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Lewie decides to fish at the bridge but doesn't last long because of the cold. Not only is it cold but the wind is blowing at about 10 mph and keeps changing direction. Usually one can find the direction from which it's blowing and then pick a fishing spot accordingly but not in this wind. Lewie comes back from the bridge with his measly two sunnies and suggests we try the boat and see if we can anchor somewhere close to shore and out of the wind. Denise sticks her head out the door of the trailer to assess the cold. After about 3 seconds, two of which are already up, she shuts the door and opts to stay. She says maybe she'll catch the afternoon run if it warms up.
So Lewie and I load the boat and take off. It is really cold on the water and in the wind. We spend most of the morning searching for "the spot" out of the wind but just can't find it because the wind keeps changing. Finally we can't take it anymore and head in. It was 12:30 pm. Lewie fixed his lunch in his motor home and I fixed mine in our trailer. Denise asked how it was out there and I told her about the cold and changing winds. There's a good movie starting on Lifetime and it's based on a true story. Denise chooses the movie over fishing. However, I decide I'm going out again, with or without him. I go outside and find Lewie returning from the bridge. He said he walked down there to see if there was anywhere to fish out of the wind as he was not going out on the lake again. We talked for a few minutes before our new neighbor walked by and asked if we knew if the road went around the lake. One thing led to another and soon Lewie and this guy were talking about life on a farm. This continued for 20 minutes or so. After the guy left, Lewie looked at me and said, "Well?". I announced that I was going out on the lake. He said "let's go". I think he's afraid that I can't handle the boat by myself. The only part I'm a little unsure of is getting in and out without tipping the boat over and turning it into a bathtub. But I figure that's close enough to shore that the worst outcome is that I get all wet and have to dive down 2 feet to retrieve my gear. But anyway... So we head to the southwest corner again and begin searching for that good spot. We try the crappie hole. Nothing. We try where I caught the walleye. Nothing. We try everywhere in between. Nothing, not even a bite. I'm used to this when fishing in California where catching even one fish is considered a successful day but not here where less than 10 is a real crappy (not crappie) day. Finally while anchored in one spot, Lewie catches a bullhead. When he gets it up to the boat, he doesn't bring it in right away. He wants to savor the moment and then asks me if I'd like to hold his pole so I can remember what it feels like to catch a fish. We fish a little longer and then head in. Last night, we agreed to go to the VFW hall with Lewie. We got there at 5:30 pm and find that happy hour lasts until 6:00 pm. During happy hour, the drinks are only $1.75, fifteen cents cheaper than the normal price of $1.90. Whoohoo!!! Now the drinks might seem cheap but they are served in a 6 oz. juice glass that's been filled with ice. And every bottle has a top on it that pours exactly one shot. Push the button, tip the bottle, and pour until it stops. Lewie decides to try a margarita for $3.25. Although it's good, it comes in a regular small rocks glass, probably 6 ozs. as well. But the place was full because on Friday nights, the VFW serves supper from 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm and then the band starts at 7:30 pm. We sat at the bar and waited for the music to start. We wanted to see the dancing. But the music began and it was waltzes and polkas (fast waltzes?). Anyway, it was nothing in which we were interested. So we decided to find the Elks Lodge next. It was just down the road a bit, right in the heart of downtown Fergus Falls. The place was relatively quiet but the people were nice and Lewie met a woman that used to be married to the nephew of a woman with which he was in love before he went off to World War II. While he was away, Betty was married and became Betty Blume. Also, we found out that the lodge owns "Elks Point" on Wall Lake. They have about 30 campsites out there with full hookups. They also have a bar and hold many functions out there through out the week. A 30 day camping pass costs a mere $300 which is about half of what we pay here at Ten Mile Lake. The locals, who are familiar with Ten Mile, told us Elks Point is much nicer. There are more trees so the wind isn't so bad and the campsites are not crammed together. Although there are no reservations, they say that August is not a very busy time of the year because so many farmers have to harvest their crops before winter. There's no boat rental but maybe I could find a place in town to rent one for the month. In any event, we will check it out before we leave. After the Elks Lodge, we came back, had a quick bite to eat, and then to bed. |
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Questions,
Comments, Praise, Complaints?
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Where
is summer? It's COLD!!! The area is setting record lows. I
didn't see any frost on the ground we I awoke at 8:00 am but a town just to the
north had a low temperature of 28 degrees. Because the air is very cold
but the lake temperature is still warm (I'd guess around 68 degrees), there's an
eerie fog that is hovering just above the water.