Fishin report for Lake Iwanttobethere..

[The_Duckslayer]

WOW! I have seen this thread many a time but have never looked at it till today. What a GREAT site! Bobby you sure know how to make a person be there with ya! I can just see some one crawling up on the roof to crank up the Civil Defense horn! This is truly a place that I will keep coming back to. Being here is like a bit of relief from the stresses of everyday life. Thanks for the stories and the memories they bring back. Take care and N Joy the Hunt././Jimbo

[Bobby Bass]

Was down at Del's Pizza and Sub shop this morning doing a little work. The shop is getting ready to open on Friday and had to clean up a few things from over the winter. And since he has decided to expand this year he wanted to get a little more modern in his approach. Dug was there also and they were trying to get the bugs out of the dough gun. Not bugs mine you just trying to figure out the right pressure to use. See Del had this idea that if they put a ball of dough in the dough gun and then shot it at a major league catchers mitt the impact would be just the right size for a personal pan pizza! Well after the widow got broke we decided to try a pitching machine instead. This way it comes out flat and oval already and is more like catching a Frisbee. More youth oriented like. We still have to do some fine tuning with the pizza delivery system. Last year was a success with the trap thrower on it side. A pizza would be made to order and then placed in two returnable hubcaps, sealed with duct tape and then launched from shore to skip to cabins on the lake. Delivery fee was by the number of skips. This year he got a deal from Dug on a European trap machine that will increase his speed and allow him to send out doubles!

My next stop was at the Lodge and I helped wake up Hammering Hank and then we carried in the now clean furniture back into the Lodge. A balmy 71 out with sunshine, what a day here at Lake Iwanttobethere. The widow Hess came by and cleaned the mirror for some reason, So we are way ahead of the game now, This will allow us to sit at the bar and still be able to watch our bobbers off the dock with out having to turn around. Well it being near lunch time we headed to the park to test some of Mandy and Mindy's smelt. They had a few good dips last night so there was enough for a meal for Hank and myself. Hank left a little early with a paper sack of smelt and was last seen heading towards the Widow Hess's cabin so I guess there is still something going on there. It was about this time my dogs Sadie and Lady found me and escorted me back home. I found a Honey Do list stapled to the shed and two tables that had to be fixed before this weekends yard sale, also a line about donating some of my "crafts" for sale. So I am sitting here in my rocker, giving some thought to what kind of craft I can donate...So far I have a ash tray half filled with cigar ash...Hmmm ash polish?

[Bobby Bass]

Boy what a great day yesterday was for the middle of April having a 70+ day was a nice surprise. After running all over town yesterday and then having to come back and take care of the honey do list it was also dog swap night. My daughter from the city came out and we traded dogs for the summer. My two old labs Sadie and Lady go back to the city to be loved up by grand kids and live in AC while the young guys Buddy and Barney come to Lake Iwanttobethere till the end of hunting season. After spending most of the evening marking every tree sometimes two or three times they finally came to the deck to lay down for awhile. Like all dogs these guys have their way about them and since they are both six now and in their prime they think they own the place when they get here. Buddy is the hunter and Barney is the fishermen. Barney will spend hours standing in water up to his belly watching sunfish in the shallows. He makes a fine picture at sunset out there. Buddy's job is to make sure no chipmunk or ground squirrel invades his turf.

So last night was the first of I hope many great evening here on Lake Iwanttobethere. All the deck furniture is out. The big metal fire pit is on the deck. I usual just have one cigar a day but I could not resist sitting on the deck in my swing, watching a nice maple fire crackling in the fire pit, The two labs laying exhausted at my feet, a rosy sun set and the sound of Twins baseball and a win I might add with water lapping against the dock for background music. Where my cabin is at I have a great advantage point to look all over Lake Iwanttobethere and with the telescope that I got for a present a few years ago I can keep an eye on things. Lots of lights on tonight and Easter is just a few days away and that is kind of our opener for Lake Iwanttobethere. Campground is about half full as it looks like the smelt will be running this weekend. Dew Drop was busy tonight and with the lodge not open till Friday there is no place for the locals to hide out at. The radio station is up and running and I don't know how Dug does it but no matter where you are on the lake and no matter what team you pull for, your baseball game is on the radio.

Did I mention not a single bug out? That will change here soon, this place would be perfect except for those pests. Forecast calls for rain this evening so I will have to find Hammering Hank and set up our deal. With the yard sale this weekend we make a pack to go and buy each others good stuff and then trade it back to each other. This way we don't ever have to worry about losing it to someone else. I don't really understand a yard sale anyway. On Saturday morning I will have to walk around and look at stuff out on tables that I am sure that I have seen on another table last year or the year before. I think that they buy this stuff, bring it home and then put it up for sale the next year. The stuff never leaves town, just kind of rotates through. Last year I thought we were going to have a fist fight between two of our grand ladies as they almost came to blows on whether a creamer and a sugar bowl are a match set and if a quarter should be enough for both. Lucky for me I had already bought the saucer. Well have a grand day, one of those rare spring days where I have to actually work here at Lake Iwanttobether.

