Fishin report for Lake Iwanttobethere..

Bobby Bass · May 2, 2012

Seventy in the shade? That is what Stormy Clearweather is forecasting for today. Yesterday it was not that warm and rain gave way to thick fog that the lake and trees disappeared into. Over night the temperature rose and some more rain fell and this morning there has been a change. Leaves have blown open on the birch and popple trees and the grass turned a deeper shade of green. Maple and oak trees are still not sure and buds are still closed. Already this morning I have been into town and it looks like the rest of the seagull relatives have arrived. A large flock was working over the grounds of the park and I am sure feeding was easy. I stepped out late last night to let the dogs out for there last bathroom break for the night and I saw Duncan with his nose to the ground walking daintily. I stepped off on to the grass and saw that the ground was covered in worms and Duncan didn't know where to step.

This morning I was down at the Masterbaiters Shop, Vicki had asked if I could open a couple of times this week for her. Not much to do but someone needed to be around for deliveries and this time of year someone is always in the shop eyeing the lure wall. Actually made a couple of sales and did not buy anything myself, that does not often happen. On the ride back to the cabin and I started to count boats on trailers, finally more boats then snow machines. Arrived home to find a couple of robins looking pretty content standing on a section of wood fence. I don't think they could eat any more worms and I am willing to bet that flying was not on their list of things to do at that moment. Today I think I will take the cover off the Puddle Humper and install the new fishing graph. I will plan on the entire afternoon for something that should take an hour but if I plan the entire afternoon I will be on schedule.

I do like this time of the year, we are ten days away from the start of fishing season and it is like the second Christmas. I can almost daily look for Mark the mailman or Luke from UPS to stop by the cabin with an order I have placed. Yesterday some fishing lures were delivered and they went right from the box to the table in the shop. Guess I could also do that today, reload the tackle boxes. I still have all the lures spread out on the table and I will admit that I have added to a few piles and have order a few other lures to balance the piles. Cans of insect spray are now neatly stacked along the edge as I needed some for the boat, the truck and of course here at the cabin. I even emptied the river knapsack as I am making a complete inventory. As far as I know the wife has not seen the table top, if she did I am thinking she would post a rummage sale sign at the bottom of the drive and sell it all.

On the music front I have made up ten CD's for the Tahoe and have enough music to last several road trips without hearing the same song twice. I have been going through them as I drive around town and already I am in a better mood. No more having to listen to the constant car commercials from the big town south of us or the play by play of yet another baseball game lost. I will listen later in the summer when the team has gotten it together and with a warm night and water lapping against the Puddle Humper it will be more relaxing. For now I am going to go put some shorts on and enjoy today, Fishing is only ten days away and I think I see the sun coming out! From Lake Iwanttobethere {667,212}

Bobby Bass · May 4, 2012

Well, we got our seventy degree day and now we are paying for it. Wind and rain and more rain and more wind and temperatures have fallen to about fifty. After the other night of sitting on the deck wearing shorts and smoking a cigar while nursing a beer this is a rude awaking to the fact that it is still only spring. Never got the new graph installed on the Puddle Humper, I got distracted. Had good intentions and was getting things together when Duncan found something dead to roll in. Since Duncan now needed a bath Buddy and Barney had to pay the price to. Everybody got a bath and had to stay on the deck till they dried off. They do all smell a lot better then what they did, The wife suggested that since I was on a roll I should wash the cats, told her the only way I was going to do that was with the power washer.

All the deck furniture was pulled out of storage and set up on the deck. Luke from UPS came by and my spray paint for the lower unit of the Puddle Humper came early. Of course I had to go paint the lower unit then. While I was at it the prop got taken off and I filled the flukes and gave that a paint job to. I figured I still had time to put the graph on and I hauled out a battery only to find it dead. On to the battery charger it went and I retired to the deck to smoke a cigar and enjoy the evening. Turkey vultures were soaring over head and a few bees buzzed on by. Robins were calling as they were still feeding on worms that didn't make it back underground to safety. A watchful eye on a few hornets making sure they didn't land anywhere close. Wife didn't want to cook so off to Amy's Bakery she went. Dinner was subs, chips and cold beer and I was thinking this might be the start of a nice summer, I was wrong.

Fog and rain and wind, sweat pants made a return and a hoodie was needed to go out and stand with your back to the wind off the lake. Windows were closed but at least they all have their screens in them. Dogs smell good and they got their monthly tick treatment, we just need the weather to cooperate now. Tomorrow fishing starts for the guys on the far side of the lake, don't look like it is going to be a warm one for them. Rain in the forecast according to Sunshine Ray for the next five days but should clear in time for our opener. Some where in there I will find time to put the graph on the boat and spend some time with the manual. As usual when putting the boat away for the season it takes but a few hours but when putting it together it takes a few days.

Been at the Masterbaiters shop in the morning for a few hours and helping guys out down there. I feel pretty good about my progress as just about everyone coming into the shop is working on their boat or trailer. Water picks need to be replaced and a few batteries, touch up paint and trailer rollers. Trailer bulbs and a few wiring kits as guys are just replacing the whole mess. Bearing grease and anchor ropes. Landing nets big enough to catch small cars in and bug spray. Even after guys have made their purchases they still take time to chat away, giving out slips of information about where they think the fish will be on opener but not giving away their good spots. Offering tidbits in exchange for other's tidbits. I just kind of lean on the counter and collect it all. Of course with this unusual spring it might all be just guessing, but sometimes.. From Lake Iwanttobethere {668,723}

Bobby Bass · May 6, 2012

The far side of Lake Iwanttobethere was pounded by wind and rain for the opener. By late afternoon several of the Lodge members had returned to the Lodge with duck coats soaked and that just washed look. Several trailers were parked in the lot and rain water dripped from the boat plug holes. The Lodge is close enough for members to own licenses in two states and the promise of two fishing openers. Reports were not good and no one really caught any fish to speak of. It was however a good day to get out and if you were a duck hunter and you had the proper apparel to wear. More rain in the forecast but it is not raining right now. Last night thunderstorms came through and we have gone from being wet to being soaked. Even the fire pits have standing water in them and several potholes are the size of Dakota fishing lakes down at the landing.

This morning the Masterbaiters Shop was quiet, I stood just inside the shop with just the screen door between me and falling rain. Bubbling of the minnow tanks was hard to hear over the sound of falling rain on the roof. Whitecaps on the lake and the wind was pushing the waves right along. No one at the public landing but that will be different in a week when this side of the lake is open for fishing. Won't be a parking or camping space open come Friday night. Stormy Clearweather is predicting the rain will stop midweek and temps should rise into the mid sixties for the opener, a definite improvement. By the time Vicki came into the shop I had but two customers, they didn't buy anything but were just looking for information about the farside as we call the other side of the lake. With nothing to report we talked about weather and where we were going to fish on opener. Vicki poured coffee in to her mug and we exchange places at the storm door.

County street cleaners had come through on Friday and for the most part main street was looking good. No sign of last fall's leaf's and what little sand that had been tossed on the main street was now all cleaned up. Signs are up in shop windows welcoming fishermen and a special fisherman's breakfast menu is being offered at the Sunshine Cafe. Smelt tent has been taken down in the park but the mini donut trailer is still there, chained to a tree. As noted before the park is ready with orange barrels out and the green garbage barrels, picnic tables are in place and fire rings are scattered about. Gas-N-Go has their pile of firewood in red colored mesh bags stacked outside right next to the block ice cooler. They are now open twenty-four hours a day through summer. Hand printed sign in the window says you can get fishing license and AIS stickers, line through the AIS part. Rumor going around that we may get an inspector for the lake, Big Earl said his niece had applied for a position, but she is still in the big city going to school.

