Fishin report for Lake Iwanttobethere..

[Bobby Bass]

Peatmoss I can't say for sure but the cut off bibs are somewhat of a trade mark of the family. The girls would enter the wet tee shirt contests at Porkies but they kept winning all the time so finally Porky hired them as waitress as it was cheaper to have them work then just giving them money every Friday night. I do believe that Big Jim is a cousin to Hammering Hank here. I thought he said something about a cousin that help him clean out the timber stand in the Mohave desert back in the 60's

[Bobby Bass]

I'm am sitting here having a late supper at the Sundown Cafe and sharing a cold one with the owner Gus. He just got up to wait on a customer so I thought as long as I had my laptop with me I would continue with the story of Lake Iwanttobethere. Just down from the Dew Drop Inn is our office space. A single long narrow building with a wooden sidewalk and a leaking roof. At it's center there still is a railing that you can tie a horse up to. Along this so called office space is where the office of Reed the Realtor hangs his hat. His secretary Mrs. Bodensteiner mans the office when she feels like it. Reed himself can be found in his Lund most of the summer checking out shore property or at the Dew Drop in the evening. Not much of an office, just a old metal desk and a squeaking ceiling fan, there are still travel posters on the wall from the previous tenant. Next to Reed's office is the office of our Doctor, Dr Burriem. Pretty much retired he is but if you need something and he is around then that is where you go. No one can pluck a hook out of an ear better then Doc. A lot of times you will only know that he is in because he still ties his old Chevy by the bumper to the hitching rail, old habits are hard to die. There are a few other business here also but their doors are closed and shuttered till summer. There is a large bulletin board here that want ads and for sale notices are posted. If you want to leave a message for someone and are not into big of a hurry this is where you post them. Hammering Hank has his business card here along with Marc's Towing and Lawn Service. I see Foot's 49' GoFast with the Quad 175 Yamaguchi's 7's is posted for sale here but there is no number to call. Our next building is a really old one, Ma's Resort and Health Spa one of the founding buildings here at Lake Iwanttobethere The Health Spa part was added on in the 60's to make her sound more modern. Ma is still spry at 92 and like most business here she has a bar that she still tends till supper time. She has several rooms for rent but has not had an opening for 30 years as she is booked from repeat business. Of course everyone just calls her Ma and when she speaks you listen. She still rents out boats from her dock and with a look at the sky and a check of the trees to see which way the wind is blowing she can give you a pretty good idea where to go fishing at. She could have retire years ago but she found out that people will pay money for her spring water that she has in her basement. She has a tanker truck come in twice a month and she sells it to a bottler who only caters to rock stars. Well Gus is back with another cold one so it is time to talk about town affairs, I'll have to get back to you. Have a good evening from Lake Iwanttobethere

[Bobby Bass]

Woke up to Robins this morning so I took a walk. Went down by the public access which is going out the north side of town off the first big point. Here you will find the two very large Pines that we use to launch the shanties of Lake Iwanttobethere in the winter. We have a wide easy water access and a fishing pier. Also we have some public camping spots off to the side. This also is the home of our town park and we have a very nice kept softball field here and if I do say so we have a very good church league softball team. We also will play some of the other town's bar teams for a few dollars from time to time. The snow is getting pretty thin here and I am sure Hammering Hank and Marc will be out rolling and getting the field ready. Last year we had Mindy and Cindy at 1st and 2nd No one really wanted to advance to the next base after they got to First base with Cindy, Candy was our pitcher and she creates quite a distraction up there. Jess the paperboy is our shortstop with Dug as our second basemen. In short outfield is Molly and going from left to right is Dusty McMurtry, Marc from Marc's landscaping and Hammering Hank out in right. Wolgang Puck the trapper is our catcher and of course Doc Burriem is the team doctor. He aways looks like he just stepped out of Field of Dreams with that black trench coat of his. During the season Bucky Snaggletooth brings in his mini doughnut cart and sets up in the parking lot. Sundown cafe has their special kettle going with all the beer, brauts and beans you would ever want. Going out from the park is our marina and bait shop. the Masterbaiters, own by Steve and Viki Masters they are 3rd generation baiters. There building is built into the hillside and features several long concrete tanks that hold thousands of minnows and they claim to have never ran out of bait. If you want you can grab a net and dip your own. Down the length of one wall is nothing but every lure you have ever heard of and in every color you have ever dreamed of. Lures you have thought were long gone are here. And I swear any part for my outboard that I have looked for is under his counter. They even have a punch card that every 12 scoop is free. Tell me of anywhere that still does that! But I would stay away from the O Henry candy bars, they are a tad old. You can launch at the access and tie up to one of his docks for a small fee. He also has a fish house for cleaning at no charge. A lot of shanties are stored here in the off season. You can find Hammering Hank here working part time doing repairs or making firewood. Well I think I am going to head into Amy's for breakfast so enjoy the day.. from Lake Iwanttobethere..

