Sportsmen’s Camp Blog

When we get here in May everything is about 2 to two and a half weeks behind! The leaves hadn’t even come out fully by the time the Watsons, Walkers and Jackson’s got here about 3 weeks ago. The water temperatures then were not even at 60F. Now we are about 2 weeks ahead of normal season! I shit you not. The lake temperatures at noon are running about 75f and reached 80F in the late afternoon. In the past week the Evil Janeeto from the planet Janetron has been going swimming every day. I myself - The Coldblooded One - have even gone swimming - In Fucking June! Of course after basking in the sun on the beach with my reptilian brethren. The lake does have some stratification but not as marked as I would think. The lake was absolutely calm the other morning (11:00 AM) and the bass were hitting the surface as if it were late JULY! And now for the really great news - the black flies are almost completely knocked down by the dragon flies! The mosquitoes are pretty bad at dusk but they aren’t bad during the day as long as you’re not in the bush.  So its summer time and the livin’ is easy! So along those same lines I present my annual photograph of my lupine patch.

Along with the way things are ahead of schedule now I wouldn’t be surprised to have bass hit jitterbugs on the surface. The deer flies and horse flies are also out! Mike (the bear whisperer) is now in camp but I haven’t seen any nuisance bears yet. But the camp has been invaded by a nasty pack (two) of ravening wolves!

This fierce pack of wolves have been known to fully disembowel a stuffed toy in a matter of minutes! So beware when walking around camp you could be attacked, jumped up on, or heaven forbid, even shook on after they have been in the lake!

This year appears to be one of those watershed years - new generator, underground wires for the cabins at the beach, new addition on cabin 11 - villa Colombi, upside down tomatoes and a host of other cool things. The first two plywood boats that I built appear to be in sad shape so my next summers project will be to build  new ones. There is just too much fun to be had here - and oh yes the new Trebuchet - Gordowulf II - is slinging rocks like David on steroids!

The world is spinning in greased grooves!

In the last week two old friends came home:

First:

Second:

What we have been waiting for:

The big dragonfly hatch ocurred today!  All is well in Northern Ontario.

And one old friend never really left.  It stayed around all winter awaiting our return:

The big weed bed is already sporting weed!  Everything else is late but the weeds are early.  All is well.  A few big bass have been caught in the weedbed already this spring.

And a note to our hunter friends:  A calf moose was spotted on our property between cabin 8 and cabin 11 around 10 AM today.  Another first!

Water temperature is 68F and the outside temp is in the 80’s F. We are preparing for a campfire tonight.  I have had more than enough Caesars today and I am switching to beer.  I wish everyone was here to join me.  Party on!

Too much fun stuff to do! No one is in camp now but I am busy as hell! I am getting over my cold and have some energy - in between bouts of exhaustion. The weather up till now has been really shitty so these past two beautiful days have really helped. There are several roofs that need to be attended to, we need to integrate the Sportsmen’s Camp website with the blog and get the domain name tied back in, but I ripped out the sink in number 5 and will be replacing it tomorrow, took down the overhead wires between number 5 and number 6 and rewired the transmission wires underground (I am going to try to complete putting all the wires between the cabins underground this year) today, picked up two old hot water heaters to dismantle for use as the cooling system on the new diesel when I took the garbage to the Beauty Lake dump, ( I can’t wait to get to them!), begun cleaning out the new diesel shed (took some crap to the dump - see above), cleaned out the shop to accept the good stuff from the diesel shed, need to get the docks in place (the weather has been very windy) and have to get the new garden planters constructed on the patio, get the blades sharpened on Janet’s mower, take the front off the new diesel house, put up the new fuel tank, put the new diesel in side the shed, wire in the new diesel and so on ad nauseum. I haven’t even fired the new trebuchet yet this year!!!! But in my spare time I have been able to plant two upside down tomatoes as an experiment.

Its odd they are starting to curve upward.  I wonder if they will re-correct downward as they get heavy? But at least they are getting lots of sun. I also got all my bonsais set up and pruned and they look great.

The first copious crop of dandelions is in bloom now and its a sight to behold - even if it is seen through a mist of hungry black flies.

