It must have rained some last night because I awoke this morning to a wet landscape. The sky is gray and overcast, and it looks like it could rain again. The temperature is 40 degrees and the wind is out of the ENE at 10 mph.
After eating a cup of yogurt, I got in the truck and drove it next door. Once there, I attached the boat trailer to the 2" ball on the receiver hitch on the truck, connected the electrical wiring, and secured the trailer with the heavy wire cables.
I then walked down the dock and got into the boat. One by one I removed the bungee cords that hold the heavy vinyl canopy onto the boat lift. Once all of the cords had been removed, it was a relatively easy process of popping the canopy off the lift and then to pile it up on the dock. I then dragged the canopy onto shore and left it on the ground near the cabin. It is completely covered in sea gull guano, so I think I'll have it professionally cleaned this year. I just don't think I could get all of the crap off of it myself.
With the canopy off the lift, I was ready to move onto the next phase of pulling my boat out of the water. I backed the truck down the landing putting the trailer into the water. I then got on my waders, walked out to the end of the dock, lowered the boat into the water, got in the water myself and then guided the boat off the lift, around the dock and onto the trailer. I clipped tow strap to the hook at the bow of the boat and began cranking the handle. Slowly the boat moved up the trailer until at last it was completely on the trailer.
I got out of the water, took off my waders, got into the truck and drove up the ramp pulling the boat and trailer behind me. I pulled the drain plug out of the stern of the boat, put on the safety straps and transom saver, and then decided to take a break for some breakfast.
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It's now 1:10 p.m., the sky is a grayish white and it looks like it could rain at any moment. Oops, just checked again and it is raining. The wind is still about 10 mph out of the ENE. A little later on this afternoon I'm going to go next door to the cabin, get everything out of the boat and then put the cover on the boat. My plan is to take the boat to Corner Sports in Bemidji tomorrow, where they'll winterize and store the boat until next Spring.
It's now 4:45 p.m., everything is out of the boat, but hanging up in the garage to dry out, and the cover is on the boat. The boat is ready to take into town tomorrow morning. I'm having a late lunch and listening to the Arizona-Seattle game on the NFL Radio network. We don't have TV here at the lake, so all of my sports updates are from either the radio or Internet.
My final entry of the night will be a weather report. It's 9:45 p.m., the wind has died down, the temperature is 39 degrees and there's a light mist falling; everything is wet. Tomorrow I'll take the boat into Bemidji, run a few errands and then come home to finalize some the winterization chores around the property.
I guess if I am going to go fishing again before leaving for California it'll have to be with Tom Malay in his 14-foot aluminum boat. I hope I do get one more chance to catch a walleye before I have to leave Leech Lake.
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Saturday, October 23, 2010
On Leech Lake -- October 23, 2010
The sky was gray, the temperature was 36 degrees and the winds were out of the ENE at 8-12 mph at 9:00 a.m. this morning. Jackson was the only one awake when I came into the living room; Sandy and Tim awoke within the next 45 minutes.
Since they had to go back to St. Cloud at noon today, Tim, Jackson and I decided to go fishing one more time. We got into the boat at 10:20 a.m. and made our way to 13 feet of water in front Malay's cabin. We deployed the drift sock and began drifing toward Second Duck Point.
Out on the water the wind was stronger than it was on shore, closer to 15 mph out of the ENE. The water temperature was under 50 degrees for the first time since I've been here, registering at 49.5 degrees.
As always, we tipped our jigs with fatheads in search of perch and walleye. We were joined this chilly October morning on Sucker Bay by three other boats, including Duane Paulsen and Ron Geppart from here on Ottertail Peninsula.
We made two drifts and the only fish we caught was a small perch Tim landed. We were all cold and Tim and Jackson still had to pack up for their trip home, so we motored ashore. When we got on the dock, we released the 16" walleye Tim had caught a couple of days earlier since it really isn't worth keeping just one small walleye for a dinner for a family of three.
While we were on the water, I had seen Tom Malay out on his dock working on this boat lift motor. I thought he was trying to get his boat trailered to pull it out of the water, so I called Elaine Malay to tell her to tell Tom to wait until I got to shore and I'd help him. She told me that Tom was having problems with the lift motor and that he was unable to lower the boat into the water. I told Elaine that I have a hand crank that I use for manually raising and lower my lift when necessary and that I'd be happy to bring the crank down to see if it would work on Tom's lift.
