Friday, September 11,

We got up early and had oatmeal for breakfast and packed gear into the canoe. We were happy that there was no portaging for the next 6 days of the trip. We headed north up crooked lake and noticed every campsite was taken and it looked like they had been there for several days. The morning was a repeat of the last few days, quiet, sunny and light winds. It felt good to be moving again, now we needed to find a campsite in or near Thursday Bay. When paddling with a loaded canoe the gps shows us moving about 4mph, without major effort.

We meet one group on the paddle north that was coming from Thursday Bay and reported sites were full the day before. Shortly after we paddled by you could hear their canoe hitting a rock in the middle of a big bay. We travel north and made our way to Big Current. There was a canoe fishing the current and they reported catching bass and walleyes. We kept paddling but would come back to fish later in the day. The site just south of there was taken and the nw site in Thursday Bay was taken. Knowing two groups were headed to the island sites we decided to go back to check the sites in the little bay before Thurs. Rather than paddle all the way around we cut thru a narrow area that just had enough room for a canoe. The campsite just north of the narrows on east side is brushy and rocky. We paddled south to look at two more, I already knew where and which one we would take if it was available. The site is further down the bay and on the east side. Nice rock ledge for sitting area, sand beach on south side for landing and good trees for hanging bear bag. There are several good tent sites, but the site is used often given the bare ground.

Pictures from the front porch.

We ate lunch and shortly I was looking at trees for hanging the bear bag and CG was putting up the tent. A tarp was put up but never needed, nothing close to rain was going to happen. We decided to head out to fish Thursday Bay and areas to the north. This was to be some of the best fishing of the trip but not the best. We trolled for a time and then decided to check out the current area. No one was there fishing so we settled in with a rock anchor and began to drown leeches. In a short time we began catching bass and a couple walleye and decided it was time to go back to camp for a supper of fish.

We decided to make onion rings for supper along with fish and trail mix for dessert. My eyes were watering before I was done cutting the onions and CG was laughing at me. CG is the official fish cleaner, using a Leech Lake filet knife he purchased last year. He also bought me one last year for xmas. Onion rings done and fish were in the pot in short order. We had watched a squirrel early in the day and now we had a small chipmunk running around. I first noticed him trying to look into our pots and pans but he was tall enough to see over the edge.

Another fire tonight and we sat out looking at the stars for another hour after the sun went down. Plans for spending the next day fising and exploring Thursday Bay. What would tomorrow bring for weather, who would catch the biggest fish?