[PEATMOSS]

As a young man living down in Cornfield County I had a small landscaping business(an old pickup,wheelbarrow and a few shovels). My m.o. at this time of my life was to do enough landscaping jobs to put a few hundred bucks in my pocket, then head north to Lake Iwanttobethere. I'd stay til I had just enough money for gas to get me back home.This cycle repeated itself for a few years.Much of my time and most of my money was spent at the Dew Drop Inn.Some of the mounts you see on the wall there used to be mine.That is until my bar tab got a little outa hand one time and the owner, I believe it was Fat Bruce at the time,was kind enough to accept a trade for some of my trophy bass.I suspect a good number of the mounts you see there have similar stories.

To me, what makes a bar special are the characters that inhabit it and the Dew Drop Inn has had its' share. Bobby has done a great job of describing most of the current locals , so I'd like to describe one of my favorites from the past.Skinny was a fellow who was aptly named, born somewhere before the turn of the last century, he was one of the original loggers that came to this area.Well into his 90's when I met him, he'd always sit facing the front door and his rusty pickup was parked right out the back. He said this was because there were a couple jealous husbands in the area that might be lookin' for him.Skinny smoked non-filtered Pal Mals from the time he was 8. He drank straight bar rail whiskey and if you bought him one, you'd hear stories you won't read in any history book as well as a few jokes that would make Jenna Jameson blush. When Skinny passed on, a good chunk of living history passed too, but some of the local married men are resting a little easier.

Now that I live in the area, Istill drop in from time to time.I'll even take the family in for dinner occasionally. I'd suggest the ribs. Thy're kinda funny shaped and I doubt they came out of anything that said 'moo' or 'oink'. Sauce is mighty tasty though.Despite being a little smoky, the place is pretty kid friendly before 8pm. My boys like playing that machine where you bowl with a metal hockey puck, If they behave themselves I usually stop by Bucky Snaggletooths booth and buy 'em a bag of mini-donuts for the ride home.Now every Friday, all I hear is "Dad, can we go out to that place with the skinny little bass on the wall?"

[Bobby Bass]

I have not really gotten into the history of Lake Iwanttobethere it does have many ties back into the logging days and of course there are some stories of rum running. Lake Iwanttobethere biggest claim is it's fishing and I suppose that is why most people come here. Tuff to describe when we still have snow on the ground and poor ice on the lake. Soon ice will be a thing of the past and the locals will start heading out for the crappie bite. We usual lite line them in the spring, 10# fireline and 3/8 oz jigs. I know that the general store just got in some 12" dinner plates so you can get at least most of one fillet on a plate. Trouble with fishing for them is those dang spawning Northerners get in on the action and tear your rods up. We still have to wait awhile before they are in season. I remember last Spring when I was fishing off the dock and I had a friend over, we had two 6" bobbers out and hanging under them were 14" suckers with quick strike rigs. Well we were chatting about the meaning of life and if the widow Hess was going to be at the Dew Drop that night when both of the bobbers went down. The rods that we had laying on the dock started to sing and smoke was coming off the guides and line was being ripped from the level line reels. We got to them as both rods were starting to be dragged across the dock heading for the water. We jumped into my friend's Chuck's wood row boat that was along side of the dock just as the line hit the end of both reels. With a lurch we were pulled from the dock and we both heard the twin splash of both oars hitting the water behind us. We stood in the boat and looked at each other then out in the lake as the two big 6" bobbers popped to the top of the surface. We drifted up close until the bobbers banged against the bow. We started to slowly reel and then quicker as we felt no weight on our lines. With our spools full we both leaned back and set the hooks to ....nothing. Just bobbers came flying back at us and our suckers and weights were gone, bitten clean through. So there we drifted, no oars, no bait, no beer. Lucky we did have the stogies that were hanging from our lips. So we did what we normally do on Lake Iwanttobethere, we sat down, talked about women and let the slight breeze take us back to shore. just another day on the waters of lake Iwanttobethere

[Bobby Bass]

