duck Point) I ventured out for a few hours. I caught a pike and a few perch. I had a sizeable hit of some sort, but no walleye were boated. As for the other anglers, I saw a few fish netted, but could not tell if they were walleye or pike.
Not the kind of success that some folks had on opener (see Good Opening Day on Leech Lake post), but at least John made it out onto the water.
Good Opening Day on Leech Lake
Leech Lake leads the way in walleye opener success across Minnesota. This article if from the Brainerd (MN) Dispatch.
Leech Lake not reeling anymore
2009 MINNESOTA FISHING OPENER
By BRIAN S. PETERSON
Outdoors Editor
Those who wondered if last year's success on Leech Lake was fleeting need not wonder anymore.
It wasn't.
Of all the reports from area lakes, nothing compared to Leech during the opening weekend of the 2009 Minnesota fishing season.
"It's as good as we've seen in a long time," Cory Brock of Reed's Sporting Goods in Walker said of the opener. "There was a good bite yesterday (Saturday). Today it slowed down with it being pretty flat (calm). But they're still catching fish."
Brock said he hit Leech for about an hour-and-a-half Saturday and caught seven walleye, including two nice keepers.
"I just went out for a while and the fish I caught were real healthy fish. Two nice 17-inchers. And the others were 19 to 24 inches."
That was the norm over the weekend - a nice variety of fish sizes. And they were being caught in a variety of places - Partridge Point, Bear Island, Rogers Point, Stoney Point, the Hardwoods, Pine Point and Goose Island, according to Brock.
He said most of the bigger fish were being caught on the southern end of the lake, with the Goose Island and Pine Point areas providing plenty of keepers. He heard a report of a 31-inch walleye being caught as well as a couple 28- and 29-inchers and a number in the 24- to 26-inch range. And reports of a lot of limits being filled.
"A couple different boats were done at 1 (p.m. Saturday). One had 40 to 50 fish in the 12- to 28-inch range.
"Today (Sunday) it's been up and down a little bit. Nothing real phenomenal. But yesterday (Saturday) was great.
"While one guide on Lake Mille Lacs wouldn't categorize the bite on Mille Lacs as great, he said it was better than last year.
"There are more people and the fish are cooperating better," said Rick Goodholm, longtime guide for Terry's Boat Harbor and Marina on Mille Lacs. "But it's still not as good as three years ago because the water temperature isn't warm enough.
"Goodholm said the water temp was 47 degrees Saturday and dropped to 45 with Sunday's wind."
Every day the fishing will get a little better because the water temperature will be warming up," he said. Goodholm said a walleye "just a hair under 28" (inches) was reported Saturday and few keepers were being reported opening weekend.
"We're seeing a lot of 15-inchers but didn't see any that night," he said of a guided night outing over the weekend. "You'll see a lot of 15- to 16-inchers during the day and the night is always a bigger bite."
I think the bite will determine how business will be (this year on Mille Lacs). If they're biting it will be good and if they're not biting it will be bad. And if people can keep some fish, that's a plus.
"It (opening weekend) was better than last for people, but not the year before, but better than I thought it would be - because of the economy. I wasn't sure if it would affect fishing or not. But there were sure a lot of new Ranger boats going down the highway."
Reports from several Brainerd-area lakes were mixed, with anglers coming off Gull Lake reporting a good number of smaller fish, but not many keepers.
In the Crosby-Ironton area, Jesse Williams of Oars & Mine Bait & Tackle in Crosby reported mostly the same.
"The walleye were kind of off and on all weekend," Williams said. "A couple guys here and there said it was pretty good on Serpent Lake and Rabbit Lake. And 10 minutes later a couple more guys would come in, and they were out at the same time and in the same place and didn't catch anything. And there were a lot of bass and pike being caught by accident."
While the opening of the walleye season got most of the attention over the weekend, the season for trout in Minnesota lakes also opened. And according to Williams, it was a successful opener in the Crosby-Ironton mine pit lakes.
"The trout fishing was excellent," he said. "A lot of fish were caught. Even some pretty decent ones. There were some good reports of 17- and 18-inchers and up to 20-inch rainbows."
Williams heard a report of a 5-pound rainbow being caught and reports of nice fish being caught in a number of the pit lakes.
"The Pennington chain was by far the top one," he said. "And there were some decent brookies out of Huntington, and rainbows, too.
And Portsmouth had some good reports, too."Traffic might not be way up - about the same (as last year's opener). But it seems like a lot of people are spending money and getting out."
BRIAN S. PETERSON may be reached at brian.peterson@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5864.
Leech Lake not reeling anymore
2009 MINNESOTA FISHING OPENER
By BRIAN S. PETERSON
Outdoors Editor
Those who wondered if last year's success on Leech Lake was fleeting need not wonder anymore.
It wasn't.
Of all the reports from area lakes, nothing compared to Leech during the opening weekend of the 2009 Minnesota fishing season.
"It's as good as we've seen in a long time," Cory Brock of Reed's Sporting Goods in Walker said of the opener. "There was a good bite yesterday (Saturday). Today it slowed down with it being pretty flat (calm). But they're still catching fish."
Brock said he hit Leech for about an hour-and-a-half Saturday and caught seven walleye, including two nice keepers.
"I just went out for a while and the fish I caught were real healthy fish. Two nice 17-inchers. And the others were 19 to 24 inches."
That was the norm over the weekend - a nice variety of fish sizes. And they were being caught in a variety of places - Partridge Point, Bear Island, Rogers Point, Stoney Point, the Hardwoods, Pine Point and Goose Island, according to Brock.
He said most of the bigger fish were being caught on the southern end of the lake, with the Goose Island and Pine Point areas providing plenty of keepers. He heard a report of a 31-inch walleye being caught as well as a couple 28- and 29-inchers and a number in the 24- to 26-inch range. And reports of a lot of limits being filled.
"A couple different boats were done at 1 (p.m. Saturday). One had 40 to 50 fish in the 12- to 28-inch range.
"Today (Sunday) it's been up and down a little bit. Nothing real phenomenal. But yesterday (Saturday) was great.
"While one guide on Lake Mille Lacs wouldn't categorize the bite on Mille Lacs as great, he said it was better than last year.
"There are more people and the fish are cooperating better," said Rick Goodholm, longtime guide for Terry's Boat Harbor and Marina on Mille Lacs. "But it's still not as good as three years ago because the water temperature isn't warm enough.
"Goodholm said the water temp was 47 degrees Saturday and dropped to 45 with Sunday's wind."
Every day the fishing will get a little better because the water temperature will be warming up," he said. Goodholm said a walleye "just a hair under 28" (inches) was reported Saturday and few keepers were being reported opening weekend.
"We're seeing a lot of 15-inchers but didn't see any that night," he said of a guided night outing over the weekend. "You'll see a lot of 15- to 16-inchers during the day and the night is always a bigger bite."
I think the bite will determine how business will be (this year on Mille Lacs). If they're biting it will be good and if they're not biting it will be bad. And if people can keep some fish, that's a plus.
"It (opening weekend) was better than last for people, but not the year before, but better than I thought it would be - because of the economy. I wasn't sure if it would affect fishing or not. But there were sure a lot of new Ranger boats going down the highway."
Reports from several Brainerd-area lakes were mixed, with anglers coming off Gull Lake reporting a good number of smaller fish, but not many keepers.
In the Crosby-Ironton area, Jesse Williams of Oars & Mine Bait & Tackle in Crosby reported mostly the same.
"The walleye were kind of off and on all weekend," Williams said. "A couple guys here and there said it was pretty good on Serpent Lake and Rabbit Lake. And 10 minutes later a couple more guys would come in, and they were out at the same time and in the same place and didn't catch anything. And there were a lot of bass and pike being caught by accident."
While the opening of the walleye season got most of the attention over the weekend, the season for trout in Minnesota lakes also opened. And according to Williams, it was a successful opener in the Crosby-Ironton mine pit lakes.
"The trout fishing was excellent," he said. "A lot of fish were caught. Even some pretty decent ones. There were some good reports of 17- and 18-inchers and up to 20-inch rainbows."
Williams heard a report of a 5-pound rainbow being caught and reports of nice fish being caught in a number of the pit lakes.
"The Pennington chain was by far the top one," he said. "And there were some decent brookies out of Huntington, and rainbows, too.
And Portsmouth had some good reports, too."Traffic might not be way up - about the same (as last year's opener). But it seems like a lot of people are spending money and getting out."
BRIAN S. PETERSON may be reached at brian.peterson@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5864.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
2010 Walleye Opener
The 2009 walleye season is barely 24 hours old and already the Minnesota governor's office has announced the site for the 2010 walleye opener. This article was published today in the Bemidji Pioneer.
Published May 10 2009
Kabetogama Lake to host 2010 Minnesota Governor’s Fishing Opener
By: By Brad Swenson, Bemidji Pioneer
WHITE BEAR LAKE, Minn. – The Minnesota Governor’s Fishing Opener moves back north in 2010, after seeing its first visit to the metro area this year in 61 years of the event.
Gov. Tim Pawlenty announced Saturday night at the concluding banquet that Kabetogama would host the 2010 event. The small city is on Kabetogama Lake, about 30 miles southeast of International Falls.
The lake on the southwest edge of Voyageur’s National Park last played host to the Governor’s Fishing Opener in 1982 – 28 years ago – when Gov. Al Quie hosted the event, Pawlenty said.
Kabetogama Lake is part of a chain of lakes that make up the border waters between Minnesota and Ontario.
Meanwhile, Pawlenty was basking in his fishing prowess Saturday, having beat Lt. Gov. Carol Molnau in a contest they’ve had each year. Pawlenty’s four fish – three northern pike and one bass – was enough to beat his running mate who managed a 19-inch walleye at 5:03 a.m.
Pawlenty and Molnau traded barbs about starting the day on White Bear Lake at 3:30 a.m. and then coming in for breakfast and the official launch at 6:45 a.m.
