Fishin report for Lake Iwanttobethere..

[Bobby Bass]

I was down on main street picking up a few things so I could check them off my do list when I was caught out in the open by one of the many showers that came through. I ducked under an awing and was soon joined by a few tourist who were caught away from their car. We nodded and watched the rain come down and after a moment the young lady asked me if there was some place close where they could get some soda's. I was going to direct them down the street and then I remembered that Ma and Pa's might just be open since it was a Wednesday. There was a lull in the rain and I pointed them across the street to the quaint little old grocery store that Ma and Pa have ran for as long as I can remember here at Lake Iwanttobethere. They just keep it open as a hobby now as they are getting up there in years and it is just plain tuff to run a small little grocery store. The idea of a soda or a pop sounded good and I followed them across the street to the store.

It is like walking back in time for me, as I open the door I could hear the bell attached to the top make it's little jingle, I walked in and made sure the heavy wood and glass door closed securely behind me. The tourist were already at the counter being waited on by Ma. I stood by the door for a moment and refreshed myself of old memories. To the right was the penny candy display case, just a few boxes of penny candy but it still had it's shelf's filled with candy bars and jars of dime candy. On top of the wood counter polished to a dull shine from countless coat sleeves rubbing the top was the always present gallon jar of pickled eggs. A rack behind held a few dozen different brands of cigarette's. Ma sat on her chair, needlepoint in her lap and the flickering 12" color TV behind her on a shelf. She smiles at me as she gets up to help the tourists. I walk down one of the three small isles and see Pa at the back of the store standing behind his meat counter. A single light hangs from the ceiling behind him, The only changes that I can see is a color TV instead of the old black and white of my youth and the light bulb is now one of them spiral shaped energy bulbs.

For a store that is open but a few hours a day it is still well stocked, not a lot of choices but what is here is all that you may need or may have forgotten for a trip to the lake. A few of the cans have a little dust on them but Ma does not move around as much as she use to. I go over to the wall cooler and slide it's well worn handle to the side and grab a coke. I wave at Pa and as I walk up the middle isle I grab a bag of chips. The bell jingles and the tourist go out the door, Ma shuffles over and closes the door the rest of the way, she looks back at me and shrugs her shoulders. I nod back, tourists.. I set my pop and coke and she rings it up on the old register, 1.03 I place a dollar on the counter and dig in my pockets for some change and Ma just says "close enough" I smile and head out the door, I make sure to close it tightly behind me. Standing under the awing the rain has stopped again and I make a metal note that I need to stop in and see Ma and Pa more often. From Lake Iwanttobethere (6235)

[Bobby Bass]

Directions, I was at the Lodge last night and we were talking about directions. A lot different out here in the "sticks" compare to the big city. Even though for us the big city might be Da-Luth. In the big city when someone asks you how to get some where you tell them turn right at the lights or go down three sets of lights and make a left. Here we don't have any lights. Well we have a street light but no stop signs or anything like that. We like it that way, less for us to spend our money on maintaining. Giving directions may be a challenge though. Even by saying you go to the end of town. Well where is the end of town and do we really have a town? We have a road along the lake where a lot of our business have just kind of settled in. In the big city it might be refereed to as a strip mall but we don't have any dancers and our buildings are older then dirt. If you are a local and some one says go down Birch Lane and take a left on Maple till you get to the old McDonnell's farm that burned down 20 years ago then take a right and go down a little ways till you get where Pearson used to keep that two headed cow and take another right on the dirt road for a piece and you will find a bend in the road where you can put your boat in, we know exactly where we are talking about.

Hammering Hank said that yesterday he must have gotten stopped 20 times from tourist asking directions while he was out delivering wood. One couple asked where they could see the Red Maples and Hank just said to just drive down the damm road. Elmer chuckled and said he saw them same people in the Dew Drop Inn complaining that they spent the entire afternoon looking for the DAM road and that we should have some signs put up. Now don't get us wrong, we love tourist. They are our blood here during the summer, but gee do you leave your brain at home as soon as you get in the car. Now when I go to the big city I become a tourist. But I will ask directions, cuz one I get lost easy and two no one is usually with me to tell the guys at the Lodge that I asked directions. I can even make it look like I am a local when I am shopping.

A few years ago I was down by that brewer place in Da-Luth having some lunch and when I came out there was four guys in a truck looking kind of lost. I asked them if they needed any help, they must have thought I was a local. "Ya" says one guy. " can you tell me where the Hester river is" " O, you mean the Lester river, just another 5 miles on this road here and you will drive right by it" I answer. " no" he says. " The Hester river where the salmon are running" " Ya, the Lester is what you are looking for, like I said just 5 more miles" Well the guy starts arguing with me that it is called the Hester and he knows he is right, Well I give in, not being from here I go ahead and tell him " O wait, the Hester river, Ya, that's about another 60 miles up the shore, you can make it in an hour or so" and I wave and watch them drive away. I wonder if they noticed the fishermen standing in the Lester when they drove by.

We try give directions but people don't listen, now with them gps units there are less people asking but Lake Iwanttobethere is not in any map chip that I know of. If you look for Lake Iwanttobethere on Goggle it just shows a blurred area, Kind of like area 51 but I am sure our fishing is better here then there. Well back to the do list, the Lodge is going to raffle off a tool box at the next meeting and I got voted in to pick up the tool box and fill it with only the things that you really need. So far I got a hammer, a bigger hammer, a roll of duct tape, a twin pack of super glue and a large can of WD-40 maybe some screwdrivers would make a nice rattling noise in the box also. Well from Lake Iwanttobethere have a nice fall day and keep smiling when you give out directions. (6243)

[Bobby Bass]

Sometimes I hate fall even though it of the four seasons is my favorite. Cool evenings make the best for sleeping, the bugs are all but gone. Harvest from the garden and apple pie. Last night the wife made caramel apples, I will be eating my fill for the next week. A rainbow of color on the lake as you look across you can see the yellow green poplars and birch to the bright red maples. Makes a pretty picture when you are out on the water and the shoreline just disappears from reflected colors on the water to the trees. But it is another rainy miserable day here on Lake Iwanttobethere. To cool to go fishing and I am just puttering around the shop cleaning up and picking up. Got a little fire going in the stove, just enough to throw some heat and to give me something to do. The smell in the heavy air is nice. Is there a better smell then wood smoke in a heavy wet air or an early morning fire? Mix in the smell of grass and leaves and fall temps and you can smell and see why I like this time of the year best.

Not only are the fall colors out but the locals are starting to wear there colors also. More then a few red flannels are appearing and the residents are wearing there red or orange caps when checking the mail or taking walks. To many hunters out in the woods that if you live in the woods you better let others know you are out. Ever since the blaze orange law went into effect you see a lot of the old red hunting hats and coats as daily wear. Didn't spend all that money to let it just hang in the closet. Lot of camo is out and about to, those are the hunters and although they blend in nicely in the woods and fields they sure to stick out at a stool in the Dew Drop Inn. Both Bud and Barny are sporting there bright red collars and both are wearing their bells. Since they are both good size dogs about 90 pounds I don't need anyone thinking they are deer. The three cats in the house all have bells on to, Was sick of having them as kittens sneak up behind me when I was at the desk and attack me. Last night I noticed it was getting a little loud in here when both dogs and all three cats were moving around at the same time, a lot of bell ringing. I just turned the radio up a tad louder.

