Monday, September 07, 2015 A day of ease, fishing, and the Loon from hell. I had not been able to fish with all of my moving. I paddled up Boulder River to the rapids and fished my way back. I had several strikes but only caught one. It was the biggest smallmouth I had ever caught. I told a guy I had met earlier about it; he was also fishing. He asked what I was using…Jitterbug. He just hung his head. There is a reason that some lures have been around a long time; they work. I have found that a good old red and white Jitterbug is a very effective lure. I prefer fly fishing, but unless I have a partner who can maneuver a canoe well, my son, I have discovered that spin casting is easier. I didn’t fish very long and made my way back to camp. There were several eagles squawking this evening. My plan was to leave tomorrow and camp on Nina Moose. My idea was to have a short paddle out and then swing by North Hegman on the way back to Ely. While fishing I saw a bunch of Merganzers swimming in a circle, fast and furious. I guessed they had corralled some minnows. All of a sudden a Loon rose up in the midst of the Merganzers and rotated his chest around at the Merganzers. Man, those Merganzers scatted. It was one of the funniest displays of nature I have ever seen.