But its just the harbinger of the heavy mowing that will soon be in the offing. Its odd though everything is about two weeks behind and there is still very little evidence of leaves on the birches!

Now for the bad news - the fact that the black flies are out and eager and the trees are still refusing to set leaves indicates that the water temps are lagging badly and will make for a late dragonfly hatch and thus a LONG black fly season. Oh well its still just too damn fun being here with all the cool things to do and besides I get to go to the dump a lot!

Do any of you recall the sound that the Morlock’s machines made in the original movie the “The Time Machine”?  Bugg bugg BUGG bugg bugg BUGG bugg… syncopated and soothing even though, in the movie, the machines were maintained to sinister purpose. Not so here at Sportsmen’s Camp. When the new diesel generator is on-line I am sure that all of you will acclimate and enjoy the new engine sound. Not withstanding Jim Baxter who has voiced some dissent after listening to it online!

The new diesel generator made a speedy trip here. I was assisted by none other than Bob Z and Harvey for the driving and truck usage and Tom Pitts and his dad for the use of a heavy duty single axle trailer. The trip went a little like this - I rode to Randolph NY with Bob and grand son Tyler and was transferred to Harvey at Pete’s Tavern. Tom Pitts showed up and we all had a few rounds discussing the trailer situation. The new diesel generator is pretty hefty weighing in at just over 2000 pounds and we would be covering a lot of mileage so this discussion was very important. We bandied about the possibility of Tom’s double axle trailer, but dropped that one as being overkill on the capacity and it would be a bear to trail, and then decided to go with Tom’s dad’s single axle trailer load rated at 3000 pounds as the best choice. It was also licensed so that was a plus too. We were driving Bob Z’s truck so he agreed to pick up the trailer  the following day.  In the fullness of time Harvey and I adjourned to his back yard and drank beer with Janice around the fire until the rain drove us inside. It was a late night but we awoke bright and early to attend services at the First Church of the Cooperative Porcine. I presided as a guest lay speaker. Whilst Harvey and I were engaged in ensuring the salvation of our mortal souls Bob picked up the trailer and took it over to his son-in-law Kevin’s for a thorough rework of the lights. Then it was back to Harvey’s house for a post services cookout of ribs and beer. As we were slated to leave for Bangor Maine (yes Bangor Maine kids!) at 10 PM I opted to take a short siesta. I was awoke by Harvey promptly at 9:30 PM and we met Bob Z and the trailer at the Randolph truck stop. Its a good thing that we didn’t meet at tavern! So we were promptly off on schedule at 10PM. Harvey took the first shift and drove till he got a little drowsy then the late night specialist took the vampire shift. Bob Z contributed by keeping the driver alert with sporadic snoring. I drove through the night and got us around Boston through New Hampshire and into Maine. Harvey then took over and brought us into Central Diesel in Bangor around 11:00 AM. There she was - it was love at first sight - on a pallet connected to the cooling drum green and gorgeous! *Sigh* My heart still goes pitter pat when I remember the sight! I was given a demonstration of starting it with the crank (I can now honestly say that I am indeed a crank yanker!) And we reveled in music provided by the twin lunged pipe organ of ancient technology. Bob Z couldn’t wipe the grin off his face exclaiming, “I had no idea they still made these!” After the demonstration the work of art was loaded onto the trailer, tethered down and covered with shrink wrap. Then it was back on the road for the long (~16 hour) run through Quebec to camp. There is no rest for the wicked. But HEY - Harvey and I were just at services???? Whats up with that?

We cut directly west on back roads (directions courtesy of Nancy at Central Maine Diesel) and crossed into Quebec without incident. I had previously called Canadian customs and procured the requisite importation numbers and forms. No duty was required but we were liable for the 5% GST. And off we were again only to be caught for about an hour and a half navigating around Montreal in the drizzling rain. Harvey was showing his experience here as a long haul trucker! Glad he was driving.  Then I took over again as night fell - but there was a difference this time I was beginning to feel the effects of sleep deprivation and the onset of a son-of-a-bitch of a chest cold. I managed to drive into the wee hours of the morn whiling the hours away looking for moose sign in the misty fog of the night. As Harvey and I got “logy” we would spell each other in shorter intervals. Bob Z did his best to keep us bright with his sporadic snoring. We were in the home stretch driving through Rouyn Noranda when we all got hungry. We knew not much would be open but were directed by the girl at the truck stop to a great all night eatery - Le Morass Poutine. There was not a letter of English in the entire place but the food was great and they didn’t bat an eye when three unsavory long haul truckers from the states invaded their domain.