Since I mentioned my friend Chuck it reminds me of another story here on Lake Iwanttobethre. When I first moved here I of course set out to explore Lake Iwanttobethere. My Friend Chuck always thought the fishing was better on the next point over and when we got there it had to be better on the next point down from that one. There is a point here that had an old farm on it. We talked around a bit and yes it was a very good point to fish from but from the Lake side it was protected by a large rock pile that you could not get a boat through so the only way to fish it was through the farm. The farm was not much of one anymore but it did still have a few head of cattle running around and there was a report of one old one horn bull that roamed freely. Well one Saturday afternoon we decide to take the girlfriends fishing and Chuck had this hot spot that was sure to impress the gals. Off we went on what was suppose to be a short cut through the farm to fish the point. Well the first problem was when I was last in line and stepped on a wasp nest in the ground. They all stopped and watched in awe as I did my best Ali impression slapping myself at the speed of light as I ran pass them. It did not take but a few seconds for their impressions to start as the 4 of us ran running through the brush, After a 100 yards or so we were out of trouble. I was covered in red marks from slapping wasps and to top it off I had dropped our tackle box back at the nest. We went back and the box was just a swarm of angry wasps. So we popped two of the beers that we had with us and sprayed the tackle box down. That does work and it drove the wasps away from the box, you see we have had trouble before with wasps and beers. So after awhile we make it to the fishing point only to find out that the point is more floating bog then firm shoreline. Chuck's girlfriend starts to complain that she is sinking and can't fish like this, so we set off to find anything that she can stand on. Branches, a washed up piece of plywood a 5 gallon bucket, We didn't get to fish because we had to keep the princess dry. Well after an hour or so we decide this was not the promise land and decide to head back in a straight line to the truck bypassing the wasps. Half way back we found the bull or should I say the bull found us. Well to make the story short after a few close calls and the amazing new speed that only a bull chasing you in the woods can bring we made it to the fence and the road. As we gasped for breath leaning on the truck we discussed what had made the bull so intent on catching us. That is when we noticed that my girlfriend (soon to be wife) had torn her shorts and her bright red panties were clearly visible. Well they had attracted me why wouldn't they work on the bull.. As we got in the truck Chuck said he knew of another point just down the road here on Lake Iwanttobethere. We know which point that is now cuz after we left the pile of stuff we made for the princess all slowly rose from the bog to form a very different kind of totem pole here at Lake Iwanttobethere

[Bobby Bass]

A little under the weather here today as it looks like I am coming down with a Spring cold. Guess it was not the time to be out in shorts and a tee shirt in the rain yesterday. But this now gives me some time to review some of the correct nautical terms that we use here on the water of Lake Iwanttobethere so here is just a few.

ABOARD- A piece of lumber that may be used to repair your boat.

ADRIFT- A method of moving across the water when nothing on your boat works.

ASTERN- A type of look that your wife gives you when you attempt to buy things for your boat.

CAPSIZE- They ask you this when buying a cap or hat.

GPS- a device that allows you to navigate out of the sight of landmarks before the batteries expire.

HULL- famous father and son hockey players.

LINE- what you feed your spouse in order to obtain funding for your boat.

PORT- What you drink on a boat.

SAILBOAT RACES- Two or more sailboats headed in the same direction.

TOPSIDES- the part of the boat that is not in the water.

If you have any more just add to the ones here I am sure every lake has a few. Snow is all but gone now which leaves a lot of surprises in the yard. From tools and toys to what large dogs and 500# of dog food over the winter can to do your yard. Time to start making that real man lists of Honey do chores. Oil changes on the trucks, cleaning out the work shed and oil changes and buying gas for chainsaw, chipper, lawn tractor, lawn mower, edger, blower, hedge cutter. Tarp off the boat, charging batteries, washing hull down wax, touch up painting. Air the tires, replacement batteries for the hand held, check tackle boxes, make up tackle orders, pick up fishing license new sticker on the boat check trailer lights, .... Gee I need a rest already. It's just work making out the list, I better add that to my list.. Make out list.. there that's done for now. Well have a good day from Lake Iwanttobethere I'm going to head on down to the shore and lite up a cigar and watch some ice melt. Smelt run soon...

[MedicDan]

Is there really any point to this thread? I wish I had this much time.....

[nytelyter]

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Is there really any point to this thread? I wish I had this much time.....

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i am sorry to see this post has wasted your time. but i for one was not holding your hand making you stay here to read it. what i can tell you is that i and many others, look for this post first. to see if bobby has posted any updates on this wonderful lake. maybe your date with mindy and mandy didnt go as well for you as it has for others. (smiles) that being said. anyone else with a problem or complaint about this post. can go to the complaint desk located on the second floor. i have said it before and will say it again. bobby, please do keep us up to date on the lake's latest news. .... paul

[Dan Thiem]

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i have said it before and will say it again. bobby, please do keep us up to date on the lake's latest news.

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I'll second that Paul. Keep up the excellent work Bobby! Very enjoyable reading. Thanks, Dan.

