Lake Iwanttobethere

Another silent Sunday here at the lake but there sure is a lot of grumbling. I came into town to pick up the Sunday paper as Jessie the paperboy did not make the delivery to the dock this morning. Some big waves out on Lake Iwanttobethere this morning and winds are still strong and gusting. Water is flowing at the top of the banks on the Mystery River and even as I drove over the bridge I watched a tree trunk pass beneath. Jim from the power company was pulled into a drive and I saw him walking up the drive with a ladder on his shoulder, I'm betting a tree took out a power line.

Late last night another string of thunderstorms came through, not a lot of rain but winds were whipping pretty good. Barney the dog who is a wimp when it comes to thunder was pacing the cabin and even after the storm passed he was still on the move. A few hours later a really big line of storms came through and this time heavy rain did fall and the boom of thunder shook the cabin a few times. This morning I didn't really expect to see a paper in the box on the dock so I was not surprised when I checked. I drove the Tahoe into town and Mark from the county is going to be busy grading washouts. There was one tree down along the side of the road but it looked like someone had already worked it over with a chain saw and dragged it off to the side. Ditches are filled with water and for some reason when I saw all the water I got to thinking we are going to have a really bad sketter hatch here in a few weeks.

I parked at the rear of the Lodge and walked in through the back door, Soon as I came in I could smell wet dog. I came through the kitchen to the Lodge's main room and it looked like a scene from one of them winter camping shows. Just about every space had a tent or sleeping bag hanging or draped over tables and chairs. Both fireplaces were going and the ceiling fans were on. Bar was filled with people and kids eating eggs and bacon and even a few bowls of cereal. Gus was busy serving orange juice and Tess, Hammering Hanks wife was waiting on tables. Didn't take me long to listen in on stories of tents getting filled with rain water and bags soaked. One gal was saying she woke up with night crawlers in her sleeping bag. Gus spotted a few campers needing help when he came in and offered the Lodge to let them dry stuff out. It had kind of snowballed since then and now the Lodge looked like a disaster shelter.

I got myself a glass of juice and headed to the deck, wind chimes were banging loudly as I stood near the rail and looked down at the public access and the campground. No boats on the lake but several boats sitting on trailers with pools of water bowing boat covers. A few people were gathered around portable stoves resting on picnic tables trying to make lunch. Bundled up in layers of coats and sweatshirts, no bare legs to be seen on this day. It took me awhile but then I figured out what was wrong with this picture, there were empty camping spots. A few campers had thrown in the wet towel and packed up and pulled out for home. Can't blame them, it's cold out and windy and more rain is in the forecast. I reentered the Lodge and Gus caught my eye, he looked around him and then back at me. I just shrugged my shoulders, good for business, the campers will return and remember how we helped them out. From Lake Iwanttobethere

Rain has stopped for today at least, Sunshine Ray is calling for it to start again tomorrow. Rain gage at the Lodge added up to just a tad over four inches in two days. Of course we already knew we had a lot of rain when Elmer was showing Marv how to improve his roll cast in the big puddle that had formed in the Lodges parking lot. Wearing their fly vests and using dry flies with a floating line they practiced in a lull between thunderstorms. Of course the fellows nursing beers inside the Lodge looking out the big windows made comments on Elmers herky jerky motion.

Today finds us with just a few clouds in the sky and some left over strong winds. A big fly hatch leaves us with the buggers every where and sure to be a nuisance for the campers who are coming to the lake for the long holiday. A lot of mowers can be heard echoing around the lake. Residents are trying to get their grass cut before the rains return. Some of them are mowing for the very first time this season and you can hear the sound of a mower hitting a forgotten rock or stump. Sometimes the mower restarts without a problem but sometimes it stays quiet till you hear a single curse word shouted with great enthusiasm ring out across the water. I noticed at the General Store a new push mower was on display just outside the door, yellow price tag tangling from the handle.

