July 19, 2011 -- On Leech Lake

I happened to wake up at 5:30 a.m. this morning and look outside to see what the weather was like, and was surprised to see the entire sky a cantaloupe orange color. The wind was calm and the temperature was 70 degrees. The humidity, which has been very high the past few days, was already at 87%.

As I lay back in bed I could hear rumbling thunder in the distance, and soon the rain started to fall. "Red sky at night, sailors delight. Red sky in the morn, sailors take warn." As the old saying goes. With the sky the color it was I wasn't surprised that we had a storm.

By 10:00 a.m. the storm had passed for the most part, with just occasional rumbles of thunder, the wind was 6-10 mph out of the ESE, the temperature in the house registered 77 degrees while outside the thermometer read barely 70 degrees, and the sky was mostly cloudy and still retained a slight glow of red and orange.

Just before noon, the wind shifted and started blowing from the north at 15-20 mph. I always find it interesting to watch the lake when the wind shifts. For hours the wind was blowing out of the ESE so the water in the lake was moving in one direction. Then when the wind shifted to a different direction, and picked up in intensity, the water in the lake, for a short period of time, maybe 10 minutes, was going in all directions at once as it caught the new wind.

At this same time the sky darkened, and actually required me turning on the lights in the house to see. The temperature held steady at 70 degrees as did the humidity, which stood at 90%. But it sure looked and felt like a storm was coming.

Finally at 12:50 p.m. the rain came. A hard, steady rain fell for about 30 minutes. There were a few flashes of lightening directly over head followed by loud claps of thunder. The storm was directly on top of the house. But within an hour the storm passed, although the sky remained overcast and gray.

As the day went on I did some work and some various chores around the house, but the humidity made it unpleasant even if the temperature wasn't all that hot.

By 4:45 p.m., the wind had shifted to the ESE again and was blowing at about 8-15 mph. The wind blew most of the clouds away and the sky was partly sunny. So, I decided that with the temperature not as hot and the water near our shore fairly calm, that I would go fishing.

I motored out to spot not too far from shore right in front of the boat lift because I knew the wind would blow me out into the middle of Sucker Bay. I deployed the drift sock, tipped my jig with a leech and began fishing. The water temperature was 75.8 degrees.

I caught a few rock bass, including one that was actually quite big. Twice I had something pull hard on my line and bite right through the 8-lb test Fireline Crystal, taking my jig and bait. I figured it might have been a pike, but I've seen several boats in the past week fishing for muskie in this location so I wouldn't rule out that a muskie is what took my jig.

With yet another jig tied on and with another leech hooked just below its "sucker," I continued to fish. I hooked into what I thought was either another big rock bass or maybe a small walleye. When I got it to the boat I saw that it was a jumbo perch; and truly a jumbo.

I've often said that in my opinion a jumbo perch is one that is between 11-14 inches. Over 14" a perch becomes a monster and is approaching record size. I decided to keep this 12-inch jumbo perch because I thought it would be the perfect size for a meal for one. A 17-inch or even a 16-inch walleye once filleted is a perfect amount of meat for a meal for two, but for one person there is just too much there. I think a 12-inch perch will provide the right amount of fish for my dinner tomorrow evening.

I finally came ashore around 7:00 p.m., not because the fish stopped biting (they hadn't) or because the bugs were bad (they weren't) but because I ran out of leeches. I fished with a Mimic Minnow for awhile and then a Northland Slurpie Grub, but the fish seemed to be active on live bait, specifically leeches. Tomorrow I'll run up to Birch Ridge Resort and pick up a couple of dozen leeches, if they still have them. Sometimes as the summer progresses leeches are a hard bait to find.

Out on the lake the wind felt good and kept me cool. But once back on shore even in shorts and short-sleeved shirt it felt hot. Even after midnight the temperature was 72 degrees and the humidity was 84%. But if the weather service forecasts are correct, then tomorrow should be the last day of this prolonged heat wave.

Until tomorrow, good night from Leech Lake.

