October 8, 2009 -- On Leech Lake

This morning at 9:00 a.m. the temperature was 34 degrees, the sky was gray, the wind was out of the WNW at 12-15 mph and the wind chill was 27 degrees. Now this is a Fall day at Leech Lake.

I had a series of long business calls today, as well as a lot of online work, so I didn't wrap up until 5:00 p.m.

Midway through the day, however, I did make time for a walk down to Paulsen's and back, a roughly 2-mile round trip. On my way home, just by Schiebe's cabin, an otter came scurrying out of the bushes on the woods side of the road, probably on its way to the lake. It came to a screeching halt when it spotted me, made a noise that sounded like a cross between a hiss and honk, a "hissonk" maybe, turned and dashed back into the woods. I'd say its body was at least 2 feet long, with a long tail and probably as big around as my arm. A beautiful woodland creature out for a walk, like me, on a Fall day.

At just after 5:00 p.m. I thought I'd get out on the lake for a quick bit of fishing.

The wind was still out of the WNW at roughly 12 mph. It was tricky getting the boat off the lift with the wind essentially pushing the boat back onto the lift, but I managed to get out into the lake without too much trouble.

Once on the lake, I motored out to 12 feet of water in front of our house. My plan was to let the wind push me back toward the boat lift. I'd do one drifting pass, then go back on shore since I was due at the Malay's at 6:00 p.m.

The water temperature was 49.7 degrees, the wind was stronger than it originally appeared and the air temperature was only 36 degrees. On the horizon to the west and to the southwest, I could see three distinct rain fronts moving toward me.

I drifted for no more than 20 minutes and decided to call it quits. No fish. No bites.

I visited with the Malays for about an hour, and when I got home I noticed that the wind had died down and was now blowing at no more than 5-8 mph out of the WNW.

I quickly got on some warm clothes, grabbed my flashlight and went over to the boat lift. I got the boat in the water at 7:20 p.m. and decided I'd do about two passes in The Alley.

I put my #9 Rapala Minnow Rap in the water, set the Mercury SmartCraft controls to where my ground speed was just more than 2 mph, and started trolling. Almost immediately -- directly in front of our house -- I hooked into a good fish.

I put the motor in neutral and began reeling in the fish. I turned the handle of my baitcasting reel only two times when I felt the fish come "unbuttoned." It was a classic walleye light bite. The fish hit the lure just hard enough to become lightly hooked and was able to come free when I began reeling it to the boat.

I made two full passes from past Second Duck Point to the Malays, in water as shallow as 7 1/2 feet and as deep as 12 feet, but had no more bites.

I came ashore around 8:30 p.m. and got a fire going in the fireplace. The outside temperature was now down to 32 degrees, and was supposed to drop as low as 26 over night.

I spent the rest of the evening listening to music, reading the newspaper, and checking up on the Sharks score (BTW: they beat the Columbus Blue Jackets in the home opener 6-3).

It was an cold and unproductive (from a fishing standpoint) day on Leech Lake. But at least I was on Leech Lake and not stuck in an office somewhere.

Until tomorrow.

October 7, 2009 -- On Leech Lake

At 9:00 a.m. this morning the temperature was 39 degrees, the sky was partly sunny and the wind was light at 5-10 mph from the SSW. As the morning went on, the temperature warmed a degree to 40 and the clouds moved in blocking out any sunshine. It is now gray and looks as if it could rain again.

I have a few business calls to take care of, but by 1 p.m. I'm hoping to be able to get out on the lake.

I did make it out onto the water at 1:30 p.m. The wind had shifted to the SSE and had picked up to 10-15 mph. The water temperature ranged from 50.5 to 49.3 degrees. The sky was still gray and it looked like it could rain.

With the wind from the south, I started fishing just past Second Duck Point in 9-11 feet of water and used a VMC jig tipped with a fathead minnow. The wind pushed the boat north and out into the bay so by the time I reached Newman's house I was in 13-14 feet of water. I had no bites during that pass.

I motored back toward shore and started my second drift from between Giza's cabin and Newman's. This time I drifted out to in front of Malay's house before I was in 13-14 feet of water. Again, no bites.