“Our boat caught five fish,” Pawlenty told reporters dockside at noon, with guide Denny Merry catching a walleye and first lady Mary Pawlenty skunked for the day. “That’s a very good day, I think.”
He thanked the White Bear Lake community for promoting the sport and the pastime of fishing, as well as for its hospitality to nearly 400 media members and guests.
Molnau chided the governor in that her granddaughter, Anna, caught three fish and only one less than Pawlenty. She suggested Anna would “wipe the governor off the lake” next year.
“I didn’t have as good a year as I usually do,” the lieutenant governor said. “We had a great time, governor. … My fear is that you may have won this year. But, just so you know, you’re just a little bit better than Anna.”
The day was sunny and cloudy, off and on, but rain stayed away. A stiff cold wind created a walleye chop on the lake that may have kept catches down. Still, a 19-1/4-inch walleye was caught and released, as well as a 40-inch muskie. Many bass were also caught, with that season still closed.
“Tourism in Minnesota is an enormous part of our economy,” the Republican governor said.
"Fishing alone is a $5 billion industry in Minnesota. … It’s licenses and fuel and boats, tackle and equipment, restaurants and lodging. We want to promote fishing because it’s economically important to our state, and because it’s fun as it gives people the chance to experience and chance to enjoy our great outdoors.”
White Bear Lake was the state’s first resort town, said event chairman Bill Foussard, owner of White Bear Lake Country Inn. He notes that there are 800,000 anglers in the metro area.
“We talk about always going Up North, but think of all the lakes we have in the metro area,” he said. “The resource – this is so beautiful in White Bear and we’re just one of many.”
Minnesota fishing licenses had declined in recent years, but Foussard said it’s up 15 to 16 percent the past year. “It’s a reasonable sport, it’s great for families. It gives kids a relationship.”
The metro area offers so much in lakes, parks, golf courses and other outdoor recreational opportunities, he said.
“I adore fishing,” said Mary Pawlenty. “I probably drive the train in our family when it comes to going out fishing. The kids love it, and there’s no such thing as a bad day fishing. I had a really great time out there.”
The morning opened with a VFW honor guard, singing of the National Anthem and a blessing of the boats by three local clergy.
“The sun is out and the sky is blue and the fishing season is open in the great state of Minnesota,” Gov. Pawlenty said.
Mark Holsten, state Department of Natural Resources commissioner, noted at the Saturday night banquet about a number of activities throughout the weekend that involved children.
“There’s nothing like seeing a kid catching their first fish,” Holsten said.” Minnesota is a land of 10,000 lakes and a land of a million memories.”
Pawlenty also acknowledged former Sen. Bob Lessard, Ind.-International Falls, who was in attendance and whom the new Lessard outdoor and heritage fund is named after. The fund will come from proceeds from the new State Constitution amendment that adds to Minnesota’s sales tax for cultural and heritage programs that includes the outdoors.
Published May 10 2009
Kabetogama Lake to host 2010 Minnesota Governor’s Fishing Opener
By: By Brad Swenson, Bemidji Pioneer
WHITE BEAR LAKE, Minn. – The Minnesota Governor’s Fishing Opener moves back north in 2010, after seeing its first visit to the metro area this year in 61 years of the event.
Gov. Tim Pawlenty announced Saturday night at the concluding banquet that Kabetogama would host the 2010 event. The small city is on Kabetogama Lake, about 30 miles southeast of International Falls.
The lake on the southwest edge of Voyageur’s National Park last played host to the Governor’s Fishing Opener in 1982 – 28 years ago – when Gov. Al Quie hosted the event, Pawlenty said.
Kabetogama Lake is part of a chain of lakes that make up the border waters between Minnesota and Ontario.
Meanwhile, Pawlenty was basking in his fishing prowess Saturday, having beat Lt. Gov. Carol Molnau in a contest they’ve had each year. Pawlenty’s four fish – three northern pike and one bass – was enough to beat his running mate who managed a 19-inch walleye at 5:03 a.m.
Pawlenty and Molnau traded barbs about starting the day on White Bear Lake at 3:30 a.m. and then coming in for breakfast and the official launch at 6:45 a.m.
“Our boat caught five fish,” Pawlenty told reporters dockside at noon, with guide Denny Merry catching a walleye and first lady Mary Pawlenty skunked for the day. “That’s a very good day, I think.”
He thanked the White Bear Lake community for promoting the sport and the pastime of fishing, as well as for its hospitality to nearly 400 media members and guests.
Molnau chided the governor in that her granddaughter, Anna, caught three fish and only one less than Pawlenty. She suggested Anna would “wipe the governor off the lake” next year.
“I didn’t have as good a year as I usually do,” the lieutenant governor said. “We had a great time, governor. … My fear is that you may have won this year. But, just so you know, you’re just a little bit better than Anna.”
The day was sunny and cloudy, off and on, but rain stayed away. A stiff cold wind created a walleye chop on the lake that may have kept catches down. Still, a 19-1/4-inch walleye was caught and released, as well as a 40-inch muskie. Many bass were also caught, with that season still closed.
“Tourism in Minnesota is an enormous part of our economy,” the Republican governor said.
"Fishing alone is a $5 billion industry in Minnesota. … It’s licenses and fuel and boats, tackle and equipment, restaurants and lodging. We want to promote fishing because it’s economically important to our state, and because it’s fun as it gives people the chance to experience and chance to enjoy our great outdoors.”
White Bear Lake was the state’s first resort town, said event chairman Bill Foussard, owner of White Bear Lake Country Inn. He notes that there are 800,000 anglers in the metro area.
“We talk about always going Up North, but think of all the lakes we have in the metro area,” he said. “The resource – this is so beautiful in White Bear and we’re just one of many.”
Minnesota fishing licenses had declined in recent years, but Foussard said it’s up 15 to 16 percent the past year. “It’s a reasonable sport, it’s great for families. It gives kids a relationship.”
The metro area offers so much in lakes, parks, golf courses and other outdoor recreational opportunities, he said.
“I adore fishing,” said Mary Pawlenty. “I probably drive the train in our family when it comes to going out fishing. The kids love it, and there’s no such thing as a bad day fishing. I had a really great time out there.”
The morning opened with a VFW honor guard, singing of the National Anthem and a blessing of the boats by three local clergy.
“The sun is out and the sky is blue and the fishing season is open in the great state of Minnesota,” Gov. Pawlenty said.
Mark Holsten, state Department of Natural Resources commissioner, noted at the Saturday night banquet about a number of activities throughout the weekend that involved children.
“There’s nothing like seeing a kid catching their first fish,” Holsten said.” Minnesota is a land of 10,000 lakes and a land of a million memories.”
Pawlenty also acknowledged former Sen. Bob Lessard, Ind.-International Falls, who was in attendance and whom the new Lessard outdoor and heritage fund is named after. The fund will come from proceeds from the new State Constitution amendment that adds to Minnesota’s sales tax for cultural and heritage programs that includes the outdoors.
Saturday, May 09, 2009
Leech Lake Walleye Opener Report, Part 1
I heard from my neighbor Tom Malay that there were about 20 boats camped out near Second Duck Point all afternoon. Tom has not gone out fishing himself, but said he will get an update from the folks at Birch Ridge Resort and will get back to me in the next couple of days.
Tom said the weather was typical for a Leech Lake walleye opener -- overcast with rain on and off all day, the temperature didn't hit 45 degrees and the winds out of the NW were about 10 mph, enough to create a nice "walleye chop" on the lake.
More reports from the 2009 Minnesota walleye opener on Leech Lake will be posted here in the next few days.
Tom said the weather was typical for a Leech Lake walleye opener -- overcast with rain on and off all day, the temperature didn't hit 45 degrees and the winds out of the NW were about 10 mph, enough to create a nice "walleye chop" on the lake.
More reports from the 2009 Minnesota walleye opener on Leech Lake will be posted here in the next few days.
Walleye Opener Weather Trivia
Here's some walleye opener weather trivia for all of you. I'm still waiting to hear reports from my neighbors at Leech Lake. I will post an update as soon as I have one.
Walleye Opener vs. Mother's Day
With a change in the law back in 1989, Minnesota's walleye opener weekend -- nearly a holiday in the state -- is often at odds with Mother's Day plans. For some, that may create a bit of family tension this weekend -- to fish or to celebrate with Mom.
Friday, May 08, 2009
MN Governor to Fish White Bear Lake on Opener
Last year Minnesota governor Tim Pawlenty and first-lady Mary Pawlenty fished Leech Lake on walleye opener. This year, the governor and first lady will fish White Bear Lake, located just east of Minneapolis/St. Paul.
Walleye opener begins tomorrow, May 9, throughout Minnesota, at 12:01 a.m. CDT.
Walleye opener begins tomorrow, May 9, throughout Minnesota, at 12:01 a.m. CDT.
Angling Contributes $4.7B to MN's Economy
Fishing is big business in Minnesota as outlined in this article.
Tomorrow is walleye opener in Minnesota. Enjoy.
Tomorrow is walleye opener in Minnesota. Enjoy.
Thursday, May 07, 2009
Leech Lake -- One of MN's Top Ten Lakes for 2009 Walleye Opener
The Minneapolis Star Tribune names Leech Lake one of its Top Ten destinations for the state's walleye opener on Saturday.
Happy Opener from Rapala
One of my very favorite walleye lures of all time is the #9 Rapala Minnow Rap in Hot Steel color. Here's a very special 2009 Minnesota walleye opener message from Rapala.
Wednesday, May 06, 2009
Spring Boat Maintenance
I'm fortunate enough to be able to have my boat winterized, stored, and the prepped for Spring by Corner Sports of Bemidji. They make sure my Lund Pro-V 1800 IFS and 150hp Mercury Verado motor are ready to go when I pick it up.
If, however, you have to prep your boat yourself, here are some helpful suggestions on Spring boat maintenance.
