Up at a little past 6 with a four beer hang over. Crappy beer, dirty tap or a combo of both had me dragging. One of the Olson's loaded us up on the tow boat and we headed for Prairie Portage. An easy haul led us to the shores of the North Bay of Basswood. After stuffing the honor box with our fee, we started our paddle up the North Bay into the east side of Bayley Bay into Sunday Bay for our only portage into where we would base camp for the next 3 1/2 days.

Steve gave me a briefing on the "green cup", which goes to the one to land the first fish of the day. The holder of the honored green cup, get's relief from dish duty for the entire day. Very nice prize, but I was looking for jobs, so I was ok not getting the first one. Steve didn't need much time to show me that, yes indeed trout, exist and he would be the holder of the green cup for the day. He hit another one just out of the big bay. Greg and Pete claimed a couple in the boat as well. After visiting the tall pine, we went to an island camp site soon after and started putting up the camp in a slight drizzle. Once camp was set, Steve provided us a nice lunch. Soon after the rain came harder and then the hail started. Nothing bad, but enough fell to look like snow.

Rain slowed, so we headed out to catch some trout. Did I mention this area is unbelievably beautiful? It goes without saying up here, but very cool area. We portaged into a beaver damn and paddled down a stream into a short portage into the Spot, an unnamed lake. It is a small lake, but drops to a 100 feet deep. We trolled down the shore with some hot and tots and shallow diving rapalas. On to the G lake. Pete was generous enough to lend me a Shad Rap and within the first 5 minutes I had my first ever Laker!

Soaked to the bone and cold, I realized my rain gear on the cheap is not a viable solution. But 7 lake trout helps cure any complaints of the weather. After portaging back on very tough portages that haven't seen much use, we made it back to camp and celebrated the first day with a beer. Steve used his new oven and baked us up some lasagna and lake trout appetizers. Pete, the master of the fire, battled the rain to get us a fire going. Greg put up a great tarp system to keep us and gear dry. Very nice to see the pros in action. Great first day.