Fishin report for Lake Iwanttobethere..

reinhard1 · August 6, 2011

great read!! hopefully duncan doesn't swallow one of those rocks. yea, just waiting for the internal temp of the 25 pounds of venison summer to reach 170 and in the mean time getting to make some baby backs. my wife took the grand kids to church a little while ago. with all the turmoil around the world life is pretty good at my house. dont want much, dont need much, and a great wife and family and that's about as good as it gets. good luck.

Bobby Bass · August 7, 2011

So easy to write stories in the summer then in the middle of winter. Just so much going on and everything seems to be so much more alive. In the winter you scan the white snowscape looking for a flash of movement and come summer you search the same spot for a moment of quiet. Ice cover creeks are now tumbling little rivers with their own waterfalls. Small minnows dart along the bottom of pea size rocks which must seem like boulders to them. Wood peckers bang away at trees and blue jays pick fights at the feeders. Geese with babies as big as they are now patrol the beach and move up onto the lawn to dare someone to move them.

Winds are welcome as they bring smells from distance fields, fresh cut hay and the mooing of cows. Drives along back roads let you catch the glimpse of horses and colts prancing in fields. Deer disappearing into long waving rows of corn, the tassels bending in the breeze. Tractors sit in fields at lunch time, unattended except for a crow or two on the roof looking for someone or something to bother. Kids ride in two and threes down the center of dusty roads, they move to the side when they hear you coming. Rods across handlebars and small tackleboxs lashed to fenders they head to the best fishing spots in the county.

Fresh hot bread cooling in the window, raspberry jams slapped on old bread just out of the toaster. Basket of eggs plucked from the hen house just minutes ago and ham waiting to go into the oven for supper sandwiches. Walks to the dock and a frisky minnow hanging under a bobber just a lazy cast out into the blue waters of Lake Iwanttobethere. Ice cold watermelon so sweet you swear it is the best you ever had drips on your shirt but you don't care. Summer at the lake, pretty hard to beat from Lake Iwanttobethere {391,190}

Bobby Bass · August 9, 2011

Rain, when someone mentions that word I usually look skyward to see if any is coming. Looking at the sky to tell if it is going to rain or not has become a lost art. Now a days you just click a few times on the mouse and you have a radar map right in front of you on your computer. Phones have apps and users sit in their boats and watch the weather channel or keep up on sporting events. No one is worried about getting lost anymore as they have their phones and their GPS. All they need do is make sure their batteries are charged and they are good to go where they have never gone before. So yesterday getting caught in the rain was refreshing in more than one way.

When we pulled out from Elmer's dock in his old wooded row boat we looked skyward and saw a few clouds but nothing that was going to make us change our minds. Pulling on the old air cooled Clinton Elmer gave up on getting it started, figuring it was a fouled plug. So instead I placed oars into locks and dipped them into the calm water and with Elmer tapping the side of the wood boat with the toe of his boot I rowed. Like a lowly pirates mate I rowed to the cadence of Elmer's tapping boot. Until I stopped, and told him it was his turn! The old boat slipped to a stop and the small vee waves from the boat were soon swallowed by Lilly pads. Elmer announced "This looks good right here"

The weathered wood box at Elmer's feet was open and the ten transistor radio was taken out, antenna pulled up and turned on. It was already set to the station where tonight's ball game was to be announced, which was good since the dial had broken off a few years ago. A bait box was taken out and inside were a few small frogs that Elmer had paid a neighbor kid a quarter each to catch. Elmer being Elmer tossed one in my direction and chuckled as I scrambled to catch the little bugger in the boat before he could make his escape. Hook was introduced to frog and both were tossed in the direction of a promising section of mixed reeds and pads. We sat and watched and usually if you are on fish the frog is gone quickly, if not you have some waiting to do and so we did, wait that is.

I heard the first rumble and passed it off as Elmer's stomach, He had been into the crackers and little sardines that he keeps in the old wood box. The second rumble was a little closer and when I looked back to say something to Elmer he was zipping up his rain coat. Reaching into my day pack I took out my rain coat and my rolled up wide brim hat. I just got the hat on and the raincoat zipped when the first drop hit the boat. Looking over Elmer's shoulder I could see the rain marching across the lake and the sound of splashing water was getting a roaring sound to it. I tugged the hat down tighter on to my ears and put my cigar between my lips and out of the falling rain.

The first rain was no biggie, lasted five minutes or so and when it went by Elmer's open the lid to the box and took the radio back out and a coffee can. The radio he held the coffee can he gave to me to bail with. The next rain came with hail, small pea size stuff that fell like candy from a spilled dish. A few bounced off the oars and hit me under the chin, They stung a little if they hit a spot with nothing to block them. With Elmer bailing I started rowing but now we were headed to an empty boat house close by. Making it under the canopy we tied the anchor rope to the dock and waited the storm out. We were wet, but we were not complaining. I could see Elmer smiling and wiping the water from his face, He leans toward me and says " Did I ever tell you the time when I was ten and we got caught in this big thunderstorm".... From Lake Iwanttobethere {396,228}

Bobby Bass · August 12, 2011

Clearing an area for the new shed yesterday so I spent the day outside working. Sunny day but I was in the shade for the most part as the new shed will be under the protection of some tall cedars. Fire pit had a fire burning most of the day as we cleared some brush and burned small branches from the cedars. Come late afternoon we made supper over the fire, a hobo dinner my daughter likes to call it. We cubed up some tatters, added some sliced sausages and a few strips of bacon along with onions, butter and salt and pepper. Rolling it all in tinfoil we set it off to the side of the flames and on the hot coals. As someone would walk by the fire we would turn the packets and after about an hour or so we added some corn on the cob that we had soaking in a bucket to the coals and pulled a few cold beers from the freezer that we were chilling.

Might have cooked the dinner a little long as there was a few charred tatters but when you cook outside no one seems to complain to much about the outcome. We sat on big pieces of maple that are scattered around the fire pit just for that reason and the meal with the beer tasted just fine. As we licked our fingers and tried to hold on to the hot corn we talked about the plans for the shed. Already we were making changes as nothing ever goes according to plan. A few of the cedars will have to come down as we will be redoing the fence and once the shed is up there will be no place to fall the trees. Looks like more cedar tops to burn and we will save that for evenings around the fire pit, they work great keeping the bugs away.

With tools away we sat around the fire as darkness crept in around us. Happening quick with the now overcast sky. Flames from the fire pit were reflected from the walls of the cabin and even though I hate to say they were dancing. I don't know a better way to describe the shadows on the side of the cabin. The cedar cracked and pop and every once and a while a spark would drift upwards like a firefly before going out. A little breeze was blowing, just enough to make the smoke from the fire follow you around. The leaves made that soft backgrounds noise as the rustle against each other. We were talking in quiet voices because that is how you talk around a fire. Crickets joined in and we stopped to listen. Funny how we don't notice them unless we are listening for them, We stopped talking and cocked our heads.

A frog, then another and the game was on. When the kids were young we would sit on the dock and listen, a game was made out of it as to who could hear the most sounds. Some nights were better than others and some nights we might have thought we heard more than what we did. Of course the call of the Loon was easy and the hoot of an owl was a bonus. Now that she is much older the cold beer in her hand seems to have done wonders for her hearing or maybe her imagination. Elmer came over and helping himself to a cold Hamms from the metal bucket filled with ice, he found a spot at the picnic table to sit down and lean back into. " Missed supper" I see "Missed cutting brush to" I answered. With that we both took a sip from our beers.

Darkness settle in around us and I looked at the hands on the big clock hanging on the wall next to the bass thermometer, nine o'clock, we are losing summer here. Does not seem that long ago when it was still a little light out at ten and now you can't see out past the end of the dock. I tossed a few logs onto the fire and settled in to enjoy the new flames, I heard a hoot and softly called out Owl! Elmer said "Who you calling a coot?" From Lake Iwanttobethere {401,803} wow 400k Thanks for reading Bobby

Bobby Bass · August 14, 2011

Sunday here at Lake Iwanttobethere and it looks like it will be a quiet one. Got up kind of early for me and spent time on the deck reading the Lake Iwanttobethere Gazette and cutting a few coupons. Drives the wife batty when I cut coupons before she can get to them. Cutting coupons is a chore when you do it left handed, scissors don't seem to work right. Yesterday afternoon I got mixed up in my own feet and took a tumble down the front porch stairs. Was doing fine till I hit the bottom which is what usually happens when you take a spill. So I ended my fall by ramming my shoulder into the bottom 4x4 post and rolled off onto the sidewalk. Duncan was there to lick my face so I don't know if it was him I tripped on. For now I am blaming myself so I don't get the pup in trouble with the wife.

The rest of the afternoon was spent with an ice pack on the shoulder and a Hamms. The wife being a nurse gave me no sympathy at all other then telling me I should drive in and see Doc Burriem and get an x-ray. She dropped me off then went to the Knitting House for some yarn. Didn't break anything so she told me I have forty-eight hours to get back to the Honey Do List and I swear she swerved to hit every pot hole on the way back to the cabin. So I am sitting on the deck explaining to Elmer who came over when he heard the top come off the bottle of Hamms what happen. He helped himself to a beer and started to tell me about how he took a tumble when he was ten when we were interrupted by the sound of a pontoon entering our little quiet bay.

