The Sequel is just as good as the orginal!

No this is a movie series that will have thousands of sequels! We – Janet, Baxter TWD and Me went fishing on Margueratt Lake yesterday. (Jeesh every I time I say that lake name my mind launches into a horrid version of Raggmopp! R – A – G – G – M – O – P – P – raggmopp doodly do dah do do – raggmopp doodly do dah do do! But raggmopp is supplanted by Margrueratt!!! It’s a horrid malady! I am thinking about calling it “Ragmopism” Dr. Pheeil Dr. Pheeil – Hep me Hep me – Today is gonna be a changing day in yur life… but I digress) It was a sunny warm day with constant threat of thundershowers – lots of humidity. The lake level of Margueratt is about a foot higher than last year – supported by a beaver dam. We were able to drive right out on the beaver dam and unload the car right into the boat! Baxter TWD found the mud and water quite inviting!

Due to the intense staining of the water in the lake it may have screwed the pooch on the fishing on some of my deeper shoal locations. They didn’t payoff yesterday – but it was just one trial so I don’t really know. We didn’t catch the normal monster Margueratt (doodly do dah do do – quit that) bass but we did catch a lot of smaller eating sized bass in the weedy bays very tight to the shoreline amongst the cedars. We also got 4 or 5 nice perch on mepps! With many more of them bumping at it! It was a delightful outing with mommy and the baby!

Today it is threatening thunderstorms again in the 80’s with high humidity some west wind. The lake level is still slowly dropping (1.04’) and the east dock is slowly emerging from the water. This also is the date of this year’s annual Onion Gurl Horseshoe Tournament. So there will be much drunken revelry at the beach with the Watson Crew! I will be participating again this year – probably with the same poor results as last year. But hell a drunken loss is better than a loss! The black flies are seldom a problem but the mosquitoes are in ascendancy. The actual bug and fishing conditions are what they normally are chronologically in the first or second week of July. With few blackfies, mosquitoes very bad at dusk, the bigger bass are moving into the developing weed beds, and incipient hatches of the green drake shadflies. If that makes any sense to you you’ve been coming to Firth a Long time! Well the clang of the horseshoe beckons…. (Janet will probably be drinking Caesars today Oh My!)

Over the bounding Montreal River!

We went down the Montreal fishing with the Walker Crew yesterday. We got a relatively late start due to morning rain and late night campfire – but it was just as well since it was windy as hell from the south and southwest. Although it was calm at beach you could see whitecaps rolling north on Firth! (You know its rough when…) Fishing the river when you are on the edge of two warring weather systems generally doesn’t produce great results and that held true. We returned with several eating sized bass and pike and only one pickerel (the majority of the fishing party were Canadian so we had to use the vernacular). As the day wore on the wind got stronger and “gustier” producing white caps – yes white caps on the river! The Montreal is still about a foot and a half above normal and a little warmer than it usually is this time of year. The pike were caught in the developing weed beds and the bass and pickerel were taken in the first two sets of narrows. Most of the fish were caught on Rapalas – mostly floaters. We didn’t take any live bait – it may have been productive in the narrows with worms or minnows. It was difficult drifting – more like a trolling speed in most cases! Then a gust would push you in a different direction making placement a constant problem. It got colder as the day went on too. We returned with plenty of fish for the evening’s repast and several cold fishermen. It was a fun day of fishing though. Baxter TWD had a great day of barking at ravens and causing general mayhem in between naps and hiding the chew bone in Donovan’s back pack. He is amazingly good for such a young pup!

After a morning rain shower the lake temperature dropped overnight to 62 F and the wind shifted to a northerly but at least it is clearing. Part of the Walker group is reputed to be foraying on the Wapus to the falls today. That should be an easy trip since the weeds haven’t developed and the water is high. I got the sailboat names put on it and now the Firth Lady is happily residing at the lake on it private pullout.

Of sunshine!

The conjured monsoons have broken! It has been warm and sunny the past two days and is projected for the rest of the week. The dragonflies are mopping up the black flies too. The lake level is staying at 1.51’ though. There must be a lot of watershed drainage still coming into the lake since whenever I rip out the beaver dam – the lake generally will drop ~ 1” a day. The fish are biting well on subtle top water lures – Leon lures, torpedoes, and small poppers and the beer is evaporating quickly. We had a campfire last night but the guest of honor – the northern lights – didn’t make an appearance. We did get to see the space station, several shooting stars, and Venus though. I am going to try and set the west dock today – The lake temperature is 59 F – seeya!

Now there is none!

I set the east dock about 2 weeks ago and the lake level was 0.8 feet with lake temperature about 54 F. After 2 weeks of rain and some nasty cold weather and winds from the north the lake temperature is 55 F and the lake level is 1.45 feet! We have gotten enough rain to raise the lake level 0.65 of a foot – that is a boatload of water! The dock is now awash. I have a pretty nasty cold but we also have a nice warm southerly. Given the conditions I thought it was time to rip out the beaver dam(n) so that I could set the west dock if I get some good conditions. Off I went – the beavers had built the lower dam this year necessitating a long walk along with the 3 hours of hard labor. But it is gone now and the lake will be dropping a little less than an inch a day now.

