Fishin report for Lake Iwanttobethere..

[Bobby Bass]

Bright sunny day here at Lake Iwanttobethere and we are making ice! Ice House Fling date has been announced and it will be next Saturday. Last night Hammering Hank and Skinny attached the old state fair bungee to the two big Pines and the test log was taken out of storage. The old log is just that old, and after it was cleaned out of coffee cans full of screws, old house wiring and mouse nests it was taken from the garage. It was on the schedule to get a coat of paint but who ever was supposed to do it did not. Matter of fact we have been meaning to paint the test log for years and it never has been done. The old log which is hollowed out was used to hide the Lodges booze when we were raided back when the founding fathers were young. When Sheriff Tim's grand pappy would come to raid the Lodge the log with bottles of shine hidden inside would be released through a trap door and would slide down the big hill to the safety of the lake, later to be retrieved.

When it was legal to drink again the log was forgotten and put away in storage till a young Hammering Hank and a skinny Skinny found it late one night. They found a very old jug of shine hidden deep inside the hollowed out log. After a few sips the two of them decide to take the shine and the log away from the lodge to relive some past history. Well, as the story goes, as told by these two since there were no witness's they pulled the log to the edge of the hill, climbed inside out of sight and proceed to take tiny nips from the old bottle of shine. As they started to lose the feeling of their lips and the shine deaden their taste buds the nips became sips and then the sips became gulps. In their words, they became rip roaring fall down drunk and as everyone knows you should never get that drunk and then stand up in a log. Well they did, and they were close enough to the edge of the hill that when Hank belched it was all that was needed to send the log and them over the edge.

The trip down the hill was somewhat a blur to both of them. Might have been the speed they were traveling or the brush and high grass they were sailing through. The shine might have had something to do with it also. A young DOC Burriem told their parents that they could have gone blind drinking that stuff and then proceed to confiscated the remains in the jug. But I am digressing from the story, they slid down the hill till reaching the bank where they had gathered enough to speed to clear the few scattered rocks and make a splash down into the waters of Lake Iwanttobethere. The forefathers being men of resources and not wanting to lose their booze had hollowed out the log and balanced it well. A couple of drunk kids were not going to tip the log over. Hank and Skinny were found the next afternoon, floating high and dry in a section of Wild Rice down the shore a fair distance. Hank's dad wanting to teach the two of them a lesson handed them a long willow pole from his rowboat and told them to pole their way back to the Lodge.

The log was forgotten for many years till once again both Hank and Skinny one cold night rode the log down a snow covered hill on a dare. No open water on this night but the lake was covered in ice and moon light as they once again rode over the shoreline to land hard on the ice and then slid nearly out of sight. It is said that when the two of them, Hank and Skinny found the state fair bungees in a dumpster visiting friends at the big city landfill the idea of the house fling was born. So last night the bungee was attached and the test log was flung down onto the ice and the first test was completed. No longer do Hammering Hank or Skinny ride in it, and it is tuff to get anyone from around here to do it either. But we always have hope that someone will answer the ad we place in the county newspaper. "Wanted Ice House fling test rider. Must be daring and carry their own insurance, ability to tread cold water a plus! Seasonal job, apply at the Lake Iwanttobethere Lodge" from Lake Iwanttobethere {513,313}

[Bobby Bass]

Got to enjoy days like today. I went outside at half-time of the football game figuring another loss was coming. All three dogs followed me out and spread out to do their thing with Buddy heading towards the back of the yard and the trail that goes into the woods. He came back a short time later barking at me which I figured meant that he was done and wanted to come inside. Yelling for Duncan and Barney I let them all back inside the cabin, fed them each a bone and found the lazy boy for the rest of the football game. Well the loss happen just as I figured it would but at least it was entertaining to the end. The wife was busy working on a quilt and came in to tell me Bud was back outside on the deck and he was running back and forth to the edge of the trail and back with a stick in his mouth. Bud is not one to play fetch with sticks and the wife didn't know what he wanted. As soon as she told me about Bud and the stick I put on some boots and grabbed the double from the gun cabinet. I quickly found a handful of shells and made by way around her to the back door. "Why are you in such a hurry?" She said with hands on her hips. I rolled my eyes at her and said. " Bud is telling you there are so many birds out there you can shake a stick at them!"

I was not disappointed, I button up the orange vest and as I past the bass thermometer on the wall the red needle was right on forty-three. With the sun casting my shadow in front of me I walked across the yard to a waiting Bud at the edge of the woods. I arrived to a look from Bud that said "you sure took your time" and I stepped from the brown grass of the yard into the higher grass of the woods. I dropped a couple of #8's in to the double and with a loud click I closed the gun. Not five steps down the trail a bird thundered out of a small pine to my right with Bud trying to fly after it. With an easy motion I pulled the old twenty gage on top of the grouse, raised the barrel's a hair higher and pulled the trigger. The bird rose right into the pattern and a puff of feathers left a ring behind the bird. I could almost hear the bird calling out "Mayday Mayday "as it went into a glide and crash landed in the middle of the trail. Bud running like a pup was on it before it could move and scooped it up, adjusted the bird in his mouth and came trotting back to me like it was just another day at the office.

Bud came up to me and sat with the bird in his mouth, As is our routine I then had to praise him, telling him he is the best dog in the world, I am so lucky to be hunting with him and that he had earned a treat that I did not have with me but would give him when we got back to the cabin. I don't think he understood the "not having the treat part on me" as I put my hand out for the bird and he kind of just looked at me. "OK, I'll give ya two dog treats for the bird" and with that he got up took the step to me and gave up the bird. I looked the bird over and slipped it into the waiting pouch of the vest. "Anymore out here?" I asked Bud. Bud gave me a low little bark and turned to continue down the trail.

Five minutes later another bird gets up and this time I miss, I am listening to my little curse word that slipped out echo back to me when yet another bird gets up and this one falls to the second barrel of the twenty. Bud not given a chance to give me grief over the first miss is off after the second bird. Not taking any chances I break the twenty open and drop in two more loads of # 8's snap the gun close and stand at the ready like I am on the skeet range behind the Lodge. No more birds fly but I am thinking I should have grabbed more shells. The sun starts to go down quick and we head back to the cabin. The two birds still warm bouncing against my side. I sit here now writing this as I smell thin sliced grouse breasts being pan fried in butter and onions. I gave Bud his two treats when we got home and was reminded later by him that I owed him another for the first bird. He pestered me till I paid off and now lays in front of the fireplace, no doubt telling Duncan how he did all the work. From Lake Iwanttobethere {514,179}

[reinhard1]

great read. good luck.

[zeeman1]

Whats the ice condition at Volga Lake in Iowa

[zeeman1]

Whats the ice condition at Volga Lake in Iowa

[Bobby Bass]

Problem here at Lake Iwanttobethere, it's raining ! Not a hard rain mind you but more of a drizzle that has been going on for almost a day and is forecasted by Sunshine Ray to continue into tomorrow. On the plus side it is warm out for this time of the year and the dreaded sound of the furnace clicking on is nice not to hear, but the rain is not good for the ice. Several of the Lodge members made a trip down to the ice last night and you had to have your boots on to venture out. The ice was still safe but there was several inches of standing water on top of it. The big hill from the lake up to the launching area of the fling was bare of snow and ice and just brown grass looked back at us. Looking like a group of boys who had lost their only ball the guys walked in small circles and occasionally kicked at the ice and water and mumble comments that were repeated over and over. Glove less hands held on to cigars and the cigar smoked swirled around the group as they walked along the softening shoreline.

Early in the day Hammering Hank and Skinny had brought in one of the snow making guns from the ski hill and it is set up at the top of our hill. Also an extra water hose is on hand and we were going to make a decision on whether we should make snow or if we don't have time just flood the hill and hope it freezes to make enough ice for the launch. Now with the rain and warm temperatures we can't do either. The Ice House Fling is a big event here at the lake and there is the chance looming that we will not be able to pull it off this year. The event will still go on as planned as some of the tents are already installed down at the park and the pretzel trailer as well as the mini donuts trailer are parked but not open for business. The weather has also taken the ice skating rink out of the picture as there is ice there but nothing that you would want to skate on. All we can do is hope that the weather gets cooler and we get some snow to fall between now and Saturday. Otherwise the parade will be off to. Meeting tomorrow at noon at the Dew Drop Inn to reschedule some of the smaller events for the fling if need be. Might have to have some kind of raffle for the prize package that has been put together for the ice house flingers. We can't really reschedule the fling itself to a later date as already some of the portables have been out on the ice this last week. Fishing out in front of the Lodge has always been a good spot and we can't keep the area clear much longer. Meeting will be at the Dew Drop because they don't have Hamms or Wild Turkey there, if we hold it at the Lodge, nothing will get decided.

It has been several years since we have had a brown Christmas, common for some but rare for us here. A former Lodge member who moved to Texas a few years ago was heard from yesterday. As he does every winter about this time he sent us a crate of fresh fruit. Mark the mailman delivered the crate to the Lodge along with the hand written note about wishing all of us guys a Merry Christmas. Old man Powel as he is known by pointed out that he was taking time off from doing some bass fishing to send us the fresh oranges and grapefruit. He was complaining a little that he has to drive a little further to get on the water as the local ramp is closed due to low water but he is still fishing every other day. The fresh fruit quickly disappeared and the empty box set off to the side. Normally we would fill it up with snow and send it back to him, but we have no snow.

We are waiting on our delivery of Lodge calendars for the new year, they should be arriving any day now. We ordered enough for one for each member and then some more that will be sold at the bar. A couple of my pictures were selected this year and I am looking forward to seeing how they turned out. As a matter of fact later on today I will be posting them on the lodge's web page since it looks like it is going to be a quiet day of just watching the drizzle fall. From Lake Iwanttobethere, have a good one. {515,335}

[Bobby Bass]

So I am on my laptop just killing time as we wait the arrival of other members of the Fling committee here at the Dew Drop Inn. Won't be much of a meeting as I think most of what we need to cover was already done at breakfast at the Sunshine Cafe. We got about an inch of snow overnight but it has been melting all morning. Running water on Main Street from the slush and the Fling hill is once again bare and brown. We are just now waiting for the official announcement that the 2012 fling is going to be canceled. From my vantage point I can see a few guys out fishing on the lake, sitting on five gallons pails to stay out of the water. I even see a small boat that has been dragged out as there is a concern about thinning ice.

