Fishin report for Lake Iwanttobethere..

[Bobby Bass]

Ever had one of those days? Today I had a list of things that needed to be done. Seems like I start everyday with a list of things to be done. In the old days I never had a list because I always had someone telling me what needed to be done and whether or not I had done it or not. For thirty years now I have been married and there never seems to be an end to the list of things that need to be done. Then of course there is the list of things that I think need to be done which very seldom matches up with the list that the wife has for me. Did I mention the other lists, these are the lists that my kids have for me but they are not called lists, they are called favors. The last list is the friends list. These to are called favors as they usually start off with " Hey Bobby, can ya do me a favor?" These are usually the easiest to get done as they can be bartered with a favor of your own, perhaps something that needs to get done from your other lists.

I had good intentions of doing my list but on the way I sat the list down. This I am told is called going off task. Some of the writing on the list was small so I needed to find my glasses. I set the list down to find my glasses. I found my glasses but looking out the window I saw Mark delivering the mail. I went down to get the mail and a spring I had ordered for my bait casting reel came in so I went to the shed to put it on my work bench. As long as I was there I decided to put the spring in and I needed to go back in the house and get some line from the closet for the reel. Going through the back door the dogs hit me up for some bones and I saw the water bowl was empty so I filled that. I set my glasses down on the counter when I got a glass so I could get some milk as I was a little thirsty to. Cookie jar was there so I got two out to go with the milk. Sat at the counter had my cookies and milk and remembered that I came in to get line. Dug in the closet for line but came across my new reel that I had bought. Took that out to the shed and pulled down the rod that I was going to put it on. Forgot I needed line for both reels and went back into the cabin. Found the line and went back to the shed but forgot I needed my glasses to put the line on the reel. Headed back to the cabin for glasses but forgot I needed my reading glasses. I got my glasses from the den so I had to put the glasses back in the den and find my reading glasses that I left somewhere in the kitchen. But before I could make it to the kitchen the phone rang. It was the wife asking me how I was doing on the list. I told her I was making progress, she laughed at me and said that I had not even started yet. I of course tried to bluff her and once again told her I was almost done with it. She asked if I had even done the first thing on the list yet. I of course replied that I had.

After writing down on a napkin some more things that she had for the list but had forgotten about she let me return to working on the list. I set the list down on the counter and as I turn to hang up the phone a gust of wind came through the window and blew the list into the dogs water bowl. The ink on the napkin faded before my eyes. I pulled the list out and changed the water in the bowl. I went and sat at my desk and decide that I was tired and I needed a rest from working on the list. Dozing a little, I think, I woke up when I heard the slamming of the Jeep door and the dogs parking. Spinning in my chair to face the desk I saw the list looking back at me. #1 on the list was to call the wife. From Lake Iwanttobethere.. (13,000)

[Bobby Bass]

The start of the holiday weekend is looking cool, windy and the rain is coming. Went into town this morning for a few odds and ends that I forgot to get or perhaps ran out of time yesterday. I have not decide on which excuse I am going to go with. Store signs were swinging in the wind and most people were walking with a tilt into the wind and maybe a hand on there hats. Would have been much nicer if the temperature was in the 80's instead of the brisk feeling 50 Lake Iwanttobethere has some waves on it this morning as the wind has been blowing all night. Campground is full and you can hear the flapping of tent flaps and the occasional banging of a camper door. A few boats out in the bay and several more sitting on there trailers in the access area. Several guys are leaning up against the side of a Lund in the lot chatting away. They don't look in to big of a hurry to launch.

Wind shifts a little and I get a whiff of bacon and coffee. Climbing the steps to the Lodge I can hear our wind chimes banging away. Half a dozen guys sitting around the Lodge's main room, a quick chat and it seems everyone is either waiting for the wind to die down some or the rain to start falling. Either way it is better to wait it out here at the Lodge then back at their cabins where the wife's for sure will find something for them to do with there time. I laugh at them, king of their castles. Checking the Lodge clock I see I still have another hour to kill before the wife and daughters leave and I can return to the cabin.

Since the Spring trap league has started there is not such a problem with the pigeons anymore. Either the shooting or Elmer take pot shots at them with a shotgun instead of a pellet gun has them flying far from the Lodge now. The gulls are another problem all by themselves. Like clockwork they fly in about six in the morning to police the campground and public access. They then move on to the softball field. In one long line they comb the field like they are looking for a lost set of keys. If there is no one using the field they will do it all again at six in the evening. Crows are back in full force also. Not as many as the gulls they will check out all the garbage cans and if they find a bag it will be shredded and scattered in a few minutes. Geese work the shorelines but stay pretty much stay away from everyone. They can make it difficult to sleep at night when they start honking away if someone or something wakes them.

At the cabin I have an on going problem with the robins. For some reason they think my cabin and my out buildings are there condo's. I don't mind the nests but I have a persistent pair that have to build a nest on my ladders that hang along the boat house under the eves. I can knock the nest down two, three times a day and they continue to rebuild it. I think it has become personal with them. Last year I missed a few days and they got a nest established and when I checked it there were two blue eggs in it. My grand kids would not let me remove them and I lost the battle of nest building that year. I also had to take the little black and white camera and put it where the grand kids could watch the nest when they were at the cabin. A robin cam I guess. I did not give up that easy though. I remembered that I still had some Easter egg coloring and I dyed up a aaa egg blue. When The robin was away from the nest I slid the blue egg in next to the others and returned to the cabin and the Robin cam.....