I repositioned again, this time starting in front of our cabin and letting the wind push the boat toward The Birches. I also replaced the 1/8 oz. VMC jig with a heavier 1/4 oz. VMC skirted jig in a chartreuse color. For a little more attractant, I tipped the skirted jig with a fathead.

Right in front of The Birches, in 9 1/2 feet of water, I hooked into a beautiful jumbo perch. It was the biggest perch I'd hooked this season. I put it in the live well and continued my drift.

The wind continued to blow stronger, and was now coming out of the SSE at 15-20 mph creating large swells and white caps on the lake. I figured 90 minutes on the water this afternoon was good and headed home at 3:15 p.m.

Once I got back to the boat lift I had quite a challenge getting the boat onto the lift. The waves were pushing the boat north and twisting it sideways. Eventually I got the boat on the lift and decided to take a look at the jumbo in the live well.

The jumbo was on its side from all of the sloshing around in the live well. I figured if I put it in the wire basket at the end of the dock it would probably get pounded by the rough water and die during the night. I didn't feel like cleaning one fish right now, so instead I put the big perch back into the water. I hope to catch him again, with about 5 of his big friends later this week. And if not this weekend, then through the ice this winter.

I stopped by the Malays this evening to share a malted beverage, discuss the water levels in the lake, and just chat. Tom shared with me the weather report he heard. It’s supposed to snow this Saturday and Sunday, not a lot of snow, but some flurries.

Tom and I discussed pulling our boats out of the water sometime next week if the weather continues to get cold. Once the lake begins to freeze, and the boat lifts are encased in ice, it’s impossible to pull your boat out of the lake. And that’s not good.

We’ll both keep a close eye on the weather, because both Tom and I would like to wait as long as possible to end our open-water fishing season on Leech Lake.

October 6, 2009 -- On Leech Lake

This morning at 9:00 a.m. the temperature was 40 degrees (maybe my thermometer is stuck there), the sky was dark and gray and there was a light rain falling. The wind is again out of the north at 8-12 mph.

By noon, the wind had picked up a bit because the flag was flapping straight out and the lake had a smattering of white caps across the surface. This cool weather -- down into the 30s at night -- has the leaves changing colors quickly now.

I did a quick check of the forecast for the Cass Lake/Leech Lake area, and the temperature at night for the rest of the week is supposed to be in the mid-30s tonight and then dropping to below 30 on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, with high temperature in only the low 40s during the day.

With the weather getting colder and the very low water levels in the lake, I think it's getting time to pull the boat out of the water. I'll leave it in this weekend, because Kathleen's brother Mike, along with his wife Barb and son Sean will be visiting our cabin and Sean likes to go walleye fishing with me. But the following weekend, MEA weekend in Minnesota, is when I'll likely take the boat out of the water and into Bemidji for storage for the winter.

At just after 1:00 p.m. the rain started to fall again. The wind is constant at about 8-10 mph out of the north, and the temperature is still 40 degrees. I think I'll clean the bathrooms this afternoon, and do some more work online.

At 3:30 p.m. I went fishing. I motored out to my usual spot in front of the Malay's cabin in 12 feet of water and dropped my VMC jig tipped with a fathead into the 51.5 degree water. I fished for more than 90 minutes and the only bite I got was a toothy critter that bit right through my Fireline. I retied but never got another bite, although I was marking lots of fish on my Lowrance LCX-28c.

I came ashore at 5:15 p.m. under a steady rain, cold temperatures and a wind of 10-15 mph that was shifting from the north to the NNW.

Once on shore I got a fire going in the fireplace to warm up the house. The wind was howling and the rain continued to fall. It was an absolutely perfect day at Leech Lake.

October 5, 2009 -- On Leech Lake

The trees starting to change color along Sucker Bay Road

Today the wind was lighter than it's been the past few days at just 8-12 mph out of the north. But it was a cold breeze. The temperature all day long was a consistent 40 degrees. The sky was gray and it looked like rain, but none fell.

I had business calls to attend to until early afternoon, then had to go into Cass Lake to pick up a few groceries as well as a new scoop of fathead minnows from Froggy's.