We know we are going to get snow and we know that it is going to get cold, that is a given. It is just not going to happen in the next few days. The tents are ready up at the park so the celebration will still go on, bonfires will be lit and hot cider will be served. Parade will go on but houses will be hauled down Main Street on trailers and will not be taken to the top of the hill. Unless there is a better idea we will be shooting out ten pizza pies from Del's Pizza and Sub Shop on Saturday at noon. Each pizza will be numbered for the ten fishermen that have signed up for the Fling and the furthest one will win the prize package. Instead of shanties marking the boundaries of the ice town the Pizza's shot from the pizza cannon will have to do. Each contestant will make their own pizza which will change the balance of the pie and of course they will be able to select the amount of power that the cannon will fling at.

By this afternoon the new posters and flyers will be up around town explaining the new Fling and the updated prize package. Also this year we will be having a raffle that the winner will get the same package as the winner of the Fling, here is a rundown of just some of the prizes.

From the Masterbaiters Bait Shop, four dozen minnows a week till ice out!

From Burt's Barber Shop a trim a week till ice out!

From Amy's Bakery a six pack of day old donuts once a week till ice out!

From the Gulp-N-Go a fifty dollar gas card and free window wash refills till ice out!

From the Lodge a free Wild Turkey shot and a Hamms tap every Saturday night till ice out!

From handyman Hammering Hank a free ice road to the shanty ice depth permitting!

From Ma and Pa's Grocery a free pound of hand sliced bologna a week till ice out!

From Dug's Garage free ice auger tune-up and blade sharpening.

From the Sunshine Cafe free thermos of coffee once a week till ice out!

From the Dew Drop Inn a 10% discount on any breakfast platter till ice out!

From the General Store one free propane fill a week till ice out

More to come...

The raffle will cost just a dollar to enter and of course you must be twenty-one or older. The prizes are not transferable but looking over them you could go out and fish twice a week and not have to spend a dime. This year for the lucky guys who signed up there is not even the risk that goes along with being in the Fling. No damage to your shanty, no getting tossed down the hill hoping you will land upright, not even having to worry about Big Earls log cabin landing on you, sounds like a good deal to me. Well I have to post this on the site and head inside to the meeting, From a dripping day here at Lake Iwanttobethere {515,875}

[Bobby Bass]

Yesterday was cooler and we had a dusting of snow but still not cold enough to make any changes in the Fling. Now that we do have a Fling plan all the business that are selling raffle tickets are doing a brisk business. Hammering Hank has removed the snowmaking gun from the Lodge but has put it to good use. Hank along with Skinny have come up with yet another business idea. Last winter they launched a rental Christmas tree business using left over trees from the hwy. Stand and this year they are taking it a step further. For a reasonable price they will rent you a fully decorated Christmas tree for up to two hours. They will drop it off outside your cabin or business where you can stick your presents under the tree, do family photos and then they will come back and haul it away. Now with the snow gun and water trailer they now offer a package deal. You get a decorated tree and they will hose down your yard with snow, just enough to make it white and give you that Christmas feeling. For no extra fee they will play the eight-track in the truck blaring through the big box speakers in the truck bed "It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas". You can hear them around the lake as they have secured sleigh bells to the trailers rims.

In other news tonight, Friday there will be a closed door pizza making session at Del's Pizza and Sub Shop. Each of the ten Fling participants will be making their pizza that will be tossed on Saturday. Sure the one year when I am not in the Fling so I don't get in on the pizza making. There has been some talk and speculation on who will make what kind of pizza and there may even be a little side betting going on. I think it is a given that Big Earl is going to go with a thick crust with a rolled cheese edge and lay on the meat and extra cheese. The pizza gun will be hard pressed to even get it off the shore and let alone onto the ice. Nytelyter will go with some lite crust, a dash of sauce and a single layer of cheese. No doubt so he can sail all the way out to Root Beer Island. Dan T. has been seen talking to the science teacher at the middle school, getting all science up trying to figure if they load all the meat on one side will the pizza spin more making it go straighter or will it curve. I think he is just trying to spend time with the science teacher. Marv is talking about making his crust with a white wine, I have no idea where that is going.

With the pizza being substituted for the shanties most of the action has been going on down at the Sub Shop it has been quiet here at the Lodge. I had to yell at a couple of the guys yesterday as they were down in the basement shooting their bows at the empty Christmas boxes that were stacked down there. Just like a couple of kids they pointed at each other trying to lay the blame. I told them I would turn them in to Tess if they did not go out and find some replacement boxes. They left grumbling and as soon as they got upstairs I fired off a few shots myself. Before I forget I was reminded by Del that the winner of the Fling also gets all the pizza that will be flung. They should all be pretty much frozen when they are found and will re heat nicely in a propane stove.

On another note I have not touched on any of the current doings of Duncan my new chocolate lab. He is coming up on his eleven month birthday and now weighs sixty pounds. Spends a lot of time following the wife around the cabin and I think he has chosen her for his master. Of course he does not listen to her and she complains he is always under foot, but I catch her from time to time giving him hugs and rubbing his back with her foot. His training is coming along and I think he is going to fill in for Bud nicely. He has been out on the back trail a few times but has yet to flush his own bird. He is however a serious student and when he goes out with Bud he is observing. As a matter of fact last night I found him sitting on the couch watching a hunting video and he was using the remote to rewind and replay a flushing segment. From Lake Iwanttobethere {518,042}

[Bobby Bass]

What a weekend here at Lake Iwanttobethere! Even though we did not have the Ice House Fling the Pizza fling went off with out a hitch. There has already been talk that when next year rolls around that we will offer the pizza fling or at least the raffle to be held along with the Ice House Fling. This years raffle was won by Gus's wife Gertrude. She won everything that Burt from Burt's barbershop won with his winning toss in the distance challenge of the Pizza Fling. The winning pie was loaded with cheese and anchovies which was the right combination for distance and I dare say the straightest pie flung. Of the ten pies the ones that were not buried in topping seem to fair the best. When dialed up high on the Pizza canon the double sauce pizza's did not hold up as well as all the sauce and toppings would run to the back of the pie and the first skip onto the ice would send them up on an edge. One pie actually went out and circled right back at the shore. Several people scattered when they thought the pie was going to run back up on shore but Hammering Hand and Skinny had thought ahead. They had installed the softball netting from behind home plate at the edge of the shore. When the pie started heading back they raised the net and trapped it just like an out of control plane on an aircraft carrier.

Big Earl had his double stuff crust pizza shot right down the shoreline and it stopped just about where he had his shack last season. Just a short walk from the landing and right where all the traffic onto the lake enters. By late afternoon he had his shanty down on the ice and the blinking lights declared that he was open for business. The past few days has brought on some cooler weather and the standing water on the ice froze. Not the best ice but much better than what was out there mid week. Sunday was a down right perfect day on the ice as it was in the upper thirty's but some clouds kept the ice from doing any melting. A few houses did come down the hill as Hank had run the water hose and sprayed the hill down. The Johnson brothers holding onto the sides of their house pushed and ran along side it down the hill. Looking like them two man bobsleds they both just managed to get inside and slam the door before it hit the ice and skidded out a fair distance. They were soon followed by a variety of pop up shelters and kids on toboggans.

Sunday found the ice town taking shape as shanties found their way out onto the ice. They were dragged, pushed, pulled into place. A few races between locals trying to get on what in the past has proven to be hot spots. A few more in places where no one would have thought to fish but rumor has it some fresh brush piles were placed in the late fall. The long trip to Root Beer Island was made by some, but the ice out that ways is a little iffy, but it is known for winter crappies and a good view of Mindy and Mandy's cabin. With the warm day people did not have to gather so close to the bon fires and there might have been as many beers poured from the keg on the block of ice as there was mugs filled from the kettle of hot apple cider. Couple of guys went up to the hockey rink and brought the nets down onto the ice and a game broke out. Smells of brats and hot-dogs on the grill sizzling mixed in with wood smoke filled the air and there was always someone in line at the mini donut trailer.

Shortly after four the awards were handed out for the Pizza fling and Burt accepted the bonus awards of the ten pies that had been tossed. They were of course all frozen and Burt quickly donated them to Gus who ran them up to the Lodge where they were re-heated and then delivered down to the ice to be shared with anyone who wanted a taste. Almost on cue as the sun started to set the crowds started to break up and some headed for the parking lot to head home while many others headed out onto the ice and the waiting shanties of the ice town. With the sun just about hitting the ice smoke was soon rising from houses and doors could be heard slamming. A few young kids still shot a puck around the makeshift hockey rink but even they stopped when it got too dark and they lost the puck. Now if we just had some snow to bank up the houses we will be all set, from Lake Iwanttobethere {522,529}

[Bobby Bass]

A sunny morning greeted me today as I waited for the dogs to take care of business and for the wife to gather her things. It being just a few days away from Christmas we were heading to the Lake Iwanttobethere grade school for the Christmas show or pageant. Kind of strange heading to the grade school driving along roads without any snow alongside of them. KCUM was playing Christmas music non stop and commercial free on the Tahoe's radio. Wife has been in the Christmas sprit or mood as she calls it for well over a week now and I am still waiting to hit that moment. Lodge is all decorated and the ice houses are all out but with out snow it is just not feeling like Christmas just yet.

Last year we had so much snow I had to drop the Tahoe off early so I would be assured of parking space near the front door of the school. This year I come around the last corner and there is plenty of parking, no snow banks means no lost parking spaces. Where the snowmobiles are usually parked a line of ATV's are parked. Looking a little like a used parking lot some of the eight grade students are still riding them to school. When we finally get snow the line will be all sleds, a little different I think then down in the big city where they don't even let them park bikes on school property. I roll pass a group of guys standing in the street just off the edge of school grass. They stand with their backs to the slight wind and cigars cupped in their hands. If it was forty years ago and you put them in letter jackets they would be right in there same old spots. With the smoking ban on school property they now have to act like the kids they once were and sneak a smoke before heading into the school.

Inside the ladies head for the front and the men are either forced to follow or get glared at. I though we would be early but already the main floor was full of parents and grandparents and we were directed to the small balcony to watch from there. The rail overlooking the main floor was already taken over by ladies with video cameras, set up on tripods they were busy running audio checks and checking battery levels. No sooner had we sat down then the lights dimmed and the curtain was shaking as we could hear a class of students making their way to risers hidden by the heavy curtains. A loud crash and some laughter followed by a loud shshhh was heard and guys in the audience were thinking someone fell while grandmothers thought to themselves " I hope no one is hurt" The curtain parts and the principal steps out to polite applause.

