A Wintery Mix

Our (almost) annual winter trip up to Grand Marais was something we'd been looking forward to for some time. With our two little ones we had space issues with our vehicles so ended up taking both the jeep and the car. Wednesday saw Jessica take Natalya and Pierce into Rochester for a kids reading session at the library while I got the jeep packed but we were both on the road a little after 10am and we made good time.

Jessica's folks' House
Within minutes of arriving at Jessica's folks' place, Natalya had a slip down the stairs. She tumbled the full length and bruised around her eye but luckily she had been holding a stuffed animal that took most of the weight of the fall. Natalya seemed perfectly fine but it was her grandfather that seemed the most shook up about it (he got to see it from the top of the stairs where he couldn't do anything to stop it). Fortunately I didn't get to see it happen as I was bringing stuff (of which there was a mountain) in from the cars but when I got inside Natalya was acting as if nothing had happened and if it wasn't for a little redness around her eye I'd have never have known without Jessica telling me.

Upon arriving in town it was cool, (minus 5 F / minus 21C) but the temperature was dropping fast. By midnight it was down below minus 20F (minus 28C) and cold. It was pleasant to sit by the woodstove and relax after the long drive.

Not too bad when we arrived - only -5F

The morning saw us doing some light shopping in town and during the evening I actually managed to convince Jessica to come ice-fishing with me for a few hours. I know her tolerance for fishing isn't long so we headed out to Mink lake for the last hour or so of daylight in the hope of catching ourselves a splake or two (splake are a hybrid between a lake trout and a brook trout that show hybrid vigor and therefore are a desirable hatchery fish). It was a fair effort just to drill through the 28 inches or so of ice and we weren't rewarded with even the slightest sign of fish activity. Still it wasn't too cold (hovering around 0F) and there was only the slightest breeze.
We stopped off briefly to visit Marja and Skinner, had a bit of a chin-wag, and headed home to see how the little ones did in our absence. For the record, they did fantastically, or at least that was the report and evidence when we arrived.

Proof that Jessica does fish, albeit rarely

A look across Mink Lake

Friday saw Jessica and I again get to abandon the kids at their grandparents place and we skipped off to ski (Nordic not downhill). We skied the Pincushion Mountain loop and the trail was in pretty good shape. I would have liked to have skied longer but we had to get back to get ready for a foray to the sledding hill. Sledding was an activity Natalya, (and I suspect Grandpa and Grandma) really enjoyed. In fact, I think that was our best family activity of the trip. We followed that with a trip into the library to pick out some kids movies. To celebrate my birthday we had chocolate cake and ice-cream after dinner - yum!

Sledding FunPierce and Daddy watching on

Birthday Festivities

Saturday lured me away to again try for splake, and due to a DNR personnel suggestion I was once again set up on Mink Lake. This time I had my shanty up and a propane heater going. The snow was falling steadily but inside I was warm(ish) as I stared without interruption into my hole in the ice. After several hours of zen like boredom I opted to head up to Clearwater Lake to try for a lake trout in the last hour or so of light. I had no bait and only a limited amount of time, but this lake has been good to me in the past. When I finally got through the 30+ inches of ice I drifted my aeroplane jig to the bottom and began jigging. Within five minutes I had a take and the fish (I suspect quite small) was on for about 10 - 15 feet but then dropped off. That was the fishing action in it's entirety. The real adventure was driving the icy roads full of sliding, skidding, slipping, spinning and crashing gently into snowbanks. I'm sure for some people that is great fun, but for me, I'd rather be in control of my vehicle. While I was out fishing, Jessica went to a baby shower with Marja and some other ladies, something I know Jessica enjoyed immensely. That night was a long one as Natalya got quite sick.

Morning saw Natalya in a bad way and there was no way any of us were going to church. The weather was warming up quickly and reached freezing point by mid morning. Jessica and I did get to slip away for lunch with Marja and Skinner and little Kaj and after lunch I took Pierce out for a snowshoe around the woods on his grandparents land. The sun was beating down and it was warm and I couldn't help but wonder how the sled-dogs were doing as they started the Beargrease Race down in Duluth - certainly it was too hot for them!