Once on shore, I took the crank to Tom's cabin, but it wasn't the right size, so it was of no help. Tom was going to continue working on the motor (we think that there's a bad connection in the motor) to see if he can get it to operate properly. Before I left, Tom and I agreed to help each other get our boats out of the water and trailered on Sunday. I can't believe the open water fishing season is over for me. The last fish I caught this season was that walleye I boated yesterday.
Tim, Sandy and Jackson headed for home about 12:30 p.m. I decided to take care of some of the many winterization chores that remain on the properties. I walked over to the cabin and removed all of the screens from the windows and replaced them with storm windows. They aren't the best storm windows available, but they should provide a little better insulation than screens.
I also cleaned out the fireplace in preparation for fire tonight. According the the National Weather Service, there's a very good chance of some light rain tonight and the temperatures are supposed to drop to around 35 degrees. A good night for a warm fire.
At 5:00 p.m. this evening I plan to listen to a Prairie Home Companion on Minnesota Public Radio. I enjoy listening to Garrison Keillor; especially when I'm here at Leech Lake.
Well, after listening to the "News from Lake Woebegon" tonight, I was not that impressed. Garrison seemed to take the night off, although Sarah Watkins and the Old Crow Medicine Show were very good.
From a sports perspective, today was a great day for me. The SF Giants advanced to the World Series against the Texas Rangers after the Giants beat the Phillies 4 games to 2 in the NLCS. The Michigan State Spartans went to 8-0 after beating the Northwestern Wildcats 35-27, and the San Jose Sharks beat the Edmonton Oilers 6-1 on the road. All of my teams won. Of course the Detroit Lions and the SF 49ers still suck, but other than that, it was great day.
Good night from Leech Lake.
Since they had to go back to St. Cloud at noon today, Tim, Jackson and I decided to go fishing one more time. We got into the boat at 10:20 a.m. and made our way to 13 feet of water in front Malay's cabin. We deployed the drift sock and began drifing toward Second Duck Point.
Out on the water the wind was stronger than it was on shore, closer to 15 mph out of the ENE. The water temperature was under 50 degrees for the first time since I've been here, registering at 49.5 degrees.
As always, we tipped our jigs with fatheads in search of perch and walleye. We were joined this chilly October morning on Sucker Bay by three other boats, including Duane Paulsen and Ron Geppart from here on Ottertail Peninsula.
We made two drifts and the only fish we caught was a small perch Tim landed. We were all cold and Tim and Jackson still had to pack up for their trip home, so we motored ashore. When we got on the dock, we released the 16" walleye Tim had caught a couple of days earlier since it really isn't worth keeping just one small walleye for a dinner for a family of three.
While we were on the water, I had seen Tom Malay out on his dock working on this boat lift motor. I thought he was trying to get his boat trailered to pull it out of the water, so I called Elaine Malay to tell her to tell Tom to wait until I got to shore and I'd help him. She told me that Tom was having problems with the lift motor and that he was unable to lower the boat into the water. I told Elaine that I have a hand crank that I use for manually raising and lower my lift when necessary and that I'd be happy to bring the crank down to see if it would work on Tom's lift.
Once on shore, I took the crank to Tom's cabin, but it wasn't the right size, so it was of no help. Tom was going to continue working on the motor (we think that there's a bad connection in the motor) to see if he can get it to operate properly. Before I left, Tom and I agreed to help each other get our boats out of the water and trailered on Sunday. I can't believe the open water fishing season is over for me. The last fish I caught this season was that walleye I boated yesterday.
Tim, Sandy and Jackson headed for home about 12:30 p.m. I decided to take care of some of the many winterization chores that remain on the properties. I walked over to the cabin and removed all of the screens from the windows and replaced them with storm windows. They aren't the best storm windows available, but they should provide a little better insulation than screens.
I also cleaned out the fireplace in preparation for fire tonight. According the the National Weather Service, there's a very good chance of some light rain tonight and the temperatures are supposed to drop to around 35 degrees. A good night for a warm fire.
At 5:00 p.m. this evening I plan to listen to a Prairie Home Companion on Minnesota Public Radio. I enjoy listening to Garrison Keillor; especially when I'm here at Leech Lake.
Well, after listening to the "News from Lake Woebegon" tonight, I was not that impressed. Garrison seemed to take the night off, although Sarah Watkins and the Old Crow Medicine Show were very good.
From a sports perspective, today was a great day for me. The SF Giants advanced to the World Series against the Texas Rangers after the Giants beat the Phillies 4 games to 2 in the NLCS. The Michigan State Spartans went to 8-0 after beating the Northwestern Wildcats 35-27, and the San Jose Sharks beat the Edmonton Oilers 6-1 on the road. All of my teams won. Of course the Detroit Lions and the SF 49ers still suck, but other than that, it was great day.