The support on my wrist is taking some getting use to. It does act as a reminder not to try and use the hand although I was successful in lifting a six ounce can of tomato paste this morning. But I was defeated by an eight ounce can of pizza sauce a moment later. I have been reduced to drinking my Hamms out of a shot glass. I have always prided myself on being ambidextrous but trying to make French toast on the Lodges grill this morning was messy. Of course when you cover anything with enough butter and Lake Iwanttobethere Maple Syrup it will taste good. Gus was mumbling some comments under his breath as he scraped the mess I left on the grill. He then came over and told me it will not be a problem for him to make lunch for me. I was thinking a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with the crust cut off just to mess with him.

Water has all drained from the parking lot, Skinny cleared the little dam from the drain that Elmer says he had nothing to do with. Pavement is actually dry but the ground is soaking wet. I am glad I will not be tent camping down in the park this weekend. The big smelt tent fry has been erected, people are going to need a place to go if it does rain all weekend. Gus will haul the grill down there and do some BBQing during the day. Well time for me to head back to the cabin, see if I can start the tractor and get my mowing out of the way. Have a dry and safe holiday weekend and stop by the Lodge if you are here at the lake. Now if I can just find someone to snap my seat belt I am out of here, from Lake Iwanttobethere

Interesting day even for me. With my fishing challenge starting in nine days I need to get the wrist in shape. Meaning that it needs to heal real fast, I have been keeping it wrapped and taking stuff to keep the swelling down. It looks pretty good but is tender and I don't have any strength in it. Yesterday morning I drove kids to school and had to have the oldest one snap my seat belt for me. I dropped kids off at school and then went to the Masterbaiters shop. My first problem of the day, it was raining out and no one was in the parking lot. I pulled up right next to the door turned the Tahoe off and then could not get out of the seat belt. Could not push the release button in with the bad hand and could not reach it with the left hand.

A couple of fishermen I knew drove up parked and headed for the door, I beeped the horn and they just waved at me as they ran on inside the shop. I waited for five minutes till they came out and ran back to their pickup. I beeped the horn again and they waved again. This was getting old. I called Vicki on my cell phone and asked her if she could come out and let me out of my truck. A moment later she appeared at the screen door, coffee mug in her hand and waved at me. I lowered my window and we exchanged pleasantries between us, she said something about it is raining out and didn't want to get wet. About that time Elmer drove up and parked along side of me. He open the passenger door and released the seat belt with a grin. I asked how he knew and he said a couple of guys were up at the Lodge telling anyone who would listen that you were stuck in your truck and Vicki called.

A few verbal shots from Vicki and she acted a little concern as she looked at my hand and I retold how I had tweaked it. She asked if I can hold a rod yet and I told her no, told her I saw Doc Buriem who told me to rest it and even when it starts to feel good rest it some more. He also told me I should think twice about fishing on the first unless I was going to switch over and fish walleye. Even a one armed guy can fish for walleye and he chuckled to himself and went on his way. I made my way down to where the spinner baits were hung and cleaned the rack of the four red ones and the last two of the sliver secret baits that I had lost the big northern on. Next on the list was some bigger leaders. The big northern who I have been calling Noreen ate that 30# leader like it was a strand of spaghetti. I found some steel 45# ones and carrying the lures and leaders made my way back to the front counter. I put the lures on my tab and Vicki followed me out and buckled me in. She headed back into the shop talking on her cell "About putting Bobby in his car seat"

I arrived back at the cabin and reached for the long handled screwdriver that I had taken from the tool box. I unbuckled the seat belt using the screwdriver to push on the release and put the lures and leaders in the Puddle Humper. Then I started on this story, this morning I finished it as typing one handed is really slow and I needed the spell checker to fill in a lot of missed letters. At least it is going to be raining so I will not be missing much fishing. I'll just spent some time on the covered swing thinking of Noreen gaining weight out there, from Lake Iwanttobethere

Silent Sunday here at the Lake and I was just out on the deck and I think everybody is participating today. Of course it might be that yet another thunderstorm just came through and it is windy out. Kind of a good news bad news kind of day, the good news is the rain is welcomed the bad news I can't go fishing. Can't go fishing but not because of the rain but because I can't hold a rod. Did one of them stupid things that guys always seem to do. The other day when it was near ninety out I decide I should put in some four inch holes in the soffet of the new shop. Had just not gotten around to it last year when I built it. Well short story short I was on top of the ladder drilling a four inch hole with the big half inch drill holding it one handed when the drill bit hit the edge of a 2x4 and came to a quick stop. The drill however did not and my wrist got tweaked good.