[Bobby Bass]

O-O not the complaint desk!! by wife used to work there and I know first hand what can happen there... I want to thank you for your support, I will admit to having second thoughts after seeing some negative comments about Lake Iwanttobethere. I suppose I could be doing something else with my time, watching TV, flying paper airplanes or maybe even studying law. But Lake Iwanttobethere pretty much writes itself so the few minutes that I spend is well spent if even one other person reads it. I think Foot and I could have had a really good never ending story here but he has gone ahead to do some scouting for the rest of us. I'm sure that with open water coming soon the stories will become fewer but I hope even more interesting as there are a lot of people here at Lake Iwanttobethere and as we know everyone has a story to tell. Almost time to head to the Town Hall for the Swedish Meatball dinner that will be held today from noon till 4 or 11 to 3 if you did not move your clocks ahead. Mindy and Mandy will be there to assist with serving Hard rolls and what ever else comes up. It is a

" bring your own" dinner but for lack of a better name we call it the Swedish meatball, anyway you get the idea. That why we don't charge anything. After the dinner we will be putting up the smelt tent just up from the landing in the town park. Will not be to long now and we will see them little buggers working there way along the banks and we get quite a few out of townees to come in and do a little dipping and some smelting to. A real fair attitude around here with the bonfires and all the resort bars do real well. Of course some of them college kids show up and they do that biting of the head on a dare thing. From what I hear they don't have that down in Da-Luth anymore. I have even heard it been said that they fish for smelt with a hook and line like they do out East. That's just not right. Well have a good afternoon from Lake Iwanttobethere the rain is washing all the [PoorWordUsage] to the neighbors lot

[Bobby Bass]

With the coming of open water I was just sitting here going over some of the informational pamphlets that we have here for the tourist who come and visit us here at Lake Iwanttobethere and I thought that I would share some of the high or perhaps low points in them. When camping at Lake Iwanttobethere the guitar of the noisy teenager at the next campsite makes an excellent kindling source. Bear bells provide an element of safety for hikers here but the tricky part is getting the bears to wear them. Always wear long sleeves shirts when camping, this gives you some where to wipe your nose. Lint from your belly button can be used as a handy fire starter. Bear eat all your food? Get even by driving over his favorite stump and eating all the ants. Remember that Deep Woods Off is not a substitute for deodorant. When looking for a fishing guide think twice about the guide who keeps an open engine manual next to him. Also the guide who yells at the top off his lungs as he pushes the throttle down heading for the closes beaver dam to jump. Also if he boasts he has not sunk his boat even once this year. If he spends more then a few minutes talking about his alien abduction and if he starts to get into the medical testing. Also when you are here you should give a little thought to taking the little woman out to our local dinners and bars. We strongly recommend that you do not enter her in any mud-wrestling contests with out first asking. If you don't really know what is on the menu, please ask, it will save us clean up time later. Remember when you are at Lake Iwanttobethere you are never lost. You are always right where you are. On a side note here kind of steer clear from Earl he is one of our guides that a lot of the things in the pamphlets are kind of written about. He is harmless as long as he stays on dry land, his wife who dresses up and looks a lot like Kathy Lee thinks she is his cruise director. Just nod and ask which way to the Love Boat and you will be OK. Really there are a lot of nice people here at Lake Iwanttobethre, but in all fairness we should mention a few of the others. Every town has one or two... Or three well maybe four but the hospital was closed down and that was a long time ago...

[MedicDan]

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I suppose I could be doing something else with my time, watching TV, flying paper airplanes or maybe even studying law.

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You study law or something Bobby Bass?

I am not complaining either, I just wish I could do something like this, but my time is usually else where right now. I just really don't have the time, but I find it very funny and entertaining. I read it whenever I come on here.

[Bobby Bass]

An eventful day today as I had to work a few hours this morning then did a little shopping and just now am settling in to read this months issue of fishing New Zealand. There is a lot to be said for reading other fishing magazines from around the world. Some where there is always open water and the trick is to pick up on their tricks and use them back here at Lake Iwanttobethere. Today I was fishing er I mean I was shopping with my oldest daughter at Sam's Club. As we entered she gave me a cell phone to hold on to. About a minute later the phone rang and I answered it. "Hello" Hi Dad, "where are you" I asked. " I took a left at the computer software and I will meet you down by the produce" then a click as she hung up. I had not been in the store a minute and I had already lost my daughter, but still had a shopping cart and a cell phone to keep track of her. That is the way shopping is now a days. I would be fine if Sam's just had a sporting goods dept. I would hide out there till the call came to go to the checkouts. In the old days I would lose my family in like Target or K-Mart and just wander the isles putting out bird whistles, slowly one by one I would get my flock back together again. Now I have to wait for a phone call. So I picked up a few things, a case of pizza rolls, 4 doz. Cloth towels, a 10# can of peanuts and now I am all set to sit back and enjoy my reading. Nothing to report on the Smelt as of yet, They will get here when they do I guess. The tent is up and you can smell the oil drifting across the lake as they preheat the pot just in case something happens tonight. But pretty windy out and it has blown the ice back in towards shore. Nothing to due down there but watch Mindy and Mandy try to hold table cloths down and how long can you watch a pretty gal bent over a table any way? About 5 hrs in my case... Well have a good evening I need to get to my reading.

