I didn’t get up real early, but early enough that I could have some breakfast and still get over to Newton Falls for an hour of fishing before I had to pack up and leave. Fall Lake is completely different today than it was on Monday, there is no traffic. It took me exactly 20 minutes to paddle over the portage and another 5 minutes or so to make the 80 rod portage and grab some rocks for an anchor. I paddled around the corner and found two guys fishing in a boat but they weren’t very close to where I wanted to fish so I paddled by and anchored about the same place I was on Monday. I only had an hour and a pretty beat up bait supply after being unrefridgerated for the past 5 days, but I caught 4 bass and a walleye. The walleye was a surprise, it was only the second one I’d seen all week and I have never seen them in this spot. I thought about offering it to the guys in the boat after the commotion that went on over there when one of the guys caught a small pike, but I let it swim. As 9:00 approached, I had to call an end to it and headed back to the campground for the long journey home. I packed everything up, showered, and hit the road just after 10:30. I took the long way home by heading down highway 1 and the north shore of Lake Superior instead of going through Virginia. This route is longer both in miles and time, but much more interesting. I also took a different route through Duluth and Superior, using the I-35 bridge instead of the highway 53 bridge so I could end up on route 2 and visit Pattison State Park. The park isn’t much, but it does have a very nice waterfall in it.

I stopped in Tomah, Wisconsin for the night and headed the rest of the way home the next morning. 

Random Thoughts:

Great weather again! Although this week is busier than the week after Labor Day when I usually take this trip, the weather has been much better the two years I’ve used it.

No need to go to Pipestone Bay again. Too many people and not enough fish. It was nice to discover some place new, but not worth the effort.

Next year go for PBJ over tuna fish for lunch. That foil packed tuna gets pretty nasty by the second day.

Fishing was great! 

Greenstone Lake? Impossible.

It was awesome having a personal astronomy lesson. Too bad there were no northern lights…again! I thought I had it this time, there was no moon to block them.

I need to make trips so there is an easy day in between hard ones. The Wood Lake loop would have killed me after two hard days in a row.