A big pontoon with all the chairs missing came roaring into the bay and we could just make out that it was our fellow Lodge member Nytelyter at the helm. Without a glance in our direction he was headed straight for Elmer's dock before swerving and turning back out towards the Lilly pad field. Another course adjustment and now he was backing towards Chucks. I held my hand over my eye and winced with pain. I had my Hamms in the good hand and made the mistake of putting the hand connected to the bad shoulder up. Elmer just looked at me and said "Cry Baby" I switched the bottle to the other hand and now I could shade my eyes to see that Nytelyter was holding binoculars up and was scanning overhead.

About that time we could hear the distant droning of an airplane high overhead and a dot falling from the sky that was growing bigger. As we watched the dot grew arms and legs and the head popped open to become a colorful parachute. Elmer with his eyes shaded said " I think that is one of Tinkers airplanes" Was making sense now as out local outfitter Tinker was talking about expanding his fly in service to include some parachute drops for really back in the woods trout fishing. I was wondering if this was one of them guys falling now. Our attention was brought back to Nytelyter as he was revving his engine and making herky jerky motions across the bay.

Looking at the chute and then back at the pontoon it did not take this old bird hunter long to figure out Nytelyter was going to try and catch that falling chute. I made a move to take a sip out of my bottle of beer but had to wince again as that was to high for the shoulder to move. I switched hands again and then had to switch back into order to shade my eyes and catch where the chute was in the sky. Them guys fall pretty fast! Before ya know it Nytelyter was racing across the bay trying to catch up with the circling chute as it fell. Elmer said it must be one of them NASCAR chutes as all does is keep turning left. With a splash the guy in the chute hit the water just short of the front deck of the pontoon. Nytelyter grabbed a big muskie net and with one scoop had the guy and with a grunt we could hear all the way across the bay the guy was up out of the water and on the deck. The chute was grabbed before it could get tangle in the prop and the pontoon made a lazy turn in our direction. As it went by Nytelyter and his dad Tom waved at us and then headed back out of the bay. Elmer and I just looked at each other and waved back, "Ain't it Tom's seventy-third birthday" I said. "Yup, what a ride replied Elmer.. From Lake Iwanttobethere {405,527}

See Tom's real jump here . http://westsideskydivers.com/about/videos.html?videoID=3tjh489vk4nc8vde

Bobby Bass · August 18, 2011

There is a change in the air! Kind of easing it's way in but I think summer is slipping away from us. After several hot weeks and a lot of rain I think summer is done but fall is going to make a grand entrance. Already in the past few nights the chug of the air conditioner is gone. Turned off it sits quietly in the window and instead curtains flutter in the new found evening cool breezes. A recent batch of sketters big enough to carry away small dogs linger around at sunset but they to disappear. Crickets are getting loud and act as sentries, they stop making noise whenever Chuck or Elmer try to cut access the yards to catch me on the deck.

Working on a big shed to end sheds on the property. Made a deal with the wife if I can build a new shed I would tear down two smaller ones and expand the vegetable garden and create a play space for grand kids. The new play space has to be with in ear shot and viewing of the kitchen window, that is why the smaller sheds are coming down. Been working hard on the Honey-Do-List, adding things to it. But with the OK given for the new shed or out building as we prefer to call it I can delete a bunch of repairs and staining on the little sheds. This of course opens up a few days for fishing the way I see it.

Cut down two cedar trees that were in the way and after they were topped and brush haul away the bigger branches have been added to the fire pit wood pile. A few are added when the fire is going good and has helped keeping the sketters away. Chuck took the cedar trunks and will be cutting them up on his small saw mill. He has some projects in mind for the wood. Elmer listening in on the conversation mentioned he had a few straight pine trees that he would like milled into some 2x6's and before you know it we were dropping Elmer's trees and hauling more brush to be burned. Chuck told him it might be several months before he can cut the wood and still a few more months after that before he would have any wood he could use. Elmer just told him to stack it at his place as he was in no hurry to use it. Took us a little while to figure out we got had by Elmer yet once again. A new hammock hangs from two of the high stumps that we left per Elmers request.

Was down at the General Store early this morning to pick up my order of bolts and plates. Need them today if I am going to get the base of the shed together. Was at the lumber yard yesterday hauling wood back to the cabin and them sixteen foot 2x10's seem to be getting heavier then I remember them. Back at the Lodge with it being dark by eight-thirty now business has been picking up. Most of the guys have their wife's convinced that they are still fishing till ten so this gives them a good two hours to come in and socialize. The latest thing going around the Lodge is a new diet that one of the guys has been on and now a few more of us have picked up on. Well not a diet, it is a change in lifestyle to be politically correct.

The beer and Walnut diet, er lifestyle change is helping us lose weight and giving us a work out! First off we all know that beer is good for you, has all that grains and malts in and taste a lot better then yogurt. Now walnuts are good for your cholesterol and when you eat shelled walnuts you get your excise in as you need to crack the shell using your beer mug. Lifting that heavy mug up and down is like doing curls. I myself have lost ten pounds being on the new lifestyle and I pointed it out to my wife. Her answer was something foolish about cutting down trees and hauling brush the past few days. So today I am not going to cut any trees but am going to drink beer and crack nuts, so if I lose a pound I will just have to do it again tomorrow... From Lake Iwanttobethere {410,589}

Bobby Bass · August 21, 2011

Sunday morning here at Lake Iwanttobethere, I got up pretty early and when I stepped out on to the wet deck, it rained some last night I could smell breakfast cooking somewhere. With nose held up high I started to sniff the still air then I heard the clanging of metal on metal and knew where my breakfast was going to be served. I went back in to the cabin and grabbed a fork and plate and taking the path to Chuck's I followed my nose. Coming out from under the trees I found some of the fellows from the Lodge sprawled on and around the deck that serves as Chucks outdoor livin room. The big cast iron frying pan was still half full of scramble eggs, sausages and hash browns all mixed into a makeshift omelet that had been cooked over the older then old outdoor wood grill. I stepped over a few of the guys and helped myself to a couple of scoops adding some shredded cheese to bind it altogether.

The guys were taking a break from an all night card game that was supposed to keep them awake so they could get up at the crack of dawn to go fishing. With the over night rain they decide to just keep playing cards and now after eating breakfast sleep was looking like a good idea. With no place to sit I ate standing up and decided to pass on the Hamms and just took a few sips of some old coffee. Elmer and Marv came roaring in the bay, music blaring from the eight track player that Marv had installed on the pontoon when he took it over. Ramming the shore the two old coots made their way up the shore to the group clapping hands and shouting out "Daylight in the Swamp" a saying that I never really did understand but I guess it means something like time is wasting, time to go fishing, time you boys tried to keep up with us " Old Guys" Having other plans I took my plate and slipped back onto the trail to my cabin and disappeared. Already I could hear the fellows moaning like they were a bunch of ten year olds at camp and they didn't want to go.

Yesterday was a good day as I worked on the new shed some but mostly spent time with the grand daughter who had her '"Sleep Over" The grand daughter who now likes to be called "Lady Bug" she decided she needed an outdoors sounding nickname, spent the afternoon with the puppy Duncan. They spent a lot of time around the cabin but then started to do more exploring as the afternoon went on. The granddaughter who is four going on five reminds me that she is really closer to five then four and is now big enough to take Duncan for walks and does not need Bud to follow them. Bud sat on the deck and the two of us watched the pair head off and explore. Looking up from a book I was reading I glanced around looking for the two explorers. Easy to find as Lady Bug had dressed herself that morning and was looking like a box of variety popsicles.

She had on multicolored flip flops, yellow shorts, a pink tee shirt with a lime green hooded, add to that a blue necklace and my big green wool floppy hat. Duncan had on a red kerchief tied around his neck. I saw them at the edge of the grass walking very slowly both with their heads down. As a matter of fact as I watched Duncan was in a hunting posture, head down, tail straight back and slowly lifting up his paws before placing them back down inches away from where they had been picked up. OK so now I am interested and both me and Bud leave the deck to walk quiet like to come up behind the two of them. They never even noticed us as they were so intent on following the withering winding movement of a Garter snake making it's way through the grass, the two of them kept looking at each other and I could swear they were saying to each other " You touch it! No, you touch it, I'm not going to touch it you touch it" With my shadow and Buds heavy feet the snake made a sprint for a log and was gone. Duncan looked at Lady Bug and they both headed off for the next adventure. Bud just looked up and me and rolled his eyes, 'Kids" is the look he had on his face. I patted his side and we both headed back to the deck and the shade. From Lake Iwanttobethere {413,970}

Bobby Bass · August 23, 2011

Raining here at Lake Iwanttobethere, pretty big surprise eh! Work on the shed has come to a stop as there is not much we can do. I did make my way to the Lake Iwanttobethere Lumber Mill this morning and picked up my order of studs that I had put in for. They were good enough to have wrapped them in some plastic and had the load sitting out on the loading dock on a big pallet. I just had to drive up in the old Dodge and they set it right down on my trailer. The trailer is parked along the wood shop here and out of the weather. I went inside and chatted with the owners, Miss Luan who owns the mill with her husband Stud who have been in business for over forty years and before that Miss Luan's dad ran the place for fifty more years. Their daughter Joice answers the phones and sons Tong and Grove work in the yard.