Did my little radio bit down at the station this morning KCUM was an easy talk in segment as we mainly just took calls talking about this stretch of crummy weather but a warm front is moving in and by Sunday there should be a stretch of good fishing weather. I do have the ice house door open and have made a few trips inside, just to look around and see what needs fixing or see what I can do for something new. If it keeps raining I may just go in and lite up a cigar and twiddle my thumbs and just look for some inspiration. Well I am going back outside and take a walk, rain has stopped for now, Perhaps I can interest Bud to take a walk down the trail out back. But sometimes it is really nice to walk down that trail with out a dog. Will be nice and quiet, all the down leaves that are on the ground will be wet and even a big old guy like me will hardly make a noise walkin. Who knows I might just sneak up on a grouse or two. I know there will be some woodcock back there and besides Bud is not much help with woodcock. He will run over and show me where they fall when I take one down but he refuses to pick them up. He just kind of points with his nose and then is ready to move on down the trail. Well from Lake Iwanttobethere you have yourself a good day.(6291)

[Bobby Bass]

Unusually quiet around the lake today, might have something to do with the Twins on the short end in this afternoons baseball game and the rain. Smell of wood smoke heavy in the air and even the Lodge has a small fire going as some of the diehards are watching Detroit and the Yankees this evening. I did get some fishing in on Monday as it was just a down right great day with temps in the middle 70's and no wind until I got the Puddle Humper in the water then just like clockwork the wind came up. I got a few small bass and had a few Northerns to chase me but it was kind of slow. I am not complaining cuz I go by the 70 rule here. Which is if it is 70 or more outside in October you drop everything and go fishing. I don't think there are to many fall days that I can say that I was out fishing in shorts and a tee shirt. Bluegills were up in the reeds close to shore so after awhile I just put a small popper on and went and played with them. Fish are fish and soon the water will be hard and I will have to hold on to those memories for awhile.

I was at the Dew Drop Inn for a late dinner tonight and Chuck along with Elmer once again brought up the mobile tackle shop idea. Every year about this time we get together and talk about throwing in on a traveling tackle shop that we could go out on the ice with to fishing contests and the like and bring tackle and bait right to the fishermen. It is always good to kill an evening in the fall and we did that again tonight, Vicki at the Masterbaiters said she would give us a deal on some of the supplies as she tries to limit her hours some so she can have a family life. We might do it but then bird hunting is here and then Deer season is close at hand and we start getting side tracked. But maybe this is the year.

Leaves are starting to fall, and with today's rain I'll bet the next day of wind will really start bring them down. Hardly any docks out on the lake anymore and the mail is being delivered to the boxes along the road now till we get some good ice and then everyone is pretty much out on the ice. Elmer has been busy with his hand held gps tracking spots off the landing where the winter town is started. I heard him talking with Chuck and Hammering Hank about a few new brush piles he found. Seems some of the locals go out on moon less nights and drop a few things into the water. Of course you have to be lucky enough to get your ice house over these spots.

Puddle Humper is back under her cover but the batteries are charged and the gas tank is full. Not done fishing yet, still am holding out for a few nice days. I see many boats are finding there way into the back of garages and almost all the pontoon boats are up on shore with the blue or brown tarps on. Looks like a storm came through when you go down the shoreline and see all the Aluminum stacked on the shore and the wooded decking in neat piles. Then of course you have all the boat lifts standing naked out of the water on shore. A few of the non locals were out this weekend with leaf blowers and vacuums, never could understand that, You have a cabin in the woods, why would you vacuum up the leaves, you will never get them all. Heck I have been known to send a few of my own there way just to keep there yards looking right.

Well back to peeling apples here, have to stay ahead of the birds, Pull up a lot of stuff from the garden and I have my mailbox of course decorated with corn stalks. A good year for pumpkins and looking forward to the contest. I have a real biggie that I have been keeping under wraps and not even Elmer knows about it. I checked his patch and I am easily twice as big as his biggest unless he is growing one somewhere else.. Wouldn't put it past the old coot... From Lake Iwanttobethere (6397)

[Bobby Bass]

It was a tuff silent Sunday here watching the Vikings play. Wanted to yell at them and then cheer them on with those interceptions. Got a fire going in the fireplace as with today's wind and this mornings thunderstorm it left a chill in the air. Was out fishing yesterday, it was warm out so I thought I would trailer the Puddle Humper down to one of my favorite little bays and fight the wind for a few hours. I should have stayed home, nothing but one little northern. My little bay was more like the dead sea. I did see a lot of deer on the drive back to the cabin, 19 when I stopped counting. Also a grouse with suicide on it's mind. As I was going down the blacktop there standing on the yellow line was a grouse. I zipped on by at 45 mph and looked back in my mirror expecting to see the bird flying off the road but was surprised to see the bird still standing in the same spot on the yellow line. I guess he was safe from hunters but talk about living your life on the edge.

The Puddle Humper is back under the covers and the batteries are charged and she is ready to go out again if the weather holds. Snow in the forecast for later this week but I have way to much to do. Grand kids were up and took a few pumpkins home and I pushed the daughter out the door with a few sacks of apples. Greenhouse is full of plants that I have pulled from the garden to try and get a few extra weeks out of them. Hunters have been busy as it looks like the grouse are on the rebound and you can hear a shot from time to time all day long. I see a few boats are out on Lake Iwanttobethere right now, Walleye or crappie fishing I think. Looking out over the shoreline is covered in leaves and the first 20 feet of water has a floating mat of leaves. The air has that great smell to it today. Wood smoke, leaves and that crisp smell of fall. Make no mistake it is here.

Well surprise surprise it's going to snow in a few days and now a buddy down the lake from me wants to build a shed to store some stuff that he wants to winter over. Can we say not to well planned out. Well I guess I will be building a shed instead of fishing for the next few days. That's OK as much as I hate to say it the Puddle Humper may be done for this season. Guess I will have to empty her out and pull the ice house to the front I was hoping to wait a little longer but this has been an interesting summer so far and now it looks like we are going to go right into the dead of fall with no Indian summer to speak of. I have a feeling ice might come a little early this year. Well off to go shopping for materials and then I have to pull a shift at the Lodge tonight. Not to bad as Monday night football will be on and we are pretty slow. Will be able to watch the game in the recliner and just leave the tapper open for anyone to help themselves. Got to love having a relaxing job with all the benefits of home. Elmer will work the kitchen for us and I can already taste that clubhouse sandwich and fries. Will be some talk about going to the deer shack and making sure it is still standing. We can hunt from home but we still have a shack way back that we spend opening weekend at just cuz we have done it for so many years.

Before I run out the door here I would like to mention that I see very few hunters walking and with dogs any more. Everyone seems to have a four wheelers and all they do is talk about how many miles they put on looking for birds. Me and Elmer just nod and agree how slow it is and then take the footpath behind our cabins and with Bud and Barney we can flush birds just a few hundred yards into the woods. Sometime you just have to work for things. Well from Lake Iwanttobethere have a crisp day. (6493)

[Bobby Bass]

Well woke up this morning to one of them blustery, windy, wet days that people like us on Lake Iwanttobethere call fall. Went out to the main room and saw all three cats and all three dogs sitting in a row at the patio door looking out over the lake at snow falling. Not a lot, yet just enough to see that it is snow. On the far side of the lake it does look a tad white there so some might be sitting on the ground. After feeding all of them I decide I was going to go into town and have someone else feed me. I went down to the Sundown Cafe and I see they are getting ready for winter. As you come in they have the TV on to the weather channel and the fake fireplace was on. Coffee pot was on and you could pour your own and have a seat and watch them folks on the weather channel talk about the coming cold snap. They must all be from down south, Temps in the 30's here mean you just put a long sleeve shirt on over the tee shirt and you might think about not wearing shorts till the afternoon.

