Duffman solo in pics

[Duffman]

Like you said, common sense.

That might be the reason that they do not state in the regs anymore that you cannot hunt on portages. Because like you, I think they previously included portages in the wording. Now it's more ambiguous.

You just need to be smart about it.

Maybe not hunt portages that are on main routes, but the chance of seeing folks on portages into deadend lakes in the fall are small.

And I would think that the hiking trails are actually more popular in the fall because of hunters, leaf watchers, and the lack of blood thirsty skeets.

The portage that I took into Gogebic Lake last spring is the Border Route Trail. (what a beast)

[Duffman]

Alright, not exactly a canoe trip, but it's gotta little of this .....a little of that.

Dog forum, camping forum, cooking forum, ice fishing forum, and not quite trout forum.

Been promising to take the hound on a winter camping trip. It's been two years since I've been out, I was due.

Couldn't find anybody on short notice to head up, so decided do my first solo winter trip.

Fri-Sun. Left the south metro at 3:45 am and was to camp by 10:00 am in the Bdub.

 

 

I always like to say my Golden sure is pretty...........pretty dumb.

But the hound was built for winter. Loves it, the snow and cold.

 

The Punisher was not that bad to pull, nice ice conditions, and I stuck to one lake, no portages.

 

Was a little worried after waking up to 3" of fresh snow on Saturday that it might hinder me on the way out, but by late afternoon warmer temps had knocked it down.

 

Buffalo chicken bacon pizza both nights.

 

Fished for lake trout 3-4 hrs on Fr--Sat. Marked a few fish, had a couple that wanted to play cat and mouse.........so frustrating when they don't commit.

Great short trip, dog had a lot of fun, she's a good camp dog, stays close. Which is good in wolf territory.

And except for the older couple I ran into 15 minutes in laker fishing, I didn't see a soul.

[bobbymalone]

That's awesome stuff, Duff.

Nice to spend some time in solitude.  With a dog

[leech~~]

Liven the dream my friend.

Funny the older you get the more comfy stuff you bring but the old bones say wth! 

[Duffman]

I'm still a tad sore.

The Super Bowl isn't the only thing cracking 50 this year.

Gonna keep on enjoying this stuff while I still can.

[leech~~]

19 minutes ago, Duffman said:

I'm still a tad sore.

The Super Bowl isn't the only thing cracking 50 this year.

Gonna keep on enjoying this stuff while I still can.

You know what they say. "Once you stop, you drop" 

[Mid-Lake Rock]

Duff:

The golden looks like she is having a relaxing weekend.  

How far of a hike to the lake?  Could one hike in and fish for the day?  Hand auger only or can I use the cordless drill?  Thanks! 

[Duffman]

16 hours ago, Mid-Lake Rock said:

Duff:

The golden looks like she is having a relaxing weekend.  

How far of a hike to the lake?  Could one hike in and fish for the day?  Hand auger only or can I use the cordless drill?  Thanks! 

My hound is about as laid back as it gets, and she's only about to turn 4.

Where I went in, it's a popular spot for some of the locals to fish, the boundary for the Boundary Waters is about a mile out on the lake. Usually marked by something in the winter.....pine boughs or stakes. So folks can take their vehicles or sleds out to that point on the lake and I'm pretty sure use power augers, but once past it.....it's hand augers only.

Most of the time the guys fishing are hanging out on shore and watching tip-ups. The older couple I encountered this time walked out there and were fishing by rod...........and complaining about lack of success.

I've driven my truck out to the border and dropped our gear off, before driving back to the access and parking. Been fortunate enough when doing so to get a ride back out from a fisherman heading out or we've had them give their set of keys to one of my buddies to go pick me up. Knocks off a little distance for dragging, and then I usually head out 2-3 miles more depending on conditions.

PM me if you would like to know the lake, I'm kinda secretive about my destinations online.

[Mid-Lake Rock]

Thanks for the info.  I've never been up there, but thinking about crossing it off the list one of these days.  I know some "crazies" that ski 12 to 20 miles into the BWCA set up camp and ice lakers for a week.  I'm looking for a little less work getting to my fishing destination.  