[Bobby Bass]

Today I am going to showcase one of Lake Iwanttobethere's own. Doug from Dug's garage. Doug is a local boy who everyone around these parts knows. People knew at 5 he was going to be one of those kind of guys. He would spend his time laying in bed looking through manuals and parts books. He went from a big wheel to riding lawn mowers before he was 8 by 10 he was building snowmobiles from scrap ones. By 15 it was dune buggies here in the land of snow. 16 his attention turned to outboard motors and old boats. When he graduated from high school it was building the best demo car in the county. He went to work for one of the big boys turning nuts for three years till he came back to Lake Iwanttobethere and open his own shop. It was called Doug's but the o burnt out and now it just goes by Dug's People bring in their motors in boxes, dump them on the bench and as Dug chats away he takes a mess of parts and returns it into a working motor. Of course a test drive is in order on anything that he fixes and or breaks again. But everything leaves the shop running. With the Internet he can get any part and I think he does it more for the discount so he can keep working on his own toys. There is no such thing as a bad part, everything has a use. It might not be for the machine that it came from but it might find it's way on something else. The sheriff just nods when they pass each other, cuz Dug has helped him out more then once. Not to many like Dug anymore in this world of stamped out parts. Someone who can actually fix something. So if your break down here at Lake Iwanttobethere we have the guy who can get you and your toys working again and back on the water or road. I will vouch for him as he is my # 2 son Have a good day here from Lake Iwanttobethere

[Bobby Bass]

Well two sunny days in a row sure bring people out of their cabins. Kind of like bears climbing out of their dens. I have seen people scratching around their yards that I have not seen for months. Before fishing season starts there is another season that will be in full swing and that is the yard sales. Already I have seen a few pick up trucks go by heading out with treasures collected over the winter or in some cases over the years. Something how if you hold on to something long enough it will come back in style, in some case maybe even two or three time if you hold on to it long enough. There are a couple of beachcombers here who have the same Levi jeans on that the had on 30 years ago. Worth ten times what they paid for them new. Just think if you still had that first McDonadls cheeseburger that you bought what it would be worth now.. Heck the cheese would still be good to eat. Right around Easter the first yard sales will start. Our resident artist will be set up in the park with his black velvet paintings of Elvis and his assortment of hand carved figurine's from the jaws of Northerns. He sells a lot of pottery, people think it is really old cuz it is stamped 1951 on the bottom but he told me that is the name of his company so he can stay legal like. Hammering Hank has bundles of wood in them nylon bags all stacked and waiting for the Smelters to show up. He has them filled with gopher wood so as soon as you light them you need to go for some more. Reed the Realtor will be working the shoreline passing out cards and shaking hands. Few cabins have open up and he is looking to sell some so he can sit back in his Lund the rest of the summer. Mpls people are looking to replace that dock they launched out into the lake last fall. Talking about a floating one so that should be another good place to look for sunnies once they get it out. Hammering Hank was trying to roll the softball field but got himself stuck. Dug came over and using an interesting assortment of pulleys and ropes and the two big Pines managed to remove Hank and the roller from the field with just a small trace of the skin off Hanks back. Business has picked up at the Masterbaiters Bait shop this week also. As several of the local are in picking up orders and checking out what is new. I have my 72 Shusters lures on consignment there so I am hoping to make a few dollars off their sale. As you can see kind of like the calm before the storm here at lake I Wanttobethere. Things are picking up, getting busy. As soon as the ice is out and the Smelt are running we will be a happening place. Loopers will be moving in to and don't forget the Steel head. We used to have a real good run of Lead heads before they past the law. So put us on your calendar for a visit, no one ever gets skunked here, you just run out of time.

[Bobby Bass]

Woke up this morning with a very bad neck crick, you know the kind you get from sleeping wrong. You would think that after sleeping every night of my life that I would by now know how to sleep. So I set off to Dr. Burieum's office for some relief. After explaining my problem to him he gave me a couple of pills and of course gave me some of that old medical wisdom of his " don't sleep like that" Well I took the pills, toss them back and about died as I tipped my head back for a moment forgetting why I was there but getting reminded with the stabbing pain through my neck. Out the door I went, I didn't take more then a step when Reed the Realtor slapped me on the back with a jolly "good Morning" As my eyes rolled to the back of my head he looked at me and asked what the problem was. After filling him in he grabbed my arm and guided me into the Dew Drop Inn. Setting me at the bar he ordered me a frosty beer and a shot. Putting the frosty beer glass against the side of my neck and sipping at the shot helped ease the pain to a low throb. Mandy was tending the Inn today as Gus had the day off. Since I could not raise my head I could not look Mandy in the face but Reed explain my discomfort. She was understandable as I just stared away. By the way what is with the word discomfort? Dr. Burriem asked me what my level of discomforted was. When I dropped the trailer tongue from my boat on my foot the emergency room doctor asked me what my level of discomfort was. You go to the dentist with a toothache and they ask what your level of discomfort is. Well it hurts! what the heck do you think my level of discomfort is. How about when the dentist says " you might feel a little pinch here " as he puts the needle through the roof of your mouth to poke your eye out.