July 18, 2011 -- In Leech Lake

Another beautiful sunset over Sucker Bay, Leech Lake

For the third day in a row now I awoke to find myself inside a cloud. Heavy fog and mist extended from the ground up into the grayish-white of the sky. At 8:30 a.m. the wind was blowing out of the north at 8-12 mph, the temperature was 72 degrees and the humidity registered at 95%, but I don't see how any more water could be infused into the air since I can actually see water in the air.

Nature Update: I've talked a lot about the humidity the past few days but I'd like to give a couple of concrete examples of just how humid it is. Last night I made popcorn. Knowing how humid it was I put most of it in a plastic bag and sealed it up. I left a small bowl of popcorn out for me to eat. Within two hours of me making it, the popcorn was soggy and chewy, not exactly the characteristics of good popcorn. Then this morning when I got up, I looked at the big metal mixing bowl I used to put the popcorn in when it comes out of the pan. The bowl was empty (since the popcorn was in a bag) but what was in the bowl was water. Not a ton, but a significant amount. Apparently the dew point was so high last night that dew actually formed in the bowl and then collected at the bottom of it. That's how doggone wet the air has been the past few days.

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Here's a Heat Warning from the National Weather Service issued for the North Central part of Minnesota (home to Leech Lake):

Mon, Jul 18, 2011, 9:00 AM CDT

... EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM CDT WEDNESDAY... ... DENSE FOG ADVISORY IS CANCELLED...

* HEAT INDEX VALUES: A PROLONGED PERIOD OF HEAT INDICES FROM 95 TO NEAR 110 DEGREES OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS HAS PROMPTED THIS WARNING.

* IMPACTS: DEHYDRATION... MUSCLE CRAMPS... SEVERE HEADACHES AND HEAT EXHAUSTION ARE POSSIBLE WITH PROLONGED EXPOSURE AND OR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY. THERE IS EVEN A THREAT OF HEAT STROKE.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

AN EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING MEANS THAT A PROLONGED PERIOD OF DANGEROUSLY HOT TEMPERATURES WILL OCCUR. THE COMBINATION OF HOT TEMPERATURES AND HIGH HUMIDITY WILL COMBINE TO CREATE A DANGEROUS SITUATION IN WHICH HEAT ILLNESSES ARE LIKELY.

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It's days like these that make me wish we had air conditioning here at the lake. But when the temperature is sub zero for so many months, air conditioning seems like such an extravagant waste.

But today, air conditioning would be most welcome. By 11:30 a.m. the temperature was at 80 degrees, and the forecast called for the mercury to hit 91. The humidity hadn't backed off any, so simple movements inside or out, led to immediate sweat and exhaustion. I'm sure glad I'm not out tarring a road or re-roofing the cabin, like I was doing last year. Wind was blowing lazily out of the NNE at 5-8 mph and the sky was mostly sunny and blue.

Nature Update Two: I took a ride on the ATV to cool off and as I rounded a bend on West Shores Road I spotted an auburn-colored doe standing in the road. I slowed to a stop and watched her. She stood motionless for a few seconds then turned her head and looked back toward the woods. A small fawn, no bigger than a large dog, stepped out onto the road behind its mother. Then the two of the trotted gracefully across the road and immediately disappeared into the woods. Its amazing how quickly whitetail deer can blend into a forest.

Midday I couldn't take the humidity any longer and jumped into the lake. Its cool waters were refreshing, although the deer flies buzzing around my head weren't making the experience all that enjoyable. I remained cool for all of about 15 minutes.

By 5:00 p.m. the temperature was at 82 degrees and the humidity had actually dropped to 84%. Still, it felt very hot, and sitting still was about the only activity that didn't raise a sweat.

No fishing tonight. Instead I stayed inside and tried to stay cool. More tomorrow.

July 17, 2011 -- On Leech Lake

A family of merganser ducks slices its way through the fog on Sucker Bay, Leech Lake

Much like yesterday, this morning was hot, humid and foggy. At 8:30 a.m. the temperature was 76 degrees, the humidity was more than 90%, the air was still, wet and heavy and there hung a dense fog over everything. It was as if I had awoke inside a cloud.

I spotted a pelican casually swimming off the end of the dock around 9:15 a.m., and an occasional boat motored by, but for the most part the lake was quiet and enveloped in fog.