Ladies lean forward in the chairs and the men sit back in theirs. I for one start to wander around my eyes looking around the crowd catching the eyes of other grandpa's we nod to each other and continue to look around. I have been sitting in the hardwood back chair built to make a twelve year old squirm for over five minutes already. My knees are tucked up under my arm pits and I am already wondering how I am going to get up out of the chair. The curtain opens and the first group of students starts to sing, I scan the group and see none of my grand kids and go back to watching the crowd. Ladies are intent, don't matter if their kids or grand kids are on stage they watch and cheer at the right moments and clap on cue. I am thinking to myself what would the world be like if we didn't have backpacks?

A couple more groups come and go and then my grand kids hit the stage, I watch and clap on cue giving the grandsons a big thumb up. The granddaughter is up next and I wave at her as she waves back. The wife asks if I remembered to bring the little video camera, when I tell her I forgot she rolls her eyes at me and makes some comment that I can't hear. I chuckle to myself as I have already made arrangements with Gus who has a front roll seat and is recording the entire show. I'll get a copy later at the Lodge and give it to her with a bow. One more group to sing and then we are done, If I am lucky I should be able to get out of the chair and stand upright about ten minutes later. From Lake Iwanttobethere {524,429}

[Bobby Bass]

First day of winter has arrived! And still no snow on the ground. No clouds in the sky as far as I can see and bright sunshine is coming through the cabin windows. With the sun so low in the sky the light goes back deep onto the cabin floors. Dogs have all staked out spots to catch the heat from the sun with Duncan trying to lay across the top of the couch. The wife ran him off as he is no lap dog and still growing, don't want him to think when he is full grown he can have that as a dozing spot. Wife is busy making a list and I looked over her shoulder to see if there is anything on it for me. It's a baking list and all I saw was ingredients needed for cookies and treats. My mother in law just called and wants to know if the wife has left yet. I asked what they were doing and she said the wife was heading over to give her a perm, not a big deal but I am so glad she is not doing it here. Can't stand the smell and it being winter you can't open the windows to let the odor escape.

Mark the mailman has already been by and I got my first Christmas present. Someone signed me up for the Nut of the Month Club and a bag of shelled walnuts arrived with a little gift note. I have an idea who did it and I made sure that my gift membership to Chips for Dips was forwarded to him. Actually I grabbed a handful of the walnuts and munched on them while I stood and looked out the deck windows at the frozen waters of Lake Iwanttobethere. The walnuts were really fresh and tasty, I went back to the kitchen and hid the bag so the wife won't use them for baking. I nearly made it back to the den when she pulled out a garbage bag and the crate with wrapping paper. "I have to run to my ma's for a little while and will you be a dear and just wrap these for me?" And with that she was out the door and gone.

I open the garbage bag to find what I am guessing to be about a case of chocolate covered cherries. "Really" I said out loud and turned to look out the kitchen window just as the last plume of white exhaust from the Jeep disappeared going down the drive. With the wife gone Duncan climbed to the top of the couch and draped himself back over the top. Watching me with one eye open and the other closed he knew I was not going to say anything. I put the bag and the crate of wrapping paper on the table and headed to the den. I figure I will have plenty of time to get to the wrapping later. I am not that fond of the chocolate covered cherries but the wife buys this certain brand and no matter who stops by the cabin she always has a box to give to them. Come to think of it Elmer will come over a couple of times a day and try to get a box every time.

I sit back in my den with a mug of hot cider, debating if I should reach in the desk drawer and put a drop or two of some Wild Turkey in it to cool it off. I look out the side window at Chuck's cabin to see if there is any activity over there. Yesterday was kind of interesting as I was sitting in the chair and I saw Chuck's girlfriend running from the back of the cabin to the front of the cabin and she was not wearing any pants. She just had a coat on, boots, a hat but was bare legged. I thought to myself that is something you don't see everyday and was going to call it to the wife's attention but decide against it. Later in the day the wife was talking to the girlfriend on the phone and found out that she had slammed the locked back door on her long skirt and did not have her keys with her. She had to slip out of her skirt and run to the front door to get back in. She was so happy that no one saw here when she did it. I said nothing, some things are better not shared with your wife, but on the other hand I thought I would mention it here.

Tomorrow is the Christmas dinner and dance at the Lodge I will be going in early to help with some of the cooking and setups. We will be having a buffet table and of course we will have all the usual Lodge dishes and the ladies will be bring hot dishes and the like. I will be donating some of my venison so we can mix it up with our secret sauce and we will be serving Sloppy Does. There is a small chance of some snow falling so maybe it will at least look like Christmas. Guess I should start wrapping these twenty-four boxes of chocolate covered cherries, well make that twenty-three boxes. I do believe there will be a broken box that will have to be sampled for damage control, from Lake Iwanttobethere {525,551}

[Bobby Bass]

Lot of smiling faces around the lake today, it's snowing out! In a few months the falling snow will be regarded as a big pain but to have it snow just a few days before Christmas, is almost perfect. The lunch crowd is coming in here at the Lodge but they are taking their time. We have a couple of shovels at both the front and rear entrances and they don't get much chance to rest up against the Lodge walls. No sooner is a shovel placed against the wall then an incoming Lodge member will pick it up and head to the lot to move snow. The sidewalks are clean as they have been shoveled repeatedly. After a turn on the shovel it will be put back in it's spot and boots will be stomped on the entrance rug. Gloves will find their way into coat pockets and coats will be hung on the wall pegs. Hands will be briskly rubbed together and guys will make there way to one of the fireplaces and hold their hands up to the flames. Fire light will flicker across smiling faces and no one can now escape the Christmas sprit.

Little more laughter in the place as guys sit at the bar and the spoons seem to bang off the sides of the chili bowls a little louder. Christmas lights blink in the Lodge windows and the tree looks pretty good now. We are not getting a lot of snow, right now we have enough to shovel and it covers the railings and grass. The pines have a dusting and if the wind stays away we will have just enough of a coating that when it gets dark we will look like a real Lake Iwanttobethere Christmas. With the Lodge party tonight the timing could not be much better. I am standing behind the bar with my Christmas apron on holding a green towel when I see Wilbur down at the end of the bar cock his head to one side. A few other guys stop with their spoons at different distances to their mouths and tilt their heads in the same direction. I hear it myself, it sounds like jingling bells and I move around the bar to the side window. A few of the guys have all ready beaten me to the window and I have to look around them to look out. Jake pulls the window open a crack and we can now clearly hear the sound of bells in the falling snow.

We look at each other and no one says anything, mid- day and no one is drinking and we are hearing jingle bells? Marty whispers " I think I hear sleigh bells" a few heads nod in agreement but no one is saying anything. The bells fade and then disappear. Guys turn from the windows and no one really makes any eye contact, some smiles and smirks but no one says anything. We are just about back to our seats when we hear the bells again, louder this time and very close. Everyone turns and finds a window in time to see... Hammering Hank and Skinny in the work truck pulling the snow trailer, the one that has the sleigh bells attached to the rims. They swerve in and out of the parking lot and head back towards town. Hank at the wheel, he is sporting a very long red and white scarf flapping out the window of the work truck. I am reminded of a movie I once saw of a biplane pilot but that it quickly replaced by the image of Skinny in his red and white hat hanging out the passenger window. He looks like the Grinch with the same smile as he waves at us.

The bells fade in the falling snow and guys return to their seats, Wilbur sitting down says to no one in particular " I knew it was Hank and Skinny all the time" a few comments are thrown back and the spoons start clicking in bowls again. But I see more then a few heads look toward the windows and spoon pause as guys take a listen, no doubt waiting for the Sugar Plum Fairies to appear. Well it should be a good Christmas party tonight, we have snow, we have sleigh bells and we have some Christmas sprits, from Lake Iwanttobethere {526,431}

[Bobby Bass]

Christmas has come and gone but the leftovers are still here! The gifts have been put away, either in a new spot or replacing something old or lost. A few gifts might make it to a bag to be returned or exchanged but after all of that there are always the left overs to attend to. I had leftovers for breakfast and just had leftovers for lunch, not just any leftovers, I made myself big thick turkey sandwiches on home made rolls and I am eyeing the ham for a late afternoon snack. The big roll sandwich works out the best for leftovers, no plate needed just slice and fill with turkey, maybe some pickles or even a little cranberry sauce. Throw it on the pie pan with the last slice of apple pie and that is all you need to call it a meal. No mess and no dishes to wash and no evidence left behind.

Lodge party went off without a hitch, just enough fresh snow to get and keep everyone in the sprit. No problems parking and we didn't even have to open the coat room as pretty much everyone just wore their Christmas sweaters. In years past Old McDonnell would use a sleigh to cart people in from the boat launch parking lot but with the lack of snow he just used his hay wagon. Gus was complaining some about how the hay was making it's way in to the Lodge but I think he was just doing it for appearance sake. The guys from the Lodge had our present exchange and I did well and picked up a couple of books that I have been looking forward to reading. It might have had something with me writing down the book tittles on the blackboard that holds the daily menu with arrows pointing to the titles and HINT HINT written alongside.

Add those books along with the ones I got from family for presents and a few I bought myself and I have eighteen new books to read on the swing or in the shanty this winter.

Today finds a new Bass thermometer hanging on the wall of the cabin replacing the old one that got blown off last week. It is being tested as the wind is whipping around briskly and even though it is over forty out it feels cool when you get out of the sunshine. Pavement has already lost it's snow cover and grass is reappearing where the sun shines on it. Ice on the lake is pretty good but the portables are having a ruff time of it with this wind. Some of the guys tried to bank snow around their houses but the wind has cleared it all away. The best way to go out to your shanty is either with cleats on or just strap on some skates. Elmer and Marv went out before lunch wearing their old golf shoes with heavy wool socks. They had the socks pulled up almost to their knees and with the warm weather they might just have been dressed to go golfing.