After a few shots I was feeling better but light headed so I decide I should get some breakfast. I managed to travel down the street to Amy's I don't think I have mentioned Amy's other then in passing. Amy's is a bakery/deli here at Lake Iwanttobethere, she caters to the fishermen and she is one herself. Her shop is only open from 5 am till 3 pm after that she goes fishing. She does with out a doubt make the finest sandwiches in the county. Before Subway there was Amy's She makes all her own bread, white, wheat, rye, French huge Kaiser sandwich rolls and of course donuts and turnovers. The thing is she also makes Prime Rib, Roast Beef, Turkey, Chicken, Ham, plate size pasties and pot pies and is the home of the 1.99 loose meat sandwich specials. One day her Deli meat saw broke and all she had was a 10" chop saw in the back that Hammering Hank had left. So she started cutting her meat with that, Not being a wasteful person she cleaned up the shredded meat and put it in a pan. Hammering Hank came by for his saw and made himself a sandwich out of the mixed meat, well the rest is history. If you can get a sandwich when she has made a lot of Prime Rib sandwiches its' outstanding. Anyway what she does is she will cut your meat to the size you want, none of this thin sliced ham or beef. You can get a nice ¾ thick slice or I have even gotten some an inch and a half thick. Covered in your fixings. Call ahead and she will have them ready for you to pick up. From noon till 2 she serves Pot Pies and Pasties, one will fill you for the day or feed a tourist's family of four. Just a small little shop but always cozy with the smell of hot bread and sizzling meat. I take a seat and try and relax my neck. As a matter of fact I even feel a little better and maybe I'll just continue this later. I see the donuts are coming out of the oven.

[Bobby Bass]

Looks pretty nice out there today, nice and sunny, then you walk out the door into the cold wind and mid 30's Was out cleaning things up in the greenhouse, mid 80's in there but it will still be awhile before I start anything. Out here you have to plant three times what you plan on harvesting. One part for you and 2 parts for the wild life. Was daydreaming about one of my favorite places here on Lake Iwanttobethere. I have a little hidden spot that I keep as a secret with just myself. It's an early season bass hot spot and it is not on the north end of the lake but is hidden away on the south side. There is a floating bog that not many if anyone tries to fish. Well several years ago I was working on my outboard not paying to much attention and I rammed a section of the bog. And guess what, when I hit it with the bow of the boat it pushed it open. There was a narrow channel perhaps 10' behind the floating bog. I dropped the trolling motor and in I went. I was not in 20' or so and the current closed the floating bog back behind me. Unless you stood up in the boat you could not see Lake Iwanttobethere. It was like or I should say it is like my own lost world. Early in the season there are just a few small pads starting to come up, later you will not be able to get pass the narrow pass as it grows in very thickly. After about 100 yards or so it opens up into my own little private 5 acre lake. The water is 3-4 feet deep on the entrance side and then it gets perhaps 10 feet deep on the bank where there several down trees. Once you make it in it is easy to spend the day poking around all the spots. My first time in I got a few decent fish but I lost so many, it was like someone was dropping bowling balls around me. My 2nd time back was on for the books.

I jumped in the Puddle Humper and took off for my new special spot, as I came around the point there was another boat just off my floating bog, I thought my secret was no secret no more but after a few moments they moved on down the shoreline. As soon as they were out of sight I gunned my motor and rammed the bog, the bog slowly open up and I poled by way in. The bog closed just as the other boat came back around the point. I sat in my boat and I could hear the two other fishermen talk about how they had just seen me here and were wondering where I had disappeared to. That confirmed it for me, I had this place all to myself. I slowly started to ease down the narrows tossing a Spook out in front of me, I saw a few large wakes head out away from me into the lake. I slowed down to a crawl and eased into the lake and came to a stop.. I waited for things to quiet down. Looking back towards the main lake I saw A bump in the water, no more of a hump and it was moving towards me, as I watched the hump became more like a small wave heck it was like a wake. Coming faster and faster towards me, The sides of the wake was making a little wave that was washing up on the shore on both sides of the narrow entrance. I stood up to get a better look and was getting ready to cast when I saw the quick flash of white just below the water as what ever it was surged past me in to the little lake. I tossed the spook out in front of it and was rewarded with a boil and then nothing. After a moment the water settle back down and it was calm again. About this time my heart caught up with the rest of me and I sat down. What ever it was it was big. A few minutes later a loon popped up down the shoreline, where there you have it, I thought I just saw a loon swimming in and of course that big white belly I saw was the belly of the loon. I took off my cap and rubbed my forehead and thought out loud that was just plain dump on my part. So I got back to fishing, a few nice bass I caught that evening but like always I lost more then I caught. It was getting late, the peepers were starting to talk and it was time to get back out. I line up the puddle humper with the channel and started to ease my way out. I saw the loon down the shoreline by this big willow that was hanging down into the water. I gave him or her a wave and thanks for the cheap thrill of earlier. As I turned back towards the narrows a huge splash shook the backwaters where the loon was. I looked back to see a big ring spreading out over the pool and a feather float to the top, As I stood and watched a bow wave started heading in my direction, it came up from behind me, passed me and continue up to the floating bog to disappear against the floating mat. All I saw was a flash of white as it went by. I waited for the loon to surface, it never did. I just had my second encounter with MR. BIG