It's didn't work out as I had hoped. The robin returned and attempted to sit on top of her eggs but the big one elevate her some. I thought this was going to make her give up but instead she had open house. It was like she went out and told all the other robins about her giant egg and now it was like a coffee house as other robins and their mates came to see the big egg. Watching the Robins on the robin cam you could almost hear the females telling the males " Why can't I have an egg like that" This went on for a few days till the wife decide it was not fair to the robin and removed the big egg. A few days later the small ones hatched and in due time they flew away and we returned to peace and quiet. The Robin cam was put back on the dock so we can keep an eye on Barney fishing. This year the ladders are on the ground but the boat house is like Graceland. I swear Robins are selling tickets to show off the place where the big egg was made. Have a good weekend, from Lake Iwanttobethere.

(13030)

[bbqhead]

your stories get better every post thnks bobby you make

my day. the wife likes the flamingos.. go figure...

whatever she wants!

randy aka bbqhead

[Bobby Bass]

Well I must be on the wrong end of the lake. Forecast was for sunny skies but that must be on the other side. Overcast and rain is on the way. Thunderstorms to as Barney has already crawled under my desk and has made himself comfortable there. Kids and grand kids are all packed up and on there way back to there homes. Grand kids are tired and cranky so as I grand pa I feel that I have done my job this weekend. I even think the old dogs Lady and Sadie were happy to leave also. Getting wood ticks picked off every night before they could come in the cabin was getting old. They sure do seem to be bad this year, but with the rain that should help.

Fishing was somewhat slow for the kids but it does not take much to keep there attention. That is until something else catches it. The one grandson and the old goose had a meeting of the minds. Goose would have won that one but Bud came to the rescue and ran the goose off. Grandson has no fear even though he has to look up to look the goose in the eye. Bud stayed at his side the rest of the day. Actually I think every kid had a dog most of the weekend. Little kids got the old dogs and they just sat and watched. Older kids got baby sat by Bud and Barney and Pepper just bothered everyone. Cats hid out the entire weekend and only appeared at night when kids were in bed and the cabin was quiet.

Hammering Hank and the wife to be, the Widow Hess came over last night. I am proud to announce I was asked to be in the wedding. Elmer was waiting to be asked but Hank said nothing. I could see he was getting a little riled up about it. Hank and Ms Hess excused themselves as they needed to go over and talk to Chuck. Elmer fidgeted some and then he went to his cabin. I was looking out the kitchen window and saw Ms. Hess on Elmers back porch a few minutes later. I could see Elmer nodding his head and then Ms. Hess giving him a kiss on the cheek. She then met Hank in the driveway and they drove off. I figured that Ms. Hess had saw him getting upset and went to tell him that they had there groomsmen. A few minutes later Elmer shows up at my back door with a bottle of brandy and a big grin on his face.

" Ok, what gives " I ask. " Ms Hess has asked me to giver her away" Elmer beams. " Lets have a few shots" So it looks like mid August we will be having a wedding here at Lake Iwanttobethere. That should be interesting, of course it will be told from a man's point of view. Hank has always said he wanted to get married on a pontoon boat, I should have asked him about that.

Well I am sure everyone has stories to tell about there holiday weekend. Also sure everyone has lots of work to catch up on. No sense in writing to much as you all should be working. Me, I 'm going to go down and cast a line out from the boat house and see if I can get some fishing in before it starts to rain. There is baseball on the radio and I might just get a nap in at the same time. Sometimes it can be tuff being a grand pa. I may even get a free light show if the storm comes across the lake right. From Lake Iwanttobethere where even we get some not so perfect days.. (13091)

[Bobby Bass]

Ok, it can stop now. The rain that is. Everyday for the past week or as far back as I can remember it has been raining. I know it really has not been all that bad and I am sure there was some time in there when it was not raining any at all. The sun might have even come out and dried things up some. But it seems like it has been raining so much that all I remember is rain. Every time I go to sit on a chair on the deck you get that whoosh sound and the bottom of your seat gets wet from the water coming out of the cushion. The towels are once again at the back door to wipe off dogs paws as they can't go outside with out getting in to the mud. Grass is almost tall enough to bail. Elmer was determine to get his garden tilled and against my better thoughts and comments he started tilling away. We had to get the tractor out to pull him and the tiller from the middle of his garden, They had both sunk in knee deep in the wet muddy soil. His garden now looks like a battle scene from one of the Chuck Norris war movies. It rain again last night and I told him with all the standing water he should just plant rice. I manage to duck as the clump of mud sailed past my head.

Fishing has been slow, but if you managed to get out on the water and went fishing that is always good. I spent a lot of time under cover and tossing a bobber off the dock. I kept the Puddle Humper on the trailer and actually put the tarp on her. Frank the plow driver has been busy as the roads are in poor condition. Lots of small wash outs and everywhere he has been going he has kept the blade down. Mark the mailman is getting a workout trying to stay dry while delivering mail and who would have thought that his new mail van would developed a leak and leak. Lodge has had more then a few guys killing time during the day as most if not all of them have come up with excuses to go into town and the end up at the Lodge. Earl at the General Store has his rack of umbrellas out on the front porch of the store and has been doing brisk business with them. Rack with tanning oil and sun block is in the back of the store for now. Dew Drop Inn has been offering free cocoa, you think it was the middle of winter. But there is one good thing about the rain. The air is so heavy that when Amy takes bread out of the oven to cool you can smell it all over town. That and the smell of lilac's which are in full bloom.

As much as I like the rain I have had enough for awhile. Maybe because we are just getting rain and no good thunder boomers. Been to cool for that. Need to get the temps up in to the 80's so we can get some good ones going. While most of the guys hide out at the Lodge I will spend some time down at the Masterbaiters shop. I find it very relaxing having rain dripping off the eves and hearing the sound of minnow tanks bubbling away. It gets even better if it is a hot day and you have the fan running. The spoons clicking together as the air from the fan moves them. Of course there is always someone in the shop checking out a new rod and a story to be told. Besides what better place to keep up on how fishing on the lake is going. There is always someone out there fishing. And they need to come in and get bait or to replace a forgotten bobber or missing sinkers. If they are tourist they didn't travel as far as they did to sit at the campground or in one of the resorts. SO sooner or later if it's raining they all come there.

