The Adventures of Gunflint Jones

I headed up the Gunflint Trail this past weekend to do some lake trout fishing. We stayed in a comfortable cabin, living the good life without the confining winter tent. Joining me were the Captain, the Chief, Rocket Man, Ice, and the newly renamed Gunflint Jones (she had been Officer Friendly). We arrived before noon on Friday and got the gear settled, the snowmachines running, and the sleds loaded. We all took off in different directions and set up our portable fishhouses on the lake, which had a little over 2 feet of ice and a good amount of fluffy snow on it. I fished with Gunflint Jones so that I could get her up to speed with the laker fishing operation. We only had one bite all afternoon, and it spit Gunflint's hook after a few seconds. It was quite cold and windy that day. Other members of the party all caught at least one lake trout. We met back up in the cabin and enjoyed some appetizers, a martini, and some wild rice hotdish (aka "casserole" for you non-Minnesotans). Apparently there was some snoring in the night, but I didn't hear any.

Saturday morning dawned much colder than forecast.... minus 32 degrees. We took our time getting ready to fish hoping for a quick warm up. We finally got the machines running and hit the lake. Gunflint Jones decided to fish near the cabin, the rest of us took a fairly lengthy run to a favorite point. The sun was out and the wind was calm, so it warmed up nicely during the day. The fish didn't warm up, and we only caught 1 or 2 fish apiece. I didn't get one until the last second...I had everything packed up except the rod - I left the jig down while I packed. When I went to reel it in to quit fishing, a fish nailed it on the way up. Not a big fish, but it was fun to catch it at the last possible instant. It was a cold run back to the cabin where we found out that Gunflint had shared her spot with a bunch of other people and didn't get any trout up the hole. We enjoyed chili that evening and had some laughs.

On Sunday, it started cold and clear, but a strong south wind was blowing and the temp was rising. We cruised up the lake and dropped Gunflint off at a proven spot and then moved to a far away point. Rocket Man caught the biggest trout of his life - a heavy 31 inch lake trout. We all had action through the morning and early afternoon getting some pretty decent fish. I had a flurry late in the day, getting four trout in short succession. It was blowing and snowing as we packed up and cruised back to pick up Gunflint Jones. She had her best trout day ever-five nice fish, including a 27" or so fish. She had several other trout on, but they spit the hook, so she had some really fast action. She had been visited by the Game Warden...I wonder how many times he visited an ice house and find a woman, fishing alone, with a couple of nice lake trout gutted and gilled on the ice. Pretty cool stuff. We decided the Gunflint Trail was a good spot for her, so Gunflint Jones became her name (the Jones just fits it well). We cruised back to the cabin and relived our productive day. We had a fried lake trout and Northern Waters Smokehaus salami appetizer and then a tasty lake trout jambalaya.

We all fished close to the cabin on Monday morning, with a couple of trout caught. It was warm and a drizzle began to fall as we packed up the snowmachines and gear. We hit the road and stopped for lunch before cruising back to Duluth. The icy drizzle caught a few people as several cars were in the ditch between Two Harbors and Duluth. We got the gear sorted out and we went on our separate ways. It was a fun trip even though the fish only really cooperated on one of the four days. It was fun to see how excited Gunflint Jones was on her big fishing day.

The next trip will likely be the first weekend of March, not sure where I will be headed yet.

Nature Moment: It was quiet on the lake for the most part, but on the way home we did spot a Great Gray Owl on a tree top along the highway. These interesting birds sometimes come down from Canada in winters when the mice and vole population dips north of the border. They are big bodied birds, but they weigh very little, which helps their silent hunting flights.

Relaxation Destination - Ontario

I had a fun weekend up north of the border last week. The Colonel and I left a day earlier than others due to a work thing I did on the way to the border. We crossed the border in the truck and, again, we were delayed and searched. I can't ever get through there cleanly. Of course, there was no issue and we were soon on our way. We had considered doing some fishing that evening, but the overnight low had been -36 and it was still -15 when we arrived at the lodge. So we scrapped fishing and got the room organized, talked with the owners a bit, broiled some ribeyes (we couldn't grill them because the propane had gummed up in the extreme cold), and had some laughs.

Friday dawned cold and sunny after a night that brought about 5 inches of fluffy snow. The snowmachine started, but it was a chilling ride to the chosen fishing spot. The Colonel got set up on a proven point and I did some exploring nearby, but finally set up near him. he caught a decent lake trout after a bit and we were off to a good start. The sun soon disappeared behind clouds and the day became quite cold. The others (the Lieutenant, the Captain, the Chief, and a new member, the Rocket Man) joined us later that afternoon. The Colonel caught a dandy 30" lake trout soon after they arrived, the biggest trout he had ever caught. The Captain also caught a very nice fish. I caught only two tiny fish all day, the others went fishless. It was an extremely cold ride back to the lodge at sundown. We caught up with each other around the table and enjoyed a tasty pasta dish.