[Bobby Bass]

Had the shakes this morning, I think you can relate. Another day of sunshine and temps are in the high 50's and it is not even mid afternoon yet. My friend Chuck came by this morning and we sat on the deck looking out at Lake Iwanttobethere and we both just started to get the shakes. Yup we looked at each other and headed to the boat house. As soon as we got inside the shakes got even worse. Reaching up to the ceiling I grabbed a rod and I started to settle down. Chuck having a hard time seeing me as he was vibrating reached up with both hands to settle himself down by grabbing a short fiberglass rod. We stood and looked at each other and as friends who have known each other forever we both made the decision at the same time. Sucker fishing time! Lake Iwanttobethere as you know has a variety of fishing opportunities and Spring Sucker fishing is one of them. Later we would fish for suckers to use as Northern or Musky bait but right now we were looking for a pull on the end of our line. We jumped in the reliant wagon, my do all car for around Lake Iwanttobethere. I am not five minuets away from Mystery Creek In 4 minutes we were there. Armed with heavy 5' fiberglass rods that have to be 30 years old and a secret bait we slid down the shoreline to get under the bridge where the access road crosses Mystery Creek. The water was high and no footing to speak of, we have done this many times in the past that is why we use the 5 foot rods, not much casting room under the bridge. First drift brought a bump and with a stiff hook set I was in business, after a minute fight I had a 2 pound sucker at my fingertips. A quick release and I was making another drift. Feeling better I looked up to see Chuck doing battle with a big female, hanging from a girder by one hand he was trying to work his fish around a tree trunk that was jammed up against the bank. Ahh what memories, I have been under this bridge fishing in the Spring since I was a little lad. Brings back many good memories and only one bad one. When I was in my early 20's Chuck and I had the shakes but it was a long winter and lot's of snow had fallen. The runoff was in full swing and the old Mystery Creek was high in her banks. We could not get under the bridge to fish but I had just bought this new little 12' Jon Boat and we looked at each other with the same thought. Float Trip! Well we dragged the Jon boat to the shoreline of the creek grabbed our rods and we were in, Drifting was out of the question it was more like shooting a Colorado river rapids. Laughing like the young lads we were fishing became a 2nd thought as we shot around bends bouncing off ice covered banks and having locals pointing at us and yelling something we could not make out. We hit the bend and then came out like a NASCAR driver into the straight stretch before the bridge. That is when we started to do some mental math in our heads. The water was up high and the bridge looked pretty low. With a deer in the head light look at each other there was growing doubt if we were going to make the bridge. As we got closer the bridge got lower, With no where to go we headed for the bridge." Duck! " We both yelled at the same time. As we were swept under the bridge, laying in the boat, the oar locks scraping the girders as we were pushed with that current under the bridge. We started laughing away as we emerged from the other side and continue on our way down the creek to the open waters of Lake Iwanttobethere with our oars floating on ahead of us.

[pineyeye]

Might be a stupid question but is this real? (lake iwantobethere)

[nytelyter]

no such thing as a stupid question just stupid answers. heheheh. this lake exsists in all of our minds and hearts. and i very willingly thank bobby (and foot) for the memories it stirs. ... paul

[Bobby Bass]

The Lodge- Was at the lodge today, it's close to the 10th of the month and we have to test our civil defense siren that we have mounted on the roof. It is an old hand crank one so there is usually a discussion as to who will go up on the roof and crank the handle. By right it should be Foot as he was the last new member to our lodge but he must have knew what would be in store for him. During the summer we have a fake raffle at the Dew Drop and get some tourist to do it for us. Somehow I got the nod to do it but I remember that we had an emergency way of doing it that unless you are a charter member like myself you would not know. So I went into the attic and moved the Two Harbors chicken from it's hiding spot and reach up through the crack and managed to turn the hand crank from there. No climbing and falling off the roof or me!