With a few days of this wet windy weather the shed is on hold for the neighbor, Don't need to be working outside unless it is something that I need done. Beside give it two days and we will be back into the fifties again. Applefeast this weekend so we will be getting some tourist back in town This wind has really taken down a lot of leaves and the shoreline has a lot of floaters on it. Makes it hard to do any fishing off the dock as you get tangle in leaves almost as soon as you start retrieving. Bobber fishing, you can forget that, I don't have the eyes to pick the bobber out of all the colors spread across the water.

Vicki down at the Masterbaiters bait shop was in the cafe this morning and said she is still having a fair number of fishermen coming in and buying chubs. They are out along the reef fishing for walleyes and are doing ok. They are the real diehards and if they have a chance to go fishing they go. Does not really matter of they catch fish or not but they want to be able to brag that they were out fishing in the weather. The Dew Drop Inn a few years ago made more room in there booths for these guys as they would come in with all there gear on and they could not sit in a booth. I think that is why the Cafe is always busy as they don't have booths anymore just tables and chairs. Of course some of these guys are so well dressed there arms can't reach the tables.

Earl has a selection of snow shovels outside his main door but then Earl is always ready. In his business it is always supply and demand. Where else do you see snow blowers and lawnmowers sitting side by side 365 days of the year. Ice augers and post hole diggers. Which reminds me of young Junior when he first started working for his dad and some out of towners came in looking to do some ice fishing and had never done it before. They wanted to try the experience but didn't want to spend to much money. They saw the price on the ice augers and wanted Junior to sell them the cheaper one next to it. Junior sold them the post hole digger. Earl was on the checkout and politely asked them if they were going to go dig some holes and they said yes. Earl sent them on there way and then went back and found Junior, we thought he would be upset but he slapped the boy on the back and told him he had a bright future in the hardware business.

Well the wife just tapped me on the shoulder and pointed to my own honey do list, the one for inside the house on bad weather days so I guess I will have to get out my red pencil and make a few marks. Have a good day and keep busy from Lake Iwanttobethere (6537)

[Bobby Bass]

Spent some time at my neighbors Elmers house this afternoon, actually pretty much killed the afternoon there. My best friend and other neighbor Chuck was over there helping Elmer with his ice house or the Palace as we have named it and I was trying to get out of my honey do list at home so I just kind of disappeared for awhile. Now I have known Chuck since high school and we met Elmer on one of our many adventures that we have had here at Lake Iwanttobethere. Elmer was a part of one of our memories but we did not know it till several years later. Elmer is in his 80's but he gives both Chuck and myself a work out. As we were sipping a few cold ones in the Palace we of course got around to one of our favorite memories for us and a burr under the saddle for Elmer.

We were just out of high school and had decided that our first summer with no job and no future according to our parents was to a life in the great outdoors. We had managed to get some rooms at a old resort at the lake in exchange for being part time fishing guides. Well the resort was an excuse of the owner to be away from his wife and he didn't really care if he had any customers or not. Didn't really care what we did as long as we were around for the occasional customer and we kept the fish cleaning house clean. Well right away we set some goals for ourselves. That we would fish 100 days during the summer and that we would hunt 50 days in the fall. We did meet them goals.

In the middle of October we were out on a three day weekend fishing and bird hunting trip on the far end of Lake Iwanttobethere. We did have an old Chevy ¾ ton pickup with a camper that we had managed to make some what waterproof. The first Puddle Humper was a 12' aluminum Jon boat with a 7.5 Clinton air cooled outboard. When it was running you could not talk as you could not hear over the sound of the engine. We also had a battered 17' canoe that floated most of the time. Put this all together and we had the making of a fine expedition Anyway the weather that weekend was a lot like the weather we are having now, wet, windy and snow. Our first night our propane heater went out in the camper and we woke up the next morning to find a half inch of ice on Lake Iwanttobethere. Well not the whole lake but the part we were on was ice covered. We decide to go out trolling anyway. We dumped the Jon Boat in the lake and had a good old time breaking ice and dragging line in the open water behind us. We didn't catch anything but we made an effort. Coming around a point we cleared the ice and were met by thousands of Mallards. They were everywhere. We spent the rest of the day trying to get close enough to get into firing range but with that old Clinton stealth was not our game. But we were young and we were having fun.

After two nights of a cold camper on the third day we decide it was time to head back. Packing everything up we set off on the old dirt road that runs around Lake Iwanttobethere. After awhile Chuck decides he needs to take a break and answer the call of nature. We pull off to the side of the road and Chuck disappears into the brush around the lake. A moment later he returns and slows slides up to the cab with his finger pressed to his lips. "Get you gun" he whispers. I grab my prized possession, by trusty double barrel 20ga shotgun that I had bought with my graduation money. Chuck grabs his single shot 12 ga and we sneak into the brush around the lake, After about 20 feet or so we come to the shore and there not 50 yards away bobbing in the water are at least 20 mallards. We pull back and make our plan, We will both jump out at the same time and get as many shots off as we can before they fly away, I'll shoot towards the right and Chuck to the left. On the count of three we decide to go.. 1--2--3 We burst through the under brush and I let loose with both barrels I can hear Chuck's 12 ga go off and I am already reloading, As I reload the first shell I look back up and see none of the ducks have taken off. I stop and look a little closer and see it kind of looks like Pearl Harbor. There are ducks listing to the left and right and a few have tipped over. Chuck and I both look at each other at the same time and together say DECOYS... We both start laughing away till this old guy sitting in a grass blind and wearing hip boots stands up and starts calling us some serious names.. Laughing away we crawl through the brush and jump in the Chevy. Making our escape we rag on each other for not knowing a spread of decoys...

Fast forward several years later, We have become members of the Lodge and one night as we are drinking with our fellow members we tell the story. Elmer who has taken us under his wing is not smiling like the other fellows are. Later as we draw outhouse cleaning duties we find out that Elmer lost a spread of decoys to some teenage jump shooters. Yup, it was us... From Lake Iwanttobethere (6566)

[Ihateriversnags]

Greetings from Lookout Bluff!!

In my absence I have noticed that someone has taken out my dock and picked up my mail. Thanks goes out to whomever did this for me however may I leave a suggestion? First of all, while I appreciate that my dock was removed I don't believe that it's proper place is on the roof of the cabin. I'll have to check the local ordinance book to see if I missed something. Also, when going through the mail, I noticed that the dues are up for the lodge. I guess i'll have to make some more of the meetings to find out when these are due.

My schedule has been so hectic that I have not made a visit back home in a while so I have missed a lot and will have a lot of catching up to do. I went down to Masterbaiters to see about a new fish house this year but alas there was nothing on the posterboard as of yet so if someone hears something, please let me know.

I'm sorry this is so short but I have been called to duty so until my next visit.....

[Bobby Bass]

Mid October here at Lake Iwanttobethere and if there is a quiet time this is it. Taking my walk into town this morning it is the first time since spring that as far as you can see there are no boats gliding across the waters of the lake. The Masterbaiters are closed except for a few hours when I go down and check bait and retrieve the mail and wait for the UPS guy to bring in orders. Vicki and her husband take their vacation this time of the year but will be back in time for deer season and the beginning of the winter season. Today when I was at the shop there was but one customer looking for a few suckers to toss off his dock while burning his brush pile.

Kris our painter has started to paint window decorations on store fronts. A few pumpkins here and there and a witch or two. In another month or so she will be very busy as it will be that time for Christmas decorations. Yup, it's getting to be that time already where we are start to think about snow and ice here at the lake. Had to get the monthly haircut yesterday so I spent some time at the barbershop. In a matter of a few hours we had solved most of the worlds problems, decide what was wrong with the Twins baseball season and of course have decide on who will be going to the super bowl. We were unable to predict where the walleyes have disappeared to and if the big school of crappies will swing down this side of the lake for some good dock fishing before we see first ice.