Dad and Pierce out for a snowshoe in the warm weather

Monday turned out to be a big day and I started it by trying to convince Natalya to go outside and snowshoe or ski, which she finally conceded to do, if only for a little while. She did quite well but I still had time to kill so I set off snow shoeing by myself just north along the Kudance River. With the warm temperatures I could hear the river trickling along under the ice as it made its way down to Lake Superior. It was cloudy, quite warm but still. I enjoyed just sitting and listening to the sounds of winter, highlighted by the many calls and melodic sounds of a nearby raven.

Natalya snowshoeingNatalya Skiing

The Kadunce RiverThe mouth of Kadunce as it enters Lake Superior

We were also scheduled to meet up with Art Kidd at Pincushion for another ski, but this time with Jessica, her sister Mandi, her father and Art all being better skiers, it was decided we'd ski the north advanced loop. I had reservations but figured if you don't test yourself you'll just stay the same so off I went. We came to a good sized drop, but it was well tracked and straight so I thought I could do it but obviously I couldn't. I won't go into much detail, mainly because I don't remember much about the fall or from what I do remember I don't know how I fell. Either way I fell hard, landing on my head. My initial though was to get up and quickly catch up to the rest of the group but then I felt my neck and it occurred to me that maybe I was hurt. Turns out that I then took an easier route back to the warming shed but felt pretty dazed and tired for the rest of the day. Oh, did I mention the headache?

After skiing, which I probably ruined, or at least marred, for everyone else we all headed to the indoor pool to meet up with Grandma, the kids and Beth. We also invited skinner's daughter Brandy to come along and she was a delightful pleasure to have around as she enjoyed herself. I spent most of my time in the hot tub and kiddies pool and sauna, all of which felt great on the myriad of sore spots beginning to pop up over my body. In the evening Art and Beth came over and we all shared a hearty meal consisting largely of the bounty from Jessica's folk's extensive garden and an apple honey custard pie. I'm a little hazy on the evening but I remember going to bed quite early and was amazed that it was so warm it was raining outside but the wind was howling and there was a huge temperature drop coming. Predictions had basal temps below minus 20F(-29C) with windchills well below minus 50F (-44C). I don't care how you look at it, that's cold. How upset would the mushers down the shore be now? Apparently many of the teams with Siberian Huskies had already scratched from the race because it was too hot, now the temps were plummeting it was windy as hell and the trails were ice.

Despite the icy conditions we ventured down to do our duty and observe the dogs at the Sawbill Checkpoint on the banks of the Temperance River. I've seen the teams at the start in Duluth before but never seen them out on the trail. There's no real fanfare, it's not for the crowds, there's no showmanship or skylarking. All I saw was down-to-earth, get-it-done attitudes enjoying meeting the challenges of winter. Driving on very icy roads was well worth it once I saw the dogs and just the atmosphere and the people is a very captivating thing - at least for me. Although I probably don't have the drive for it, I think I'll always daydream of having my own dog team mushing across some vast wilderness with the northern lights beaming down.

Jessica (facing) and Mandi at the Sawbill CheckpointA team leaving after a brief restA team coming in

The roads were bad, the snow storm was coming and Mandi had to begin her drive home. Somehow she seems to always get bad luck for driving weather, but she must know how to drive in it as she always gets home safe and sound. I guess it you're going to live up north you just have to suck it up and do what needs to be done. While she was going through that we all sat by the fire watching "The Man from Snowy River".

After loading the cars up I thought we were done with the trip but little did I know there was still one event planned for us. Jessica's mother was heading to work just ahead of us and she blew out her rear tire along the highway. The winds were gusting strongly and the basal temperature on the bank sign read minus 17F (-27C). Changing that tire wasn't much fun for anyone concerned and delayed our return home by a bit.

Now that's a flat tire!