[Bobby Bass]

It happen Friday night, I was sitting in the lodge when I heard the first cords from the organ as Inagaddavida made it's sweet sound across the lake. The smelt were running! I can't remember when it first happen. Someone in celebration of the smelt run cranked on his 8 track version of Inagaddavida in his truck to let his buddies know that the smelt were running. Now it is a tradition here on Lake Iwanttobethere By the time it had cycled into the 2nd time around the pickups started to roll into the park. Like one of them cult movies you could see the headlights weaving there way there way down through the hills on there way to the park. Within minutes Hammering Hank's wood pile was gone and small fires were kindled along the shore. And just like that Smelt season was here.

Lodge opened on Saturday, I know it is kind of a funny night for lodge night but the beer is delivered every Friday and it takes till Saturday for it to be really drinkable cold. Besides everyday is like every other day here on Lake Iwanttobethere during season. At sundown I wandered in with my labs Barney and Bud, didn't make it through the screen door when Barney was called over to his fishing friends and Bud was coerced away to sit with his hunting buddies. Like I said before Barney is a fishermen and he is always welcomed on someone's boat as things just seem to happen when he is with. Bud is the same way with the Grouse and Duck hunters. I don't mind, everyone takes good care of them and they make sure they get back home. My turn to tend bar tonight so I get a clean Walmart apron and tie it on. Our Lodge is pretty relaxed here, we barter time working at the Lodge in exchange for dues. There is always some grass to cut or bar tending to do. We also have the trap out back that needs a thrower from time to time and some of the guys have been shooting from the woods along the trap and calling it Sporting Clays. A nice idea except when the guys are shooting trap at the same time.

The smelt run kind took away from the women's yard sale, most of the guys were still at the park poking at dying embers from their fires. For some reason Hammering Hank did not make the run but was seen hand in hand with the widow Hess at the yard sale. That is fine with me as he got everything that we had agreed for him to pick up. Coming up on 8 track hour here soon and then I will be busy. We have pretty good selection of 8-tracks here and everynight at the lodge instead of happy hour we have 8 track hour. When you hear the 8 track cycle you have to chug what every is in your hand. By the time I have all the glasses refilled it is time for the 8 track to cycle again. Glad it only lasts an hour cuz I barely have time to fill my own glass.

Park is pretty full now and Hammering Hank has restocked his wood pile. The mini dounut cart is up and running and you can smell Mindy and Mandy's smelt tent when the wind is right. All the chairs here at the Lodge that are out on the deck are full as we sit back and watch people out wading past Mystery Creek, a few are in the creek with dip nets and they are getting all they want then trading places with the next in line. Several pickups are in the parking lot with smelters hanging over their sides or sitting on the tailgates. You can just make out a loud laff from time to time. A few kids are kicking a ball on the softball field. Wood smoke, cooking oil and mini donuts, just another Easter weekend here at Lake Iwanttobethere.

[Dan Thiem]

Well Bobby, how's it going at the lake? Haven't heard from ya latley. Did the Smelt run do ya in? Or was it Mandy and Mindy?

[1lkstage]

I think he must have ate to many smelt, and took a long nap! Or is he stuck in a poker game?? (Lake I Want To Bet Here) Sure is lonely at lake Iwanttobethere.

[Bobby Bass]

Well I just arrived back at the cabin a few hours ago. As you know I spend a fair amount of time watching the sunset and sitting by my fire either in the cabin or out on the deck with my new fire pit. Well someone has to cut that wood you know. So I spent the past few days cutting and splitting my wood for next winter. I was out there with Hammering Hank at one of his many little hide a ways that he has for gathering his wood. The smelt run was so good here this year that he went through more wood then he had thought he would. So he had to set off to bring some more back to the lake. Somehow I don't know how, I got roped into helping him. Well we cut and split everything we needed the first two days but the 3rd day created a problem for us. As we were working our way down the ridge line we found ourselves what at the time appeared to be an old still. So of course we checked it out and found a barrel of white lightning at the bottom of the spout that appeared too have been sitting there aging for a spell.. Well we kind of stuck our fingers in it for a lick and then a sip and then we just started to a drinking and a talking and a sipping and some more drinking and then some sleeping and then a little more sipping and some snoring and before you know we had lost two days. You may or may not know that Lake Iwanttobethere has a interesting history of lumberjacks and rum running. And of course even here we have urban legends. There is such a legend of a lumberjacks who would start up stills out in the deep woods so that way they were out cutting they would not have to return to town. At first we thought that we had found one of these old stills and just like a bear finding a hidden hive of honey we had to drink our fill. Well the 3rd day we ran out of our sweet juice and the the pounding in our heads started. We had a whole day to ponder whether we really had found some aged lighting or if we had just been drinking some old colored snow melt and besides I thought they all used copper pipe not that black metal pipe. Well we made it back in to town and I went and saw Doc Burriem, He gave me that look down over the top of his glasses and down his nose and gave me some big horse pills to take twice a day for the next week and said the shakes will go away in time. To add to my problems I get in the cabin and head for the bed only to find that the new down stuffed pillow I had bought for my bad neck now had the neighbors cat and 4 new kittens on it! So much for Bud and Barney watching the cabin while I was gone. Here they never even made it home. They were at the Lodge the entire time I was gone, no one brought them back they just kept changing dog sitters. Besides they wee eating burgers and fries the whole time and they know there is just dog food for them here. So in the end I got my fire wood, 4 kittens and I shared some quality time with Hammering Hank and I now know more about the Widow Hess then I ever needed to know. But you know what they say... you should always drink your lightning either neat or with ice! Wish we had some ice..