A few of the deer contest signs are also starting to pop up in the store windows around town. As mention before the folks around here are all pretty much dressed a like in our blaze orange or old red wool. Not a leaf on a tree in town anymore as this wet windy weather has really cleared the tree tops off. Has been a year of seasons for sure this year. Was a wet spring, a very hot summer and now we are having a windy, cloudy fall. They say winter will be mild but I have my doubts about that. Puddle Humper has not seen water for over a week now and I think I will just have to spend an afternoon here and clean her out and call it a season. The old wood boat is still tied up to the dock so if we do get a decent day I can still take that out and wet a line. Barney has not been spending very much time on the dock, so I think the fish have left the shallows as he is not to interested. Bud is still getting in 5-6 days of bird hunting in and now even the pit bull Pepper is going out. She has flushed a few birds and has an idea of what she is suppose to be doing but she will not retrieve. Bud just kind of looks at her and brings the birds back that she has flushed. They sure do get looks when they are together, a lab and a pit grouse hunting.

Have been holding off the fall do list looking for that decent week of nice weather but I don't see that coming so I guess I will have to go to work on it. Mowing the grass and pulling the garden up. Have to get the greenhouse ready to be shut down and there are still way to many apples in the two trees that need to come down and be given away. Deer will move in her soon to clean up the leftovers. Time to go through the shop and bring in anything that will freeze. Snow shovels to the front and garden spades to the back. Snow blower needs to get started and the lawn tractor needs the dozer blade put on. Reels need to be put away and sometime this winter I will take them all apart and clean and oil them. I should even give the truck a wax job. I did manage to change the oil so I can at least mark that off. The only part that I hate about this time of the year is we are losing so much daylight. Cloudy days make the already short days shorter. Well instead of writing about all that needs to be done I guess I should start getting some of these things done. From the shores of Lake Iwanttobethere (6646)

[Bobby Bass]

You grew up on Lake Iwanttobethere if..........

You know how to polka, but never tried it sober....

You know what knee-high by the Fourth of July means.

You know it is traditional for the bride and groom to go bar hopping between the reception and wedding dance.

You know the difference between "Green" and "Red" farm machinery, and would fight with your friends on the playground over which was better!

You buy Christmas presents at Farm Supply.

You spent more on beer & liquor than you did on food at your wedding.

You hear someone use the word "oof-dah" and you don't break into uncontrollable laughter.

You or someone you know was a "Dairy Princess" at the county fair.

You know that "combine" is a noun.

You let your older siblings talk you into putting your tongue on a steel post in the middle of winter.

You think Lutheran and Catholic are THE major religions.

You know that "creek" rhymes with "pick".

Football schedules, hunting season and harvest are all taken into consideration before wedding dates are set.

A Friday night date is getting a six-pack and taking your girlfriend shining for deer.

Saturday you go to your local bowling alley.

There was at least one kid in your class who had to help milk cows in the morning... phew!

You have driven your car on the lake.

You can make sense of "upnort" and "batree".

Every wedding dance you have ever been to has the hokey pokey and the chicken dance.

Your definition of a small town is one that only has one bar.

The local gas station sells live bait.

At least twice a year some part of your home doubles as a meat processing plant.

You think that the start of deer season is a national holiday.

Pop is the only name for soda.

From the shores of Lake Iwanttobethere (6685)

[nytelyter]

welll i do believe that the majority of us here in da great state of minnesota do fit welll in those descriptions. and i know i will claim most as well. you should see the look of my customers that come in and see i am still in shorts, and have only brought out a jacket once, so far this fall. i chuckle as they look at me and shiver more. hehehe ya see i do believe that some of them grab those jackets to early. if you were to allow yourself to get a bit cold in the fall, by being out on the cooler days with out a jacket. working in the cold a bit uncovered. your blood gets a chance to thicken a bit and you can then endure and embrace the cold weather a bit easier. think about it in the late days of winters close as spring approaches. you see all sorts of people outside wearing t-shirts and short sleeves. it is because during the corse of winter your blood has more slower adapted and thickened, when the weather had gotten really cold. welll that is my belief and i think some of those in the medical profession would tend to agree with me. so i just get it over with in the fall and as most of you know about me I LOVE THE COLD!!! in my thinking, you can always take off or put on clothing to be comfortable in the winter but in those hot days of summer you can only take off so much.... before you get arrested. and chances are, you were not comfortable anyways. hehehehe

well anyways the catamaran and fishing boat have been winter stored as of last thursday. the fishhouse has been brought up to the front of the lot, been in there tinkering a bit. have it all vacuumed out. have installed a new antennea mount on it. put a new U.S. flag on the pole for a new season on the ice. been putting some of my soft water gear away. but have been still going down to the river that runs from lakeiwanttobethere, and hitting on a great walleye bite. and have also been landing a few cats and an occasional carp or two. kinda hard not to fish, when i have the chance. but with me back now at my full time job. those times are fewer than when i was out of work. i have fully settled into my new job. and have the bosses full approval in where the business is going. things have picked up a bit in the fall slow down. and the almost newly open liquor store is seeing more and more business each week. infact i should be placeijng a liquor order right now but will put if off untill i have finished here.

i have been working on my own honeydew list as well. the storm windows are inplace, have had the furnace checked,and actually have turned it on, set the thermostat set at 62. hehehe its kinda cool for the cats tho as they will find my lap a warm and comfy place to nap and they snuggle closer to me at night,in bed. heheh they are a funny pair. both are close in age. my tabby a year older than my siamese. the tabby is a orange colored, short legged, big ole boy going about 16-17 lbs. whose belly almost rubs the carpet heheheh. and my siamese is as spoiled as a cat can get. he lets me know when something aint right. they are both family to me as most pets will be. no dogs here permently but my g/f does bring down her schnauser when she comes down and the two cats have finally gotten acustomed to her. and usually we will not have any fur flying. but the dog can get under my siamese's skin as she wants to play and he wants no part of playing with her. i get a big chuckle when she yips after a claw swipe. and the dog looks like "what did i do?" hehehe

welll i should get a going on here the first round of leave clean-up has been done but as more have fallen i should prolly get out and chop and vac a few more i like to keep the grass short this time of year as it does help to blow the leaves next door out of my yard hehehehe. and even tho i did not use the permenent fishhouse last year, i can usually find something to do init and end up loosing a few hours init doing so. i have the new heater installed. and the windows washed. but there will always be an excuse to be inthere for a vikings game or two while tinkering some more.

oh i almost forgot. i did manage to get out to lakeiwanttobethere. a couple weeks back. and i have been reunited with my old atwater outboard. those fine folks at masterbaiters were very kind to keep her for so long, they were smileing when i walked out, i am not surte if those smiles were at me for and how i lost it or for finally regaining the space it has taken up, for so long. hehehe but i bought a few wonder lures and made a small donation to the ice road plowing fund for the upcoming year. in turn for the storage fees.

it is a nice and sunny day today. i think i am gonna go place ,y order and vacuum a few leaves and get a few things ready for the upcoming holiday tuesday night. all hollows eve. in my three years only in this town, i already have kids coming into the store asking me if i am going to be doing halloween again this year. i think i have more fun than them. ini my humble opinion halloween is not just for kids. the adults can have some fun as well, i know i do.

well from the point on lakeiwanttobethere that divides waconia and lake sylvia bays, i bid you all a great day. have a safe and happy halloween. and lets hope for early ice and lots of it. ... paul (6771)

[Bobby Bass]

Back in the cabin and the heat from the wood stove sure feels good. Spent the last several days at the deer shack getting it ready for of course deer season. Have been there a few times during the summer and our group of guys takes turns going there so it is not left empty for to many days in a row. Mouse traps needed to be emptied and the tall grass clean out from along the sides of the shack. Deer hanging log needed to be tested and some rolled roofing added to the outhouse. Propane tank hauled into town and filled and doors and windows open to let in some cool clean crisp fall air. Of course it was not all work there was a sucker on the end of the rod hanging in the dock holder. Barney came with and he as always is very good at watching the bobber. We did catch three and one went almost 8 pounds. Was a good thing we brought up a packed cooler as we were not catching any fish.

