June 7, 2011 -- On Leech Lake

At 9:00 a.m. this morning the guys from WC Peterson Excavating showed up, jackhammer in hand, and began tearing out the old cement walkway around the harbor. The plan is to remove all of the old cement and rebar that makes up the walkway, then put in a tile drain, sewer rock and finally gravel. That way the water from rain and snow melt will be able to drain into the harbor and not cause the walkway and the harbor walls to heave up and move when the water refreezes. It's amazing how much damage ice can do.

The temperature this morning is a cool 59 degrees and the wind is out of the north at 10-15 mph. There are some white caps on the lake, but it is by no means as rough as I've seen it during my stay here. In fact, I wrote about the incredibly strong winds we had a week or so ago, when I was worried that something might happen to the docks or boat lift, and it turns out I did have good cause to worry.

I realized yesterday that a corner section of the dock at our house was missing. After comparing notes with Mark from Shore Brothers, we determined that he and his crew had installed it in early May and that it must have been the storm that tore it free from the rest of the dock. I looked for the missing section along the shoreline from Poage's cabin down Newman's, but it was no where to be found. I'm afraid at this point it is lost somewhere in the lake.

The jackhammering continues as it approaches noon. The temperature has warmed to 65 degrees, and the wind has weakened to 8-12 mph eliminating the white caps that were on the lake earlier. I'd like to go fishing, but I also need to be here as the guys work on the harbor restoration. Maybe if they take a lunch break I can get out onto the lake for a little bit.

At 2:30 p.m. the wind had calmed down to a gentle breeze from the SE, the temperature had climbed to 80 degrees, it was muggy and the sky was hazy. The jackhammering of the harbor walkway continues, and I'd estimate that they aren't even 25% of the way through it. Butch, the lead guy on the project from WC Peterson Excavating, had told me at one point a couple of weeks ago that he thought the entire job would take no more than a day. Well, from the pace they're on, I'd guess it'll take them at least three days to remove the cement. Then they've got to put in a tile drain, straighten out the harbor walls, put in sewer rock and gravel, and rewire the lights. I don't see how this is going to be completed in a week's time.

When 3:30 p.m. rolled around the jackhammering stopped and the two young workers for Peterson Excavating got into their car and left. After taking care of few business issues here at the house, I got out onto the lake at just 4:30 p.m.

I motored out to 10 feet of water in a spot between our house and cabin and let the ENE wind push the boat out away from shore. There was only one other boat on the water at the time, a big sport fishing boat with about 6 guys on board, and to my dismay they shadowed me where ever I went. If I pulled in the drift sock and repositioned the boat, so did they. I don't understand why some fools can't figure out how and where to fish on their own.

The water temperature had cooled slightly to 68 degrees, most likely as a result of the 46 degree temperature we had last night and the rain from the overnight thunderstorm. The wind was at 12-15 mph out of the ENE with gusts up over 20 mph, and the sky was hazy.

I was using an 1/8 ounce Northland Gumball jig tipped with a fathead minnow and drifting. I caught numerous perch, including a couple in the 9-inch range, a northern, and a beautiful 23 1/2-inch walleye. It's so fun to catch a big, sturdy fish like that on 6lb test Fireline Crystal and a 5' 6" St. Croix rod.

As I reeled the big walleye toward the boat I had to fight the fish with one hand while reaching for the net with the other. I use a Frabill net with an extending handle so I had to extend the handle while trying to keep the walleye from coming unhooked. I managed to slip the net under the big fish just as it shook its head and spit the hook. The walleye dropped into the net and I was able to bring it on board to measure it. By most estimates, a 23 1/2 inch walleye weighs somewhere between 4 1/2 and 5 pounds. Like I said, a sturdy fish. I put the slot fish back into the water in the same place where I caught it, in 11 feet of water in a spot directly between the house and cabin.

By 5:30 p.m. I was on shore and having a beer with my neighbors John and Karen Newman. We had a nice chat and then parted ways so we could each make dinner. After I ate, I took and ATV ride around the "loop" and again encountered the local animals, including a painted turtle, ruffed grouse and a white tail deer, not to mention a plethora of native song birds.

At 8:45 p.m. the temperature is still a very warm 74 degrees, but I can feel it cooling off. The wind has shifted to the SW and picked up to around 20-25 mph so there are white caps rolling across the lake once again, and the sky remained hazy. I walked over to the cabin to raise the boat in the lift a little more since the waves were large and ran into our local mink neighbor. It was scurrying about near the boat landing and when is saw me it darted into the big rocks along the shoreline.

Oh, and one other update. Before I went over to the Newman's this evening, all three of the Newman men -- John, Johnny and Greg -- were in the lake to cool off. I had mentioned losing the corner section of the dock, so while in the water the Newman's donned face masks and looked for the missing part of the dock. And wouldn't you know it, John found it right underneath a section of our dock; where it was not visible from above the water. I now have the missing section, but will need some hardware and a specially sized board to reattach it. Nonetheless, a great find.

I did not go fishing tonight because the wind picked up so much and was creating white caps. I love fishing, but I don't need to venture out on a night like tonight. Maybe tomorrow...