Remembering Open Water

I received a text from Lainy Malay the other day saying that there was 3-4 inches of ice on Leech Lake and that her husband Tom was preparing to go out onto the lake to cut a couple of holes to begin his favorite time of year -- ice fishing season.

It's been a number of years since I was on Leech Lake for some hard-water fishing, but maybe this will be the year I get back.

Anyway, thinking of ice on the lake got me thinking about being on the lake period. Here's a picture of me in my Lund 1800 Pro-V IFS Verado Limited Edition boat, complete with a 150-hp Mercury Verado motor, during the open-water season on the lake. These memories are going to have to do until I can again visit the northwoods of Minnesota.

Your author on Sucker Bay, Leech Lake

Another view of the author on Sucker Bay, Leech Lake

October 10, 2012 -- Leaving Leech Lake

This morning at 7:00 a.m. the sky was clear and just beginning to show light. The wind was 8-12 mph out of the west and the temperature was right at freezing, 32 degrees.

Leech Lake sunrise

Although I went to bed before midnight last night, I had trouble sleeping; I always do the night before traveling. And before first light I was wide awake in bed making mental lists of the tasks I need to complete before leaving later in the morning.

One thing I realized is that when I first came to Leech Lake several months ago the weather was warm and getting warmer, both in California and in northern Minnesota. As a result, I didn't bring a jacket or a sweatshirt with me, which would have been nice to have since the temperature won't hit 40 degrees until I'm already on a plane on my way to Minneapolis.

Oh well, it's not that bad, especially since the Bemidji airport now has jet ways in the terminal. Just a year ago portable stairs were still used to board the small, regional aircraft that fly in and out of Bemidji. But thanks to government stimulus money, the airport now allows passengers to board without ever having to step outside.

It's now 10:30 a.m. and I'm getting ready to shut down the computer, as well as the well pump. I've cleaned out the food from the drawers and refrigerator and have three bags full to give to the Malays. I've taken the garbage and recycling to the town hall trash center and then stored the truck in the garage for the long, cold winter.

All the buildings are locked, and the security systems armed. My neighbors on either side will be keeping a close eye on the place during my absence; in fact, Tom Malay will help John Newman store John's 14-foot boat in my garage.

The Malays will be here in the next 20 minutes or so, so it's time to sign off one last time from Leech Lake; at least until my next visit.

So long from Leech Lake.

October 9, 2012 -- At Leech Lake

Once again the weather this morning was cold, grey and wet. The temperature at 9:00 a.m. was 39 degrees on its way to a high of only 42 degrees. The sky was grey and it alternated between a light rain and a drizzle. The wind was out of the WNW between 8-15 mph. I didn't see a boat on the water all day.

And like yesterday, my day was devoted to cleaning the house. While enjoying a pot of coffee I did a load of laundry, washed the dishes and cleaned the counter tops. Then my cleaning took me from the TV room to the living room to the bedroom to at last the kitchen, where cleaning the floor is something I really didn't want to do.

Just before 4:00 p.m. I was done with most of the cleaning, with the exception of the master bath and the refrigerators. I took a break and got the ATV stored away for the winter by running the gas out of the carburetor and hooking the battery to a trickle charger. While I was outside the wind picked up and then with a 'whoosh' hail mixed with snow flurries began to fall. I continued my outside chores which included locking up the out buildings and turning off the harbor lights.

I still have to close up the cabin and out buildings over there, but I'll get to that tomorrow after I store the truck in the garage.

I got a call from Karen Newman earlier today and she has generously offered to cook dinner for me and the Malays (Tom and Lainy) this evening so I don't have to prepare any food for myself, plus she said that they wanted to say goodbye. It was a very nice gesture and one I graciously accepted. I wrapped up my cleaning by 5:30 p.m. in order to get cleaned up and over to the Newman's cabin by 6:00 p.m. for dinner.

I arrived at the Newman's just after 6:00 p.m. and had a nice conversation with Karen prior Tom and Lainy joining us. At one point I happened to look outside and saw a very interesting sunset. I excused myself and walked out to the end of the Newman's dock to get a better look, after all it'll be the final Leech Lake sunset I'll see this year.

Another beautiful Leech Lake sunset

We enjoyed a bountiful meal of pulled-pork sandwiches and a fantastic bean dish that Karen made. Lainy provided a tasty cherry crisp for dessert. It was nice to spend some time with friendly neighbors on my final night at the lake. Knowing that they're right here keeping an eye on my place during my absence gives me peace of mind.

Once home I did another load of laundry, continued the cleaning of the kitchen and made sure that my bags were packed. Then it was another check around the house to make sure all was in order for tomorrow's departure. Tom and Lainy are picking me up at 11:00 a.m. and then it's on my way to the Bemidji airport.

Good night from Leech Lake, one last time.

One day and counting.

October 8, 2012, At Leech Lake

This morning at 9:00 a.m. the temperature was 39 degrees, the sky was grey and overcast and a light rain was falling. In fact, a light rain fell all morning long. It was definitely a cold, wet Autumn day on the shores of Leech Lake.

The weather cooperated with my plans for the day -- which was to stay inside and clean the house in preparation for my departure midweek. My procrastination for cleaning the gutters yesterday delayed the start of that project until 1:30 p.m., and today was a repeat performance as I was faced with the unpleasant task of cleaning the bathrooms and kitchen.

The rain continued to fall as I finally began cleaning at 1:30 p.m. By 3:30 p.m. I'd cleaned two of the bathrooms, cleaned the hallway by the garage and polished much of the woodwork in those areas. At that point it was time for a lunch break.

After lunch I did some more house cleaning before cleaning up myself. Tomorrow I'll clean the kitchen, bedroom and living room (including the fireplace). Since there will be no fire for me tomorrow night, I went out to the wood pile in the late afternoon, during a break in the rain, to gather some firewood. While outside I was graced with the presence of two magnificent bald eagles that were riding the air currents above me. I watched them soar off into the distance without so much as one beat of their wings. Spectacular. And just another of the beautiful sights I regularly see here at Leech Lake that I will not see in San Jose.

With a night's supply of firewood neatly stored in the garage, I went out onto the end of the dock and watched the lake for a while. There appeared to be a storm approaching from the southwest most likely bringing with it more rain or some snow flurries.

A distant storm moving north on Leech Lake

As it turned out, it neither rained nor snowed. It did cool off to around 38 degrees from a high during the day of 45 degrees. The wind continued to blow hard from the SW.

I ate some of the left over walleye for dinner -- I like making fish sandwiches out of the precooked fillets -- and then settled in to watch the fire and listen to some music. Tomorrow will be another hectic day of cleaning, in addition to other tasks, such as storing the ATV for the winter, etc.

It's hard to believe that in 48 hours I'll be in California. Good night from Leech Lake.

Two days and counting.

Strong Walleye Population in Leech Lake, but Perch Decline

Here's a report from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources regarding the walleye population in Leech Lake.


 Leech Lake test netting results show a strong walleye population
The results of recent fall test netting on Leech Lake conducted by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) show the walleye population remains strong and anglers who visit the lake should continue to expect quality fishing. According to the results, the walleye catch rates remain above the long-term average for the sixth consecutive year.