Good night from Leech Lake.
On Leech Lake -- October 22, 2010
The temperature this morning at 8:30 a.m. was just 30 degrees. The sky was sunny and the wind was out of the west at 7-10 mph. The forecast called for the temperatures to climb to 60 degrees by 3:00 p.m., and sure enough, it was just about 60 degrees by mid-afternoon.
Tim, Jackson and I started fishing today at just before 11:00 a.m. I had a work call at 1:00 p.m., so I wanted to be back on shore by 12:30 p.m. That gave us a good 1 1/2 hours on the water.
The water temperature was 50.1 degrees and the air temperature was in the low 40s when we backed the boat off the lift and onto the water. I motored the boat toward Second Duck Point in 13 feet of water. With the drift sock deployed, the boat drifted toward our house and slightly toward shore. This path kept us fishing in 10-12 feet of water.
Almost as soon as I dropped my Bass Pro Shops XPS 1/4-oz. walleye jig tipped with a fathead into the water I felt that familiar "weight" at the end of line that typically indicates that a walleye is interested in my lure. I let the fish hold the minnow in its mouth for a moment before setting the hook. Sure enough, I had a good walleye on the line. Jackson manned the net and we brought on board a nice 21 1/2" walleye, although it had some weird growth on it's side. I unhooked the fish and put it back into the water.
We made several drifts before having to back to shore. We caught numerous perch, but no more walleye. And again, Jackson did not boat a fish of any kind.
After my call, some lunch, and some general work around the house and cabin, Tim, Jackson and I went out on the water a second time; this time at 3:30 p.m.
By this time the air temperature had warmed to near 60 degrees and the wind had died down to barely 3-5 mph out of the west.
I again positioned the boat in 13 feet of water just north of Second Duck Point, and again we fished with jigs and fatheads. But with the winds barely blowing, the fishing had tapered off as well. We did manage to catch a few perch, and Jackson finally caught a fish when he hooked into a 20" northern pike. But by in large, the fishing in this spot had turned cold. So we moved.
I took us down to "The Birches" where in 9-10 feet of water we caught a few more perch. Just before we decided to go ashore because of the poor fishing, Tim hooked into something with some weight to it. At first, we thought it was a big walleye, but it turned out to be an eelpout in excess of 20 inches. I'm estimating its weight at between 3-4 pounds. A good sized 'pout, but like all of the burbot I catch, this one went back into the lake.
We came ashore just at sunset, about 6:15 p.m. As we were motoring toward the lift we saw the full moon rising over the eastern horizon, down by Bass Bay. What a beautiful sight.
Sometime around 7:30 p.m. I started dinner. Tonight we had a classic Leech Lake fish fry consisting of batter fried walleye fillets, French fries (with malt vinegar, of course), and Cole slaw. Ummm. Tasty.
After dinner we hung out, talked, and watched a DVD. Another great day at Leech Lake.
Tim, Jackson and I started fishing today at just before 11:00 a.m. I had a work call at 1:00 p.m., so I wanted to be back on shore by 12:30 p.m. That gave us a good 1 1/2 hours on the water.
The water temperature was 50.1 degrees and the air temperature was in the low 40s when we backed the boat off the lift and onto the water. I motored the boat toward Second Duck Point in 13 feet of water. With the drift sock deployed, the boat drifted toward our house and slightly toward shore. This path kept us fishing in 10-12 feet of water.
Almost as soon as I dropped my Bass Pro Shops XPS 1/4-oz. walleye jig tipped with a fathead into the water I felt that familiar "weight" at the end of line that typically indicates that a walleye is interested in my lure. I let the fish hold the minnow in its mouth for a moment before setting the hook. Sure enough, I had a good walleye on the line. Jackson manned the net and we brought on board a nice 21 1/2" walleye, although it had some weird growth on it's side. I unhooked the fish and put it back into the water.
We made several drifts before having to back to shore. We caught numerous perch, but no more walleye. And again, Jackson did not boat a fish of any kind.
After my call, some lunch, and some general work around the house and cabin, Tim, Jackson and I went out on the water a second time; this time at 3:30 p.m.
By this time the air temperature had warmed to near 60 degrees and the wind had died down to barely 3-5 mph out of the west.
I again positioned the boat in 13 feet of water just north of Second Duck Point, and again we fished with jigs and fatheads. But with the winds barely blowing, the fishing had tapered off as well. We did manage to catch a few perch, and Jackson finally caught a fish when he hooked into a 20" northern pike. But by in large, the fishing in this spot had turned cold. So we moved.