Well the shack is ready to go, just a few short weeks and the gang will all be there for opening weekend. Duties will be assigned on the shacks chalk board and bunks will be on a first come first throw your sleeping bag on the rack order. Assigned duties will be ignored and we will slip in to the normal routine that we have run this camp on close to 30 years now. Bragging board will be updated as each of us get to bring one picture and add it to our bragging wall. I hope to have a picture of what I have been told will be a new granddaughter. In the old days you had to wait and see what happens, now the Drs. and them modern machines they have let you know if it is a boy or girl weeks in advance. Unless someone makes a mistake.. I'm still pulling for another grandson.

Bragging board has hundreds of pictures on it, fishing pictures from Lake Iwanttobethere and hunting pictures from all over the country. No matter where we go we always end up here at the hunting shack. Of course we have pictures of dogs and kids and even a spouse section. Over the years some of the guys have gotten divorced and remarried and that part of the wall is kind of known as the wailing wall. The dog section is pretty big as we have had our share of great dogs, and a few cats to. We won't talk about the goat and cow other then that they had a four H ribbon with there pictures.

We don't have many shack rules, we have been together for so long that everyone knows what is expected of them. We don't allow many newbies into the shack. Maybe on last weekend we might but never on opening. Hammering Hank brought his cousin Vinny up one time and Vinny got up in the middle of the night and saw a buck in the moonlight. He open the window a crack and let loose with his 300 Magnum, Well he shattered the glass window, just about blew out everyone's eardrums in the shack and lucky for him missed the buck, as rule #1 is no shooting from the shack. Rule #2 is no cousin Vinny.

Halloween in a week, that is a big event here at Lake Iwanttobethere. Town gets or I should say already is decorated for it. We have a pumpkin carving contest and pie eating contest and Mindy and Mandy get to show off their melons....... Er a squash.. Kids will come in to town and check out the spook barn and Dug always likes to bring out his fire breathing tractor and run up and down main street. I am looking forward to it as my two cats Buff and Smokey are both jet black, we will be taking our time giving out candy at the Lodge and they will both be there. Well from the warm seat of my pants in front of the wood stove, have a good evening from Lake Iwanttobethere (6790)

[Bobby Bass]

Well Nytelyter that answers a few questions for me. I could not remember what was missing from the back corner and now I see it was that old motor that was resting there and it also answers where that 1.25 came from that we found in the empty Clark's candy bar box by the plow truck for sale sign. I Hateriversnags we thought you put the dock on top of your cabin! We have seen docks stored many ways and didn't think anything about you storing yours there. Must have been a high school prank. The way we get snow around here should not be a problem to just slide it off later in the season. From the Lodge at Lake Iwanttobethere (6791)

[Bobby Bass]

I went to lunch yesterday with my neighbor Elmer, He came and picked me up in the old ford pickup and we drove down into town. We parked out front of Reed the Realtors office and made the short walk over to the Dew Drop Inn. For a Friday afternoon it was busy but not to busy. Mindy and Mandy were both working that day and we both got waves from them and told to just find a seat. Elmer sought out his favorite table in the corner and we pushed the table out a tad so we could both slide in up against the wall. Sitting like a couple of old gunslingers our backs against the walls and facing outwards with a commanding view of the room. Mindy poured us a couple of cups of coffee and we added our sugar and swirled our spoons a few times before taking a sip. I knew what we were here for, Elmer only takes me to lunch once a year and today was the day. Today was lesson day, Since Elmer has taken me under his wing and decided I would be a good student to learn his old ways of the outdoors he would take me to lunch and we would brush up on what he calls selective hearing.

You all know selective hearing, your wife's and mothers are the very best at it. It is the ability to hear only what you want to hear anywhere and anytime. The ability for a mother to hear a baby's snort in it's sleep from three rooms away. To hear the screen door open at 2 am with the train making it's run down the tracks. To hear the sound of the cookie jar lid being lifted 15 minutes before lunch. For Elmer it is the ability to be in the woods and tell the difference between a 10 point buck and a gray squirrel walking in the dry leaves of a maple tree. So we go to lunch. We sit with our backs to the wall and we don't talk to each other. We sit and we listen. We focus on conversations going on around the room. We are not being rude, I think most people would actually like for others to hear there conversations. Mindy comes over and puts down Elmers egg salad sandwich on rye. A slice of apple pie and adds a splash more coffee to his cup. I get my clubhouse on white and a few French fries on the side. No pie for me, but I get a few pieces of pie crust with sugar and cinnamon sprinkled on top, and a wink from Mindy. We eat. I watch Elmer out of the corner of my eye, His head tilts from side to side as he checks the room. He chews slowly and moves even slower.

Elmer leaves a twenty and the slip on the counter and grabs a toothpick. As he heads out the door Mandy pats him on the back and tells him to have a good day. She smiles at me and turns to ring up our lunch on the old till. We step out onto the street and walk down towards the truck. We stop at the public bulletin board and sit down on the towns only bench. Elmer with his toothpick hanging from the corner of his mouth says " OK, young feller what did ya hear? "

The test, I lean back in the old bench and I close my eyes. Well Earl was easy enough he was talking with junior about the pallet of stuff that they bought at the auction that need to be priced and put out on the floor. Mindy was flirting with the Dogan boy and Mandy was telling Gus the owner that they needed more sour cream. Hammering Hank was being pretty quiet in the corner but I think he was doing the same thing as we were. The three guys in camo were talking about how they were just killing the 12" walleyes and it's not really that cold out, the one on the end kept banging his foot against the counter but it looks like he just had the shakes and was warming up. I heard the ice machine shudder a few times, and the whine of the malt machine. The tell tale sound of eggs hitting the grill and the scrape of the butter knife against the sides of the Miracle Whip jar. I relaxed my eyes and more sounds came back to me. The scraping of Hammering Hanks boots against the sides of his chair, the ruffling sound of Mandy skirt as she came by, The smells of Mindys perfume, Elmers Old Spice. The smell and sound of bacon the babble of ten conversation separating into single voices. I went on and on for ten minutes telling Elmer everything I heard. Then I was done. I thought I had done very well. Looking at Elmer he nods and me and says " well done" We get up and walk over to the truck. I am still listning, I hear the nails on the sidewalk before I turn and see Barney walking towards us, I open the door and he jumps up in the cab with us. Elmer drops me and Barney off at home a few minutes later. "Say Bobby" Elmers says. "What" I reply. "Did you hear me take the wrapper of my toothpick?" I close my eyes and say " Nope, I must have missed that" Elmer laffs and puts the ford in gear. "I didn't" From Lake Iwanttobethere (6853)

[Bobby Bass]

Just came back to the cabin to pick up a few fishing rods, Good weekend at deer camp, several deer taken and with the warm weather here going to try some fishing. The entire gang made it to camp and nothing bad happen which is always good. I got a late start Saturday morning getting out and was the last one leaving the shack. I twisted my knee on Thursday so I was moving a little slow heading out to my stand. Which was a good thing as I was taking it slow with a lot of little rests. Since I was late already I was all bundled up and I did not want to break a sweat so I was walking slow and enjoyed the sunrise. I was rewarded not 15 minutes later when a 6 pointer was sneaking down the trail towards me. I just happen to be leaning up against a birch and looking the right way when he came down the turn in the trail. He had his head down and I think he was busy smelling where one of the other guys had come through on the way to there stand. In a moment it was all over with. Sometimes you don't have to be good just lucky. Of course by Saturday evening I was telling everyone at camp who would listen how I stalked the deer down the trail and with the sun in my eyes made the shot off handed with nothing but a bush to steady me. By next years camp it will be a story that legends are made of.