After a few minutes of moaning and groaning I did what all guys would do, I climbed back up the ladder and finished drilling the hole and two more. By the time I installed the round covers and took the ladder down the wrist was starting to talk to me. I retired to the deck and put an ice cold Hamms between my fingers, as we all know one should ice an injury. The wife came out looked at my wrist and told me "I think you broke something" I wiggled my fingers for her and said, "Nope, just a good sprain" Yesterday was spent trying to protect the wrist from any further injury but you know what that is like. I should have just walked around with a sign pointing to my wrist that said "Hit Me" Bud was first to get into the act, I was laying in bed reading a book when he decided to jump up and join me. He jumped up and eight-five pounds of lab landed on my wrist. The howl that came from me must have been a good one because Duncan in the kitchen started to howl back.

Speaking of Duncan I never realized how much he likes to chew on my fingers until he latched down on my wrist. I quickly jerked away and then he thought I wanted to play and went after the wrap I had on the wrist. The rest of the day was kept keeping the wrist away from anyone or anything that could harm it. Chuck came over and saw the wrist wrap, I told him the story and he just grinned and made some comment like "Hurts eh" I retired to the den where I thought about writing a story but doing it one handed is a pain. I figured I would just sit on the swing and tuff the rest of the day out by icing the wrist with a few more Hamms.

So today finds me typing one handed with a little help from the right hand. Rain in the forecast for the next few days so maybe when it stops I will be feeling better. Of course walking around the cabin with a wing clipped so to speak sure does get me out of doing anything on the Honey Do List. Tomorrow is our thirty-fifth wedding anniversary, supposed to be having a surprise BBQ and have family and friends come over. I already know about it as Pa asked me about steaks that were ordered. If I play it right I won't even have to raise a good hand tomorrow! From Lake Iwanttobethere

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So I went fishing yesterday, a day later then I had planned but things just kind of get in the way of all good plans. Of course there is never anything bad about fishing in mid week especially when you find yourself as the only one at the landing with your choice of parking spaces. Every fishing trip is never the same as any others and yesterday was no different. I launched the Puddle Humper got the new graph up and running and had already figured out enough about it so I could at least use it. So many bells and whistles on it will be awhile before I can use them all. More than likely I will never use all the functions but there may come a time when I am bored on the water and will play with it.

The highlight of the afternoon may have been the waterspout. In all my thousands of hours on the water I have never seen a waterspout while I have been out fishing. I had just thrown a few casts into a small little cove and was moving down the shoreline when I saw a big swirl in the water just a few feet from shore. I was thinking a big fish but the swirl kept going around and in a second it was whipping water around and wandering in my direction. I could feel the sudden breeze in my face and water droplets were hitting my glasses. I was thinking to myself this is kind of cool as the little water spout increased in size and the wind grew even stronger. It was about thirty feet away from the rear of my boat and I was thinking of reaching for my video camera and trying to capture it but I kept watching.

I didn't go for the camera as I was having a hard time seeing it myself so I just watched as it came closer to the boat. When it went over the motor and rocked the boat I was having some second thoughts about how cool this was. But before I could do anything it had gone by and was heading out away from the boat and into the lake. It went maybe another thirty feet before just disappearing into a ring of water and the wind that was with it was gone. I wiped water from my glasses and looked to see if anything had been sucked out of the boat. I reached down to the new graph and marked a wayward point, going to remember this spot.