If, however, you have to prep your boat yourself, here are some helpful suggestions on Spring boat maintenance.
Opening-Day Strategies -- from the Pilot-Independent
Opening day strategies
by Ron Anlauf
Published: Wednesday, April 29, 2009 in the Walker Pilot-Independent, Walker, Minnesota
Opening day isn’t all about catching fish. Getting on the water and enjoying what Mother Nature has to offer is part of the opening experience. It’s also a great opportunity to spend quality time with friends and family and maybe even start a new tradition. To that end it still wouldn’t hurt to put a few fish in the boat and can help get your program off to a good start.
One thing to keep in mind is the fact that there are always some fish biting somewhere; and if you stick with it and keep looking, sooner or later you’ll find what you’re looking for.
Last year’s opener was a good example, but the early results for my brother-in-law and I were less than spectacular. We started the season where we have for the last four or five years and where we had always done well — by slowly drifting a shallow weedbed with a light jig and minnow; that is, until now. Now our starting lead pipe cinch early season program was coming up dry, and we finally had to give up on it and look for what we were obviously missing.
What we eventually found was that shallow rocks were holding big schools of fish which were predominantly nice keeper-size males that were still milking. A rocky shoreline with a connecting rock-covered underwater shelve in the 4- to 8-foot range was the ticket to some incredible action. It didn’t take long to put together a solid catch.
Pitching light jigs in the 1/16-ounce range tipped with a spot-tail shiner up to the shallowest water was the key to catching fish without spooking them. The shallowest action held until some of the boats drifted over them and moved them out. We worked the deeper edges of the rocks by slowly drifting the same light jig and minnow.
That pattern held for the next three days that we came back. Successful drifts included casting the jig out and away from the boat and then slowly drifting (when there was enough wind) while lifting and dropping the bait. When it calmed down we used the MinnKota motor to slowly creep along, allowing us to duplicate the same productive speed and cover some water.
Last year’s colder than normal spring and late ice-out delayed the spawn. Instead of spread out on a weed-covered flat, a lot of the fish were stacked into a 100-yard stretch of rock and gravel where they were easy to find and relatively easy to catch. Who knows what this year’s opener will bring? But it wouldn’t hurt to keep an open mind. See you on the water.
by Ron Anlauf
Published: Wednesday, April 29, 2009 in the Walker Pilot-Independent, Walker, Minnesota
Opening day isn’t all about catching fish. Getting on the water and enjoying what Mother Nature has to offer is part of the opening experience. It’s also a great opportunity to spend quality time with friends and family and maybe even start a new tradition. To that end it still wouldn’t hurt to put a few fish in the boat and can help get your program off to a good start.
One thing to keep in mind is the fact that there are always some fish biting somewhere; and if you stick with it and keep looking, sooner or later you’ll find what you’re looking for.
Last year’s opener was a good example, but the early results for my brother-in-law and I were less than spectacular. We started the season where we have for the last four or five years and where we had always done well — by slowly drifting a shallow weedbed with a light jig and minnow; that is, until now. Now our starting lead pipe cinch early season program was coming up dry, and we finally had to give up on it and look for what we were obviously missing.
What we eventually found was that shallow rocks were holding big schools of fish which were predominantly nice keeper-size males that were still milking. A rocky shoreline with a connecting rock-covered underwater shelve in the 4- to 8-foot range was the ticket to some incredible action. It didn’t take long to put together a solid catch.
Pitching light jigs in the 1/16-ounce range tipped with a spot-tail shiner up to the shallowest water was the key to catching fish without spooking them. The shallowest action held until some of the boats drifted over them and moved them out. We worked the deeper edges of the rocks by slowly drifting the same light jig and minnow.
That pattern held for the next three days that we came back. Successful drifts included casting the jig out and away from the boat and then slowly drifting (when there was enough wind) while lifting and dropping the bait. When it calmed down we used the MinnKota motor to slowly creep along, allowing us to duplicate the same productive speed and cover some water.
Last year’s colder than normal spring and late ice-out delayed the spawn. Instead of spread out on a weed-covered flat, a lot of the fish were stacked into a 100-yard stretch of rock and gravel where they were easy to find and relatively easy to catch. Who knows what this year’s opener will bring? But it wouldn’t hurt to keep an open mind. See you on the water.
Tuesday, May 05, 2009
Ice Out 2009 -- Just About Average
Ice was officially "out" on Leech Lake as of April 30, 2009. Average ice out for Leech Lake is April 27, and the latest it was out was back in 1950 -- May 23. Last year there was ice from the shoreline to 200 feet out into Sucker Bay on walleye opener.
Here is some historical data on ice out for many lakes in Minnesota.
Here is some historical data on ice out for many lakes in Minnesota.
Monday, May 04, 2009
Leech Lake Walleye Tournament -- May 30-31, 2009
Welcome to a return of a tradition - the Leech Lake Walleye Tournament! Located on the hottest walleye lake in Minnesota, this is a non-profit family event with proceeds going to area organizations.
The response to the Leech Lake Walleye Tournament has been overwhelming. The positive feedback and response to our return of the tradition .... going back to the family fishing tournament days, has resulted in the LLWT committee receiving DNR approval to increase the number of boats in the tournament to 125. Of course, this also means an increase in the payouts to the anglers and in our donations to the Family Safety Network, Boys & Girls Club and Northstar Sportsmens Club.
Be a part of the tradition! Register now for well over $30,000 in cash and prizes.
Sunday, May 03, 2009
2008 Update Complete
Several months ago I embarked on a project to transfer my hand-written fishing journal to the Fishing Leech Lake blog.
Kathleen and I arrived at Leech Lake on May 23, 2008 and departed on November 19, 2008. During our nearly six month stay at the lake, I was able to spend 98 days on the water fishing. I caught 87 walleye myself, and boated more than 200. And every day, I took some time to record the weather and water conditions and any notes from my fishing expeditions.
We had friends and family visit us throughout our stay, and I feel truly blessed to have been able to spend so much time at Leech Lake with my beautiful wife Kathleen. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay.
With the transfer of my journal complete, I now turn my attention to the present day. Saturday, May 9, marks the start of the 2009 walleye season in Minnesota -- nearly holy day in the state of Minnesota.
I plan to arrive in Bemidji, MN on Tuesday, May 19. After gassing up the truck, I'll pick up the boat from Corner Sports, get some groceries, and then make the 40 mile drive to our Leech Lake house.
My friend Rick is planning a late-May visit from his home in Brisbane, Australia, and at some point in early- to mid-June, Kathleen is likely to join me for a while at the lake. How long I'll stay at Leech Lake this summer is yet to be seen. But my plan is to do daily blog entries while I'm there, and I plan to include as many photos as possible.
I will continue to keep my hand-written fishing journal because I find something reassuring and lasting with something I've written in ink with my own hand. But I will keep the blog more up to date than I did last year.
Stay tuned.
Kathleen and I arrived at Leech Lake on May 23, 2008 and departed on November 19, 2008. During our nearly six month stay at the lake, I was able to spend 98 days on the water fishing. I caught 87 walleye myself, and boated more than 200. And every day, I took some time to record the weather and water conditions and any notes from my fishing expeditions.
We had friends and family visit us throughout our stay, and I feel truly blessed to have been able to spend so much time at Leech Lake with my beautiful wife Kathleen. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay.
With the transfer of my journal complete, I now turn my attention to the present day. Saturday, May 9, marks the start of the 2009 walleye season in Minnesota -- nearly holy day in the state of Minnesota.
I plan to arrive in Bemidji, MN on Tuesday, May 19. After gassing up the truck, I'll pick up the boat from Corner Sports, get some groceries, and then make the 40 mile drive to our Leech Lake house.
My friend Rick is planning a late-May visit from his home in Brisbane, Australia, and at some point in early- to mid-June, Kathleen is likely to join me for a while at the lake. How long I'll stay at Leech Lake this summer is yet to be seen. But my plan is to do daily blog entries while I'm there, and I plan to include as many photos as possible.
I will continue to keep my hand-written fishing journal because I find something reassuring and lasting with something I've written in ink with my own hand. But I will keep the blog more up to date than I did last year.
Stay tuned.
November 19, 2008 -- Time to Leave Leech Lake
The temperature this morning is 28 degrees. The sky is grey and it looks like it will snow today. The wind is out of the north at 10-12 mph.
It's 8:30 a.m. and we're getting ready to leave. Our flight from Bemidji to Minneapolis leaves at 10:50 a.m. Tom and Elaine Malay have graciously agreed to give me and Kathleen a ride to the airport.
Since we don't need to drive our Chevy Silverado to the airport, I put it in the garage, hooked it to a trickle charger to keep the battery fresh, and secured it for the long winter. I also locked up the outbuildings on the property and turned off the water at the house. I turned the thermostat down to 50 degrees in the house and I think we're ready to go.
Tom and Elaine have arrived so I took our luggage out to their Jeep Cherokee. Kathleen gets into the Jeep, I turn on the security system at the house, pull the door shut, lock it, and join Kathleen, Tom and Elaine in the Cherokee. Kathleen and I share a knowing glance -- that we had a great run of time at the lake -- as we drive down the driveway and turn onto W. Shores Rd.
Good bye Leech Lake. I hope to see you sometime during the winter to do some ice fishing.
No fishing today.
It's 8:30 a.m. and we're getting ready to leave. Our flight from Bemidji to Minneapolis leaves at 10:50 a.m. Tom and Elaine Malay have graciously agreed to give me and Kathleen a ride to the airport.
Since we don't need to drive our Chevy Silverado to the airport, I put it in the garage, hooked it to a trickle charger to keep the battery fresh, and secured it for the long winter. I also locked up the outbuildings on the property and turned off the water at the house. I turned the thermostat down to 50 degrees in the house and I think we're ready to go.