All in all the trip wasn't everything I'd hoped and there were a few things that downright sucked. But there was also a few good things that made it worthwhile. I am convinced now though that winter in the northwoods can be a savage and unpredictable thing - so bring two cars loaded with everything and you just might be prepared :)

Hangin' Out at Home

Well for those of you that don't know, it's been very cold here. Temperatures have been down to twenty below with a good wind chill on top. Temperatures have been lucky to get to single digits for highs and it's all I can do just to go outside to get wood for the fire. Fishing or anything else just takes more motivation than I can muster for whatever reason this winter. The upside is spending plenty of time at home (and work) playing with the kids. Both kids are growing up in leaps and bounds and it's almost dizzying when you think of what they've learned in such a short time.

It's hard for me to mention any specific things as most activities are just hangin' out but we've also been to pipsqueaks (a playground in Rochester), and a gym night at the school in Elgin one night. That night was extra fun for all of us. Below is just a few pics of us at home, enjoying ourselves as winter plays itself out beyond our four walls. Our big winter trip up north is just a couple of days away and we're beginning to get excited so that should be fun.

Dad and the kids after Breakfast

Playing in Pierce's Crib
Dad and PiercePierce in his "jolly jumper"

The Last River Rat

Anyone that has seen the TV documentary "The Last River Rat" will be familiar with Kenny Salwey. This is the man that has earned that distinctive title by living with the land along the backwaters of the upper Mississippi River. If you haven't had the pleasure of seeing this Emmy award winning film there are also a pair of books he has written titled "The Last River Rat" and "Tales of a River Rat".

Kenny from the Documentary


Well, it turns out, Kenny has lived his life just a stone's throw from our place (just down the bluffs into the Mississippi Valley). In fact, his shacks are in the swamp across the river from "Bass Camp" or just downstream of Minneska. Anyway, I tell you all of this because he was the guest speaker at our local chapter of Trout Unlimited last night. He is a famed storyteller and that is what he did last night, but he also mixed in the messages he wanted to pass on to the audience throughout, mixed in with effortless ease. He captured the attention of the whole room and interacted with most everyone there. All in all, it was an awesome experience.

From the movie I had expected to see a tall, strong man but he isn't tall and now carries a long beard and is a little stooped. He moves quite slowly but when he talks to you his gaze is razor sharp, almost to the point of making one self-conscious. He listens very carefully to what is being said to him and takes his time before responding. When he does speak, it is very slowly in a deliberate and relaxed manner, almost as though he edits what he's about to say several times in his mind before he says it. At first, this is a little annoying but once you get into it he captures your attention and it's almost melodic, even soothing.

He spoke of his childhood, being born to French Canadian and Woodland Cree decendants in 1943 and living in the hill country of Buffalo county (Wisconsin) and how he wasn't the best student. Time caused him to regret not taking more interest in his education and how he continues to read anything he can get a hold of. His life was to eek out a living from back in the swamp, which he did for 28 years. He told of his dog and what it taught him and of the critters, and finally of a trout to be proud of. If anyone ever has the chance to hear or visit with Kenny I would say you'd be a fool not to because he has spent plenty of time contemplating a great many things that most of us overlook.

Kenny Salwey a few years ago


One thing that especially endeared him to me was when he mentioned how he arrived at the hall. He drove his old truck up from Minnieska, through Plainview and Eyota, down highway 14 and then turned off at the college. From there he was driven in by a member of the chapter because, as he said "the big city streets is no place for a rat". When driving in Rochester, Minnesota is too crazy, you are living a fantastic life! I hope to meet with him again some time, and if I do it will be a pleasure.

Break out the flyrods

After a long off season it was good to roll over a fly again. Still, if fish numbers was the gauge of success then today wasn't a good day. On all other accounts it was pretty good. After the cold weather we've had it got pretty close to above freezing today and with the morning sun there was definitely plenty of melting going on, and I think that was our problem. Despite that there were some midges coming off pretty steadily and the fish were somewhat taking notice. As always seems to be the case when my fingers are numb, I chose to forgo the thin tippet and tiny flies and concentrate on nymphs, wets and streamers. Still, I'll have to go out and specifically target a fish with my freshly tied midges in the next few days if I can find the time (a guy does have to do some work).