Back to fishing and I am thinking there is going to be much that will outdo the water spout. An hour later I was looking at my broken line and a easy four pound bass jumping with my top water lure in her mouth. Shook my head and tied a new lure on, would have liked to have caught that one. I was tossing spinner baits and a prop bait at some quiet water, caught a few fish and missed a few more. Where a creek enters I found some green weeds and the northers were in there. I switched to a buzz bait and no sooner would it hit the water then small hammer handles would make a rush at it. The predicted clouds came and it got dark out early, I headed to a bay where I have caught some nice pike early in the year before.

Using a big spinner bait I added a big plastic trailer on it and began to fan cast the area. I was a hundred yards away from shore but there is a sweet spot I found here. I felt a tick, and thought weeds then a second tick which made me set the hook. Nothing came back but the end of my leader. The big spinner bait, trailer and ten inches of my twelve inch leader had been bitten off, I marked another wayward point on the graph, from Lake Iwanttobethere

HIYA from Lake Iwanttobethere, a late start this morning, the second day of opening weekend. Didn't get back to the cabin till way after dark last night as I had to make the rounds. As is the Lodge's tradition members take shifts down at the public access helping to load and unload boats at the landing. Since I already had plans for today I worked a double shift in the water yesterday. With not a cloud in the sky I might have gotten a tad to much sun and my face feels like it this morning. During the course of the day I helped out several fishermen and they all invited me to stop by their campsites to have a beer or two and sample some of their fish dinners. No spam or peanut butter sandwiches last night, fish were caught by many.

Around dusk I started to make my rounds after putting wet waders away. I didn't have to walk too far before I was called to share a camp fire with one of our repeat opener fishing groups. With a Hamms in hand I heard about the ones that got away and tasted some that didn't. After twenty minutes or so I moved along and yet another fishermen who was helped at the landing invited me to his fire and another Hamms and another fish story was shared. I kind of loss track of how many fires I visited but I shared some time with a lot of old friends and made a few new ones. During the day between the first shift at the landing I spent some time helping out at the Masterbaiters Shop. Leeches were hot and Vicki ran out of the ones she had packaged the night before so I helped pack up some more.

A couple of nice northern came into the shop and one is already on the fishing contest board. As always a few more were loss but the biggest loss of the day came from a young guy who had borrowed his mother's cell phone. His ma didn't want him to be out on the water alone and he called her to tell her he had caught one really nice walleye and was looking for another to make a meal. As he was talking he got a hard bite and with a little to much gusto he set the hook and dropped his ma's cell phone to the deck where it bounced overboard. I am told the cell is in twenty-two feet of water and the young guy now knows what to get his mother for a present today.

A pretty good opener I would say, some wind but not too bad, lots of sunshine and fishermen were catching fish. The big access below the Lodge was busy and parking spots were filled quickly. A couple of local kids were renting their bikes out to fishermen. For a dollar you could rent a bike and put it on your trailer, drive down the road to find a parking space and then ride the bike back. By noon the kids were holding on to a wad of singles and doing much better than the girls with the lemonade stand.

The pink fish cleaning house was a busy place and loud talk and laughter could be heard well after dark. By ten or so things had quieted down but you could still hear the occasional loud laugh and the smell of wood smoke was thick in the air. As the lake got quiet you could pick out the sound of hissing lanterns and the crackling of burning wood in the fire pits. Outhouse doors slammed closed by new springs echoed in the darkness and the crack of an opening beer can was a common sound heard last night. With the sun gone the flannel jackets came out and it was not too long and a lot of people called it a night. The best part was no skeeters flew last night, but I don't think it would have mattered much, it turned out to be a pretty good opening night, from Lake Iwanttobethere

Traffic has started to pick up along Main Street and of course Bass Avenue. Lake residents are returning to open cabins for the summer. Every year a few more people hit retirement age and now they don't have to take time off from work to come up early. With the opening of cabins Earl gets busy at the General Store, Mouse traps and rakes are big sellers along with everything that everyone has forgotten to bring with them. Usually they know right where it is and that is generally on the kitchen table back at home. Bug spray, paper plates, salt and pepper shakers tackle boxes and someone always forgets the cabin key.