Tom and Elaine have arrived so I took our luggage out to their Jeep Cherokee. Kathleen gets into the Jeep, I turn on the security system at the house, pull the door shut, lock it, and join Kathleen, Tom and Elaine in the Cherokee. Kathleen and I share a knowing glance -- that we had a great run of time at the lake -- as we drive down the driveway and turn onto W. Shores Rd.
Good bye Leech Lake. I hope to see you sometime during the winter to do some ice fishing.
No fishing today.
November 18, 2008 -- Our Last Full Day at Leech Lake
The temperature last night fell to near zero degrees. We woke up this morning to ice forming in the harbor and along the shore. Kathleen and I have never been here to watch Leech Lake freeze over, and because we have to fly back to California tomorrow, we won't see it happen this year either.
I'm guessing within a week Sucker Bay will be covered in ice, although ice fishing won't be possible for several weeks yet. To safely ice fish, the ice should be at least 6" thick to walk on, a foot thick to drive a snowmobile or ATV on it, and 18" to two feet to drive a truck or car onto it.
The temperature today varied from 15-20 degrees. The wind was out of the south at 10 mph. Kathleen and I spent the day cleaning the house and cabin and then locking up all of the buildings on our property.
After we cleaned the cabin, I closed the fireplace flue, turned the water off, turned the thermostat down to 50 degrees, turned on the security system and locked it up. I then went to the house where I helped Kathleen finish cleaning it. I set up mouse traps, cleaned out the fireplace, vacuumed, cleaned the bathrooms, etc.
At last it was time to pack. It's always hard to pack up knowing that we have to leave our paradise here at Leech Lake.
Kathleen and I had one last dinner at our dining room table, looking out onto the lake, cleaned up, watched David Letterman on TV and went to bed.
I really hope all goes well for us and our family back in California. I know that we were blessed to be able to spend so much time here at Leech Lake. Thank you God.
No fishing today.
Ice forming in our harbor.
Looking south on Sucker Bay from our cabin. Ice forming along the shore.
Looking north on Sucker Bay from the end of the boat ramp at the cabin.
Looking north on Sucker Bay from the harbor toward our cabin.
I'm guessing within a week Sucker Bay will be covered in ice, although ice fishing won't be possible for several weeks yet. To safely ice fish, the ice should be at least 6" thick to walk on, a foot thick to drive a snowmobile or ATV on it, and 18" to two feet to drive a truck or car onto it.
The temperature today varied from 15-20 degrees. The wind was out of the south at 10 mph. Kathleen and I spent the day cleaning the house and cabin and then locking up all of the buildings on our property.
After we cleaned the cabin, I closed the fireplace flue, turned the water off, turned the thermostat down to 50 degrees, turned on the security system and locked it up. I then went to the house where I helped Kathleen finish cleaning it. I set up mouse traps, cleaned out the fireplace, vacuumed, cleaned the bathrooms, etc.
At last it was time to pack. It's always hard to pack up knowing that we have to leave our paradise here at Leech Lake.
Kathleen and I had one last dinner at our dining room table, looking out onto the lake, cleaned up, watched David Letterman on TV and went to bed.
I really hope all goes well for us and our family back in California. I know that we were blessed to be able to spend so much time here at Leech Lake. Thank you God.
No fishing today.
Ice forming in our harbor.
Looking south on Sucker Bay from our cabin. Ice forming along the shore.
Looking north on Sucker Bay from the end of the boat ramp at the cabin.
Looking north on Sucker Bay from the harbor toward our cabin.
November 17, 2008
It snowed on and off all day today. At times, the snow was falling quite heavily, with big flakes almost the size of quarters. About 2" accumulated on the ground. It was beautiful, and I'm glad Kathleen and I get to experience the snow before we leave for California.
The high temperature was 20 degrees.
I walked with Kathleen as far a Paul Wagner's house -- about 1.5 miles from our house -- before turning around to go home and do some chores. Kathleen continued to the Community Center for the full 6-mile round trip walk.
Once back at the properties, I closed up and locked the game room (after one last game of pinball), closed up and locked the "fish garage," and the little fish house at the house. I put the plow on the ATV and plowed our driveway. I think the electric starter may be going out on the ATV.
Despite her walk and yoga, Kathleen is not feeling well so she went to bed early. I stayed up, made a fire in the fireplace and listened to classical music on KCRB.
I'm really going to miss being at Leech Lake.
No fishing today.
The high temperature was 20 degrees.
I walked with Kathleen as far a Paul Wagner's house -- about 1.5 miles from our house -- before turning around to go home and do some chores. Kathleen continued to the Community Center for the full 6-mile round trip walk.
Once back at the properties, I closed up and locked the game room (after one last game of pinball), closed up and locked the "fish garage," and the little fish house at the house. I put the plow on the ATV and plowed our driveway. I think the electric starter may be going out on the ATV.
Despite her walk and yoga, Kathleen is not feeling well so she went to bed early. I stayed up, made a fire in the fireplace and listened to classical music on KCRB.
I'm really going to miss being at Leech Lake.
No fishing today.
Saturday, May 02, 2009
November 16, 2008
The lake-side deck with an inch of fresh snow.
We woke up this morning to about an inch of freshly fallen snow. The sky was partly cloudy and pale blue. The temperature today was 22 degrees with the wind varying from calm to 5-8 mph out of the north. As the day progressed, the wind increased to around 15 mph, making it feel even colder.
Kathleen and I took a walk to the Otter Tail Peninsula Community Center and back today; a round trip walk of about 6 miles. It felt good to walk in the cold, crisp air.
My neighbor Don Poage's step-grandson shot a deer today. Poage's stepson, Marty, stung up the deer in a tree by the road and gutted it. I walked out to watch, but by the time I got out there the guts had been completely removed. There is an art to successfully dressing a deer, and Marty does know what he's doing.
Later this evening, in front of a roaring fire, Kathleen and I enjoyed listening to "Pipedreams" on public radio. We both agree that Minnesota Public Radio is among the best, if not the best, public radio in the country.
The front of the house.
Our truck, and out buildings, with a dusting of November snow.
November 15, 2008
The temperature today hit a high of 22 degrees. The wind was out of the west at 10-12 mph. The sky was overcast and it spit snow throughout the day.
Our neighbor, and newly elected president of the Otter Tail Peninsula Association, Jerry Schiebe stopped by for some pie, coffee and conversation. Jerry's a great guy, and Kathleen and I very much enjoyed our visit with him.
This evening I grilled up a t-bone steak for dinner; probably the last of my grilling for the season. Later, Kathleen and I listened to "A Prairie Home Companion" on the public radio. Garrison Keillor's singing guest tonight was Emmylou Harris. I've enjoyed her music from her earliest days with Gram Parsons.
No fishing on Leech Lake today.
Our neighbor, and newly elected president of the Otter Tail Peninsula Association, Jerry Schiebe stopped by for some pie, coffee and conversation. Jerry's a great guy, and Kathleen and I very much enjoyed our visit with him.
This evening I grilled up a t-bone steak for dinner; probably the last of my grilling for the season. Later, Kathleen and I listened to "A Prairie Home Companion" on the public radio. Garrison Keillor's singing guest tonight was Emmylou Harris. I've enjoyed her music from her earliest days with Gram Parsons.
No fishing on Leech Lake today.
November 14, 2008
Today was one of those fairly typical Fall days in the Northwoods of Minnesota where as the day wore on, the temperature steadily declined. This morning around 10 a.m. the temperature was 35 degrees. By late afternoon the temperature had falled to 25 degrees. With winds out of the WNW at 10-18 mph, the day kept getting colder.
Regardless of the temperature, I spent a good portion of the day outside. I put away the lawn chairs, packed up the folding chairs that we use around the fire pit at the cabin, stored the paint we used to paint the cabin in the crawl space below the house, and brought in a couple of loads of firewood into the garage.
Around 5:30 p.m. it started to snow, and since it was getting too dark to work outside any more, I went into the house. Kathleen and I enjoyed a fire in the fireplace.
No fishing today.
Regardless of the temperature, I spent a good portion of the day outside. I put away the lawn chairs, packed up the folding chairs that we use around the fire pit at the cabin, stored the paint we used to paint the cabin in the crawl space below the house, and brought in a couple of loads of firewood into the garage.
Around 5:30 p.m. it started to snow, and since it was getting too dark to work outside any more, I went into the house. Kathleen and I enjoyed a fire in the fireplace.
No fishing today.
November 13, 2008
Kathleen and I went into Bemidji today for one last day of errands before we leave for California next week. We mailed some boxes of stuff to our house in San Jose -- it's cheaper and more efficient than bringing it with us on the plane -- then we stopped at L&M Fleet to pick up a variety of supplies and finally we stopped at Lueken's Village Foods to get our last batch of groceries.
Before we left for town this afternoon, I started a crock pot of chili. I'm sure I won't be able to eat it all before we leave (it has meat in it so Kathleen won't eat it) so I'll freeze much of it for meals when I visit during my ice fishing trip in February.
When we arrived home, we unloaded the groceries, ate dinner, enjoyed a fire in the fireplace while listening to the Steve Kimock Band on CD.
The temperature today was near 40 degrees, it was rainy and overcast all day long and the wind was 8-12 mph out of the SW.
Before we left for town this afternoon, I started a crock pot of chili. I'm sure I won't be able to eat it all before we leave (it has meat in it so Kathleen won't eat it) so I'll freeze much of it for meals when I visit during my ice fishing trip in February.
When we arrived home, we unloaded the groceries, ate dinner, enjoyed a fire in the fireplace while listening to the Steve Kimock Band on CD.
The temperature today was near 40 degrees, it was rainy and overcast all day long and the wind was 8-12 mph out of the SW.
November 12, 2008
Tom Malay and I put his boat in my garage at the cabin for winter storage today. We both realized that neither of us will be doing any open-water fishing until the Spring of 2009. There was a finality to it that was a bit unsettling. I'd been fishing Leech Lake since May 23. Now here we were 5 1/2 months later and it was over.