A little brighter outside as I write this, I think the sun is trying to break through the overcast. Might have to make a decision here. Mow very wet grass, check the shed for water damage. Work on the wife's do list for inside the cabin or go fishing.. Hmmmm The wife has the day off so I am sitting at the desk with my make believe folder of important lodge work paper scattered about me. I can hear her in the kitchen verbally adding to the Honey Do List. I think she hears the tapping of the keyboard and thinks I am writing what she is adding down. I wonder if I should try a little buzz bait off the dock...From the waters of Lake Iwanttobethere

(13207)

[Bobby Bass]

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GONE FISHING

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[Bobby Bass]

Well I decided to be selfish here. I took a little fishing trip on my own. Well not completely, I took Barney with me. I hooked up the Puddle Humper to the Dodge and loaded the back up with gear for one. Left the cell on the desk and wrote down what part of the lake I was going to be at. At least what part I was going to start from. Printed out my check list off the computer. Found out a long time ago if I make a check list and save it then I can just print it out. I hardly ever forget anything then. Have one for fishing, and bird hunting and camping. Camping with kids and putting the boat together and putting the boat to bed, you get the idea.

So with the ever present rain dripping on the windshield and wipers working. Barney is sitting in the passenger seat. We headed to a secluded bay with a small but doable access. Later that morning we arrived and put the Puddle Humper in. Barney took the bow and we set off fishing. Funny about this spot, is it never really seems to rain here. I think the high hills deflect the weather somehow. We worked the shallows, way back. Had to get the push pole out and we raised the motor and the pushed our way back deep through the Lilly pads and reeds. With each push back I lost a piece of time. Didn't take long and I was back twenty years ago. Back then I was fishing from a green Jon boat. I had two rods and an old Clinton outboard that when it was running you could not hear yourself think. I have been told I have a better memory then most. Sometimes it is good but then again it can be a bad thing. For fishing it is a toss up as I pole back I think of all the times I have been here. Every log or rock sticking out of the water brings back a memory of a fish caught or lost from it. This is my spot, A place I go to that I have kept to myself.

I make it back to where the weeds end and there is a ribbon of water along a shoreline that you can't reach from the shore as it is a bog. The clear area is perhaps thirty to forty feet wide. It rings the bay for maybe two hundred yards. As the puddle Humper breaks out of the reeds I lean on the pole and pause looking at the calm water before me. Barney standing on all fours is leaning out over the bow and his ears are pointed forward. First fish. I walk forward and pet him between his ears. The years may have dropped off but pushing the boat through the weeds and reeds this old feller needs to take a break. I sit down behind the wheel and open the cooler. A couple of gulps of water and half a bologna sandwich later I am ready. I get my rods ready and lay them out on the bow. What used to be two are now six and of course I need them all. I pick up a 7 footer with a tiny top water on it and standing at the bow with Barney at my side I look out over the calm water and wait...

There off to the right perhaps forty feet away where a pine tree has fallen years ago I see a little dimple in the water. Something just does not look right. Scanning the area between the boat and the fallen tree and I don't see any other action. I wait... There it is again, I see a little something different about the water. I line myself up and with Barney's approval I arc a cast to the spot. With a small splat the little topwater lands and a ring spreads out from the lure. Barney is pressed up against my leg and I feel him before I hear the rumble when he knows a fish is close. I lift the rod and twitch it once, another ring forms and moves out from the lure. I wait and I watch. A heron flies over heads and voicing it's disapproval of me being there makes that throaty sound. Like what I think a prehistoric bird would sound like. I look back at my lure, a larger ring is moving away from where the lure should be. Something had just come from beneath it and dimpled it off the surface. I start to take up line till I feel some weight then with a quick set I raise the rod skyward and am rewarded with the best sound in the world, Drag..... The rod quickly bends downward and Barney barks. The line cuts through the water to my right and then just as quickly darts back to my left. I loosen the drag a tad and get the rod tip up. My rod straitens and reeling I feel no pressure. Dang I lost it, I continue to reel and after a few turns of the handle something does not feel right, It's still there, I reel faster I know what is happening now, it's coming straight at the boat, cranking as fast as I can now, but it's to late. I see a shadow disappear under the boat and a vee wake appears on the other side heading out to the reeds. My little top water pops up right next to the boat. Barney facing the other side of the boat barks and his tale is wagging as he watches the wake of the disappearing fish. I lean up against the console and Bareny returns to his position at the bow. He has already forgotten and is looking forward to the next fish.

I sit down and finish the other half of the bologna sandwich, a couple more swallows of water and I am ready to go back up front with Barney. Smiling to myself I file the memory away with others that I have. Later I will be sitting on the swing back at the cabin or sitting in the deer stand some cold November morning and I will remember this moment. I'll get to share it again and again with myself. If I had not decide to take the time to have some time for myself I would not have the memory. From a quiet bay away from everyone here at Lake Iwanttobethere. (13307)

[Bobby Bass]

Town is drying out today. With any luck the rain has stopped and we will now return to our summer. We have been playing the part of a Canadian fishing trip theses past few weeks. Tourists have been greeted with wet windy weather. Not a lot of people on the streets and there has been no waiting at the launches. Not to many dogs running lose and occasional duck or goose flying overhead is about it for wildlife. With the sun poking out today I already saw a few deer in the field outside of town and the birds are reappearing. Half dozen boat trailers down at the public access and I see at least that many locals out on the point fishing. About that time of the year when the locals will fire up their pontoons and will be doing the evening troll around the bays. You will hear the soft putter of the outboard and perhaps the baseball game drifting across the water. People tend to stop and watch from shore, looking for that bend in a pole and perhaps a net scooping a fish from over the side.

