Grouse Hollow Journal for April 30, 2015

Grouse Hollow for April 30, 2015 by Greg Koelker

I just got in from a Sunday drive, off-road style. Scout and I made a tour of the farm on the four-wheeler. Okay, to be accurate, I was feeling old and lazy, so I rode the Rubicon and Scout jogged along. This was her second trip up the ridge on the day as she and Ellen went for a walk an hour earlier. That first trip and old age must be what made Scout drop back and trot along before we got to the top of the hill. It has been a while since I had to wait for her when I was on the four-wheeler as she usually loves to run ahead. We checked out a large erosion hole that our friends are dumping old hay into. Then we went over to the Oak Stand and checked the two-person ladder stand El and I have there. I got off the quad and walked around the food plot, looking at the sign. Lots of deer tracks, turkey scat, and evidence of raccoons. We checked out Chet's crate deer stand by the downed barn overlooking Grouse Hollow. The roof is off, piled high on what's left of the old barn. The rain and wind are doing their part to send his stand back to wherever he got it I fear.

We left the Honda in the field and walked along the fence line into what we call the Raspberry Stand area. There are thick stands of blackberry canes that sometimes produce copious amounts of the sweet fruit, but last year, not so much. Anyway, we walked out on the point along our southern property line. There is some saw work to be done on the narrow trail with oaks that have fallen and other trees blocking the way in places. I saw goose berries all leafed out and blue bells starting to open and mayapples in large areas. Can the morels be far behind? At the Christmas tree food plot, there isn't much coming up worthwhile, so we will be “Rounding Up” the area soon and planting some good stuff for antler growth I think.

I checked out a couple of apple trees along the fence line and one actually appears to have some blossoms about to burst out. On the way down the ridge road, I shut off the engine and coasted back to the ranch, braking all the way so you-know-who could keep up.

Back at the ranch, Ellen was pulling nettles out of the red raspberries on the outside of the old water tank. Those berries grow around what's left of an old cement watering tank in the middle of our garden. This spot used to be the barnyard when we first moved here. Anyway, I am going to spray the nettles in the tank tomorrow as they are so thick and we need to kill the roots before I put a few buckets full of dirt into the tank with the John Deere. We plan to transplant some raspberry plants that have gone rogue so-to-speak, shooting up in the nearby yard.

I hunted last week on Tuesday in the snow and sleet and rain and wind. You might think that turkeys are smart enough to find shelter and hunker down for the duration (come to think about it, I guess I am not that smart either), but actually I had a blast playing tag with at least four gobblers that day. Around 10 a.m. I drove into the neighbor's farm and startled a flock of feeding birds. I got my gear on back at the farm and strategized with myself about how best to get close to those wary birds. I hiked around the other side of the hill from them, taking my time as I came up over each rise in the rolling fields just in case. I did not see a bird though. On the other side of the hill-top field, I set up and called a bit. It didn't take long for the fun to begin. Like I said, at least four gobblers responded and no matter what I did, they only would get closer but only so close. I tried different calls, loud calls, soft calls, no calls for quite awhile, and then I moved. The toms seemed interested and moved with me, but they never showed themselves. I finally gave up and headed back for breakfast. I hadn't gone 100 yards, when the gobbles came up the hill, so I hurried back. A neighbor started running a chain saw on the next hill over, and I figured the jig was up, but I was wrong again. I moved and called all around a large point and the gobblers kept right up with me, but . . . well, I think this turkey lost and those turkeys won. Anyway, I didn't leave until going on 3 in the afternoon with no bird, but this was a great hunt. I loved it. Eli and his friend Tony had a frustrating Saturday early morning turkey hunt, but Tony was able to tag a jake up on the neighbors around midday, so at least someone has turkey to eat.