[Duffman]

Headed up to the BW last weekend, snow/sleet/rain and wind. But made the best of it and caught a decent amount of fish......walleyes, crappies, pike and a couple rock bass. Still plan on getting out a couple more times around the cities before I hang up the canoe for the year. Had her out on the water 10 days this year, not bad.......but not great. Life can sometimes get in the way.

[Duffman]

Edited October 11, 2017 by Duffman

[Wanderer]

I like the trips you take and the pics you make.

I might find my self solo in Ely this weekend myself.  Makes me smile. 

[Duffman]

15 hours ago, Wanderer said:

I like the trips you take and the pics you make.

I might find my self solo in Ely this weekend myself.  Makes me smile. 

Thanks Wanderer, some pics take a little thought, and others just appear.

It was a little crowded where I was on Thurs-Fri.......but then not a soul on Sat or Sun,  *weird*

Good luck if you head up, I was lucky with both the weather and fishing.

[Duffman]

I brought the Mrs with on this trip.

Spent the 70's in Phoenix. My old 'hood has sure changed since then.

[leech~~]

Did you ever over night the cave?

[Duffman]

22 hours ago, leech~~ said:

Did you ever over night the cave?

Nope......Resorts my friend, but the campsites in northern AZ were just as I remembered...........welcome to campsite #34.

As you probably know, I don't do that type of camping anymore.

Stayed one night at the resort in Phoenix that kicked me out of their pools as a kid many many times.

Swam this time as a paying customer.

 

Edited October 25, 2017 by Duffman
Walking Stick

[leech~~]

Oh well, one notch off my Duff Survivorman hero worship.

You still do scary winter camping though-Right?  

[Duffman]

1 minute ago, leech~~ said:

You still do scary winter camping though-Right?  

Stay tuned.

Probably when I get back from Aruba.

[leech~~]

1 minute ago, Duffman said:

Stay tuned.

Probably when I get back from Aruba.

So, so then are you going to live in a lean-to of palms on a beach and eat sand crabs and fish you spear with a stick? 

Or did you bring your wife-again?

[Wanderer]

Careful Duff, looks like you might be on the verge of breaking up a bromance! 

Ooo... that might've been a little snarky on my part. 

 

[leech~~]

52 minutes ago, Wanderer said:

Careful Duff, looks like you might be on the verge of breaking up a bromance! 

Ooo... that might've been a little snarky on my part. 

 

Hey, why don't you take a 80 yard walk out your front door pal!  Or which ever door faces the river!   

Edited October 26, 2017 by leech~~

[Wanderer]

That would get you the desired result! 

OK. Maybe that'll be the last one for a while.  Sorry man, I've been out of control. Today is my last day in the office for 10 days.  Maybe I can come back re - habbed.

Ciao!

Edited October 26, 2017 by Wanderer

[tacklejunkie]

On October 24, 2017 at 2:19 PM, Duffman said:

I brought the Mrs with on this trip.

Spent the 70's in Phoenix. My old 'hood has sure changed since then.

So was going from the desert to the Land of 10000 Lakes a culture shock?

[Duffman]

2 hours ago, tacklejunkie said:

So was going from the desert to the Land of 10000 Lakes a culture shock?

Kinda, a couple things that amazed me;

Water everywhere.

Although I lived next to the AZ canal, so catching crawdads was part of my youth, and they were big......not the scrawny crayfish you have up here.

Black soil, I only thought that stuff came in bags from the store. In AZ it's red, tan, or grey.

The woods, greenery everywhere...........moved here after 7th grade and spent the whole summer exploring the south metro hardwoods. Ticks freaked me out though. Went from lizard catcher to skink, salamander and garter snake catcher.

One thing that didn't change, my friends had cabins in northern AZ (Flagstaff and Payson), and I quickly became friends with someone here that had an upnorth place (Fifty Lakes). So I've always been a part of cabin culture.

Funny thing....we didn't have much money, so we lived in a low rental place in Eagan where half of my neighbors were black. I thought my school would have the same makeup, nope...... 95% of the black kids in school lived within a couple doors of me.

 

 

 

[leech~~]

43 minutes ago, Duffman said:

Funny thing....we didn't have much money, so we lived in a low rental place in Eagan where half of my neighbors were black. I thought my school would have the same makeup, nope...... 95% of the black kids in school lived within a couple doors of me.

But, now your rich and can run off to Aruba and parts unknown around the world each year!