“September gill nets showed good numbers of both juvenile and adult walleye,” said Matt Ward, large lake specialist in Walker. “It is encouraging to have a balanced walleye population within and outside the protected slot limit of 18 and 26 inches.”

Strong 2010 and 2011 year-classes are present and the DNR expects these year-classes will start providing harvest opportunities this coming winter. Additionally, 35 percent of walleye sampled were within the slot limit, which will provide anglers the opportunity to catch a large fish.

The number of young-of-the-year walleye (those hatched during the spring of 2012) sampled with both trawling and electrofishing were above the long-term average for each gear type. The average size for this year-class was good, at 6.1 inches during the mid-September electrofishing assessment. Larger sizes in the fall usually translate to higher winter survival.

Other game fish species targeted with test nets include yellow perch and northern pike. Yellow perch abundance declined for the fifth consecutive year, while northern pike abundance continues to remain stable. The primary species of nongame fish assessed with the test nets is cisco. Despite a minor cisco summer kill caused by warm temperatures in 2012, fall test netting indicated adequate numbers of cisco continue to be present.

Lake-wide, walleye counts in DNR test nets averaged 9.42 walleye per net lift, which was similar to results from the past four years and was above the long-term average of 7.7 walleye per net lift. Walleye numbers indicate that management actions implemented under the 2011-2015 Management Plan are succeeding. Key elements of the plan include special fishing regulations, walleye fry stocking, cormorant management and an increased emphasis on aquatic habitat protection.

For more information, contact matt.ward@state.mn.us. 

October 7, 2012 -- At Leech Lake

This morning the wind was again blowing hard, at 15-25 mph out of the SW. The temperature was 40 degrees and the sky was mostly cloudy, with only moments of sun now and again.

Just before 11:00 a.m. I noticed through the window that my neighbor Don Poage was struggling to get his trailer backed down my boat ramp and into the water. His numerous attempts ended with the trailer and truck cockeyed and skewed awkwardly on the ramp.

I made my way next door to the cabin and offered him some advice on which way to turn the wheels to back the trailer down the ramp. Eventually Don got the trailer into the water, fairly straight, where it was ready for the boat. With the wind blowing as hard as it was, I was worried that the boat would slam into the dock during the docking procedure so I stuck around to offer any necessary assistance.

I suggested that Don get into the water and hook the tow strap onto the boat while T.J., a member of Don's family, motor the boat around the dock and into position. They had originally planned to just motor the boat directly onto the trailer, a process that could not only damage the prop (if it hit a rock) but is generally not allowed on Minnesota lakes.

At last, Don and T.J. got the boat onto the trailer, which they then hauled up the ramp and over to their driveway where Don will do the winterizing on the motor himself.

Don mentioned to me that he, T.J. and T.J.'s wife (or girl friend?) did have success fishing for walleye yesterday. According to Don they caught their limit -- four fish per person -- of 12 walleye. Some, however, were as small as 14- and 15-inches. Technically fish that small are legal, but in my book it's kind of unconscious fishing. I have to wonder how many of the fillets from those 12 walleye will end up freezer burned and completely devoid of taste?

Confident that the boat-removal exercise was out of the way with no damage done, I went back into the house to have a late breakfast. Today I need to clean out the gutters on the house, and it's a chore I really don't like doing and so procrastination set in. Finally, at 1:30 p.m., I went outside and gathered the materials necessary for cleaning out the gutters and got to work.

Finally three hours later, at 4:30 p.m., I put away the ladder and other tools; the gutters were clean. Well, as clean as possible. By the time I'd cleaned out four 5-gallon bucket loads of gunk and crap, the strong SW wind blew leaves off the trees and into the gutters. It's a losing battle, and I have to realize that the gutters will never be 'clean' for very long. Yet twice per year I climb up onto the roof and clean them out just the same.

With the messiest and most time consuming of my 'winterizing' chores behind me, I went over to the cabin garage, got the bike out and went for a ride to the Harbor and back. I love that ride and will miss it when I'm back in California.

West Shores Rd. during my bike ride on a cool, windy Autumn afternoon

After my bike ride I went back to the house, cleaned up myself and then cleaned the kitchen. I also prepped the fireplace for a fire after dark. The temperature is supposed to drop to around freezing again tonight and a nice fire will keep the living warm and toasty.

With the sun sinking quickly into the western sky, I donned my sweatshirt and hat, grabbed a Wild Blue and made my way to the end of the dock to watch the sunset. One thing I never tire of up here at the lake is the fantastic sunsets. Every night since my arrival several months ago, I try to make time to watch the sunset. Of course, when I first got here the sun was setting close to 9:00 p.m. or later, and today it was long gone by 6:45 p.m. Once the time changes the sun will set here in the northwoods around 5:00 p.m.

October sunset over Leech Lake

For dinner I had the walleye that I filleted the other night, beer battered, along with Cole slaw and French fries. It was delicious. Then I settled in for the evening with a roaring fire in the fireplace and classical music on MPR. A good end to a long and productive day.

Good night from Leech Lake. Three days and counting.

October 6, 2012 -- At Leech Lake

Although it was cold this morning at 9:00 a.m., only 35 degrees, the wind wasn't blowing nearly as hard as it had been the past two days. The wind was out of the north at 12-15 mph, definitely breezy, but not as strong as it's been. The sky was mostly sunny, so the leaves shown bright yellow across most of our properties.

After a hearty breakfast, I set about with many winterizing chores. I started with taking the power cord off the dock. For the past several years my good friend Rick has helped me run the power cord out to the end of the dock in May -- to provide electricity for the boat lift motor and canopy light -- and for the past several years I have taken the cord off the dock in October by myself, usually in cold and windy conditions much like today. As much as putting the boat in and out of the water signals the start and end of each open-water fishing season, so too does running power out to the dock and then wrapping it up. And since the power is the last thing removed from the dock before the dock itself comes out of the water, today signaled the definite close of the season.

From there I folded up the boat lift canopy cover and stored it in the garage. As I was putting the canopy cover on the shelf I bumped into one of our bikes. That got me thinking that it was a good time for my daily ride to the Harbor and back.

On my ride I had a brief stop and chat with Glen and Gabe, two of the residents of the Harbor. They were out mulching and vacuuming up leaves on their properties. They share a property line and working together to clean up the fallen leaves is obviously a task they've tackled together before.

Back at home it was time to climb up onto the cabin roof and clean out the gutters. With that chore out of the way I removed the solar lights from the two paths between the house and cabin and stored them for the winter. Next, I took apart the hammock and stored it for the winter. I also collected firewood in anticipation of a fire in the fireplace later tonight.

I also cleaned out the fireplace. Then it was time to get cleaned up before driving down to the Ottertail Peninsula Town Hall for the annual pot luck and association meeting. I realized that this is the twelfth consecutive year that I've attended the pot luck/meeting. Many of the usual attendees, including the Malays, the Newmans and Norm Hanson were obvious in their absence. But other regulars, such as the Boyds, Porters, Schiebes, Gepperts and Snyders were there.

Getting down to business at the Ottertail Peninsula Township meeting/pot luck

As is tradition, after the meeting there is a raffle with door prizes (usually handmade) contributed by area residents. Tonight I won a cribbage board made by Mark Boyd.

Once home I immediately went to the end of the dock to watch the sunset. It's been so overcast the past few days that there's been no real sunset to watch, just grey skies turning darker until it's completely dark. But tonight there was some good color to the sunset.

