September 11, 2015 Day 8: We woke early to a cold morning, but surprisingly there was no fog. A quick breakfast of oatmeal and coco and then we headed out with a mission of fishing. We went back to where we caught the fish the night before and jigged for a bit. I had a small fish on, but lost it before it got near the boat. We tried several more locations but no bites. The wind started to pick up so we went back in and had lunch. Our last lunch on the trail was fry bread pizza. I had vacuum sealed pizza sauce and pepperonis and we had some baby bell mozzarella cheese we cut up. I fried the bread, then we put the sauce, cheese, and pepperonis on and I used the pot as a lid for the frying pan that fit perfectly over 1 pizza. After just a few minutes the cheese was melted and it was served up, I then repeated the process. It worked great and tasted amazing, and was VERY filling to boot. We lounged in camp for a bit afterwards. Laura read in the sun, but was still bundled up due to the temperature and the wind. I sawed up and broke firewood. Around 2pm we headed back out to try our luck (and our patience) once again. Not far from camp I found a reef, so we anchored and started jigging. After giving the site a chance, we decided it was time to move so I went to pull up the anchor. It wouldn’t budge…uh oh. I pulled as hard as I could and tried to move the boat to pull from different angles but no luck. After trying to free us for a while I had to cut the rope, our anchor was gone…NOW how were going to jig? I wasn’t happy that we were now free to drift in the wind again after jigging had given us our only fish on this lake. Angrily, I paddled back to where we fished this morning and had hooked up the night before. The wind was blowing so I paddled up the channel between the islands further than usual and told Laura to drop her line and commence jigging. I started working my jig as well as we blew quickly out of the channel. I paddled us back into the wind and even further up the channel this time and again we blew quickly through it. Then, the wind pushed us around the point of the island instead of straight out. As we rounded the island, Laura thought she had a fish. She had announced this just about any time her jig or lure contacted a rock, weed, or maybe even plankton. I encouraged it every time though, since it meant she was feeling things through the line. I ask her if she still feels it and as calmly as can be she says: “I have a fish”. I look and her rod is dancing as she reels in. I quickly grab the net and as soon as I see the fish it is scooped out of the water into the safety of the canoe. The fish is a small walleye, but it will be big enough for dinner, though a 2nd one wouldn’t hurt. I’m pumped we get a walleye fish fry tonight, though Laura is bummed it wasn’t a pike. We try a few more passes but nothing bites. We paddle in and I quickly start preparing for dinner. The entire trip we’ve been cleaning up in the dark and eating at dusk. Tonight I’d like to be done a little earlier. By 5pm I have the fish filleted when I notice a young couple just up the shoreline from me looking at their map. Just before I paddle back to camp I see them again they and ask if there are any open campsites. I tell them I don’t know of any, but if they can’t find one we have plenty of room at ours and that we would be leaving in the morning. They thank us and paddle away. I don’t see them again, but can’t blame them for not turning around if they didn’t find a site on Ensign, they would have had to fight into the wind to get back to our site. Back at camp I fried up the fish and we scarfed it down with ample helpings of mashed potatoes. Laura still says Pike is better…OK…For dessert we had pistachio pudding. With how cold it was, getting the pudding to set up was a breeze. We devoured the entire pot. By now its starting to get pretty cold and I’m wearing gloves and winter hat. We tried to play cards for a while by the campfire but it was getting too cold. As we sat we heard/saw a couple across the lake catch a fish and give a victory ‘woo hoo! With the paddle raised above his head…and then bash it in their aluminum boat. Soon after we decided to head into the tent and play there instead. Before going to bed we packed up miscellaneous gear to be ready to roll in the morning. Soon we were going to sleep because it was getting down right cold.