Today also marks the final week of our stay in Minnesota. Kathleen and I have been here for the longest stretch of time since we purchased our properties in 2001, and now it's coming to a close. We've had a fantastic run at Leech Lake! We're trying to make every second of every day count, because we know our time here at the lake is limited.
The temperature today was 32 degrees, the sky was grey and overcast with the threat of snow and the wind was out of the south at 8-10 mph.
I made bacon-wrapped venison sirloin for dinner tonight. Until you've tried something so tasty and so decadent as bacon-wrapped venison sirloin, you haven't truly experienced life in the Northwoods of Minnesota.
After dinner I got a fire going in the fireplace, put some Frederic Chopin on the CD player and relaxed with Kathleen in front of the warmth of the fire. Another fantastic night on the shores of the mighty Leech Lake.
Today also marks the final week of our stay in Minnesota. Kathleen and I have been here for the longest stretch of time since we purchased our properties in 2001, and now it's coming to a close. We've had a fantastic run at Leech Lake! We're trying to make every second of every day count, because we know our time here at the lake is limited.
The temperature today was 32 degrees, the sky was grey and overcast with the threat of snow and the wind was out of the south at 8-10 mph.
I made bacon-wrapped venison sirloin for dinner tonight. Until you've tried something so tasty and so decadent as bacon-wrapped venison sirloin, you haven't truly experienced life in the Northwoods of Minnesota.
After dinner I got a fire going in the fireplace, put some Frederic Chopin on the CD player and relaxed with Kathleen in front of the warmth of the fire. Another fantastic night on the shores of the mighty Leech Lake.
November 11, 2008 -- Rib Recipe
Today the temperature was 32 degrees and the wind was calm. Kathleen and I spent the day outside covering the hostas, and other plants, with mulch and leaves. This will keep them somewhat warm during the extremely cold northern Minnesota winter.
I cleaned out the garage at the cabin to create enough empty room so Tom Malay can store his 14-foot aluminum boat in there for the winter.
Earlier in the day I put a rack of baby back pork ribs in the oven so they would be ready for dinner tonight. Kathleen is a vegetarian, so she won't eat any, but the rack will last me a couple of days.
For anyone who's interested, here's my recipe for ribs:
* Start with a package of pork loin back ribs. The ones I buy come pre-wrapped in plastic and vary between 2 1/4 pounds and 3 pounds.
* Rinse the ribs clean in cold water and pat dry. Place ribs bone side up on a cookie sheet and sprinkle with Worcestershire sauce. Rub the sauce so it covers the ribs. Sprinkle 1/4 of the dry rub (ingredients for dry rub below) onto the ribs and push into the ribs with your fingers.
* Flip the rack of ribs over so the meat side is up and do the same -- sprinkle with Worchestershire, and use the remaining 3/4 of the dry rub on the ribs. Be sure to work the dry rub into the meat.
* Place meat-side up in an oven on "bake," temperature of 210 degrees and cook for 6 hours.
* After 6 hours, take 1/4 cup of your favorite store-bought BBQ sauce and brush on the meat-side of the ribs; I do not put sauce on the bone side; at this point it's too hard to flip the rack because it's so tender.
* Place back in the oven, increase temp to 225 and cook for another 2 hours.
* Remove rack of ribs, cut into individual ribs or sections and serve. They are tender, sweet and literally fall off the bone.
* If you put the ribs in the oven by 10 a.m., they are ready to eat at 6 p.m. Serve with you favorite rib side dishes such as corn on the cob, baked beans, garlic bread, salads, or whatever floats your boat.
Dry Rub Recipe
* 1/3 cup brown sugar
* 1/2 tablespoon of dry, yellow musturd
* 1/2 teaspoon of paprika
* 1/2 teaspoon of McCormick's "Grill Mates" Barbecue flavor (in the spice aisle of your grocery store)
* 1/4 teaspoon Lawry's Seasoning Salt
* 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* a pinch of dry red pepper flakes
* 1 crushed dry Bay leaf
-- Mix all ingredients together thoroughly in a bowl and apply directly to ribs. This makes enough dry rub for one rack of ribs. Double or triple recipe for more racks.
Kathleen, despite the cold weather, did her 6-mile run today. She runs from our house to the Otter Tail Peninsula Community Center, south on the dirt part of Sucker Bay Road, right on Otter Tail Point Road, right on 26th and then left on West Shores Road back to our house. After her run Kathleen does yoga and Pilate's. It's no wonder she is in amazing shape.
After our dinner Kathleen and I had another wonderful fire in the fireplace and enjoyed our evening at Leech Lake.
No fishing today.
Ice forming along the shoreline of the harbor.
I cleaned out the garage at the cabin to create enough empty room so Tom Malay can store his 14-foot aluminum boat in there for the winter.
Earlier in the day I put a rack of baby back pork ribs in the oven so they would be ready for dinner tonight. Kathleen is a vegetarian, so she won't eat any, but the rack will last me a couple of days.
For anyone who's interested, here's my recipe for ribs:
* Start with a package of pork loin back ribs. The ones I buy come pre-wrapped in plastic and vary between 2 1/4 pounds and 3 pounds.
* Rinse the ribs clean in cold water and pat dry. Place ribs bone side up on a cookie sheet and sprinkle with Worcestershire sauce. Rub the sauce so it covers the ribs. Sprinkle 1/4 of the dry rub (ingredients for dry rub below) onto the ribs and push into the ribs with your fingers.
* Flip the rack of ribs over so the meat side is up and do the same -- sprinkle with Worchestershire, and use the remaining 3/4 of the dry rub on the ribs. Be sure to work the dry rub into the meat.
* Place meat-side up in an oven on "bake," temperature of 210 degrees and cook for 6 hours.
* After 6 hours, take 1/4 cup of your favorite store-bought BBQ sauce and brush on the meat-side of the ribs; I do not put sauce on the bone side; at this point it's too hard to flip the rack because it's so tender.
* Place back in the oven, increase temp to 225 and cook for another 2 hours.
* Remove rack of ribs, cut into individual ribs or sections and serve. They are tender, sweet and literally fall off the bone.
* If you put the ribs in the oven by 10 a.m., they are ready to eat at 6 p.m. Serve with you favorite rib side dishes such as corn on the cob, baked beans, garlic bread, salads, or whatever floats your boat.
Dry Rub Recipe
* 1/3 cup brown sugar
* 1/2 tablespoon of dry, yellow musturd
* 1/2 teaspoon of paprika
* 1/2 teaspoon of McCormick's "Grill Mates" Barbecue flavor (in the spice aisle of your grocery store)
* 1/4 teaspoon Lawry's Seasoning Salt
* 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* a pinch of dry red pepper flakes
* 1 crushed dry Bay leaf
-- Mix all ingredients together thoroughly in a bowl and apply directly to ribs. This makes enough dry rub for one rack of ribs. Double or triple recipe for more racks.
Kathleen, despite the cold weather, did her 6-mile run today. She runs from our house to the Otter Tail Peninsula Community Center, south on the dirt part of Sucker Bay Road, right on Otter Tail Point Road, right on 26th and then left on West Shores Road back to our house. After her run Kathleen does yoga and Pilate's. It's no wonder she is in amazing shape.
After our dinner Kathleen and I had another wonderful fire in the fireplace and enjoyed our evening at Leech Lake.
No fishing today.
Ice forming along the shoreline of the harbor.
Friday, May 01, 2009
November 10, 2008
A few days ago Kathleen and I decided to pull up the thick green carpet that was in the bathroom at the cabin. When we did, we discovered that like the rest of the cabin, the floor in the bathroom was made from beautiful wood planks. The problem, however, was that whoever installed the carpet decided to use double-sided tape in addition to tack strips. Getting the carpet and tack strips out wasn't too hard, but getting the decades old tape off the floor without damaging the wood proved more challenging.
Kathleen worked very hard during the past several days to get the tape off the bathroom floor, and today, she completed the project.
While Kathleen was working on the bathroom floor at the cabin, I was helping Tom Malay take his 14-foot aluminum boat out of the lake. It has simply become too cold to leave the boat outside any longer.
It took some doing, but Tom and I chopped the ice off the boat lift and lowered the lift and boat into the water. Tom must have pulled the starter cord 20 times before the motor finally sputtered and started.
Tom then motored the boat next door to the cabin, where we had put the trailer in the water at the bottom of my boat ramp. We got Tom's boat out of the water, and took it back to Tom's cabin where he was going to winterize it. I guess this is really it, no more open-water fishing on Leech Lake this year. The last boat I was using to fish in is now out of the water for the winter.
After getting Tom's boat out of the lake, I dismantled the hammock and put it away until next Spring. The ritual of putting the hammock together in the Spring, and then taking it apart in the Fall, is something I've done every year since we've owned our property on Leech Lake.
The high temperature today was 24 degrees. The winds were calm and it was a day or two before a full moon.
This evening for dinner Kathleen and I had home-made soup and fish sandwiches from the leftover perch fillets from last night's dinner. We got a roaring fire going in the fireplace, listened to music and played dominoes and cribbage. We had another wonderful day at Leech Lake.
A view of Leech Lake from our living room.
Kathleen worked very hard during the past several days to get the tape off the bathroom floor, and today, she completed the project.
While Kathleen was working on the bathroom floor at the cabin, I was helping Tom Malay take his 14-foot aluminum boat out of the lake. It has simply become too cold to leave the boat outside any longer.
It took some doing, but Tom and I chopped the ice off the boat lift and lowered the lift and boat into the water. Tom must have pulled the starter cord 20 times before the motor finally sputtered and started.
Tom then motored the boat next door to the cabin, where we had put the trailer in the water at the bottom of my boat ramp. We got Tom's boat out of the water, and took it back to Tom's cabin where he was going to winterize it. I guess this is really it, no more open-water fishing on Leech Lake this year. The last boat I was using to fish in is now out of the water for the winter.