On my way into town, on Sucker Bay Road, I saw a number of bald eagles eating some sort of carrion on the side of the road and as I drove past them, they took to the air and flew along side my truck on either side. One mature bald eagle and one immature eagle flying right next to my truck window on either side. What a sight! They are big when you get up close to one. Eventually they banked off to the woods, and I'm sure back to their meal.

Once I was home and got the groceries put away I decided to go fishing. At 4:00 p.m. I motored out to 12 feet of water in front of the Malay's cabin and let the light wind push my boat south toward Second Duck Point. The water temperature was now at 52.6 degrees.

I used a VMC jig in orange and yellow color tipped with a fathead. I caught a couple of small perch, but that was it. I saw Tom Malay on the water. He was trolling, which is his usual method of fishing during all times of day throughout the open-water season. Tom said he hadn't even had a bite.

I repositioned to The Birches, and again caught only a few small perch.

While I was fishing by The Birches I saw another mature bald eagle. This one took flight from a tree at the edge of the water, flew out over the bay, before I lost sight of it. A minute or two later it returned, and it may have had a fish in its talons. When it got close to its tree, I heard the screeches of young eagles in a nest. Obviously the mature eagle was returning to the tree to feed its young.

It certainly was a day for eagles.

At 6:00 p.m., I returned home. Two hours on the lake with wet hands, a north wind and a temperature of 40 degrees had my hands near frozen. I looked forward to warming them up.

After dinner I had a fire in the fireplace, read the newspaper and listened to music. No trolling tonight on Leech Lake.

October 3 and 4, 2009 -- Weekend Edition, On the Road

Saturday

I left Leech Lake this morning at 10:3o a.m. bound for St. Cloud and a visit with Kathleen's mother, Marge. The weather as I pulled out of my driveway was rainy, with dark skies, windy, roughly 12-15 mph out of the NE and cool, the temperature was 44 degrees.

I stopped in Walker on my way south to meet with Terry Holly, owner of the Walker Ace Hardware and Radio Shack store and long-time advocate for the protection of Leech Lake. For the better part of the past five years, Holly has worked hard to bring back walleye fishing to Leech Lake, by working with local business owners, the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe and various politicians.

Every step of the way Holly and his supporters were opposed by corrupt MN DNR officials and the wealthy Brainerd lakes business owners who provide financial backing. Holly is still working tireless to ensure that the DNR stocks the lake to the levels mandated by the MN state government.

Another issue Holly is involved in is the ever-dropping water levels in Leech Lake. Although the Army Corps of Engineers is technically responsible for the operation of the dam at Federal Dam, one has to wonder who wants the water levels in Leech Lake lowered and for what purpose. Someone, somewhere (probably in the Brainerd Lakes area again) stands to benefit financially if Leech Lake suffers.

I have committed to working with Holly, and others, to find out why Leech Lake is not being preserved and maintained to the same levels as lakes such as Gull Lake, Big Sandy or even Cass Lake.

Eventually I made my way to St. Cloud and was greeted with my mother-in-law's road completely torn up and two new roads in its place. Across the street from Marge's house used to stand a beautiful woods, complete with gravel pit, pond, nesting eagles, and wildlife galore. Today there isn't a tree left standing, the gravel pit is filled in and in its place is going to be a Wal-Mart and Sam's Club. The entire environment ripped to sheds and replaced by big-box junk stores.

My theory is that St. Cloud is trying to lure revenue away from the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul. Brainerd, to the north of St. Cloud is being negatively effected by the expansion of St. Cloud so it in turn must battle to keep revenue from locals and tourists in the Brainerd Lakes area. Thus a new Wal-Mart going in in St. Cloud has ramifications for what happens in Brainerd and ultimately Leech Lake. It's all connected, and not in a good way.

After surveying the devastation of the woods across the street from Marge's house, she and I ran some errands. I took her to the grocery store and we got some dinner.

I watched a little football on TV, since we do not have TV at our house at Leech Lake, and was happy to see Michigan State beat Michigan 26-20 in overtime.

Time for bed. More tomorrow.