[Bobby Bass]

A busy day here at Lake Iwanttobethere after the adventures of a week of wood cutting I am feeling better now. Those pills Doc gave me seem to be working. My vision is clearing up some and the shaking in my hand is just a tremble now. Saturday morning means I will be hosting my radio show at KCUM it is just once a month during the summer time as everyone here at the lake has to donate some time in order to keep it on the air. I have the Saturday answer show. All you do is call in with your answers, there are no questions. We get a lot of calls from women and young teenage boys. Those two groups seem to have all the answers. The second hour is the wd-40 hour where our listeners call in and share there uses for wd-40 we also have the wd-40 fishing contest with the only rule being that you use wd-40 as your scent on your lure.

So lets bring you up to speed. Smelt run is over but it was a very good run this year with just about anyone who wanted some getting some. The park is pretty quiet now and the smelt tent will be coming down on Monday I think I heard. Mindy and Mandy have also made it plain that they will be very happy when they serve the last plate of smelt. Docks have been going in all along Lake Iwanttobethere. Fishing season less then three weeks away and the lake is looking forward to it. The posting board has been cleared and all the old business cards and ads have been replace with new ones. Windows washed and signs touched up. Dew Drop Inn is looking over adding a few items for the summer and the lumber yard has been keeping late hours trying to keep up with orders placed from the General Store. Lodge Pole Resort announced that they are booked for opening weekend and both of their guides will be working full time this summer.

The Lodge is open and doing fine, Saturday is Lodge night so I will be there after the radio show. Barney and Bud now think they live there instead of with me. I will have to address that today. Tomorrow of course is silent Sunday at the Lodge so it should be a quiet day. It was brought up at the first meeting that the radio station should also observe silent Sunday but we don't know if we have enough instrumental music to last 24 hours. The people from the Mpls cabin have joined the lodge and have asked if we would like a web page on the Internet. They offer to install a camera on the bluff looking out over Lake Iwanttobethere and leave a mike on down by the shore line. This was tabled as some of the old timers view it as a big brother watching them. The current conversation at the dew Drop Inn is of course the price of gas and how it will effect us here on the Lake. Not much we can do about it but we are lucky that so many of our friends and customers are close to the Lake. Dug was in at lunch time and said he is back working on his wood burning car but with all the resorts and eating places getting busy here he will have plenty of oil for his bio diesel car. Poor Mindy and Mandy will be smelling smelt for awhile as Dug has been collecting oil from the deep fryers. Well time to head down to Amy's for some lunch, she told me she has smelt pasty that I just have to try. Have a good day from Lake Iwanttobethere

[Bobby Bass]

Just a flat down nice spring day today. Started off my morning by taking out the old 12' boat for a row. I still keep it tied up along the dock and sometime well most of the time it is all but forgotten about. From time to time I take it out and just go out and row for a spell. Kind of different looking at things backwards and it sure feels good to stretch the back out after a long winter. I always think back on all the old row boats that I have been in. Reminds me of the old wood boat that Chuck and I used to fish out of on a little pond way back in the middle of no where. Besides bringing your rod and a can of worms that can would be very important later as that boat would leak away. You never bothered to put your tennies on as your feet would be wet up to the ankles in the first half hour. But boy did we ever catch the sunnies out of that pond. I think that is why us grandpas enjoy taking our grand kids fishing as it lets us slow down, take off our shoes and fish at a much slower pace. I have always said that young kids and old guys make the best crappie fishermen, they both are a little slow on the switch.

The circus was down in Duluth yesterday and I went with my daughter and one of the grand kids and some of her friends, after you get past the ticket shock it was pretty good. It reminded me of when I was a young lad and the last time I went to the circus. We had seats in the nose bleed section and could just make things out. This good looking gal climbed this rope and then hanging by her teeth spun around in a dazzling display off flash and thigh. My friend and I worked our way down from our seat to the floor to see her up close. She was a babe! Then she smiled at us as she walked by and flashed us a mouth with half her teeth missing. I learned a lesson that day that something's are just better from a distance.

So as I rowed I noticed the buds are starting to pop, ground squirrels are scampering along the shoreline, robins are busy cleaning up nesting material. Am waiting to see if I will be continuing on going battle with the robins trying to build their nests under my boat house eves. I don't mind the nests but they tend to get a little excited when I am trying to get at stuff stored in the rafters. I did have good intention of rowing to the park but my back was talking to me before I made it half way there. So I turn back for home and rowed through a little chop to flop on the dock and enjoy the sunshine on my face and the feeling of muscles not used for a while. Can't wait to get that sore fishing shoulder from casting to much on opening day. I think today might be first burn day as I have a big honey do list to complete. Nothing says Spring then getting that first sun burn on the top of the head. Got wood to stack and going to move the fire pit, greenhouse needs to be tended to on a daily basis now. The boys Barney and Bud also need to have some quality time and a reminder that the live here and not at the Lodge. Of course hard to talk to the boys when it is silent Sunday, have to do it with pats and a lot of ear rubbing. Well I better get out there and tend the fire pit, you all have a good day from Lake Iwanttobethere

[Bobby Bass]