Grand kids will be spending several days of their vacation here at the cabin. Going to have to find something to keep them busy. No snow so shoveling and sliding is out unless we get some snow. Looks like some birdhouse building will be happening and we will break in the new wood shop. Of course some ice fishing and maybe a walk or two down the back trail. I would take Bud out back this afternoon but it is just too windy. I saw a few crows sitting on the wire and they were holding on with their feet and their wings. Edd and Eddie the squirrels are doing a scramble as they are losing some of their leafs to the strong wind, the nest is coming apart around them. I saw Edd trying to carry a twig across the power line. Looking like a high wire walker he fought with the wind and the swaying power line. Duncan watched and followed below, Bud and Barney laid on the deck in the sunshine and watched with one eye open but they had seen this show before. It took awhile but Edd did make it to the other side of the wire where he stopped to rest and a gust of wind took the twig from his mouth. Duncan caught it before it hit the ground and raced to the first pole where he dropped it, looked up at Edd and barked once. From Lake Iwanttobethere {528,828}

[Bobby Bass]

A finger of snow fell overnight, in the big city I guess the weather guys would call it about three quarters of an inch. Out here at the lake we don't use rulers much and measurements are kind of reduced to common items that everyone has. General ideas seem to work better in measuring snow or rain or the height of corn on the 4th of July. Now in the old days when you ordered a drink from the bar at the Lodge you would simply hold up two or three fingers. It is still done that way but younger guys don't seem to do it too often. Two fingers of Wild Turkey simply meant that when you held on to your glass the Turkey would cover the bottom two fingers holding the glass. One finger was simply a taste, two fingers was a decent bar pour and three fingers or more meant either something good was going to happen or something bad already had. You can measure snow the same way. You laid your hand up against a deck railing and if it was deeper than one finger it was nothing more than a dusting of snow. Two fingers and you might have to get out the shovel. Three fingers meant that plow drivers could get away with clearing parking lots and four fingers, well that is a snow fall!

Yesterday at the Lodge we took delivery of a hundred red plastic sleds that we had ordered last Spring. The sleds were pre ordered at last years prices for the Luge run here at the Lodge. Small problem there as we have no snow and we have no luge run this year. Fifty of them went into storage in the Lodges garage and Big Earl will hold the rest in his warehouse. Ice town has taken shape but it is not as big as in years past. Most of the big shanties are not out as the ice is a little iffy still and there is a ban on anything bigger then a ATV out on the lake. Big Earl is selling a lot of tree climbing steps as guys are buying them to use on the ice. They screw the steps into the ice and then secure their portables to them. The weather has been so fair that a lot of guys are just walking out and sitting on their pails. Crappies are being caught off Root Beer Island and a few walleyes are coming off the deep hole west of the point.

With the lack of snow on the lake it has been a good year for the guys who own Ice Boats. There has been renewed interest in the old boats that have been dug out from inside garages and barns. Sails have been fixed and runners sharpened. A few times several of the boats have been out on the ice at the same time. Looks almost like summer when the sail boats get together and have their races. The bright colored sails of deep blue and green fill with wind and skim across the ice. If you are out and they pass close enough you can hear the runners cutting into the ice of the lake. The bright sails are easy to follow against the pale white of the ice and the gray sky. And quiet, that is what I think sticks out the most. No sound of an engine, no sound of a squawking seagull just a billowing sail coming across the ice.

I got up this morning and walked out on the deck. I took the measurement of the one finger of snow and looked out over the lake. Quiet, no one was out yet and the new snow made for a clean canvas as far as the eye can see. Five minutes later and the three dogs were out and a few minutes after that the four grand kids came busting through the door onto the deck and all of them poured out on to the clean canvas. Might have been a been record as in just minutes there did not seem to be a spot that did not have a dog or a kid's footprint. The plastic shovels that they were all given for Christmas were put to good use as the little layer of snow was cleared from the deck and paths made to the out buildings. I stood on the deck and issued directions and pointed out spots that had not been cleared yet. The youngest grandson sat on his shovel and slid down the hill heading for the lake. The others followed with dogs barking and running alongside. The wife came out and asked where the kids went, I pointed at the lake and headed inside, my work was finished. I checked off "Shovel Snow" from Lake Iwanttobethere {530696}

[Bobby Bass]

My my my how time flys! End of the year here at Lake Iwanttobethere and the Lodge has a few guys sitting back in their chairs after eating breakfast. There are people out fishing and from the deck here you can see some movement out on the ice town. Yesterday several more shanties came off the ice and now are resting on shore. Ice is being very fickle and the Lake Iwanttobethere fire department has parked a trailer with a boat down at the landing along with a ladder just in case someone breaks through and it is needed. Thirty degrees out and that is above zero, this time of year you would not be surprised if it was the other way. The warm weather has been nice for fishing if you don't have a house but the guys who plow are grumbling. State guys come in for lunch and they take their time. Their stock piles of sand go untouched and their unused snow plows still have that fresh coat of paint look on them.

I am at the Lodge this morning for a few hours as Gus will be coming in later today. New Years Eve party tonight and we will be open till the last person leaves. Which in the past has meant sometime around first light tomorrow. Place is all decorated with the ladies just adding a few things to the Christmas decorations that are still up. Skinny and Hammering Hank will be bring in the gas to fill balloons for the balloon drop later today and I hope to be long gone by then. I have plans to take Bud and Duncan on one last walk down the trail for some grouse this afternoon. I am toying with the idea to go out to the Hotel, our hunting shack and taking a walk there but I will do that only if the sun decides to come out.

With guys sitting around the tables there is idle talk of fishing, lack of snow, what they got for Christmas, what they bought themselves for Christmas and of course New Years resolutions. Since most of the guys are a little older, myself included our resolutions are a little more attainable. I had a yellow legal pad handy and a dull #2 pencil close at hand so I was elected to take notes but not really make a list of goals. Losing weight was brought up and addressed while we munched on glazed donuts. Spending more time on the Honey Do List was discussed and I turned over several blank sheets of paper before writing that down. Before you know it we, as a group decided we should make a list of resolutions and who ever got the most of them completed would win a dollar from the others. I got a yellow envelope from the office and we signed the outside and each of us put a dollar inside. Here is our list. Well it is kind of a wish list as we don't really know the difference between a wish and a resolution and no one wanted to call their wife to find out.

Fish more than last year.

Hunt more than last year.

Drink a little less then last year but drink better stuff!

Try to say Yes more then No

Spend more dog time.

Take more pictures.

Worry less over the little stuff.

Try to learn something new every day and teach someone something new every day.

Watch less TV

Spend less time on the computer.

Read a book.

Fish five new lakes.

Walk five new trails.

Fish five new lures.

Take five kids fishing.

Taking the wife on a date that is not hunting or fishing related and the wedding anniversary does not count.

We had several more but they felt more like things that should be put on the Honey Do List. We kind of got stuck on the number five for doing things as fishing ten new lakes may be to many and ten new lures to spendy. Getting more excersie was discussed but if ya fish more and hunt more aren't you getting out more? We started to get a little nit picky on some of the things so we left them simple and open for later discussion. Looking over the list I am thinking easy money here as I get to be the one who serves them at the bar. Well, Gus just pulled up so I think I will head out, you have a good New Years Eve and I hope to see some of you here at the Lodge tonight. I will be the one drinking the cheap booze, smoking the big smelly cigar and telling anyone with in ear shot something new. I mean really, the resolutions don't start till tomorrow, from Lake Iwanttobethere {531,852}

[Bobby Bass]

Made a discovery today here at the Lodge, found out why I had all of that free time. Seems I might have forgotten to do the books for December and November. Well I did some of them, I paid bills and put everything neatly in the shoe box, even had a nice bow to keep the lid on. This morning on the drive in there was a pretty nice looking sunrise and when I got to the Lodge I went in search of a camera to capture the event. Found the camera under the shoe box which was a lot heavier then what a should be. By the time I got back outside the sunrise was lost and clouds were moving in. Lunch time now and I have bills scattered across the desk and compound them with the end of the year stuff and tax season has officially arrived.

Not going to get them done today, not even close but the way I look at it is just something that needs to get done and we will be that much closer to open water and fishing again. Sound of a wood chipper coming from down in the park, town will accept your Christmas trees for free for the next few weeks. Hammering Hank and Skinny fire up the chipper for a few hours in the afternoon and make quick work of what ever has been dropped off that morning. People are pretty good about just dropping off trees but sometimes they hide junk under the pile. Trees with tinsel still on them are placed off to the side, Skinny has been known to return them to their owners with a education on proper tree disposal.

Decorations are still up here in the Lodge, we have been informed by the Women's Auxiliary that they will come and pack them away from us, I mean for us. Gus made some kind of arrangement that they will take down the decorations and pack them in return for free use of the small meeting room. I thought Gus could have made a better deal but he said Mrs. Mattson was in one of her moods and he thought it was best just to agree and save his face. As for our small tree the one decorated with swizzle sticks and beer coasters as is our tradition we took it outside yesterday. It was placed just off to the side of the parking lot where we set it on fire and then we roasted hot dogs hug from old pool cues. The melting swizzle sticks and burning coasters along with the pine gives the hot dogs a taste that is hard to duplicate any other time of the year.

Past few nights have been cold, well it seems cold. Ice is getting thick again and a few shanties were pulled back out on the ice yesterday. Not to far out but far enough that they could be used for fishing again. Don't care how good you are but hard to catch fish with the house in the parking lot. Actually the ice close to shore has been getting lot of use, not for fishing but for skating. The local speed skating club was having problems with their oval and have been practicing here out in front of the Lodge off the boat landing. The club has members from eight to eighty, at least that is what they say and we I mean some of the guys have been placing wagers. I first noticed the interest when I saw Marv and Elmer with stop watches looking out through the Lodges telescope down at the ice. The telescope is normally just used to spy on fishermen outside of their shanties but these guys were watching the skaters.

After a few days there is a group of guys who come in just about the same time the ice skaters start to practice. I figured Marv and Elmer would have to have something to replace the time in their day that they used to spend watching the folks at the health club. The members no longer work out outside as it is to cold but when spring comes they will be back out there with a new group and Elmer and Marv will be there with their day old donuts to sell them. I have to go and find some #2 pencils and get back to work on the taxes, Sun is coming out so I need to work for a little while before the skaters start practice, I have had my eye on this seventy-six year old lady, I think I can get odds on her from Marv from Lake Iwanttobethere {533,248}

[Bobby Bass]

Ladies Auxiliary came into the Lodge today to take down decorations and put them in storage. No need for both Gus and I to be there so we did the rock, paper scissors thing and I won. Before Gus could call it a two out of three I was out the back door with coat in hand. I was thinking it was a good day to go wash the Tahoe but as I approached the car wash I saw I shared the same idea with a lot of others and a line of trucks reached out into Main Street. Plan B, if the car wash was busy then there should be no waiting at Burt's Barber Shop. A minute later and I parked at the front door to the shop. A half a dozen guys sat around the barbershop and they all looked up as I came in the door. Tattered copies of Outdoor magazines rested on empty chairs or in the old oak wood rack rescued from a dentist office years ago. Some lazy smoke drifts upwards from cigars that are not suppose to be burning while a few of the guys were chewing on chew with paper cups close at hand.