I took a quick walk over to the cabin to give the leeches some fresh water, and in just that little distance I was sweating and wet from the humidity. Plus with absolutely no wind, or even a slight breeze, the deer flies were out in full force and were instantly buzzing around my head, landing on me and biting. Normally here at the lake I could step outside to cool off, but not today. Quite the opposite -- step outside and things heat up.

By 2:00 p.m. the temperature stopped rising at 80 degrees, the fog, which I thought would have lifted by now, clung stubbornly to the sky making it look like it might storm. There was a whisper of breeze every now and then, but not enough to clear the air of the 90% humidity that dampened everything. The lonely call of the loon echoed across the afternoon stillness, competing occasionally with the clatter of a 2-stroke motor from some determined fisherman.

By 3:00 p.m. the temperature had cooled a little to 76 degrees, the sky was getting a little darker and thunder rumbled across the horizon. The humidity was still up over 90%, however, so I took a refreshing camp bath in the lake. It cooled me off while I was in the water, but as soon as I got back up to the house I was hot again. Maybe a storm will show itself and with it cleanse the air of this infernal dampness.

Just before 4:00 p.m. the slight breeze that had occasionally made its presence felt out of the south, shifted to the north and actually started to blow. Lightening bolts were now visible across the bay and the lake began to rile. By 4:15 p.m. there were white caps on the lake behind the force of 15-20 mph north winds. Thinking that a storm would descend upon the lake at any minute, I raced outside to fold up the lounge chairs and lay them flat on the dock. I then came inside and began shutting windows so the rain wouldn't soak the floors.

I then sat back in my chair in the living room, book in hand (Truman Capote's In Cold Blood) and watched for the storm. For more than 45 minutes the wind howled, the lake rolled with waves, but little rain fell. A few sprinkles freckled the back porch and windows, but no humidity-relieving rain fell. As the wind blew hard from the north the sky actually started to clear and get brighter. The dark, ominous clouds blew by and a cantaloupe-colored sky appeared on the horizon.

Every now and again a lightening bolt would show itself over Sucker Bay, and the rumble of thunder would follow, but no storm appeared. At 5:30 p.m. rain fell for a short time before disapearing. The wind, too, had left the area and once again the flag hung limp against the pole. The storm blew by without really unleashing any of its fury.

The humidity, however, had dipped to below 90% for the first time in two days, and at 84% actually felt cool. The wind, I noticed, had shifted again, and was now blowing lightly at 5-8 mph from the south. I thought about going fishing, but everything was wet and damp and I just didn't feel like slipping on rain gear in this hot, humid weather. So rather, I stayed inside, tried to stay cool, and read.

By 9:00 p.m. the humidity had started to rise again, even though the temperature hovered around 75 degrees. The wind was out of the north at 6-10 mph and the sky was mostly cloudy. It was in these fairly favorable conditions that I decided to go fishing.

I got the boat off the lift, motored out to 9 feet of water, got the lights on, and the dropped my Rapala Minnow Rap (in Tennessee Shad color) into the water. I trolled south past Second Duck Point well into Duck Bay and then headed north toward our house.

In addition to the swarms of big, hungry mosquitoes I was forced to battle out on the water, I encountered another foe that eventually drove me back on shore -- weeds.

For years I've known that as I troll north of the Malays the weeds get very thick thus making it difficult to pull a lure through the lake without getting snagged. But in the past year or two, the weed seem to be migrating south, and are now common in fairly large patches all the way to Second Duck Point. While the weeds make for great habitat for rock bass, they make trolling for walleye very difficult.

Ever since its introduction seven or eight years ago, the #9 Rapala Minnow Rap has been one of my "go-to" baits, a confidence lure. In addition to flat out attracting and catching walleye, the lure has a very distinctive action in the water than enables me to "feel" if it's running true. If the bait is clean and running properly I feel a consistent "tap, tap, tap, tap" in the tip of the rod. But if it hooks a weed, even a 1/2 inch ribbon-sized piece of cabbage, the action of the Minnow Rap changes completely and feels as if it's "dead;" no wobble or tapping.