We were sitting around the fire pit last night watching the sun set over Lake Iwanttobethere and listing to the peepers. My neighbor Chuck was over as he helped me stack wood, we use it as a common divider between our garages. Makes a cheap fence and keeps the wood close at hand. Well I have known Chuck for going on 30 years here and we have had more then our fair share of adventures. As we sat around the fire we always seem to bring them stories up. Being friends for so long it does not take us much to go down memory lane. Thing is we hardly ever finish a story as we just mention a few lines and nod at each other and gaze into the fire with either that stupid look of we are lucky we are alive after that one, or if the wife's ever find out about that one. Someone has to be there with us for the entire story to be told. Hearing all the peepers out reminds me of the time when we went night time bass fishing. Lake Iwanttobethere is so big with so many places to go no one will ever know all the lake. So Chuck and I decide a long time ago to divide the lake up and try to be the guide for the other on there part of the lake. On this trip Chuck had been reading about how good night fishing can be for bass so off we set in the puddle humper and we motored to one of Chuck's secret spots. As the sun set we had clear sailing with a full moon on that night. As we motored towards the moon we made good time. We came around a point to Chuck's bay just as the moon slipped behind the clouds and it got very dark very quick. I will admit I was a tad concern at this point and asked Chuck if he was sure he knew this part of the lake " of course" he says. Well we started with a few top waters and we could not see a thing, Everyone once in awhile we would hear a big splash and toss in that direction, sometimes we would be rewarded with a splash in the general direction where our lures were. On more then one occasion at the sound of the splash we would rip a mighty set only to hear the lure whistle past your head going the opposite way. It didn't take me long to learn to pull my coat up over my neck and my hat down on my ears.

Finally after what seem like hours we started to catch fish, nothing big but they wee bass. We decide to anchor as we did not want to lose our newly found hot spot. After checking with Chuck and finding the anchor in the boat I was assured Chuck knew exactly where we were in the bay. With a heave he tossed the anchor over the side in a high arc. We waited for the splash that did not come. After a moment Chuck gave the anchor a tug and it was secure, as a matter of fact it gave a little then pulled back. This was curious to say the least but we just turned our backs and continue to fish. Fishing got slow so we decide to move, but we could not retrieve the anchor and now we were stuck.. That's when the rain started. We watched as the sky lit up as the approaching thunderstorm moved across the lake. Lightning jumped from cloud to cloud as we sat in the down pour. Again we tried to free the anchor as sitting in the middle of a bay was no place to be during a storm. There was a very bright and very close lightning strike that let us follow our anchor rope right to the anchor. Hanging from a birch tree not ten feet behind us on the shoreline. Yup Chuck knew exactly where we were.....the storm passed, sun rise came and we freed the anchored and headed home. Now all we need to say is "I know exactly where we are" and the night all comes back in a flash. From Lake I Wanttobethere have a nice dry day.

[Bobby Bass]

General store was pretty busy today since they had to raise the price of gas up to 109.9 but were offering double stamps with each purchase. The old single pump out front had a car at it all day long as there was a rumor that gas might go up another penny tomorrow. There was a run on the glassware stored in the case alongside the pump as with a filled book of stamps and 9 cents you could pick anything from the 2nd and third shelves. Inside was pretty busy to with all the racket the baby chicks were making by the front check out and the sound of Earl's big earthy laugh as he was back in Lawn and Garden showing off the new 8 hp lawn tractors. Earl has one of those laughs that no matter where you hear it you know it is him. He likes his late evening fishing and when he is on to the sunnies you can hear his laff roll across the lake like a clap of thunder. I know we have not said to much about the general store here on Lake Iwanttobethere but it is the place to go for anything that you need. It started off as a small little general store that you could special order stuff needed and the greyhound bus would drop off on it's run through town. Now it takes up three building as Earl's son Junior likes to go out and buy up neighboring small hardware stores and moves their entire inventory into his dad's store. There is everything here, you just have to know where to look for it. From horse bridles and leather work hanging from the ceiling to bales of straw and seed and rakes, shovels. A wall of fame of chain saws and mower blades. Gutters and garden hoses, picks and sprinkler cans. Car batteries and power tools and service desk for the lumber yard that you can order up your wood from here and have the mill cut it and deliver it. Even some clothes along with the special line of bibs that Mindy and Mandy wear. In a few weeks the greenhouse will be stocked with flowers and baskets for the tourists to buy. Don't forget to check out the fishing isle as there are always some case lots of goodies to be found there.

I was in the store as I had to pick up some of the fencing stuff that I had on order. Going to build a fence out back to try and contain grand kids when they come over and of course I had to call that diggers hot line to get permission first. Even here at Lake Iwanttobethere there might be something hidden underground that we don't know about. Or so I have been told. Well I spent the better part of the morning sitting on hold or getting disconnected only to call back and sit on hold again until I was disconnected again. I listen to some terrible music that they had on. Sounded like a garage band that drank two cases of warm Coors. I will never listen to Jazz again as one session was some of the worst abuse of horns and drums. I think the state needs to look into spending some money in their phone system. Well after almost three hours I reached a person. I had a ton of witty things that I wanted to say but as soon as she said hello it sounded just like my 4th grade teacher Mrs. Harris and I sat up straight and replied to every question asked. She asked what I was digging for and I told her a fence, then she asked me if I was going to use explosives? I told her I didn't know it was an option..So after 10 minutes I will get my yard painted in different colors and will be able to dig. I was told that if I did not dig in 96 hours that I would have to call again and reapply. I asked if she knew something I didn't and with that she said have a nice day and put me back on hold with that Jazz music again...