I took us down to "The Birches" where in 9-10 feet of water we caught a few more perch. Just before we decided to go ashore because of the poor fishing, Tim hooked into something with some weight to it. At first, we thought it was a big walleye, but it turned out to be an eelpout in excess of 20 inches. I'm estimating its weight at between 3-4 pounds. A good sized 'pout, but like all of the burbot I catch, this one went back into the lake.
We came ashore just at sunset, about 6:15 p.m. As we were motoring toward the lift we saw the full moon rising over the eastern horizon, down by Bass Bay. What a beautiful sight.
Sometime around 7:30 p.m. I started dinner. Tonight we had a classic Leech Lake fish fry consisting of batter fried walleye fillets, French fries (with malt vinegar, of course), and Cole slaw. Ummm. Tasty.
After dinner we hung out, talked, and watched a DVD. Another great day at Leech Lake.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
On Leech Lake -- October 21, 2010
The temperature this morning at 8:00 a.m. was 33 degrees. By 1:00 p.m. it had warmed only to 35 degrees. The air definitely has that cold feel of impending winter to it. The wind was moderate at 10 mph out of the NNW, with gusts up to 15 mph. Coupled with the cool temperature, the wind made being outside a brisk experience.
Nonetheless, I was out all morning doing various chores, including blowing all the leaves off the yard on the lake side of the house, picking up fallen branches and tree limbs, dismantling the hammock and storing it for winter, and a variety of little outdoor projects.
I finally came inside around 12:15 p.m. for some lunch, warm up a bit and take care of some work work.
At 4:00 p.m., Sandy and Jackson arrived. After unloading their car and chatting for a while, Tim, Jackson and I decided to go fishing.
We got out on the water at 5:00 p.m. exactly, and motored out to 12 feet of water directly in front of Newman's cabin. The wind was blowing at 8-10 mph from WNW, so with the drift sock in the water the boat was pushed toward shore and our house at just under 1/2 mph. The water temperature was 50.5 degrees.
We used jigs tipped with fathead minnows caught several perch, and Tim caught a 16" walleye which we kept. Unfortunately, Jackson didn't catch anything.
We stayed out on the water until just after sunset and then motored in for a dinner of pizza and salad. If the weather permits, we'll go out fishing again tomorrow.
Nonetheless, I was out all morning doing various chores, including blowing all the leaves off the yard on the lake side of the house, picking up fallen branches and tree limbs, dismantling the hammock and storing it for winter, and a variety of little outdoor projects.
I finally came inside around 12:15 p.m. for some lunch, warm up a bit and take care of some work work.
At 4:00 p.m., Sandy and Jackson arrived. After unloading their car and chatting for a while, Tim, Jackson and I decided to go fishing.
We got out on the water at 5:00 p.m. exactly, and motored out to 12 feet of water directly in front of Newman's cabin. The wind was blowing at 8-10 mph from WNW, so with the drift sock in the water the boat was pushed toward shore and our house at just under 1/2 mph. The water temperature was 50.5 degrees.
We used jigs tipped with fathead minnows caught several perch, and Tim caught a 16" walleye which we kept. Unfortunately, Jackson didn't catch anything.
We stayed out on the water until just after sunset and then motored in for a dinner of pizza and salad. If the weather permits, we'll go out fishing again tomorrow.
On Leech Lake -- October 20, 2010
The forecast for today is very strong winds, in excess of 25 mph, with high temperatures in the mid-50s. At 10:00 a.m., however, the winds were still fairly light at 10-12 mph out of the WNW, so Tim and I decided to do some fishing before the winds picked up. The temperature was 42 degrees.
After getting the boat in the water, I motored out to 11 feet of water in front of Newman's cabin, deployed the drift sock, and let the wind push the boat toward shore and our cabin, at about 1/2 mph. As usual, Tim and I used jigs (1/4 oz.) tipped with fathead minnows. The water temperature was 51.8 degrees.
We made three drifts, but didn't catch anything. I didn't even get a bite.
We came ashore about 11:30 a.m., had some lunch, did a few household chores and got ready to head into Bemidji. I needed to get some supplies ranging from light bulbs to batteries to food to a longer cable for my printer.
While in town we ate an early dinner at Mi Rancho, the newest Mexican restaurant in town. Now I live in San Jose so I have access to pretty good, and authentic, Mexican food at literally hundreds of restaurants, but I have to say, the food at Mi Rancho was good.
After completing our mission in town we drove home, arriving just before sunset. The wind was still blowing very hard out of the NW at more than 20 mph. There would be no trolling for walleye tonight.