Early in the season we call them "White Legs" which is not really a true way to identify tourists at the beginning of summer. This time of year everyone has white legs in this part of the country. Later as summer moves along the "White Legs" does fit a lot of the people who come from the big city to fish at the lake. The guys who golf come up with dark tans on arms and necks but then they wear cutoffs showing off their white legs. A couple of days in the fishing boat will turn that white into the red of sunburn and then pants will go back on. We have noticed over the years that people will go to tanning booths to go on vacations down south but will show up as white as a newspaper here in the summer. Of course the locals have been wearing shorts for awhile and the color is starting to come in, a few even might have a little tan but they have to be outside all the time.

Weather is shaping up to be a lot better on this side of the lake then it was on the Farside for their opener. Some rain for Friday but after that seven days of dry short wearing fishing weather is forecasted. Docks are all out at the public landings and Hammering Hank and Skinny have been busy putting in private docks. All the fast food places are open in town and the Chicken Shack is doing a brisk business already. Gray Goose and The Eagle's are having happy hours and I have already seen Tinker flying his plane low over town. At the Lodge we are stocked and for the first time this Spring the candy case is filled. Beer delivery arrived yesterday and the Johnson brothers are out making deliveries of their Needabeer and Howaboutale. Mindy and Mandy have been stocking shelves with the Lake Iwanttobethere Root beer and as always they are attention getters when they wear their German beer waitress outfits. The Lake Iwanttobethere Maple Syrup is featured at both the Sunshine Cafe and the Dew Drop Inn. Also can be bought at Ma and Pa's grocery as well as Big Earl's

Around here Elmer and Marv have plans to fish off Elmer's dock at 12:01 maybe drink a few beers and hoist a few Wild Turkey's to start the fishing season. Chuck and his lady friend are planing on fishing the river in the Jon boat and I will probably be still working on getting the Puddle Humper together. I keep getting sidetracked on other small projects but I did yesterday get all my mowing done so that will be something I will not have to do next week. I figure I will get the boat wet Monday or Tuesday and have something to report later in the week. Hoping you are getting ready to head to the lake, don't forget the paper plates and especially the cabin key, from Lake Iwanttobethere

Looks to be a nice day today, I hope the first of many. Up early and sunshine was coming through the skylight. Already Edd the squirrel was hanging upside down on one of the bird feeders and seeds were scattered around the base on the ground. Dogs were let out to do their thing and came back with wet paws and dirty up the kitchen floor. Wife was heading out the door to work and she just looked at me and the kitchen floor and said "You are going to take care of that, right?" I nodded yes and then went back to what ever I was really thinking about at the time.

Pretty big do list to get to today, yesterday was a busy one and kind of a bonus as it was forecasted to rain but never did. Mowers were taken out of storage and the riding one needed the battery charged. Work trailer was cleaned off and the decking is getting a little soft so I went down to the lumber yard and picked up a sheet of green treated ¾ plywood. Moving the plywood was a reminder that I am getting old. Had to weigh a hundred pounds and after I man handled it into the Dodge I decided that I should stop at the Dairy Queen to reward myself for not breaking anything. Later in the afternoon I did get it on the work trailer and screwed it down, someday down the road I'll have to paint it to match the trailer but for now I am good to go. Which means today I can load up the garden tractor and go mow this piece of property that I have. Or maybe I'll mow it tomorrow, don't want to box myself in you know.