Saturday morning was warmer and cloudy. We got organized and took off down the lake to a spot I hadn't been to before, but the Chief said he had been with other friends that had done well there, even getting a big muskie through the ice the year before. The Colonel and I had a heckuva time finding a fishy looking spot that was out of the cold wind. We finally settled in an area with a subtle point and shallow bay nearby. We didn't have a lot of confidence in our spots. That feeling came true for the Colonel, he didn't sniff a fish all day. I was luckier fishing directly in front of the bay in 40 feet of water. I had 9 fish hit over the course of the day, but only managed to get three lake trout through the hole, a 29", 28", and a 25". Lake trout are very good at shaking the hook, especially when trying to get their head started up the hole. My luck changed how I look at lake trout spots...I may look for bay mouths in the future. The Captain also caught a nice trout, but all the others were skunked. Pretty slow day overall. The sun came out, low on the horizon, just as we were heading back to the lodge. The Colonel had slow cooked a bone-in shoulder ham while we fished, and it was delicious with mashed potatoes, stuffing, and sauteed cabbage. The cabbage was a brave move...

It was sunny and warm on Sunday, pushing 30 degrees. The trout should have been snapping, but again it was slow. I had lost a fish right away, but only had one more bite until I was packing up my gear at sundown. I saw some activity on my flasher screen right before I was going to shut it off, and I ended up getting a 27" laker. The Colonel had a similar experience, getting his only trout while he was packing. The Chief got a nice trout and had a few hits, as did the Captain. The Rocket Man only had one bite and it turned out to be a very large muskie that he had all the way through the hole when it shook, cut the line, and disappeared back down to the depths. Shucks. The Lieutenant also was fishless after losing a couple fish after hook up. It was a nice warm trip back to the lodge riding on the new fluffy snow. It was lasagna for supper.

Monday morning was warm, but damp, and even a drizzle at times. I fished right out from the lodge and had a fish on for a second before losing it, but that was the only sign of fish for the entire group. We got packed up around noon, loaded the machines, and hit the road. I arrived home to my Awesome Wife and Super Kid, which is always a good thing. It was a fun weekend with great friends, but fishing was slow. The Lieutenant and the Rocket Man didn't land a fish in four days, and they are talented anglers. The rest of us caught a few fish, but less than we are accustomed to getting. We may have to give that lake a break for a while.

Nature Moment: On Sunday, we had all agreed to go to a certain bay to fish. Some folks went around an island to the west, some went to the east. I went the east way, but set up to fish near the west trail. I noticed that the west trail users' snowmachine tracks were wet and filling with water. Then I noticed the tons of otter tracks around the area. A concentration of otters in winter can only mean one thing - open water. They need the openings to access the lake to fish. I examined the area closer and there indeed was some very thin ice and some open water. The users of the west trail had come close to taking a swim with the otters. This was an area that, when looking at map, is not an obvious spot to have open water. Goes to show you need to be careful at all times.

Sorry for the Lapse...Here are Some Reports...Including Alaska

To my many fans...sorry I have been lax in posting, it has been a busy six months. I'll be better about posting as the winter season progresses. Here are some reports from late in 2012...

In August, we had the adventure of a lifetime as Awesome Wife and I left Super Kid with my folks and met my in-laws in Alaska. We spent 8 days on the Nepenthe, a 60 foot boat out of Sitka. It was just the 6 of us, the Captain, and a cook. The trip was perfect, as we lucked out with great weather and unbelievable wildlife encounters. We toured the southeast Alaskan mountains, channels, waterfalls, hot springs, and villages. We got up close to bears, whales, Orcas, porpoises, sea lions, sea otters, and more. We met a few true Alaskan characters and, of course, caught some fish. I hooked into coho, chum, and pink salmon as well as rockfish and other smaller species. We ate several of the catch right on board. Pictures are worth a thousand words, so I suggest you go to the following sites to see video slideshows:

Short, Scenic Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oar_z69nbVY

Longer, More Informative Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_SOvcONsc0

I recommend Captain Mike and the Nepenthe to anyone wanting an intimate, real experience in southeast Alaska at a price that is more affordable than nearly any other tour boat in the area. Go to: http://alakadventures.com/

September ended with a traditional trip to the Gunflint area in Cook County, Minnesota, for a little lake trout fishing. Unfortunately, that is just what I found...small lake trout. I was joined by Captain K and his son, and we did have a lot of fun with good weather.

