Moving islands, eagles hunting highlight trip
FISHING AMERICA
This road trip offered some beautiful scenery in western, northern, central, and southern Wisconsin. The beautiful rolling hills of pastures and timberland was similar to home except the tree species were different (very beautiful trees). I made many new friends here that I had much in common with not including my drawling Texas accent.
I stayed in a cabin on Lost Land Lake about 20 miles east of Hayward AKA “Freshwater Fishing Capital of America” and quickly made friends with a bunch from Illinois that were having a family reunion. That reminded me of how the Hale’s for most of my life used to have one at Atlanta State Park on Wright Patman every August. Fishing, skiing, swimming and all kinds of stuff all week and then the main day was Saturday. Remember them fun days Rhonda Hale Porterfield, Steve Childs and Diane Hogan? Y’all think we should reestablish this old Hale tradition? I miss it.
My cabin, one of 10 at The Retreat At Lost Land Lake, owned and operated by Ralph Hlavin and family, was near the water and fully equipped with a kitchen so I had some of the fish that I caught for most meals while there. The cabin was complete with everything but curtains. Thanks Samantha for making those curtains for me. I have always been partial to having them everywhere I stay. On account of my fishing guide, John Myhre, taking me fishing in the evenings, I fished the early mornings there in the 1300 acre lake using the flat bottomed boat that came with my cabin and powered by my trolling motor that I brought with me. Lost Land Lake is unique as it is one of three lakes in the state of Wisconsin recognized by law as “The Quiet Lakes” that regulates boats to under 10 mph. It didn’t seem to be radically enforced but there was a respect that existed for sane peace and quiet there that I appreciated. The resort is online at www.retreatlll.com
Average sized but big enough to keep and eat was the story of the peaceful Lost Land and Teal lakes, but my best fishing was in the famous Lake Chippewa where John guaranteed me a Musky catch. I caught a lot of fish in this beautiful lake where we witnessed an eagle swoop down and catch the biggest crappie I have ever seen. He grabbed it and tucked it under his belly torpedo style and flew away with it. I could tell it was a male because I have two eagles that visit my property in Atlanta occasionally and I educated myself to them somewhat.
As I pointed out in last week’s ND article, I am attracted to the bizarre venues but didn’t know Chippewa offered that until we were fishing in it. That’s when John said, these islands out here move around. What do you mean, I asked. He said, they move around. I pointed at one of the big islands that was complete with rocky ground and timber big enough to log and asked, that island moves? Yes, he replied. He said excessive wind can cause them to move a lot. I laughed and said man that is cool, this is like a bonus for me. Although we didn’t have to dodge any islands pin-balling around he said, one of them blocks the boat traffic at the bridge sometimes until it moves back out of the way. There was the bizarre for me with no extra charge-yeah. There are articles online about this for those further interested. I read where the islands are as big as 40 acres. I was thinking, who needs a boat on windy days with islands like these?
On the third and final day of fishing, my fishing guide with the confidence of Joe Namath reminded me he had guaranteed me a Musky and I reminded him that I didn’t expect that and I wasn’t holding him to it. I remember telling him, “hey I have caught a lots of fish and different kinds and that’s good enough, I have had a good time.” I was thinking about how my own past guarantees had caused me to give up guaranteeing anything. John anchored in and said, “no seriously, I guarantee it-you will catch a Musky.” I thought well I know I will get to fish until dark today while he works on that guarantee.
In all honesty I didn’t believe I would catch this prized fish widely known as the fish of 10 thousand casts probably because of knowing I wasn’t gonna cast that many times for it.
I had gone back and forth from baits for other fish to the big musky lure that was 10 to 12 inches long and then put that big sucker on for the last time. With less than an hour or so left in my Wisconsin fishing trip I cast my gigantic flapping armed top water lure over by a mudflat with weeds and that big rascal hit it and gave it an awesome jerk and then started behaving like an over-sized large-mouth on dope. I pulled in that big old fun 39” catch and congratulated my guide on his guarantee while we got a quick picture and then turned him loose to fight another day.
Although I primarily target fish to eat, that sport-fish was a fun one to catch. But I will leave all guaranteeing to John. The last time I guaranteed anything was when a man from Louisiana bought a log skidder from me. He asked me to guarantee it and so I did. From my shop in Bloomburg I pointed at the stop sign down the county road. I said, “if this machine breaks in half before it reaches that stop sign as you haul it away, I guarantee you can have both halves.”
John is on the internet at wiscnorthlandoutdoors.com He has almost 4 decades of experience and is very fun to fish with. He has some Musky pictures online that are awesome. Coming home when I stopped in Missouri a man tried to buy all my Walleye from me when I told him what was in the ice chest.
My articles are rather long for facebook if you are trying to read them on a small phone instead of a PC. But those of you that need a better reading format can find my “Fishing America” articles in print in the Atlanta Citizens Journal each week.
This newspaper has been the source of news for Cass County since 1879 and has a good balance of material. You can get the online version with your subscription too.