Along one shore line just down from the Masterbaiters shop is a good place to catch crappies and an occasional walleye. Locals with out boats and some knowing fishermen will park down by the softball field and make the short walk to the spot after picking up bait from Vicki. Hank keeps the trail mowed as he makes a pass down and back when he does the softball field. You can bring a chair or just kick back and lay in what is now very deep grass along the shore line. Kind of wet right down but the summer winds will dry it out soon enough. Kids can search for frogs or check the shallows for crayfish. Bobber or float fishing is the way to go here. Spear a crawler and with an easy cast toss it out a ways from shore. Then settle in to watch your neighbors bobber. No one ever watches there own bobber you always watch the next guys. Even guys using spinning rods toss a lure out in the water of Lake Iwanttobethere and then watch the bobber to the right as they reel.

From the serious eyes of a five year old who will stare away at his bobber to the guy with his hat down low over his eyes taking a nap everyone can fish a float. Some bring radios and other maybe a book. Some have fancy chairs with umbrellas and cup holders and others just may use the ice fishing five gallon pail. A few may stay late into the night with lanterns and forked sticks looking for catfish. They bring coolers and when the pop is gone for the kids there are a few beers in the bottom for the guys. As dusk falls cigars are lit and puffed on hard trying to make a smoke screen to hide from the first wave of skeeters that come in from the marsh. Most people gather there fish baskets or stringers and head out then. Those who are left hunker down and get down to serious fishing.

From the Lodge you can see the lights along the bank and there are a few fire rings that are filled with wood and fires started. Some hot dogs may be cooked and some marshmallows roasted but mostly they are there to smoke the skeeters away. A few heartier souls will walk farther down the shoreline past the cut trail to get out to the point. Bugs are better here if the wind is blowing right and once they are there they will hook up sucker minnows on bigger floats and heave them out into the lake. From time to time they are rewarded with a nice fish and guys sitting on the deck at the Lodge can hear the yelling or watch with the spotter scope. Summer is here and the smell of BBQ's baseball and kids cannon balling off docks can be heard as the sun settles at the end of the day. Soon the pontoons will gather on Friday nights out in the center of the bay. They will tie up together put out there bumpers and they will make a huge raft. The wind will take them where it wills and they will relax from there work week. Old friends will chat and new ones will be made. The pontoons will become one and will float together till dusk. Then like petals from a flower they will split and go there own way. Loons will call, the night freight train will make it's way along the far side of the lake and if the wind is right you will hear the clickie clack of the wheels on the rail. Moon will rise and lights will start to go off around the lake as tourists and locals call it a day. And of course somewhere out there in a tent or a camper or a cabin someone will say out loud " Good night John Boy" from Lake Iwanttobethere (13397)

[Bobby Bass]

Lake is alive with the sound of riding mowers and lawn mowers this afternoon. Some heavy rain is in the forecast for tonight and tomorrow and seems like everyone is trying to beat it. I was out running errands as I actually have my lawn cut. I was in the city and I saw something for the first time. Maybe it happens all the time but it was a first for me. I was at the local Menards and there out in the parking lot was a charter tour bus. It was making a stop at Menards and it's riders were there to shop. It never dawn on me that people would take a bus trip to Menards. I should have bought a ticket and found out what other places people would pay to go shop at that I am missing.

Sopped at the smoke shop and restocked the cabins box and also a few new ones to try out. Looks like I will be in the cabin for the next few days watching the weather. Nats have been bad the last few days and skeeters have been out in the evening. Guess it is just something else to complain about but if you live in the country you just take them for granted. I walked out to the shed this morning and I went around the back to get a saw horse and almost stepped on a fawn laying in the grass. We were both surprised to see each other. He or she popped up and bounded off into the brush. I do have success to report as I have no robins nests on the ladders this year. Bud has been doing his part keeping the dock clear of ducks and geese when Barney is not fishing from it. Elmers dock is not nearly as clean, even his fake owl is looking pretty white. I do have one problem still around. The rat is still in my shed. I thought he would have moved on but the wife saw him the other night. Now I will have to Soprano him. After he chewed up the netting and got into my seed it has gotten personal.

Well my turn tonight to tend bar at the lodge I don't think it is going to be to busy as the baseball game was this afternoon. But I could be wrong. From a gloomy afternoon here at the lake have a good one. (13477)

[Bobby Bass]

Patiently waiting for the storm to hit. One end of the lake has some high clouds floating by and the otherr end has a black thundercloud zip by in the past few minutes. So far the lake has been spared. What storms have popped up have split and gone right around the lake. Sooner or later we will get hit. I did hear of some hail but that was away from the lake. I have been spending some time on the dock floating a sucker. I have in the past caught some nice northerns fishing right before a storm comes in. Elmer is working in his garage, has both doors wide open and I can hear the polka music playing from his eight track player. Lake is actually pretty quiet as everyone thought it would be raining all day so everyone mowed yesterday. Lake is calm but I think that is misleading. You just know the wind is going to pick up and come whipping across the water. I have an extra tarp on the swing so when it does start I am going to be out there hoping for a good light show.