Stud tried to talk me into buying some ready made tresses but I am going to make my own. I have to show the wife why I have all them table saws in the wood shop and after you get the first one made the rest are easy to cut and put together. I did order up some roofing panels after seeing how much the price of shingles have gone up since the last time I bought some. Petting their cat named Screws and stepping over the yard dog Nails I said my good byes and checked my shopping list. The new shed is giving me a chance to use up a lot of material from other projects that I have done so that is going to help clean up some of the clutter in the other sheds. Also a few more checks can be made on the Honey Do List under clean ups.

Made a stop at Big Earl's General Store on the way back home, needed to pick up a few tarps to cover the wood piles. I don't know where them tarps disappear to, I never seem to remember throwing them away but I always seem to be buying new ones. Before I made it out of the store Doc Burriem grabbed me by the elbow and asked about my visit I missed. Acting like I didn't remember he reminded me that I had to stop and have some blood drawn for my cholesterol check. He heard rumors about some new beer and walnut diet I was on and wanted to check on the numbers himself. Before I could protest to much he was guiding me down the street to his office and the warm hands of Mary his blood vampire. A few minutes later I was back on the street with a snoopy Band-Aid on my arm and a sucker.

Feeling a little lite headed I went into Ma and Pa's grocery and bought me a few candy bars from what use to be the penny candy case. Ma putting the bars in a small discreet brown paper bag told me to say high to the grand kids and gave me a knowing wink. Tuff to hide a sweet tooth in this town. The rain that was supposed to arrive during the night finally arrived when I was two blocks from the Dodge. Just a few drops at a time started to fall and splashed on the pavement. Besides I know from past experience that if I start to hurry to the truck the rain will increase in direct proportion to the speed I travel.

I should head into the Lodge and get some paper work done, I was thinking of going fishing but it is still dripping outside. Chuck has some pines he needs to move, the ones that were cut at Elmers are in the way of some other project he has in mind. That and I got a message from one of the Lodge members about a new beer mug design he is working on for the Walnut and Beer diet. A working mug is in progress that will hold the beer and dispense whole walnuts. Hmmm from Lake Iwanttobethere {415,606}

Bobby Bass · August 26, 2011

Thing about having grand kids is that they have parents, their parents are your kids and no matter how old they get they will remain your kids. Now there are many good things about having kids but there are a few bad things to. Tools and kids don't go together, as the kids get older they tend to start using tools and when they get even older they tend to borrow tools and when they still get even older they borrow tools and forget to tell you that they had borrow the tools. If you don't know that they have borrowed your tools you have no way to remind them to return the tools that they borrowed so they forget they have your tools until you go looking for your tools. Yesterday I set out in search of my half inch drill that one of my two sons or perhaps even my daughter had borrowed.

The search failed as no one remembered where the half inch drill was and no one was claiming even to have seen it. In a last ditch attempt I called Elmer and Chuck, neither remember even seeing the drill. So I was off to see Big Earl at the General store to buy a new drill, I was not to upset I think the old one was like twenty years old but still, I had to go buy a replacement. No parking at Big Earls and there was a crowd outside of the Sunshine Cafe. I parked in front of Doc Burriems just to the right of the parking meter and headed on foot to the General Store.

I had to walk right past the crowd outside of the cafe when I could hear some loud voices speaking way faster then you could understand let alone duplicate. I got a glimpse and then saw the husband and wife auction team of Dave and Dotty on the sidewalk. I was not aware of any auction going on today, especially at the Sunshine Cafe. As I mingled with the crowd I did see any one actually bidding on anything, I didn't even see anything for sale. Actually I saw a lot of smiling faces and heard some chuckling. It took me a while to get my hearing up to speed but then I figured it out, they were arguing! Something about where they should have lunch, at the Dew Drop Inn or at The Sunshine Cafe. Of course as in all arguments there was also stuff in there that made no sense at all. A moment later they came to an agreement and the discussion was over. Dave headed to the Dew Drop Inn and Dotty turned and walked into the Sunshine Cafe. I headed to the General Store wondering how much time the married auctioneers saved in arguments.

Big Earl stood outside of his store wearing his red apron and holding his bush broom. The sidewalk was clean and various items for sale were neatly stacked or parked along the storefront. Yellow tags with hand written prices flipped in the breeze. To the right of the door the cart with wheels was stocked in various brands of bug spray and repellent. The last week had brought on an invasion of sketters who even in the middle of a sunny day would attack without notice. All the rain we have had this summer has finally caught up with us and even though the lakes are high and the landing easy to launch out of the payment for it all is the swamps are full also. You don't want to hit a ball out of bounds at the golf course and you dare not look for your ball alone in case you are over welmed by a swarm of the blood thirsty little devils. Big Earl says there is no need to put screen on sale to move it this summer as it is a hot item.

I went into the store and found Junior back in tools, he was just showing me this fine half inch drill with chuck holder, a screw in side handle and a ten foot cord and I could use my Lodge member discount on it when the wife came down the aisle. "Another drill " she says. I told her of the search for the drill and that no one has seen it so I need to buy a new one. The wife rolled her eyes at me and said "Did you look in the wood box where the dowels are stored at?" No, why would I do that, I replied... D dowels, D Drill I was cleaning things up for you and put it away. You need the drill for dowels so that is where it belongs and with that she turned and walked away. Made perfect sense to me, Junior put the new drill back on the shelf and walked away. Only if you are married would you understand the wife's filing system From Lake Iwanttobethere {420,446}

Bobby Bass · August 31, 2011

Summer, can it be almost over already? I know it is the end of August and we still have a big holiday weekend coming up. State fair is going on and county fairs are in full swing. But you are starting to see four wheelers on trailers being pulled behind pick ups again. Dogs with bright red collars are taking over passenger seats and Big Earl has a big display of going back to school back packs and lunch boxes. No longer to you hear the hum of AC units echoing across the lake in the evening but instead you smell wood smoke. Yesterday I went and got some fishing in before the rain started to fall and today the first thing I did was put a pair of sweat pants and a hoodie in the Puddle Humper. It started getting a little chilly as the wind came up and the sun started going down and I had nothing to put on.

Fishing was good, Water is starting to cool and at least last night fish were biting. The pesky flies were no where to be seen and skeeters did greet me at the landing but nothing that the smoke from a burning cigar could not keep at bay. Lakes will start changing here in another week or so, as soon as people make there last trip of the summer to the cabins the docks will start to get pulled out of the water and tarps will find themselves snuggled down over pontoon boats. A wet summer this one was, which followed a cold Spring, I am hoping Mother Nature makes up for it with a nice long fall. But I am not going to push fall on to us just yet. It is after all still Summer and there is talk from Stormy Clearweather of some heat returning for this weekend.

New shed is moving along but slowly, base has been built and all the building material for the most part is at the cabin. Today we have an overcast sky and everything is wet. I don't think any outside work will be done today so that makes me eye the Puddle Humper. The charger is hooked up and by mid afternoon the battery will be ready to go fishing. If it does not rain I just may slip on over to Hidden Bay for a few hours. It is that time of the year when you can't be too picky about when you go fishing, really nice fishing days can get to be few and far between this time of year. Having said that some of my best fishing days have been days when the weather was not that great and the day not planed. Grand kids are busy today otherwise I would have them over and we would go on a frog hunt. They are much better then I am at bending over and running down frogs. Last night four frogs went fishing and none came back.

Duncan is being Duncan. Seven months old now and forty-eight pounds of pure energy with the whitest teeth always in search of something to chew on. The chewing may be his only fault and once he finally gets over with it he will be a good addition to the household. However day before yesterday he did chew up the TV remote control, I found out about it when I reached for the control and it felt a little lighter. The back was gone as were the guts, yelling for Duncan he came into the room like a teenager who got caught stealing apples. I told him to bring me the remote and he disappeared to return with a few parts. I got up and went into the den to find Bud standing outside of Duncan's crate. Looking at me then back at the crate Bud was giving up Duncan as I saw the rest of the remote lying in the bedding.

After a lecture which Duncan again reminded my of one of my teenage sons from years ago he sat and looked and me and cocked his head from side to side and occasionally blinked his eyes. I got the impression that he was not understanding a word I was saying and he wanted to be somewhere else. When I was done with his last Bad Boy he turned and walked away. Last night after coming home from fishing and not hearing of anything else chewed up I was hoping we were getting pass that phase. I climbed into bed only to have to get back out and turn the lights on. A pencil or what was left of a pencil was chewed up and under the covers. I shook my head, now he is hiding his handiwork, from Lake Iwanttobethere {424,561}

Bobby Bass · September 4, 2011

The last summer holiday is almost here but the long weekend has already started. This morning here at Lake Iwanttobethere finds the boat launches pretty full of wet trailers and smoke rising from several campsites at the campground. Vicki at the Masterbaiters shop was open early as in the past Labor Day can be as busy as opening weekend. The weather was kind of like opening weekend to as brisk winds were tossing whitecaps and making the sixty degree weather feel a lot cooler than it was. Shorts are still a common sight in town but now a few flannels have appeared and I might have even spotted a few scarfs. Golf course is busy as some people actually come to the lake to golf, go figure.