After getting Tom's boat out of the lake, I dismantled the hammock and put it away until next Spring. The ritual of putting the hammock together in the Spring, and then taking it apart in the Fall, is something I've done every year since we've owned our property on Leech Lake.
The high temperature today was 24 degrees. The winds were calm and it was a day or two before a full moon.
This evening for dinner Kathleen and I had home-made soup and fish sandwiches from the leftover perch fillets from last night's dinner. We got a roaring fire going in the fireplace, listened to music and played dominoes and cribbage. We had another wonderful day at Leech Lake.
A view of Leech Lake from our living room.
November 9, 2008
Today was even colder than yesterday. The high temperature today hit only 20 degrees. And with a steady wind of 10-15 mph out of the WNW, gusting to 20+ mph, the wind chill was probably closer to zero.
The lake was choppy from the wind and ice had begun to form along the shoreline. I was worried about Tom's boat as it sat in my harbor, or more specifically, about the 10hp Mercury motor on the boat. The small Mercury is a 2-stroke motor, which means it has to pull water from the lake to cool the motor. Since some water is always inside the housing the motor, it was likely to freeze and possible crack the head of the motor or do other damage.
I pulled the motor out of the water, pulled the starter cord a number of times with the motor in the off position to drive any water from the inner workings of the motor. Then once all of the water had been expelled from the motor, I lowered the motor back into the water. At this point the water in the harbor was actually warmer than the air.
Once I had secured Tom's boat, I joined Kathleen in working around the yard. We cut back the hosta plants, trimmed other plants, and did other general yard work. It was cold, but it was fun working outside with Kathleen. I'm going to miss our time together working in the yard.
No fishing on Leech Lake today.
The lake was choppy from the wind and ice had begun to form along the shoreline. I was worried about Tom's boat as it sat in my harbor, or more specifically, about the 10hp Mercury motor on the boat. The small Mercury is a 2-stroke motor, which means it has to pull water from the lake to cool the motor. Since some water is always inside the housing the motor, it was likely to freeze and possible crack the head of the motor or do other damage.
I pulled the motor out of the water, pulled the starter cord a number of times with the motor in the off position to drive any water from the inner workings of the motor. Then once all of the water had been expelled from the motor, I lowered the motor back into the water. At this point the water in the harbor was actually warmer than the air.
Once I had secured Tom's boat, I joined Kathleen in working around the yard. We cut back the hosta plants, trimmed other plants, and did other general yard work. It was cold, but it was fun working outside with Kathleen. I'm going to miss our time together working in the yard.
No fishing on Leech Lake today.
November 8, 2008 -- Deer Season Opener
Today we awoke to find the first dusting of snow on the ground. Today is also the first day of the 2008 deer hunting season in Minnesota. In Minnesota, Michigan and Wisconsin, the first day of deer season is almost a religious holiday. Millions of hunters will flood the woods of these three states during the next couple of weeks in search of a trophy buck, or maybe just a doe or two for the meat.
Our neighbor and good friend John Newman is up at the lake for that very reason. He is taking his son Greg hunting in the woods across the street from our houses. Joining him is Clancy, the man from whom we bought our Leech Lake house. Clancy was kind enough to give me a frozen elk steak from a hunt he was on in Washington state a month or so back. That'll make a tasty dinner.
The weather conditions for deer opener couldn't have been harsher. The temperature today hit a high of only 28 degrees, the wind was very strong at 25-35 mph out of the north, the sky was grey and there were snow flurries all day. The lake was covered with white caps and large swells. Even though Tom's small boat sat in my harbor, there was no way I was willing to risk taking it out onto the lake.
I am not a hunter. I own a couple of guns -- a shotgun and a rifle -- but I don't hunt; not for deer, grouse, bear or anything else. My focus is exclusively on fishing. That's why this is such a difficult time of year for me. The weather is too rough to take the little boat onto the big waters of Leech Lake, but the ice has yet to form, so ice angling is still a month or more away. I guess that's why many people hunt -- to fill in the time between open-water fishing and ice fishing.
This evening I fried up the perch fillets for dinner. Kathleen and I thoroughly enjoyed what would turn out to be our last fish fry of our 2008 stay at Leech Lake. I'm already preparing myself for the difficult transition from our simple, quiet Northwoods life style to that of the fast-paced, busy and noisy life in San Jose.
November 7, 2008
The temperature today hit a high of 44 degrees, but for much of the day it hovered just under 40. The today was stronger than yesterday at 15 mph out of the NW. The was covered in large swells and white caps. It rained hard all day.
I contemplated taking Tom Malay's 14-foot aluminum boat out fishing today, but as I stood on the shoreline, I realized that those waves were rougher than they had been the past couple of days, and I figured it was probably safer to stay off the water today.
No fishing on Leech Lake today.
I contemplated taking Tom Malay's 14-foot aluminum boat out fishing today, but as I stood on the shoreline, I realized that those waves were rougher than they had been the past couple of days, and I figured it was probably safer to stay off the water today.
No fishing on Leech Lake today.
November 6, 2008 on Leech Lake
Today's weather conditions were absolutely terrible for "comfortable" fishing -- the temperature hit a high of only 50 degrees, the wind was out of the ENE at 13 mph, the sky was grey and a cold, hard rain fell all day long. Miserable conditions. But because I could, I went fishing.
I took Tom Malay's 14-foot aluminum boat out onto the rough waters of Leech Lake to try to catch walleye and perch. Tom, because the weather was so poor, decided to stay on shore where he could be warm and dry in his cabin.
I motored the boat to the Birches, put a live fathead minnow on my 1/8 oz. Northland Neon-Tone Gum-Ball jig, dropped it 8-9 feet below the boat and immediately started catching perch. For the next several hours I caught more than 20 nice sized perch, including 2 jumbos. But since I had a bag of fresh perch fillets sitting in my refrigerator at home, all of the fish I caught were released back into Leech Lake.
As it turned out, today was my last day of open-water fishing on Leech Lake in 2008. I was able to fish a total of 98 days this season, and I fished later into the season -- Nov. 6 -- than ever before.
I took Tom Malay's 14-foot aluminum boat out onto the rough waters of Leech Lake to try to catch walleye and perch. Tom, because the weather was so poor, decided to stay on shore where he could be warm and dry in his cabin.
I motored the boat to the Birches, put a live fathead minnow on my 1/8 oz. Northland Neon-Tone Gum-Ball jig, dropped it 8-9 feet below the boat and immediately started catching perch. For the next several hours I caught more than 20 nice sized perch, including 2 jumbos. But since I had a bag of fresh perch fillets sitting in my refrigerator at home, all of the fish I caught were released back into Leech Lake.
As it turned out, today was my last day of open-water fishing on Leech Lake in 2008. I was able to fish a total of 98 days this season, and I fished later into the season -- Nov. 6 -- than ever before.
November 5, 2008 on Leech Lake
We woke up this morning to the news that Barack Obama was elected the 44th president of the United States.
The temperature today was 56 degrees and the wind was out of the ENE at 5-12 mph. After yesterday's experience, where Tom and I caught lots of fish at the Birches but caught only a couple of fish at Big Hardwood Point, Duck Point and Second Duck Point, we decided to focus exclusively on the Birches today.
We used jigs tipped with live fathead minnows and fished in approximately 10 feet of water along the edge of the weed line. It didn't take us long to start catching fish. Tom and I started fishing at 11:00 a.m. and stayed on the water until 4:45 p.m. During the nearly 6 hours on the water, we caught untold numbers of perch, Tom caught a 14" walleye, I also caught a walleye (a small 11" 'eye) and we each kept 6 jumbo perch.
Together with the perch we had caught on Nov. 2 and Nov. 4, we had a total of 18 beautiful jumbo perch. Tom took it upon himself to clean all 18, and then we split the fillets. This will be more than enough for me and Kathleen to have a wonderful Leech Lake fish fry.
As it turned out, the walleye I caught today would be my last of the season. I caught 87 walleyes throughout the season, and probably more than 500 perch. It's been a great season of fishing on Leech Lake.
I hope I can get out a least a few more times before we have to pull Tom's small boat out of the water. I don't know how long that will be, however, since the temperature at night has been falling below freezing.
The temperature today was 56 degrees and the wind was out of the ENE at 5-12 mph. After yesterday's experience, where Tom and I caught lots of fish at the Birches but caught only a couple of fish at Big Hardwood Point, Duck Point and Second Duck Point, we decided to focus exclusively on the Birches today.
We used jigs tipped with live fathead minnows and fished in approximately 10 feet of water along the edge of the weed line. It didn't take us long to start catching fish. Tom and I started fishing at 11:00 a.m. and stayed on the water until 4:45 p.m. During the nearly 6 hours on the water, we caught untold numbers of perch, Tom caught a 14" walleye, I also caught a walleye (a small 11" 'eye) and we each kept 6 jumbo perch.
Together with the perch we had caught on Nov. 2 and Nov. 4, we had a total of 18 beautiful jumbo perch. Tom took it upon himself to clean all 18, and then we split the fillets. This will be more than enough for me and Kathleen to have a wonderful Leech Lake fish fry.
As it turned out, the walleye I caught today would be my last of the season. I caught 87 walleyes throughout the season, and probably more than 500 perch. It's been a great season of fishing on Leech Lake.
I hope I can get out a least a few more times before we have to pull Tom's small boat out of the water. I don't know how long that will be, however, since the temperature at night has been falling below freezing.
November 4, 2008 on Leech Lake -- Election Day
Today Tom Malay and I took his 14-foot aluminum boat on a fishing tour of Sucker Bay. We started at 12:30 p.m. and motored from my harbor to Big Hardwood Point. There were three other boats fishing Big Hardwood, which is always a good sign that there are walleyes present. Tom hooked one medium-sized northern pike, but that's all we could coax into the boat.