Until next time, get out - I went to the Vernon County Deer Advisory Committee meeting last week at the Westby Rod and Gun Club in Timber Coulee. It was interesting and I learned some too. Committee Chair, Jason Leis, began with a discussion of the antlerless quota for Vernon County. One of the changes for next season will be that antlerless tags will be public or private specific and county/unit specific next season. If I got this right, when one purchases their license for next deer season, they will have to specify whether they will hunt on public or private lands and they will have to specify which county/unit they will hunt in. If one wants to hunt antlerless deer in another county/unit, they will have to purchase a $12 permit for that area. Some of the discussion revolved around how confusing it could be to hunt along county/unit lines. Warden Shawna Stringham said that law enforcement has been discussing this as well. She said that mistakes will be made and enforcement will be on a case by case basis at this point. DNR Biologist Dave Matheys said that the buck stamp program from last season is a “no-go” for this season. Both Ellen and I have stamps we saved after registering an antlerless deer last year that we thought might get us an extra buck tag this year - guess not. Warden Stringham also said there will not be a holiday hunt in 2015. Around 200 deer were taken during that hunt in 2014. We heard some of the comments from the 20 or so online survey Vernon County respondents. (I was one of them.) There were complaints of too many antlerless permits being offered and just the opposite, and at least one respondent wanted antler point restrictions put in place. As to what the committee can recommend to the DNR, well, in 2014, 2,700 private land and 235 public land antlerless permits were left over (unsold and thus unused) after an initial offering of 5,000. The proposal from the deer committee for 2015 is to maintain the herd at current levels. The Vernon County Deer Advisory Committe will recommend an 8,000 antlerless quota. Based on hunter numbers from last season, an estimated 5,000 “free” tags would be issued with hunting licenses and an additional 3,000 (2,700 private and 300 public) would be for sale. Of course as in all things deer hunting, this too is not written in stone, so we shall see. Oh, I counted at least 50 deer in fields along my route home through Coon Valley, Chaseburg, and over Chipmunk Ridge that night.

It was 32 here on Monday morning, but tulips are popping and Ellen found the first shoots of asparagus peeking out on Sunday. Ummm. . . the possibilities. Enjoy.   

Grouse Hollow Journal for April 23, 2015

At 6 a.m. on Tuesday morning last week, the turkeys were happy and in the mood for love; there was gobbling and yelping enough that I thought they were right outside our bedroom window. I was excited to get out the next morning for my first turkey hunting season.

The alarm clock roared to life with a BBC reporter in some far off land. I leaped from bed - okay, I got up anyway, and after some messing with the switches on the side, silenced the dratted device (sorry Darlin'; one bad thing about retirement is that you forget how to operate your alarm clock.) Anyway, downstairs I turned on the coffee maker and got dressed. Everything I needed besides my coffee cup and thermos was in the truck already, so I got out of the house yard at 5:20. Up on the ridge, there was a sliver of a waxing crescent moon lighting up the road and fields along it. There were no stars, but the horizon to the north and west was starting to show some dark blue with an orangish haze along the skyline as I pulled into our back gate with my headlights off.

I used the red light on my headlamp to see to pour some more hot coffee. It was 39 degrees and dampish. I got my Ghillie style netted camo pulled over my head and boots. With my pack ready and Wilma (my 10 gauge turkey special) lying beside it on the pickup bed, I was ready to stalk a gobbler; I stopped to listen. The light got better. There was no wind to speak of. It was perfect to hear - even for me. First were song birds cheeping nearby. Far away, down in the river bottoms, I could hear geese stirring and there was a train rumbling one way or the other on the Burlington tracks. There was some traffic down in the coulee and an occasional cow lowing. I heard some sandhill cranes start up with their rusty swing set gronking and squawking. A couple ducks quacked by overhead. Some crows went nuts way down in the hollow behind me, apparently rounding up a hunting party or shaming a coyote maybe. Maybe it was someone trying to sound like that though because a hoot owl started up right after the crows went silent, most likely coming from the crow caller. Some turkey hunters do this to get a gobbler to show his cards with a shock gobble. It didn't work this morning that I heard anyway.

After half-an-hour of coffee and listening, I picked up my gun and gear and started a slow stroll to the other end of our ridgetop fields. Nobody bothered to gobble. I have a special spot I like to set up along the field, so I went there and called a bit. Around 7 I saw something brown moving in a nearby cornfield. A coyote? (That would be almost as good as getting a tom.) It was a doe and fawn coming up out of the Grouse Hollow for breakfast I guess. While I was watching them, I heard something walking in the leaves behind me. I waited. I couldn't stand it and finally, as slowly as I could, turned my head. There was a deer some thirty yards off. I was made. The whitetail showed its namesake and vaporized without a sound.