Sheriff Tim and his dog Bailiff were on patrol this morning, driving through town kind of slow like. Tim was tipping his hat at the female tourists and Bailiff was accepting pats on the head through the open window that he had his head hanging out of. With it being the last big weekend there is of course a lot going on around town. Out at the race track last night they had the trailer races and a fan favorite the demolition school bus races. Once again our own Lake Iwanttobethere bus driver Dean, finished first and second. His bus broke in two pieces just as he went pass the checkered flag and no one else was even moving.

The park is the place to be for lunch all this weekend with Gus manning the Lodges big BBQ serving up polish sausages and his monster half pound burgers. Hot pretzel cart is parked alongside the mini donut wagon which is parked next to the Chicken Shacks deep fryer wagon. Hammering Hank along with farmer McDonnell have a stall open and they are roasting sweet corn from sunup till sundown. The local corn has finally caught up and the ears are full and tasty. Roasted over the coals of the wood fire and then rolled in fresh farm butter it is hard to walk away with only one under your belt. Stan and Jeannie have the tackle/ice cream truck parked close to the landing so you can pick up any forgotten tackle and get a sundae at the same time. Nytelyter and his dad Tom are tending their BBQ and juicy BBQ with the secret sauce are seen dripping from the corners of mouths as people walk around with smiles on their faces.

We were hoping that we would have some of the new walnut and beer mugs to sell at the Lodge this weekend but we are having problems building them. The first prototypes did not hold enough beer and were not tall enough. When you smashed the mugs down on the walnuts to shell them you spilled your beer. We are working hard after hours testing the new mugs and the correct level of beer and nuts that we hope will make for the right combination. On that note I must report that my cholesterol has gone down and my HDL the good Cholesterol has gone up. This of course has DOC Burriem somewhat baffled and he has now joined us in the after hours development of the Nuts Mug as a quality control advisor.

Tomorrow several Lodge member will be getting into Reed's BioDisel RV and heading to the big cites to enjoy a day at the state fair. We are looking forward to doing some research into what we can find to eat on a stick and to maybe bring back and idea or two to the Lodge and then next year claim it as our own. We might make a side trip to the zoo as we hear it is much bigger than the zoo we have here in town. Well our zoo is really just the town dump that you park with your lights on at night and watch the bears and raccoons come in to feed. But we have had budget cuts like everyone else. We hope to restore our funding at the next town Hall meeting in October by maybe adding a third parking meter. Dean will be driving Reeds RV so I need to find a seat with a seat belt and claim it. Will be back to let your know how the trip went, From Lake Iwanttobethere {428,068}

Bobby Bass · September 9, 2011

Well, I missed my ride to the big cities on Reed's RV but I managed to hitch a ride with the daughter and granddaughter who also just happen to be heading to the Zoo in the big city. We did catch up with the guys from the Lodge at a rest stop about halfway there. There were several turkey vultures circling the rest area and as soon as I spotted them I knew the bio diesel RV had to be close. Sure enough we pulled in and the smell of French fries and grease was heavy in the air. The back cover was off the bus and Hammering Hank and Skinny were busy banging tools while Reed was holding his hat in his hand and wiping his forehead with a not so white handkerchief. Right about then I decide that I would continue my ride to the big city with the daughters and a change of plans was in order.

I spent the day at the zoo which is a lot better than what we call a zoo back at the lake. Saw a few animals that I had never seen before and got lectured to by my four year old daughter who is very knowledgeable in obscure animals. We spent the night at a cousin's house and after breakfast at a waffle house our next stop on Monday was the state fair. Let me tell you the state fair is nothing like the county fair. First of all the smell of the animal barns will clean your nose right out and how they can judge between them chickens is beyond me. I figured the only way you can tell which chicken should get a red ribbon or a blue ribbon would be how they taste. They tell me that kind of judging is frown on at a state fair.

But anything that you can eat and dip in cheese or chocolate or deep fry is sold at the state fair. I think I sampled more than my share of things and the next day I did regret some of them. The only thing I did not find and was really looking for by the end of the day was some kind of antacid on a stick. I think there were more people at the beer garden then the entire population of Lake Iwanttobethere on the Fourth of July. We got out before the fair official ended and it took us some time to get back to the car and find the right highway to get us back to the lake. I did the driving as the daughter and granddaughter fell asleep in the back sleep, the granddaughter still wearing the butterfly that was covering her entire face like war paint. The miles went by quickly and it took a long time for the bright lights of the big city to finally fade into darkness on the rearview mirror.

Tuesday found me sleeping in late only to be woken by a telephone call that I didn't want to pass up. Tinker was flying a customer to a well known vacation island and had room for a passenger, the gas was paid for and the front seat was open so an hour later I was up in the air hoping the seat belt would keep me from hitting my head on the ceiling. The flight also reminded me of several of the different foods I had sampled the day before. Tinker saw the look on my face and I think he went out of his way to make the little plane climb and dive. We made good time, landed and had to walk a little better than a mile into the one and only town. Had a decent meal and a couple of hours later we were back in the air flying back to Lake Iwanttobethere. I never pass up a chance to look over the lake from the air, seems every time I do I see another bay that I have never seen before and a way to get to it.

Midweek found me fishing on a flat down right beautiful evening. Light winds and the fish were biting, nothing real big, mostly just fish we call Patrick Swayze's . You know the line from the movie Road House where the doctor says to Swayze " I thought you would be bigger" Well that is how these fish hit. When we would get them to the boat we would just say how we thought they would be bigger, hence the Patrick Swayze nick name. Halfway through a vacation week and no rain in sight, can't get much better I don't think, from Lake Iwanttobethere {431,592}

Bobby Bass · September 13, 2011

Now I would not mind at all if this weather continued for the rest of September and then a little cooler for October so I can enjoy some fall fishing wearing just shorts and a tee shirt! Today I was busy working on the shed with the plan being that come dinner time I would put the hammer down and get the Puddle Humper wet. Tresses are all up and the walls are sheeted. Tomorrow we will get the roof on and then take a day off for fishing. Tonight I was right on schedule till the rain came. Was just putting the tools away when the sky got dark real quick and before I could get a tarp on the saw the first big rain drops fell to make craters in the saw dust piles on the ground. Five minutes later and I was under the cover of the swing as the hail started to fall.

Kind of ruined any idea of fishing but the rain did cool things off some and got rid of them pesky flies for awhile. If I was to pick out something to remember this past summer by it would be the abundance of flies that just refuse to disappear. Getting so you walk around with a fly swatter just so you can take out any one you get a chance at. Bud and Barney stayed in the cabin while the rain and hail fell, Duncan sat on the swing and tried to figure out these small ice cubes that were falling from the sky and bouncing all over the deck. He went out a few times to lick some but retreated when he took a few chucks of hail on his backside. The hail stopped after a few minutes and Duncna tried to eat them all off the deck, he of course failed as they melted quicker then he could lick.

I can't complain to much about the weather, this is the first rain that we have gotten in over a week and we did need it to fill the rain barrels back up and to save me a trip watering the gardens. I did make a check mark on the honey do list, taking credit for watering though. I have been enjoying my mornings getting up early enough to see dawn or maybe dawn has been later so it looks like I am getting up early. Bud and Barney open their eyes and watch me open the deck door but make no effort to follow me outside. Duncan on the other hand can't wait for the door to be open before he runs across the deck and jumps into the new day. A quick circuit to check for rabbits in the yard and then with wet paws from the dew he returns to jump up on me and say good morning in his special way. You know the dumb puppy, tongue hanging out what we going to do grin. Makes me grin back and I usually laff at him and shake my head as I pet his.

This morning I got that first good whiff of some northern air, hard to explain it, just different. Maybe it was the little cool to it or the smell of wood smoke from a distant fire burning. Maybe it was because it was the day after football official started and there was still some lingering smell of the burnt polish sausages that fell into the fire pit. I think it was just the north breeze bring smells across the lake of fall. This past week the pencil reeds are starting to turn brown as they just come out of the water. Lilly pads are curling up a little like they are trying to stay warm in the cooling over night temperatures. The days are divided into two parts now, cool till noon then the sun warms things up like a mid summer's day. As soon as the sun starts to dip low in the sky the jackets come out and fall arrives. Sooner or later the flies will leave and the skeeters will just be a memory.