In October I went with several of the gang to the Chief's remote cabin. We had snow and unseasonably cold temps, so fishing was not a primary activity, but we did catch some northern pike. We also test fired some guns, checked out deer stands, and the Colonel resurrected the camp's cast iron cookware. It was a fun, relaxing time.

November brought house projects and family events, but I did get out in December. Early December found me camping solo with the canvas tent and wood stove at a walleye/perch lake, but a snowstorm drove me home before finding the fish. I rung in New Year's in the tent as well, ice fishing just north of Duluth and enjoying the wood heat in a cold snap. I caught a few decent walleyes among many tiny ones and my friend who joined me for a day caught a 15" crappie. It was a fun time and being able to drive the truck on the lake made it easy to camp on the island.

Watch for more reports soon!

Family Fun

We had a good family camping trip last weekend. We went with a neighbor family whose daughter is a buddy of Super Kid. We got packed up Friday morning and then cruised up the North Shore for a bit before going inland to a Forest Service campground. It was a nice, breezy day as we got camp set up and unloaded the canoes. We grilled brats and hot dogs over the fire for supper. After we ate, the other Dad and their 7-year old daughter joined me for a little fishing. The kid was really into it and talked a good fishing game. We ended up getting 4 walleyes and 1 smallmouth bass. They weren’t big, but she was excited to catch her first walleyes.

On Saturday, it was another beautiful day. After breakfast, I took Super Kid, the other Dad, and the 7 year old out for a canoe ride…we caught nothing. After listening to the Twins and get some rest, we all went swimming and shorefishing. We caught one decent smallie and the kids enjoyed the water. It was pesto pasta for supper and then we had a campfire and s’mores.

Sunday morning we went ahead and packed up after eating pancakes. It was an uneventful drive home on a warm and sticky day.

Let's Talk Moose to Moose

In June 2012 Camp Shitstorm went Moose (Lake) to Moose (River) in eight days of fun. The trip was notable for its rain-while we got wet, people back home in Duluth dealt with a deluge. Many areas flooded in the biggest rain in recorded history. A recap:

Day 1: The Colonel (formerly the Smoked Fish Guy) and I (Private Phillips) spent Thursday packing and prepping. The Iowa guys and Fran Tarkington Fan arrived to Duluth that evening. The Iowa van included Wear-Some-Shorts, Tick Check, and Gatorade, as well as a new tripper-The Bull. The Bull is a high school senior and broad at the shoulders...he’ll get the Big Ugly pack. On Day 1 (Friday) we got up early, heralded the arrival of the final team member, The Lieutenant, packed the gear in the vehicles and hit the road. We cruised up to Ely and zipped over to the tow boat dock. We had struck a deal with the tow boat operator to shuttle our vehicles over to our take out point about 40 miles west. We hit the water in the tow boats and headed into the BWCA...we did a truck portage into the next lake and were dropped off at the end of the motor zone. It was a beautiful day as we transferred the gear into the canoes and paddled north. We ate Smokehaus Italian sadwiches as we drifted on the pleasant breeze. We made our way around a point and were pleased that, despite the fact it was now Friday afternoon, our preferred campsite was open. It had a nice beach garage, a good swimming rock, and a great view. After getting camp set and taking a quick swim, we loaded up the fishing rods and set out to augment our supper. Wear-Some-Shorts and I put on flutter spoons and headed for the deepest hole in the lake in the hope of getting a lake trout. It wasn’t to be, we had no strikes. We worked our way home fishing the shallower shoreline and hooked a few bass and a couple eater walleyes. The others reported good luck-The Bull and Tick Check caught several nice smallies and the others caught several nice walleyes near camp. We had a great meal of steaks, fried fish, mushrooms, and asparagus and hit the sleeping bags after a picture perfect first day.

Day 2: It was sunny, but clouding up, when we packed up camp and ate our breakfast burritos. We hit the water and soon found some white caps and a quartering wind. Before long, we were hitting shore and making the first portage. This portage was the longest of the trip, but it was generally flat and had good footing. We made a few more portages and soon had all four canoes rafted on a narrow, river-like lake. We were discussing which campsites to head for as we watched rain showers heading our way. We headed down the lake fishing a few likely holes and getting a few walleyes. Finally our luck ran out and the skies opened up in a downpour. After shrugging our raingear on, Wear-Some-Shorts and I headed north and found The Lt. and Gatorade on a campsite we hadn’t planned on taking. As the rain continued to fall, the site began looking better and better. We shared some mohitos and laughs under the tarp until the deluge stopped. The Colonel caught a couple eater fish (including one sauger) to add to the pot and he whipped up some dirty rice with andouille sausage for supper…a new favorite.