The last leg was pretty tough on us all Harvey and I driving short shifts till our sleepy weaving would rouse Bob from his feckless slumber. I don’t even remember the my drive from Elk Lake into camp at all. But what the hell - I am getting older and perhaps the Alzheimer’s is catching up with me.

Here we are, after a good sleep and a shower, posing with the green goddess.

It was quite an ordeal all told  covering about 1700 miles in about two days but she’s here now safe and sound.

Harvey and Bob were going to do some pike fishing with me before they left but after they saw how bad the cold had knocked me down they were nice enough to insist on a rain check - allowing me to get back to bed for another 16 hours of sniffing and coughing sleep. They then took off for home - taking my manifold thanks with them and saying that it was great fun!

This week is finally warming and the black flies are out with a vengeance - I am finally feeling better and starting to get some things done. Janet has supper done now and is making preparations for another Hockey Night in Canada so I must bid you all a good evening. Just one thing though if you ever find yourself peckish in Rouyn Noranda in the middle of the night try Le Morass Poutine!

We are back in the paradise that is northern Ontario. Spring has not yet ventured this far North - she has been here for a brief earlier visit but it was still a bit inclement so she took the Northlander Train back south to wait it out. It was down to 38F last night and in the afternoon touched 60 degrees F fleetingly and then the north wind reappeared spoiling the party. It was just as cool yesterday but it was the last full day that Sled and Barb would be in early residence so the intrepid fishermen sallied forth in search of the seemingly sluggish yet crafty smallmouth bass for our first fish repast of the season. Only Sled was wise enough to realize that it was colder on the lake too. So true to his word he opted out of our early spring foray onto the pitching seas of Lake Firth. But the fishing crew was made of stronger stuff! Nothing could stop them from doing battle to secure our evening repast of fresh, within the hour, Firth Lake bass, fresh cut french fries, cole slaw, and cold 50! Our crew left the beach expectant and armed with all the requisite equipment - 50 in a cooler, fishing rods, boatswains - Baxter and Bart, and the deadly Mepps number 3 silver spinner. We went directly to my favorite spring location and began the hunt. After a few casts something felt wrong - I was retrieving my spinner at the perfect speed in the right area but there were no bites! Hmmmm what was wrong? Hmmmmm - Why Yes! I cracked the first 50 and siphoned it down by an inch retrieved my rod and cast. Pulling the slack quickly and with a small jerk I brought the spinner blades to life, I lowered the speed until I felt them slow and start to tick the rocky bottom. PERFECT - then as the lares and pennates residing in the lake would have it the small miracle known as fishing occurred - I set the hook on a fine bass - not just any bass but the First Bass of The Season. Though the water was cold this bass fought to her full potential and worked me like I had hooked into warthog with a newly inserted turpentine suppository!

She was boated and examined by Bart and pronounced a fine smelling fish but was deemed a female over 16 inches and thus off limits to our savory advances and untoward dinner plans - she swam demurely away. But everything was in-place and the fish were cooperating - we soon completed our task of stringing 5 eating sized fish of the masculine persuasion. The ride back to the beach was as cold as the way out but less wet as the wind died back with the approaching sunset. Our intrepid fishermen also quaffed the remains of their liquid provisions. The docks have not yet been put in place (but will be asap for the impending visit of the “bug masters”) so we beached the, boat built a fire, retrieved more brew and  commenced Happy Hour.

It was another day in paradise - a cool day with black flies yet still paradise.

The lake is about 3 inches higher than normal and colder than normal. I don’t have a thermometer in the lake but my hands were getting numb from handling the fish that we caught so I can assure you that its bloody cold water. Well I’ve got places to go people to see and a wood stove to stoke - Adieu!

Even more sequels than that silly Shatner series!