The temperature had dropped to just under 40 degrees, so I got a fire going to take the chill out of the house.
Tomorrow I have more chores to do, including blowing leaves at both the house and cabin. Sometime around mid-afternoon, Tim's wife Sandy and their son Jackson are due to arrive at Leech Lake. I hope the weather cooperates so I can take Tim and Jackson out fishing.
Stay tuned...
After getting the boat in the water, I motored out to 11 feet of water in front of Newman's cabin, deployed the drift sock, and let the wind push the boat toward shore and our cabin, at about 1/2 mph. As usual, Tim and I used jigs (1/4 oz.) tipped with fathead minnows. The water temperature was 51.8 degrees.
We made three drifts, but didn't catch anything. I didn't even get a bite.
We came ashore about 11:30 a.m., had some lunch, did a few household chores and got ready to head into Bemidji. I needed to get some supplies ranging from light bulbs to batteries to food to a longer cable for my printer.
While in town we ate an early dinner at Mi Rancho, the newest Mexican restaurant in town. Now I live in San Jose so I have access to pretty good, and authentic, Mexican food at literally hundreds of restaurants, but I have to say, the food at Mi Rancho was good.
After completing our mission in town we drove home, arriving just before sunset. The wind was still blowing very hard out of the NW at more than 20 mph. There would be no trolling for walleye tonight.
The temperature had dropped to just under 40 degrees, so I got a fire going to take the chill out of the house.
Tomorrow I have more chores to do, including blowing leaves at both the house and cabin. Sometime around mid-afternoon, Tim's wife Sandy and their son Jackson are due to arrive at Leech Lake. I hope the weather cooperates so I can take Tim and Jackson out fishing.
Stay tuned...
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
At Leech Lake -- October 19, 2010 (Happy Birthday Kathleen)
Today is my wife Kathleen's birthday. Happy birthday honey. You're more beautiful today than the day I first met you (and you were pretty cute back then too!). I hope you have a wonderful day and an even better year. I only wish you could be here at Leech Lake with me. I know how much you enjoy the lake, especially in the autumn.
The temperature for most of the day was in the high 40s and low 50s. It was windy all day long, with winds in excess of 15 mph out of the WNW sending white caps rolling across Sucker Bay toward our shore. As a result, Tim and I did not go fishing, but rather turned our attention to the many chores of getting the property ready for the winter.
We took down the tire swing at the cabin, so it would not fill with snow. I cleaned out the gutters at the house, which took me close to three hours to complete. I crawled underneath the house in the cramped crawlspace to put up insulation in the vents, which in the spring and summer provide much needed ventilation to keep moisture and mildew from building up under the house, but in the winter would let in cold Arctic air making the floor of the house even colder than it usually is.
And at about 5:00 p.m. I started dinner. I made oven-fried chicken, stuffing and green beans. It was a tasty and hearty meal after a long day of working outside.
I am by no means done with the winterization chores, however. I still have to blow more leaves off the yard here at the house and at the cabin, put up storm windows at the cabin, and sometime over the weekend or on Monday, take the canopy off the boatlift, pull the boat out of the water and take it into Bemidji to be winterized and stored until next spring.
After dinner I called Kathleen to wish her a happy birthday. She was enjoying dinner with Melissa, Joe, Ashley and Jayden. Apparently, the chocalate cake was a big hit with everyone, but especially Jayden. Kathleen, we'll have to celebrate your birthday in a special way when I get back to California.
Until then, good night from Leech Lake.
The temperature for most of the day was in the high 40s and low 50s. It was windy all day long, with winds in excess of 15 mph out of the WNW sending white caps rolling across Sucker Bay toward our shore. As a result, Tim and I did not go fishing, but rather turned our attention to the many chores of getting the property ready for the winter.
We took down the tire swing at the cabin, so it would not fill with snow. I cleaned out the gutters at the house, which took me close to three hours to complete. I crawled underneath the house in the cramped crawlspace to put up insulation in the vents, which in the spring and summer provide much needed ventilation to keep moisture and mildew from building up under the house, but in the winter would let in cold Arctic air making the floor of the house even colder than it usually is.
And at about 5:00 p.m. I started dinner. I made oven-fried chicken, stuffing and green beans. It was a tasty and hearty meal after a long day of working outside.
I am by no means done with the winterization chores, however. I still have to blow more leaves off the yard here at the house and at the cabin, put up storm windows at the cabin, and sometime over the weekend or on Monday, take the canopy off the boatlift, pull the boat out of the water and take it into Bemidji to be winterized and stored until next spring.