Another in an endless series of great sunsets over Sucker Bay, Leech Lake

Sitting on the end of the dock got me chilled, so I went inside and got a fire going to warm up the house, and myself, since the temperature outside had dropped to just above freezing. I enjoyed a quiet evening listening to music and enjoying the fire. I also kept up with the day's sporting events, including the Tigers win over the A's in the first game of the ALDS

There is still a lot more work to do to winterize the house and cabin before I leave on Wednesday, including cleaning the gutters on the house, cleaning the house and cabin, laundry, cleaning out the refrigerators, etc. It'll be another busy day tomorrow, but at least I'll be at the lake.

Good night from Leech Lake.

Four days and counting.

October 5, 2012 -- At Leech Lake

Today was another cold, very wind, grey day with snow flurries on and off all day. The temperature may have hit 38 degrees today, but for most of the day it hovered between 32 and 36 degrees. The sky was grey nearly all day, with just a brief few moments of midday sun. Snow flurries, which melted upon landing on the ground, fell from sunrise to sunset.

My first order of business for the day was going down underneath the house in the crawlspace and closing up all of the vents. While I was down there I emptied out the 'stair way to heaven' mouse trap, which yielded enough mice to fill a plastic grocery bag half full. I then rebaited the trap, added new antifreeze to the bucket and set it up for more rodent eradication.

Despite the inhospitable weather, I did spend several hours outside. I planted fertilizer stakes around our crab apple tree and next to nearly a dozen pine trees. I also went on a bike ride to the Harbor and back -- although gloves would have been a good idea. Then around 5:00 p.m. I removed the 17-inch walleye, which I caught earlier in the week, from the basket from the lake and cleaned it in preparation for dinner.

As it turned out, I wasn't very hungry and a full-on walleye dinner just didn't sound good tonight. I put the fish in a resealable bag and stored it in the refrigerator for either Saturday or Sunday night dinner.

The snow flurries continued long after dark. I meanwhile, spent a quiet night listening to music and having a fire in the fireplace. Weather permitting tomorrow, I need to fold up and store the boat lift canopy and clean out the gutters over at the cabin. At that point the 'winterization' of the cabin should be complete.

Good night from Leech Lake.

Five days and counting.

October 4, 2012 -- At Leech Lake

This morning at just after 9:00 a.m. I got in the truck and left for Bemidji with boat in tow. The temperature was 47 degrees, the wind was 10-15 mph out of the NW and the sky was overcast and dark. It looked as if it was going to either rain or snow, or maybe both.

By the time I hit Sucker Bay Rd., just 3 miles away, the temperature had dropped to 44 degrees and a light rain had started to fall. Eight miles later as I came to Hwy. 2, the temperature had fallen to 39 degrees and the rain was now steady. When I got to Cass Lake, which is only an additional 12 miles, the rain had turned to sleet and the temperature had dropped to 36 degrees.

When I came up to the first exit off Hwy. 2 Bemidji the temperature was down to 32 and the sleet had turned to giant snowflakes. With the wind blowing at 25+ mph, huge snowflakes falling and driving down the highway at 50 mph it was close to a 'white out' on the road.

I finally made it to my exit, took it carefully and then drove the finally couple of miles to Corner Sports, where they will winterize my boat and store it inside for the winter. Big, fluffy, wet snowflakes fell while I was unhooking the boat/trailer from the truck. By the time I went into Corner Sports I had nearly a half an inch of snow on my hat and shoulders.

I spent a few minutes with Jimmer and Rhonda chatting with them about fishing, what I wanted done to my boat over the winter, etc., then it was time to leave the boat and head into Bemidji to run a number of errands. I made stops at L&M Fleet, Target, Gander Mountain and Lueken's Village Foods.

I made one additional stop after leaving Bemidji. I stopped at Cass Lake to visit a friend of Kathleen's, Elizabeth, and her mom and brother. They have a cabin on the west shores of Cass Lake and were in the process of closing it up for the winter. We had a nice visit, and within 45 minutes or so I was on my way back to the lake.

Although it was very windy and cold, and occasionally spitting sleet, we really didn't have any snow at Leech Lake.

I had a quiet night after dinner. I simply had a fire in the fireplace and listened to music.

I have lots of 'winterizing' chores to complete before I leave for California, I just hope the weather cooperates so I can get them all done. I simply refuse to climb on the roof to clean out the gutters when the wind is blowing at 25-30 mph and the temperature is only 35 degrees. If the forecast can be trusted, Saturday should see temperatures near 50 degrees and lighter winds. That's the day I'm targeting for all of my outside chores.

Six days and counting.

October 3, 2012 -- At Leech Lake

The forecast for today called for strong winds out of the north, yet temperatures near 70 degrees and sunny skies. Yet this morning the wind was very light out of the south, and while the temperature did get close to 70 degrees later in the day the sun only broke through the clouds and haze a couple of times throughout the day.

I spent a good portion of the day power-washing the boat lift canopy to clean off an entire summer's worth of seagull guano. After sitting in the hot sun for months, that 'crap' didn't want to come off easily. But I stayed with the chore and I can now report that the canopy is clean and is hung up to dry. Since I had the power washer out I also washed of the boat and trailer and cleaned off any weeds I could find. There are no aquatic invasive species on my boat and trailer.

At roughly 4:00 p.m. the light southerly breeze that had been blowing all day shifted and began coming out of the north at 15-20 mph. And with the north wind came the smell of smoke. There are 8 separate wild fires burning in the northwest part of Minnesota and the smoke from those fires made its way to Leech Lake on the strength of those strong northerly winds.

The haze from the NW Minnesota wildfires drifted over Leech Lake

It was about this time that I took my daily bike ride to the Harbor and back. Along the way I had stop and chats with Lainy Malay, Norm Hansen, Dick Schiebe and Ron Geppert. A very sociable bike ride!

Once home again I did some laundry, cleaned up the kitchen, showered and ate dinner. Then I listened to the first of the presidential debates on MPR.

Tomorrow I plan to take the boat to Corner Sports in Bemidji despite the winter storm warnings that have been issued for the area. If the forecast is to be believed, the Bemidji area is going to experience rain turning to snow midday and then into Friday with a possible accumulation of a foot or more of snow. We'll see.

Generally a quiet day at Leech Lake. No fishing report today since my boat is on a trailer sitting in front of my garage. More tomorrow...

Seven days and counting.

Favorite Lures for Leech Lake Walleye Fishing

With the boat out of the water for the year, it is time for me to do some reel maintenance, put new line on the reels and do an inventory of any tackle I may need for next year's open-water fishing season.

During my tackle review process I marveled at two lures in particular on which I caught more than 90% of all jumbo perch and walleyes this season.

The first is the simple jig. During this season I must have tied on and lost dozens of jigs. Northern pike and walleye are known for their very sharp teeth, and in Leech Lake we have an abundance of both fish species. Getting your jig and fathead (or leech or crawler) bitten off is just part of the game when fishing on Leech.

I prefer a pill-shaped jig, which differs from the more common round-head jig by way of the indentations on either side of the jig. It's roughly the shape of an aspirin. Round-head jigs can be found by the hundreds in my tackle box and I have caught plenty of fish on them, but my go-to jig is pill-shaped. Many manufacturers make them, and I've probably used them all -- VMC, Northland, Cabela's, etc.