Doors are open down at Dug's garage and the sound of an outboard can be heard in the test tank. Some blue smoke is coming out and mixing with the smell of the recent rain and the sound of robins in the air it makes for a good Sunday morning. Not everyone is open this morning as this is the last Sunday before the opener. The last time most shop owners will be able to sleep in on a Sunday for several months. We have gone from months to weeks to days and soon we will be counting hours till opener. Some might say the most important day in the year, well at least here at Lake Iwanttobethere. {669,680}

Bobby Bass · May 9, 2012

Looks to be a nice day today, I hope the first of many. Up early and sunshine was coming through the skylight. Already Edd the squirrel was hanging upside down on one of the bird feeders and seeds were scattered around the base on the ground. Dogs were let out to do their thing and came back with wet paws and dirty up the kitchen floor. Wife was heading out the door to work and she just looked at me and the kitchen floor and said "You are going to take care of that, right?" I nodded yes and then went back to what ever I was really thinking about at the time.

Pretty big do list to get to today, yesterday was a busy one and kind of a bonus as it was forecasted to rain but never did. Mowers were taken out of storage and the riding one needed the battery charged. Work trailer was cleaned off and the decking is getting a little soft so I went down to the lumber yard and picked up a sheet of green treated ¾ plywood. Moving the plywood was a reminder that I am getting old. Had to weigh a hundred pounds and after I man handled it into the Dodge I decided that I should stop at the Dairy Queen to reward myself for not breaking anything. Later in the afternoon I did get it on the work trailer and screwed it down, someday down the road I'll have to paint it to match the trailer but for now I am good to go. Which means today I can load up the garden tractor and go mow this piece of property that I have. Or maybe I'll mow it tomorrow, don't want to box myself in you know.

Pulled the tarp off the Puddle Humper and I have it on my do list today to give it a good cleaning and start hauling stuff out and loading the boat. Today and tomorrow are going to be nice and rain for Friday then a warm weekend for opener. I doubt if I will fish it but I will be ready to go on the following Monday. Some bad news to report as I have lost one of my apple trees, a close inspection showed the main trunk has split top to bottom and no signs of life. I was hoping it was just going to be a late budder but the other trees have already gone to blossoms. Yesterday some time was spent down at the nursery looking at apple trees. A problem there as I don't know if I want to pick up a standard tree or a dwarf. Just another example of getting old and if I want to see apples or not. I am thinking maybe I'll buy four trees, one for each grand kid, if I do that maybe they will take care of them.

So on the do list is the removal of the apple tree, it will not go to waste as the limbs will get cut up for holiday fires and smaller branches will get chipped to be used in the smoker. Chuck said we might be able to send the trunk through the saw mill and make some boards, that might be an idea. Perhaps I can make something out of the wood and still keep the old apple tree around in part. Duncan is becoming a pest with the back door bell, we thought it was cute when he learned how to jump up and hit the door bell with his paw but now has grown tall enough that he can stand up and lean against the cabin wall with one paw as he rings the door bell with the other. With the inside door open now he is constantly going in and out through the storm door, he does not want to miss anything so he has to be everywhere. As I am writing this he is at it right now, bell is ringing and Bud is laying at the floor here looking at me with one eye open and the other closed as if to say "He's your dog" from Lake Iwanttobethere {671,098}

Bobby Bass · May 10, 2012

Traffic has started to pick up along Main Street and of course Bass Avenue. Lake residents are returning to open cabins for the summer. Every year a few more people hit retirement age and now they don't have to take time off from work to come up early. With the opening of cabins Earl gets busy at the General Store, Mouse traps and rakes are big sellers along with everything that everyone has forgotten to bring with them. Usually they know right where it is and that is generally on the kitchen table back at home. Bug spray, paper plates, salt and pepper shakers tackle boxes and someone always forgets the cabin key.

Early in the season we call them "White Legs" which is not really a true way to identify tourists at the beginning of summer. This time of year everyone has white legs in this part of the country. Later as summer moves along the "White Legs" does fit a lot of the people who come from the big city to fish at the lake. The guys who golf come up with dark tans on arms and necks but then they wear cutoffs showing off their white legs. A couple of days in the fishing boat will turn that white into the red of sunburn and then pants will go back on. We have noticed over the years that people will go to tanning booths to go on vacations down south but will show up as white as a newspaper here in the summer. Of course the locals have been wearing shorts for awhile and the color is starting to come in, a few even might have a little tan but they have to be outside all the time.

Weather is shaping up to be a lot better on this side of the lake then it was on the Farside for their opener. Some rain for Friday but after that seven days of dry short wearing fishing weather is forecasted. Docks are all out at the public landings and Hammering Hank and Skinny have been busy putting in private docks. All the fast food places are open in town and the Chicken Shack is doing a brisk business already. Gray Goose and The Eagle's are having happy hours and I have already seen Tinker flying his plane low over town. At the Lodge we are stocked and for the first time this Spring the candy case is filled. Beer delivery arrived yesterday and the Johnson brothers are out making deliveries of their Needabeer and Howaboutale. Mindy and Mandy have been stocking shelves with the Lake Iwanttobethere Root beer and as always they are attention getters when they wear their German beer waitress outfits. The Lake Iwanttobethere Maple Syrup is featured at both the Sunshine Cafe and the Dew Drop Inn. Also can be bought at Ma and Pa's grocery as well as Big Earl's

Around here Elmer and Marv have plans to fish off Elmer's dock at 12:01 maybe drink a few beers and hoist a few Wild Turkey's to start the fishing season. Chuck and his lady friend are planing on fishing the river in the Jon boat and I will probably be still working on getting the Puddle Humper together. I keep getting sidetracked on other small projects but I did yesterday get all my mowing done so that will be something I will not have to do next week. I figure I will get the boat wet Monday or Tuesday and have something to report later in the week. Hoping you are getting ready to head to the lake, don't forget the paper plates and especially the cabin key, from Lake Iwanttobethere {671,551}

Bobby Bass · May 13, 2012

HIYA from Lake Iwanttobethere, a late start this morning, the second day of opening weekend. Didn't get back to the cabin till way after dark last night as I had to make the rounds. As is the Lodge's tradition members take shifts down at the public access helping to load and unload boats at the landing. Since I already had plans for today I worked a double shift in the water yesterday. With not a cloud in the sky I might have gotten a tad to much sun and my face feels like it this morning. During the course of the day I helped out several fishermen and they all invited me to stop by their campsites to have a beer or two and sample some of their fish dinners. No spam or peanut butter sandwiches last night, fish were caught by many.

Around dusk I started to make my rounds after putting wet waders away. I didn't have to walk too far before I was called to share a camp fire with one of our repeat opener fishing groups. With a Hamms in hand I heard about the ones that got away and tasted some that didn't. After twenty minutes or so I moved along and yet another fishermen who was helped at the landing invited me to his fire and another Hamms and another fish story was shared. I kind of loss track of how many fires I visited but I shared some time with a lot of old friends and made a few new ones. During the day between the first shift at the landing I spent some time helping out at the Masterbaiters Shop. Leeches were hot and Vicki ran out of the ones she had packaged the night before so I helped pack up some more.

A couple of nice northern came into the shop and one is already on the fishing contest board. As always a few more were loss but the biggest loss of the day came from a young guy who had borrowed his mother's cell phone. His ma didn't want him to be out on the water alone and he called her to tell her he had caught one really nice walleye and was looking for another to make a meal. As he was talking he got a hard bite and with a little to much gusto he set the hook and dropped his ma's cell phone to the deck where it bounced overboard. I am told the cell is in twenty-two feet of water and the young guy now knows what to get his mother for a present today.

A pretty good opener I would say, some wind but not too bad, lots of sunshine and fishermen were catching fish. The big access below the Lodge was busy and parking spots were filled quickly. A couple of local kids were renting their bikes out to fishermen. For a dollar you could rent a bike and put it on your trailer, drive down the road to find a parking space and then ride the bike back. By noon the kids were holding on to a wad of singles and doing much better than the girls with the lemonade stand.