From Big Hardwood we motored across Sucker Bay to Duck Point. Using my Lindy Max Gap jig set up, I caught one very nice jumbo perch, which I kept. We then trolled Minnow Raps from Duck Point to Second Duck Point, and during that trip Tom hooked a nice 5 pound northern pike, which he released.
Finally we made our way to the Birches which is where the action really picked up. Tom and I both caught dozens of small- and medium-sized perch, Tom caught one nice jumbo perch, which he kept, and I caught three jumbo perch, which I kept. I was starting to amass enough jumbo perch for Kathleen and I to have one more fish fry before leaving the lake for our house in California.
Tom and I put the boat back in my boat lift at 5:00 p.m.
It was truly another fantastic day of fishing on Leech Lake.
NOTE: Late this evening it was projected that Barack Obama would win the presidency of the United States.
From Big Hardwood we motored across Sucker Bay to Duck Point. Using my Lindy Max Gap jig set up, I caught one very nice jumbo perch, which I kept. We then trolled Minnow Raps from Duck Point to Second Duck Point, and during that trip Tom hooked a nice 5 pound northern pike, which he released.
Finally we made our way to the Birches which is where the action really picked up. Tom and I both caught dozens of small- and medium-sized perch, Tom caught one nice jumbo perch, which he kept, and I caught three jumbo perch, which I kept. I was starting to amass enough jumbo perch for Kathleen and I to have one more fish fry before leaving the lake for our house in California.
Tom and I put the boat back in my boat lift at 5:00 p.m.
It was truly another fantastic day of fishing on Leech Lake.
NOTE: Late this evening it was projected that Barack Obama would win the presidency of the United States.
November 3, 2008 on Leech Lake
Today I fished in the morning from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The temperature was a very warm 63 degrees and the wind was a bit stronger than it's been the past few days at 8-12 mph out of the south.
Once again I used an 1/8 oz. Lindy Max Gap jig tipped with live fathead minnows while drifting in 8-10 feet of water from our house to the Birches.
I caught 7 small- to medium-sized perch, but no jumbos or walleye. All fish were released unharmed.
Today marked the 95th day this season I have fished on the open-water of Leech Lake; a new record for me.
Once again I used an 1/8 oz. Lindy Max Gap jig tipped with live fathead minnows while drifting in 8-10 feet of water from our house to the Birches.
I caught 7 small- to medium-sized perch, but no jumbos or walleye. All fish were released unharmed.
Today marked the 95th day this season I have fished on the open-water of Leech Lake; a new record for me.
November 2, 2008 on Leech Lake
The temperature today was 53 degrees, the wind was calm to 5 mph out of the SE then shifting to the NE. I was on the water from 12: 30 p.m. to 4:15 p.m.
I used the same set up as I did yesterday, an 1/8 oz. Lindy Max Gap jig in either sapphire blue or emerald shiner color tipped with live fathead minnows. I let the boat drift in the wind from in front of our house to the Birches. Then I'd fire up the little 10hp Mercury motor on Malay's 14-foot aluminum boat and motor back to our house. I'm estimating that I was fishing in 8-10 feet of water.
I caught 8 medium-sized perch, which I released, and 2 jumbo perch, which I kept.
I saw two adult bald eagles perched in a tree near the Birches. Occasionally one of them would fly out over the lake, looking for food I suppose, then circle back to its perch in the tree. I love the beauty of nature at Leech Lake.
This evening Kathleen and I hosted Tom and Elaine Malay for a lasagna dinner.
I used the same set up as I did yesterday, an 1/8 oz. Lindy Max Gap jig in either sapphire blue or emerald shiner color tipped with live fathead minnows. I let the boat drift in the wind from in front of our house to the Birches. Then I'd fire up the little 10hp Mercury motor on Malay's 14-foot aluminum boat and motor back to our house. I'm estimating that I was fishing in 8-10 feet of water.
I caught 8 medium-sized perch, which I released, and 2 jumbo perch, which I kept.
I saw two adult bald eagles perched in a tree near the Birches. Occasionally one of them would fly out over the lake, looking for food I suppose, then circle back to its perch in the tree. I love the beauty of nature at Leech Lake.
This evening Kathleen and I hosted Tom and Elaine Malay for a lasagna dinner.
November 1, 2008 on Leech Lake
From 1:30 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. I was out fishing and I was in heaven. Each day I make it out onto the water it becomes the latest in the year that I've ever been open-water fishing on Leech Lake.
The temperature today was 48 degrees and the wind was out of the SSW at 5-8 mph, the perfect speed to push Malay's little aluminum boat without the use of the motor. I positioned the boat in front of our house in roughly 10 feet of water, so I would drift toward Norm's cabin. That would put me along the edge of the weed line, if any of the weeds were still green.
I used an 1/8 oz. Lindy Max Gap in both sapphire blue and emerald shiner colors, a silver Colorado blade spinner, and tipped the jig with live fathead minnows.
I caught nearly a dozen medium-sized perch, one medium-sized northern pike and 4 jumbo perch. All fish were released into the lake unharmed.
Once I was back on shore, I wished I would have kept the jumbo perch. I would like to have one more fish fry before Kathleen and I go back to California, and those jumbos would have been perfect. I guess I'll just have to go out fishing again tomorrow.
The temperature today was 48 degrees and the wind was out of the SSW at 5-8 mph, the perfect speed to push Malay's little aluminum boat without the use of the motor. I positioned the boat in front of our house in roughly 10 feet of water, so I would drift toward Norm's cabin. That would put me along the edge of the weed line, if any of the weeds were still green.
I used an 1/8 oz. Lindy Max Gap in both sapphire blue and emerald shiner colors, a silver Colorado blade spinner, and tipped the jig with live fathead minnows.
I caught nearly a dozen medium-sized perch, one medium-sized northern pike and 4 jumbo perch. All fish were released into the lake unharmed.
Once I was back on shore, I wished I would have kept the jumbo perch. I would like to have one more fish fry before Kathleen and I go back to California, and those jumbos would have been perfect. I guess I'll just have to go out fishing again tomorrow.
October 31, 2008 on Leech Lake -- Halloween
Tom came over to the house this afternoon just before 3:00 p.m. and we took his small aluminum boat onto Leech Lake for some late-season fishing.
Tom had picked up some live fathead minnows so we decided to drift in the boat, using jigs tipped with minnows, to fish for perch and walleye. We didn't catch a ton of fish, but we had fun. Tom caught one medium-sized perch and I caught 4 perch roughly the same size.
We also trolled for a while, but that technique yielded no fish. By 5:45 p.m. we were on shore.
The temperature today was 45 degrees, the wind was 5-10 mph out of the NNW, and I no longer have a way to measure the temperature of the water. I'm guessing it is in the mid-40s.
Our Leech Lake house is 23 miles from the nearest town (Cass Lake, pop. 938) so we didn't expect anyone to stop for "tricks or treats" tonight; and no one did.
Tom had picked up some live fathead minnows so we decided to drift in the boat, using jigs tipped with minnows, to fish for perch and walleye. We didn't catch a ton of fish, but we had fun. Tom caught one medium-sized perch and I caught 4 perch roughly the same size.
We also trolled for a while, but that technique yielded no fish. By 5:45 p.m. we were on shore.
The temperature today was 45 degrees, the wind was 5-10 mph out of the NNW, and I no longer have a way to measure the temperature of the water. I'm guessing it is in the mid-40s.
Our Leech Lake house is 23 miles from the nearest town (Cass Lake, pop. 938) so we didn't expect anyone to stop for "tricks or treats" tonight; and no one did.
October 30, 2008 on Leech Lake
The big news today was that I was back on Leech Lake fishing!
Tom Malay and I put his small boat -- a 14-foot aluminum boat with a 10hp Mercury outboard -- in the water and stored in on my boat lift in the harbor at our house. Tom said I was free to use it any time, so I took him up on his offer and went fishing this afternoon.
I trolled a Minnow Rap behind the boat and had one good hit, but it broke off. It was probably a walleye, they are notoriously light bitters that often hold a lure in their mouth for a moment only to spit it out once they realize it's not a real fish.
I also tried drifting using a jig tipped with a Gulp Alive 3" leech, but caught no fish. That didn't matter to me though, I was back on the water.
This is the latest date that I've ever fished open water on Leech Lake.
Tom Malay and I put his small boat -- a 14-foot aluminum boat with a 10hp Mercury outboard -- in the water and stored in on my boat lift in the harbor at our house. Tom said I was free to use it any time, so I took him up on his offer and went fishing this afternoon.
I trolled a Minnow Rap behind the boat and had one good hit, but it broke off. It was probably a walleye, they are notoriously light bitters that often hold a lure in their mouth for a moment only to spit it out once they realize it's not a real fish.
I also tried drifting using a jig tipped with a Gulp Alive 3" leech, but caught no fish. That didn't matter to me though, I was back on the water.
This is the latest date that I've ever fished open water on Leech Lake.
October 29, 2008
The temperature today was near 50 degrees, the warmest it's been in a while. The wind was calm to 5-8 mph out of the SE, and the sky was sunny and clear blue.
After spending about 4 hours blowing leaves with a leaf-blower at the cabin, I took a break so I could go on a walk in the woods with Kathleen. It was a beautiful day, and we had a wonderful time on our walk.
Winter, Spring, Summer or Fall, the beauty of Leech Lake and the surrounding woods is unmatched.
No fishing again today.
After spending about 4 hours blowing leaves with a leaf-blower at the cabin, I took a break so I could go on a walk in the woods with Kathleen. It was a beautiful day, and we had a wonderful time on our walk.
Winter, Spring, Summer or Fall, the beauty of Leech Lake and the surrounding woods is unmatched.
No fishing again today.
October 28, 2008
A few weeks back my neighbor's boy, and a friend of his, went back onto my wooded property and maliciously cut down three healthy trees -- two basswood and one maple. The boy's parents couldn't have handled the situation better, including part of the boy's punishment -- to chop the felled trees into firewood for me.