When considering what weight of jig to buy, buy many. On calm days, I favor an 1/8-ounce jig although I occasionally drop down to a 1/16-ounce jig if I'm using a slip bobber. Leech Lake is known for its rough waters and high winds, so also plan on having 1/4-ounce, 1/2-ounce and even bigger jigs in your arsenal if you plan to fish deep water on rough-water days.

As for the color of the jig, more often than not on Leech Lake chartreuse, lime green or green works best. But at the same time, I've hooked plenty of jumbos and walleye on a full rainbow of colors -- red, blue, white, pink, black and even Northland Tackle's "Vegas" jigs in sparkle gold, red and purple. I think as long as you target productive water and entice the fish with the correct live bait, they could care less what color jig you're using to serve up dinner.

Rapala's #9 Minnow Rap in 'bleeding pearl' and a typical chartreuse jig

Most of the fish I catch using a jig and live bait tend to be perch. Some of the perch I catch are jumbos, which I consider to be any perch 11-inches or larger. I've also caught walleye, northern pike, rock bass, largemouth bass and even bullheads and eelpout on jigs. And I once had a large 45-inch plus muskie follow my jig and fathead all the way to the surface before turning tail and swimming out of sight. Jigs are a great lure for fishing Leech Lake.

When I want to target walleye specifically, my tactics change. I catch the vast majority of my walleye on Leech Lake during a time period from just around sunset until the sky has been dark for an hour or so. The method I use to fish for these evening walleye is trolling crankbaits in 10-12 feet of water at a ground speed varying from 2.00 to 2.50 mph. And the bait I use nearly 100% of the time is the Rapala #9 Minnow Rap, that for my money is by far the best walleye lure on the market today.

I was first introduced to the Minnow Rap several years ago by my neighbor Tom Malay, who had received a couple as a Christmas present. He said he had pretty good luck catching walleye on them so I thought I'd give them a try.

At the time, the Minnow Rap was a brand new lure that had been on the market for less than a year making it somewhat hard to find. I did find a couple at Gander Mountain in Bemidji (that for some strange reason have since stopped carrying the lures) and immediately started fishing them.

Prior to the Minnow Rap my primary trolling bait had been the Rapala Husky Jerk. The Minnow Rap had a similar profile to the Husky Jerk, but incorporated the swimming action of the Shad Rap; also a very effective walleye bait. In essence, the Minnow Rap was the offspring from the marriage of the Husky Jerk and the Shad Rap.

Almost immediately upon tying on the Minnow Rap I began catching walleye. And not just one or two, but often 8-10 in just an hour or two. One night my friend Rick and I hooked an astonishing 20+ walleye in just over two hours. We were actually getting tired of catching walleye!

Initially my favorite color of the Minnow Rap was 'purpledescent' but I quickly realized that the 'hot steel' color produced just as many big walleye. Since I first started using the Minnow Rap I've caught hundreds of walleye on them. My favorite 'hot steel' lure caught so many of the toothy critters that the last fish I caught on it literally bit it to pieces.

I've learned over the years that all of the colors of the Minnow Rap catch fish, including the short-lived, limited-edition Tennessee Shad color -- a lure that I unfortunately lost to a big fish when it bit through my line. During the past couple of months, I've been pulling a 'bleeding pearl' colored Minnow Rap with great success. It was the lure I used when I caught 7 beautiful walleye on October 1 of this year. If you look at the photo in detail you will see several holes in the lure made from the sharp teeth of hungry walleye.

Be sure to buy extra split rings and hooks for your Minnow Rap lures. Walleye and northern will often hit the lure with such force that they bend the treble hooks. Plus, in some instances it's necessary to cut the hooks in order to release the fish unharmed. And no matter how much time you spend trying to sharpen an old hook it'll never be as sharp as a new hook. For the relatively low price, getting a box or two of replacement hooks is a must.

Sporting goods stores and online merchants are willing to sell you millions of different fishing lures in hundreds of different colors, shapes and sizes. But if you're planning a trip to Leech Lake to do some walleye fishing, you can get away with just two types -- the classic jig (in varying weights to match the wind conditions) and the Rapala Minnow Rap in whatever color you like. Bring several of each, however, because the fish in this big Minnesota lake will take a few from you no matter how good a fisherman you might be.

Good night from Leech Lake.

Crazy Leech Lake Weather

Almost anywhere you travel in the United States some local will tell you, "if you don't like the weather wait 30 minutes." It's supposed to be funny and indicative of the rapidly changing weather patterns in that particular region. Personally, I don't find that old saw very funny, and since it can be applied to nearly every part of the country, not very helpful when it comes to predicting the weather.

I was reminded of this when I checked out the 5-day weather forecast for Federal Dam, Minnesota, the "town" closest to us on Leech Lake. It appears that if I don't like the weather I won't have long to wait for it to change. Within four days, from Wednesday to Saturday night, the temperature will drop by 50 degrees -- 72 for a high and 23 as a low.

Federal Dam Weather

5 Day Forecast

Updated: Oct 2, 2012, 5:09pm CDT

TonightOct 2

68^°FObserved High3:05 pm

43^°F

Clear

CHANCE OF RAIN:

0%

 

WIND:

S at 11 mph

Details

WedOct 3

72^°

43^°

Mostly Sunny

CHANCE OF RAIN:

20%

 

WIND:

NNE at 10 mph

Details

ThuOct 4

42^°

29^°

Rain / Snow Showers / Wind

CHANCE OF RAIN:

60%

 

WIND:

NW at 24 mph

Details

FriOct 5

39^°

25^°

Mostly Cloudy / Wind

CHANCE OF PRECIP:

20%

 

WIND:

NW at 20 mph

Details

SatOct 6

45^°

23^°

Partly Cloudy

CHANCE OF RAIN:

20%

 

WIND:

W at 8 mph

Details

• 10 Day Forecast

ADVERT

October 2, 2012 -- In Leech Lake

According to the weather forecast the wind this morning was supposed to be 4 mph out of the SSE. But according to the weather at the end of the dock, the wind was out of the SW at 10-15 mph. Beyond the shelter of Second Duck Point there were white caps and fairly big waves.

Along our shoreline, however, we had no more than some rolling waves about 2 feet high. A bit higher than I would have preferred when pulling my boat out of the water, but starting tomorrow the wind is supposed to be more than 20 mph and out of the north and NW meaning large, crashing waves along the shoreline by the boat lift. Therefore, today was the day, from a weather perspective, to take my boat out of the water so I can store it for the winter.

At 8:30 a.m. the sky was sunny, the ground was covered in morning dew, and the temperature was 50 degrees. By 8:40 a.m. I was in the boat undoing the bungee cords that hold the boat lift canopy in place. With all of the tie-downs removed I was able to remove the canopy and drag it down the dock and onto the yard. Later I will power-wash it and let it dry thoroughly before storing it for the winter.

With the canopy off, I then lowered the boat so it was just above the water, backed the trailer down the boat ramp and into the water, donned the waders, finished lowering the boat so it was in the water, got in the water myself and guided the boat around the end of the dock and onto the boat trailer. I then hooked the tow strap to the bow hook, cranked the winch and got the boat securely on the trailer. Within minutes the truck was up the ramp and parked next to the garage, boat and trailer attached. The entire process from start to finish took me 35 minutes, from 8:40 a.m. to 9:15 a.m.