Deer are seen at dusk again and all the little bunnies are rabbits now. Fawns have long ago found their legs and run like halfbacks stopping on a dime to wait for their slow poke mothers to follow. Crickets fill in the silence at dusk and sometimes the croaking of frogs join in with an occasional call of a loon singing lead. Are you getting the idea this is my favorite time of year? From Lake Iwanttobethere {435,018}

Bobby Bass · September 14, 2011

Really, I mean REALLY snow! We all know that Lake Iwanttobethere is an interesting place and a lot happens here that some might not believe but SNOW! This afternoon I am working on the shed roof and we get a few sprinkles. Now you should know that the shed is 10 x 16 feet with a single mono tress roof that stands about twelve feet off the ground, something you don't want to fall off of. With the wood getting wet we decide to take a break and we cover up the saws and decide to wait the sprinkle out. Sitting on the deck under the swing the light rain turns to pea size hail that quickly covers the deck in white, sipping on my hot chocolate I turn to the daughter and say " You don't see that to often" my daughter nods and the hail stops. In its place snowflakes start to fall, drifting down until the wind sends them blowing across the deck. The daughter not missing a beat turns to me and says "Now there something you don't often see" I nod back to her in agreement, Snow....

I was thinking I should go get the camera and take a few pictures but when I went in the cabin I took a look at the radar and saw rain coming. Back out side we got the big tarp out and covered the roof, we have enough roof boards up that it is worth it to try and keep the inside of the shed dry now. A few more tarps to cover the holes where the door will go and a bigger one to cover the opening for the not yet installed roll up door. We work quickly as the snow has turned back to light rain and no sooner than we get done then the sky clears and blue sky is overhead. I'm thinking it is time to just call it a day and so I go back to doing what I started the day off with and that is moving plants into the greenhouse. Ten minutes later and the greenhouse is actually starting to look pretty green with all the potted tomato and pepper plants that will call it home for the next two months or so.

No frost warning for us. Sunshine Ray is forecasting we are going to freeze tonight. I tell the wife to say good bye to her outside flowers and she digs out the covers for the garden plants. Inside windows have been closed all day and the solar collector officially has been put online. Fans are turned on and the cover removed from the passive heater and now we hope that we get some fall sunshine to help heat the cabin. I did stock the inside rack for the fireplace and maybe we might light just a little fire tonight. This is way to early for snow and I don't care if it was just some stuff that melted when it hit the ground. I was going to go fishing this evening but with it thirty-six outside and the sun once again behind dark clouds I will wait till the weekend when it warms back up.

One good thing, the water should start to cool and that means the fall bite will be starting, I will take the time to spend some time on the water, just hope I don't have to be in a snowmobile suit to enjoy it. From Lake Iwanttobethere where it appears that it snows in the middle of September, have a good one. {436,100}

Bobby Bass · September 18, 2011

Saturday started off like it does every opener with a problem. Should I work on the shed that still needs a roof put on, do some bird hunting or go fishing. I figured the tarp on the shed would make do for a while, should keep most of the forecasted rain off the inside so that left hunting or fishing. I decided to do both. Duncan was fast asleep having one of his puppy naps so I made my way to the gun cabinet and slipped out the double from behind the door. I turned around and Bud was patiently sitting behind me looking at me kind of smug like. A few minutes later we were taking the trail behind the cabin towards the fallen pine top that the lightning took a few years ago. Usually it is always good to kick up a bird or two there but not today. We walked up slow like and Bud had his nose to the ground, he gave me a look over his shoulder as if to tell me they were here but not now. We walked a little farther down the path before turning back, Bud was in no hurry to get back to the cabin but he was in no hurry to go walking into the high grass either. Together we just took a morning stroll and we were both OK with it.

Back at the cabin the overcast sky was getting a little brighter and the winds were brisk, I had already penciled in fishing for the day and as long as the rain stayed away that was what I was going to do. Bud eased himself down in front of the fireplace and soon he was dreaming of grouse that we didn't see. Duncan woke up long enough to move closer to Bud and return to what ever dream he was having. Barney was down at the dock the entire time watching the shallows and staying away from an occasional spray of water from the waves that were being blown onto shore.

Took an hour to get where I wanted to go and I saw a few boats on the highway, all under traveling covers they were headed in the opposite direction then what I was. Even a few pontoons were seen all going away from water. I arrived at a little out of the way lake and as I was hoping there was no one else at the landing. A lot of guys would be out hunting and fishing would be on the back burner of things to do now. Was a little fun putting the Puddle Humper into the water as the wind was pushing waves into me, But without getting to wet I got the boat in the water and the motor started. Not going to fool around I made the crossing to the other side of the lake to get out of the wind and a get my rods arranged. First thing I did was add an extra coat as the wind was making the fifty-nine degree weather feel a lot colder.

Five minutes after I started fishing a little northern grabbed the spinner and was hoisted aboard. I released it with a thank you and made a slash mark in the little fish notebook under northern. Two casts later at a good looking birch that was laying in the water and I was rewarded with a boil and some weight on the rod. I set the hook and feeling the weight I set it again. I was rewarded with a three and half pound bass that hung from my thumb and gave me the "Now what" look. I took a picture and eased her over the side, my day was starting out pretty good. Small northern followed and slashed at me for the rest of the afternoon, a few I hooked and brought to the boat. A half a dozen bass were caught but none bigger then the first one.

In a quiet bay where I have caught some nice fish before a very nice northern slashed at a buzz bait and rolled out of the water. All I saw was the huge tail as big as a dinner plate that waved at me before dipping back into the hole in the water that the fish had made. I threw several more cast in and around the area leading forwarding and waiting for a return strike but the water stayed calm and the moment was lost. I threw a few last casts right before I got to the landing and a seventeen inch bass hit the spinner and walked on the water before diving deep and trying to snag me on weeds. I won the battle and she was released over the side. She smacked the water with her tail just to let me know she had the last word. Wind had died some and loading the Puddle Humper was not as bad as it could have been. I ate my last sandwich and watched the last of daylight disappear. Not a bad fall day as I drove down the narrow dirt road, from Lake Iwanttobethere {438,852}

Bobby Bass · September 21, 2011

So I got a roof on the new shed which we are actually referring to as a shop since it is so big. I would like to say that as soon as the roof went on the threat of rain went away but for some strange reason that did not happen. It has been dripping ever since. I had figured that as soon as I had a roof on the threat of rain would go away and I would be able to get some fishing in. When I am fishing and the wind is blowing, it the wind, always stops just as I am cranking the Puddle Humper on to the trailer. If I am bird hunting as soon as I get in the Dodge and start driving down a birdy looking road that I just hunted it is a sure bet that is when a grouse will flush from beneath the wheels and fly out of sight.

Matter of fact as I write this it is dripping outside the cabin window, I can hear the rain coming off the eves to splatter on the deck. I was out for a little while checking to see that there are no leaks in the new roof and make sure I had left no tools out in the rain. Lots of work let to do but with a roof on there is not the hurry to get things done now. If it would stop raining I would grab the shotgun and Bud and I would take a walk down the back trail. Have always had good luck when the water is dripping off the pines and the grass is wet and quiet. But like the old shotgun I don't like to get wet when I don't have to.

I did notice that a lot of the peppers and tomatoes survived the hard freeze that we had, I put several plants away in the greenhouse but like a ship without enough lifeboats I could not save them all. Today they are standing tall and soaking in the drizzle. Yesterday the wife canned pickles and made salsa I am looking at the apple tree I say apple tree because only one has any apples on it. I took a picture of a lonely apple earlier this summer that I had posted. I was going to follow it's growth right up until it made it to my plate as part of a pie, but it fell off the tree. I am offering another picture of three other apples that I hope make it to harvest, I have named them the "Three Sisters"

Walnut and beer diet is going well, several of the Lodge guys have picked up on it and now we need to find a supplier for the walnuts. We tried the bagged baking ones that we can get from Ma and Pa's grocery but the guys prefer the smashing of the shells to the ones that are already shelled. We have even at the urging of Tess, Hammering Hanks wife to offer wine and walnuts. Tess got on the Internet and told us that drinking wine is a proven health tip and we should offer that to the wives of the Lodge members. Trouble is now is we get some of the single Lodge members offering to bust their nuts for the ladies. Which after you have had a few beers can sometimes not come out like it is intended.

Yesterday Chuck made a test run of his lumber mill cutting up one of Elmers logs. We now have some new wood for the fire pit as soon as it dries out. Chuck said he has the kinks worked out now and will give it another try when the weather clears. But that may be awhile because everyone here is watching the sky and looking for an excuse to either get out bird hunting or go chase some fish. Cutting grass is way down on the bottom of the list right next to pulling out the dock. A few trees are getting just a touch of color to them but I think we are safe for awhile, Sunshine Ray is forecasting temperatures to return to the low seventies and it is going to dry up, maybe even for as long as a week. I can see some fishing and maybe some windows getting installed. So from Lake Iwanttobethere you have a good day. {439,898}

Bobby Bass · September 26, 2011

I hate this time of year, actually I don't hate it I love it but it is so hard to decide what to do. So Sunday morning I wake up to the sound of Duncan's nails coming down the wood hallway floor, I almost get the cover over my head in time. Sliding around the corner he runs into the bedroom and jumps into bed landing on top of me. No longer the little puppy that we would have to help climb into the bed he now runs like a deer in the cabin. He no longer jumps but bounces straight upward oblivious to where he may land. Bud and Barney meander into the bedroom, not in any great hurry they just come in to let me know it is time to let them outside. Last but not least Buster my daughter's lab that we are watching for a week makes an appearance. I feel more like a goat herder as I make my way down the hall with dogs weaving their way in front of me.