I was thinking I was going to be waiting but Burt with a flourish snapped a white barber sheet in the air and like a matador waved me into the open chair. I made myself comfortable and Burt peeled a white paper collar from the box behind the chair and wrapped it around my neck. The white sheet with fine blue lines stitched in was then wrapped around the collar and fastened. With a comb in one hand and a scissors in the other Burt looked into the wall mirror and back at me and said "A little off the top?" I shook my head and said "Burt that is the only place I have any hair! How about just a little trim on the sides?" And with that the first clip of the scissors was heard and the barbershop returned to the way it was when I entered.

The topic of today's conversation was New Years resolutions, not the guys resolution but something much more interesting. They were talking about what happens when you become some one's else's resolution. The conversation was already well on it's way when I sat down in the chair and I had to listen for awhile to get brought up to speed. Seems eating healthy was a topic that all could agree on. Trouble is the guy's wife's were the ones who made the resolutions, to make their husbands eat healthier. Peter was talking about how his wife had bought a big jug of Golden Flaxseed from down at Joy's Health and Herb shop. Heads nodded around the room, we had all had our wife's at one time or another buy things from down at Joy's. "Flaxseed, ain't that the stuff that looks just like blue grass seed?" I asked. Heads nodded, "Yup that is the stuff, and she wants me to eat it on my cereal, Peter said. "Years ago my wife wanted me to try that out, I said. She bought two little tubs of it, I just added some real grass seed to one of the tubs and watered it from time to time. The stuff started growing and she tried to pass it off on to me as sprouts. I had her taste it, she must have gotten some of the grass seed, she declared that it was terrible and that ended that experiment.

I could see the wheels turning in Peters head, "Just add water you say" and he folded his arms and sat back on the bench along the wall. Lars looking up from his Farm and Tractors Life magazine added "You know you make Linseed oil from that stuff, maybe she is just trying to polish you off! We all chuckled at that one and Peter even looked a little worried for a moment. Burt continued to clip and move around the chair. "You know that is where the Women's Auxiliary gets their mushrooms for their tea" Burt said. I looked up at Burt not moving my head and said. "Mushrooms for what?" Burt took a step back from the chair and looked at me with scissors in one hand and comb in the other. "For their Mushroom tea of course" I blinked hard a few times and said " Mushroom Tea, they drink Mushroom tea?" "Why do you think I had to kick them out of my upstairs meeting room!" Said Burt and then he want back to clipping.

I looked around the room and the guys were all busy reading their magazines but to a man they were all nodding their heads in agreement, guess I need to come to the barbershop shop more often. I sat back against the chair and acted like I knew the part about the herbal mushroom tea all along, Thinking to myself it might be the reason for the mood changes in the grandma's of the auxiliary. Burt was just finishing up when Tom walked over to the barber chair and handed me a brochure from Joy's Shop. I looked it over and saw this.

Cook about 2 gr of dried magic mushrooms with some water.

Cook the water slowly, keep the fire low and leave the magic mushrooms in for about 20 min. Pour the water and mix with a caffeine-free tea.

Drink the Mushroom Tea

After 30 minutes you will notice the magic mushrooms start working. You will get relaxed, laughy, then visualizations will start. This lasts for about 5 hours, depending on the amount you took.....

Hmm Guess I always wondered why those meetings took the entire afternoon and they kept the doors closed. Guess I have a surprise for Gus when I get back, from Lake Iwanttobethere {534,152}

[Bobby Bass]

Getting close to a decision time here at Lake Iwanttobethere as we have another record breaking day. The past two days the thermometer has climbed into the low fifties, very unusual for this time of the winter. Short lines at the car wash as it has been so warm everyone has already washed their cars or trucks at least once already. Was so warm here today that Mark the mailman was seen delivering the mail wearing shorts. I for one thought I heard a lawnmower running but it could have been an ice auger. I am liking the warm weather, we don't get winters like this here to often. Most of the time we would have two feet of snow on the ground and dogs would be making quick trips outside and then back to lay in front of a roaring fire. Today finds the wood pile nearly untouched and the furnace when it does go on is running more like a small car going down hill.

What little snow we have on the ground has all but melted, which is another good thing as I found some tools and things that I figured were lost till spring. Ice is a problem, not the lake ice but the running water from snow melt has made sidewalks coated when the sun sets. Big Earl at the General Store had to move a pallet of ice melt out to the front of the store where along with sand bags it has been a brisk seller. Several of the new plastic toboggans are out there to but no is buying them. So we have the first week of January under our belt and it is warm out, snow has all but disappeared. Still some snow piles on the south sides of hills but north sides are just brown and dry. Guys are starting to lean a little towards hoping the warm weather continues and an early Spring is gaining support.

I took a walk yesterday with Bud and Duncan, no shotgun as the season is done and I think the birds know it. We went down the trail for a few minutes and I had to unzip the jacket, was overheating in the warm afternoon sunshine. Duncan watches Bud and is picking up staying close and using that magic nose of his. From twenty feet away I can hear him as he walks through the grass, head down and nose trying to move as much air as he can. We get to the down pine top from the big tree hit by lightning a few years ago. A favorite spot for grouse and a spot Bud has kicked up birds from before. No sooner does Duncan walk around to the backside of the down tree top then two birds pop up and land lightly on a couple of top branches. They stand on the branches and as Grouse do they stretched their heads out far from their body to look down at Duncan. Bud was sitting, taking a rest I think or maybe he was getting the hang of coaching Duncan. I would be really lucky if Bud was going to be a mentor for Duncan, I just stood and watched from the trail.

Bud barks once and Duncan stops and looks back. Bud barks again and Duncan looks up and his nose is working hard. One of the birds moves a little and now Duncan sees it. He barks and jumps up and the two grouse safe in the branches just look down at him. Duncan runs back and forth a few times in my direction and then back to the tree top. I look at Bud patiently waiting and I wave my hand toward the tree. Bud gets up, shakes a little snow from his rump and grumbles a little like old dogs tend to do. Duncan runs again towards the tree and Bud walks. Duncan sits and whines as Bud walks by and proceeds to look back at me, I give him a short whistle and he bounds into the tree top.

The grouse take off with the thunder of their wings echoing in the leafless woods. No matter if you are ready or not they always startle you. Bud stops and watches them. Duncan stands up on his hind legs and tries to keep his eyes on them as they rocket away. Dipping and gliding around pines like fighters with trusty wing men they disappear from sight. Duncan goes back to work his nose snorting at all the scent left behind from the birds. Bud comes over and sits next to me. I give him a rub behind his ear and half a biscuit from my pocket. We both watch Duncan work the tree top, trying to kick up another bird. Bud and I both nod our heads as we watch Duncan, he just might turn into a bird dog yet, from Lake Iwanttobethere {535,396}

[Bobby Bass]

Today was a nice lazy day spent here at Lake Iwanttobethere, after I mowed the lawn and trimmed around the trees I sat on the swing and enjoyed a warm breeze coming off the waters of the lake. Ice cubes clinked in the half full glass of home made lemonade and I watched as seagulls rode the light breezes and I had to duck as a bee as big as my thumb buzzed my head on the way to a basket spilling flowers hanging from a deck rail. OK, so that really didn't happen but in a few months it will and I am looking forward to it. The wife took three of the grand kids down to the lake to skate and I had the youngest granddaughter who did not want to go back at the cabin with me. Bud and Barney were over at Elmers house but Duncan was spending time with the grand daughter. The two of them were watching TV lying on the big rag rug, The daughter with her head in her hands and Duncan laying on his front paws at her side.

Since the wife was down at the lake she came prepared to watch kids for a while. She had the thermos with hot cocoa and mugs already filled with the small marshmallows that the kids like. I decided that the youngest and I should go to the bakery and pick up a few goodies. I asked the granddaughter if she wanted to go and she asked if Duncan could come with, Yes to both questions I answered and it didn't take much more encouragement to get her coat on and head out the door. A few minutes later and she was strapped into the car seat with Duncan riding shotgun next to her. We have been to a store that just sells bread but this was going to be her first time at a bakery. I had to explain to her the differences between a place were you just buy bread and a place that bakes it. I told her it smells like when grandma is baking for Christmas but it smells that way every day.

We arrived at Amy's Bakery and you could smell it in the air, at least I could, the smell of hot fresh bread. Duncan had to stay in the truck and he whines a little when we closed the door and walked away. Holding her hand we pushed open the glass door and entered the warmth of the bakery. A couple of wrought iron tables with matching chairs sit in one corner. To our left the big glass display case starts and runs down the small shop only to end where there is a wood counter for the register to rest on. Another display case continues from there and runs to the other wall. Behind the display case the racks of bread stand with glass sliding doors that hold loafs of rye and wheat and white bread. French bread stands wrapped in white paper upright in a wooden box near the register. Amy was at the slicing machine, just removing a loaf of white bread sliced thickly for a waiting customer.

One of my favorite places I smacked my lips and starting thinking about what I should buy on this fine day. I felt a tug at my sleeve and looked down at the granddaughter who was in a world of her own. She could not see high into the display cases behind the counter but she didn't have to. At her height all she could see was inside the front glass case. I knelt down and joined her as together we both spied rows and rows of cookies resting on racks, donuts and rolls some with sprinkles and some frosted, jelly rolls and donuts with jelly in the middle of them. Rows and rows of cookies all different but all looking better than the ones next to them. Square sheets of cinnamon buns and others covered in nuts some with raisins and some without. Dinner rolls and hoagie buns and lets not forget the pies, apple and pumpkin. Thick layer cakes covered in chocolate and white frosting. Cherry tarts and today's special, pasties with gravy. Amy leaning over the counter gave us a big HIYA and asked if we found anything interesting. The grand daughter with a finger at her lips was in deep thought as she took small steps and walked down the length of the display, her other hand dragging across the glass.

