Sportsman's Lodge May 16-31 leftovers

[TennesseeGuy]

I've had a super busy eleven days since returning from Little Vermilion Lake. My stay began

May 16 and I came out May 31. Nobody rode up with me, but a former OFC member and his

wife traveled part way with me from their new home in Dryden to Newman, Illinois on the return

ride. We first met on the old board and both couples spent time together at an AllCanada show in

Indianapolis back in 2002. Skylane is still farming in Illinois, but spends much of his time at his

place near Dryden where he'll soon have his Cessna 185 complete with floats. A 185 w/floats and

hundreds of acres of $6 per bushel corn make life great for Skylane.

 

As Whopper and Deg mentioned, we were not able to fly to Sportsman's until a wind shift moved ice

away from camp. Here's a shot I took in Red Lake from the government dock showing an iced up

Howey Bay, part of Red Lake.

 

Left to right are Norton, Whopper and DEG as we ride in on a Beaver.

 

Don drew the short straw and had to fish with me the first three days. On the third day ice cleared

away enough for us to get close to this pile of ice. It was much, much bigger when we arrived on

May 16, but sun and wind caused much of the ice to fall off into the water.

 

Ice pile up close.

 

More ice piled up on a small island

 

Guess the surface temperature.

 

With this in our bays we found river fishing to be better.

 

This guy has his butt to the wind, hence ruffled feathers.

 

I coached Jim in H.S. back around 1963. His shirt plugs my school. Miami University 1958 and 1961.

Parts of '54 '55 & '56 in the military kept me from finishing in 1956.

 

A blurry shot, but the plane was really close and traveling around 120 knots. Buzzings are a fun

part of my trips.

 

Will is a football player who goes to school and lives with Mom, Dad and Sister. This was his

second trip to Little Vermilion. He's a tough young man. No whining about anything and last year

he graduated from eating hot dogs to devouring my fried walleyes.

 

Not the same fish. Jim and I took Will out to put him on a PB pike and we did it, several

times. Will ties on his own lures, does all the casting and bringing in of fish, but he's

not into handling them, especially pike. We'll get to that part of fishing next year for sure.

 

Another for Will.

 

We didn't get to see this one, but she was heavy and maybe approaching 40". Will knows where

she stays and he'll be back, next year and the next.

 

A sentimental ride. Heading home and missing the place already.

 

We were told to be up and ready by 7 a.m. on Saturday (May 31) for our ride home. We had one

guy in the shower and another in bed when Pete Kay brought his twin Beach 18 to the dock at

6:15 a.m. Pete is all business and is always ahead of schedule if weather cooperates. Here's a

shot of our crew heading home. Will is riding shotgun, but the seat back is too high to see his cap.

L-R, I'm a billboard for Sportsman's, don't know what Jim's advertising, Wes in red, then Joe - Will's

dad.

 

Right side passenger closest to you is not in our party. Next is Ben, then Ben's Dad, Roy, who is also my family

doctor. On May 16 one of Don's fish put a good sized treble hook in my thumb and booger picker.

Doc arrived with antibiotics on May 24, all the way from Cookeville, Tennessee. Okay guys, beat that

for personalized medical care.

 

I was fortunate to spend time in camp with great people, some as guests in camp and others we met

in Canada. With the late spring our camp owner had to overcome a lot of adversity. He was not able to

get into camp in order to prepare for early guests. A camp worker broke his leg (two breaks) before he

was in camp a full week and was air lifted to Thunder Bay for medical treatment. Water lines were frozen

for our first 4 days in camp. I didn't hear one gripe in camp. Don, Phil and Kyle were a joy to be with.

We ate well. We fished well together. Everybody did his share with chores and we had a great week.

Hopefully we'll all make the same date in 2009.

 

Our camp owner, Brett Geary, worked his tail off and got everything up and going as fast as possible.

Thanks Brett, for making our stay a great one.

 

My wife and I will be part of three couples who will be on Little Vermilion the July 26 week. I'm already

excited.

[Greencoachdog]

Great report and pics!!!

 

Those ice piles are unbelieveable!!!

[Whopper]

I was just glad to be a part of this.

 

Thanks for having me

 

I met Will when he landed, impressive youngster.

 

Brett is one of the nicest camp operators that I have had the pleasure of meeting, would think twice about returning.

[lunkerbasshunter]

very cool report. love those ice piles!

 

cheers!

[johnnyb]

fantastic report -- thanks for taking the time to share it AMAAAAzing ice piles....and quite the threat young Will is going to be if he keeps reeling fish like that in!

[kickingfrog]

That little guy will never forget that trip.

[oxcowboy]

looks like another amazing trip for ya up there. thanks for sharing with us.

 

jason

[mistyriver1]

Great post Connie. I thought at first those ice piles were photoshopped. WOW.

 

Looks like you had great company. I know Phil and Don are top notch.

 

Jim

[bpsbassman]

I always look forward to and enjoy your reports.

You have set a fire in me to get up north somewhere for those monster pike in the next few years. One of my "50 Things To Do Before I Die"

[TroutnMuskieHunter]

What a great report!...it's always nice to get out with a good bunch of lads and have fun

[Victor]

Nice report and great pics! Thanks for sharing!