[Bobby Bass]

Two weeks out from fishing season or what most people call fishing season. You know when you can go and chase Walleyes and Northern and Bass if you are on the north bay of Lake Iwanttobethere. Earl at the General store has been busy selling fishing licenses the past few days as crappies have been biting real close to shore. As a matter of fact I have a bobber floating off the dock right now. Of course there is nothing on it as I don't want to catch any northern or passing walleyes but It looks good out there floating in the waters of Lake Iwanttobethere. Been so windy the last few days and to continue as Norm our resident weathermen says on KCUM this morning. We had a little tease of warm weather and now it has cooled off a tad. Only warm place here is inside my greenhouse. A little green poking up in a few pots but I am still a week away I think from everything greening up. I am looking for my first real Spring thunderstorm. I like chasing storms in the summer but since I have the greenhouse I spend time watching from inside in heated comfort. Can be interesting if we get hail when you are in there.

Pretty quiet at the Lodge the past few nights. Nothing going on in the park and it is all cleaned up after the Smelt season. A few people are out there in the evening trying to dip and they come up with a few from time to time. Mostly just a few fires glowing away and some good conversation. Hammering Hank has his wood piles back in order and has been working on a few docks that need repairs. Most everyone's docks are all out now and the morning paper is back being delivered by boat now. Am seeing a few more cars rolling through town here as of late. Think some of the big city folk are just taking the drive to check out the lake or some new folks are looking to find Lake Iwanttobethere. I hope some of you stop in and say howdy and let us know you have been here. Mindy and Mandy are very friendly and the people at the Masterbaiters always have time to help you shop in their bait shop. Dew Drop Inn has some tasty lunch specials on their menu and you can't go wrong picking up some sandwiches at Amy's for your ride back home. Of course you can always get a hold of me here at the lake if you have some question that you need answers to. I even give answers to unasked questions. I expect when fishing starts there will be a few stories to tell, everyone always has something to say about opening weekend. So if you drive through town Honk.. Give us a wave, just make sure you use all your fingers! From Lake Iwanttobethere have a good day on the water..

[Dan Thiem]

Bobby, I finally made the desicion. I am coming up to Lake IWBT. It will be my first time there. Do you think I'll find the place alright? Please tell Widow Hess, Norm the weather guy, Hammerin Hank, Mandy and Mindy, Earl at the store, and your two dogs I'll be coming up near the end of May.

[Bobby Bass]

Welcome Dan funny you should mention that group of people because we are all here at the Dew Drop Inn having lunch together. Norm says they may be a slight chance of rain that weekend and Earl says to pass on to you that he has a few spots for sunnies he can share with you. Mindy would like to know if you need a camping spot and Mandy wants to know if you are married. Bud and Barney just want you to know they prefer Milk bones in the large dog size. Hammering Hank and the Widow Hess just gave each other a stare so there may be conversation later between the two of them. I can get you into the Lodge but you need to buy the first round, I seem to have misplaced my wallet..

[Dan Thiem]

Tell the girls that YES I am happily married. And that she's looking forward to this trip as much as me. Not sure if we're bringing the kids or not yet. The 17 year old son has a steady, and the 14 year old daughter thinks her parents are mentally challenged.

The days haven't been cast in stone yet either but when we do come up I want to buy the first and last round at the lodge. I wonder if Nytlyter is planning a trip up this year. Last I heard he was still looking for work. Maybe he'll check in with us and let us know his plans.

Tell Earl I can't wait to get into some bluegills. They usually hang out in the quiet bays away from the rest of all the walleye and bass fishermen. My favorte kind of fishing is in the bull rushes and lilly pads tucked into a bay out of the wind.

[Bobby Bass]

Dan, glad to hear you are going to bring the entire family up to visit, If you are talking about coming up on Memorial weekend perhaps you or your son might be interested in our Lawnmower races. We convert the softball infield at the park into a track and we have several classes to race in. I will once again be driving my 18 hp MTD in the open class. It is a direct drive as we have removed the transmission, slow off the line but the top end makes your hair straighten out behind you. I am looking to regain my championship after lasts year disaster. I was in 2nd place getting ready to pass Hammering Hank on the last lap when I was coming out of the 3rd turn. That is when the bed sheet that Hank was wearing as a good luck scarf from the Widow Hess came off and covered the front of my mower and my face. Well I lost it in the turn and went through the hole in the hay bale wall that Dug had made on the first lap when he hit the nitrous on his machine at the same time his tie rod end broke. As I went across the grass I missed the mini-donut wagon but found myself lined up with the public dock. I managed with some great driving to remove the sheet from around my head, found the key and shut down just as I rolled up on to the dock. With the crowd cheering my prowess of driving I turn to wave just as a gust of wind gathered the bed sheet turning it in to a sail and taking me over the edge of the dock into the waters of Lake Iwanttobethere. With steam rising from mower I watched as Hank took the checkered flag. Did I mention we also have a fishing contest that weekend? From Lake Iwanttobethere have a good day.