I waited on the doe and fawn, now in the woods near me. I saw more deer following their path through the corn. Some were cavorting about, kicking at each other and rearing up like wild horses. I managed to slip my phone out of my pocket and set it to camera mode. I took a few shots, and then switched to video mode. Eventually, five deer were right in front of me, maybe 15 yards out. Several were obviously bucks, maybe all of them. Then the largest buck did something that surprised me. There are several buck scrapes left from last fall along this woods line, but this guy started rubbing his antlerless head on the overhanging limbs and then licking the limbs. It defecated and urinated in the scrape on the ground, digging half-heartedly at it when he finished. It drove a nosey younger deer away, but the young one came back and pushed on the big one. Then the jig was up. I had been holding my camera up shooting video of the entire show and the young buck must have seen me. A slight breeze was blowing right at me, so I don't think it winded me, but it led a white-tailed race away, bounding out into the field, stopping for a second or two to look back and then the entire assembly disappeared. I counted fifteen deer in all that morning. That evening a tom gobbled up the hill behind the farm, so I figured I'd hunt it the next morning.

Thursday went pretty much the same - no gobbling and no deer this time. I did see a tom in the corn near the truck when I walking back to go in for breakfast. Maybe the turkeys will get hotter when the weather cools on Monday.

Speaking of birds, I got a call from Trevor Thurin who lives outside of Liberty Pole on Friday. It seems that this ruffed grouse has been following him around all spring when he rides his four wheeler. He has taken some pictures of the bird by his four wheeler. He said it won't let him feed it, but it comes around whenever he has the four wheeler. He wonders if the bird isn't attracted to his slow moving four wheeler as the idling engine sounds a lot like a grouse drumming to attract a mate. If you have been outside and heard someone in the distance trying to start a small engine or a tractor engine over and over again, that's most likely a drumming ruff. Pretty cool story, but that grouse is going to be so disappointed.

Trevor Thurin's love struck ruffed grouse

Until next time, get out - I was elected (by default) to be a representative from Vernon County in the Wisconsin Conservation Congress last week at the county Fish and Wildlife hearing for a two-year term. This should be an adventure for me, and no doubt I'll have some things to share in this space.

Finally, you might recall the spring of 1965 when the Mississippi River took the then big hit, “Born to be Wild” to heart. I was in 8^th grade, and boys could get out of school to help fill sand bags. I remember being eager to help (and get out of school), but after a day and night of sand bagging, I have to admit that I was ready to be anywhere else. One night I helped my granddad, dad, and uncle build a dike of bags down along Jack Oak Slough at Fred and Eleanor Yokum's beautiful new home. A diesel powered pump ran day and night keeping as much of the muddy river out of their basement as possible. For some who lived in uptown Cassville, the only way to get out of or to their homes was by boat. After the river subsided, my main middle-school partners in crime speared carp, billy gar, suckers, northerns and more trapped in the ditch between the railroad tracks and airport. By summer it was one foul smelling mess.

Ellen and I were on the river Friday and I predict we won't have to worry about high water any time soon. Oh, we are not having fresh fish dinner any time soon either. Enjoy.

Grouse Hollow Journal for April 16, 2015

my first legal walleye this spring caught near Red Wing, MN

a lone Mayflower (hepatica) pops out of the debris along the ridge road

I remembered I forgot an important item for fishing on Sunday morning when the first rain drops started pelting the windshield as I approached Red Wing, Minnesota. The sky was full out falling as I drove through a sleepy Red Wing looking for somewhere to get rain gear. I didn't find any, resolving to just live up to my sometimes moniker of “being all wet” if need be. I motored on across the Highway 63 bridge to Wisconsin, Hagar City and then Everett's Fishing Resort to meet my old friend Gordy Hierlmeier for a day of catching walleyes and catching up, with the emphasis on “up.”

The sun was peeking out on the Badger side of the river. I spotted Gordy, floating in his boat out in the channel when I rolled down the hill to the beehive that is Everett's Resort. Everett's has (and often needs) three ramps and ample parking at $7 to launch and $3 to park a single car or truck without a trailer. FYI -there is a public landing south of Everett's that is now closed for some badly needed reconstruction. The last time I tried it, the ramp was almost vertical and parking was pretty limited.

Gordy pulled up on the beach and helped me carry my gear to the boat, and we headed north. The south wind was strong here, but less so by the time we got to the dam. I dropped in a purple hair jig with a minnow while Gordy set up his trolling motor. We began to drift, jig, and catch up. We talked fishing and the Badgers, school issues (he and his wife are teachers who used to teach at De Soto and now are at Glenwood City), family stuff, hunting, food, politics - a little, and we joked with our many neighbors and fellow fisher people. I have seen a bigger crowd at Red Wing, but not much bigger I think. We did catch fish too: sheepshead, white bass, mooneyes, saugers and walleyes. I actually boated my first decent walleye of the season.

