October 5, 2008 on Leech Lake

The wind was strong today at 20 mph out of the SE, but I decided to go fishing even though the lake was churning with white caps. The temperature was 60 degrees and the water temperature was 56 degrees.

After maneuvering the boat off the lift and into the waves, I motored the boat south toward Second Duck Point. With a SE wind, that would push the boat in the direction of our house and cabin, and continue to push me toward the Birches.

I used a Northland Neon-tone Gum-Ball jig with a silver spinner blade, tipped with a Gulp minnow. I made several drifts, but caught no fish. I headed back to shore at 3:45 p.m.


Here's Kathleen on the road-side of our house at Leech Lake. The leaves on the trees are starting to change colors.

October 4, 2008 on Leech Lake

The air and water temperatures today were an identical 56 degrees. The wind was calm to 5 mph out of the SW.

I went trolling for walleye this evening from 6:30 p.m. to 8:45 p.m. I used my old standby lure, the #9 Rapala Minnow Rap in hot steel color. Just as the sun was setting I caught a northern pike, which I immediately released back into Leech Lake.

I continued to troll from Second Duck Point to the Malay's cabin in 10-12 feet of water and caught two nice walleyes -- 15" and 22" -- the larger of which completely mangled my lure.

After using the hot steel-colored Minnow Rap all summer long, and having replaced the treble hooks on it more than once, the entire rear part of the lure gave out. The tail of the lure had been bitten by more than 100 toothy critters this season -- including walleye and pike, and even one tiger muskie. Apparently it could take no more and broke. I removed the hooks and now have my favorite lure on the key chain for my truck keys. At least it broke in service of catching walleye.

My favorite walleye lure, the #9 Rapala Minnow Rap in hot steel color

October 3, 2008 on Leech Lake

The last time Kathleen and I had been in the boat together was September 18, when she, Rick, Beth and I all went for a boat ride after an afternoon of painting the cabin. It was a beautiful day today, so we thought we should take a ride around Sucker Bay.

We got in the boat at 1:00 p.m., under sunny skies, a temperature of 52 degrees and virtually no wind. The water temperature was still 57 degrees.

We first took a leisurely ride up Sucker Bay to Birch Ridge resort, then headed south toward Big Hardwood Point. At Big Harwood, Kathleen and I tried a little drift fishing with jigs and soft plastics, but didn't catch anything.

We then motored over to Otter Tail Point, where I made a few passes around the point trolling a #9 Minnow Rap. Again no fish.

We then took a ride up to Duck Point and finally to Second Duck Point and home. It was a wonderful time on the water with Kathleen.

Later in the afternoon I took the boat out myself and did some drifting from Second Duck Point to the Birches. I caught a couple of decent perch using an 1/8 oz. Northland Neon-tone Gum-Ball jig, a silver spinner blade and Gulp minnows. All perch were released back into Leech Lake.

The big news today was that Kathleen's first cousin, Tom Petters, was jailed on a number of federal charges stemming from an alleged Ponzi scheme that bilked investors out of $3.5B. Obviously this is of great concern to Kathleen's entire family.

Here are some photos Kathleen and I took on our boat ride.


Kathleen in the boat on the north end of Sucker Bay on Leech Lake.


Me at the helm during our ride on Sucker Bay, Leech Lake.


A view of Sucker Bay from the north. On the left is Second Duck Point. In the center is Duck Point. On the right, Goose Island. You get a sense of how big Leech Lake really is, this is just one bay on the lake.


Our property. On the right is the flag pole and dock of our house, and on the left is the boat lift and dock at our cabin. Three-hundred feet of heaven on Leech Lake.

October 2, 2008 on Leech Lake

The weather is definitely changing as Autumn matures. At first I thought it was just a cold front passing through, but it's clear that the cooler weather is upon us. It is after all early October in the Northwoods of Minnesota.

Today the temperature hit a high of 56 degrees, although early this morning it was in the 30s. The water temperature of Leech Lake, at least in Sucker Bay, is still 57 degrees, so the lake hasn't turned over yet. The wind today was calm to 5 mph from the SW.

I fished from 2:00 p.m. till 6:30 p.m., if you can call sitting in a boat for 4 1/2 hours enjoying the beauty of the lake, while listening to MPR, fishing. I caught no fish whether drifting or trolling. Still, I love being on the water. This is where I belong.

October 1, 2008 on Leech Lake

I went fishing today from noon till 2:30 p.m. The temperature was 55 degrees, the wind was out of the NW at 10-18 mph. The water temperature was 58 degrees.