After dinner I called Kathleen to wish her a happy birthday. She was enjoying dinner with Melissa, Joe, Ashley and Jayden. Apparently, the chocalate cake was a big hit with everyone, but especially Jayden. Kathleen, we'll have to celebrate your birthday in a special way when I get back to California.
Until then, good night from Leech Lake.
Monday, October 18, 2010
On Leech Lake -- October 18, 2010
Today the high reached only 46 degrees. The sky was mostly cloudy and gray, and the wind was out of the WNW at 10-14 mph.
I had a lot of work work to do, so I was tied up in my house until 5:00 p.m. when my last call ended. At that point I had to get outside, so despite a little rougher water than I like to go out onto, Tim and I went fishing.
Since we had such good luck yesterday drifting and jigging fatheads, I thought we'd try that method again today. We started in about 11 feet of water in front of the Giza's cabin and drifted toward shore and the Malay's. Even with the drift sock in the water we were moving at nearly 2/3 mph. The water temperature had cooled slightly from yesterday, to 52.7 degrees.
We made several passes but couldn't even scare up a perch. In fact, neither Tim nor I had a bite in nearly an hour. We decided to one more pass then come in. That's when Tim hooked into a good sized fish as we drifted through 10 feet of water directly in front of our house. He reeled it in and we could see it was a walleye. I grabbed the net and scooped up a very nice 17 1/2-inch walleye. We decided to put it in the live well and add it to our growing walleye collection back at the dock.
We completed the drift without another bite and then came ashore just as the sun was setting; around 6:30 p.m.
Tim removed the walleye from the live well and added it to the bucket that contained the other two walleyes we kept from Sunday. After taking off my heavy parka and bib overalls, I took the fish into the cabin and cleaned them. We now have 6 nice walleye fillets for dinner when Tim's wife Sandy and their son Jackson come up to Leech Lake later this week.
The temperature around midnight when I turned off the lights was 39 degrees. Tomorrow should be another cool, breezy day. I think I'll turn my attention to the many winterization chores around the property. Lots to do in the week ahead to get the place ready for the harsh Northern Minnesota winter.
Good night from Leech Lake.
I had a lot of work work to do, so I was tied up in my house until 5:00 p.m. when my last call ended. At that point I had to get outside, so despite a little rougher water than I like to go out onto, Tim and I went fishing.
Since we had such good luck yesterday drifting and jigging fatheads, I thought we'd try that method again today. We started in about 11 feet of water in front of the Giza's cabin and drifted toward shore and the Malay's. Even with the drift sock in the water we were moving at nearly 2/3 mph. The water temperature had cooled slightly from yesterday, to 52.7 degrees.
We made several passes but couldn't even scare up a perch. In fact, neither Tim nor I had a bite in nearly an hour. We decided to one more pass then come in. That's when Tim hooked into a good sized fish as we drifted through 10 feet of water directly in front of our house. He reeled it in and we could see it was a walleye. I grabbed the net and scooped up a very nice 17 1/2-inch walleye. We decided to put it in the live well and add it to our growing walleye collection back at the dock.
We completed the drift without another bite and then came ashore just as the sun was setting; around 6:30 p.m.
Tim removed the walleye from the live well and added it to the bucket that contained the other two walleyes we kept from Sunday. After taking off my heavy parka and bib overalls, I took the fish into the cabin and cleaned them. We now have 6 nice walleye fillets for dinner when Tim's wife Sandy and their son Jackson come up to Leech Lake later this week.
The temperature around midnight when I turned off the lights was 39 degrees. Tomorrow should be another cool, breezy day. I think I'll turn my attention to the many winterization chores around the property. Lots to do in the week ahead to get the place ready for the harsh Northern Minnesota winter.
Good night from Leech Lake.
On Leech Lake -- October, 17, 2010
My brother-in-law Tim is visiting me for a week here at Leech Lake, and like myself, Tim enjoys spending time on the water in pursuit of walleye and perch. Since it was Sunday, with no work for either of us, we planned to spend as much time on Leech Lake as possible.
We did take it easy in the morning, having breakfast, reading the paper and drinking coffee, so it wasn't until just before noon that we went out fishing. The sky was partly sunny, the wind was out of the WNW at 8-10 mph, the air temperature was just over 50 degrees and the water temperature was 53.8 degrees.
The direction of the wind dictated the way I set up the boat for drifting. I motored out to about 11 feet of water in front of our cabin and the wind blew the boat toward shore and slightly south toward Newman's cabin. With the drift sock in the water the speed of the boat was just less than 1/2 mph.