We haven’t gone North Yet but the time is well nigh! We should be leaving here next Tues. I can not wait. Although I love watching my plants grow in the sweet Pennsylvania spring rains and the smell of my lilies of the valley I still can’t wait to get back home - Sportsmen’s Camp. One of my last remaining vices. But before we take off there is much to report.

New Diesel Generator Update:

The new diesel generator set is ordered and being built  - it should be completed early next week. The cool thing about the new genset is that it is a  2 cylinder listeroid diesel that will be crank started, has two large flywheels to handle surge loads, (no expensive electronic voltage regulator) will have a 55 gallon drum for coolant (no pressurized radiator and I’ll put a heat exchanger in the drum to preheat water to the showerhouse water heater), will run about 25% more efficiently, and is noted for extreme longevity. I’ll also be buying a complete rebuild parts inventory  in the next couple years - ~500$ am. Another cool thing is that I’ll be able to rebuild it in a couple days with my common tools and mechanical skills! It looks more akin to a steam engine and weighs about half again as much as a comparable genset using a detuned truck or tractor engine - but being purpose built as a stationary engine gives it many advantages. It should be quieter and will only be turning over at less than 1000rpm! So I am excited. If you want to look it over check out the 13.5 KW gensets on Central Maine Diesel’s web site. After it is completed Me and Harvey will trek to Bangor Maine and pick the beast up. The cool thing is that according to Canadian Customs I will have to pay no duty! Just the 5% GST. But I will have a good deal of work to install it. Its big enough that I’ll have to remove the front wall of the extra shed to get it inside! Plus the new wiring, exhaust plumbing fuel line plumbing and coolant plumbing as well as installation of the hot water heat exchanger. (Hey Buss is your offer to buy a purpose built heat exchanger still open? I realise that times are tough now that the Democrats have ruined the economy, raised taxes, lost the war, fostered terrorism, eradicated the sanctity of marriage, forced abortions on all teenage girls and taken our guns.) It will be a lot of work but I am really looking forward to it.

We are also planning on putting another bedroom on Villa Colombi this year so our guests will be hearing some woodpeckers up in that area - but I can assure you that they won’t disturb your morning sleep!

Now for the news from Starbase Bryson:

My genuine giant sequoias made it through their first winter with flying colors. I have planted four Japanese maples that I started from seed and Joan raised a few years - one fiery uprite on Rudy’s plot and one sweet soft willowy recumbent one on Kirby’s plot. I have also gotten a start of black stemmed bamboo from a friend and its doing well! I know this is way too exciting for you all so I will desist from continued plant talk.

I went trout fishing today again on Big Run below the house and caught seven beautiful fish. They were all around 15″ (fucking sweet fish!) with only two rainbows and the balance in browns. Here’s the kicker I caught a huge (18 inch) whopper brown in the head rapids of Woodsy’s pool! It was built like a fucking SUMO wrestler! It had to weigh over 4 pounds! The length is very precise since I marked his length on my arm with my minnow threading needle. The fish hit like a ton of bricks right where the water tumbled into the pool from the one foot drop falls and then pulled back under the falling water. I set the hook, then all hell broke loose! He jumped out of the water tail danced then broke at high speed with the fast water down the length of the pool about 20 yds. I was using 6 pound test tippet so I had to give him as much line as he wanted! I knew I was in for it when he jumped again near the breastworks of the pool but he turned back up current on the other side of the rapid and used it to pull against me. He worked me around the pool for about 10 mins then I got a good look at this glowing brown wild boar of a fish. I wet my hands picked him up measured him on my arm and admired him for a fleeting few seconds and returned this piece of living gold to the stream of my youth. Absolutely beautiful with pefect finage and perfect color - he had to be a hold over. His condition was fabulous - well defined spots, fat belly but in heavyweight fighting trim like George Forman when he retook the belt in later years. It was threatening to thunderstorm all afternoon but held off for my fun. The stream is holding many fish - there were over a dozen cruising the pool across from the old Marks homestead! A delightful time! On my walk back to the house there was a honey bee swarm about the size of a soccer ball in one of the small elm trees next to the road as I walked up the hill! Fun stuff!

