Friday, July 03, 2009 AFTER PANCAKE BREAKFAST ITS OFF TO THE KELSO RIVER AND KELSO LAKE. TRAVELING SOUTH DOWN SAWBILL, WE FIND THE PORTAGE TO THE KELSO RIVER. MY SON NICK FORGOT TO PUT ON HIS SHIRT AT THE PORTAGE AND ONCE ON THE OTHER SIDE WAS COVERED WITH OUR BLOOD SUCKING BUZZING STATE BIRDS, THE SKEETO. ONCE ON THE RIVER THE BUGS LEFT US FOR THE NEXT VICTIMS AT THE PORTAGE. WHAT A NICE EASY PADDLE UP THE KELSO, THE TWIST AND TURNS ALONG THE BOG AND ROCK OVER HANGS WERE STUNNING TO THE EYES. WE REACH KELSO LAKE AND STOPPED AT THE CAMPSITE ON THE FURTHEST NORTHEAST SIDE OF THE LAKE FOR LUNCH. THIS CAMPSITE WAS NICE BUT PRETTY SMALL. AFTER LUNCH WE SET OUT TO CONTINUE NORTH UP THE KELSO RIVER AGAIN IN SEARCH OF THE DOLMAN. AFTER NAVIGATING UP THE KELSO RIVER THERE IT WAS, ALL BY ITSELF, THE DOLMAN. IF YOU DIDN'T KNOW WHERE TO LOOK IT WOULD BE VERY EASY TO PADDLE RIGHT ON BY AS I'M SURE SEVERAL THOUSAND HAVE IN THE PAST. MY SONS THOUGHT THE DOLMAN WAS PRETTY COOL, WONDERING HOW COULD THAT HUGE ROCK SIT ON TOP OF 3 LITTLE ONES WITHOUT CRUSHING THEM. AND HOW DID IT GET THERE? ONE OF NATURES MYSTERIES AT ITS BEST..WE WERE GOING TO CONTINUE NORTH PAST DOLMAN ON THE KELSO RIVER. BY NOW ONE OF MY BOYS HAD A SORE BACK AND THE WIFE HAD PLENTY OF SUN FOR THIS DAY SO WE HEADED SOUTH BACK TO SAWBILL. THE WIND GAVE US A FREE RIDE DOWN KELSO LAKE AND RIVER BEFORE WE GOT TO SAWBILL WHERE WE HAD TO PADDLE NORTH AGAIN INTO THE WIND TOWARDS OUR CAMPSITE. AFTER RETURNING, THE BOYS AND MY WIFE TOOK A NAP AND I LOADED MY FISHING GEAR AND WENT OUT TO TRY TO CATCH SOME FISH FOR DINNER. I PADDLE TO THE NORTH END OF SAWBILL AND NOTICED ON MY DEPTH FINDER THE FISH STACKED UP IN ONE LITTLE SPOT DIRECTLY OFF A ROCK CLIFF. I DROP MY MARABOU WHITE AND PINK JIG DOWN TO THE BOTTOM AT 13 FEET AND WHAM. WALLEYES, SMALLIES AND NORTHERNS ALL IN THE SAME SPOT APROX THE SIZE OF 2 VEHICLES. WHY THEY WERE IN THAT PARTICULAR SPOT IS ANYONE'S GUESS BUT I'M SURE GLAD I FOUND THEM. BROUGHT BACK ENOUGH FISH FOR DINNER, DOESN'T GET ANY FRESHER THAN THAT. SHORE LUNCH IN THE BWCA, MAN WHAT A TREAT. NICE FIRE AFTER DINNER AND OFF TO ANOTHER NICE COOL NIGHT OF SLEEPING. LOONS VERY VOCAL THIS NIGHT WITH THOUSANDS OF STARS OVERHEAD.