Opening Weekend Blues

Opening weekend...a Minnesota holiday, a tradition that surpasses all others in the State. Opening weekend 2010. The last one I'll ever participate in?

This opening weekend started on Thursday for me. I had planned to go up on Friday morning, but a meeting on Thursday night up north got scheduled at the last minute, so I loaded up the truck and just went to my campsite after the meeting on Thursday. I ended up setting up camp on our favorite road accessible walleye shore fishing spot at 11pm in a 35 degree drizzle. It sounds worse than it was. The camping/fishing spot isn't a secret, so going up early assures me of getting the spot. Captain K and his girlfriend planned on joining me on Saturday.

So on Friday, we had the whole day to explore, just the Wonder Dog and I. It was rainy all day, but mostly just heavy drizzles. I broke out the GPS unit I had gotten for Christmas and taught myself to use it as we went. We bushwhacked to three different lakes that don't have a developed access, but the travel wasn't easy through the brush...portaging a canoe or even carrying fishing poles would be tough. The GPS unit worked great, but it turned out to be unnecessary on the way back to the truck...I discovered that the Wonder Dog actually does have a talent...he can track his own scent really well. Each time he led the way back to truck on exactly the route we took to get to the lakes. It cleared off that evening and it was a chilly night.

On Saturday, Opening Day, we got up early and drove to a designated stream trout lake. We got loaded up in the canoe and I noticed the Wonder Dog's hips were a bit sore and he barely made into the canoe on his own. He had been struggling all winter with his hips. We trolled down that lake with no bites and found the portage to the next lake over. We made the portage and this time the Wonder Dog really had a heckuva time getting into the canoe and I had trouble helping him because of the friendly people that were sharing the portage had placed their canoe in such a way that clogged the whole landing. So I moved a bit deeper at the landing and helped the dog into the canoe. It was at this time that I discovered by trusty, but well worn, rubber boots were leaking. Awesome. The water is still very cold, despite the early spring. I made one trolling pass around the entire lake and caught two decent lake trout. By the time I left the small lake there were over 10 other boats fishing the lake. Crowded by my standards. We portaged back to the other lake, and again struggle get loaded because a canoe was clogging the landing. This time we struggled enough that I was forced to come to a realization. This paddle across the lake to the truck was going to be the Wonder Dog's last canoe ride. Not of the day, but of his life. He just can't get in and out anymore. We then took a shore fishing tour of the area, catching absolutely no fish. That night back at camp, I made supper and started fishing for walleyes from shore. Three parties started down the trail from the road and turned around when they saw I was there. I expected Captain K and his date to arrive, but they didn't show. Later, another loud party came down the trail in an attempt to fish the spot. This party of two men and two small kids didn't turn around when they saw me. Their leader declared that he had fished this spot for a long time and he was fishing there that night. I said it was a small spot, my friends were on their way, but he decided to fish anyway. I said, okay then. I talked a bit with my new friends and the kids liked playing with the Wonder Dog. Captain K and his girlfriend finally showed up and they were forced to fish on the shallow, snaggy side of the point. The new friends left after a bit and we finally caught a few small walleyes on lighted bobbers after dark.

Sunday dawned bright and warm. I took down camp and headed out on another shore fishing tour. Nearly every one of my good spots had other people on them. I only fished two more spots and caught one lonely splake. It was then I said..."Why to do I go up north to fish on Opening Weekend?" A week after opener there is less people and the fishing is usually better. So that is my declaration...I won't go fishing on opener again. Well, maybe I will, but not until Sunday and then stay into the week for a bit. I made it back to Duluth mid afternoon and got unpacked.

The next trip is set for this weekend, Thursday night to Sunday, lake trout fishing with the Smoked Fish Guy and Officer Friendly. That will be the last camping trip until late June.

Nature Moment: As I paddled across the lake going back to the truck on Saturday, we were suddenly surrounded by a navy of otters. They bobbed up and down in the water and hissed and chirped at us, warning us off their territory. It is always fun to watch otters in the water, so sleek and smooth swimmers.

Spring? Fishing

My lovely bride and precious child went to the Cities for the weekend, so I decided to go camping up north. I managed to convince Officer Friendly and the Wonder Dog to join me. The forecast kept getting worse all week and when we hit the road after work on Friday, the snow was accumulating. We drove out of the snow at about Two Harbors and when we got to the secret drive to campsite on Random Rock Lake at about 7pm, it was just windy and cold. We set up a tarp and Officer Friendly set up her tent. As we ate smokehaus sandwiches for supper the snow began again in earnest. It accumulated to an inch or two, enough to collapse the tarp. We sat in the truck cab after that. We had hoped to listen to the Twins, but they were rained out. The Wonder Dog and I slept in the bed of the truck. His hips are bad enough now that I have to help him into the truck.

We woke up on Saturday to a cold wind but partly sunny skies. The snow was already melting. We took our time getting the canoe loaded up and eating breakfast, hoping that it would warm up a bit. We finally bit the bullet and hit the water. Once we got behind some points, it wasn't too cold. Wasn't warm, though. We initially fished where a small river flows into the lake, hoping the crappies would be stacked up in the current. They weren't. Nothing was in the current. We paddled further upstream, but our path was blocked by a big beaver dam. We turned around and fished some shallow bays. No fish. We then tried deeper water near an island. No crappies, but we did get two hammer handle pike. We tried some more points and bays and only had a couple sad little perch take the bait. We gave up about 4pm and went back to camp. It was nicer there out of the wind. We played catch with a football and then had Italian sausages for supper. Delicious. The temps dropped quickly, so we listened to the Twins in the cab of the truck.

Woke up on Sunday to frozen water bottles. It was chilly, but clear skies ensured it would be warming quickly. We packed up camp and hit the road. First we fished a non-designated lake that is stocked with brown trout. No bites. Next we fished two different streams for brook trout. One creek chub was our only bite. We then tried one more small stream for brook trout. It paid off-we caught several native brook trout. They are absolutely gorgeous fish. Officer Friendly caught one that was about 12 inches long, which is a really nice one for native brook trout in streams. After a bit we noticed that black flies (gnats) were hatching in the river right as we fished. We also noticed the fish were feeding on them. Finally we noticed the fish were so busy eating flies, they didn't want our worms any more. So we headed home, arriving without incident.

Nature Moment: Just after we left camp, Officer Friendly noticed a large bird sitting on a tree next to the road. It turned out to be a Goshawk, which are really cool birds that hunt in thick forests, expertly making tight maneuvers around the trees as they chase prey. Since they like the thick woods, we don't see them very often. This one hung out next the road for a while, so we got a rare good look at it.

Next weekend is walleye and lake trout opener, so I'll be heading up north again, this time fishing with Captain Karkov and his girlfriend.