I started in front of the Birches and drifted toward our cabin. I was using an 1/8 oz. Northland Neon-tone Gum-Ball jig tipped with a Gulp Alive 3" leech. The method brought only one perch to the boat, so I switched tactics.

I pulled out my baitcasting reel, on which is tied a #9 Minnow Rap in hot steel color. My trusty trolling set up. I trolled from Malay's cabin to Second Duck Point and again caught only one perch. With touch up painting needed on the cabin, game room and garage, I decided to call it a day.

Only fair fishing today on Leech Lake. But even fair fishing beats the best day possible stuck inside an office.

September 30, 2008 on Leech Lake

I can't believe it's already the last day of September. Time sure flies when you're busy and having fun.

In my case, I've been busy painting and staining the cabin, the cabin deck, the game room, the game room deck, the garage and the "fish" garage. It's taken me and Kathleen the better part of the month to complete the job, and we even had help from our friends Rick and Beth. We're close to completing it, and in the next few days the project will come to a happy ending.

As for the fun part of the equation, I've enjoyed time alone with Kathleen, fishing on the lake, and enjoying the incredible beauty of Leech Lake, Sucker Bay and Otter Tail Peninsula.

Today the temperature hit a high of 58 degrees. The winds were calm to 5-8 mph out of the SW. The water temperature was 59 degrees.

I started fishing today at 1:00 p.m. by drifting along the weed line in 8-10 feet of water near the Birches. After a few passes with no fish, I fired up the Mercury Verado and sped to the south end of the bay. In fact, as I passed Second Duck Point I thought I'd go all the way to Duck Point. Once I reached Duck Point I decided to keep going all the way to the tip of the Otter Tail Peninsula to Otter Tail Point.

I trolled Minnow Raps in 12-17 feet of water off Otter Tail Point, but caught no fish. In the past, I've hooked some very big walleyes in this location. I then headed north to Duck Point.

I made a few trolling passes at Duck Point, but again, no fish. Finally I moved my way north again to Second Duck Point. I made about four or five trolling passes along the edge of the point, but the results were the same -- nothing.

At 5:00 p.m. I'd had enough and went to shore. This cold front seems to have put the walleyes in a very negative feeding mood.

September 29, 2008

The story of the day here on Leech Lake was the wind. We had strong winds today from the NW and north at 15-20 mph and gusts near 30 mph. The lake was covered in white caps and there were 4-5 foot swells.

Since the wind was so strong, I decided to stay on shore today and stain the deck in front of the game room at the cabin. The temperature had dropped to a high of only 56 degrees today, and with the cooler temperatures becoming the norm, I really need to get all of the staining and painting completed in the next few days.

No fishing on Leech Lake today.

September 28, 2008 on Leech Lake

From 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. I did a couple of "drift" passes near the Birches in 8-10 feet of water. The temperature was 65 degrees, the water temp was 62 degrees, and the wind was out of the SW at 8-12 mph.

I caught a few perch and a couple of pike, but no walleyes.

After dinner I went trolling from 10:00 to 11:15 p.m., and caught one 18" walleye.

The rumor swirling around Otter Tail Peninsula today was that my neighbor's son-in-law caught a 30" walleye in 12 feet of water directly in front of our house. He said he was using a jig and leech. For those of you who do not fish for walleye, a 30" walleye is considered a trophy. Catching a 30" walleye is a goal of mine. Just as I'd like to catch a 50" muskie.

The guy who caught this beautiful fish decided he wanted to have it stuffed and mounted, so he brought it to shore, wrapped it in newspaper, put it on ice and took it as quickly as he could to a local taxidermist.

Later, the taxidermist, who is good friends with our friends the Malays, said the fish in question was not 30" as hyped, but rather 27". Still a good fish, but not a trophy, and only legal in Leech Lake by one inch. I would have definitely put that fish back in the water, but that's not this guy's orientation.

I know there's a trophy fish swimming out there in Leech Lake, and I plan on catching it.

September 27, 2008 on Leech Lake

Kathleen and I again spent a good portion of the day painting the game room and garage, and it was a good day to work outside.

The temperature was 68 degrees, the sky was mostly sunny, and the wind was 8-12 mph out of the NW.

After we had finished painting for the day, I took the boat out to do a little panfishing up by the Birches at 5:45 p.m. I took advantage of the wind, letting it push my Lund 1800 IFS from the Birches toward our cabin in 8-12 feet of water. I used an 1/8 oz. Northland Neon-tone Gum-Ball tipped with a Gulp Alive! minnow. I caught several jumbo perch, bluegill and a couple of northern pike.

Around 7:15 p.m. I packed up my rods and reels and headed back to shore. Another glorious time fishing on Leech Lake.