The rain holds off enough (although we dodged a few downpours) to get in 18 holes at Black Bear Golf Club in Vanderbilt, Michigan on the way up. Crazy greens, 3 putting is not an embarrassment.
Bry has the best golf round of the group, but brings up the rear in the golf competition.
Dan multitasks as the group drifts over structure. He lunges at his snagged line as it goes over the bow. In the blink of an eye he makes the prudent decision to NOT jump in after it.
Bry and Dan grab paddles to avert drifting onto the rocks. Matt is ready at the helm. With the crises averted, Matt notices his rig has disappeared.
Dan checks the depth finder as he cruises through Musk Bay. He mistakes 3.2 feet for 32 feet...prop destroyed. Engine stalled. Dan and Bry paddle against the wind out to the center of the lake, Matt sends SOSs on the horn. Thankfully, another group is in the area. Why are they coming this way so slowly? Can't they hear our distress call? Ah, they've fished this lake before, and would never move quickly given all the submerged rocks. Towed to camp, prop replaced, engined checked, back out the next day.
Bryan snag’s a good size pike who wrestles his favorite lure away from him in clear shallow waters. The pike pauses to turn around and gloat. Bryan calls for an excessive celebration penalty.
Bryan rules in winning every "Chinese-Rummy-Trouble" (?) game played this week. OK, we only played 2 games.
The celebration continues as everyone wins their Fantasy Football game.
A few delays on the trip home. Long lines getting back into the United States, and a blown trailer tire on the interstate.
Fishing results
Most Bass: 3 (Bry and Matt)Largest Bass: 17.5 inches (Matt)Most Northern: 2 (Dan and Matt)Largest Northern: 23.5 inches (Matt)Most Walleye: 9 (Dan)Largest Walleye: 18 inches (John and Bry)Golf results (The Hawk)
Matt: 11 pointsJohn: 10 pointsDan: 7 pointsBry: 6 pointsThe largest lake we've fished. Very remote. We needed to program the GPS to find our way back to the cabin.
Absolutely no cell phone coverage at the camp so Dan ventures into town (45 minutes away) to insure his big international vinyl siding deal is on track.
Cold water lake. Great for Walleye and Bass, not so much for Northern (but we did catch a few).
Catch and release for the breeder size fish (not that we had to put too many back).
Bry and Matt spot a lone gray wolf that's been roaming the camp.
Saw an otter on the shore close to us. Since it was a slow day fishing, tried to follow the otter to garner some secrets on how to fish these waters.
The matriarch, Darlene, once again thinks of and packs everything (food wise) including wine for our traditional surf & turf dinner.
Dinner menu included Matt’s brauts and chilli, John’s NY strip steaks (for surf & turf) & perogis, Bryan’s teriyaki chicken, our traditional fish dinner (which consisted of walleye, bass & pike), and this year we forgo (or is that forwent) Dan’s Baked Ziti for a second fish dinner (unheard of).