The pink fish cleaning house was a busy place and loud talk and laughter could be heard well after dark. By ten or so things had quieted down but you could still hear the occasional loud laugh and the smell of wood smoke was thick in the air. As the lake got quiet you could pick out the sound of hissing lanterns and the crackling of burning wood in the fire pits. Outhouse doors slammed closed by new springs echoed in the darkness and the crack of an opening beer can was a common sound heard last night. With the sun gone the flannel jackets came out and it was not too long and a lot of people called it a night. The best part was no skeeters flew last night, but I don't think it would have mattered much, it turned out to be a pretty good opening night, from Lake Iwanttobethere {672,963}

Bobby Bass · May 17, 2012

So I went fishing yesterday, a day later then I had planned but things just kind of get in the way of all good plans. Of course there is never anything bad about fishing in mid week especially when you find yourself as the only one at the landing with your choice of parking spaces. Every fishing trip is never the same as any others and yesterday was no different. I launched the Puddle Humper got the new graph up and running and had already figured out enough about it so I could at least use it. So many bells and whistles on it will be awhile before I can use them all. More than likely I will never use all the functions but there may come a time when I am bored on the water and will play with it.

The highlight of the afternoon may have been the waterspout. In all my thousands of hours on the water I have never seen a waterspout while I have been out fishing. I had just thrown a few casts into a small little cove and was moving down the shoreline when I saw a big swirl in the water just a few feet from shore. I was thinking a big fish but the swirl kept going around and in a second it was whipping water around and wandering in my direction. I could feel the sudden breeze in my face and water droplets were hitting my glasses. I was thinking to myself this is kind of cool as the little water spout increased in size and the wind grew even stronger. It was about thirty feet away from the rear of my boat and I was thinking of reaching for my video camera and trying to capture it but I kept watching.

I didn't go for the camera as I was having a hard time seeing it myself so I just watched as it came closer to the boat. When it went over the motor and rocked the boat I was having some second thoughts about how cool this was. But before I could do anything it had gone by and was heading out away from the boat and into the lake. It went maybe another thirty feet before just disappearing into a ring of water and the wind that was with it was gone. I wiped water from my glasses and looked to see if anything had been sucked out of the boat. I reached down to the new graph and marked a wayward point, going to remember this spot.

Back to fishing and I am thinking there is going to be much that will outdo the water spout. An hour later I was looking at my broken line and a easy four pound bass jumping with my top water lure in her mouth. Shook my head and tied a new lure on, would have liked to have caught that one. I was tossing spinner baits and a prop bait at some quiet water, caught a few fish and missed a few more. Where a creek enters I found some green weeds and the northers were in there. I switched to a buzz bait and no sooner would it hit the water then small hammer handles would make a rush at it. The predicted clouds came and it got dark out early, I headed to a bay where I have caught some nice pike early in the year before.

Using a big spinner bait I added a big plastic trailer on it and began to fan cast the area. I was a hundred yards away from shore but there is a sweet spot I found here. I felt a tick, and thought weeds then a second tick which made me set the hook. Nothing came back but the end of my leader. The big spinner bait, trailer and ten inches of my twelve inch leader had been bitten off, I marked another wayward point on the graph, from Lake Iwanttobethere {674,499}

Bobby Bass · May 20, 2012

Silent Sunday here at the Lake and I was just out on the deck and I think everybody is participating today. Of course it might be that yet another thunderstorm just came through and it is windy out. Kind of a good news bad news kind of day, the good news is the rain is welcomed the bad news I can't go fishing. Can't go fishing but not because of the rain but because I can't hold a rod. Did one of them stupid things that guys always seem to do. The other day when it was near ninety out I decide I should put in some four inch holes in the soffet of the new shop. Had just not gotten around to it last year when I built it. Well short story short I was on top of the ladder drilling a four inch hole with the big half inch drill holding it one handed when the drill bit hit the edge of a 2x4 and came to a quick stop. The drill however did not and my wrist got tweaked good.

After a few minutes of moaning and groaning I did what all guys would do, I climbed back up the ladder and finished drilling the hole and two more. By the time I installed the round covers and took the ladder down the wrist was starting to talk to me. I retired to the deck and put an ice cold Hamms between my fingers, as we all know one should ice an injury. The wife came out looked at my wrist and told me "I think you broke something" I wiggled my fingers for her and said, "Nope, just a good sprain" Yesterday was spent trying to protect the wrist from any further injury but you know what that is like. I should have just walked around with a sign pointing to my wrist that said "Hit Me" Bud was first to get into the act, I was laying in bed reading a book when he decided to jump up and join me. He jumped up and eight-five pounds of lab landed on my wrist. The howl that came from me must have been a good one because Duncan in the kitchen started to howl back.

Speaking of Duncan I never realized how much he likes to chew on my fingers until he latched down on my wrist. I quickly jerked away and then he thought I wanted to play and went after the wrap I had on the wrist. The rest of the day was kept keeping the wrist away from anyone or anything that could harm it. Chuck came over and saw the wrist wrap, I told him the story and he just grinned and made some comment like "Hurts eh" I retired to the den where I thought about writing a story but doing it one handed is a pain. I figured I would just sit on the swing and tuff the rest of the day out by icing the wrist with a few more Hamms.

So today finds me typing one handed with a little help from the right hand. Rain in the forecast for the next few days so maybe when it stops I will be feeling better. Of course walking around the cabin with a wing clipped so to speak sure does get me out of doing anything on the Honey Do List. Tomorrow is our thirty-fifth wedding anniversary, supposed to be having a surprise BBQ and have family and friends come over. I already know about it as Pa asked me about steaks that were ordered. If I play it right I won't even have to raise a good hand tomorrow! From Lake Iwanttobethere {676,574}

Bobby Bass · May 23, 2012

Interesting day even for me. With my fishing challenge starting in nine days I need to get the wrist in shape. Meaning that it needs to heal real fast, I have been keeping it wrapped and taking stuff to keep the swelling down. It looks pretty good but is tender and I don't have any strength in it. Yesterday morning I drove kids to school and had to have the oldest one snap my seat belt for me. I dropped kids off at school and then went to the Masterbaiters shop. My first problem of the day, it was raining out and no one was in the parking lot. I pulled up right next to the door turned the Tahoe off and then could not get out of the seat belt. Could not push the release button in with the bad hand and could not reach it with the left hand.

A couple of fishermen I knew drove up parked and headed for the door, I beeped the horn and they just waved at me as they ran on inside the shop. I waited for five minutes till they came out and ran back to their pickup. I beeped the horn again and they waved again. This was getting old. I called Vicki on my cell phone and asked her if she could come out and let me out of my truck. A moment later she appeared at the screen door, coffee mug in her hand and waved at me. I lowered my window and we exchanged pleasantries between us, she said something about it is raining out and didn't want to get wet. About that time Elmer drove up and parked along side of me. He open the passenger door and released the seat belt with a grin. I asked how he knew and he said a couple of guys were up at the Lodge telling anyone who would listen that you were stuck in your truck and Vicki called.

A few verbal shots from Vicki and she acted a little concern as she looked at my hand and I retold how I had tweaked it. She asked if I can hold a rod yet and I told her no, told her I saw Doc Buriem who told me to rest it and even when it starts to feel good rest it some more. He also told me I should think twice about fishing on the first unless I was going to switch over and fish walleye. Even a one armed guy can fish for walleye and he chuckled to himself and went on his way. I made my way down to where the spinner baits were hung and cleaned the rack of the four red ones and the last two of the sliver secret baits that I had lost the big northern on. Next on the list was some bigger leaders. The big northern who I have been calling Noreen ate that 30# leader like it was a strand of spaghetti. I found some steel 45# ones and carrying the lures and leaders made my way back to the front counter. I put the lures on my tab and Vicki followed me out and buckled me in. She headed back into the shop talking on her cell "About putting Bobby in his car seat"

I arrived back at the cabin and reached for the long handled screwdriver that I had taken from the tool box. I unbuckled the seat belt using the screwdriver to push on the release and put the lures and leaders in the Puddle Humper. Then I started on this story, this morning I finished it as typing one handed is really slow and I needed the spell checker to fill in a lot of missed letters. At least it is going to be raining so I will not be missing much fishing. I'll just spent some time on the covered swing thinking of Noreen gaining weight out there, from Lake Iwanttobethere

{678,242}

Bobby Bass · May 25, 2012

Rain has stopped for today at least, Sunshine Ray is calling for it to start again tomorrow. Rain gage at the Lodge added up to just a tad over four inches in two days. Of course we already knew we had a lot of rain when Elmer was showing Marv how to improve his roll cast in the big puddle that had formed in the Lodges parking lot. Wearing their fly vests and using dry flies with a floating line they practiced in a lull between thunderstorms. Of course the fellows nursing beers inside the Lodge looking out the big windows made comments on Elmers herky jerky motion.