[Bobby Bass]

So who is Bobby Bass and what does he do at Lake Iwanttobethere? I guess after all of these posts I should answer that question. Somehow Bobby Bass is the caretaker of Lake Iwanttobethere, in real life Bobby is a caretaker, a lost profession. When Bobby was in his 20's he started as a caretaker at a funeral home while working at a hospital. Somehow during that time he also had his own wholesale bait and tackle business and had 4 kids. The kids took his time so he let the business go away and enjoyed his kids instead. Being handy he was always helping out others with home improvements and watching stuff. After 20 years of baby-sitting drunks at a hospital and then at a local college it was time to retire from that and start another business. So a lawn and garden business was started and the kids all worked during the summer learning different trades. No flipping burgers, they learned how to install fences and put on roofs. How to build sheds and cut down trees. One became a small engine mechanic another a landscaper one got married and the last one will finish school this year. All learned that a handshake seals your word and word of mouth is the best advertisement. They all fish and they all have learned that work will always be there so take time to enjoy some down time. Now Lake Iwanttobethere is another care taking job for Bobby Bass but all his friends are there so it is not really a job. Every story about Lake I wanttobethere has a line of truth in it. In some form or another it really does happen or did. Lake Iwanttobethere is just down the road from your place, you favorite lake is just one of the many bays here on Lake Iwanttobethere. I hope you share some of your fishing stories or visits here. This started out as a way of killing some down time with Foot and I think for him it was the same thing. I wish I had meet him, he seems like he was my kind of guy. So as long as I have something to say or something happens to write about Lake Iwanttobethere will be here for you to read about and visit and with all my kids, grand kids and dogs and cats there is always something to write about. Not to mention the characters that show up here as I am a caretaker for about 10 houses and some of the characters from lake Iwanttobethere live in those houses. From Lake Iwanttobethere on a cool damp Spring day have a good one.

[Dan Thiem]

As long as you keep writing from Iwantobethere, I for one will keep reading. Thank You for your time Bobby!

[nytelyter]

yes dan i am planning a trip to the lake. and also a stop at masterbaiters, for bait and my old atwater. i have the johnserude all checked out and have made a trip out on a local lake as well to chase around a few sunnies. i am thinking about the second week in june tho. as i like to fish mostly after dark. there is just something about a warm summers eve a nice slow drift and the soft humm of the state bird of minnesota. of coarse i referr to the misquito. but for some reason, on lake iwanttobethere they dont bite just buzz around your head. i cant wait. i hope i have a job by then and a boss that understands what fishing is all about. its not about the fish, its about the time. my father has always said that "every minute you spend fishing, you get back at the end of your life". now i have done some stupid things the first forty six years of my life. and will need to put in alot of time on the water to see the next forty six. see you soon bobby and we will share a refreshment as well. and please do keep us posted on the lake.

[Bobby Bass]

My neighbor Elmer came over and got me on Saturday with the announcement that it was "memory making time" This is an annual event with my neighbor. Elmer is now 86 and still thinks he is 8 years old. He has been my neighbor as long as I have been here and with him on one side and Chuck on the other things are never dull around here. Looking over his shoulder I see Chuck standing in the rain and he just shrugs his shoulders at me. Well memory making time means we are going camping but since it is pretty early in the season we are going camping in Elmer's yard. I grab a hat and rain coat and off to Elmers we go. Elmer already has his 1970 Montgomery Wards tent laying out on the grass so it does not take us long to put it together and then hang a tarp and soon a fire is started and we sit on old Coleman coolers and watch it drip. Of course keeping in mind that we are here on Lake Iwanttobethere and we can camp in our front yards. We look out over the lake and watch as rain drops make small little rings on the surface. A few cigars come out and the ever present flask from Elmers vest comes out and we are content. I can just make out Bud and Barney looking at me through the deck glass door before they go back and lay on my bed. Elmer is a real throw back to when life was simple, he gets a kick out of teaching us youngsters how to relax. Sitting on his Coleman cooler in his red plaid wool jacket the stories just start to roll out of him as he takes us back. I have heard most of them before but I enjoy hearing them again. About halfway through the cow stampede through main street of Lake Iwanttobethere the wind started to pick up. Fire was put out when a strong gust flipped the rain flap and doused the fire. A smoke and steam cloud pours back on us and fills the tent. With watering eyes I could just make Elmer and Chuck out as Elmer shouted out " memory time" With that I see his arm pointing to the big Maple at the end of his drive that was doing it's best to act like a Lord of the rings tree. With bare branches swinging across the sky and the wind getting stronger small branches started to break off with a snap and head in our direction. It lasted just a moment then a down pour of rain fell on us. Passing the flask back and forth and trying to lite our now wet stogies Elmer just smiles and says nothing. But you could see he was eight again and this is where memories are made. I made a mental note that I am going to have to get the grand kids out here and let them enjoy this. It might not be in the middle of a thunderstorm with 50mph gusts but it might be nice for them to get a little wet and be able to hide in the tent. With that I stood up and pulled my hat down over my ears. It is lodge night and I think I'll walk today

[Bobby Bass]

Lodge notes: Meeting was called to order there are no minutes from the last meeting as no one wrote anything down .But then no one can remember when anyone ever wrote anything down.

Flamingoes are still sitting in Foot's yard. Normally the owner would pay to have the pink birds relocated to another yard but there is no one staying at Foot's cabin so it was decide that a hat would be passed and the winner pulled from the hat would have the birds move to their yard. Elmer won but was quickly decide to redraw as the last time the flamingos were placed in Elmers yard he used them for target practice and the flock was greatly reduced.

Folks from MPLS would like to know if we have a building repair fund as they are complaining about getting wet in the lodge. They were informed by Earl that as soon as the Lodge's log's swell enough from the rain the dripping will stop.