Surprising the Lodge was busy last night. Several tables were full with a diverse crowd. One group was discussing hockey still and the Stanley Cup. Another was hard at it talking about the Indy 500 and women drivers. The table next to them were talking trash about NASCAR and of course they were tossing it back and forth at each other. Still another group was talking about this summers tractor pulls and how the locals will fare. I didn't spend to much time at any of those tables but when the subject came up about the towns lawnmower races then everyone was on a subject that we all could talk about. After last years race there was talk of bring in more hay bales to protect the building along the course. With all the rain we have had there should be no problem getting hay this year. Hammering Hank did kind of let it out that the county did not get all of there orange barrels. Seems him and Skinny kind of borrowed a few dozen. They will be used in the mower races.

Camping area has a few trailers down there and I can see a few trailers in the parking lot but the boats are not to far off shore. No one fishing along the shore but it is still early in the day for that. Mini-donut trailer is parked but closed up. Will be open for Friday nights softball game and of course for the weekend. I have the Puddle Humper all loaded and ready to go but it is tucked away in the garage just in case we do get some weather. Barney is down on the dock and does not look to worried. He is our early alert system so I just keep an eye on him. Pepper has found a new friend to chase all day as a gray squirrel has built a nest in the big maple and is pestering Pepper jumping from branch to branch. Pepper and the old goose have come to an understanding. The beach is the Gooses and Pepper can visit but not stay.

Wife has planted all the flower boxes and things are growing nicely. Garden is in and fencing is repaired. Now if the deer let me keep half of what I planted I will be happy. All the grand kids have there own little plots so the contest is on for who can grow the biggest pumpkin. The two oldest grand kids have bikes here and the shed is cleared out so they can park them there. Bunkhouse/play house has sleeping bags drying and toys scattered about. Chuck mowed his lawn yesterday, found out that Elmer told him to mow it or he was going to make a donation and have a hundred flamingoes delivered to his back yard. It looks like we are safe here for awhile so I am going to drop a few steaks that I got from Ma and Pa's the other day and listen to some sizzle. From a quiet, calm but eire Lake Iwanttobethere.. (13521)

[Bobby Bass]

Lake Iwanttobethere like every town has it's ups and downs. It's good points and bad points. It has weddings and divorces and it has births and unfortunately it has it's deaths. This past week the lake lost one of it's own, Ray O....

Someone even older then Elmer pasted on to new fishing grounds this week. Ray was a fixture at Town Hall meetings and was a unofficial greeter at the feed mill. Ray has been retired for as many years as I have had the pleasure of knowing him. He had a long career as a railroad man. From time to time he would spend time at the Lodge trading tall stories of his past.

Ray was Ray. His uniform of the day was a flannel shirt with jeans and suspenders pulling the pants up high. A John Deere cap was always perched on his head and it always seem to be a new one. Well worn leather boots and a red kerchief hanging from his back pocket. In the winter if it was cold enough, he might be seen wearing choppers and a bomber hat. A wool vest if it was really cold. A tuff old Swede he was. His railroad days went back to when they logged in the area. The tracks were not busy and he would tell stories of how they would stop the train for lunch and fish the little lakes along the way. Sometimes they would stop the train just because there was a lake along the way.

After he had been retired for a few years his sons and daughters got together and bought him and his wife a RV Told him he should travel some and see the country. He always thought that was funny, he being a retired railroad man. He had seen a lot of countryside from his engine. He did how ever put a lot of miles on that big RV though. He would tell stories of his travels around the country and up into Canada. But he always came back to the lake for the summer because there was no better place to spend summer then here at Lake Iwanttobethere. With his RV he would have his boat in tow and he would travel down south for the winter. Sometimes he would leave the boat and hook up his car. He would complain that the RV was so big he could not see the car behind him. Of course after hauling train cars around there was many a time when he never saw the caboose. Once he left the wife in the car and forgot to hook up the car to the RV He drove a hundred miles with out the wife or the car. He says it was an enjoyable two hours, his wife explains it differently.

The lake will be quiet Saturday afternoon as we will gather at the cemetery to bury one of our own. I believe the ladies have a picnic planned for afterwards and we will gather and trade stories and lies about Ray. After a while people will return to there cabins and some will gather at the Lodge and toast a former lodge member. Come Sunday morning things will return to normal but a few fish caught on the lake will be returned complements of the memory of Ray.

From Lake Iwanttobethere, enjoy the day and if you are fishing put one back in the water for Ray (13597)

[Dan Thiem]

I'll release my first fish tomorrow in memory of Ray.

[Bobby Bass]

Finally!! Three nice days in a row.. I knew summer was coming and maybe now it is here. For just a moment mind you I thought I might have took a nap and slept through it. A lot of smiles in town today. Dew Drop Inn and Amy's and Sunshine Cafe were all doing a brisk Sunday afternoon business. Boats coming and going at the access and the Mini-Dounut wagon was turning out bags and bags of them greasy tasty little donuts. The bell on the door of the Masterbaiters shop had a constant ring as locals and tourist alike were taking time to do some fishing. Hammering Hank and Skinny have been making rounds filling there wood piles. As the past two nights there has been some late night bonfires going down at the campground. The Lodge has been very busy also and we almost ran out of Coney sauce except I had some in the back fridge. Chip rack is picked over and the candy bars are all but gone.

Several of us stayed late Saturday night and just sat out on the deck. Trading stories about Ray O and even Foot's name came up as we sipped a few and made our respects. This morning I went out fishing with Elmer and a very nice 24" walleye is still swimming with Ray's approval. I did catch a couple of eaters after that and they made a very tasty lunch. I took a nap after that and woke up in time to catch the tail end of the baseball game. The wife asked about how it went at the lodge and I told her about this crazy idea that some of the guys had. They were talking about a hockey game with nascar drivers against the Green Bay Packers. You know one of the charity events. Them athletes get into all kinds of different fund raisers in the off season so somehow someone came up with that one. It might be interesting to see...