Today finds us with just a few clouds in the sky and some left over strong winds. A big fly hatch leaves us with the buggers every where and sure to be a nuisance for the campers who are coming to the lake for the long holiday. A lot of mowers can be heard echoing around the lake. Residents are trying to get their grass cut before the rains return. Some of them are mowing for the very first time this season and you can hear the sound of a mower hitting a forgotten rock or stump. Sometimes the mower restarts without a problem but sometimes it stays quiet till you hear a single curse word shouted with great enthusiasm ring out across the water. I noticed at the General Store a new push mower was on display just outside the door, yellow price tag tangling from the handle.

The support on my wrist is taking some getting use to. It does act as a reminder not to try and use the hand although I was successful in lifting a six ounce can of tomato paste this morning. But I was defeated by an eight ounce can of pizza sauce a moment later. I have been reduced to drinking my Hamms out of a shot glass. I have always prided myself on being ambidextrous but trying to make French toast on the Lodges grill this morning was messy. Of course when you cover anything with enough butter and Lake Iwanttobethere Maple Syrup it will taste good. Gus was mumbling some comments under his breath as he scraped the mess I left on the grill. He then came over and told me it will not be a problem for him to make lunch for me. I was thinking a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with the crust cut off just to mess with him.

Water has all drained from the parking lot, Skinny cleared the little dam from the drain that Elmer says he had nothing to do with. Pavement is actually dry but the ground is soaking wet. I am glad I will not be tent camping down in the park this weekend. The big smelt tent fry has been erected, people are going to need a place to go if it does rain all weekend. Gus will haul the grill down there and do some BBQing during the day. Well time for me to head back to the cabin, see if I can start the tractor and get my mowing out of the way. Have a dry and safe holiday weekend and stop by the Lodge if you are here at the lake. Now if I can just find someone to snap my seat belt I am out of here, from Lake Iwanttobethere {679,787}

Bobby Bass · May 27, 2012

Another silent Sunday here at the lake but there sure is a lot of grumbling. I came into town to pick up the Sunday paper as Jessie the paperboy did not make the delivery to the dock this morning. Some big waves out on Lake Iwanttobethere this morning and winds are still strong and gusting. Water is flowing at the top of the banks on the Mystery River and even as I drove over the bridge I watched a tree trunk pass beneath. Jim from the power company was pulled into a drive and I saw him walking up the drive with a ladder on his shoulder, I'm betting a tree took out a power line.

Late last night another string of thunderstorms came through, not a lot of rain but winds were whipping pretty good. Barney the dog who is a wimp when it comes to thunder was pacing the cabin and even after the storm passed he was still on the move. A few hours later a really big line of storms came through and this time heavy rain did fall and the boom of thunder shook the cabin a few times. This morning I didn't really expect to see a paper in the box on the dock so I was not surprised when I checked. I drove the Tahoe into town and Mark from the county is going to be busy grading washouts. There was one tree down along the side of the road but it looked like someone had already worked it over with a chain saw and dragged it off to the side. Ditches are filled with water and for some reason when I saw all the water I got to thinking we are going to have a really bad sketter hatch here in a few weeks.

I parked at the rear of the Lodge and walked in through the back door, Soon as I came in I could smell wet dog. I came through the kitchen to the Lodge's main room and it looked like a scene from one of them winter camping shows. Just about every space had a tent or sleeping bag hanging or draped over tables and chairs. Both fireplaces were going and the ceiling fans were on. Bar was filled with people and kids eating eggs and bacon and even a few bowls of cereal. Gus was busy serving orange juice and Tess, Hammering Hanks wife was waiting on tables. Didn't take me long to listen in on stories of tents getting filled with rain water and bags soaked. One gal was saying she woke up with night crawlers in her sleeping bag. Gus spotted a few campers needing help when he came in and offered the Lodge to let them dry stuff out. It had kind of snowballed since then and now the Lodge looked like a disaster shelter.

I got myself a glass of juice and headed to the deck, wind chimes were banging loudly as I stood near the rail and looked down at the public access and the campground. No boats on the lake but several boats sitting on trailers with pools of water bowing boat covers. A few people were gathered around portable stoves resting on picnic tables trying to make lunch. Bundled up in layers of coats and sweatshirts, no bare legs to be seen on this day. It took me awhile but then I figured out what was wrong with this picture, there were empty camping spots. A few campers had thrown in the wet towel and packed up and pulled out for home. Can't blame them, it's cold out and windy and more rain is in the forecast. I reentered the Lodge and Gus caught my eye, he looked around him and then back at me. I just shrugged my shoulders, good for business, the campers will return and remember how we helped them out. From Lake Iwanttobethere {681,152}

Bobby Bass · May 29, 2012

The Puddle Humper has been wet six out of the last seven days! But it has been because of rain not fishing. By this time we all have some stories about water in basements and over flowing creeks. I was kind of hoping that yesterday was going to be the end to the rain event as we had hail fall. Several cars in town received hail damage as they were just in the wrong place at the wrong time. A strong wind came through in mid afternoon with a storm and took green leaves and small branches off trees. Don't see that too often around these parts. Lake Iwanttobethere is holding about as much water as she can, and in some places it is creeping up into yards.

A few docks are treading water and winter boots are being worn by some not because it is cold but to try and stay dry from all the mud. Up at the Eagles Nest some of the campers had to be asked to pack up. The Mystery River was up on the banks and for the first time ever the Town let the campers pitch their tents in the outfield of the softball field. They were not allowed to drive on the field but were allowed to stay till this morning at no charge. It is a mess but it will all dry out sooner or later. Even when it was not raining the streets still ran with water, the ground just can't hold anymore. Today we have already had a few showers but the town is quiet. I think I spotted but two campers down in the campgrounds, everyone else has left.

The Lodges is drying out and the main room looks empty compare to what it was over the weekend. Gus was busy getting the food order together as we actually ran out of some things this weekend. Even the candy display case is empty and I have nothing but crushed boxes in my office. Elmer is grumbling about he should just plant rice in his garden, it looks like a small pond. A few fishermen working the bank down by the Masterbaiters Shop but all they are catching are rockbass. Some trees fell and a few roofs leaked but we are ready to move into summer and hope this is the last of the rain for awhile. It sure does smell good out though, and if you stand and stare at the grass you can watch it grow right before you.

Lilac trees are in full bloom and bird feeders are empty, birdbaths on the other hand are over flowing. This morning Jessie the paper boy was back on schedule and as I went down to the dock to get the paper I saw the old row boat was sitting pretty low in the water. Will have to get the pump out and redo the boat cover. At least with all the rain I am not losing any fishing time as I would not have been out in this weather. The wrist is healing or at the least the swelling is going down so that it feels better. Still can't fasten the seat belt but can now turn off a light switch and pull open the fridge door, no big deal unless you can't do it. Come Friday I am going to see if I can hold a fishing rod and maybe toss one or two off the dock. If I get any pain I am going to stop and wait another week before I try again. I don't want to lose the whole summer by rushing now. I might have to take the daughter out fishing and I will just play guide. At the vary least it will give me time to play with the new graph that I would not have if I was fishing myself. So from Lake Iwanttobethere, stay dry {682,652}

Bobby Bass · May 31, 2012

HIYA from Lake Iwanttobethere where the docks are floating and a few boats are still missing. With a second day of no rain the missing boats should be found today as fishermen are back out on the water. One pontoon was found a couple of bays over from it's mooring and was heading across the lake. When the local conservation officer came on it he had to make a couple approaches. Boat kept moving away from him and not till he boarded did he find a nine pound northern on the end of a rod that was secured in a holder. The northern was released and a call made to the owner to come get his boat. The owner was not cited for an unattended line due to the unusual circumstances.