Sunday

This morning I made a bacon and egg breakfast for me and Marge before we went to church at Christ Church, Newman Center. That is the same church where Kathleen and I were married more than 28 years ago.

After church we drove home in the light rain, under gray skies and a temperature of 48 degrees. Late last week I cleaned a walleye that I had caught while trolling, and had brought the fillets with me to St. Cloud. As a late lunch, or early dinner, I fried up the walleye fillets, made some French fries and Cole slaw and Marge and I had a nice mid-afternoon meal before it was time for me to drive back to the lake.

I returned to the lake around 7:15 p.m. with a temperature of 44 degrees. The sky was covered in clouds, and although it looked like it could rain, there was none coming down.

I've got a lot of business work to do on Monday, and I also have to make a run into Cass Lake for a few items. It should be a busy week between work, chores around the property, and battling the DNR, Army Corps of Engineers and others who wish to do harm to Leech Lake.

October 2, 2009 -- On Leech Lake

Tomorrow I'm planning on driving down to St. Cloud to see Kathleen's mom. I'll clean the walleye I caught a couple of days ago and take the fillets down with me. After church on Sunday I'll cook us up a little Minnesota fish fry. I'm sure Marge will enjoy that.

It is once again gray and wet this morning, although the wind has calmed down a little. Under very cloudy, dark skies, the temperature is 40 degrees and the wind is out of the NE at 12-15 mph. It looks as if it could rain at any time.

I got out on the water at 12:3o p.m. today in less than ideal conditions. The wind was strong at 15-20 mph out of the NNE, the lake was covered in white caps, the temperature was a chilly 44 degrees and the dark sky spit a stinging rain on and off. I made only one pass from Malay's south past Second Duck Point before calling it quits. It was cold, wet, difficult to maneuver the boat, and worse still, I got no bites.

I spent most of the afternoon on business calls and doing work online before having and early dinner. I watched a movie and went to bed around 11:30 p.m. The temperature at that time was 40 degrees, and the wind was still howling at 20 mph from the NE. A cold night on the shores of Leech Lake.

October 1, 2009 -- On Leech Lake

Welcome to October in the Northwoods. It's a gray, rainy morning with the sky completely covered in rain clouds, the ground is wet from a recent shower, and the temperature at 10:00 a.m. is barely 40 degrees.

Noel Hancock and I were supposed to go back into the woods today to cut some firewood from dead, fallen trees, but I think I'll call him and reschedule. I don't mind being back in the woods if it's cold, because the hard work warms you up. But I don't like being back there in the rain. Using a wet chain saw is not the best idea.

Despite a stiff 20 mph ENE wind, spitting cold rain and 44 degree temperatures I decided to go fishing at 2:15 p.m. It wasn't unsafe on the water, just uncomfortable. I was on the water for only 90 minutes and caught a handful of small- to medium-sized perch and a small hammerhandle.

There must be something to the old adage about "the fishing is the least when the wind is from the east," because the fish just weren't biting. Of course, my adage is "you can't catch fish from your living room couch," so even though it was cold, windy and wet, I was on the water. There will be plenty of time for sitting comfortably on the couch when I'm back in California.

The water temperature had dropped to 57. 8 degrees. The sunset was at 6:57 p.m.

This evening after dinner I had a fire in the fireplace. The rain started up again and the temperature at 11:00 p.m. was back down to 40 degrees.

I'll try to get out onto Leech Lake for some more fishing tomorrow; despite reports of more cold and rain.

September 30, 2009 -- On Leech Lake

I can't believe it's already the end of September. From a weather standpoint, it's definitely Fall here in the Northwoods. The temperature this morning at 9:00 a.m. at Leech Lake was 40 degrees. The sky is sunny and the wind is out of the ESE at 10-15 mph, and is expected to increase to more than 20-25 mph as the day goes on.

The cool temperatures of the past few days have had an effect on the trees changing colors. For most of the two weeks I've been here, the leaves have been green and only a few trees have showed signs of changing color. But just in the past couple of days the leaves have begun to change to yellow, orange and red. I'd say that the color is no more than 20 percent, but the change is definitely starting.