Only a few guys still at camp, those who have taken vacation time off to be with friends and to hunt a few days. We have no cell phones allowed so it is a quiet time for us. A lot of laffs and a good stew was shared last night as memories were shared and a few pictures added to the wall. Woke up this morning to a still day and a few guys went out to the stands, I did not hear any shooting so I thought I would run into town for a few things and to pick up some rods. What skim ice that was around the shore here at Lake Iwanttobethere is gone so we will go out and search for a few walleyes for supper tonight. Wife knows it's deer season so nothing will be done on the honey do list. Although I am sure that things will be added to it. Been waiting all fall for that break in the weather and it might be this week as temps are to get into the 50's for the next few days, I should be working but it is deer season and time to spend with friends and relatives that make the trip to the shack. They don't have the advantage of living here at Lake Iwanttobethere and can only sit back and remember from time to time there experiences here. I hope they take back another good memory of the lake.

I see we are coming up on 7000 reads of Lake Iwanttobethere almost a year since we started to jot down some of the doings of the Lake. Thinking back there has been a few things of note that happen. The 4th of July go cart races, the fire at the Lodge. The addition of a few new members as well as a few deaths and a few births. I hope some time was spent remembering Lake Iwanttobethere and I hope a few more people will come on board and add to the pages of this meandering story. Will be really quiet here for awhile as after deer season we wait for the hard water to appear and then the relocation of the town to the frozen waters of Lake Iwantobethere. The only question now will be . Who will be that 7000 reader and win the pitcher of beer at the Lodge.. From Lake Iwanttobethere (6940)

[Bobby Bass]

Well today the 11th is the anniversary of the first fishing report coming from Lake Iwanttobethere. A year later and over 7000 reads and the lake is doing fine. Which brings up the question of is there anything else to say about this out of the way fishing lake. From time to time I will post Lodge meetings and of course the town hall meeting when ever they are held but I think the day to day activities would just be repeating themselves. Thanks to all who are part of the 7000 reads and we will see ya at the lake.. (7014)

[Bobby Bass]

Several of the towns fathers were eating at the Dew Drop Inn and decide it was a good time for a town meeting, A napkin was pulled from it's holder and a pen produced for minutes. Since they were one short of a full meeting it was decided that just ideas should be brought up discussed at this time. Some coffee was spilled and the first napkin of meetings notes was needed to clean up the spill and second napkin was borrowed from a neighboring table. The towns Honey do list was to be updated and given to Hammering Hank to take care of. Most of the work needed was in regard to the towns park and launching area. Also a sub committee was to be formed for the Thanksgiving baskets to be handed out to the tourist and new residents who are still in town. They should receive some real Lake Iwanttobethere traditional dinner items. Root Beer from Mindy and Mandy and wild berries from Hammering Hank. Some pickled Northern from Elmer and some venison jerky. Ideas for the baskets will be welcomed. I did offer to supply a bottle of Hamms for each basket as long as we did not get carried away.

Snow is expected to show up here soon and we are getting some skim ice around the shoreline and several of the small pot holes have frozen. Will be time to discuss the area where the ice town will be launched this year. There had been some talk of moving the town as fishing was not all that bad but then it was not all that good last season. It was noted we did have some bad ice last year and that might have had a lot to do with it. We have placed new brush piles this past summer and we are thinking of going just a little farther to the right. The launch area from the access will still be able to fling houses in that direction. With the new residents the lake has grown some this past season and with the new tax base we will not have to raise taxes at all this season. We actually have some money left over in the ice fund after transferring money to the 4th of July fund as with the hot weather we did go through all the ice we had harvested and had to buy ice for the first time in memory.

We have had no incidents this past hunting season and we are happy about that, everyone who has gone into the woods has come back out again. Tourists visits were up this fall as we had a very good if not excellent fall color turnout. Grouse are on the upswing and several hunters have made repeat trips back bringing their friends. Amy from the bakery reports her sales of loose meat sandwiches were up this fall which is always an indicator of travel. Deer count is about the same as last year, Vicki from the Masterbaiters reports. Several 20+ point bucks have been taken. And Ma and Pa's grocery store and butcher shop say their cooler is full and he is working full-time making sausage. Still a few boats going out from the towns landing but that is really starting to slow down with the skim ice.

We have added a few new business to town this fall, a retired carpenter has open a cabinet shop in Dug's loft and the old malt shop has been converted to a video tape rental. He has the windows covered in John Wayne posters and will be opening soon. Mark the mailman also reported that there is a rumor that they will be giving him an office to work out of and he will be having hours just like a real post office. Looking at the empty office just down from Reed the Realtor. Dessert came so that was the end of the meeting from Lake Iwanttobethere (7017)

[Bobby Bass]

Had a good week at the hunting shack and everyone has tagged a deer. A few of the guys will be around camp for the weekend but mostly just because they have no where better to be and the ice is no where near thick enough to venture out on. By Monday the blaze orange will disappear from the streets of Lake Iwanttobethere and we will be back to what some people call normal clothing. A few orange hats will be perched on heads cuz if you go out and spent 6.50 at the General Store you might as well get your moneys worth.

We did have a meeting at the Lodge the other night and as we went over the napkin with notes from the Dew Drop Inn it was just decide to accept them and move on to some serious drinking. We had just tapped at new keg of Hamms and wanted to make sure it did not go bad. Several of the tables were covered in food items donated for the Turkey baskets that the Lodge will be giving out next week. A few of the fruit cakes looked almost good enough to eat but we know better.

Elmer had his turkey cooker out and was deep frying anything he could lay his hands on. Said he had to "Season the oil" I think he just did not want to waste it once it was hot. He is getting much better at using it. Not like the first time when he filled the cooker with oil and then when he dunked the turkey it overflowed igniting the oil and catching the deck on fire. Luckily most of the guys from the Lake Iwanttobethere fire dept. were on hand and the fire was quickly put out. Elmer just complained about the price of the wasted peanut oil. Was going to replace that part of the deck anyway.

Of course with the coming of turkey day the serious day for the ladies is here also. The day after Thanksgiving will be the opener for the ladies of shopping season. I have learn in the past to just stay out of the way on that day. I make sure the wife's Jeep is parked pointing in the right direction in the drive and that nothing that I value is along the flight path when she takes off. Come Friday morning the lights will start going on around the lake about 4 am or so. Maybe even earlier if there is a big sale like last year when some of the stores were open at 5 am down there in Da-Luth. I have already seen some signs of opener here. The check book is balanced and I noticed the wallet has a few more bulges in the credit card holding pockets. I was peaking at it as it was on the kitchen table but it was snapped away from my fingers and I was told to "just never mind" With another grand daughter I am sure another page was added to the shopping list also.

Of course I to am doing some Christmas shopping to. I have my eyes set on a few things and I am waiting for the UPS guy to show up with my new 300 CD changer for the ice house. The way I have it figured I can go just about two weeks straight with out ever having to hear the same tune twice. I have a spot picked out and ready for installation. Unless ice happens soon here I will be in the driveway checking it out here before the end of the week. I have not even told Chuck about it, I will just mention it in passing when we are out fishing. Hehe it will beat his am radio for sure.