I asked for a couple of loafs of rye bread, one sliced thick and the other regular. While I waited I thought a dozen oatmeal raisin cookies would be good just in case we didn't have any back at the cabin. When I turned back the granddaughter was standing in front of a section displaying cupcakes. I stood at the register as Amy waited on her and she picked out six frosted cupcakes, one for everyone. Amy put the cupcakes in a small white paper bag and folded over the top. I paid for everything and together we walked back out to the truck. I asked what she bought me and she politely told me I would just have to wait and see. I get a lot of that, from Lake Iwanttobethere {542,538}

[Bobby Bass]

The other day Barney and I spent some quality time together here at the cabin watching TV Somehow the wife had convinced both Duncan and Bud to go outside and they were picking up things that I had forgotten to last fall. It being a nice day the wife got herself sidetracked cleaning up pots in the greenhouse and the two dogs were enjoying laying in the heat of the sun filled building. Barney being a little more of a house dog in the winter was instead sitting on the couch with me and we were watching fishing shows. Bud and Barney as most of you know are brothers and are about to celebrate their twelfth birthdays here soon. Bud has always been the hunter between the two where as Barney has been the fishermen.

Not wanting to get in the wife's way and there being slush on the ice of Lake Iwanttobethere Barney and I sat on the couch and channel surfed through the wealth of Saturday morning fishing shows. Normally I am not one to watch fishing shows but Barney had the remote control so I didn't have much choice. Snacking on goldfish crackers we watched a little saltwater fishing but that did not hold Barneys interest for long. He did take notice of some tarpon action and when he found a show on stripers he was sitting on the edge of the couch watching the TV like he does when he sits on the end of the dock. I am thinking the stripers look a lot like the bass he sees off the end of the dock. We watched a lot of commercials and I would watch Barney as new lures and collar combinations would be shown. If Barney's ears perked up I would take note of the lure being advertised otherwise I would just ignore them.

Duncan and Bud came in after a while and Bud walked in to the living room, he paused and watched a little turkey hunting before leaving. Duncan having inspected the kitchen floor for anything that might have fallen while he was outside came in and jumped on the couch with that "What are we watching attitude" He was soon fast asleep having a puppy nap catch up to him. A segment on bluegill fishing was good enough that Barney got down from the couch and moved closer to the TV just like the grand kids try to do. I could tell he was interested as I heard him whine a little and could see his head cocking from side to side like he was trying to get a better look as they pulled slab gills over the side of the boat on TV When the commercial came on for some heavy duty pickup truck he took a break and went to the window to look out at the frozen waters of the lake.

I took the time to slide a dvd into the player and sat back to watch some of my own fishing adventures. Barney came back to the couch and when a segment with him in it came on he barked and woke up Duncan. Duncan snapped out of his puppy nap and saw Barney on the TV and jumped down and sat in front of the TV watching intently. He kept looking from the TV to Barney on the couch trying to figure out what was going on. On TV some geese are honking and Duncan leaves the TV to race to the window and look out, no doubt for the geese he hears. Bud comes in from where ever he was and hearing the honking looks at the TV and me and then walks away, hard to trick him any more.

Today finds a fire burning in the fireplace and water dripping off the eves, not snow melting but rain falling. For almost mid January for it to be raining here at the lake I would not have taken that bet if someone was offering it. I am going to go out on a limb here and predict we are going to have a long few months of Cabin Fever here soon. Looks like a real early ice out and snow will be long gone. Won't be nothing to do but work on the Honey Do List and hope for enough rain for the rivers to be up enough for steelhead fishing. At the Lodge we are talking about an early ice harvest while we still have any ice to harvest. From Lake Iwanttobethere {546,951}

[Bobby Bass]

Three weeks past Christmas and winter has finally sort of arrived. Single digit temperatures, some light snow and howling winds makes it feel and look like winter when viewed through the deck windows here at the Lodge. Lunch crowd comes in and those that are lodge members carry a stick of wood with them picked up from the outside wood pile. The rack is full near the main fireplace and a pretty decent fire is going as everyone is taking turns tending to it. On a day like today you want to see tall flames not glowing coals burning. Sunshine Ray is calling for normal temperatures for the next forecasting period and compared to what we have been having it will feel like a real winter. Hammering Hank and Skinny have been in demand as guys are looking for help hauling their shanties back out on the ice. Still hoping to savage what looks to be a short ice fishing season.

On the home front some excitement at dinner time last night. Wife was down in the basement changing clothes when a field mouse ran across her toes. You would think after all of these years living here she would not be bothered by a little old mouse. I guess when you are not wearing socks little feet running across big feet can make you jump. Duncan was not too far away and gave chase, of course he started barking and that brought Bud and Barney who came running down the stairs all excited but not knowing why. One of the tomcats, Buff was sleeping in a clothes hamper and the hamper was knocked over sprawling Buff into the fray. Buff took off running and Duncan was now distracted by something bigger then a mouse and something he could see. Buff quickly left Duncan in his wake as he ran upstairs Bud and Barney seeing it was only one of the house cats stopped barking and loitered in the laundry.

It took a few minutes for things to calm down, dogs all went back upstairs as I offered them a dog bone and the wife put some shoes on. I gave the dog's bones and was headed back to the den with my dinner plate when I heard her yelling in the basement again. Dogs did nothing I guess they figured it was another false alarm. I ignored the wife to till she came upstairs looking for our small Siamese cat that we call Smoochie. Took ten minutes for the wife to find the mama cat hidden and fast asleep under one of the quilts on a bed. She carried Smoochie to the basement and locked her in the laundry room after giving her orders to catch the mouse. Seems no sooner had me and the dogs left then the mouse had reappeared. The wife back upstairs made herself a cup of tea and I heard her mumbling about having three cats in the house and they can't catch a mouse, who knows how many mice are in the cabin and now she was going to have to carry some kind of weapon with her when she does laundry.

A little while later I was headed down to the basement to go work on some lures in my Go To Place when I heard scratching on the laundry room door. I open the door to find Smoochie holding a field mouse by the neck in her mouth. She proudly pranced past me heading for the stairs. I followed as Smoochie carried the mouse up the stairs through the kitchen to the living room. Bud and Barney were laying on the rug in front of the fireplace and they both open their eyes but did nothing. Duncan on the other hand was sound asleep next to the wife on the couch and never saw Smoochie coming. The wife was busy watching one of her TV shows, drinking tea and eating supper. Not till Smoochie was in front of her did she notice the cat and the mouse. Her first words were "Bobby why did you let her bring that dead mouse up here?" I was about to reply when Smoochie dropped the mouse on the floor at the wife's feet, small problem here, the mouse was not dead and hit the floor running. Smoochie just looked at the wife and the running mouse and I am sure she is thinking her job is done. Duncan wakes from his nap with something that looks like one of his squeaking toys heading to the dinning room. I can't do justice to the mayhem of the next thirty seconds as all three dogs gave chase, knocking over chairs and cats thinking they were being chased jumped up out of the way only to knock a planter over which added some dirt to the mess. In the end the mouse was headed my way and I just open the outside door and out it went, dogs in pursuit.

Somehow in the end I was blamed for it all as the mouse got into the cabin and I need to make an inspection to look for the secret entrance. I made a big deal about adding it to the Honey Do List and she came over and circled it with a red marker. I went to the den and sat in my easy chair, a moment later and Smoochie made her entrance. She jumped up on the arm of the overstuffed reading chair and licked her paws and then just sat and gave me the "Look" I get a lot of that around here, from Lake Iwanttobethere {550,728}

[Bobby Bass]

Another day here at Lake Iwanttobethere and of course it is not like yesterday. Sun is shinning and the winds have died, tree tops are hardly moving at all. What little snow that fell yesterday was moved else where by the wind. Reports coming in from the next county over that the snow is falling there and has been for the last thirty-six hours. Talk is that over two feet of the stuff has already fallen and it is still coming down. I saw a few trailers with sleds on them heading around the lake in that direction. No one is doing any riding around here so I am not surprised that with the report of snow with in driving distance guys are making the trip.

This morning I was up and dressed before dawn, my neighbor Chuck and I were going to go out and do a little fishing in the small bay where we have our cabins. First time this year that I got the insulated bibs out and the sorrel boots. I went out to the Tahoe and got my bucket of ice fishing gear and I could hear Chuck next door banging around in his shed. By the time I was ready the sun was just starting to peak up on the horizon and I took a picture through the trees.

I put my bucket of stuff in the wooden pull sled that Chuck had made years ago and we set off for the short walk out on to the ice. A few minutes later and we were at a few holes that Chuck said he was catching crappies out of yesterday. I told him that since he had pulled the sled I would auger out the holes. I turned to the sled and pulled the tarp off to find the auger missing, raising my hands I turned to Chuck and told him he forgot the auger in a way that only friends talk to friends, the dumb sh**. Chuck just waved me off and said he was here last night and there was hardly any ice in the holes and with that he pulled out his single shot twelve gage shotgun. " We don't need no stinking auger! We have Betsy!" and with that he dropped a shell in and took careful aim at the closest hole.

Memories, I had one flash through my mind as I started backing up away from the hole. When we were much much younger we had done the exact same thing on the lake in the dead of winter. We were on an overnight camping trip and it was cold maybe ten below but when we tell the story in a bar it was at least minus thirty. Chuck and a almost brand new Betsy had shot into a ice hole and broke the lake! Really he did. I am sure it was just a freaky accident and the stars had to be aligned just right and there may have been some lunar tide and gravity involved but Chuck shot Betsy into the hole and the lake broke. No sooner did the echo of the shotgun die and the spray of water from the hole fall back to the ice then the ice on the lake groaned and a loud report of breaking ice was felt and then heard.

We looked at each other and did what any other person would have done under those circumstances, we ran! Now anyone who has spent anytime on ice has heard ice crack and if you drive on ice you of course have heard it beneath your tires. This was different, it was like the blast from Betsy was just the last straw for the lake ice and she just broke. It was not a little groan and gone this noise just kept growing getting louder and louder. We looked back over our shoulders as we ran and open water was now where our fishing hole was. We didn't stop running till we hit the shore and even then we went up a ways just to be sure.

So we didn't really break the lake and later that day we walked back out to get our ice pails but I am thinking about it when Chuck pulls the trigger and the ice in the hole is blasted out. Water and ice chips are sent skyward to fall back on us but nothing else happens. After a few more shots echo around the bay we are fishing. As we sit on our upturned buckets and watch smoke drift upwards from each other's cigars I mention that no one else is out fishing this morning. Chuck looks around and says " Betsy has that effect on people" from Lake Iwanttobethere {555,114}

[Bobby Bass]

Mid January and we are finally settled into the middle of winter. We have a little snow, a lot of cold and the sun is hiding behind cloud cover. Football season has been done for us here at the lake as our local pro team that we follow put up a dismal season and most are glad it is done. Hockey on the other hand is heating up and last night the Lodge was busy as we watched the local college team on national TV The Hamms beer was flowing with the Friday night special and some friendly wagers were being made between friends. Here at the Lodge there is always a little gambling going on, bets and wagers and side wagers are just something that happens. All year long the Lodge sponsors fishing challenges and boards are ran on football games and rumor has it you can even bet on the local little league team along with the church softball team.