This past weekend the boy and his friend spent the better part of an entire day chopping the trees into firewood. Per my instructions, the boys left the chopped wood in two large piles. Today, Tom Malay and I went out and repeatedly loaded the wood into a trailer pulled by his ATV (all-terrain vehicle).
I ended up with 4 or 5 good loads of firewood for the house and cabin, and I gave Tom two big loads of firewood as well.
After our firewood chore was complete, I helped Tom load his 1998 snowmobile onto a trailer so he could take it into Bemidji tomorrow to sell. Apparently Tom found a guy willing to pay $500 for it.
The temperature today was 42 degrees, the sky was sunny and clear blue, and the wind was out of the west at 8-12 mph.
No fishing today.
This past weekend the boy and his friend spent the better part of an entire day chopping the trees into firewood. Per my instructions, the boys left the chopped wood in two large piles. Today, Tom Malay and I went out and repeatedly loaded the wood into a trailer pulled by his ATV (all-terrain vehicle).
I ended up with 4 or 5 good loads of firewood for the house and cabin, and I gave Tom two big loads of firewood as well.
After our firewood chore was complete, I helped Tom load his 1998 snowmobile onto a trailer so he could take it into Bemidji tomorrow to sell. Apparently Tom found a guy willing to pay $500 for it.
The temperature today was 42 degrees, the sky was sunny and clear blue, and the wind was out of the west at 8-12 mph.
No fishing today.
October 27, 2008 -- Venison Stew
My ongoing yard work continued today with the clearing of leaves out by the gas tank. I also cut back the red stem dogwood plants that surround the harbor at the house. The temperature today was near 40 degrees, the sky was sunny and the wind was out of the west at 10-15 mph.
This evening Kathleen and I hosted Rome and Noel for dinner, where I served venison stew made from the venison Noel had given some weeks earlier. We had a wonderful time conversing with our very entertaining and intelligent Leech Lake neighbors.
No fishing today.
This evening Kathleen and I hosted Rome and Noel for dinner, where I served venison stew made from the venison Noel had given some weeks earlier. We had a wonderful time conversing with our very entertaining and intelligent Leech Lake neighbors.
No fishing today.
October 26, 2008
Another day of yard work and another day not on the water. It was a week ago that I pulled my boat out of the water, signaling the end of another open-water fishing season for me, but it seems more like months ago.
The high temperature today was only 38 degrees -- winter comes early to the Northwoods of Minnesota. There was a wind advisory issued for Leech Lake with winds of 20-30 mph out of the west. The lake was covered in white caps. The sky was grey and it was spitting snow for most of the day.
It was a good day to stay inside, have a nice fire in the fireplace and listen to Minnesota Public Radio.
No fishing on Leech Lake.
The high temperature today was only 38 degrees -- winter comes early to the Northwoods of Minnesota. There was a wind advisory issued for Leech Lake with winds of 20-30 mph out of the west. The lake was covered in white caps. The sky was grey and it was spitting snow for most of the day.
It was a good day to stay inside, have a nice fire in the fireplace and listen to Minnesota Public Radio.
No fishing on Leech Lake.
October 25, 2008
More yard work today. The temperature was 45 degrees, the wind was 12-20 mph out of the west, creating large swells and white caps on the lake.
It's my Uncle Frank's birthday today, so we gave him a call.
No fishing on Leech Lake today.
It's my Uncle Frank's birthday today, so we gave him a call.
No fishing on Leech Lake today.
October 24, 2008
I spent most of today outside blowing leaves at either our house or cabin. When you live in the Northwoods of Minnesota, clearing the leaves from your yard is a necessary and time consuming chore. But when you can do it while looking at the beauty of Leech Lake, the chore becomes more like a joy.
The temperature today was in the high 40s for most of the day, although it peaked at 50 degrees. The wind was out of the SSW at 10-12 mph.
Later this evening Kathleen and I had home-made Friday-night pizza, then enjoyed some music and fire in the fireplace.
No fishing today.
The temperature today was in the high 40s for most of the day, although it peaked at 50 degrees. The wind was out of the SSW at 10-12 mph.
Later this evening Kathleen and I had home-made Friday-night pizza, then enjoyed some music and fire in the fireplace.
No fishing today.
October 23, 2008 -- Neighbor's Day
Today was one of those days where I seemed to encounter more of my neighbors in a single day than I had in the previous month. Maybe because it was such a beautiful Autumn day that everyone elected to be outside, and we all ran into each other in the course of our activities.
The temperature today was near 50 degrees, it was a sunny day with clear blue skies and the winds were calm. A perfect day for outside chores. And in the Northwoods of Minnesota, there is always plenty of work to be done outside.
The day started when Clancy, the man from whom we bought our Leech Lake house, stopped by. Clancy and I went into the woods across the street so I could show him the trees that our neighbor's kid cut down. While we were identifying the type of tree it was (basswood), a neighbor of mine, Noel, showed up. He is somewhat of an expert on the trees in the area and confirmed it was indeed a basswood.
I invited Noel to dinner to try some of the venison stew I made a week or so ago, then froze. I also invited another neighbor, Rome, to join us.
I spent a good portion of the day blowing leaves off of the driveway. Being outside all day was great, and gave me a chance to see other Otter Tail Peninsula neighbors -- Duane Paulsen, Jerry Schiebe, Norm Hanson and my good friend Tom Malay.
No fishing today, but a great day chatting with our Leech Lake neighbors.
The leaves on the driveway before I cleared them away.
The temperature today was near 50 degrees, it was a sunny day with clear blue skies and the winds were calm. A perfect day for outside chores. And in the Northwoods of Minnesota, there is always plenty of work to be done outside.
The day started when Clancy, the man from whom we bought our Leech Lake house, stopped by. Clancy and I went into the woods across the street so I could show him the trees that our neighbor's kid cut down. While we were identifying the type of tree it was (basswood), a neighbor of mine, Noel, showed up. He is somewhat of an expert on the trees in the area and confirmed it was indeed a basswood.
I invited Noel to dinner to try some of the venison stew I made a week or so ago, then froze. I also invited another neighbor, Rome, to join us.
I spent a good portion of the day blowing leaves off of the driveway. Being outside all day was great, and gave me a chance to see other Otter Tail Peninsula neighbors -- Duane Paulsen, Jerry Schiebe, Norm Hanson and my good friend Tom Malay.
No fishing today, but a great day chatting with our Leech Lake neighbors.
The leaves on the driveway before I cleared them away.
October 22, 2008
Today was the day that Kathleen and I were scheduled to fly back to San Jose, but we decided to extend our stay at Leech Lake until November 19.
It was overcast and rainy all day, with a temperature of no more than 40 degrees.
This morning I did one final check of the boat to make sure it was ready to go into storage. With it secure on the trailer, the cover on the boat, the transom saver in place and all straps firmly tied down, I hooked the trailer to the truck. Kathleen and I then drove into Bemidji where I dropped off the boat and trailer at Corner Sports, where they will winterize my boat and then put it in covered storage for the winter.
We then drove on to the small town of Fosston, MN, which is the closest location I could find a Verizon dealer. A few days back I accidently left my cell phone in my pants when they went into the washing machine. I realized it too late, so my phone had been thoroughly soaked and was no longer working. Since I have Verizon service, the best place for me to get a phone was at one of their dealers, so the 45 minute drive to Fosston from Bemidji.
Kathleen and I had a great time together today, just driving in the truck, talking and laughly, and exploring a part of Minnesota we hadn't seen before.
We got back to the lake at 9:00 p.m. No fishing today.
My Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD parked in front of our Leech Lake house.
It was overcast and rainy all day, with a temperature of no more than 40 degrees.
This morning I did one final check of the boat to make sure it was ready to go into storage. With it secure on the trailer, the cover on the boat, the transom saver in place and all straps firmly tied down, I hooked the trailer to the truck. Kathleen and I then drove into Bemidji where I dropped off the boat and trailer at Corner Sports, where they will winterize my boat and then put it in covered storage for the winter.
We then drove on to the small town of Fosston, MN, which is the closest location I could find a Verizon dealer. A few days back I accidently left my cell phone in my pants when they went into the washing machine. I realized it too late, so my phone had been thoroughly soaked and was no longer working. Since I have Verizon service, the best place for me to get a phone was at one of their dealers, so the 45 minute drive to Fosston from Bemidji.
Kathleen and I had a great time together today, just driving in the truck, talking and laughly, and exploring a part of Minnesota we hadn't seen before.
We got back to the lake at 9:00 p.m. No fishing today.
My Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD parked in front of our Leech Lake house.
October 21, 2008
Sometime during the night my food poisoning kicked in. I was up from 2:00 a.m. until sunrise. I won't go into the details, other than to say it was not pretty.
Yet at 9:00 a.m., I some how managed to pull myself out of bed to go outside to help Shore Brothers remove my docks and boat lift from Leech Lake. I then helped Tom Malay, and Shore Brothers, pull Tom's boat out of the water using my boat ramp. By 10:30 a.m., my boat lift, my docks, and Tom's boat were out of the water. It was time for me to go back to bed.
The low this morning was 29 degrees, it was around 35 degrees while we were removing the boat lift and docks, and warmed to a high of just under 50 degrees by mid-afternoon. I was too wiped out from the food poisoning to record the wind temperature or anything else about today.
Yet at 9:00 a.m., I some how managed to pull myself out of bed to go outside to help Shore Brothers remove my docks and boat lift from Leech Lake. I then helped Tom Malay, and Shore Brothers, pull Tom's boat out of the water using my boat ramp. By 10:30 a.m., my boat lift, my docks, and Tom's boat were out of the water. It was time for me to go back to bed.
The low this morning was 29 degrees, it was around 35 degrees while we were removing the boat lift and docks, and warmed to a high of just under 50 degrees by mid-afternoon. I was too wiped out from the food poisoning to record the wind temperature or anything else about today.
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