Just a little dusting of snow here this past week at the lake, Some ice in the bays but not much. No sunshine to speak of so that will help the ice making. As soon as the last of the deer hunters get out of the woods me and the boys will start heading back out grouse hunting. Don't like to have Bud and Barney out there with them deer hunters. We pretty much have the woods to ourselves. Not to many tourist around till we get either some ice or snow for the sleders. So all is quiet here. New video place is still not open yet and I have not had a chance to visit the new cabinet maker. I have heard the sound of saws running in the loft so I guess he is hard at work. Dug says he is a pretty decent guy. Well time to stir the stew, have a good day from here at Lake Iwanttobethere. (7081)

[Bobby Bass]

Spent the better part of the morning outside of Doc Burriem's office, just shaking hands and trying to get on my way. Today was flu shot day and the county nurse was in the office along with Doc. I was one of the first ones in line and I got my shot and was almost out the door when Elmer came in, of course we had to have a few words and that's how my morning went. Every time I would just about get out the door someone else would come in. In a small town everyone pretty much knows everyone else and sometimes you need to catch up when you don't see someone for awhile. Of course I have been told that I have a gift of gab and most of the time it is me who is doing all the talking. Several people asked me when I was going to run for mayor of our little town but I don't want to have anything to do with that. I would rather have my own thoughts on things then having to say others.

There was a good turnout for the flu shots and I think I must have talked to half of the town. Reed of course was there since his office is next door and he never misses out on a chance to pass out a business card. Hammering Hank double parked in the street with a load of wood ran in for his shot and was gone before he was in the way. Mark the mail man or shall we now say the Postmaster took time between moving into his new office to roll up his sleeve. Ms. Bodensteiner Reeds secretary was running errands but managed to find a quiet moment. Leaning up against the wall I passed the time with a lot of folk. Even though for some of us this is a quiet time of the year for others it is a busy time. Wolfgang Puck our noted trapper was in with Earl as they were haggling over the price of some new traps that Wolfgang was trying to order. Earl's voice booming out as they walked down the street from the General store and Wolfgang quiet drawl replying. Dusty McMurtry's pulled up and in left a small trail of soot up the steps, Doc gave him his shot on the porch as he did not want the chimney sweep in the office.

Sunshine Ray from KCUM did a on air segment on his shot, he covered the mike when the needle when in, the wimp. Ben and Jeanie did a small sit in over the government controlling us with their flu shots. They did take the shots when they confirmed that they were free. I almost left then but Mindy and Mandy came in for their shots and I of course do not miss any chance to chat with the lovely ladies. Come to think of it when the girls were there it did get a tad crowded as that is about the same time as Big Jim the logger and Dug showed up and also Junior and Mike from the Junk Yard. Now that I think of it I was the only married guy there. Funny how the girls just seem to draw a crowd.

Well as you can imagine the conversation was like tuning a radio station on a back road. Talked about the corn harvest getting in the second hay cutting, When is ice coming in, deer hunting whether it is still worth going out for grouse if I was going to buy a new sled this year and if I ever got that roof shingled on the shed. The new grand daughter, how is the ice house coming any news on the ice parade and if I was going to be at the Lodge latter so we can talk. With all of that I was hungry and was off to the Dew Drop for lunch, Went past Amy's as she was pulling a few pies out of the oven and never made it any farther up the street. She asked if I could watch the counter while she ran for her shot and before I knew it she had landed a wet one on my check and was out the door. Well everyone was already waited on so I helped myself to a nice slice of hot apple pie and a glass of milk and sat down at the counter. From Lake Iwanttobethere (7110)

[Bobby Bass]

The sun actually is out here at Lake Iwanttobethere today, Bad for ice making but good for the spirit as it has been cloudy all week long. A few days away from turkey day and today at the Lodge we have been putting the baskets together for delivery on Tuesday. As soon as they are all gone from the Lodge we will start our next drive and that will be a tool drive. Last year we saw several pink Martha Steward tool boxes on the ice and we have decide that that is just wrong! So we will be having a tool drive with the goal that no ice fishermen will have to trek out on to the ice of Lake Iwanttobethere with a pink tool box. Down at the public access we will have a drop off box as a matter of fact we will have two boxes one for new tools and another to drop off pink boxes so they will not have to be seen. We will repackage these boxes and send them to, well here is where we need an idea or two as to where we should send them. I am sure we will come up with some place. Perhaps we could return them to Sears?

Del's pizza cannon has been shut down for the winter. Having problem with the skim ice near shore. The pizza's are going airborne when they hit the ice and are not skipping as designed. Several calls of UFO's have been reported but they are just the pizza's spinning out over the lake. Del is experimenting with training otters to drag the pizza's in small sleds. He has them already delving sub sandwiches. Wolfgang was tracking them earlier in the week and was baffled by the tracks and small pieces of tinfoil left behind.

We will be putting up the Lodge's Christmas tree latter in the week and there is already a discussion of what we will be buying our spouses. I don't know what to get my wife as I got her a new dryer last year and it is still in the box. 300' of perfectly good clothes line... The Lodge's tree will be cut from the woods behind the lodge. No fake tree for us here. Decorating is usually an on going thing as we do it with pretzels and beer labels. Sometimes we spear pine cones and using them little drink swords. We used to decorating the tree with old fishing jigs but when Smitty fell into it that one year we had to take him to Doc to get the last few jigs pulled from his behind. Paper is better. We also of course have presents under the tree and we open them at our Lodge Christmas party. Everyone always gets what they want as you buy your own present and keep it under the tree.

Some interest being expressed about our ice fishing house launch. We are still a ways away from that as we need some serious ice to support the houses that we launch. We will of course still be launching the first ten winners from the Pines at the public access. Of course we will be drawing names at the town hall meeting. That will be sometime after Thanksgiving so houses can be prepared. I am thinking about bring out my old section of ice house to be used for the launching this year. Since we are thinking about moving the ice town to the right I might bring that one out. My ice house can be assembled like the space station, in sections. I have a reinforced section with two holes that can be launched safely.

Special Lodge meeting Monday night to celebrate Doc Burriem 74th or so birthday. There has been some talk that he might actually announce his retirement at this affair and that he has been grooming a replacement for his position. He has been spending a few days each week out of town and is very hush hush about what he has been doing. We are going to try and drink in shifts on his birthday to see if we can get him liquored up enough to loosen up and tell us what is going on. I am hoping we can keep Elmer out till we get Doc soften up some and see if Elmer can stay with him. Then again he may never retire, which is not a bad idea either. From Lake Iwanttobethere (7150)

[Bobby Bass]

Woke up pretty late in the day today as we were up to the wee hours of the morning celebrating Doc's birthday. No, we did not find out anything. No one could keep up with the good doctor. The last thing I remember was I was sitting at a weird angle in my chair and Doc was standing by himself near the piano singing Christmas songs. I woke with a terrible back ache and when I sat up straight I managed to remove the wine box that was wedge between me and the chair. It seems that we had to have something to drink for Doc's party and we had some old wine in them boxes that was stacked in the cooler. A Lodge vote was taken that we reduce the said inventory. So we did. Elmer we found out is not a wine drinker and Doc soon had him under the table. As a matter of fact, it did not take Doc to long to pretty much drink everyone under the table and then he started taking nips from his pocket flask. Now I know how he can drive around town in the dead of winter with his windows all down.