Between periods of the hockey game a couple of guys were trading stories about Marc D. Who used to own the fish pet store in town. The store was really a cover for the gambling that went on in the basement. Marc would run goldfish races but ended up getting in trouble with the law when he started an underground Beta fish fighting ring. It was pretty hush hush till it got out that the fish associate working at the Walmart the next town over was feeding the stores Beta fish steroids. The store manager also noticed sales were up and it seemed to be a lot of older guys buying three and four Betas at a time. Of course the first rule of Beta fish fighting is you do not talk about the fish fighting, the second rule is you don't talk about the fish fighting but one of the guys told his wife and that was the end of that.

Guys will bet on almost anything, wait I take that back, guys will bet on anything. Some of the things that come to mind are how long a cigar will burn by itself. How long to drink a beer through a straw, how many times will a dog turn in a circle before lying down. Cutting holes in the ice, how long before first catch, longest cast first fish, last fish. The list is pretty much endless what there is to bet on and what to bet on. Just this morning they were betting on how many pigeons would take off from the roof when Elmer went out the back door. Ever since Elmer and Marv starting shooting at the pigeons with pellet guns they are pretty wary when either of them step out back.

Today I am working the Lodge as Gus is out fishing with his wife, they are taking advantage of the fling package that Gus's wife won. Pretty quiet here as there are a few guys playing cards and a few more watching TV Fishing shows are on and there is are segments on hunting and fishing and of course the guys watching are sipping coffee and talking back at the TV. I am hearing a lot of remarks start off with "I remember when" and then drift off into a story about a fishing or hunting trip that they are reminded of when something shows up on TV.

Tonight I am going to return the favor with Chuck and we are going to go out and fish in my shanty straight out from the Lodge. I have an auger so there will be no need for Chuck to bring along Betsy. We will set up a few rods, listen to the hockey game and play some cards. Might even catch a few fish and place a few small wagers, just something we do here at Lake Iwanttobethere {558,317}

[Bobby Bass]

With it now halfway through January here at Lake Iwanttobethere Sunday night the first meeting of the season for the Lake Iwanttobethere Bass Fishing Club was held. Most of the guys were already here watching the football game so we just moved from the main room of the Lodge to the small meeting room. There is a small window in the wall that opens up to the bar and we don't even have to leave the room to order our drinks. Since there was enough guys on hand we ran through the order of business and past meeting minutes quite quickly and officers were retained from the previous year. This means that I am still president with Chuck being the vice president and Big Earl as our treasury and master of arms with Marv being our secretary.

With the minutes have been read we quickly broke into discussion groups which centered on the pitchers of Hamms beer and the bottle of Wild Turkey that the Lodge donates every meeting to the Fishing Club. There are benefits to belonging to the fishing club besides the beer and Wild Turkey, one of them was a letter addressed to the club that I was reading to myself before sharing. According to the letter the county fishing association was looking for a few volunteers to do some winter fishing for bass in an enclosed environment that is not open to the public. Being the president I made a decision that I should check this out before bring it up with the general membership. I did slip the letter to the vice president who nodded in agreement while holding the letter up close to his face like he was calling a football play from the sidelines.

Monday morning found us taking a seldom used back road to what I always thought was a government farm. An electric gate blocked the entrance and we had to wait for a guy on a four wheeler to come down the trail and open the gate for us. We followed him up a winding trail that open up into a parking lot and a building that looked almost like the twin to that football stadium in the big city. We parked in the visitor's space and after showing the guy our Lake Iwantotbethere Bass club patches we were allowed to enter. What a surprise, the roof covered a small pond that was climate controlled and we had to duck when a duck buzzed us. The place almost looked like a huge hockey rink except there was shore where the boards should have been. A brand new bass boat was tied up to a dock with all the bells and whistles except it had no motor hanging on the transom.

We shook hands with some guy in a white knee length lab coat sporting a fishing vest over it. I didn't catch his name as I was watching a big boil out on the water where I though I had seen the duck land just a minute before. The guy was in deep conversation with Chuck and he handed us a couple of clip boards with a release form on it and a next of kin document. I glanced at the forms and followed Chucks lead as I signed them both and handed them back. The lab coat guy pointed us to the boat and shouted good luck before using a plastic key card like they have in them fancy hotels to disappear in a door hidden in the wall.

Peeling off our winter coats we walked out to the boat on what appeared to be a reinforce metal dock. We just dropped the coats on the bench at the end and climbed into the boat, several rods were on the front and back casting platforms. We did the rock, paper scissors thing and I won. I headed for the bow as Chuck picked up one of the rods. 'Dang" he said " Has to be fifty pound test braid on this thing" I picked up my rod and saw that there was a big top water bait tied on to an aircraft grade swivel. That is when the lights dimmed and the inside of the dome looked like a sunrise on some lake, but not Lake Iwanttobethere {560,943}

[Bobby Bass]

The trolling motor on the bass boat was the same kind that I had on my Puddle Humper and I found the remote control resting on the seat. I slipped it over my head and Chuck untied the two ropes holding the boat against the metal dock. I lowered the trolling motor down into the water and checking over my shoulder to see if Chuck was ready, we headed out on to the pond. Chuck was fiddling with the fish finder but it would just keep flashing and not give us any picture. I thought it was kind of strange to have a fancy boat like this and not have everything work on it. Since fishing is always better on the other side of a lake we headed across the pond with the trolling motor on high.

I leaned over the side trying to look into the water but with the dim lighting it was hard to see anything. " So what exactly did that guy in the lab coat say" I asked Chuck. "Not much really, but he did say several times no matter what you do, don't go into the water" Chuck replied as he too was now looking over the side into the calm water sliding by. Coming up on the far shore I decide to turn left and we made a smooth arc in the water as we lined up for our first pass. I had a top water lure on that looked like it was meant for Muskie fishing and I fiddled with the reel some adjusting my drag, it had been cranked down tight. Chuck had on a big spinner with a bright red head on it and he had added a white plastic five inch grub to it, said it was the smallest one he could find in the tackle box under the seat.

We both tossed our lures at the same time and as we have a tendency to do we each watched each others lure. I let my lure sit on the surface while I watched Chuck's spinner sink slowly and then head back toward the boat as he slowly turned the handle the lure running in the small wake of the lake. With Chuck's lure back at the boat I turned my attention to my lure and gave it a little twitch. The rings from the twitch spread out from the lure and when they grew to about ten feet or so I twitch the lure again. I let the lure sit as I turned to watch Chuck fling his second cast out towards shore. The lure was high and was heading for a pile of brush only to stop with a bang and fall straight in to the water. It was not brush but it was a wall painted to look like brush. I was thinking plywood by the echo coming back at us across the water. Turning back to my lure I twitched again and watched as the circles spread, nothing.

Reeling back quickly I was thinking about banging a lure off the plywood wall, I was not looking down as I pulled the top water lure out of the water. Something big took a swipe at the lure right at the boat. I looked down in time to see water filling up what was a hole and feel the warm water rain down on me. Chuck standing in the back of the boat was chuckling at me as he was still reeling. With water dripping off the bill of my fishing hat I looked back at him with a comment on the tip of my tongue when I saw his rod tip jerk right down to touch the surface of the water. His grin became a grimace as he turned trying to save his rod from getting pulled from his hands. He leaned back with arms straight preparing for one of them big hook sets of his when the line parted. It made the sound you hear when you break a guitar string, a high pitched twang that echoed back at us. The rod hung in his arms and the heavy braid was limp. Chuck turned to me and said in a church voice " There is something big out there" and that is when the trolling motor stopped and the lights dimmed even more. From Lake Iwanttobethere{562,162}

[Bobby Bass]

We stood facing each other in the boat not saying much, the pond was quiet except for the piped in croaking of some frogs and maybe the hoot of an owl but it was hard to tell. "I thought you said it was a sunrise, not sunset fishing?" Chuck mumbled something about telling the lab coat guy we liked fishing at sunset. Chuck came down off the back deck and sat down behind the steering wheel. I could hear him flicking switches on the console and after a few clicks we had some interior lights. Not real bright but they gave off enough light that Chuck starting going through the tackle box under the seat looking for a replacement spinner to tie on. Chuck looked up at me and said "What? We might as well fish as long as we are here" Nodding I turned away and flinged the top water lure out into the darkness. It hit the plywood wall with a bang and I heard a splash as it fell into the water, just like night fishing off the dam at Lake Iwanttobethere.

I tossed the lure out a half dozen times and worked it back slow, Chuck joined in and I could hear the splash of his lure when it hit the water and we both waited for another hit. None came but I did get the trolling motor back running. I heard a few beeps coming from the motor and it reminded me of mine. I pulled the motor up out of the water and in the dim light I saw that there was fishing line wrapped around the prop. I located a pliers and a few minutes later I had the prop cleared and we were moving again. I didn't find Chuck's lure but I pretty much blamed him for getting his line wrapped around the prop. Of course I was trying to figure out how his line got wrapped around the trolling motor in the front of the boat but I would figure that out later. In the quiet of the make believe night we heard another beep and the graph was on! Chuck climbed down from the deck to sit behind the graph and started hitting buttons.

"Well will you look at that" Chuck called out. I stepped off the front deck to look down at the graph. As I watched the graph drew a boat on the bottom of the pond and it said it was at twenty-two feet. "A sunken boat" Chuck said and I replied with" Twenty-two feet! too deep for top water" Chuck continue to click buttons and adjusted the graph, soon he had the shallow and deep alarm set along with the fish alarm and was trying to figure out the side imaging. I found a diving plug in the tackle box and returned to the front deck. After a while even the frogs stopped croaking and it got pretty quiet on the pond. We passed over the sunken boat again but Chuck was thinking it might be a different boat. Hard to tell as since the pond was round and it was dark and we had no way of telling how many times we had gone around it.