The clouds built up and moved off all day, turning the river to a gun metal gray, but leaving us mostly in enough sunshine that we were down to t-shirts at times. I did get wet, but only when we landed a fish or when we motored south to Hay Creek with spray coming over the bow from the whitecaps caused by the south wind and other boats going by. We trolled at Hay Creek to no avail and returned to the dam for another pass, boating a couple more small saugers and called it day.

Back at the ranch, uh, Everett's, getting out was proving to be a rodeo for some people. One young man waved to us for help near the landing as his motor had gone dead. We towed him to the dock. Others were battling the now hard south wind as they tried to line up their boats on trailers. We finally got in line and I expertly drove Gordy's boat on the trailer the first time (okay, not perfectly but we got it out without having to back out and try again) and with no mishaps. We stopped off at the Hagar City Drive-in and had a couple cheeseburger baskets before we parted ways. He kept the fish: my walleye, three nice saugers, and a dandy white bass, just right for a family fish fry that night.

Until next time, get out - if you are concerned about where you live in Wisconsin - that is the wildlife, water, and air, please consider contacting your state representatives and let them know how you feel about the fiscal dismantling of the formerly effective - and I think extremely necessary - Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. The department of science is being slashed - they are the people who keep tabs on pollution and such. The warden force has been under staffed for a long time and may be cut even more. Now the powers that be want to neuter the Natural Resource Board. I fear the fox is running the hen house at the DNR and the wolf may be moving in unless we do something to stop this. Thanks for your consideration anyway.

Ellen has been picking wildflowers; can the morels be far behind? I'll be chasing the wily meleagris gallapavo (that's geek speak for wild turkey) this week, so maybe there will be a story there. Enjoy.

Grouse Hollow Journal for April 7, 2015

The river appears to have quieted some from last week. The water level has been dropping along with my luck with a rod and reel. Still we have had several fish fries in the last week. The walleye run will be on soon if it hasn't started by the time you read this maybe.

I did take in a softball and baseball game in Stoddard this last week. Spring has sprung I think.

On the front burner for me is the Badgers (last Saturday night), Easter Dinner (last Sunday), the upcoming first spring wild turkey season for which I have a permit (this next week), the DNR spring wildlife & fisheries proposed rules hearing and annual Conservation Congress county meetings (on Monday night), and the all things outdoors budget slashing down in Madtown - in that order.

First GO Badgers! Bucky skinned the Wildcats to end Kentucky's (almost) perfect season at 38 and Won. Next up, Duke. We watched with Barb and Chuck down home.

Easter dinner on Dutch Hollow Road, was fantastic with appetizers, ham, turkey and gravy, taters, salads, desserts amuck, and lots of Easter candy. We even made a special Badger sign together to hang in the Burton bar to have some fun with Kevin, the owner and Kentucky Wildcat fan who was actually at the game. I look forward to the report when he sees the sign.

Of course, for those of us who pay attention to and/or care about things outdoors in the Badger State, there are the annual Wisconsin DNR and Conservation Congress Spring rules hearing. This Monday evening at 7, citizens across Wisconsin have an opportunity to ask questions, listen, and vote preferences on a myriad of things related to hunting, fishing, trapping, and other Wisconsin natural resources. The Vernon County meeting is in the commons at the Viroqua High School.

Here is a sampling of some of the items up for public input on Monday night: one question reads, “Do you support the DNR implementing antler point restrictions upon the recommendation of the County Deer Advisory Council?” My first response is, “Uh, no . . .?” Let me get this straight; so if a buck doesn't have enough points on its rack, a hunter will have to pass it up if a particular county deer committee rules it. I don't see how this rule is necessary or how it is good for the deer herd. I guess I'll have to ask. Many people think wardens already investigate trespass issues, but they don't at this time, so another question up for debate is, “Are you in favor of giving authority to Wisconsin DNR conservation wardens to investigate and issue citations for trespass violations when the trespassing occurred while the person was engaged in hunting, fishing, trapping or other activities the DNR regulates?” I like the idea of giving wardens that power, but I doubt they want it. Because of reduced budgets, there are so few wardens left already, giving them more duties will just spread them that much thinner. Another question that may create some angst is: “Do you support a legislative change to ban deer baiting and feeding statewide from September 1 through the last day of any deer hunting season?” Lots of people will probably violate this one whether they know it or not. Also, because the state is budgeting little or nothing to combat CWD in the deer herd, banning deer baiting and feeding (a place where the disease may be spread from deer to deer) is probably a good idea - year round. There are also questions regarding changes in trapping regulations, changes in trout regulations, changes in panfish regulations like limits and such, changes in a number of county specific lake regulations, a change in the rules governing portable tree stands on public lands, and allowing the legislature to change the monetary value of illegally killed wildlife and the amount paid out for crop damage. Other advisory questions are in regards to: silicone sand mining regulations, creating more awareness of the importance of milkweed and butterfly habitat, fines for dogs running at large while training, and leaving duck decoys unattended over night. There are quite a few more questions to go over at the meetings, but these stuck out to me.