Day 3: We enjoyed sunshine as we packed up our damp camp and headed down the large, winding lake. We found a few walleyes in several different narrows and I also caught an ancient old rod and reel someone had lost overboard. Wear-Some-Shorts dawdled behind the others a bit and we were pleased to come around the corner and see our partners setting up camp on our preferred site. It was amongst some larger pines and had good rain tarp options, tent pads, and garages. It was only missing a good swimming rock. We almost immediately discovered that the site had two resident red squirrels that had become good at finding snacks in packs and helping themselves. The Lt. made sure they got a clear, strong, rock-like message that their behavior wasn’t acceptable and they didn’t bother us again. After getting set up and taking another swim, we hit the lake to scare up some more fish for supper. We had some success, finding a few more walleyes, a few nice smallmouth bass, and one decent northern pike, which we kept and ate in the coconut Thai rice that accompanied the fried walleye. It was a beautiful day.

Day 4: We decided to stay in this camp one more night and so we switched up partners. I fished with Lt., mostly trolling crankbaits along shorelines. We had decent luck with walleyes that had a good average size. I even caught my biggest walleye ever…a chubby 27 inch fish (I know that isn’t big personal best for someone that fishes as much as I do…probably an anomaly). We dodged some thunderstorms all day but finally did have a pretty good rain late that afternoon. Others also had good luck either trolling spinners for walleyes or casting to shore for bass. It was gourmet mac and cheese and panko fried walleye for supper as we listened to a wet forecast.

Day 5: Under darkening skies, we pack up and headed west onto waters I had never explored before (that is getting to be rare in the BWCA for me). We trolled some shorelines without much luck and donned our raingear just before the showers rolled in. We continued to fish in a steady rain and were passing a weedbed when I felt my Rapala stop dead. I thought I had looked a log, but soon felt the “log” swimming away from the canoe. It took some time, but I finally battled what turned out to be a 38 inch northern pike to the boat and grabbed it. Wear-Some-Shorts snapped a few photos and I slipped the big “gator” back into the water. It was the only fish we landed all day. We made our way on a portage around a roaring cataract that was at water levels more reminiscent of spring thaw than mid-summer. It continued to rain as we looked for our friends and we were glad to see they were on the closest campsite to the portage. They reported generally slow fishing all day, but The Bull and Fran Fan each caught 27 inch walleyes. We set up rain tarps and set up the tents in breaks in the rain, but for the most part, it was a steady shower. The site was getting pretty muddy and few of us were dry anymore. There were some rousing hands of Euchre played under the tarp and we made a simple meal of mashed potatoes, veggies, and fried fish.

Day 6: The previous day’s rain must have taken some spark out of us, because we all woke up after 10am. Even so, it was still raining. We had a lazy breakfast of Quetico Supremes (grilled elk summer sausages, swiss cheese, mustard sandwiches) and decided to stay in the same site for one more night and wait out the rain. It stopped around noon, but the sky continued to threaten rain all day. We made it out to some fishing and Gatorade and I found a mid-lake reef that wasn’t on the map. The reef gave up several nice walleyes to spinners with white blades. The others found some walleyes as well. We tried another new meal, fried fish and black bean tacos. I liked it.

Day 7: We set an alarm in order get up earlier, and we greeted a bright sunny morning. We had our damp camp packed up and we were on the water at 8:30am. It was a nice sunny day, but the wind picked up as we made our way across the only portage of the day. We paddled on, using islands as windbreaks. Every single campsite was taken as we headed for our preferred site on a bay that is out of the main travel route. It was open and very nice…pine trees, good swimming, nice kitchen. We got camp set up and set out to a nearby deep hole to try and get some lake trout. Only smallmouth bass and northern pike were around. It was camp pesto pasta that evening-a last night tradition.

Day 8: We packed up camp and made our way to an incoming river-our route back to our vehicles that had been dropped off by the outfitter. The initial river section was supposed to have some rapids to fish under, but the water was so high the rapids were covered up. The third set of rapids had to be portaged, as were the several rapid sets upstream. The normally placid river was up into the trees and it was slow, hot paddling slog to the parking lot, but we eventually reached the cars. We loaded up and had some burgers and beer at a local tavern. It was late when we got back to Duluth, where we heard all the stories about the flood. I said goodbye to the crew and headed home. The other guys hit the road the next morning. Despite the weather, it was another fun trip.