Neither one of us wear a watch and we lost track of time, no bites, no splashes and we started thinking maybe we should have brought some samwiches. I let Chuck talk me in to running the trolling motor and we traded places. I sat in the driver's seat and let the rod hang over the side with the diving plug working in our wake. I watched the graph for anything and saw nothing. A little shiver caught me by surprise and I looked up to see fog on the water. I was seeing fog but how was that happening, I then noticed that it was a little brighter out, at least on one end of the pond, I am thinking we were going to get a sunrise. I blinked a few times and pulled my glasses off to wipe them, sure enough there was some moisture on them. I called out Chucks name and pointed towards the light, Chuck followed my finger and turned the boat towards the fog bank. I heard Chuck say "Just in time for the morning bite" and that is when the fish alarm went off for the first time that night. {565,331}

[Bobby Bass]

With the light growing brighter we crept into the fog bank, Chuck stepped down from the front platform and we exchanged places. As we past each other Chuck made a comment about he was not going to be the one that ran the boat into the wall or that reinforced dock. Come to think of it we had not seen that dock at all, I headed out farther from where I thought the shoreline was, just to be safe. Both of us had played with the graph trying to get the side imaging to display but we just figured it was just not working. Would be a nice thing to have with this fog and maybe even help us find some fish. I was back fishing with my top water bait, even if it was deep this was a good time to be working the surface. I could not see the lure but I could hear it sputtering through the water.

My belly was doing a little rumbling and I was thinking twice about not having brought my brown paper bag lunch, I didn't even have a stick of gum on me. I heard some smacking behind me and turn to see Chuck working some chew. "Where did ya get the chew from?" I asked. He kind of gave me a grin and open his mouth wide for me to see, no chew but he had one of them white Gulp trailers in his mouth. " Aww Geeze, you is eating the bait!" Nope, just soften it up some, the grape ones are kind of tasty" and with that he turns back to launch a cast out towards the plywood wall where it hit with a smack before landing in the water.

After awhile the fog seem to lift some and now we could see where our casts were landing, if we moved back closer to shore it got thicker. I was thinking it must be the way the lab coat guy had planned it. If ya can't see the shore then you can't see the plywood wall and the fake scenery. I launched a cast deep into the fog towards the shore and felt a thump, First thing I felt all night, or was it day? Anyway, I set the hook hard and just for good measure I set it again. Chuck watching me commented with "You crossed his eyes with that one" and I waiting for the answering tug on the line, nothing, I tugged again and lifted the rod high over my head, Dang snag! I turn the boat towards the snag and followed my line right to the dock where the lure was buried in the back of Chucks winter coat. Someone had set a cooler on top of the coat and the lure was not going anywhere. We eased up next to the dock and Chuck grabbed the cooler and I grabbed his coat. I used the small blade on my handy dandy universal tool and belt knife to cut the lure free. " Look what at what ya did to my coat" Chuck said . "What, you can't tell it apart from any of the other hook holes in your coat" I said as I held the coat up for him to inspect before tossing it back on the dock.

Chuck pushed the boat away from the dock and looked at me, "What? We got food, no reason to stop fishing" I nodded in agreement and watched as Chuck open the lid of the cooler and we both peered inside. Salmon eggs? What we suppose to do with salmon eggs. "Chuck did the lab guy say there were bass in this here pond" I asked. " Well I just figured it was bass since he sent us that there letter to the Lodge, your not thinking there is salmon here and we is fishing it all wrong" Chuck said as he pulled the eggs out and kept digging deeper into the cooler." I shook my head and pulled the cooler closer to me and started looking at what was under the cloth towel that was under the container of salmon eggs. Chuck said " See if there are any crackers for that there caviar "No crackers but there is two cans of them little Vienna sausages you like so much and a slurpie from the Gas-N-Go" how would they know to pack that stuff" I asked. Chuck popped the lid off the first can and used his fingers to dig out one of the sausages, Tossing the sausage in his mouth he then took a long slurp from the slurpie, " I might have mentioned it when I was giving the lab coat his forms back " he said. I was going to say something but then I saw the bottle of Hamms and the bag of pretzels. " So Chuck should we go left or right" from somewhere close to Lake Iwanttobethere {567,787}

[Bobby Bass]

Chuck looking up at the glowing light overhead said how about we go right and taking his can of sausages and his slurpie stepped up onto the rear casting platform. Using the remote control for the trolling motor I pointed us down the shoreline and munched on a few pretzels as I sat behind the steering wheel that was connected to nothing. Kind of hard to steer without a rudder and I told Chuck to look at the transom and see what was hanging back there. Chuck sat his slurpie down and getting on his hands and knees reached over the back to pull up a camera of sorts. " Guess we have someone watching us fishing" he said and he released the camera to splash back behind the boat.

Sipping on my Hamms I got an idea and I pulled the fish eggs out of the cooler. Taking the lid off I sat a container on the console and as I ate the pretzels I would sprinkle a few eggs into our wake. Chuck seeing me changed his spinner out for a bare hook and threaded some of the eggs onto the hook. The hook was then dragged in the wake of the boat and Chuck went back to eating his sausages with the rod jammed between his legs and the seat. We fished this way for a while and I was on my third Hamms when I tossed some pretzels in the water and fish eggs in my mouth. Lucky for me there was enough beer to wash the eggs down.

I moved back up to the front casting seat and made a few halfhearted casts towards the shore. Chuck and I chatted some and the talk ran to the thought that we might just end up getting skunked! We then of course decided that this fishing trip would not count as bass season is closed so then we can't get skunked. We were thinking that maybe we would not say anything to anyone back at the Lodge but maybe we would pass the letter on to Elmer and Marv and let the two old geezers have a crack at this fishing or lack of fishing hole. Bout then in a pause in our conversation my nose started twitching, I was thinking maybe fish as I have been told I can smell fish. But it was something else, I looked back at Chuck and made a comment about the foul odor in the air. Chuck turned away with a grin on his face and I knew right away it was him. He was passing gas like he was Chili judge working his third day of competition.

I was looking to pull my tee shirt covered in beer, pretzels and fish eggs up over my nose when I saw Chuck's rod tip twitch and make a slow decent towards the surface of the water. Chuck was standing up like he was making a money pool shot on the Lodge's table trying to hold the rod tip up. Then the first sound of the drag, music to my ears as the line started to sing as it left the reel and raced through the guides. Chuck was grunting and I stopped the trolling motor and let us glide through the calm waters. Trouble is the line was going straight under the boat and heading for the bow. Chuck was dragging his thumb on the spool but it was not slowing it down. A little puff of smoke came up and Chuck jerked his thumb off the reel. I quickly came off the front deck to assist moving across the lower deck stepping over the cooler I arrived in time to pour a few precious drops of my Hamms on to the spool to cool it.

With the spool slowing Chuck tighten the drag down till it would tighten no more and stuck the rod off to the side, the line slipped out from under the boat and leaped skyward. Chuck hopped down to the bottom deck and almost made it to the front deck before stepping in the cooler and slipping on the last container of fish eggs. Landing face first and just missing hitting the front seat the rod fell to the deck and went over the side. We both just looked at the bow and the missing rod. Chuck crawling on his hands and knees leaned over the bow and shouted " Hit the trolling motor hit it" I looked at him and watched as he lifted the trolling motor up on to the deck and I saw the line wrapped around the prop. I started the trolling motor and we watched as the line started to wrap around the prop and tighten. The boat however started to move forward and we both looked at each other, " Ye Haw" yelled Chuck. " Fish on, fish on!" To be continued from Lake Iwanttobethere. {570,576}

[Bobby Bass]

Now keep in mind here I might have had a few beers when Chuck finally hooked up with that monster. I have been telling and retelling the story to any Lodge member who would listen and if they bought me a beer I would embellish it just a tad. To put you in the boat with Chuck and I you need think of one of them there theme park water rides. A choppy sea, water spray coming over the bow and the real threat of sinking. Now add something big on the end of a line that you can't see. The boat being pulled wildly from side to side and the slight problem that you don't have a motor. Did I mention that I had a few beers on a stomach that just had pretzels and some old fish eggs?

I stood on the deck below the front casting platform, one hand holding the steering wheel to steady myself and the other holding onto the remote that controlled the bow trolling motor. As I retell the story I like to think that I looked like a harpooner in the bow of an old whaler. Water spray dripping through my beard and steely eyes locked ahead waiting for the great fish to surface and do battle on top. My first mate Chuck was prone on the front deck, hands locked in a death grip around the prop of the trolling motor, the braided line tight around the blades. Chuck fighting to gain a few inches only to lose a foot back. Water dripping from his forehead into his eyes and the grease of the small Vienna sausages mixing with the water to make his chin look like a rainbow. Fishing at it's finest, hand to fin so to speak. Just us and the water and the fish ahead of us sounding deep and turning the boat and us back in the direction we had just come from.

"Hold her steady Chuck, Hold her steady" I urged my first mate on with encouragement. " Aye Captain, I have her" he replied. His hands were tightly wrapped around the blades of the prop and he was turning the prop like he was turning the wheel of big oil rig shutoff valve. We turned sharply to port, my grip on the wheel all that was keeping me upright and standing. The turn was so abrupt that Chucks legs slid over the side of the boat in to the white cap of a passing wave. Not knowing what was at the end of the line or how close it was made Chuck pull his legs back into the boat before they even got wet. On a new course now with the waves at our back Chuck was quickly gaining line on what ever was down below.

I took a sip from my beer and glanced at the faces around the bar looking back at me. I had them now, I just need a big finish for my tale, should I tell them the truth or should I make something up. Stretching out the moment I took another sip of my beer and wiped my mouth with the back of my hand. A few of the guys did the same, sharing the moment with me and waiting for the tale to continue. In the quiet of the Lodge the phone rang out, Gus answered it on the second ring "Lake Iwanttobethere Lodge, how may I help you? Sure, just a sec. Bobby, your wife on line one" I held one finger up and got up from the stool, "I'll be right back" with beer in hand I walked around the bar to answer the phone. A few minutes later I was heading back to my office to get my coat and truck keys. "Where are ya going Bobby" Gus shouted out. " I have to get back home I forgot the wife's mother is coming over." I said as I put my arm through a coat sleeve. "What about the story" Big Earl asked, his hands upturned out in front of him.

I finished the story as I was zipping my coat up. "The man made pond had a wave machine and Chuck had hooked into a submersible that had been following us the entire time we were fishing. The guy in the white lab coat had bought a twelve pack of Hamms but only had placed four of the long necks in the cooler, the other eight he drank as he watched us and thought he would have some fun with us. He did say there was a fish in the pond, a big one but no one had ever caught it. He told us we could return any time and try again but we thought we would just stick to fishing the waters of Lake Iwanttobethere" {572,362}

[Mr.Perch]

Thank you Bobby Bass for the news i read every chance i get and dream of moving back north someday.