On the deck the dogs scatter to do their thing, Partly cloudy sky but not as cold as it has been. Leaves are slowly changing and there is just a little chop on the water. So what should I do, work on putting windows in the new shop, no it's Sunday. Maybe I should try to get a round of golf in, Or maybe take Bud for a walk in the woods for a few grouse, but the talk at the Lodge is that there are to many leaves and birds have been few and far between. Watch football and do nothing or go fishing are my last two options, I decide I can listen to the football game and go fishing. With that done I head back into the cabin and start making a lunch.

I decide on a small lake not to far away and in an hour I am drifting away from shore and no one else is at the landing, matter of fact there is no one else on the lake and other then some smoke from someone burning brush there is no movement at all on the little lake. Fishing is tuff, the lake is turning over and as I work my way down the shoreline all I see is cloudy water filled with silt. After my first hour all I have is a pound and a half bass and a little hammer handle northern to show for it. Three hours later and I have not done much of anything, caught two fish and saw three more. Home football team gives up the lead in the second half and loses for the third time in a row, am glad I didn't stay at home and watch. Sun is out though and I am comfortable. I work my way around the little lake and hit some of my spots that have held fish before. I check up on my little eagle and he or she sits outside of the nest and watches me, I am thinking she thinks I am to big to try and eat.

Well, as usually happens I am coming down a reed bank tossing a big spinner bait when I get a big hit, I set the hook and get in a few turns of the handle before the weight is gone and the lure comes back missing the trailer. I toss back a few times but what ever was there is gone or no longer interested. I make a few comments to myself under my breath and entertain the idea that maybe I should call it a day. About an hour of light left and I am here so I continue to keep fishing, water is a little clearer here and I see a few smaller northerns take runs at my spinner. I make my casts a little longer and along side a dying weed bed I feel weight and set my hook only to get line with no lure on the end drifting back at me. Mumbling a little louder I tie on a bigger spinner bait and start making longer casts in a slick topped little cove.

A couple of minutes later I get a hit and I set the hook and this time I am rewarded with some thrashing and a fish. A bigger northern makes it's way to the side of the Puddle Humper and when I look down I can see there is something in her mouth, a closer look and I can see the tail of another northern. Not going to mess around I dip her up with the net and bring her over the side to see just what I have. With rod tucked unde my chin I lift her out of the net and pull a twelve inch northern from her mouth, The northern shakes trying to keep her supper and the small fish is flung overboard and I drop the big fish back into the net. A moment later and I release the big northern into the water and she sits on top for awhile looking at me. I don't think she is smart enough to know I took her supper from her but like the eagle I think she thinks I am to big to eat but then again she did have her mouth full when she took my big spinner bait. Just goes to show you, you always catch more fish on the water then sitting at home, from Lake Iwanttobethere {443,433}

Scott K · September 26, 2011

Nice!

Bobby Bass · September 28, 2011

By noon yesterday I had developed a bad case of Hammer hand. I spent the good part of the morning putting in six windows in the new shop when I clutched my wrist and went to the wife, I told her that I had a bad case of Hammer Hand. The only known cure for Hammer Hand that I know of is the exercise you get when casting a bait casting reel. Seems the movement is just about the same but the results are different. By three PM I was sitting in the Puddle Humper tying on a spinner bait and eyeing the calm water around an island on another small local lake. This lake was a few miles away from the one I was on the other day but the results were going to be the same. The lake was turning over and no matter how great it looked on top, there was nothing going on below.

Fishing in late September in just a tee shirt and shorts does have it's good points though. Water was sixty and I was looking for some northerns to come out and play but all I was getting was some of the small ones who would nip at the spinner and then dart away. Small northerns are like the want to be gang members of the fishing world. They may pretend to be big when they slash at your lure but once you get them to the boat they just hang there. They have that attitude that they know they are going to be let loose so what the heck they just come and tear up your trailers or maybe if they are lucky they will cut your line. This time of year it is like they are playing tag as they rush the lure, grab it for a second, let go and look at you in the eye before darting away. I think they swim back to their buddies with the 'Did you see that" and wait for the next fishermen.

Still it was a nice day to be on the water, lot's of sunshine and even though there was some wind it was warm. If I had any complaint it was that almost all the docks were already out of the water and resting dry up on shore. I was looking to flip a few worms under a few of my favorite ones but they were gone and with them the fish that used to hide under them. An eagle would fly overhead about every hour just like clockwork, heading from one end of the lake to the other, guess he or she was on patrol. Back in one of the reed filled bays a couple of muskrats swam and made a nuisance of themselves. I would keep hearing splashes and thinking it was a big fish I would turn only to see the muskrats swimming away.

I did see an interesting sight as I heard a really loud splash and had to turn as a deer was running in the shallows before turning and heading to deeper water. As I watched the deer started to swim across the bay and went right past the point to continue towards the other end of the lake. To far away for me to capture on my video camera I just figured the grass was greener on the other side. A mess of geese or maybe several groups flew by just over the tree tops and I heard a few shots from some lucky grouse hunter who might have seen a bird or was shooting stumps by mistake. The sound of a lawnmower echoed across the lake and the yelling of a man calling his dog who was not coming broke up some of the silence.

With the sun still several fingers up in the sky I decide to call it a night, I made it to the landing and loaded the Puddle Humper on it's trailer. A few more things I noted, no skeeters but a few flies and it is getting to be that time when at dusk everything in the woods is loud. The leaves no longer muffle sounds and even the clanking of the winch sounds like what I would imagine a medieval draw bridge being raise at the end of the day. No crickets and no crows calling. No jet ski's and no pontoons making the twilight troll, fall might just really be here, from Lake Iwanttobethere {444,275}

Bobby Bass · September 30, 2011

Friend of mine came up from the big city to spend the weekend here at the Lake Iwanttobethere. No sooner had he parked his little mini car in the drive and unfolded his body out from behind the wheel and he was bull rushed by Bud. Bud getting up in years does not often jump up on someone but my buddy has known Bud since he was a pup and Bud knows if the buddy is here then a walk in the woods is in store. Chester rubs Bud behind the ears some and Bud presses up against his leg making it hard for Chester to walk as he tries to get around the little car to greet me. Duncan sits on the deck with the daughters dog Buster, they both just look at Chester but make no attempt to go to him. "HIYA" says Chester to me and I return the greeting. "Got something for ya" and Chester turns and opens the hatchback of the little car. I walk over and Duncan follows me close at my side. In the back of the car rests two boxes full of apples, there will be pie, I clap him on the back and tell him is lodgings are paid for.

Looking down he says "So this is the new guy eh" Duncan knowing someone is talking about him turns his head from side to side and looks up at Chester. Bud still pressing against Chester gives Duncan the OK and Duncan takes a few steps and Chester reaches down to rub Duncan behind the ear and just like that Duncan has a new buddy. We make our way to the newly stained deck, yes I did get the deck stained and relax on the swing. I get filled in about life in the big city and the new shop gets an inspection. Apples find their way to the kitchen and when the wife comes home from work I am sure she will comment on them. The rest of the afternoon goes by quickly as we head into town and spend some time at the Lodge and of course over at Amy's Bakery. Chester always has had a thing for Amy, as does every other guy in town.

Vicki at the Masterbaiters Shop gives Chester a big hug and I complain that I never get greeted that way, Vicki tells me if I left town for awhile she might greet me when I return, maybe. We sit and listen and sip on some hot cider as she tells us most of the lakes are turning over and fishing has been tuff, Birds are in the woods and that is where they are staying, to many leaves up and still pretty green. Chester tells her he is staying through Sunday and with luck we will return and pick up some bait. He leaves with yet another hug from Vicki and all she does is wave me out the door.

A stop at the General Store for a few things on my "List" and we are back at the cabin. The wife bless her heart is peeling apples in the kitchen and she stops to hug Chester and starts asking him fifty questions. I let myself back outside as I know I would be wasting my time trying to get a word in for the next hour. It gets dark fast this time of the year, I had just finished checking the plants in the greenhouse and had started a fire in the pit when the sun just seemed to blink out. Chester found me there feeding scraps of cedar siding to the flame. I knew he was coming as Duncan was sitting up and giving me a low puppy rumble. Chester came to the fire with Buddy, sat down in the chair next to me and I heard the clink of the beer bottles before I saw one extended out to me.