On a sober note Janet has learned of the existence of the two 6′2″ black snakes that are inhabiting our garage. I got a good look at them slithering side by side in the sun while Janet was at work but Bart surprised one in the driveway later tipping Janet off. She won’t go into the garage now - hey it frees up the one stall for my truck - sweeeet!

Well time marches on and I have things to do to prepare for translation to the north-country so I bid you adieu! Next post from the Camp.

Its the ‘09 Twout Fishing Twip!

As Elmer Fudd would say “Be vewwy quiet I am fishing for wiwy twout!” It was a beaut of a trip the weather was fantastic, the fishing was grand, the food was excellent, and the company was well so - so.

This year I attempted to get into some new native trout areas. I fished about 4 miles of the lower Tubbs water shed. The upper water shed appears to have been bought up by some elitist club that prohibits fishing and all trapsingpassing onto their land. So I was prohibited from fishing a stream that I view as a birthright! I have been fishing Tubbs Run for more than 45 years! I haven’t kept or killed a trout from the stream since it was last stocked (some 400 years ago) and have collected any trash that I have seen while fishing. It is a gorgeous stream that flows through a hemlock bottom valley over a span of about 5 mile and drops about 350 feet. Not a big stream but a sweet pristine native brook trout habitat. So this year I  fished the lower end of Tubbs. I made a chicken salad sandwich and squirreled several beers in the stream on my 4 mile fishing trek. Fantastic, I caught over 30 fish none over 10 ” but all of them beautiful painted ladies.

This area is very beautiful and the home of hundreds of wildflower species too. I saw a Hepatica with violet colored blossoms too. I have only ever seen white and pink colors before. The only tracks I saw were my own along with deer and some bobcat’s and there was almost no trash. It was a long trek but I can’t imagine more fun with my hip boots (and pants) on!

Naturally there was much drinking and some card playing and we also got to watch the pens beat the the flyers Jim and I also went to the lower reaches of Ross Run up from where it flows into the Tionesta. Unbeknownst to us the best section was heavily stocked and devoted to children anglers (little sons-sa-bitches they don’t even need licenses!). I really think its probably a good idea though to promote getting the fat little video gamers out on the streams. Me and Jim just fished above and below the childrens area I only caught one stocker and rolled two others but also caught several natives further upstream. The childrens area raises its restriction later and that would be the place to fish - because you know its holding a shitload of stockers yet.

It was a hot day but we kept a good group of beers in the stream under rocks nice and cold for our return down stream.

Sunday came, as it does, all too soon and we took our traditional crew pic on the porch of our lodge and I got a good shot of this years crew.

Its not Sportsmen’s Camp but what the hell there was probably still snow up there and I’ll soon be there anyway.

It started just like any other opening day trout season of recent memory - I was out drinking to the wee hours of the morn and got to bed late thus facilitating my by now traditional post noon walk to the stream to match wits with my finny prey. For this years first day I opted for a gorgeous 8 foot split bamboo fly rod (given to me Jim Crowley) and my fathers ancient Shakespear Automatic reel suited up with 6 Lb test tip and # 8 weight forward floating line. My magic bag of tricks included a couple dozen fathead minnows, a dozen meal worms and some night crawlers as well as my favorite spinners and flys. Big Run was below summer water level due to a small dry spell and was gin clear (sorta made me thirsty just looking at it!) and pretty cold. The day was clear as a bell and the sun was toasty warm with just a little breeze - in short the conditions were good. Since the day was so beautiful there were more people fishing than normal but I saw no caught fish in evidence and didn’t see any swimmers! The fisherman that I queried about “are they bitin?” merely grunted in apparent disgust or because he was  an inarticulate Republican dupe? Hmm, either way I continued to my starting point - a seemingly insignificant pool below the bridge riffle. But I was stymied - NO FISH! I thought - this was going to be a tough day! So I ventured down stream by-passing the vaunted Sucker hole down to Hendy’s Pool (Don’t be no foo go swimmin in Hendy’s Poo!) I spotted no fish, but I am more familiar with this piece of water than any other on earth so I knew where they would be. I cast the minnow to the tail race of the small rapid and was rewarded with a savage hit! The fish was a good sized brown and fought like a scalded mink! He ran around the pool, worked the current against me and upon realizing that I had his number went over the pool breastworks, through thin water, to the fast water down stream and resumed the fight at long distance. But I had him hooked fast and it was only a matter of time till this lumbering bebooted overweight fisherman made his way over slick as owl snot wet bed rock arrived to the brown’s newly chosen venue. So we began again and  and it was nip and tuck around the rock into the current and back under the falls but once again this stocked trout had only been acquainted with the stream for a few weeks and I have known it for 40 some years, so as long as my hook held his ass was mine. That was the way it ended, him on my stringer and my hands shaking like I had just landed a 50 lb marlin! Ah, the first fish of the first day, lacking sexual references I regretfully can’t explain the thrill to non-fishermen. I quickly caught 8 more fish going down to Woodsy’s bridge and back up to the riffle below Monkey Balls. I didn’t get to fish Monkeys because it was surrounded by a bunch of littering philistines. I only kept my limit and used barb pinched hooks for the rest of the afternoon.