Of course after we put some thought to it there did seem to be some problems with it. For one we figured the nascar drivers would do nothing but skate around in circles making left turns. They would not have any problems with all the advertising on the boards because that is just them race track walls. I suppose there would be some rubbing and some might think they were checking. The packers, well we figured they would just huddle up and skate from one blue line to the next. Huddle up again and then skate back to the first blue line just to do it all over again. It seem like a pretty good idea at the time but we were getting to the bottom of the Hamms keg and that will do funny things to ya.

Somebody left the skylight window open in the women's bathroom and now a robin has built a nest between the screen and the glass. We can't close the window as a few of the wife's found out about it and they think there are eggs already in the nest. If I ain't got problems with them birds at home now I have them at the Lodge. Speaking of home I woke up this morning with my driveway lined with Pink Flamingoes. Someone made a donation that did not cross my desk and Hank and Skinny delivered the birds during the middle of the night. I think it is because I have a birthday coming up here in just a few weeks. I'll let them stay for awhile then I guess I will have to make a donation of my own to get rid of them.

Well just about that time of the day to mosey on down to the old row boat and get a lap of the bay in. Perfect time to drag a lure and see if I can't raise a fish or two. I hope you were at the lake this weekend and I hope you got to enjoy some nice summer weather for a change. Got the rest of the summer to work on the house and yard. Let you in on a little secret, if you keep cutting the grass it keeps growing! From just a drop dead gorgeous evening here at Lake Iwanttobethere. (13650)

[Dan Thiem]

Great report B.B.!

The flamingos look great. Hank and Skinny did a wonderful job. I was wondering if there was a Flamingo Bingo Party going on at your place. (13,656)

[Bobby Bass]

[image][/image] Lake Iwanttobethere Gun Club, we are always looking for a few new members!

[Bobby Bass]

Ok ... I got to do it... We have had some of the nicest days of early summer here at the lake. There is just no way that I can't say how nice it is to be here at the lake. If you are working, well I feel sorry for you. Fishing has been outstanding and it has been hard to keep a lure in the water with out some fish getting caught on the end. I was fishing bass in one of the small bays and I had to stop and take a break. My shoulder was so sore from setting the hook and reeling. I took out my 10' crappie rod and worked over a few bush piles that Elmer tends to and the float would just settle in the water before making that slow descent downwards. After an hour of that I went looking for Northerns and was rewarded in another shallow bay that had some lunkers basking in two feet of water. The hits were savage and there was no mistaking that they were interested in my offerings. For the most part the lake was calm and Barney and I flew across the glass like water in the Puddle Humper. It was a good few days to be on the lake fishing. I might have over done it a tad as I got more sun then I should have. But my sore face is a nice reminder. Now tomorrow I will have to decide whether I go fishing or get my yard work in before the rains come. I think I'll be fishing in the morning and mowing in the afternoon. I hope you can get away from work and enjoy a visit to the lake. This is kind of short as I am heading to bed so I can get up early for the morning bite. Have a good one and I'll see ya on the water... From Lake Iwanttobethere (13752)

[The_Duckslayer]

They say that those are the days that keep you coming back! I sure would like to have one of those days sometime! I did have one duck hunting one time! Does that count? Take care and N Joy the Hunt././Jimbo

[Bobby Bass]

Well fishing was so good yesterday that I never did make it in off the water to get my chores done. Every time I thought about coming in I would get some fish to bite my lure and we all know they shake there heads from side to side and that of course means no so I knew they, the fish wanted me to stay out. Besides the rain that was in the forecast never did show up. According to the radar it is still just sitting out there off to the west, waiting. So today is kind of a catch up day. Also a good excuse to stay out of the sun for the day as I have had a good tan/burn going. So much that at the Lodge last night I looked kind of like one of our beer signs. Already the middle of the week here and I don't know where the time went other then I was fishing and that should explain it all by itself. Pretty much into a summer routine. Get up feed dogs, water gardens and check on greenhouse. Send a few token shots at the grays raiding the feeders and make the walk to the dock for the morning paper and watch the ducks feeding off the point.

Will have to get the tractor out today and get the mowing done and out of the way. Pepper has a date with the shower house as she was out last night and got nose to nose with a skunk. This time she did not fare so well and took a shot right to the face. Dumped tomato juice on her last night but she needs a bath today. You would think she would learn, but no. Will have to go to Ma and Pa's and pick up a few more cans of juice to put on the shelf for the next time. Bud and Barney just gave her the cold shoulder and walked away from her this morning. They don't want anything to do with her. Barney is out on the dock, staring down into the shallows. I see his tail is straight up so he must be watching something. Yesterday he had a small snapping turtle on the shoreline. Luckily Chuck saw him and tossed the turtle out into the water before Barney got himself in trouble. Dogs,, Like having kids around sometimes.

Pink Flamingoes actually look kind of nice in the driveway. Sure make staying on the road a little easier when coming home in the dark from the Lodge. But they are not going to stay. I will make a donation and will have Hank and Skinny move them to a lucky resident here on the lake. I called in and made reservations at A and Grubs drive in for tonight for me and the wife. The local drive through has reservations needed during the summer since they are so busy. That and they thought it would make them a higher class kind of eating place. Like those places in the big city. So I ordered a parking spot for a full size truck with a lake view. Had a hankering for onion rings and a float. Might even top the night off with a visit to the drive in. Yup Lake Iwanttobethere has a drive in theater, well not on the lake but just a few miles out of town and we kind of share it with the next town over. In the winter people store there boats there and RV's but in the summer it's a working theater complete with a concession trailer. Thursday night is John Wayne night so you can't go wrong.