Truck, boat and trailer, with the boat lift canopy in the foreground

I put a few of the things from the boat in the garage for storage, but will get to most of the clean up and prep for taking the boat to Corner Sports later today. First, it was time to warm up a bit with a fresh pot of coffee and some breakfast.

My afternoon was spent unloading all of the gear from the boat -- rods and reels, landing net, tackle, maps, electronics, flashlights, life jackets, etc. -- and storing it in the "fish garage." With the gear stowed for the winter and the cover on the boat, I took the time to take a bike ride down to the Harbor and back. Later I went for an ATV ride around the neighborhood. I also had a nice "stop and chat" with Norm, one of the old-timers here on the Peninsula.

By 5:30 p.m. the sun was already dropping into the western sky and I was getting hungry. I had a simple meal of spaghetti and meatballs with a fresh green salad. Then it was time to settle in and listen to some music and do some reading.

It was a long, busy and productive day. Good night from Leech Lake.

Eight days and counting.

October 1, 2012 -- On Leech Lake

Let the countdown begin.

I made arrangements today to fly back to California on October 10. I've had a good long run here on the shores of Leech Lake but now it's time to get back to my "real life" in Silicon Valley. While I was able to do some work from home here, there's just no substitute for being face-to-face in the work environment.

Although I was up, dressed and ready to go (where I don't know) by 8:30 a.m., I actually eased into the day. I handled some business calls early, made my flight arrangements, sent emails and took care of some other business up until lunch time.

After lunch I worked in the yard, finishing some of the clean up of the flower beds. While yesterday was near  80 degrees, I don't think it got any warmer than 65 degrees today. The sky was mostly sunny and the wind was howling at 20-30 mph out of the north. The stiff wind had leaves raining down all around me as I worked outside and covered the lake in white caps.

I had checked the weather forecast for the coming week and it looked like starting Wednesday it is going to be cold and windy. There is a possibility of some snow showers on Thursday. With a forecast like that I figured I better pull the boat out of the water on Tuesday since although it'll be windy, it'll be from the south which means that it should be calm along our shoreline. That will allow me to get the canopy off the boat lift without too much trouble and enable me to get the boat onto the trailer. I can then take a day or two to clean out the boat, store the tackle, rods and reels and then prep the boat for its trip into Bemidji for winter storage.

In advance of the boat removal operation tomorrow, I got the trailer positioned at the top of the boat ramp and hooked it to the trailer hitch on the truck. Everything is now ready to go for tomorrow; weather permitting.

After dinner I noticed that the wind was dying down and the lake now had a nice 'walleye chop' rather than rolling waves and white caps. I figured, "heck, why not go out fishing one last time?" Great call.

I got on the water at 7:30 p.m., about a half hour after sunset, got the lights on, got the landing net ready, put the rod holder in place and removed my baitcasting rod and reel from the boat's storage locker. As I have for most of this year, I trolled my favorite lure, the Rapala Minnow Rap in a 'bleeding shad' color, 50-60 feet behind the boat at a ground speed of 2.25 mph.

There were four other boats from the Malay's to Second Duck Point also trolling so I had to do some weaving and dodging through traffic at times.

For the first 30-45 minutes all I caught was a northern pike, although I did have two or three 'hits and misses.' I figured even if I don't catch any walleye tonight what a gift it is to be on Leech Lake and watch the near full moon, in bright orange, rise over treeline in the east.

An orange moon rising over Leech Lake on the first day of October

Shortly before 8:30 p.m. my patience was rewarded and I hooked a beautiful 22-inch walleye, which I immediately returned to the lake. But that was just the beginning. Within the next hour I would hook and boat a total of seven walleye. In addition to the first 22-inch walleye I caught, I landed others that measured 17-, 18-, 20-, 21-, another 22-, and 27-inches.

The 27-inch monster was so big I could hardly get my hand around it. Luckily the fish spit the lure once I'd netted it so I didn't have to battle it to get any hooks out of its mouth. Not only was the 27-inch beauty the biggest fish I've caught in 2012, it is one of the biggest, if not the biggest, I've caught on Leech Lake. Sure, I know guys pull 30-inch walleyes out of Leech on a fairly regular basis, but I'm not one of them. I seem to recall catching a 27-inch walleye off Big Hardwood Point several years ago, but this was the biggest fish I'd landed in the stretch I call 'The Alley,' which runs from Malay's to the north to just past Second Duck Point to the south.

By the way, I kept the 17-inch walleye; it's a perfect 'eater' size and I plan on having one last walleye dinner before I have to leave Leech Lake.

Finally at 9:30 p.m., with the bite cooling off, I stowed my rod and reel and slowly motored the boat back to the lift for what is likely to be the last time this year. Although it was bittersweet to end my last fishing expedition of the season, it couldn't have gone any better -- seven beautiful walleye, including the biggest fish of the season and a perfect fish for the dinner plate.

As for the countdown, nine days and counting.

Good night from Leech Lake.

September 24-30, 2012 -- On Leech Lake

I've been very busy this week so I'll just recap some of the fishing I was able to squeeze in as well as some of the chores I was able to complete.

• Fishing first. I caught a 20-inch walleye while jigging with a fathead minnow, but all of the rest of walleye I caught this week came while trolling, and all in the hour just after sunset. I hooked and boated two 23-inch walleye, three that were 20 inches and three or four walleye that were legal keepers-- under 18" -- but I put them all back into the lake. TACKLE NOTE: I tried using a smaller, #7 version of the Minnow Rap, as well as a Berkley Flicker Shad, but neither caught fish. The walleye I did catch all came on the regular-sized, #9 Minnow Rap in a "bleeding shad" color trolled approximately 60 feet behind the boat.

• The weather during the latter half of the week was amazing. Temperatures on Friday, Saturday and Sunday were 75, 77 and 79 degrees respectively. Couple that with blue skies and light winds and the spectacular color of trees and it added up to a perfect Autumn weekend to be outside doing yard work. I spent a good portion of the day Saturday transplanting Forget-Me-Not's from one flower bed to another, and then tearing out all the remaining plants/weeds that remained in the initial flower bed; which took me all weekend to complete. The only downside to the beautiful weekend was that Michigan State lost to Ohio State in football on Saturday and the Detroit Lions lost to the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday. On a positive sports note, the Tigers did beat the Twins on Sunday.

The almost surreal colors of the trees and sky above our house

• Our house and cabin happen to be located in some of the best walleye-fishing waters on Leech Lake. The upside to that is I don't have far to go in my boat, maybe about 100 yards, to be in prime walleye water. The downside is that I'm not the only one who knows what a great fishing spot this is. As a result there are often several boats directly beyond our dock. Since the weather and fishing was so good this week, there were a couple of days where I counted as many as 22 boats in our general area. I've seen as many as 30 or more boats in past years, but those tended to be spread out over a bigger area.

Some of the many boats fishing for walleye in front of our house

• On Wednesday I spent about 4 hours putting up the storm windows at the cabin. Unlike most years when I just race through this project, I took my time and washed both sides of every storm window, as well as the inside and outside of every window in the cabin. It took longer, but boy does it look good! 