Next a couple of cigars from some expensive smoke shop in the big city, of course I just tell Chester everything is expensive in the big city but I don't turn the gar down. We put flame to gars and clank beer bottles together and then we sit and watch the fire. With dogs at our feet it takes but a few minutes for us to catch up and it is like he never left. No work this weekend, we are going to do some fishing, a walk or two with Bud in the woods and maybe sit around the campfire getting our clothes full of wood smoke and talk of old girlfriends, big fish and coveys of grouse, from Lake Iwanttobethere {445,268}

Bobby Bass · October 6, 2011

I think I am being followed, not stalked mine you just being followed. I have been out on three separate small lakes in the past week and every time I get the Puddle Humper on the water I spot an eagle flying overhead. He or she lazily circles a few times and then moves on, but I will see him or her again sitting in a tree down the shoreline that I am fishing. When I get close he or she will leap from the sagging branch, flap wings a few beats and then move on down ahead of me to another tree. It could just be me but does anyone else get the sense they are being watched? I mean everyone has a loon in their wake right?

So I was hoping for a good fall and this last week has been pretty much what I had ordered. No rain, temperature in the lower seventies and just enough breeze to put a little ripple on the water but not enough to make it annoying. Fishing has been slow for the most part as two of the three lakes I have been on were just turning over and the third one looked like it had. I am having a good week balancing work on the shop and being around just enough so the wife thinks I am working hard. Best part about painting and staining this time of the year is that it has to dry and no one wants to waste time watching paint dry. The other day I stained the front deck so the wife had to walk around to the back door to get into the cabin, of course there I had stained the hand rails so she had to be careful. With ladders laying in the way and saw horses holding up painted trim boards it looked like I had been busy all day.

She noticed my stained covered hands and damp brow and told me maybe I should knock off for the day and go fishing, I might get in a few casts before the sun got to low. With a sigh I told her I really wanted to mow the grass but would have to wait till everything was dry as to not get grass clippings on the wet wood. She once again twisted my arm about fishing and I shrugged my shoulders and walked around the back of the shop. I peeled off the stained covered plastic gloves that I was wearing and drained the water from the spray bottle that I had wet my brow with. I picked up the already packed lunch cooler and made my way around the greenhouse to the Dodge which had the keys hanging from the ignition and the boat trailer hanging off the hitch. I turn the key and slipped the Dodge into neutral and slowly started to roll down the drive. A minute later I started the truck and thirty minutes later I was on a small lake south of the cabin eyeing an eagle eyeing me.

Two hours later and I had not yet even gotten my first bite, I did see a small northern flash at a spinner before darting off to the side. I was wondering if maybe I should have stayed at the cabin and mowed the grass but that thought was quickly discarded. I worked down a cabin less shoreline pitching a spinner into likely looking spots. Switching over to a top water I moved even slower letting the lure just sit as I munched on a sandwich and then started working on the pretzels I had packed. One of them afternoons when I was enjoying just being on the water, it would be nice to be catching fish but sometimes that does not always happen. I do know that I have a better chance of catching fish sitting in the Puddle Humper then I do sitting on the swing back home. The little breeze that I started the day with just stopped and I was left with flat water. Trees along the shore were giving up leaves that fell to the water and just did nothing. A few squirrels from time to time ran along the shore making as much noise as a deer would come hunting season.

Sun was starting to get pretty low in the sky and still no fish, I was beginning to think there might just be the chance that on this fine fall evening I might get skunked. I was working on excuses as I worked my top water back to the Puddle Humper working the lure around fallen leaves trying not to snag any of them. I paused with a big maple leaf in my way and made it hop, the lure to the right. I just started to lift the rod when a boil appeared where the lure once was, A quick set and I finally had some weight on the end of my line. A brief fight and a deep green bass was being lifted over the side of the Puddle Humper. A quick trip to the scale and three pounds of bass was returned to the water. I was back in the chair flicking the top water to another likely looking floating maple leaf but there were hundreds of them floating in the water. Now I was thinking of the line I would use at the Lodge, Ya guys the smallest bass I caught today was just over three pounds, then the rod bowed again and a twelve inch bass was boated. A few more fish were caught just as the sun called it a day. I started the big motor and headed for the landing, a lone eagle flew overhead, watching me no doubt, from Lake Iwanttobethere {447,463}

Bobby Bass · October 9, 2011

Rain, I have not mentioned that word for awhile but as I type this it is raining outside my den window here at Lake Iwanttobethere. I have the windows open because even though it is the second Sunday in October it is a pleasant sixty degrees out. I did have plans today of staining the new shop but with the rain I guess that will have to wait till tomorrow, unless it is nice enough that I will just have to go fishing. This last week almost every day was in the mid seventies and we set a record with a couple of days that hit eighty! Got a lot of work done on the new shop and even some yard work.

The other day as I was taking a break from nailing up siding and I was sitting in a chair with a nice cool beverage of my choice when I spotted a SUV park at the end of the drive. I did not recognize the vehicle and I watched as a man and his young son I am guessing got out and headed towards the fence where the apple trees are. As I watched they attempted to pick apples from my tree, the only tree with any apples on it. I called for Bud and when he came out on the deck I just said apples. Bud was off like a shot, which at his age is a quick trot in the direction of the apple trees. As soon as he saw the man and kid he started barking which of course brought up Barney from the lake and woke up Duncan from his nap. Man and kid fled to their SUV and drove off. Everyone was happy. I didn't lose any apples, Bud got to run someone off the property, Duncan didn't have a clue what he was doing but he was doing it with the big dogs and the man and is kid now have a story to share about being chased by a pack of dogs.

Been fishing a few times this week and as the week went on the fishing has been improving. Turn over is about done on the little lakes that I have been fishing and I was hoping for a good frog bite but have seen none to catch. I did do well the other night as I fished a lake with a big rock area with a nice rock pile off to one side. I never see anyone fish it but it is always a favorite place of mine. I checked it out during the afternoon and it was pretty quiet but I returned at dusk and was rewarded with some hungry bass and a few decent size northerns. As the light fades the crawfish start climbing out of their nooks and crannies and the bass move it to feed. That was what I was hoping would happen and it did. I kept a couple of fish for dinner and when I cleaned them back at the cabin I found crawfish in the bellies. Love it when a plan comes together, will go back later this week and see if I can hit the pattern again.

Leaves are changing quickly now, and you can almost watch it happen. Tourists have been driving through town on their way to the woods and fishing boats on trailers have been replaced with old people with cameras or young familles peering through smudged covered windows. ATV's on trailers or resting in the beds of pickups are a common sight around town. Seems to be a lot of dogs with bright red collars and armor vests. Funny how time goes on and the world gets to be more depended on computers that it has trickled down to the woods. Don't see to many dogs around with just a collar doing their thing with a whistle and a few loud shouts. Dogs now a days work a few days a season in the woods and have to have paw covers and electronic collars with beepers. With chest shields and heath insurance they ride around in fancy SUV's with their own shag carpeted a/c crate with self dispensing energy bars in rear end of the huntin/family truck.

Last Sunday morning Bud and Chester and myself got out for a few hours of bird hunting. We drove to our trail in the old red Dodge with the rusted floor boards. We drank soda from a cans and wore well-worn old leather boots. We followed Bud as he worked the trail with the occasional sound of the one bell hanging from his collar. He brought a few birds back to us and was rewarded with half a dog biscuit. We kicked up seven birds, shot at four and took two down. Walking out of the trail we came across two hunters on ATV's that complain they had driven over a hundred miles that morning and only saw one bird. Chester and I just looked at each other and smiled. We might have walked four. From Lake Iwanttobethere {450.044}

Bobby Bass · October 11, 2011

Guess what I did yesterday afternoon? Did I stain the new siding on the shop, nope. With the red needle on the bass thermometer hanging on the wall of the cabin nudging seventy it would have been a good afternoon to do it. Did I cut down all the plants in the garden and haul the waste to the compost pile, nope. Did I haul out the golf clubs for a last round, I thought about it. What I did do and you should have already figured it out is, I went fishing. I grabbed the brown bag lunch from the fridge and tossed some hip boots in the back of the Tahoe and with the Puddle Humper always ready to go I hitched up and headed down the road.

I headed north to a little lake that I like to go chase northerns on, last time I was there it was changing over and fishing was tuff so I was looking forward to giving it one more chance. About an hour drive or pretty much 2/3 of a cigar away I made the trip from asphalt to gravel to dirt road to single trail and found the landing free of any other trailers. The few pot holes at waters edge were empty which told me no one had put a boat in for awhile. Made my way around the Puddle Humper taking off tie downs and hooking up batteries and the graph. Rods were laid out on the front deck and the chair stuck in its post and then into the hole on the front deck. Bag lunch and the small cooler were put in the boat and making sure I had the cameras I tested the water with my hand. No need for the hip boots, the water was not that cold.

A few minutes later after drying my feet of with the big fluffy towel and I was on the water and heading for the other side of the small lake. Wind was blowing pretty good and I was not even going to try and fight it. Small waves tossed some spray as I motored across eyeing the shoreline and looking for a good spot to start. I had put a black hoodie on and as I reached the lee shore and got out of the wind I was over dressed. I enjoying fishing in mid October in shorts and a tee shirt, Wish this time of year would last a lot longer then the few short weeks that it does. Since I was last here the trees have given up their leaves and the only thing on shore now is the green of the pines. Ground is covered in golden leaves and ground squirrels must be having a hard time of trying to be quiet as they scamper on the ground.