Pulled the tarp off the Puddle Humper and I have it on my do list today to give it a good cleaning and start hauling stuff out and loading the boat. Today and tomorrow are going to be nice and rain for Friday then a warm weekend for opener. I doubt if I will fish it but I will be ready to go on the following Monday. Some bad news to report as I have lost one of my apple trees, a close inspection showed the main trunk has split top to bottom and no signs of life. I was hoping it was just going to be a late budder but the other trees have already gone to blossoms. Yesterday some time was spent down at the nursery looking at apple trees. A problem there as I don't know if I want to pick up a standard tree or a dwarf. Just another example of getting old and if I want to see apples or not. I am thinking maybe I'll buy four trees, one for each grand kid, if I do that maybe they will take care of them.

So on the do list is the removal of the apple tree, it will not go to waste as the limbs will get cut up for holiday fires and smaller branches will get chipped to be used in the smoker. Chuck said we might be able to send the trunk through the saw mill and make some boards, that might be an idea. Perhaps I can make something out of the wood and still keep the old apple tree around in part. Duncan is becoming a pest with the back door bell, we thought it was cute when he learned how to jump up and hit the door bell with his paw but now has grown tall enough that he can stand up and lean against the cabin wall with one paw as he rings the door bell with the other. With the inside door open now he is constantly going in and out through the storm door, he does not want to miss anything so he has to be everywhere. As I am writing this he is at it right now, bell is ringing and Bud is laying at the floor here looking at me with one eye open and the other closed as if to say "He's your dog" from Lake Iwanttobethere

The far side of Lake Iwanttobethere was pounded by wind and rain for the opener. By late afternoon several of the Lodge members had returned to the Lodge with duck coats soaked and that just washed look. Several trailers were parked in the lot and rain water dripped from the boat plug holes. The Lodge is close enough for members to own licenses in two states and the promise of two fishing openers. Reports were not good and no one really caught any fish to speak of. It was however a good day to get out and if you were a duck hunter and you had the proper apparel to wear. More rain in the forecast but it is not raining right now. Last night thunderstorms came through and we have gone from being wet to being soaked. Even the fire pits have standing water in them and several potholes are the size of Dakota fishing lakes down at the landing.

This morning the Masterbaiters Shop was quiet, I stood just inside the shop with just the screen door between me and falling rain. Bubbling of the minnow tanks was hard to hear over the sound of falling rain on the roof. Whitecaps on the lake and the wind was pushing the waves right along. No one at the public landing but that will be different in a week when this side of the lake is open for fishing. Won't be a parking or camping space open come Friday night. Stormy Clearweather is predicting the rain will stop midweek and temps should rise into the mid sixties for the opener, a definite improvement. By the time Vicki came into the shop I had but two customers, they didn't buy anything but were just looking for information about the farside as we call the other side of the lake. With nothing to report we talked about weather and where we were going to fish on opener. Vicki poured coffee in to her mug and we exchange places at the storm door.

County street cleaners had come through on Friday and for the most part main street was looking good. No sign of last fall's leaf's and what little sand that had been tossed on the main street was now all cleaned up. Signs are up in shop windows welcoming fishermen and a special fisherman's breakfast menu is being offered at the Sunshine Cafe. Smelt tent has been taken down in the park but the mini donut trailer is still there, chained to a tree. As noted before the park is ready with orange barrels out and the green garbage barrels, picnic tables are in place and fire rings are scattered about. Gas-N-Go has their pile of firewood in red colored mesh bags stacked outside right next to the block ice cooler. They are now open twenty-four hours a day through summer. Hand printed sign in the window says you can get fishing license and AIS stickers, line through the AIS part. Rumor going around that we may get an inspector for the lake, Big Earl said his niece had applied for a position, but she is still in the big city going to school.

Doors are open down at Dug's garage and the sound of an outboard can be heard in the test tank. Some blue smoke is coming out and mixing with the smell of the recent rain and the sound of robins in the air it makes for a good Sunday morning. Not everyone is open this morning as this is the last Sunday before the opener. The last time most shop owners will be able to sleep in on a Sunday for several months. We have gone from months to weeks to days and soon we will be counting hours till opener. Some might say the most important day in the year, well at least here at Lake Iwanttobethere.