Since we were there it was also time to open the Lodge for the season. The Lodge has a long history here on Lake Iwantobethere. The only time women are allowed is when a town hall meeting is held or if someone rents it out for a wedding. So since we were all here we got the leaf blower out and open the windows taking the winter shutters down and kind of blew the place out. Mouse traps were emptied and re baited. Bottles on the back bar were re labeled to reflect the new age of the liquor inside them. There is rain in the forecast so furniture has been placed out on the lawn for cleaning. Hammering Hank has volunteered to stay till it starts to rain so he can use the garden sprayer to soap things down. Also he located a case of out dated beer to keep company with. I know you are picturing some old log building all dark and full of smoke smell with a big rock covered fireplace in the main room with a bunch of heavy back chairs and sturdy tables that you could work on a 318 if you had to. The walls would be covered in trophies from members, Deer, Elk, Moose a lot of ducks and geese flying everywhere. The fish wall with mounts with everything that Lake Iwanttobethere has to offer. Happy the full size black bear who meets you at the door and you would be right that is exactly how it looks. Right down to the 30' cherry bar with full length mirror that is usually only cleaned by the ladies when we have a wedding.

If all works well I will be back late this evening to sit in a wicker chair and watch the rain fall from the Lodge's wrap around porch. Of course I will be working as someone has to note leaks in the roof. The 16th will be our first Silent Sunday which will also work out well since it is Easter Sunday also. I'll explain.. Easter Sunday weekend is the big yard sale weekend here, the women pretty much take over town, the men are just around to make sure NOTHING GOOD is put out for sale with out our knowledge. Saturday night is lodge night and every Sunday is Silent Sunday there is no talking allowed in the lodge all day Sunday. Since there a lot of hangovers this works well. Besides here at Lake Iwanttobethere you can have a entire conversation with just a nod. Also makes a place to hide out on Easter since you can't answer the phone, just pick up and listen. Well I need to head back now I have been requested to check the shed for sale items or my wife said she will do it for me, heck it is just filled with good stuff!

[Bobby Bass]

Quote:

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Might be a stupid question but is this real? (lake iwantobethere)

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I think you have been here, on the lake that is. We have a few bays that you might have heard about and fished. Murphy Bay, Elliot Bay, Rose Bay, Elora Bay they are all down on the north end of

Lake Iwanttobethere

[Bobby Bass]

Was all set here for a nice big spring thunderstorm and we just got a few sprinkles, and a few brief lightning strikes in the clouds. I ducked in to the Masterbaiters bait shop to chat with Vicki hoping to enjoy the storm. From time to time I come down and help out, keeps me in bait and gets me first peek at new lures when they come in. Of course standing in the doorway with the sound of rain and the hum of the bait tanks behind me brings back a few memories. Like the time when I did a road trip to Brainerd to pick up an order of nightcrawlers. The truck was in the shop so I took the trusty Duster to pick up 15,000 crawlers, 30 flats I stuffed in the trunk. After a few stops I made it home to discover a problem. Seems that unlike the truck with the topper on it the Duster's trunk is pretty dark when the lid is down. I open the trunk to find a lot of night crawlers had gone on a tour of the trunk. There were night crawlers everywhere and I mean everywhere, they were in the tread of the spare tire, under the carpet in the tool box and as I was to find out later they had crawled into the back seat and under the carpet to the floor mats. I found this out when my wife (who the Duster really belongs to) called me from work. Seems she had parked in the sun and when she went to come home from work there were crawlers on her seat and a new aroma in the Duster.....another time I was in the basement of the lodge, Several of us would buy leeches in bulk then store them in the Lodge's walk in cooler. After the crawler thing I was not allowed around bait at home for awhile. Well this was when the gals were allowed to use the Lodge. Several of the gals had gotten together and were having a Tupperware/ talk about their husbands/boyfriends party. My nephew who was five at the time was dragged to the affair. I rescued the young lad and brought him down to the cooler to help me package up some leeches. The idea was for us to sneak out the back door and go fishing.. Well I grabbed a Styrofoam cooler with about 4 pounds of leeches in it and showed the young lad how to transfer a few dozen to a Tupperware container. That might have been why the wife was at the party cuz I was always finding a good use for the containers. Anyway I got in a hurry and without thinking as I was talking to the nephew I just jammed the cooler back into the rack of the big walk in cooler except I was about two inches low and I shaved off the bottom of the cooler... 4 pounds of leeches and a couple gallons of water were now all over the cooler floor. My nephew freaked, so by the time I calmed him down and showed him that they just come right off his bare feet he was OK after a while he started to help pick them up off the floor. In no time it became kind of a contest to see how many he could get to stick to his hands and feet. He did look kind of cute with that big one on his nose. Being a kid myself I dared him to stick his hands into the cooler to see how many he could stick to him at one time and that maybe he should go and show his mom...With that he held his arms in the cooler and then took off running to the Tupperware party before I could stop him.. It was 10 no 11 seconds later that I heard the first scream followed by the first slamming of the Lodge's screen door. Thinking back that might have been the last gathering of ladies at the lodge.

[Dan Thiem]

Thanks Bobby for more of your excellent writings. I do enjoy going to Iwanttobethere via your writings. So please keep on giving us updates and letting us know how things are at Lake Iwanttobethere.