Coming into the Lodge this morning I drove by the access and saw a brown Dodge parked off to the side and a couple of guys sitting at a card table. As I got closer I realized they were invasive inspectors and I pulled along side to have a chat. The two of them were sitting at the table and had a chess set between them. I resisted the urge to ask them if they were playing chess and instead just said HIYA They both said hello in return. We made some small talk and told them they were the first inspectors I had seen or heard about on the lake. They replied that they were supposed to be here for the holiday weekend but had a hard time finding the lake. Some more small talk and one asked if I played chess at all. I answer that I have played a few times but I had been drunk and I think the guys at the Lodge might play with different rules. Seem like nice enough fellows and I told them to have a good day and went on my way.

Yesterday I did some Honey Do things around the cabin, wife spotted me with out my wrist support on trying to cast in the back yard. I got the "Good enough to cast with good enough to work with line." In my defense I only made four little shallow casts and I got a twinge in the wrist so I stopped. Might have to see if I can do some left-handed as I am getting the urge to get on the water and it has been two weeks. I headed over to Chucks as I figured if the wife could not see me then she could not find me for Honey Do work. Chuck was not having a good day either as he was digging post holes for the expansion on his chicken coop. Trouble there was there is so much water in the ground that he would dig a hole and by the time he got finished with the next hole the first hole was filled with water. We went and sat on the porch and drank a beer to figure out what to do next. Chuck made a comment that I am getting pretty good drinking beer left-handed.

I found my way back to the cabin and headed to the shop. The wife had bought one of them poly carts from Big Earl and wanted me to put it together for her. She wanted the cart to move flowers around and the wheelbarrow was getting to be to much for her. So it took me about an hour and a half to put something together that should have taken about fifteen minutes with two hands. Might have taken a little less if I had read the directions and saw the part about putting washers on both sides of the bolts. I had it together and had these extra eighteen washers, that is when I read the double washer line in the directions. Today finds me at the Lodge bright and early, told her I had to go get some grease for the new cart wheels. I have grease back at the cabin but she don't know that. I brought a rod with, might try a few left-handed casts and see what happens, from Lake Iwanttobethere {684,245}

Bobby Bass · June 2, 2012

Summer might just have arrived, I know that the summer project for the Lodge is well underway. This year after several winter meetings it was decided that the Lodge was going to build a swing set for the Lodge members. Now in the past the Lodge has donated time and material to provide swing sets down in the park and also at the softball field for the kids. The idea was brought up at Lodge meeting that maybe it is time we here at the Lodge have our own swing set for our adult members. Chuck who has a post hole digger for his tractor was here yesterday digging the holes for the footings and no sooner were they dug then Kenny started up the cement mixer. 8x8 posts were already stacked and precut for the uprights. I was thankful for the bad wrist as I got out of the heavy lifting but did spend time carrying the blue prints in my good hand. Of course the drawings were just some scratch marks on some beer coasters that had been spilled on a few times.

As in most Man-sized projects "The Project" was open to modifications this meant that cup holders would have to be placed where they would not be in the way yet accessible from several angles and heights. The support legs were soon in and a small mistake was noted after the concrete had been poured. Seems there was a crease in the drawing and an extra couple of posts were put in. Rather then take them out we just added them to "The Project" as if they were in the plans. Hard to describe exactly how this changed the layout but if all the swings are swinging at the same time there is a strong chance that several if not all the swings could meet in the center. If you could climb the big Maple and look down at the setup, which Skinny did, he described it as a figure eight demolition derby track. But what are the odds that all the swings would ever meet in the center as you would have to be swinging pretty hard.

As an afterthought we put in a climbing rope with big knots in it and a zip line that would take you right to the Lodges front porch. Now since we had several of the Lodge members on hand to build this it did not take long. Not like some jobs where you are working for someone else and by late afternoon the last bolt was tighten and the swings were installed. It was soon discovered that no one could climb the rope with a beer in their hand. So we would just stand in the bucket of the bobcat and get raised to the top. We had to make a few modifications as the afternoon went on, the zip line was not working out as planned. Hammering Hank was first to kind of miss the porch and released out over the slope leading to the lake. We in the planning committee believed it to be just a fluke till Big Earl failed and landed even farther out on the hill. Luckily he landed on some orange barrels which cushion his fall but he did slide down the mud covered hill. He ended up in the water of the lake but he was going to have to get washed off anyway.

Today we installed an electric winch which will pull you up to the top platform where you can now ride the adjusted zip line. You can hold on to your beer with one hand and the cable with the other. Some guys were off at Mike's junk yard looking for metal to build a slide, it was not on the plans but plans are made to be changed. Hammering Hank's wife Tess even donated to the "The Project" she came over this morning and duct taped an industrial size first aid kit to one of the legs. Like we would ever need it, from Lake Iwanttobethere {686,024}

Bobby Bass · June 4, 2012

Not often do I get to call something a ringing success, especially if it has been built in a day with bored Lodge members but.... "The Project" is a success, yesterday it was almost like a playground out back of the Lodge as members were tossing horseshoes and playing bocce ball. There was hardy ever an empty seat on the swing set as members would wander over and sit for a spell. After awhile when they thought no one was watching they would snug their rear ends into the seat and take small steps backwards before lifting their feet off the ground and let their weight take them forward. For some it had been years since the last time they had swung on a swing and at first they were a little self conscious but that soon passed. Like riding a bike, you don't forget how to swing and so they did.

Gus had the BBQ out back and was roasting corn and the sound of polish sizzling and the occasional split of oil on hot coals could be heard then seen as a small puff of smoke. Guys would come over between games and grab a beer and a napkin holding a polish and even though there was plenty of room to sit at the picnic tables they would go sit on a swing. Arms wrapped around the chain with feet spread widely they would sit and eat and drink. Might have been the best sight when Marv and Elmer on their bikes came riding down the back trail. We could hear them before they appeared in view, not the huffing of old men on bikes but the sound of baseball cards clicking on spokes and attached with clothes pins. They rode up and lean their bikes against the swing set and headed for the BBQ

A hand printed note on card stock was pinned to the back door of the Lodge leading out to "The Project"

LODGE MEMBERS ONLY

NO SKATEBOARDS

SMOKING and DRINKING ALLOWED

I might have had something to do with the sign, but no one had signed it.

Later in the day some showers came through and guys abandon the horseshoes pits and the bocce courts. Seeking shelter in the Lodge some watched golf on TV while others sat out on the deck over looking the lake and made comments and wonder out loud if anyone was catching fish. Several boats were off Root Beer Island but it was also the time of day when Mindy and Mandy were known to do their sunbathing on their dock, rain or shine. It being silent Sunday I was in my office getting paper work out of the way but I had my window open. I could hear some laughter from out back and when I got up I spied Elmer pushing Ms. Mary on the swing. No one else was around not even Marv. There had been some rumors around town that Elmer might be seeing someone. I closed the window and went back to my desk but I got to thinking. Maybe the swing can make ya feel young again, I wonder what a slide would do? from Lake Iwanttobethere {687,157}

Bobby Bass · June 6, 2012

Yesterday Duncan the dog became an official employee of the Lodge. I know you people who work at the IRS are sitting up taking notice. I am not going to claim him nor is the Lodge going to pay him but nevertheless he is now an employee. His new job, which he is in training for will be to take our bank deposits to the Lake Iwanttobethere Savings and Loan. He has been doing my personal banking for a few months now ever since there was a break down in the tube system that serves the drive through. With his big mouth I just put a few checks in the tube bottle that I took out of the out of order lane and Duncan carried it to the outside teller window. He is tall enough now that he can stand on his rear legs and drop it in the drawer. A moment later he brought the tube back to me and I gave him the three biscuits that were inside and I kept my cash.