• On Saturday evening I went fishing and had the opportunity to watch the sunset in the west while watching the Harvest moon rise in the east. It was impossible to capture both events in one photo, but here they are in two.

Looking west from the boat

Looking east from the boat

• I got out on the water just after sunset on Sunday with a warm breeze still blowing. I've been at Leech Lake on the final day of September in the past when the temperature was near freezing. But as I motored the boat off the lift, the air temperature was still a very balmy 70 degrees. On my final pass of trolling for the night, I hooked into a nice 20-inch walleye directly in front of our house. Once the fish was released unharmed back into the 57 degree water, I stowed my gear and got the boat back on the lift. As it turns out, that may be my last time on the water in 2012. I got the news from Kathleen on Sunday night that she would not be able to make another visit to the lake this year. That was just one more reason for me to cut my stay shorter than originally planned. I'll make arrangements to fly back to California tomorrow, but I know for sure that I'll be in the Golden State no later than October 13.

That's the week wrap for now. So long from the shores of Leech Lake. The best spot on the planet.

Week of September 20-23, 2012 -- On Leech Lake

From September 20 through September 22 I was solely focused on what Joe wanted to do since he needed to be on a plane first thing Sunday morning. And I do mean first thing. We were at the airport at 5:30 a.m. on Sunday.

The temperature on Thursday the 20th was in the high 60's, the sky was mostly sunny and the wind was extremely strong again at 20-30 mph out of the NNW. Waves and white caps were rolling across the lake. As a result of not being able to get out on the water, Joe and I spent the day in and around our properties.

We went for a bike ride down to the Harbor and back, we walked all the trails back in the woods, and we spent time in the game room racing HO slot cars and playing pinball.

In the evening, just after sunset, the wind had calmed to 8-12 mph out of the north so decided to take Joe out trolling since high winds were in the forecast for Friday as well.

We made several passes between our house and the middle of Duck Bay pulling Rapala Minnow Raps in 9-11 feet of 57 degree water. In the 90 minutes we were on the water I caught and released a 24-inch and a 20 1/2-inch walleye. And in our final pass toward home Joe hooked a nice 15-inch walleye, which we also released. It was great that Joe could hook a walleye on what turned out to be his last time on the lake during this visit.

On Friday, September 21, the day that Autumn officially arrived in the northwoods, the weather was just as forecast, windy, chilly, yet sunny. Joe and I couldn't get out onto the water because of high waves and whites caps, but we could enjoy being outside.

As had become our ritual, we rode our bikes down to the harbor and back. Glen Zimmerman, one of the four current households at the Harbor, was getting ready for his annual walleye tournament. It started 10 years ago with just a handful of his friends competing against each other, and has grown to include up to 35 entrants and some pretty decent prize money. I fished the "Z-Man Tournament" back in 2009 but since Joe and I would be on our way to St. Cloud on Saturday I had to let Glen know that I would not be participating this year.

After our bike ride, Joe and I spent a lot of time back in the woods exploring the trails. The trees were changing color and it looked beautiful. I only wish Kathleen could have been here to go for the walk with us because she loves the Autumn colors.

I made us a very tasty grilled steaks for dinner and topped it off with cream soda ice cream floats for dessert. Then we spent a quiet evening listening to music and watching a movie on DVD. Tomorrow we make the drive to St. Cloud so Joe can see his Grandma one more time before he flies home to California.

Saturday, September 22 was a beautiful Fall day. The wind was a bit strong at 12-15 mph, just enough to keep us off the water, especially since Joe had a lot to do to get ready to leave the lake. I let Joe do what he needed to do to prepare to leave the lake. Not only did he do some laundry and clean up his room, but he spent a lot of time walking in the woods, riding the ATV and contemplative time on the end of the dock taking in the beauty of the lake.

It is always hard to leave the lake, and we all deal with departure in our own way.

At last we closed the doors of the truck, made the short drive down the driveway and then out onto W. Shores Rd., Sucker Bay Rd., Hwy. 2 and finally Hwy. 371 south which takes us nearly the entire way to St. Cloud.

We had a nice meal with Marge Coyle, Joe's grandma, and then we made our way to a hotel in Minneapolis just an exit away from the airport. Joe's flight is at 7:00 a.m. so we wanted to spend the night close to the airport rather than drive from St. Cloud in the middle of the night.

With just a couple of hours of sleep, Joe and I awoke very early Sunday morning, September 23. I walked Joe into the terminal and made sure everything was good to go. I said goodbye and left him in the security line.

I had a fantastic time with Joe at the lake and will miss him a lot. Although we enjoy each other's company when we're in California, we have a stronger, closer relationship when we're at the lake. I guess since we don't have TV, and it's a long drive into town, we spend a considerable amount of time together; which is great. And I know for a fact that Joe loves to be at the lake.

Before I left the Twin Cities I stopped at Mickey's Dining Car in downtown St. Paul -- near the Xcel Energy Center where the Minnesota Wild hockey team plays -- to meet John Newman. John had left his wallet in his cabin during his last visit and I was returning it to him. It's a unique, and famous, diner and we had a great breakfast. Then by 7:15 a.m. I was on the road back to Leech Lake.

Once back at the lake I had some lunch then made my way out onto the lake to do some fishing. The weather was perfect -- mid-60s, light breeze, and sunny. While I listened to the Vikings beat the 49ers on the radio, I caught several perch and nice 16" walleye that I thought about keeping, before releasing back into the lake.

I had a very quiet night, with Joe no longer here, and turned in early since I was up and out before 5:00 a.m.

Tomorrow will begin a new segment of my stay at Leech Lake. I'll be alone for only the third short time since my arrival in May. I have a TON of work to do in preparation for the "winter close down," and will begin that work first thing tomorrow.

Good night from Leech Lake.

September 17-19, 2012 -- On Leech Lake

Monday morning at 9:00 a.m. the temperature was a cool 47 degrees, the sky was mostly sunny and the wind was again strong at 15-20 mph out of the WNW which created white caps on the lake and rolling waves that were crashing head on into the shoreline in front of our properties.

Although I have the furnace set at an environmentally-friendly 66 degrees, the furnace was running throughout the morning.

After taking care of some work around the house, I drove into Cass Lake to pick up some groceries for the week while Joe stayed at the lake so he could go for a walk and work out. During his walk down West Shores Rd., Joe spotted a small black bear next to the road across from the Malay's. There have been several bear spottings by folks on the Peninsula the past couple of months. As Joe walked toward the bear it turned and dashed into the woods.

When I got home and got the groceries put away, Joe and I decided to go fishing. We got our rain gear on, mainly to keep us warm rather than protect us from rain, of which there wasn't any, and then got the boat into the water. The water temperature has cooled to 63 degrees, which is still warmer than the air temperature.

A windy overcast afternoon at Leech Lake

Joe and I jigged fatheads for about an hour before calling it quits. The water was pretty rough from the 12-18 mph NW wind and the air temperature was cold. Joe's hands were numb from being wet and being in the cold wind, so we came ashore. We only caught a couple of small perch during our time on the water.

Once inside the house, I got a fire going in the fireplace since not only were we cold at the time, but because the temperature was supposed to get down into the mid-30s overnight. We had a quiet evening at home hanging out by the warm fire. Good night from Leech Lake.

The weather on Tuesday was also cool, with the high climbing to no more than 55 degrees. The sky was mostly cloudy and the wind was out of the NW varying from 10-20 mph.