At 1:30 p.m. I decided to go fishing. I motored the boat out to a spot in 10-12 feet of water in front of our house, tipped my VMC jig with a fathead and started fishing. The wind had shifted and was now blowing from the ENE at close to 18 mph. As I drifted out into Sucker Bay, the waves picked up and turned to white caps and it was cold.

I stayed on the lake for about 90 minutes and caught numerous perch, but no jumbos or walleye.
Once on shore I stopped by Noel Hancock’s place for a quick visit. Weather permitting we’re going to go back into the woods tomorrow and cut up some dead trees for firewood.

I contemplated going out trolling this evening, but the wind was still blowing hard – 18-25 mph – from the ENE, and as the old fishing adage goes, “When the wind’s from the east, the fishing is the least. When the wind’s from the west, the fishing is the best.” I could attest that the fishing earlier in the day had been poor, so with a strong easterly wind blowing I stayed on shore.

The temperature at 11:00 p.m. is 42 degrees. It just might get down to freezing tonight at Leech Lake.

September 29, 2009 -- On Leech Lake

Last year on this date the high temperature was only 56 degrees. I did not record the low temperature from a year ago, but I would bet it was as cold as it is currently. Today should be a lot like last year. The high is projected to hit 55 degrees, and currently at 9:00 a.m., the temperature is only 37 degrees. I don't know if it dropped to freezing over night or not, but it sure is cold this morning.

By noon the temperature had warmed to the low 50s, and by 1:30 p.m. it was 55 degrees and I decided to go fishing. Today was the first time in three days that the wind was not blowing at 20+ mph. In fact, when I hit the water, the wind was slight at 5-8 mph out of the ENE. The sky was mostly sunny, and I actually felt warm standing in the boat.

I started by fishing in front of our house in 9-12 feet of water. I used a VMC jig tipped with a fathead. I drifted slowly out into the bay and south toward Second Duck Point. I caught a few small perch, but nothing worth keeping.

I moved toward the Birches and fished there in 8-10 feet of water for a while, but again boated only small perch.

I moved to the spot between Schiebe’s cabin and the government cabins and caught more small to medium perch. I also hooked into something that bit through my 6 lb. Fireline Crystal, forcing me to tie on a new jig. Probably a northern pike.

I came ashore around 3:30 p.m. After some work around the house, some business on the computer and a light dinner, I again went fishing. I was on the water at 6:20 p.m.

The wind had died down completely and the lake was still. The water temperature had cooled considerably in the past few days and was now between 61 and 62 degrees depending on the depth and location I was fishing.

I again started in front of our house in 10 feet of water throwing a VMC jig, this time tipped with a Northland Tackle Slurpie Swim’N Grub, in an orange color. I threw this set up for about 20 minutes, but had no bites.

I switched to my trolling tackle, using an olive colored #9 Minnow Rap. I trolled from Malay’s cabin south to a spot between Duck and Second Duck Points, then curled out into the Bay and fished deeper at 12-13 feet.

I made several passes without getting a bite. As the sky darkened, the 85% waxing moon rose and cast its light over Sucker Bay. At one point a loon surfaced near my boat and was directly in line with the shimmering moon light in the water. It looked like something out of a Les Kouba painting. Beautiful.

I was getting ready to make one last pass when I hooked a nice little 13” walleye just south of Second Duck Point in 12 feet of water. I decided to make another pass between Second Duck and a spot about half way to Duck Point.

On my way north, I again hooked a fish and could tell it was a little bigger. I got it to the boat and into the landing net. I hoisted it into the boat and saw it was a beautiful “eater” walleye; 16 ½” long. I put it in the live well for a future dinner.

At 9:35 p.m. I decided to call it a night and come ashore. I got the walleye from the boat into a wire basket at the end of the dock and made my way back to the house. As I walked from the boat lift to the house I noticed I could see my breath. I knew it was cold, but didn’t realize just how cold.

The thermometer on the back deck at the house read 40 degrees. I heard that it could get down below freezing tonight after midnight. I also heard that the wind is again going to be blowing between 20-30 mph tomorrow. I’m glad I got out onto Leech Lake to do some walleye fishing while I had the chance. And I caught walleyes too!