My young eagle is no where to be seen, looks like he and his ma have left for the year. The few cabins on the lake are all quiet, a few docks still rest in the water and as I fish my way down the shoreline I make sure to toss a few extra times in their direction. It takes but a few minutes for the first small northern to smack a spinner and he is hauled over the side of the Puddle Humper to be released. A bass follows and I will not be skunked today. It being fall I fish a little different as I take my time and fish slower. Places where I have caught fish before get a little more attention and I toss a topwater to try and coax out fish that just need a little more time to bite.

I hit a stretch of shoreline where for some reason two pound bass are holding, I catch three of them in a few minutes and lose another. I make a note in my little fish log about the stretch and will revisit that stretch of water next fall. No big fish to talk about, lots of nice fish though and by the time the sun starts getting low in the sky nineteen fish have come over the side. Was hoping to get into one of them big northerns but only had one good chance where one slashed the lure right at the boat. I lifted the big spinner out of the water and found out the northern had taken the big blade right off the lure. I tossed back out but the northern is long gone, no doubt using my metal blade as a toothpick.

Today as I write this the sky is clear but the ground is wet, some overnight showers means I will not be working in the garden this morning. I get caught by the wife hooking up the charger to the Puddle Humpers battery. The wife looks at me drying her hands with a dish towel and makes some comment about it is going to be a good afternoon to stain. I look at the sky and then the calm waters of the lake and then the siding on the shop walls and I nod my head in agreement. " Just as soon as me and Bud take a walk" I yell back in her direction quietly. I head back in the cabin and find Bud already sitting in front of the gun cabinet, Duncan right next to him. From Lake Iwanttobethere {455,204}

Bobby Bass · October 14, 2011

Woke up this morning to a strange sound in the cabin, can 't really say if it was the noise that woke me or it might have been Duncan the puppy pressed up against my legs. Took me a few seconds in the darkness to locate the sound and to identify it as the blower on the furnace. I reached down to Duncan and gave him a pat on his flank, in a whisper I told him to get used to the new sound. With the sound of the blower and the smell of the furnace I knew that my plans for the day have been changed. I have been putting things off for as long as I can but I guess the wife clicked on the furnace to take the chill out of the cabin. That means today I will have to take the a/c out of the window and close up the attic fan. Matter of fact the running of the furnace is kind of the signal for a whole new page of stuff to be done from the Honey Do List.

Oil changes need to be done on the trucks, grass mowed one last time. Puddle Humper is getting that much closer to being put away for winter, I will continue to hold out for at least one maybe even two more chances to get out. Today does not look good, I let the dogs out and am greeted with dark clouds and wind blowing leaves across the deck. The maple just off the deck is dropping leaves quicker than Duncan can catch them. It looks cold and damp out and the water of Lake Iwanttobethere is gray and not very inviting. I look towards Elmers cabin and can see white smoke coming from his chimney, I am not alone with having some heat on this morning.

Around town boots have replace flip flops and a few orange hats have found their way to the top of heads. Amy's Bakery is busy as the perfect lunch while bird hunting is one of Amy's loose meat sandwiches. Down at Dug's garage a few boats on trailers sit waiting to be winterized. A line of used snow throwers sit off to the side, red tags with prices flutter from handles but Dug will take offers. Car wash always seems to have someone waiting in line, usually a pickup pulling a trailer with a dusty four wheeler on it. Rain has been scare so mud has not been a problem, but it did rain some yesterday so I am guessing there are a few puddles that are wet now.

Business at the Lodge has picked up, with the days getting shorter guys have been coming in at dusk and sitting for a while longer. Bird hunting has been slow but there is a lot of talk with the leaves falling so quickly that now more birds will be seen. The dumb ones have all already been shot by the road hunters now the guys with dogs will work the foot trails. I think good grouse spots are more of a secret then a good crappie hole, not to many guys chatting in the Lodge will give up their spots. Lot of skunks this fall though, as in road kill. Seems you can't drive to far without coming across one and even with the windows rolled up the smell still gets in. Driving the Dodge with the holes in the floor boards means rolling up the windows does not make any difference.

Pheasant season starts tomorrow and even though we don't have to many here at the lake a few guys will go out and look for them. The 222 pink flamingos have been gathered up and put away in the lodge garage for safe keeping. The pink birds are a real popular item for hunters to take a shot at. We did have them guys from down south come up for a couple of seasons and hunt them but I guess after not having shot any they no longer make the trip to the lake. Big Earl at the General Store still does stock a few pink hats just in case they return. Speaking of Big Earl he already has a Christmas light display up, can't believe that even Earl would jump on the holiday bandwagon so soon. He has not even sold all his pumpkins yet! Well, guess I should start a little fire in the fireplace, I hate hearing the sound of the furnace running. With luck maybe the sun will come out but it is not looking good right now, from a fall day here at Lake Iwanttobethere {459,179}

Bobby Bass · October 17, 2011

I think it is safe to say most fishermen will fish in just about any kind of weather but if there is a day that they will think twice about before going out it's a windy day. So how about a windy week? Another day today of howling winds here at Lake Iwanttobethere. Waves are slamming into the dock and over at Chucks his pontoon has never looked so clean. With the wind driving the waves up and over the pontoon deck it is like it has been in a power washer all weekend. Elmer is not to happy as I don't have a single leaf in my yard, they have all blown into Elmers. I did tell him when the wind dies I will come over with the yard tractor and mulch for him. Some places the leaves are so deep they can be measured in feet not inches. Duncan was chasing Pepper yesterday and all you could see was tails sticking up through the leaves.

Pretty noisy out with wind chimes banging away and the roaring noise that the wind makes going through the now bare trees. Not all the trees have dropped all their leaves, my lonely apple trees still are green as are the lilac's. But the popple and birch are looking pretty naked. Puddle Humper is loaded and charged sitting on the trailer, Have been waiting for the wind to die some and I will get back out on the water. With these high winds and me getting a little older everyday it is not the best idea to be fishing alone on a bouncing boat. I could throw a bobber off the dock but like we said the wind is blowing this way and even if I could get it out on the water the waves would soon have it tossed back on shore.

Sunday morning the granddaughter was over and we were blowing bubbles out on the deck. We didn't even have to blow just dip the wand in the soap and lift it up, the wind did the rest. The dogs didn't even get a chance to chase as the bubbles were gone almost as quickly as they were formed. A few made it over the trees and the sun make them look like little rainbows. The grand daughter soon ran out of bubble making stuff and announce that it would be a good day to fly a kite. She looked at me and I knew I was being conned, I said " But we don't have a kite" her reply was that we could go see uncle Earl and buy one. Also she threw in that she did have a dollar! I told her to go inside and tell Nana that she was going to town and I would be waiting at the truck for her. She went in the cabin and I reached in around the door to get my keys when I overheard her talking to Nana asking for a dollar.

Driving down the road to town I checked in the mirror keeping an eye on the granddaughter, she sat in her car seat holding on to her purse with at least a dollar secure inside. It being Sunday some bird hunters were out and we drove slowly along the dirt road keeping an eye out for hunters on the side roads. Our conversation covered a lot of different topics as the four year old who always tells me she is almost five changes subjects often. I did distract her for awhile by having her count pontoons boats in yards, after about eighteen she started making up numbers and we changed the game to counting snowmobiles.

It took awhile but we made it to town and parked outside of Big Earl's General Store. I went around and release her from her car seat and she hopped down and made a beeline for the big wood door. As I reached to push open the door Earl open it and the grand daughter yelled out his name "Uncle Earl" and held her arms up to be picked up. Earl picked her up and was rewarded with a hug he looked at me and gave me a wink. Earl is not her uncle but Earl is uncle to all of the kids that come in to the store. " So what are we shopping for today" Earl asks the granddaughter. "Kites" she replies and with the daughter in one arm the two of them head down the aisle towards the toy section.

Several minutes later Earl and the grand daughter reappear with the grand daughter hold a pink kite and a ball of string. They make there way to the wood counter where the old cash register sits and Earl helps the grand daughter stand on top of a pickle barrel where she places the kite on the counter. Now the four year old who is soon to be five begins her bartering for the kite, string and a kit kat bar that she had in her other hand that I did not notice. She reached into her purse and took out her dollar, two quarters and two nickels. Earl told her today it was going to cost her three moneys and with that the Grand daughter slid the two nickels and one quarter across the counter to Earl. Earl punched in thirty-five cents on the cash register and the wood drawer open and the grand daughter dropped the coins in the small drawers.

I lifted her off the counter and picked up the kite, string and candy bar. I turned to head to the door when the daughter looked at Earl and said simply "Bag" Earl chuckling to himself made a grand gesture of getting out a bright orange trick or treat bag and put the kite, string and candy bar inside. The grand daughter took it and gave Earl a kiss on his cheek. We headed to the truck and soon we were driving back to the cabin with the daughter breaking up her kit kat into smaller pieces and offered me some. I smiled to myself thinking I am not the only one she has wrapped around her little finger. From Lake Iwanttobethere {462,193}

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