Both Tim and I were using 1/8 oz. jigs tipped with fathead minnows.
We caught dozens of perch, maybe as many as 30, all of which we put back into the lake, as well as a few walleye. I caught a 19-inch walleye, which went back into the water, and Tim caught two -- an 18 1/4" walleye which went back into the lake and a 16 1/2" walleye which we kept.
At some point during one of our drifts something very big hit my jig and started peeling off line. I played it long enough to get a glimpse of it off the back of the boat. It was either a very big northern or a muskie. It must have been close to 3 feet long. My 6 lb. test Fireline Crystal was no match for the toothy critter, however, and the fish bit through the line and returned to the depths.
We came ashore around 3:00 p.m. and drove up to Birch Ridge Resort to grab a beer, eat a pizza and watch the Vikings game. I'm not a Vikings fan, but Tim is and they were playing the Dallas Cowboys in what was a must-win game for both 1-3 teams. The Vikings won the game.
Tim and I decided to go back out on the water around 5 p.m. for more drift action, before we switched to trolling after sunset.
The perch bite had cooled off, and between us we caught probably no more than 10 perch while jigging. Just after sunset we stowed our jigging rods and started trolling using Minnow Raps. I caught a 21-inch walleye and Tim caught an 18-inch and a 21-inch walleye. All fish went back into the lake.
At 7:30 p.m. we came ashore, got a fire going because the expected temperature at 11:00 p.m. was 32 degrees. All in all, a very successful day of fishing on Leech Lake.
We did take it easy in the morning, having breakfast, reading the paper and drinking coffee, so it wasn't until just before noon that we went out fishing. The sky was partly sunny, the wind was out of the WNW at 8-10 mph, the air temperature was just over 50 degrees and the water temperature was 53.8 degrees.
The direction of the wind dictated the way I set up the boat for drifting. I motored out to about 11 feet of water in front of our cabin and the wind blew the boat toward shore and slightly south toward Newman's cabin. With the drift sock in the water the speed of the boat was just less than 1/2 mph.
Both Tim and I were using 1/8 oz. jigs tipped with fathead minnows.
We caught dozens of perch, maybe as many as 30, all of which we put back into the lake, as well as a few walleye. I caught a 19-inch walleye, which went back into the water, and Tim caught two -- an 18 1/4" walleye which went back into the lake and a 16 1/2" walleye which we kept.
At some point during one of our drifts something very big hit my jig and started peeling off line. I played it long enough to get a glimpse of it off the back of the boat. It was either a very big northern or a muskie. It must have been close to 3 feet long. My 6 lb. test Fireline Crystal was no match for the toothy critter, however, and the fish bit through the line and returned to the depths.
We came ashore around 3:00 p.m. and drove up to Birch Ridge Resort to grab a beer, eat a pizza and watch the Vikings game. I'm not a Vikings fan, but Tim is and they were playing the Dallas Cowboys in what was a must-win game for both 1-3 teams. The Vikings won the game.
Tim and I decided to go back out on the water around 5 p.m. for more drift action, before we switched to trolling after sunset.
The perch bite had cooled off, and between us we caught probably no more than 10 perch while jigging. Just after sunset we stowed our jigging rods and started trolling using Minnow Raps. I caught a 21-inch walleye and Tim caught an 18-inch and a 21-inch walleye. All fish went back into the lake.
At 7:30 p.m. we came ashore, got a fire going because the expected temperature at 11:00 p.m. was 32 degrees. All in all, a very successful day of fishing on Leech Lake.
Saturday, October 16, 2010
On Leech Lake -- October 15, 2010
The temperature when I checked this morning at 8:30 a.m. was 38 degrees. The winds were light at 8 mph out of the SSW and the sky was sunny. As the morning went on, the temperature rose quickly to 46 and then 50 degrees. The wind stayed at 8-10 mph. It was under these conditions that I decided to take a break from work and do some fishing.
I got out on the water around 11:00 a.m. and found the water temperature to be 56 degrees. Using the drift sock, I drifted from 7 1/2 feet of water in front of Giza's cabin out to 10-11 feet of water in front of our cabin. During that pass northward, I caught several decent sized perch, but put them all back into the lake.
I saw John Newman on the water. He was in his little 12-foot Lone Star row boat. I asked if he'd like to join me in my Lund, and he agreed. After leaving his boat on shore, I picked him up at the end of my dock and then repositioned my boat in front of Giza's cabin for another drift.