After trudging back up the hill to Starbase Bryson I presented my catch to a skeptical and critical pair of Tibetan Terrors. Baxter was unimpressed and Bart wondered aloud why I had put bait on my stringer! Lil devil!

I had a bite to eat cleaned my hefty catch (please do not re-peruse the previous two blogs!) and planned my next adventure. I was going to the finest native brown trout stream in western Pennsylvania. So I packed my paraphernalia and perambulated to Hell Run trail head. I suited up, adjusted my Irish linen fishing hat and resolutely headed straight away into Hells Hollow! I walked about3/4 mile to below the falls and began fishing with ninja like stealth and grace - I only fell twice! After several invective laced duels and losing about 6 threaded minnows to the denizens of Hells Run I made hard contact. The  bugger had more experience than me with this stream - being born and raised there and worked me over like a quick welterweight pounding a punching bag - down the riffle around the rock under the ledge threatening to break me off on the bare rock and then shooting out into the swift current again but I had my small graphite rod with me here and put the ass to him when he endeavoured to run the next set of riffles. He was mine and was then treated with kid gloves like the precious jewel that he was. Fifteen inches plus of incandescent piscine glory - breathtaking and delightful to see him swimming back in the pool where I hooked him. I caught two more on that long trek down but it was all just icing on the cake of a beautiful day of wildflowers and twilight as I stumbled with catlike grace back to my car in near darkness.

Is this heaven? No, its Hells Hollow!

Third and forth weeks.

It was delightful to have Jim and Val (veterans) and new arrivals Mary and Paolo Colombi for the third week. Slick came in too not wanting to miss Mary’s phenomenal puttanesca! The only problem was that we had a whole week of screaming  East south east winds with gusts unconducive to sailing. Paolo is the sailor of the crew and was always suggesting - “Could we perhaps put up more canvas?”on our two forays onto the briny deep. The wind direction was bad because it kicked up nasty messy waves to about 8 foot inside the Looe Key reef shelf! But the two sails we had were fun. The day we went out with just the jib the Queen was scooting at about top speed bounding through the waves like a squirrel being chased by Tibetan Terrors and Jim trailed a ballyhoo and hooked and landed a nice Spanish mackerel on the second bite.

Our time with the Baxter/Colombi contingent was all too short but we had no time to lament their leaving as Bait, Marlin, Sled, Barb blew into the keys like and force 5 hurricane! The party crew was poised for action! And party we did! We also hit Key West for bicycling and segueway geocaching. Lots of fun and Janet had a great day peddling her ass all over town! But we did settle into a routine of heavy drinking and even did a little sailing and fishing when conditions moderated.

Baxter and Bart didn’t even let up for a moment they insisted on sailing and fishing whenever possible and always criticized uncle Slick’s bow man work!

The Olympic oceanic frisbee team of Sled and Janet was entirely undeterred by bad conditions and dove in and battled to another annual record!

I have streamlined the details of this years trip and all the fun we had but needless to say we had a great time and didn’t want to come home. Bart and Baxter definitely miss their daily morning untethered run at Ramrod Park and their impromptu cooling dips into the bay. But I have to get through this last blog so I can start complaining about the Republicans again!