Well not getting anything done here so I better grab the do list and start checking things off Ill write down here right at the top that I let everyone know what is going on here at the lake. Now I can check that off and I think it must be time to take a break and sit on the dock for awhile. Might as well toss a float out while I am there. No sense in just sitting there doing nothing while I am relaxing. From the lake have a good day.. (13837)

[Bobby Bass]

Air conditioner is humming in the back ground and the windows are all closed up. Summer is here at the lake. Temps have been in the mid to upper 80's the last few days and although we did get some rain it did not add up to much. Garden is turning green and things are sprouting. I did get the garden in kind of late but with the weather we are having now I will catch up quickly. Had a nice dinner at the A & Grubs ordered up a nice double cheese burger that was as big as the palm of my hand and the onion rings were crispy and tasty. The float was a chilling way to end a busy afternoon. We did go over to the drive in and watched John Wayne in Rio Bravo. It was a long movie so I had to make two trips to the concession trailer. The first for a big pail of hot buttered popcorn and the second one for hot-dogs. During the intermission I got suckered in with them dancing hot dogs across the screen and it had been awhile since I had the cheeseburger. I came back to find the wife two trucks down chatting away with her girlfriends. Just like when we were in high school only a few decades later. The only difference is back then we never actually saw the movie on the screen. No one was watching the screen, everyone was to busy talking cars or fishing. Or of course girls.

Dead calm here, the flags on the end of the dock are just laying there. Barney is chest deep in the water off to the side of the dock. He is in his hot weather fishing position. Bud is under the deck and Pepper is over at Elmers. She has been spending a lot of time over there since Elmer is still not convinced that the woodchuck is gone from under his barn. He has been keeping a watchful eye on his garden along with the help of Pepper. Some clouds building out over the lake and there is a small chance of some rain. With this heat it would not surprise me to see a late evening storm pop up. I do have a float with a sucker under it just off the dock. I look at it from time to time and I can see some small rings that the sucker tugging on the float makes. Actually now that I am looking back towards town I see there are a fair number of boats out on the water. Everyone seems to be just floating away. A few trollers and I can see several pontoons are tied up together off the point by the access. With out any wind you can't really hear anything so it is pretty quiet. One Jet skier on the other side of the bay but it looks like they are fishing to.

Fathers day tomorrow, Kids are coming up in the morning and we are doing a BBQ My two grandsons are staying the week and I have lots of things planned to keep them busy. #1 job of grandparents is to spoil their kids and then return them to their parents. We will be doing some fishing and some hiking in the back woods. Walking slow so we don't miss anything and I am sure there will be frogs and snakes to chase. Birds to watch and trips for ice cream and pie at Amy's. Elmer will borrow them and TEACH them how to weed his garden. Swimming and riding bikes on the gravel road. Pretty good excuse for grandpa to have a relaxing week of chasing kids and building birdhouse's. When it gets to be to much for grandpa and I need a rest we will pass them off to grandma. If we are lucky we will get some thunderstorms and spend a night out in the tent, Maybe catch some hail and put it in the freezer to show their parents. I know I am looking forward to some serious swing time on the deck and the call of loons and the night freight train.

To all you dads and grandpa's out there have a good day tomorrow, enjoy time with your kids and I hope you get to spend some time dangling your feet in the water sitting off the dock on your part of Lake Iwanttobethere (13946)

[Bobby Bass]

648 yup I am going to be 648 months old here. You will have to do the math for how many years that comes out to. A few hundred months ago I started to keep track of how many months old I am instead of years. I figure if it is good enough for babies then why not for me? You always hear about how they are 12 months old or going on 18 and half months so why can't I advertise that I am going on 648 months old. My goal is 1000 months at least for right now maybe 1100 would be a better number to shoot for. When you think about it bigger numbers always sound better. Fishermen have been using numbers for a long time now. Used to be when you talked about catching a 14 you were talking about a 14 pounder, not a 14 incher. In my head I am always doing the math when someone says they caught a 28 eye or a 40 northern. Converting that number into pounds. I thought it only fair that when people ask my age I tell them I am going to be 648. Then sit back as they focus their eyes and try and convert that into years. I told my grandson that I was going to be 648 and he found the calculator and with grandma's help he figured it out. He came back to the den to tell me that 648 is not that old. Yup I Know...(14015)

[Bobby Bass]

Grandma has the grandsons attention for a little while, they are out making cookies which as a grandpa I do not object to seeing I will be eating some of them cookies later. Boys should learn how to cook and bake, especially for grandpa! Well some good storms rolled through the lake yesterday morning. Boys got to spend time in the tent and there was some thunder for them. Laying in sleeping bags they could see out the tent fly at the storms racing across the lake. Bud was snuggled in between them but Barney was under the desk in the cabin. This morning high winds are pushing waves across the lake. No fishing from the boat but they are doing fine from the dock. The oldest one had a world record cast. He reared back and tossed his worm and float high in the air where a gust of wind took it far out into the lake. He was bragging to his brother till it came time to start reeling and found out the line had snapped and the wind was taking his float to the other side of the lake.