Until next time, get out - I'd also like to remind everyone that the Stoddard-Bergen Fire Department Big Walleye Tournament fundraiser is coming up once again on April 25. For fishermen who plan to take part, there is an early bird deadline for two monetary prizes of April 04, 2015. All entries must be postmarked on/or before Saturday April 18, 2015. I encourage folks to stop by the Stoddard-Bergen Fire Station on April 25th and see the weigh-ins and enjoy some of the good food and beverage. I'll expound on the proposed state budget next time I guess. Oh yeah, remember to get your fishing license if you haven't already. Enjoy. 

Grouse Hollow Journal for April 2, 2015 by Greg Koelker

On Saturday morning, I opened one eye and as it focused on the digital red numbers across the room, I could see it was almost time to get up. Uff da. The bed was warm and I could feel the air outside the covers was not. I eventually crawled over the side and got dressed in the bathroom to try and let Ellen rest a little longer. The kitchen thermometer showed 15 when I first dared to look at it. By the time I had coffee going, El was dressed and downstairs, filling my coffee travel mug with hot water to warm it up a bit. I wasn't there long. I had hooked up the boat trailer the afternoon before and had my warm weather clothes loaded in the back of the truck. I had to get on some boots, a vest, coat, and some gloves and not forget the bucket of minnows I had aerating in the basement. Ellen handed me my thermos and mug of coffee and wished me luck. Outside I could see that the Ranger and Queen were covered with frost in the first of the early morning light. I heard a turkey gobble and then another before the ignition key dinger broke the silence and then the Ford six banger roared to life and ESPN came bouncing over the air waves into the cab.

In south La Crosse, I grabbed a Kwik Trip breakfast sandwich and headed north to the Dresbach Dam boat landing. I was just pulling my coveralls on when I got a blast of jazz guitar out of my phone. It was Eli Jackson, one of our bowhunter friends, and one of my partners in crime for the day. He was running late and would be there in 20. The landing was open, so I thought I'd just launch the Mississippi Queen myself and tie it off before he got there. (I know, I know. From past experience, those of you who know me, know this was a bad idea.) Anyway, by the time I had the boat and trailer out in the water, I was just starting to realize a bad feeling down deep inside. All the elements for a landing launch disaster were in place. There was an audience - fifteen people standing on the south dock, decked out in cold weather gear with fishing poles, tackle boxes, coolers, backpacks, and such. They were lining up to catch a ride out to the “Best Dam Fishing Float” - this is the float's real business name. There was ice. The cement launch was covered with water covered ice. I slipped and slid to the back of the truck. Still I muddled on. I could see a pontoon boat headed our way as I unhooked the Queen and tried to roll her off the trailer. Of course there was trouble; I should have known what with an audience to take it all in. The boat rolled into the water until the weight of the engine and batteries caused it to tip down, sticking the skag and prop into the shallow water at the landing. I had to slip up the ramp to the dock and climb into the boat, reaching over some two feet of water to step onto a frosty deck. I made it. I tried tilting the engine up, but it was a no go. I had to climb back out on the dock, and tip toe through the cold water behind the pickup to the trailer and then wire walk the trailer tongue out to the boat to hook up the tow strap and then wire walk back to the winch and crank the boat back up on the trailer. After I had it hooked back up and the safety chain in place, I managed to work my way back up the side of the truck to the cab. The tires spun at first even in four-wheel drive, but I pulled out and drove up to the parking lot to await Eli only a little embarrassed. Sorry, that was it - no falls or broken stuff or wet feet. Eli and I were able to launch without incident with the engine on tilt.