Tonight, I felt the Minnow Rap hook onto a weed nearly every time I dropped in the water and let it out behind the boat. In more than a half dozen cases I thought I'd actually hooked a fish only to reel in a two-pound, football-sized clump of weeds. After "catching" two such balls of weeds I decided to go ashore in frustration. It didn't help that I was fighting off hundreds of mosquitoes while trying to clean the weeds from my lure.

Needless to say, it was not my best outing on Leech Lake this year. In fact, it's one of the few times on the water in the past couple of months where I was completely skunked; not a pike nor a rock bass. I came ashore at 10:30 p.m. and sat up and read for a couple of hours before deciding it was time to call it a night.

I did hear from Kathleen and Joe earlier in the evening that Joe was able to get an airline ticket to come to Minnesota and that he'll be arriving in Minneapolis next Monday morning. I'll have to figure out if I'll meet him in Minneapolis at the airport or if I'll meet up with him in St. Cloud should he decide to take the shuttle. Either way, we'll be able to spend some time together at the lake -- just father and son. We haven't been able to do that in more than three years. I'm looking forward to it.

Good night from Leech Lake.

July 16, 2011 -- In Leech Lake

Heavy morning fog on Sucker Bay, Leech Lake

This morning at 8:30 a.m. the fog was very heavy over the bay, the temperature was 72 degrees, the air was still and the entire sky -- from horizon to directly overhead -- was a grayish-white color. The humidity was over 90% and there were no boats on the lake; I'm hoping because visibility is so low.

Many fishermen, however, have been kept off the lake the past two weeks because the Minnesota state government shutdown has prevented them from purchasing fishing licenses and the DNR has stated that it will ticket any fisherman without a licence, despite the shutdown.

The National Weather Service has issued heat and humidity warnings for most of Minnesota, but apparently Cass County, home of Leech Lake, is not among those areas under the warning. It will be hot today, in the high 80s to low 90s, and the humidity will be at or above 90%, but I guess that's not as bad as it's going to be elsewhere around the state.

By 11:15 a.m. the temperature had risen to 74 degrees, it was still densely humid, the wind was at 5-8 mph out of the SSW and the fog had begun to burn off a bit. Within a couple of hours it is supposed to be sunny.

Just past 12:30 p.m. I got so hot I couldn't take it any more so I took a plunge in the lake. I'm guessing the water temperature to be around 75 degrees, so it's much cooler than the air temp and as a result it felt really refreshing. I swam around a bit before getting out and walking up to the house. I'm sure I'll have to do it again later today if the heat and humidity persist.

Nature Update: This evening I noticed a female merganser duck with five little chicks swimming near the mouth of our harbor. I don't know if this duck bred late or if this may be a second brood for her. Either way, it was nice to see the little ducklings swimming around.

By 4:45 p.m., before I listened to A Prairie Home Companion on Minnesota Public Radio, I had jumped in the lake an additional three times; making four total so far. The temperature is 83 degrees and the humidity has climbed to 92%, which makes cooling off the lake very refreshing.

Nature Update Two: I saw two bald eagles perched in a tree just behind the fish-cleaning house on our property. Seeing bald eagles so close, so up and personal is a blessing.

The evening didn't cool off much but it did sap my energy. Rather than stay up late and fight the heat and humidity I decided to call it a night early and go to bed. The state-wide heat advisory is to continue for the next four days.

July 15, 2011 -- On Leech Lake

A hot and humid, yet beautiful, sunset over Sucker Bay, Leech Lake

There was a bright flash of lightening and the a deafening clap of thunder right over the house this morning at 7:36 a.m. I happened to be laying in bed ready to get up when the thunderstorm that been off in the distance moved directly on top of me here at Leech Lake.

The temperature at the time was 60 degrees, the sky was full of heavy rain clouds, but the wind was light at 5-8 mph out of the ESE. The rain, however, fell in sheets and was heavy for about 30 minutes.

By 9:30 a.m. the rain had stopped, the temperature had risen slightly to 64 degrees and the wind was still very slight. The lake, in fact, had barely a ripple on it.

At noon, the wind had shifted and was blowing out of the south at 5-10 mph, the sky was mostly cloudy, but there was some sun starting to peek through and the temperature was steady at 65 degrees.