Anyway I woke up with Skinny Nelson pulling on my sleeve asking me if I was ready for the interviews. "What interviews are you talking about". Skinny then refreshed my fogged memory about the ice testing interviews that we are going to have today. Seems a few guys read on the town meeting board that we are looking for ice testers and they came to Doc's party and I told them if there was any ice on the bay today they could test. Well there is ice on the bay so Hammering Hank was already down at the public access setting up the bungee cord and has the test log ready. I found my coat and a thermos to fill with coffee and managed to make my way down the Lodge's trail to the landing. There three guys introduced themselves to me but I don't remember there names. I have then written down here somewhere with their release forms. I think they are from the next town down the line and they said they had read about the job and wanted to apply. Hank was rubbing his hands together behind them and kept giving me the thumps up signal.

Ok so I took them over to the log and explain the job to them. Each year we have an annual event where we have a parade through town with every one's ice houses. The parade ends at the public access here in the park. The ten winners of a drawing held at the Town Hall meeting will be launched from the bungee cord you see here. The cord is anchored to the two White pines on shore here and the cord is stretched back with the towns tractor. We then launch the ten houses one by one out on to the frozen waters of Lake Iwanttobethere. It is tradition that the ice town is formed inside the area that the ten houses form. A special award is given to the house that is flung the farthest from the shore. Usually we name a street or something like that. Now the testers job is to sit on this hollowed out log and be shot out on to the lake. We need to find out how far the ice is safe to shoot out houses.. Of course the hard part of the job is you have to drag the test log back to the Pines for repeated flings. Of course sometimes the log makes it past good ice and breaks into the open water, This calls for a certain kind of person to tread water and return the log to the Pines.

The town is willing to go as high as ten dollars a fling and the Lodge will let you drink for free to who ever survives er I mean who ever goes the greatest distance from the Pines. The drinking is for the rest of the day. Hammering Hank will launch the first log empty just to make sure all is well. We stood back to the side as Hank started the tractor and started to stretch the cord out. He was halfway across the parking lot when he stopped and sprayed water on the access to make it a little slick since we did not have any snow cover. He went back to the tractor and hit the release handle, with a WHOSSHHHHH the bungee sprang back towards the lake and the log was sent flying out across the ice, 100, 200 almost 300 yards before it started to slow and then with a bang heard across the lake it broke through the ice only to bob up a moment later. The three guys looked at each other and then at me and the short one said " maybe we can come back next week" Sure, no problem. More time to make ice... Just call me. As I made my way back up the path Skinny and Hank were doing a Rock, Paper, Scissors to find out which of them was going to go out and retrieve the log. From Lake Iwanttobethere (7176)

[Dan Thiem]

B.B.:

Just wondering. Does that log have any history? And who lost the rock paper scissors? And just how did he get it back to the shore?

[Bobby Bass]

Funny you should ask about the log, it does have a log history. The log first came to town on the end of a drag cable from high in the woods above Lake Iwanttobethere. It was first hollowed out and used to age shine from back in the probation era. It was kept in a boat house along the shore and when the feds would come searching it was then shot out on to the ice. A series of baffles were introduced inside of it as bottles would break from the trip on the ice. Of course not all of the beverages were removed from the log and it has given it a special kind of preservative so to speak. This tradition was passed on to the launching of the ice town as once they were some what slow getting the log onto the ice and an explanation had to be found for the curious Feds. Of course the Feds being from the big city had no idea of how ice fishing houses were put on the ice and this worked well until a local was hired by the feds and promised a pension and health benefits for information. After the dental plan was granted for him and his family the secret was revealed and the log was removed from service. Several years ago the founding fathers found the log in the boat house and needing a way to increase tourism and the fact that they had also recovered the bungee cord from the county fair and the launching of the ice town was a working event.

Skinny lost the paper. rock, scissors match and had to retrieve the log. This is a simple yet thrilling ride I am told. Skinny slips into a half a wet suit and then sits on a old plastic high school cafeteria chair. The legs have been removed and a snow saucer attached to the bottom. He then is loaded into the bungee and shot at a reduced pull in the general direction of the log. A simple snap hook connected with some #1000 pound Power Pro to a marlin rod is attached to the chair. When arriving at the log the snap is attached to the log and then chair, log and rider are all pulled in on the Marlin rod. The rider climbs into the log and usually the fumes from the log creates a short term memory loss. Both Hank and Skinny have gotten the log back several times using this method. We have been approached about using this as a ride during winter carnival but we have had some problems with pressure ridges and abrupt stops. Hope that helps Dan, why would you like a ride? from Lake Iwanttobethere (7186)

[Dan Thiem]

I have been known to "test" the ice a few times in my life. As kids we would have to pick up the rock and move it out farther on the thin ice. Then the next kid would have to walk out and pick it up, then set it down farther out. One time we all fell through and had to walk home in a frozen shell of clothing. My Ma had to get a new wooden spoon after that fiascal.

But as for a ride, I think that the cafeteria chair would be fun.

[Bobby Bass]

Dec 9th remember that date... Town meeting held last night, it was at the Lodge as we are doing some remodeling to the Town Hall. As you know the Town Hall doubles as a large fish house and with the new residents and the increase in the towns tax base we are able to spend some money on the Town Hall. I will post later on the remodeling. So we had the meeting at the lodge and it was right after the fishing anonymous meeting. As long as we were already set up for that and most of the same people attended both meetings. The Thanksgiving basket drive was a huge success and several familles were helped out. The Pink tool box drive has started and the donation box has been set up down in the park.

On to more important news. Hammering Hank, Skinny and our newly hired ice tester were successful in launching the test log ten times on Saturday. This information was given to the town board and December 9th was announced as the launching date for this years ice town! It is actually snowing here as I write this so it looks like we will be on schedule as ice is being made.. Now we did do the ice house drawing. The names come from several sources From sign up sheets at the Masterbaiters, Lodge membership rolls and also a telephone book. We also look at building permits issued over the past year. The winners this year are.

Willie Wrenchead

Blaze

The Jones Twins

Skinny

Nytelyter

Dan Theim

Big Earl

The Mpls Couple

Weird Willie

Bobby Bass

With McGurk as our alternate

Congrats to the winners. This of course means that you are in the front of the parade and you are given a special discount at Big Earls general store for any building supplies you need to complete your ice house in time for launching. The distance list is also being added to as we speak as several business have donated to it. The winner of the far est tossed house will receive a free doz minnow a day from the Masterbaiters. A case of spring water from Ma's. A free road right up to your ice house door from the towns plow and more to come. I am sure we will hear from all of the winners in the next few weeks as they find out that they have won the right to be flung!!

On a few other notes here I had an eventful Thanksgiving as I missed both sides of the family dinners as #2 son buried his truck bird hunting north of the lake on a tote road that at the very best called a trail. Took the afternoon to get him pulled out and then the wife's Jeep broke down on the way back out. You didn't think I was going to use my truck did ya! Looks like it was a good time to miss as the daughters new in-laws decide to spend the afternoon caroling and the other side decide to peck on every kid in the family that was not up to there lofty expectations. Somehow cutting down trees and dragging chains through swamp grass was a much more rewarding Thanksgiving.

On an even more serious note I finally got my secret ingredients for my beer in and that was cooked up over the weekend and is now aging nicely. I hope to have the first batch ready for taste testing around Christmas. I am behind this year as I am usually able to have it ready by ice house launch. Since I am a winner I have to get working putting on final touches to my launching section of my ice house. Elmer was actually hoping to win this year and he is already outside in the garage removing some of the added reinforcements that he had added to his house. There is a lot of energy applied to the house during a launching. I hope the new residents who have not seen a launching will be prepared... From Lake Iwanttobethere

(7301)