John and I caught several more perch and we kept seven of them. John wants to take some fish home on Sunday morning so he can have a fish fry with his family on Sunday evening.
By 12:15 p.m. we came ashore since both John and I had work to do. We agreed to meet up after our respective conference calls for more fishing. My call ended early, so by 4:45 p.m. John and I were back on the lake.
Our plan was to do several drifts from Giza's to my cabin using 1/8-ounce jigs tipped with fathead minnows. Then, right after sunset, we would shift gears and start trolling Minnow Raps.
For an hour an forty-five minutes, John and I made several drifts. We each caught a few nice perch, which we kept. In addition, I caught a 17-inch walleye, which I kept, and a 22-inch eelpout. Yes, an eelpout. Usually eelpout are caught only through the ice in January and February when they spawn in the cold water. Catching one in open water, with water temperatures in the mid-50s is not common.
The sunset lake at Leech Lake at 6:31 p.m. CDT today, and by 6:35 p.m. John and I had stowed our jigging rods and switched to our trolling rigs. We trolled in 7-10 feet of water from Malay's cabin to just south of Second Duck Point. On a pass just between Giza's and Newman's, I hooked a very solid 21-inch walleye, which had to immediately go back into the lake because it fell into the 18-26" slot limit.
Unfortunately, as the fish thrased about in the net, it twisted the line around the two treble hooks of my Minnow Rap. Rather than cut the lure off and do a quick re-tie, John suggested we head to shore and start dinner.
We dined on a delicious grilled pork loin, accompanied with baked potatoes and a Caesar salad. Tasty indeed. We then retired to the fire pit for some malted beverages and conversation.
The sky was covered with stars; the way it is when you're deep enough into the woods so there is little ambient light.
I gave John the walleye I caught the other night, my contribution to his family's fish fry, and kept the one I caught tonight, which will become dinner on Sunday when my brother-in-law visits Leech Lake.
The forecast for Saturday is very windy, with gusts up over 25 mph, so I might not get out onto the water. If not, I'll write here again the next time I'm out fishing.
I got out on the water around 11:00 a.m. and found the water temperature to be 56 degrees. Using the drift sock, I drifted from 7 1/2 feet of water in front of Giza's cabin out to 10-11 feet of water in front of our cabin. During that pass northward, I caught several decent sized perch, but put them all back into the lake.
I saw John Newman on the water. He was in his little 12-foot Lone Star row boat. I asked if he'd like to join me in my Lund, and he agreed. After leaving his boat on shore, I picked him up at the end of my dock and then repositioned my boat in front of Giza's cabin for another drift.
John and I caught several more perch and we kept seven of them. John wants to take some fish home on Sunday morning so he can have a fish fry with his family on Sunday evening.
By 12:15 p.m. we came ashore since both John and I had work to do. We agreed to meet up after our respective conference calls for more fishing. My call ended early, so by 4:45 p.m. John and I were back on the lake.
Our plan was to do several drifts from Giza's to my cabin using 1/8-ounce jigs tipped with fathead minnows. Then, right after sunset, we would shift gears and start trolling Minnow Raps.
For an hour an forty-five minutes, John and I made several drifts. We each caught a few nice perch, which we kept. In addition, I caught a 17-inch walleye, which I kept, and a 22-inch eelpout. Yes, an eelpout. Usually eelpout are caught only through the ice in January and February when they spawn in the cold water. Catching one in open water, with water temperatures in the mid-50s is not common.
The sunset lake at Leech Lake at 6:31 p.m. CDT today, and by 6:35 p.m. John and I had stowed our jigging rods and switched to our trolling rigs. We trolled in 7-10 feet of water from Malay's cabin to just south of Second Duck Point. On a pass just between Giza's and Newman's, I hooked a very solid 21-inch walleye, which had to immediately go back into the lake because it fell into the 18-26" slot limit.
Unfortunately, as the fish thrased about in the net, it twisted the line around the two treble hooks of my Minnow Rap. Rather than cut the lure off and do a quick re-tie, John suggested we head to shore and start dinner.
We dined on a delicious grilled pork loin, accompanied with baked potatoes and a Caesar salad. Tasty indeed. We then retired to the fire pit for some malted beverages and conversation.
The sky was covered with stars; the way it is when you're deep enough into the woods so there is little ambient light.
I gave John the walleye I caught the other night, my contribution to his family's fish fry, and kept the one I caught tonight, which will become dinner on Sunday when my brother-in-law visits Leech Lake.
The forecast for Saturday is very windy, with gusts up over 25 mph, so I might not get out onto the water. If not, I'll write here again the next time I'm out fishing.
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