Party on the lake

Last Sunday was the local Fishing Derby.  The annual party on the lake..everyone gathers, visits, fishes and has lunch.  There are lots of prizes.  Usually we go and have lunch.

Yes, this is a lake.  A very frozen ice and snow covered lake.  Since the last snowstorm  dumped lots of snow..the trails out on the lake are not so great.  Many of the trails were narrow and flooded with water..especially after the holes for fishing were drilled. We could have parked and walked, my snow boots are warm but not waterproof…many of the trails looked icy.

We drove by a family of fisherman..they were obviously cheering their Mom on… and waiting for her to catch a fish.  She seemed really focused on the task at hand.

I hope she caught something!

It is too bad when there are so many things going on in the same day.  The Sleigh Festival in Hubbard is always the last Sunday in February and so is the Fishing Derby.  It was a beautiful day for both events. 

Our weather has moderated..with highs in the 30’s  during the day ( that is –1C) ..seems almost spring like especially on sunny days.  It gets dark about 6 o’clock at night now..we have daylight for eleven hours now! :)

Fish House Review

We headed back out on the lake (Millpond) to check out the fish houses again..it was a short Sunday drive.

We drove in the vehicle out on the ice..yes that is a normal practice this time of the winter in Minnesota.  Everyone does it..sure you could walk..but if you can ride well that is all the better and Chance can hang his head out the window.  There is a road of sorts ..an ice road.

The driver has to be on the lookout for sticks sticking out of the snow..where previous holes have been.  You wouldn’t want to drive into a hole…or hit a big ice chunk which is sometimes on top of the snow next to an old hole.

A  angling fish house was here earlier this winter..you can see the four holes.  Fisherman sit inside their house near these holes and drop their bait down the hole..and hope to catch something..like a Walleye.  Angling in my opinion is boring.

Now take a dark house..one with no windows.  That is where the action is.  A large hole about 3 feet by 2 feet is cut through the ice.  Then you put on a decoy and sit next to the hole and move the decoy up and down and wait for a big hungry Northern to come it to snatch your bait..and then you spear him and drag him out of the water and throw him out on the ice to slowly die..and still be refrigerated..because it is cold outside and it is warm inside your fish house because you have a small stove of some kind ..wood or propane to keep you warm as toast whilst you wait for the next fish to attack your decoy.  Sometimes you drink coffee and eat cookies..or have your lunch. ( Some people have been known to drink alcoholic beverages most of the day and then spend all night in the bathtub because it was close to the toilet after skipping lunch and cookies with coffee…it was not me..I do not like Blackberry Brandy.)

Anyways I have fished in dark houses since I was little..we used to go with Dad during the winter.  Far Guy went with his Dad to the dark house too.  We in turn took our girls when they were small..small kids get a rope around their waist..so you can fish them back out if they fall in. No they never fell in, but if they had we could have pulled them out.  Some parents tie their small kids to the chairs.

Fish houses have changed over the years.

Here is a typical one.

This is a dark house or spearing house..it is called a dark house..because it is dark inside except for the hole..the sunlight filters through the snow and ice, you can see the bottom of the lake and weeds and fish as they swim around. It is much like a lit up TV screen! 

This is a angling house. Small holes like in the second photo..where you watch your bobber go up and down when you get a bite.   Ho—hum.

This one just happens to be made out of a semi sleeper.

This is a angling house.

Made from tin and a old pickup topper.

It is interesting to see all the different houses that are built and what is recycled.  It also brings up many memories of days whiled away in the fish house:)

Fishing

We got out on the water on Sunday afternoon.  It was peaceful and calm and I could put my feet up and just take photos. We went over to Two Inlets Lake.

The Grand boys love to fish.

Noah was catching fish left and right, he must have had four fish before anyone else got a nibble.

Fishing = Big Smiles

Andy caught a huge Bass.  It caused much excitement!  Now they have a landing net and a scale on their wish list.  Nothing invigorates little boys/big boys more than a big fish.

Adam was trying so hard, he was just feeding the fish, they were stealing his bait.

Finally success!  He was on his last few casts of the day..when he finally caught a fish. ( Big sigh of relief, it is no fun if you are the only one who doesn’t catch a fish…or if your brother seems to do it effortlessly.)

Far Guy showed Miney and Elvis a little Perch that Noah caught.

There were birds singing in the trees and a pair of Loons were out in the middle of the lake. They sounded their “Eagle alarm” several times. ( Eagles are predators of Loons.) Sure enough an Eagle was fishing too.  It was a cool day, the sun came out for just a little while, the high for the day was about 70 degrees. There were no bugs..it has been too cold for bugs.

The fundraising dinner went off without a hitch.  We could have served just a few more people.  I did not hear the final figures..hopefully they made a little bit of money. My feet were tired along with the rest of me. It was lots of work:)

Gone Fishing

Jen, Andy and the Grandboys are here, we are doing some fishing.  I am only taking photos and being the fishing cheerleader  "great cast"  "wow what a catch! "

   Noah

 Adam and Andy

 Jen and her brother Chance.

It is an adventure trying to make sure the dogs are out of the way of the hooks, and watching the Grands expressions as they reel in their fish:)

Wistful Wednesday: 1953

This photo was taken in 1953. The girls are eight years old. The girl on the left is Far Guys sister, the girl on the right is his cousin Rosalie. I am not sure if these little girls had been fishing with their Fathers or not, someone got some nice sized Northern Pike. The cat under the vehicle seems interested in the fish! Far Guy and I were a little confused about the funny looking areas on the windshield of the vehicle and then we realized that it was frost. The vehicle must have belonged to Uncle Ron. What a novel way to show off your catch:)

New Information from Far-er Side Cousin: The Car is a 1946 Ford. The bottom fish weighed 26 pounds, and was taken from Shell Lake by Bert G. It was cooked for a Sunday Dinner. The other fish weighed 22 pounds, it came out of Straight Lake right in front of Pine Springs Resort. Uncle Ron carried the fish around showing it off for more than a week. It was mounted by Andrew Oxtra and was hung above the fireplace at Pine Springs Resort. There was a fish mount that hung in the Recreation room for years, when we owned the Resort I used to dust that old fish off several times a year and wondered about the story behind the fish.