Tuesday, August 06, 2013

The first half of this day was spent under our Nemo BugOut shelter to escape the light rain decided to hang around all morning. Looking back this was a blessing in disguise. It was so great to have a few hours where our whole fam just sat together and talked. We don’t get to do this nearly as much anymore with everyone working, and when we do, it is always an incredible blessing. Ill remember playing cards and talking with my brothers and dad, while mom slept under every available article of clothing, fondly for a long time. The bugout by the way, was a lifesaver. It is a 12 by 12 foot tarp that stands 7 feet off the ground, that has bug nets that drop down its sides. At 8 pm when the mosquitos would come out of their daily hiding places looking to pillage our campsites we would crawl in the bugout and sit in peace, as the skeeters made futile attempts to penetrate our fortress. When the rain died in the afternoon we went back to fishing. It always takes a few days to figure out a fishery. Fortunately for us we were able to do it day two on Kawnipi. We found the spot and this day it was spectacular. Due to the late start and the distance from our camp to the fishing, we only fished the spot for about an hour and half. We probably boated 20 walleye, 5 giant bass including one that measured 20.5 inches, and a bunch of northern. Multiple walleyes were in the 24-25 inch range. However trolling there and back we probably caught another dozen fish both ways. As an added bonus on the way there we saw a beautiful cow moose bathing near the shore. My brother saw it from so far away it seems almost impossible. It looked no more than a tiny boulder sticking out of the water, but we were able to paddle up and see it from relatively close.

If you will allow id like to tell a quick story about barbless hooks. I believe the Canadians made the regulations protect fish that are caught from undue harm, but it is also little known that they are equally as beneficial to the human. Let me explain. While fighting a small northern I had small incident. As I brought him alongside the boat, I was doing as all good anglers do, keeping tension on the fish. As his head came out of the water, so did the hook come from his mouth. All that tension loaded into the rod now propelled the husky jerk, that had previously been attached to the fish, at my face. (Note to self point rod tip away from face next time) In .0007 seconds the rapala had went from northern cheek to caucasian male cheek. Buried deep. I said calmly. “Dad, I have a lure in my face”. I tried to lightly lift it out remembering the barbs were crimped. It did not budge. Had I forgotten!? NOO!!!! I looked down and all the other barbs on the hooks were crimped so I thought I was okay. My dad pulled onto a rock walked up and very surgeon like ( he is a surgeon…) pulled it out. No pain at all. All that was left was a blood streak and small hole. Disaster averted. Moral: Crimp all barbs. It saved me from a lot of pain.
The paddle home was as beautiful and as cheerful as it can get. The sunset was perfect, and the total calm made for the most perfect reflections I have ever seen. Spirits were as high as they have been on this trip. Good fishing and clear skies heal all ails, as the saying goes. Well something like that anyway.