It was also decide since we had enough of the town council member at the Lodge that we would ok the permit for mini-dounut wagon in the park for the entire summer.

Mike from junk yard once again brought up the idea of a demolition lawn mower race for Memorial weekend, he would of course offer to remove all damaged mowers at no cost. This was tabled for more impute. However it was approved for a final race between the go-carts and open class of lawn mowers in a winner take out kind of race. Some of the mowers complained that they were at a disadvantage. In a compromise the Mowers will be able to have plastic whiffle ball bats and the go-cart drivers will be able to have plastic garbage can lids.

During the meeting Bud and Barney looked for donations by caring empty Milk Bone boxes. They receive 3.27 enough for a new box and also a can of Bud which they got a dollar from Mr. Thompson for.

Meeting was ended and cards were brought out.

[Bobby Bass]

Sun came out for a few hours today here on Lake Iwanttobethere. I'm not going to complain about the rain as we sure need the water. Every thing will really green up here when the sun does come back. Besides I would rather have a week of rain now then instead of having it when fishing starts here. Making good use of my time in the cabin though, getting that Honey do list whittled down some. Things are stared to pop up in the greenhouse so that is good. I have some wood that needs to be cut up after the high winds came through. Just some more fire pit wood for this fall. I did go into town yesterday and got my truck plates and picked up more worm bedding. With all this rain picking crawlers has been easy the past few nights. Some for the cooler and then a bunch more for the worm compost pile. Give the grand kids something to work at. Fishing does come with a little work. Bud and Barney have to make their trip to the vet this afternoon so like I say let it rain I have things to do.

I am just about ready to pull the cover off the boat and start rigging rods and spooling reels. I like to wait till a week out before I do that. Not one to be doing that in the middle of March, cabin fever would really be taking over by now. Moved the bench out on to the dock and bailed out the row boat before I took a little row this morning. I see Elmer still has his tent out in the yard up and his big Maple is still standing but it looks like it lost a few more branches. Smoke rising from a few cabins on the lake, guess the fireplaces are working to get that damp chill out. Bait truck down at the Masterbaiters, must be unloading. I will have to go down later and see what is going on with the crappie bite. Forecast calls for rain for several more days so there will be no mowers running till Friday and we do have that local law about no mowers on the weekend, so I guess it will be pretty loud here come Monday. I heard from Chuck that he had a bear go through his yard this morning, pretty early for that. Must have been a male out on the prowl and was just passing though.

Weird Willie came by this afternoon and I booked his grass carp for the end of May I guess you don't know of Willie well Willie has this herd of trained grass carp that he runs along the lake with his pontoon boat. He has them trained to stay within these buoys he puts out. He will come to your shorefront/beach and he drops the buoys at your property line or where you want and then he releases his grass carp from this net he drags behind his pontoon. The grass carp then go on a feeding spree and clean up all the weeds and grass you have along your beach. When they are done he comes in and collects them and moves them to the next lot. It may sound a little strange but Weird Willie has been doing this for years and he didn't get the name from that but from something really different, but that is another story.

[Bobby Bass]

Well it's silent Sunday here and I am sitting at my usual spot here at the Lodge and of course things are quiet. Bud and Barney are laying on the floor over by the glass patio doors watching a grouse with one eye each. Grouse has been running back and forth across the trail that goes out the back of the Lodge. They were interested at first but now could just care less. Very busy here at Lake Iwanttobethere with only five days left till fishing opener, everyone is trying to get there last few touches done. The Lodge Pole Resort had the Johnson boys out power washing off all their rental boats which was interesting as we had a little snow fall on Friday, It melted when it hit the ground but it still was a cool morning to be out. Lumber yard has caught up on dock orders and Hammering Hank has been doing 12 hours days. Dew Drop Inn has been pretty quiet at lunch time as everyone is to busy working. The after hours dinners have been great this past week with lots of left overs. Mailman Mark is back to delivering the mail by boat and when I talked to him yesterday he said he has seen some really nice bass under a few docks he delivers to.

Walter the carver has really outdone himself over the winter, he has a really nice selection of top waters that he carved over the winter and they are on display down at the Masterbaiters, but they are getting picked over quickly by the locals who know of his work. Widow Hess is hanging her sheets out again. So another landmark is out for the fishermen. Reed the Realtor has been seen driving a few new faces around town. A few cabins open up over the winter and there is talk of a new resort. Of course there is always talk like that. Earl at the general store is running a weekend sale and the sidewalk in front of the store is decked out with racks and racks of flowers, seems his son bought out some flower shop. Frank the plow driver borrowed a back hole from the county and was down at the public access. He deepen it out off to one side away from the swimming side. Norm from KCUM gave his fishing weekend forecast, might be a few showers out there and some wind to deal with. But with so many places to go on Lake Iwanttobethere you should be able to find some walleye chop or some sunny bays.