Hank and Skinny are over at Elmers. He lost a few pieces of siding on his garage and they are putting it back on for him. He is busy cooking up lunch for them and I think I could hear the sound of a few bottles coming out of the garage fridge. First batch of cookies coming out of the oven so I am off to sample. Then me and the boys are going to head into town and make a stop at the barbershop. I need a cut and I think the boys should get their first clip at a real barbershop. I'm pretty sure that grandpa can do that, I am taking care of them for the week. Have a good day from a windy Lake Iwanttobethere. (14063)

[Bobby Bass]

88 in the shade here at Lake Iwanttobethere. Grandsons are both taking naps on the hammock with Bud underneath waiting for that last cookie to fall from #1 son's hand. The boys and I have been having a great time together. Funny how there nap time matches right up with mine. Got some early morning fishing in today. Knew it was going to be hot but this is down right warm out. Some breeze coming off the lake so that is good. No clouds in the sky, so that is bad. The three of us bonded at the barbershop yesterday afternoon. As long as I was there I got a buzz cut and the boys thought it would be a good idea to. I swear they both said "Grandpa can we be bald to?" Well a little tear came in to my eye and I gave the thumbs up signal and a few minutes later they were clean as a whistle. With the approval of the barbershop gang we left the shop and went over to the General Store. There with compliments of Earl the boys each got a brand new Lake Iwanttobethere hat and a butterfinger candy bar. They arrived back at the cabin sticky but wearing there caps with the brim pointing forward. Grandma to her credit just smiled and said nothing.

Elmer came over and running his hands through the lack of hair on there heads told them that they both will be able to swim faster now. "Really" they both said. "Sure" Elmer replied, them Olympic swimmers shave all of there hair of their bodies to go faster in the water. #1 and #2 looked at each other then jumping up ran off in the direction of the bathroom. Grandma smiled and then her smile turn to a frown as she said out loud " You don't think they would go shave themselves do you?" With that she got up from her chair and headed in the same direction as the grandsons.

"Beer" I asked Elmer, he nodded and I grabbed two from the fridge and we went and sat on the deck. The bathroom window was open and we could hear the boys yelling that they wanted to go fast... Elmer and I clinked our bottles together and smiled. From Lake Iwanttobethere (14121)

[The_Duckslayer]

Well I am onoly 627 months old and do not have any grandkids as of yet. In fact all three of the boys are still single. However, when they do finaly get married I only hope that we can have times with the grandkids just like you did! Take care and N Joy the Hunt././Jimbo

[Dan Thiem]

Quote:

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I only hope that we can have times with the grandkids just like you did!

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Me too!

[Bobby Bass]

Took the grandsons to the Lodge late yesterday afternoon. Figure that they should get exposed to that side of life. Actually they made some money as they went out in the trap field and picked up unbroken targets. At 2 cents a piece they each made a few dollars which was promptly spent on candy bars and pop. After there hard work they took their goodies to the big wicker couch and sat and watched some TV. A few guys were grumbling a little but soon everyone was watching cartoons. The grandsons had to explain who was who to the guys. They got in a few games of pool to, Even though they had to peek over the top of the table but with help from some of the guys they created there own game. Skinny lost a nickel and five pennies to them but claimed he was sandbagged.

Our next stop was to the golf course where we spent time on the putting green, that did not last to long as they were distracted by a gardener snake that slithered away. Soon they set chase through the grass and then were distracted again by the frogs. Wilbur who was just finishing up golfing saw them and told them he would pay then a nickel apiece for any frogs they could catch. I sat on the bench and they were off hunting frogs. After a half hour or so they went to collect from Wilbur. He asked where the frogs were that they had caught and they told him that had put them on the small zipper bag on his golf bag. Wilbur unzipping his bag was greeted by escaping frogs. They did a head count and the boys were up a dollar.

We had to return to the Lodge because I forgot my letters I was suppose to mail and while I was in picking them up the boys spotted the mini-donut trailer. Well the dollar earned was quickly spent. We then got side tracked again as the softball team was having a practice and the boys started to shag balls. I found a spot in the bleachers and started chatting. Well before you know it the wife was on the cell announcing that supper would be done in ten minutes and we best be there when it hit the table. Gathering the boys we made it to the cabin just as the glasses were being filled with milk. I was not to hungry but the boys didn't have any problem eating potato salad and munching on chicken legs as they told grandma about there afternoon.

I headed out to the swing as the boys were trying to barter a price for doing dishes. They settled on cookies. Elmer came over and he was talking to the boys about weeding his garden. Once again the boys were bartering a price with Elmer saying he was going to TEACH them a valuable skill. Elmer came out to the deck and reported that the boys were going to weed the next morning but only after Elmer was going to take them fishing. Asked if it was ok with me. " Of course" I said. " But who is paying for the worms?" From Lake Iwanttobethere (14176)

[Dan Thiem]

Bobby-

Happy Birthday. How many months old? LOL!! I hope they have something special for ya planned at the lodge tonight. Have a good one and maybe Mr. Big will let you have a chance at him today.

[nytelyter]

and a happy birthday from me too bobby. i do hope that there are many many more months to come for you as well. i have a special treet for you that will arrive at the lodge for you about 930 tonite i hope you enjoy. and just so you know. all of your refreshments are covered tonite so dont bring any money, as your money is not any good at the lodge tonite. have fun and be sure to bring a designated driver with ya. hope you have a good time. ... paul

[The_Duckslayer]

Happy Birthday Bobby! In the words of "Casey Jones" (now coming in on track 11) "hope this very special day is the best you've ever had"! Take care and N Joy Your Day././Jimbo

[Bobby Bass]

Thank you all for the kind words. I will be working at the Lodge most of the day today before celebrating with a BBQ at the cabin tonight. I will be doing beer shots with anyone who would like to celebrate my 648 birthday. Since I am bartending I am not allowed to drink anything bigger then a shot. I will be back after 9 for the Lodge guys and I understand a surprise is also on it's way for me. Hmmmm as for a driver I have a cot in the back office already made up. If you can't stop by I hope your only excuse is that you are out fishing. If that is the case toss one for me.

[McGurk]

Lookin' forward to it; we'll have to fight traffic for a couple of hours to get there, but I should be there for the suprise. Thanks for all of your spun tales, and here's to 648 more!