Eli has been fishing at Dresbach quite a bit this spring, so he was the guide. By now, it was almost full light and there was a crisp breeze from the south. We started our first drift with minnows pinned on purple hair jigs with trailer hooks. Within the first thirty seconds, Eli had a good fish on. This was such a surprise that the dip net was still collapsed and tied down to the floor under his seat. He had to fight the fish and release the velcro strap so I could uncollapse it and get the net in the water. In a moment I was able to net our first walleye of the day, a fat 22-incher. After a picture, I was able to get my own bait back in the water. We both hooked smaller walleyes and some decent saugers and then a perch or two. Eli also hooked a small northern pike and a sucker. We drifted south using the electric trolling motor to help the current against a persistent south wind that was becoming more biting as time passed. At times the sun was warm, but that wind, well, it was windy.

Around ten, we motored over to the landing to pick up Pat Kolbe who was rolling in fresh from the Wisconsin Football Coaches Convention in Madison. (He is a teacher and coach at North Fon du Lac High School.) Eli had to get out to go to work to clean up some business. I tried to back out of the landing to wait for Pat, not realizing that there is only so much of a channel deep enough for navigation at that landing. Of course, I got stuck in the muck for a bit. After pulling the motor up again, I was able to drift off the sand bar and then motor out a ways to fish and wait for Pat. I had just dropped my jig in the drink when I had a hard hit! I set the hook and whatever I had had me! Then I noticed a guy in the back of a boat twenty yards to the north of me frantically reeling line up through his totally bent over rod. You guessed it; he had me or should I say we had each other. I realized it first, so I opened my bail and let him take the bait so to speak. The other guy was obviously deflated when he thought the big one got away (I guarantee I would have been the biggest catch of the day at Dresbach if they had a net that big) and his boat mates all had a good laugh when he reeled in our jigs. He was kind enough to untangle us and toss my jig back without cutting it off, but not before a guy in a flatbottom cut through between us and I was back in business so to speak, caught again. He never realized it, and I realized I was losing line like crazy to I tried to stop it. When the 8-pound test finally broke it came zinging back in the boat and actually cut the back of my hand! I wonder what he'll think after he finds all my line wrapped up in his prop. Anyway, by now Pat was on the dock and we headed back out to drift and fish.

It happened again. We hadn't started to drift for a minute and Pat hooked a dandy legal walleye using a purple hair jig with a purple and orange plastic ringworm - without live bait. I kept catching small ones and a sauger or perch here and there. We picked Eli back up around 11 and we kept the jigs a jigging, catching a few fish and catching up with each other's worlds and such. Pat is a new dad, the proud papa of a baby girl. Eli is just back from a camping and hiking trip in the Ozarks that served as a scouting and training mission for taking students there this summer. You all know what's up and such in my world I guess.

We eventually decided to anchor and fish for perch. We used slip sinkers and small hooks with a chunk of night crawler and slowly bounced them along the bottom near the shore. We caught 'em too. I guess we had maybe 20 slabbers when we finally decided to go back to the trucks and grill some Stoneridge Jalapeno and Cheddar brats while being entertained by Jax, Eli's pointer who was joyful to be liberated from his kennel. Pat dropped a piece of brat and tossed the sandy treat into the water. The ever alert Jax made a shivery retrieve - for himself.

We drifted another hour or so, but things were pretty quiet so we hauled out - again without incident and head back to the ranch to clean our fish. Ellen had been preparing a dinner for us. She had her Badger shirt on and the island in the kitchen was covered with cheese, almonds, crackers, and the fixings for some adult beverages. With three people fileting fish, we had an ice cream pail full to the top with filets in a matter of minutes. We went in to watch the Badgers and Arizona. How about them Badgers? After the game, we celebrated with a Wisconsin Surf and Turf supper of Ellen's homemade cashew and craisin salad, garlic mashed potatoes, Eli's grilled marinated venison steaks, and my fried fresh fish. Ellen topped off our feast with some homemade apple crisp and ice cream for dessert while we watched the Kentucky/Notre Dame game. Good friends, good fishing, good food. It don't get no better.

Until next time, get out - while gas prices are still almost reasonable, I recommend a drive in the country at dusk until sunset. You may be rewarded by seeing some huge herds of deer feeding in the fields. Have a nice holiday weekend. Enjoy.

Ellen with a dandy perch caught near Genoa Dam

Eli and his big walleye 24" or so near Dresbach Dam

Nephew Chet with one of his big perch up near the Dresbach Dam

the neighborhood at Genoa last week