The tube system was fixed the next day but we just kept doing it as I get a kick out of it and Duncan likes the extra biscuits, he is a growing boy you know. Buddy has always made the deposits for the Lodge but he is getting on in years and sometimes his mouth hurts him a little from carrying the money bag. I thought it was time for Duncan to do the carrying and Buddy can be his bodyguard and keep him on the right track. So for the past few weeks the two of them have been making the Lodges deposits and Duncan is earning a few more bones. Buddy and Barney both use to work together and do the banking but when fishing starts up Barney is hard to keep away from the water. I swear sometimes he acts like a teenager and sleeps till noon before finally getting up. Usually only the smell of bacon and pancakes will get him up before noon and after that he heads to the dock to start fishing for the day. So for now Duncan is in training and Buddy gets to be the boss and Barney is officially retired.

Just a few days of school left and I might be in a little bit of trouble. From time to time I will drive grand kids to school and the youngest one keeps telling me that I told him he gets to stay in the truck the last day of school. Trouble is I don't remember saying that and we are getting closer to that last day. Perhaps I will let grandma drive them the last day. Weather wise we seem to be stuck in a rut, nice morning followed by showers in the afternoon. Today is forecasted to be like yesterday where some thunderstorms blew up and out over the lake. I tried a few casts off the dock but just a few. Am thinking I might have to go out the shop and dig out an ultra light rod and a small spinning reel. I think I have a stream trout rod up in the rafters somewhere.

Apple blossoms are all gone and I am hoping the trees will be full of apples, with the loss of a tree the others are going to have to pick up the slack. Am eyeing a couple of trees as replacements but am still working on the price. Maple trees are dropping seed pods so they are underfoot. We get a stiff breeze with one of the rainstorms and we will have them everywhere. I spotted flowers on the deck over at Elmers this morning, actually the wife did. Don't ever recall Elmer having potted flowers. The wife gave me one of them knowing looks and was just waiting for me to say something about the flowers. I ignored her and hid behind the sports page. Elmer on the swing with Mary and now flowers, might make for a long summer, from Lake Iwanttobethere {688,774}

Bobby Bass · June 9, 2012

No one wants to be that guy on the side of the road with a blown bearing that is why I replaced my hubs this year on the Puddle Humper trailer. I figured they were twenty-two years old and I might as well just put some new ones on. So you know what is going to happen. My neighbor Chuck and I took a little road trip, a lake north of Lake Iwanttobethere about eighty miles away. About sixty miles away there is a little lake that we wanted to check out and it looks to be a little hidden gem with an access deep enough to launch the Puddle Humper. If fishing was slow at our destination lake we would stop at this one on the way back home for the evening bite.

Next stop was fifteen miles down the road at a bait shop where Chuck could buy some sodas, he is not supposed to have any, but heck anything over seventy-five miles is classified as a fishing trip and different rules apply. Six pack of Dew and some Moon Pies and we were back on the road just five miles away from our lake. Pretty big lake with several access right on a point in the park and in a few minutes we were unpacked and rolling the trailer down into the water when Chuck yelled at me to stop. I was not yet in the water so I got out and walked back to the trailer where Chuck was pointing at the new hub. The bearing buddy was long gone and the outer seal was a wreck. The new hub had lasted one hundred and eighty miles. I was not happy.

It could have been worse, it could have happen on the highway or at a remote isolated dirt access but it didn't. We pulled the trailer back up the ramp and gathered around it like a county road crew would. A few other fishermen came over and with hands rubbing chins muttered things like "New Hub you say" " Only a hundred and eighty miles, don't that beat all." Chuck said " Well I guess we can drop the trailer and run back to that town and see if we can get a new bearing" I replied with "No need, I have a hub in the back of the Tahoe, I kept the old ones when I bought the new ones "So we rolled the trailer over to the shade of a nice big maple and got to lie in the green grass of the park as we jacked up and replaced the hub. No shortage of guys driving by making comments about blown bearings and when it happen to them or one of their buddies. I am sure they are telling stories about me and Chuck and the local watering hole about blowing a bearing right at the water's edge but dang if them guys didn't have a spare.

So about an hour later we were finally on the water, I was not fully into fishing for awhile as I was thinking about making that eighty mile drive back home later. Lucky for us we started to catch some fish, bunch of little northerns and a couple of decent bass. A few of the bass made me wince when I set the hook with the bad wrist. I rewraped the wrist a little tighter and had to land a few of the fish like I was marlin fishing. The butt of the rod in my gut and my left hand helping to hold the rod. Between the two of us we landed thirty fish and lost another ten. One big northen took a swipe at me at the boat and I was glad he missed. If he had hit I don't know if I would have been able to hold on to the rod. Several spots we found big sunnies hitting our spinner baits that we were fishing for bass with, I even caught a few. With the sun setting we got off the water just as several boats were heading out, walleye fishermen. All in all not a bad day for fishing, it could have been worse, from Lake Iwanttobethere {690,701}

Bobby Bass · June 11, 2012

HIYA from the Lake, no fishing today at least not from the Puddle Humper as I am waiting on parts. I got a replacement hub for the trailer and decided that I would replace the tang washer that holds the castle nut on. Now if you know what the castle nut is, give yourself an A if you know what a Tang washer is give yourself two A's and if you know where I can get one, call me. Hard to believe that no one here at Lake Iwanttobethere has a tang washer. Most guys at the Lodge last night didn't have a clue what they are but when I told them then they all knew what it was. That there is the do higie that holds the castle washer on so the wheel don't fall off. No, I would explain, it holds on the castle nut. Only one who knew what I was talking about was Elmer and nope he didn't know where you could get one.

Which brings me to the world of the Internet, lucky we have the Internet here at Lake Iwanttobethere or I would be still looking for a Tang washer. I found one and ordered two of them, might as well replace them on both spindles. Seventy-five cents each and two dollars and thirty-four cents in postage. Should be here by midweek and with any luck it will be done raining by then. I did have to do some shopping as I found tang washes for as much as a dollar seventy-five each and twelve-fifty in shipping. Makes you wonder why the postal system is going broke when business are shipping stuff for twelve bucks when they could put it in an envelope and mail it for a dollar. O well I need the washes, but I still shopped for the best shipping rate. On a side note I could have had the two washers shipped by truck freight for a hundred and forty-three dollars. Now that would be something, having a semi pull up to the Lodge, the three wheel fork lift lowered and then have it carry over the two one inch tang washers with the driver looking for our loading dock.

Yesterday was not lost though, I did go to Diggers Nursery and bought two dwarf Macintosh apple trees. I brought them home and have them on the deck, I gave them a good drink of water and make sure they can't be tipped over by the wind. Of course no sooner did I water them then clouds started to show up over the lake and an hour later we had a thunderstorm. Matter of fact it rained pretty good there for a couple of hours. Should make digging holes for the new trees pretty easy later today or maybe tomorrow. I still have to cut the dead apple tree trunk down, was thinking maybe it might make a good base to hang a hammock from, the wife's idea. I tried getting into a hammock on display down at the General Store, getting in was not so bad, it was the getting up off the floor when I flipped it that I was not to partial to. So I am going to chain saw it down to a foot off the ground and the wife will put a big potted plant on it. The new trees will go to the right and left of the stump. Today I need to go buy some metal fence post so I can support the new trees and some fencing to surround them. Keep deer and grand kids away from them for awhile.

With summer here and school out grand kids are spending time at the cabin. Today I need to come up with some chores for them to do as no one gets a free ride here. Watering the outside plants was a good idea except they end up getting more water on themselves then on the flowers. Maybe we will just head to the dock and do some fishing and check on the turtles. A snapper was spotted yesterday laying eggs on the dirt road. The kids marked the spot with white spray paint that the rain washed away. I got a feeling that a turtle hunt is on this afternoons list of things to do, from Lake Iwanttobethere {692,146}

Bobby Bass · June 13, 2012

Mark the mailman has come and left and no tang washers were delivered. I am sitting on the shore waiting on a seventy-five cent washer. The wife spotted me walking back from the dock where the mail is delivered during the summer empty handed except for a couple of bills. I exchanged the bills with her and she gave me the clip board with the Honey Do List. I made my way to the shop, unlocked the door and sat down in a wood deck chair that I am supposed to be putting some screws into but has now become my new shop chair for pondering ways of getting out of doing things on the Honey Do List. Looking out a window at the lake I don't see a cloud in the sky and I am thinking it would be a good day to fish, if I had a tang washer.