It was actually my buddy Ted that suggested this trip and we slipped out from our labs a bit after 10am (I started at 5:30am to get the necessary stuff done) and headed for the Whitewater valley. Our first destination was Beaver Creek and specifically a long, still hole that holds a substantial pod of spooky, wily brown trout. When we arrived the fish were there but had their heads down and looked to be sulking. No amount of coaxing would convince them to take a fly. We tried a few of the other better pools in the creek before deciding the wild, wily brown trout of beaver creek weren't going to go for us and it was time for a location change.

Ted working a pool on Beaver Creek

We figured we stood a better chance of having stocked (hatchery raised) rainbow trout slam our flies so headed up to a common stocking area on the North Branch of the Whitewater River. Much of the slower pools were still locked up in ice but the flowing sections looked good. We fished hard for quite some time but came up next to short. One little dinker brownie came to hand on a black woolly bugger. At this point the melt water was pouring into the stream fast and dropping stream temperatures, all but destroying our chances. Still, it was pleasant up in the valley and although I've never caught masses of trout (with the exception of the odd encounter with messes of rainbows a day or two after the stocking truck has come in) in this branch, the pleasant surroundings compensates pretty well.

A couple of shots of Ted fishing the North Branch of Whitewater River


After a brief foray down on the South Branch (the bridge and the road we wanted to fish was closed) we headed back up to the middle branch, right in the middle of Whitewater State Park. This stretch always has good numbers of fish but can be a little persnickity. On arrival a few fish were rising to midges but quickly spooked and stayed down with the first mistake I made getting into position to make a far enough cast to get to the risers. Ted and I both plumbed the short stretch thoroughly and finally I managed a small brownie on a clouser. Ted also managed to convince one to sip a brassie.

Far from a monster but still a brown trout


Still, the weather was quite nice and it was good to get out. Winter is never a productive time to fish (trout are cold-blooded after all) but today was a touch worse than average. Hopefully some better days will be just around the corner.

Rainbows through the Ice

With the new year I decided I needed to get back out there and fish as our trout streams open up for legal fishing January 1st. Wouldn't you know it, new years eve saw a huge temperature plummet (highs in single digits and 40-50mph wind gusts) so I figured flyfishing the local streams wasn't on the cards. The alternative was ice-fishing, but I at least needed to symbolically go trout fishing so I decided to ice-fish Foster Arend Pond. This pond is stocked heavily, mainly with rainbows but a few browns and brookies go in if the hatchery has an excess. The other advantage is that is within Rochester so I can get some work done in the lab and then spend a couple hours on the lake on my way home.

The DNR guys were out checking licences on New Years day and I got speaking with an officer for a while. He informed me they've put some brood stock in ranging from 4 - 7 pounds, so that's some incentive right there. So far though, I've just hooked into the standard stocking sized fish.

So far they've all been about this size

I've put in a couple hours each of the last three days and landed fish each day with four each day. It is fun as the fish (at least the ones I've been getting) have been hitting right beneath the ice and you can see them blaze in and excitedly smash the bait. It's very different to the fickle sips of the sunnies and bluegills. The last two nights I've gotten to see the sun go down and it's actually quite peaceful out there, despite being pretty close to town. It's a long way from flyfishing, but it has its own charms.

My little Shelter

Only a few shanties out today - you should have seen it new years day


Certainly is a long way from the fishing I new growing up and at the point my fingers go numb, I also think back to the contrast between the temperatures here and those in Burketown just a couple of months ago. I must say, normally the charm of this kind of fishing usually wears off pretty quickly but with the chance of a 4-7 pounder I might give this a fair chance until spring rolls around. Tomorrow my buddy Ted and I are heading out to fish the streams with the current "warm up" (it may get above freezing!!!) but I've got to get some work done first.