I hit the water at 12:30 p.m. and realized the wind was stronger than I had originally thought. It was probably blowing at 12-15 mph from the south. The air temperature was 68 degrees, the water temperature was 73.5 degrees, and the sky was mostly cloudy.

My fishing began at Second Duck Point in 11 feet of water using a VMC jig tipped with a leech. I immediately caught a medium-sized northern pike which I released back into the lake. For the next two plus hours I made several drifts in various parts of Sucker Bay from Second Duck Point to in front of our house north to Malays. I caught a few small perch, another northern and numerous rock bass but no walleye.

By 2:00 p.m. the clouds had disappeared and the sky was clear blue. The temperature started to climb and eventually hit 83 degrees. When I got back on shore at just after 3:00 p.m., it felt like I was walking into a sauna as I left the dock and stepped on land. The humidity had risen to an uncomfortable 85% and I was literally dripping wet by the time I got back to the house.

The rest of the afternoon and evening remained hot and humid. The wind died down to maybe 5-8 mph out of the south, making it feel even hotter. As I write this at just after 8:00 p.m. it is still unbearably humid at 90% or more; the air is hot and damp.

I ate my grilled marinated pork chop dinner and it was awesome. I'm going to have to remember this recipe and use it again.

The sunset was beautiful tonight as usual, but the humidity took away some of the enjoyment because it's just so hot and sticky.

I stayed up listening to music, reading the newspapers from the past couple of days that the Malays gave me, and tried to stay cool. All in all, despite the humidity, I'd rather be here than anywhere else I can imagine.

Good night to all, and a pleasant tomorrow.

Odyssey

Many millions of people throughout the ages have marveled at the poetic masterpiece Odyssey, by the ancient Greek Homer. But for all of my reading, I had never consumed this treasure before finishing it today.

What a wondrous tale of war, separation, determination and finally redemption. It is as beautiful and passionate as any modern love story, as exciting and thrilling as any Spielberg spectacle and as brutal and violent as anything Hollywood could conjure. No doubt its these very merits that have kept it in our human conscientiousness for so many millennia.

I was fortunate enough to read a fantastic translation by Stanley Lombardo, who is a professor of Classics at the University of Kansas. His treatment of the Odyssey retained the poetic cadence that I would imagine the original Greek verse to possess while using language that is consistent with the modern vernacular.

That I read it while at the shores of Leech Lake make it all that much more memorable for me.

July 14, 2011 -- At Leech Lake

It must have rained last night because at 8:00 a.m. this morning everything outside was wet. The sky was still grey and overcast, the wind light at 5-8 mph out of the ENE and the temperature was 54 degrees.

As the morning moved along the wind shifted a bit and seemed to be coming from the ESE, still at only 5-8 mph. The sky in the south looked like it might contain a storm but one wasn't predicted until sometime after 5:00 p.m.

Nature Update: I was sitting in the living room quietly reading when I spotted a large bald eagle swoop across our yard and land in a tree just behind the fishing-cleaning house. I quickly grabbed the binoculars and as quietly as possible crept out onto the back porch. I was unable to spot the enormous raptor so I stealthily walked across the yard toward the dock, the whole while scanning the trees for the big bird. Eagles, despite their size, have a way of using leaves and branches to conceal themselves quite effectively. Slowly and quietly I tread onto the dock. I moved my field glasses from tree to tree trying to spy the eagle. As if it could feel my gaze coming closer, the gigantic national bird sprung from its hiding place and with a couple of loud flaps of its wings soared over the lake, not more than 25 yards from me, took a quick right turn and landed in another tree near Poage's cabin. A magnificent sight on a cool July morning.

By noon the temperature has risen to a paltry 58 degrees. The wind was still at 5-8 mph out of the east, but seemed to be swirling a bit between ESE and ENE. The sky was grey and overcast and there was a light mist in the air. This is mid-July in the northwoods of Minnesota.

At 2:00 p.m., I thought about going fishing, but the heavy mist still embraced the air and I knew that sitting on a boat for very long would require rain gear to guard against the damp. I just didn't feel like putting on rain gear, so instead I remained inside. The temperature had fallen a couple of degrees to 56 and the wind still couldn't decide which way to blow, and at times seemed to blow from all directions at once; although not very hard at 5-10 mph.