We did get out to do some fishing, again jigging with fatheads, and this time we had a little more success. Both Joe and I caught several perch, including a couple big enough for us to keep but since we have four in the basket for dinner we let them go. We also caught several northern pike and even a couple of rock bass.

Once on shore, Joe got the crayfish out of the trap and cleaned up so we could eat them as an appetizer before our perch fish fry. We also made Cole slaw and fries. A classic northwoods fish dinner.

On Wednesday, our friend Rick's birthday, the weather was cool and very windy. The was varied through out the day, but never stopped blowing at less then 20 mph. Many gusts were up over 30 mph and the lake was covered in white caps.

Joe and I spent our day around the properties and going for a bike ride. Later in the day we got the chain saw out and went back into the woods to clear off some of the four or five fallen trees that are blocking the trail. We spent about an hour cutting up a big maple tree before decided we'd had enough lumberjacking for one day and headed home for dinner.

The temperature during the night was supposed to drop down near 30 degrees, and with the strong wind blowing, it was again cold enough for a fire in the fireplace. Joe and I enjoyed a warm fire, listened to some music and eventually watched a movie on DVD. Another great evening at Leech Lake. Too bad Joe has to catch a plane early Sunday morning to fly back to California. I know he loves it here as much as I do.

September 16, 2012 -- At Leech Lake

Today the wind was out of the north at 15-25 mph which kept the lake covered in waves and white caps. The temperature hit only a high of 64 degrees and the sky was mostly cloudy and grey.

Joe and I waited all day for the wind to die down a bit so we could get out on the water to do some fishing, but by 5:30 p.m. it was clear that the wind wasn't going to ease up.

So instead, we spent some time back in the woods checking out the trails, seeing where the trees were blocking the trails and clearing out some of the growth that grew up during the summer that was somewhat obscuring the trail.

We also spent time at the game room racing Joe's HO slot cars, and Joe took out another red squirrel, keeping it from getting into our cabin and chewing through the electrical wiring.

Joe with another squirrel

Later in the evening, after dinner, Joe and I went next door to John Newman's to watch the Sunday night football game between the San Francisco Forty-Niners and the Detroit Lions, a game the Niners won 27-19.

We then came home, watched a movie on DVD and got ready for bed. We're hoping to get out and do some fishing on Monday, but the weather forecast is for strong winds again, and then a frost warning Monday night with the temperature dropping to around 30 degrees. We'll just have to play it by ear.

Good night from Leech Lake.

September 15, 2012 -- On Leech Lake

This morning at 9:30 a.m. the temperature was 55 degrees, the sky was sunny and blue and the wind was again out of the SE at 10 mph. The water along our shoreline was calm, with the waves starting to form about a third of the way across Sucker Bay, due to the orientation of Ottertail Peninsula to the wind.

After breakfast Joe and I decided that we would spend the afternoon on the water fishing. We packed up some sandwiches and drinks into the cooler, lowered the boat into the 64 degree water and motored out to a spot in front of the Malay's cabin. Once there we deployed the drift sock and let the wind push the boat north on Sucker Bay and out away from shore.

The weather couldn't have been nicer for a late-summer day in Northern Minnesota. The temperature was in the low 70's, the breeze was about 10 mph out of the south and the sky was mostly sunny, which sparkled off the water. It was the perfect day to be on the water and enjoy a Saturday afternoon listening to the Bemidji State football game on the radio.

Second Duck Point and Duck Point in the distance from Sucker Bay

We had only a dozen or so fatheads left from the scoop I'd purchased at the resort the other day, and we went through those quicker than I had anticipated. Rather than switch to plastic, artificial bait, we decided to come ashore so I could make a run up to the resort to buy more minnows. We would have gone by boat, but neither Joe nor I had any money on us.

Back on shore Joe did some yoga while I drove the truck to Birch Ridge Resort where I picked up two good scoops of minnows; more than enough to last us for a few trips on the water.

About an hour after landing on shore we were back on the lake fishing. Again we set up shop in front of the Malay's and drifted north toward the Birches. We hooked numerous small- to medium-sized perch, a few northern pike and even a couple of rock bass.

As the afternoon progressed, Joe and I did start catching perch that were a bit bigger, and by the time we came in at 7:00 p.m. -- after A Prairie Home Companion, which we listened to on the water -- we had put four perch in the live well, ranging from 9-10 1/2 inches. Enough for another tasty fish fry.

We stopped by the Newman's once we were back on shore again for a couple of beers and so Joe could see Karen and Johnny, neither of whom he'd seen in several years. We had a nice visit before coming home and having a simple dinner.

We ended the evening with another long Skype video call with Kathleen, Melissa and Jayden. Joe and I had a wonderful day at the lake, and it's going to be very difficult for both of us to readjust to life in Silicon Valley. It's just so quiet and peaceful here. As Karen Newman said tonight, "when I'm at the lake if feels like my soul can relax." Ain't it the truth.

Good night from Leech Lake.

September 14, 2012 -- On Leech Lake

This morning the temperature at 9:30 a.m. was only 50 degrees. Although by midday, the temperature had climbed to 68 degrees and it was warm enough to go without a sweatshirt and wear only a long-sleeve shirt; even on the water. The sky was sunny and blue, and the wind was relatively light at 8-12 mph out of the south shifting to the SE as the day progressed.

Joe felt like making a hearty breakfast today, so he made French toast, sausages and bacon. After breakfast, and cleaning up the kitchen, we spent some time just hanging out around the properties, and hunting red squirrels, before deciding to go fishing.

As we did the last time we were on the water, we fished with jigs tipped with fathead minnows. We started fishing in a spot in Duck Bay out in front of Newstrand's house near the reeds in about 7 feet of water. I'd heard that both walleye and jumbo perch were being caught in this area so we thought we fish here first. The water temperature through Sucker Bay today varied between 64-66 degrees.

We spent about 30 minutes fishing Duck Bay but didn't get so much as a bite, so we relocated to Second Duck Point. We drifted across the Point but again didn't get any bites so we moved a little further north to a spot in 9 feet of water in front of the Newman's cabin. With the drift sock in the water, we drifted north toward Malay's and slightly further from shore at a ground speed of approximately .35 mph.

We made about a half a dozen drifts between Newman's and eventually past Schiebe's to the north. During the 4-plus hours we were on the water I caught and unhooked probably six to eight northern pike measuring between 18- and 26-inches, and had my line bit off another 4 times. In addition, Joe and I both caught dozens of small- to medium-sized perch, including a 9-inch perch that Joe caught and that we decided to keep to go along with the 10 1/2-inch jumbo in our basket back at the dock.

During one pass in 10 feet of water in front of the Birches, I hooked into what I assumed was yet another northern so I handed the rod to Joe to let him reel it in. While I don't like to keep or eat pike the way some people do, they are fun to catch, especially on light spinning tackle and 6-lb test line such as I was using.

Joe played the fish perfectly as it made several runs away from the boat, each time it peeled out line and made the drag on my Shimano Stella scream. After several minutes Joe got the fish close enough to the surface for us to see that it wasn't a northern pike as we had expected, but a big walleye. I scrambled to get the landing net and positioned myself in the back of the boat to scoop the fish out of the water.