Nature Moment: There were a few encounters with wildlife on the trip, including a fox in camp on night 1, a very well fed garter snake on the last portage, and lots of loons and eagles. The insects were particularly interesting on this trip. We observed several different kinds of mayflies hatching and we witnessed dragonflies crawling from the water, shedding their exoskeletons and eventually flying away to eat some of the abundant mosquitoes.

A Tribute to a Dear Friend

I heard the news of Teresa’s passing on my way to a work meeting that took up most of my evening. The impact really didn’t hit me until the meeting was over and I was headed home. When I opened our side door and looked up the stairs my eyes happened focus on the bulletin board where Cameron keeps the photos of nieces and nephews and others when people send them to us. The picture in the center of the board was the one I was looking at…Kurt (Chief Many Little Bottles) and Teresa’s Christmas Card picture. The photo features the Johnson family at their home away from home, Ontario's Crow Lake. Kurt and Teresa, Heather and Michelle, and the girls’ husbands (aka “the two luckiest guys on the planet”), plus the two dogs, were all smiling and obviously happy to be spending time with each other. Underneath the photo were the words Faith, Hope, and Love. Those words summed up Teresa perfectly.

Faith. I admit I don’t know much of Teresa’s spiritual faith except that I know it was strong and has sustained her through the past three years. I do know of another faith she had that I am sure is similar to her spiritual faith-Fishing Faith. I have heard many stories from Kurt around campfires and in fish houses about Teresa’s dedication to and love for fishing. She was the one with the unending confidence that the lake trout (Is there any other fish?) would eventually bite. I saw the best example of her fishing faith firsthand. Our crew held a couples weekend up at Gunflint Lake one winter. The fishing was slow, or more accurately, non-existent. One by one, the other anglers gave up and headed off for other activities. A few of us stayed at it, with Teresa being the only woman to stick it out. Late in the afternoon I gave up and drifted off for a nap. I was awakened by a whoop. I looked out my fish house door to see Teresa fighting a fish on a tip-up line. Now, Teresa was not known for her athletic talent, but I swear she jumped three feet in the air when that lake trout came through the hole. It was our only trout of the day. She had faith. It is that same faith within Kurt, Heather, Michelle and all of Teresa’s loved ones that will keep us all moving forward toward better days ahead.

Hope. Teresa was an example for all of us. Despite handling two blonde kids and one larger, Finnish one; despite having debilitating headaches; despite gaps in time between her educational endeavors; she went to pharmacy school, graduated and got a job as a pharmacist. The odds were stacked against her, but she worked hard and became an inspiration to us all. She gave us hope for any risks we want to take, for any dream we finally follow. She continues to give us hope.

Love. This is the attribute we know Teresa for the most. While she had faith and gives us hope, we will never forget her love. She held family first and Heather and Michelle were her joy. Her pride shown easily when discussing their accomplishments and she cherished their company. I always laughed when they were together…Hey there’s Teresa and the two mini-Teresa’s. Your mom will live on in you forever. It is Teresa and Kurt’s love for each other that we all admire. Peas and Carrots. Partnership. Fun. Dedication. Meant for each other. I always looked at your marriage as an example for my own. Her love will always be there for you.

Faith. Hope. Love. Teresa Ann Johnson.

Quick Trip

I took a quick little camping trip this weekend. Headed north on Saturday despite a dismal forecast, went up Lake County 2 to the Isabella area. The first spot I stopped was Isabella Lake. This area had been burned by the Pagami Creek Fire last fall. The Isabella entry point is at the site of a logging camp village called Forest Center. When the roadless act was passed (pre-cursor to the BWCAW), the logging stopped and the entire town was moved. Wandering around the site I discovered the fire had exposed the old landscape. Road beds, home sites, and the old railroad were easy to spot. The railroad bed was the most interesting, the fire had actually burned the railroad ties out of it, leaving a ladder pattern of trenches. After checking that out, I headed over to the Island River and paddled upstream for quite a distance, leaving the burn area. I tried to find some crappies, but had no bites. When I drifted back downstream, the sun came out and it was a beautiful afternoon. I came around the last bend coming into a wide shallow area of the river, and spotted a cow moose making her way across. She quickly turned tail and headed back into the woods. I wrapped up the fishing effort and packed it in, heading over to a nearby "secret" drive to campsite. I set up a tidy camp, started fire to ward off the cool, cloudy night, and made some supper. The Twins were disappointing to listen to again. On Sunday morning I woke to clouds and rain and decided to head home, it was an uneventful drive.

Nature Moment: I saw many grouse this weekend, more than I have seen in years. It should make for some good hunting this fall after the broods grow up.