The light, grey mist permeated the air still at 3:30 p.m. All day the air itself has seemed sad. The temperature clung to 56 degrees as the wind picked up to 10-12 mph as if to finally bring with it the rain. But at 4:00 p.m., still no rain fell.

I thought again about going out onto the water to fish for walleye, but with an east wind blowing and a cold front moving into the area I figured that the already difficult walleye bite would probably be even worse. So I remained inside and continued reading the classics.

Unable to sit inside any longer, I took a brisk 2-mile walk down past Paulson's and back. The temperature was still a cool 56 degrees, but the humidity was clearly 100% since I could literally see water in the air. I arrived home damp from the experience, but happy to have gotten in some exercise and the opportunity to take in the beauty of Ottertail Peninsula. And yes, the deer, horse or yellow flies, whichever you choose to call them, were as annoying as ever, buzzing around my head and occasionally biting my neck and ears.

Just before 6:00 p.m. I made my way to the cabin to prep the grill. I planned to make BBQed marinaded pork chops tonight with a side of fried potatoes, peppers, garlic and onions and a big bowl of fruit salad, complete with watermelon, cantaloupe, raspberries, and honeydew melon.

But by 7:30 p.m., my enthusiasm for preparing such a feast waned and I decided instead to finish off the beer-battered walleye, Cole slaw and French fries that were left over from last night. I hate to waste good food. I'll prepare my pork-infused meal tomorrow to celebrate the end of the week.

I had a very nice conversation on the phone with my son Joe. He is a great guy and I hope he has a chance to visit Minnesota and Leech Lake before the summer is over.

The evening passed quietly with me doing some reading, writing and watching a bit of TV. The rain never did come, although the ground and everything outside is wet. The mist is as heavy as it's been all day. I'm going to enjoy the cool weather, however, because the forecast is for hot temperatures, in the 90s, and very humid this weekend. So for now, I'll sleep in the coolness of my bed.

Until tomorrow...

Northwoods Proverb

There are two kinds of jobs.

One, you shower before you go to work.

The other, you shower when you come home from work.

July 13, 2011 -- In Leech Lake

This morning at 9:00 a.m. the temperature was a cool 54 degrees, the sky was mostly sunny and the wind was light at 5-8 mph out of the NNE.

I think later today I'm finally going to get some wood chips from Tom Malay from the 3 trees he had taken down a couple of weeks back. The outfit that cut down the trees also ground up the stumps creating a good sized pile of small wood chips which I plan to lay on the low spots on the access road at the cabin. With all the rain we've had recently, the low area of the access road has been under water and is very soggy. I'm hoping the wood chips will help fill in the low spots and reduce the mud on the road.

I was just about to settle down to a sandwich I had made for lunch when I was interrupted with an hour-long work call. No sooner than I hung up the phone and Tom was knocking at my door wondering if I was ready to get started on the wood chips. I told him I'd be down right after eating lunch.

I took enough time to enjoy my sandwich -- and Kathleen is right, sandwiches do taste better at the lake -- and then I went down to the Malays. We spent about 45 minutes loading the two piles of wood chips into the back of a trailer that I had hooked to my ATV. Once the chips were all loaded I took them down to the cabin access road and filled in the low spots. That was fun work battling the heat, the mosquitoes and the biting deer flies. But at last the trailer was empty and cleaned out so I returned it to Tom's.

I then took an ATV ride to cool off. On Ottertail Point Road, which is commonly referred to as the "upper road," I spotted an ash tree that was hanging over the road ready to come down at any minute. I went back to Tom's so I could show him the tree. We agreed that it was only a matter of time before it came down and would thus block the road, so we decided that in the next day or two we'd come back with Ron Newstrand and take it down ourselves.

I took the ATV back home, walked over to the cabin and filleted the walleye I caught last night. I'll eat it later for dinner. Once I was done with my various chores I cooled off in the lake with a "camp bath." I was refreshed and ready to tackle some additional business issues.

Since I was going to be enjoying the bounty of Leech Lake for dinner tonight, I decided not to go fishing, opting instead to stay inside, listen to music and read. It was a pleasant evening even if I didn't get out on the water. Maybe tomorrow.