Pink flamingoes have been moved from Foot's yard and have found their way into mine! I think Elmer had something to do with it. When I asked Chuck he just chuckled and said he knew nothing. I still have the cover on my boat as I have been busy with my fence and the rain has not helped at all. Of course with all the rain the grass needs mowing and I have not done that either. Of course Elmer and Chuck are both after me to mow so then they can mow, can't have the lots all look different. Mindy and Mandy have been busy on their island and the root beer stand will be open for fishing. They get a lot of visitors out there. Masterbaiters tanks are filled, crawlers and leeches packed. Old Dutch guy was there on Friday and the chip rack is full. Candy rack is full and there is a good selection. Lodge meeting was quiet, nothing to report. Town Hall meeting to be held this week and I think we will be covering fishing weekend and any problems that might spring up. Kris our local painter has volunteer to freshen up the sign outside of town to help visitors find Lake Iwanttobethere With the help of the MPLS people we did install a counter on the entrance road to town so we are able to count cars entering Lake Iwanttobethere. There has been a increase of drive through the past few weeks. So we are looking for some of them to stop and say hi when they visit us. Well my turn to bartend so have a good day from the Lodge here at Lake Iwanttobethere.

[Bobby Bass]

It starts around 4 or so, the first few beeps of the alarm enter my brain through the ear that is sticking up out of the sleeping bag. I roll over only to fall off the cot that I am on. As I hit the hard floor of the tent I remember that I am not home. But it is opening morning and I am back on a little lake off Lake Iwanttobethere. My neighbor and friend Chuck is still snoring away on his cot and as I lay on the ground still wrapped in my bag I wonder if I should just reach out and tip his cot over. 30 years ago I might have done just that but now that I am older there is the chance that when he hits the ground he may break something and that would be the end of opener for us. Maybe tonight I'll do it. I make my way out of the bag and find the zipper in the dark. Feeling the cold coming threw my socks the idea of shoes is a good one. I make my way out of the tent over to the ash covered embers of last night or was it this morning campfire. I stir it a little and drop a few pieces of birch on and am rewarded with a little flame. Stretching I can just make out a soft glow off to the East, sunrise will be here shortly. I take the quick walk to the beach and check to make sure the boat is still there. A few years ago we had forgotten to tie it up and woke up to see it drifting about a 100 yards from shore. Today it is secure, loaded and waiting. I head back up to the camp and start messing around making some breakfast, this is the best time for the cook. With a fresh stogie hanging from my lips I start mixing up some eggs and poke at the fire some more. Wife never lets me smoke and cook at the same time. I dig in the cooler for fixings and check to make sure the bread is OK. One time we left bread in a milk crate in the tent and all night I heard rustling, next morning woke up to find a chipmunk had eaten it's way through the side of the tent and then had hollowed out the bread in the crate. Looked fine till it was sandwich making time.

Chuck finally wakes up when he hears the sausage hit the pan, The smell and sound of sizzle and wood smoke fills the campsite. Not a breath of wind and the air is heavy with the smell of breakfast. Chuck comes out of the tent and heads off into the woods. A moment later he comes back up from where the boat is and I tell him I already checked. He nods and starts to make coffee. A few minutes later and we are standing on the slope looking out over our little secret spot, him with a coffee cup and me with a stogie. Sun is just starting to lite up the tops of the pines out East over looking the muskrat house. With another Kodak moment filed away in our brains it is time to get in the boat and push off into the calm morning waters. It's fishing opener and I'm right where I want to be.....

[Bobby Bass]

Will be taking my sisters son out fishing on Sunday afternoon. He was out for the first time last year with me. He is a city boy and does not understand the outdoors. He does understand I pods and MP3 players and does not have an idea what vinyl was or an 8 track stereo. Last year I took him out in the middle of summer but this year he wants to experience opening weekend. I have already explained to him about silent Sundays so he is going to be on his own this year. For me it will be a big test of my silent Sunday. Last year he was dropped off at the top of the driveway and before I could say a thing to my sister the dirt devils were chasing her car down the road. Ryan as he goes by walked towards me dragging his coat, pack and a brown paper grocery bag. " Hi unc" was all he said as he walked past me heading for the boat. Now some of you reading his think this is going to be one of them city boy goes to the country, befriends uncle, uncle takes him fishing and boy loves fishing goes on to be a marine biologists and saves the whales while still making a million dollars sending most of the money to his uncle who can then retire in peace and comfort fishing daily on his beloved Lake Iwanttobethere.. Wrong, I threw his little butt in the lake after about 10 minutes, and taught him how to swim as he tried to keep his head above the water as he followed the boat back to the dock... Well he did learn a few things that trip and he promised he would not get in the way if I would give him another try.

So come Sunday he will be back here to try it again. I have started to type up some flash cards that I will carry with me. Since I can not break my own rules about talking on Silent Sunday I will have to only use the flash cards and I think Barney will also be along to help. The dog is a better fishermen then most people I know so he will just have to follow what the dog tells him to do. The grocery bag of food will not be allowed on board this time. Not only did he crush chips all over my deck but I was still digging gum off from under the seat. O and the dishwashing soap in the live well was such a nice touch. I am still thinking of a quality payback for my brother in law. How ever the dishwashing soap thing has proven to be a nice touch in both Elmers and Chuck's boats... I hope he brings warm clothes as it looks like it will be a cool afternoon on the water. I might swing by Mandy and Mindy's root beer stand just to get them teenage hormones all fired up before I take him out off storm point for a little wavy action. Nothing like passing on the fishing gene from one generation to another. I thing I will try the old forget to put the drain plug in and we're sinking bit on him. Using only flash cards that should be some fun. Well I am off to the work shop to put a few cuts into his fishing pole so it will break off at the handle when he gets his first bite. Got to make him think he has lost a whopper. Don't know if he will fall for the camera with no film in it again. Have a good first weekend I know no matter what happens I will...