Again, Joe played the fish perfectly bringing it close to the boat without lifting it out of the water, and thus risk losing the fish, and I quickly slipped the net under it and hauled it into the boat. We could tell right away that it was a medium-sized Leech Lake slot fish -- somewhere between 18- and 26-inches -- but I would have to get the jig out of the walleye's mouth and measure it to tell just how big a fish it was.

As I went to put my left hand around the fish's 'shoulders' in order to pick it up, the fish flopped in the net and its sharp, big, pointed teeth bit me on the thumb creating two small, but painful, cuts that surprisingly produced a good deal of blood. I slipped on my Lindner fishing glove and this time had no trouble picking up the walleye, removing the jig and putting it down on The Judge tournament fish measuring rule. The walleye measured 23 1/2-inches, making it one of the bigger walleye, if not the biggest, I've caught this summer. Joe took a quick photo of me holding the fish before I released it back into Sucker Bay unharmed. It was a great team effort between me and Joe to hook, play, land and release a beautiful Leech Lake walleye.

Your humble author holding a Leech Lake walleye caught on September 14, 2012

Although catching the walleye was the highlight of the afternoon, there was still more fishing to do. We didn't catch another walleye, but we did catch many more perch including an 11-inch jumbo that I landed and kept just shortly before we packed up our gear and headed for shore.

Once on shore, Joe got a fire going in the fire pit at the cabin while I took the three perch inside the cabin to clean them. With six clean perch fillets on a plate, I took them back to the house and put them in the refrigerator, grabbed a beer and went next door to the Newman's to compare how their day on the water was to ours.

It turns out they went up into the far end of Sucker Bay into Sucker River, where they caught some bass, a northern and many small perch, but no jumbos or walleye. We agreed that we would try to get together on Saturday night since neither Karen nor Johnny, the Newman's oldest son, had yet to see Joe during his stay. And Joe also wanted to meet the Newman's new dog Bernard, which Joe has yet to see. I then left to go home and get dinner started.

We had a very tasty meal of beer-battered fresh perch fillets, French fries and salad. And for dessert I made Joe and I cream soda floats, with IBC Cream Soda and Kemp's vanilla ice cream. Boy were they good.

We finished off the evening by watch National Lampoon's Vacation on DVD and then doing a long Skype video call with Kathleen, Melissa and Jayden. It sure was fun to see their faces again.

It was a great day on Leech Lake, and Joe and I are looking forward to another several hours on the water again on Saturday; weather permitting. Good night from Leech Lake.

The trees starting to change colors along the shoreline of our house/cabin, Sucker Bay

September 13, 2012 -- On Leech Lake

It was a bit breezy on Thursday, September 13, but nothing like yesterday. The temperature was also much cooler with the high today hitting no more than 65 degrees. The wind was out of the WNW shifting to the north at 8-12 mph with gusts up over 15 mph. The sky was mostly cloudy, but with some extended periods of sunshine.

After cleaning up around the house and doing some touch up painting, Joe and I decided to do some exploring on the ATV. There was a spot on the southern part of Ottertail Peninsula, where some land had been cleared for an eventually cabin, that Joe wanted to show me. It's a great spot of land with 475 feet of shoreline on 4.3 acres complete with a little cove which would be perfect for a boat lift and dock, and another spot with a fairly large sandy beach. The entire property is something Kathleen would absolutely love. Not that she doesn't like our properties, but this tract has the sandy beach which is something our land lacks and is a feature she would love to have available.

Joe and I also hiked along the boardwalk at Duck Point Woods and did some exploring along a spot of beach on Portage Bay which is often referred to as 'Hormel Beach' although that is not it's official name. All in all, Joe and I spent a sizable chunk of the afternoon outside exploring.

After some lunch and some brief work around the house, Joe and I decided to go fishing. Earlier in the day I had made a run up to Birch Ridge Resort to buy a scoop of fatheads. For the past several trips out onto the water Joe and I have been fishing with artificial bait with mixed results so I figured we would change things up a little and try fishing with some live bait.

While at the resort I checked the holding tank outside the fish-cleaning house and saw that some of the guests had kept slot fish, which is illegal. On Leech Lake, any walleye between 18- and 26-inches is considered a 'slot fish' and must be immediately returned to the water. Fishermen can keep only one walleye bigger than 26-inches and can have no more than four walleye in possession per day.

The walleye in the holding tank were probably 21- to 23-inches long; clearly illegal fish. I pointed this out to Frank after he'd gotten me my scoop of fatheads, and by his furrowed brow I could tell he was concerned. However, he's in a tough spot. Fishing hasn't been great this season and if one of his guests, say a group of guys from Chicago, come up to the lake for some fishing and have the expectation to go home with a cooler full of fillets, it must be tough for him to refuse to clean their illegally-sized fish.

At roughly 5:00 p.m. Joe and I backed the Lund 1850 Pro-V off the lift and into the 64 degree water. We both noticed that the water level in the lake has dropped during the past several weeks. This is due to several factors. First and foremost is the lack of rain. Since the big storm back on July 2, we've had very little rain; probably no more than an inch or two in the past two and a half months. Not unlike the rest of the United States, Leech Lake is experiencing drought conditions.

Second, natural evaporation. On a hot, calm day during the summer, the lake can drop up to 1/2-inch per day due to simple evaporation. Couple that with strong winds, which increases the rate of evaporation, the lake level drops even more.

And finally, the US Army Corps of Engineers controls the amount of water flowing out of Leech Lake at Federal Dam and they usually let out more water in the Fall in preparation for the winter and the expected snow fall.

With all of those factors combined, the lake level has fallen to where it covers only 4 of the cement pilings on my boat ramp, down from a high earlier this summer of 8 or even 9 pilings. That equates to probably a drop of 14-18 inches in the surface of the lake.

Joe and I set up in a spot between our house and cabin in 11 feet of water, deployed the drift sock, and began a drift toward shore and slightly south toward Newman's cabin. Using jigs tipped with fathead minnows, we each caught a couple of small perch, but no jumbos and no walleye.

We made three or four more drifts, each time repositioning the boat further north until our final pass was made in front of  'the Birches.' At this point it was nearly 7:00 p.m. and although we contemplated staying out past sunset -- another half hour or so -- to do some trolling, we decided to go ashore since both of us were getting cold.

The temperature had dropped to around 50 degrees, and with the 10 mph north wind, it felt even colder. In fact, the National Weather Service issued a frost warning for tonight with temperatures expected to fall to around 35 degrees. Although Joe and I both have cold-weather clothes to keep us warm, neither of us was wearing them this evening.  So we made our way back to the boat lift and inside our warm house.

With the temperature steadily dropping into the high 40s, we decided to start a fire in the fireplace, our first of the season. Earlier in the day, in anticipation of the cold weather, I had made some beef stew and let it slow cook in the Crock Pot all day. It was the perfect meal to warm us up after getting chilled to the bone on the waters of Leech Lake.

After dinner, Joe and I watched the movie Goon, a flick about a hockey enforcer in the minor leagues. It's probably the only hockey we'll see this year with the NHL facing a lockout by the owners.

We had a another great day at the lake, and look forward to getting out onto the water for some more fishing tomorrow. We need another jumbo perch or two to add to the one we have in the basket in order to have a Friday night fish fry. The pressure is on. More tomorrow...