Yesterday I cut down a few trees for a neighbor down the road, last storm had snapped a few trees and they were hung up in another tree. He didn't feel comfortable trying to cut the trees down so asked if I would give it a shot. So for the price of a tank of gas I put on a hard hat and got the trees on the ground. Didn't break anything and it gave me a reason to put a sharp chain on the saw. I came back to the cabin and cut the apple tree trunk down and the grand kids made a big deal about hauling the wood away to the secret hiding spot behind the wood shop. I took the number two grandson with me and we went down to visit Big Earl at the General Store. Bought some posts and fencing along with some mulch for planting the new apple trees. A stop at the Dairy Delight for cones and we were back home an hour later. During that time the wife had taken the two other grand kids out to Diggers where she bought a plum tree and a pear tree. Just kind of forgot to tell me she was going to do it. Grandson and I made a trip back to Earl's to get more posts and more mulch.

Elmer and his girlfriend? Mary actually came over and asked if they could take the kids to the park for awhile. The wife and I looked at each other and shook our heads yes. They all piled into Mary's car and were down the drive and out of sight a moment later. The wife and I didn't say anything, just kind of shook our heads and went on with our business. I am thinking it must be an old folks thing to want to take someone else kids let alone grand kids. I mean Elmer borrows the grand kids all the time but that is usually to pick night crawlers or weeds from his garden. First time he has done it to go swing, must have something to do with Mary. I am not complaining, a little peace and quiet is a welcomed thing. All three dogs are sleeping on the deck laying in the sunshine, I think they to are taking advantage of no kids for a morning break.

So later this afternoon we will mow where the apple trees are going to be planted. I can see a debate coming on where the pear and plum trees are to be planted. If I work it right the kids will do all the digging and heavy lifting and I will just be doing the directing. I might even put a few screws in the deck chair, it is kind of shaky. I could take a trip over to the river and toss a few but the water is still high and running fast. Maybe me and Duncan will just take a walk in town and enjoy a summer evening, from Lake Iwanttobethere {693,669}

Bobby Bass · June 15, 2012

I don't know when it happen but somehow Lake Iwanttobethere has been moved slightly south of Seattle Washington. I mean it sure feels like it, another day of rain yesterday and six more days of rain on the way. I know it did not really happen as we are not getting drizzle and fog here but thunderstorms that just keep rolling through. Today is Friday and it is turn over day here at the lake. That is when most of the tourist pack up and head back home and the next group comes in. The last group saw but one day with no rain and you do kind of feel for them a little.

Having in my younger days taken a few vacations with the guys a visit to a new lake and a new cabin is never a let down. That drive up always seems to take hours and conversation in the truck are always about past vacations. Never have had a bad fishing vacation even though some of them were pretty rotten. But as time goes by it gets that even the bad ones become a bench mark to measure the next one. All fish grow by just a little and the newer scales are better then the old ones. Having the newer accurate scales allows you to re-weigh your old fish in your story telling and add just a tad to them. Since this is done by everyone in the truck the new weights are accepted and never questioned in any other future story retellings. Duffle bags that were once new are now well worn and soft. Nothing points you out more like a tourist then a crisp seamed canvas bag where the strap stands upright when you drop it on the ground.

Fancy rod carriers are a thing of the past, now you have a thick walled pvc pipe with dings and scratches. Different color swatches of paint from different pick up truck boxes mark the pvc. Coolers with a history are brought in and stacked by the fridge. Bunks are claimed and chairs are tested. Windows are opened and screens inspected. Over the years the cabins have gotten a little better. Now they have running water and there is no need to find the trail to the outhouse. Docks don't have missing boards and bunks don't need sleeping bags. Was even at a place where a maid came in the morning. I am sure she must have mistaken us for some tourists on that day.

We still sit around fire pits and watch sparks float skyward and wink out in the darkness. Make comments to each other about the stars in the sky and who ever gets up first has to get a round for the rest of the guys. When we were young we used a tree for a rest or maybe a boat cushion up against a rock. As we get older the campfire now has chairs with backs and even foot rests. It's not that we are older we still drink the same beer it's just that the campgrounds have just gotten newer we tell ourselves. Still the same sky over head, the same friends on our left. The same stories, the same wife's, at least for some of us. Stories of grand kids are now creeping in with the rest but we are not getting older we confess. Now if someone can just help me get up out of this chair I'll walk with ya down the stairs. We will howl at the moon and give fair warning to the bass that tomorrow around noon we will be out looking for them or maybe at one if we have a late breakfast, from Lake Iwanttobethere {695,742}

Bobby Bass · June 17, 2012

Friday turned into a hot and humid afternoon, I hate them kind of days. Either be hot or rain but don't give me the worse of both. The apple trees did make it in the ground. I dug the holes and the grand kids took it from there. After the mulch was spread the kids sat back on chairs on the deck drinking ice tea with more ice then tea and declared the trees needed to be named. The seven year old came up with their names. One will be called Apple and the other Tree, the three of them giggled away at their own pun. I chuckled some and the wife told the kids that was a good name for the new trees. I pointed out to the wife I will be very interested in hearing what they name the new Plum and Pear tree. The wife started to object till I waved my finger and pointed at my newly named Apple and Tree.

Tang washers have arrived for the Puddle Humper trailer and I started to haul the jack out and then decided to just wait another day. Too muggy to be crawling around on the ground and it is going to rain again anyway. Duncan came up wet out of the lake and shook all over me and then sat and wagged his tail. With the wife in earshot I asked Duncan if he needed an ice cold beer. Duncan jumped a few times and barked then took off running towards the Tahoe. I just looked at the wife and shrugged my shoulders, looks like Duncan needs a ride into town.

I took a towel to Duncan and got most of the water off him and no sooner did I open the truck door and he was up and sitting in a car seat. We drove into town and I decided I would stop at Little Louie's Liquor and Licorice. We sat in the parking lot for a few minutes as I was really enjoying the cool of the AC coming out the vents. I was thinking to myself that Lou's latest promotion was going pretty good as I saw a couple of guys walking in and walking out with their recyclable Little Louie's Liquor and Licorice shopping bags. I guess one could say you were a serious drinker if you had your own insulated recyclable beer bag. Making Duncan wait in the truck I went inside and bought a six pack of Needabeer and picked up a handful of thumb thick red licorice sticks for me and Duncan. I had forgotten my beer bag so Lou just put the Needabeer in a paper sack for me.

I came back to the cabin to find a fire going in the pit and kids with wet shirts from dripping watermelon. The daughter had arrived to take her kids back but wanted to make sure they ate the watermelon that she had bought at Ma and Pa's here. I sat down at the table and took a thick slice of the melon between my fingers and soon was as wet as the grand kids. I forgot all about the Needabeer till I spotted Duncan dragging the bag across the deck. I patted Duncan on the head and put the bag in the cabin for later. Bud and Barney appeared, both of them wet and walking slowly up from the lake. The kids took their ma to show her the Apple and the Tree and then headed for one last plunge into the lake from the dock. Duncan seeing that someone was going swimming shot down the hill to the lake and clipped the daughter as he leaped off the dock. I almost thought the daughter was going to stay dry till she yelled and tumbled into the water joining the kids. I said nothing, it looked like a dive to me. from Lake Iwanttobethere {697,916}

Bobby Bass · June 21, 2012

Summer just changed for most of us here at Lake Iwanttobethere. This morning blue sky with no clouds overhead and the bass thermometer is hovering the red needle right at sixty. The bird bath is over flowing in water as are all the potted plants. The sound of every fan in the cabin makes a hum as they are all in the basement drying up water that seeped in. The main garden is gone, the just sprouting plants never had a chance. The cabin sits like a soaking wet sweater hanging on a chair, water dripping off the siding to puddle on the ground. The ground long ago had given up, if you listen you could hear it say that it had enough and just can't take any more rain. Sunshine Ray had announced we received ten point one inches of rain. That is a lot of water no matter where you live. The Puddle Humper will not be going down the road for awhile, there are parts of the road missing!

The whop whop of helicopters is heard overhead, the governor is here along with some national news media. They are flying overhead to look down at the damage while we are looking up to watch them. We kind of like not being in the public eye but having seals swimming on main street and kayaks going through the drive through makes people notice. The ten o'clock freight will not be running for awhile. A section of track is hanging fifty feet up in the air, the hill below it having been washed out. Trees are down, not from wind but from tumbling water tearing at their roots. From the top of hills they slid down to make dams that quickly filled. The trees no longer hold the dirt together so the dirt followed the trees becoming mud and packing in around the branches. What would take beavers forever to do was done in a few hours, and the rain kept falling.

When a town is built along a lake and it rests along a hillside everything that starts at the top makes it's way to the bottom. When you get ten inches of rain at the top and then ten inches more in the middle and ten inches at the bottom it adds up to a lot of problems along the way. No word from people still up around the Mystery River. The state troopers came in wearing their yellow rain slickers and closed off the road to the river. No one is allowed past but we hear of flooding and the fields around the brewery are reported as being under water. For some this means no Needabeer or Whynotale will be coming down the road. The CB radio is crackling with news and gossip. We have been asked to stay off our cell phones and only use them when they are really needed. For those of us who still have the CB's information is shared about washouts and ditches that are no longer ditches but are gorges under cutting roadways.

Wash outs are everywhere, wet basements in town are common and shelves are bare at the General Store where fans and pumps and dehumidifiers once were. Floods are common elsewhere but not here. A big storm here is deep snow and cold, we can handle that. Floating cars and missing sections of roads are not too common here. We are not the only ones though, all through the county people are stranded. Lakes are as high as anyone can remember, even Elmer says this storm beats the one in 72 and might even beat the grand daddy of 1950 dirty brown pools of water are receding. It could have been worse we are saying, We have the whole summer to do all the cleaning, from Lake Iwanttobethere {700,822}

reinhard1 · June 22, 2012

Happy Birthday Bobby!!!!!!thanks for providing us with your great perspectives from Lake Iwanttobethere!!!always read them. good luck.

Bobby Bass · June 24, 2012

Silent Sunday here at the Lake and it is kind of eire because it actually is quiet for the first time in several days. After the flood which was only a few days ago we have quietly slipped in to a new routine which I am thinking will become a life style for the rest of summer. Mystery River is now our area 51 as we still can't get into and we just hear snippets of information or rumors from others about it. Talk of two bridges being washed away and entire sections of roadway slipping into the river. It may be months before travel will be allowed back into the area and the Eagles Nest is flooded and has canceled it's season.

It was a good thing that Hammering Hank had hung onto all of them orange barrels as they were put into good use around the town. We quickly went through all the orange cones and barriers we had on hand. Even though I am retired I can still offer up information and experience. Filling sandbags is not my thing but I know where we had some stocked piled. The Lodge is dry and back to business, lots of guys coming in for lunch and thermos refills. Big thumbs up to the road crews who have been working around the clock to make things safe for the rest of us. The sound of the ten o'clock freight has been replaced with the sound of banging dump truck boxes as they work late into the night dropping off fill for washouts and are working under lights. Local gravel pits are open twenty-four hours to keep the fill available to the county.

Today it was declared that most of the guys would be given the day off, the work has not stopped though. The guys are now working on their own cabins cleaning up messes that have been postponed. On Friday I got my drive filled in and graded at least good enough so that I don't need four wheel drive to get in and out. Creeks have returned to their banks and even though it rained some last night it was nothing compared to what we had received earlier in the week. A few new water hazards at the golf course and yesterday the sounds of lawnmowers were echoing around the lake. The town fathers have eased up on the law enforcement about chain saws and mowers on weekends.

I have been helping out where I can, checking up on some of my old customers who for the most part did OK. One of them did try and drive through a pool of water and had his car die on him. Lucky for him a couple of guys spotted him and got him out of the car. The car was pulled out and brought to his cabin, it sits in the drive still dripping water and smells like a dirty river. The owner is in no hurry to get rid of it, his wife points to it often and reminds him you don't have to be young to be stupid.

With the drive repaired I could get the Puddle Humper out and go fishing today, but just not that important. I think me and Chuck are going to take a drive over to Frank the grader driver's cabin and see if he can use any help. When I drove by yesterday I saw a lot of stuff out in the yard drying. So as the town fathers have on the billboard just outside of town 'We are open for business" from Lake Iwanttobethere {704,837}

Bobby Bass · June 26, 2012

Went fishing last night, needed a break and the lake was calling my name. Puddle Humper has been sitting patiently waiting for me. New hubs were installed last week and the batteries charged I was talking with my neighbor Chuck about sneaking out and as soon as he heard sneak he was in. Wife was in town picking up some groceries but we had enough bread on hand for a sandwich. I quickly grabbed some cookies and a couple of bottles of water and the cooler, me and Chuck were in the Tahoe fifteen minutes later. I told Duncan to tell the wife I was going fishing and with the Puddle Humper secured behind the truck we headed down the newly graded road to a little lake that both Chuck and I like to fish.

As we drove we noticed several areas where the county graders had been at work. Ditches were full of water and we talked about how wet bird season is going to be. If it started today we would have to wear hip boots to hunt for grouse. The landing we were headed to has a small pond off to the side. The lake would be to your right, the narrow dirt road and then the pond. We were hoping the water from the pond had not washed over the road. We made the last turn before the access and the pond was high but inside it's banks.

We drove the last hundred yards and made the turn into the access to find it under water. The pond was lower at this point and escaping water had covered the parking area and was flowing into the lake. Rubber boots went on and we sloshed around in the water getting the Puddle Humper ready to launch. Water was high, the highest I have ever seen it. I backed into the launch area but didn't go too deep. The water flowing across the landing had created a sand bar and the trailer slipped over the edge and into water deep enough to launch. I was thinking it might be a good idea to put it in four wheel drive when we retrieve the Puddle Humper.

Now for the fishing part of the story.

I could have just ended it with that line because fishing was very very bad, and by seven thirty we were actually talking about the remote possibility that we might get skunked bass fishing! Of course we had caught a half a dozen northern by this time and it was brought up that we never really said we were bass fishing and we could just call it a northern fishing night. That is when the first bass hit my top water and I hooked and landed it. I held it up for Chuck to see and declared to the fish gods that I would not be skunked on this night. Chuck however I pointed out to him was yet to catch a bass.

It took us three and a half hours to catch six fish but in the next two hours we caught twelve. Chuck caught a bass and a skunk was avoided. The blue bird sky and high water may have had something to do with our fishing success or lack of it. As afternoon became evening and evening into dusk the lake started to come alive. Frogs started croaking, a loon made a controlled crash landing with in sight. An eagle took to wing from an old pine so close that we could hear the flapping of her wings as she flew away from us. I am pretty sure it was a female as we know there is a nest hidden from the sight of the lake where she was. With the sun all but gone we called last cast and flung our lures into the last of the light. Trailer was backed into the lake and Puddle Humper loaded without a problem. We drove out the road a ways so we would not have to slosh in water putting things away. Not a bad evening of fishing, it could have been worse, we could have still been at the cabin thinking we should have gone fishing, from Lake Iwanttobethere {706,741}

Sign In

GUESTS

Fishin report for Lake Iwanttobethere..

Recommended Posts

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Top Posters In This Topic

Popular Days

Top Posters In This Topic

Popular Days

Popular Posts

Del Sauter

Bobby Bass

Bobby Bass

Posted Images

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Link to comment

Share on other sites

Join the conversation

Your Responses - Share & Have Fun :)

Topics

Important Information