Hard work but very enjoyable – on the ~1 mile walk down I got to see a lot of white sheep’s laurel in bloom as well as many pink lady’s slipper orchids – very beautiful! There were 3-foot white caps on the lake on the way back but I got to see a wing of geese hotfooting it north with the tail wind as well as common mergansers, hooded mergansers, and some common goldeneyes. I stopped at Pat Cherry’s boat and bummed a beer for the ride back too – Lucky Lager tastes real good when you’re bone tired and thirsty! On the way south I noticed an odd wave pattern about mid lake in the southern basin – it was a 16-foot long floating log – bad – bad – bad – a real navigation hazard! The high water must have floated it off the shore. Dead heads are on end and deflect if you hit them by accident but if you hit a floater at 90 degrees at speed you’ll get the surprise of your life as you watch your transom with your motor sink into the lake after it is ripped from the boat. I towed it to the keyhole bay and beached it – it was harder work than the dam removal. Of course I was cold, tired and had a little beer buzz on an empty stomach LOL. Now I am warm and Janet just called me for supper – it’s been a great day!

And the Northerly takes away!

Take a look at the picture posted below.

Now that you’ve seen it – how cold do you think it is? Like Guido Sarducci’s guess the Popes in the Pizza Contest there is no Fabuloso Grande Prizio to be awarded to the winner of the How Cold Is It? Contest. Take another look at the picture and cogitate this – a 35 mph cutting “Blue Norther” (as Rich Hennessy would call it) whipping across Firth. Yesterday the temperature of the lake had dropped from 60 F to 58 F during the rain now the temperature of the lake is 54F! The waves are about 2’ high rolling down lake. Last night it was into the 30’s F and a killing frost was predicted for Timmins. I covered my sprouting garden and the newly planted Naomi Rose as well as brought in some Japanese maple tree seedlings. I had to build a fire in cabin number 9 last evening for the newly painted floor to dry properly before guests arrive this Thursday. Now its 40 F according to the thermometer outside the lodge, but if you’re gonna guess and say “Hey jack, this is easy, its 40 degrees!” NO way, the answer I am looking for is like – It’s cold as a witch’s tit! Or cold as Dick Cheney’s foul fetid black heart! Or colder than pissing on the moons of Meepsorp! Or as cold as the look the “love master” gets if he mentions a BLOWJOB to the wife! Now that’s fucking COLD! So let ‘em fly guys how cold do you think it is here today? Oh by the way I do have a fire in and it’s a warm cozy 75 F here in the lodge. I think I’ll have Janet bake bread today and I’ll make a nice moose roast in the cast iron Dutch oven on top of the wood stove with carrots potatoes and onions. MMMMM Its still sweet to be here! Hey I climbed the ladder and fixed the electrical connections to the shower house and gas tank and fixed the electrical problem in cabin number 8 before I kicked on the power this morning! So I put my time in! Quit laughing – I’m not joking – this is my job! I don’t have to put up with this shit! – go read some other blog dammit!

“I asked for some ice in my drink but this is ridiculous!”

The first week of my tenure at camp I always conjure up some Sandhill Cranes and perform various forms of sorcery involving plants and mechanical devices. By the third week of camp I am usually “tapped out” and it is safe for me to make off-hand remarks – but Nooooooo! We were (past tense to be sure) having a drought and fire hazard. The spring was very dry and moisture was the limiting factor for much of the plant development. I complained and pissed and moaned about the lack of rain perhaps a bit too – too much! We cut to the present day diluvian event here in northern Ontario. Drowning fishing worms are swimming through the grass, frogs are hopping through our living room, papyrus is spouting in formerly dry lawn areas, the lake has risen 2” and still it rains! (I can’t pin point it yet but I am sure that that fucking IDIOT W is responsible!) Janet and me are going into town and purchasing a semi truckload of plywood for the ark I will soon be building. It will be powered by every outboard motor we have in camp, troll like a dream and very comfortable to fish from too! Seriously though it has been raining pretty much straight for three days – water is standing everywhere. It is beginning to affect my list of things to be completed.

It’s still warm, in the 60’s F with the lake temperature slipping to 58 F. We are overjoyed to report that the major hatch of the black fly eating dragonflies has begun – I just hope we get some warm sunny days so they can begin to clean up the black flies and mosquitoes. We haven’t been out fishing in a few days so I have no first hand knowledge of the fishing conditions but Dennis and Christine were fishing on Saturday morning, before they took off, and said the bass were biting very well. Well I am going to the dump and then working in the shop today. Much to do there but not stuff that is high on the priority list.

Starship Lodge of Sportsmen’s Camp Fleet

– After having weathered one of the most intense ion storms seen here in the Firth sector of the Ehh quadrant in years, we are assessing the damage. Several ion strikes shattered our external communications array into greater than 8 pieces (Ensign Baxter continues to collect errant fragments from adjacent space) the communications substation within the ship itself was also shattered to pieces with a huge bang accompanied by pyrotechnics. No other communications equipment was damaged since Ion Storm Protocol UP was implemented as per Pater Familias edict 2006. (that is to say everything was shut down and unplugged) It is now painfully evident that the Norteleians who installed their “highly touted” grounding matt (the name of the device is not indicative of its function) were either committing an act of sabotage or just inept! One of the smaller ships of the fleet also incurred minor damage to two of the lighting pod receptacles after fusible dilithium links were blown. A cursory inspection from the fleet engineer determined that the problem will have to be accessed by way of the Attic Jeffries tubes as the junction relays are probably fried! A truly messy affair! The fleet engineer is considering rewiring said receptacles in plain view within the ship living quarters so they may be easily repaired or inspected in the future.

The newest member of the crew – Ensign Baxter is doing well. Exhibiting exuberant eagerness in the conduct of all tasks. He generally only causes a minor loss of efficiency. He also shows great zeal and aptitude in the conduct of away missions in the Firth Sector in shuttlecraft. Although admonished constantly, by shuttlecraft Commander Mommy, still stands on the craft bow cowling Ensign Baxter has yet to experience the depth and frigidity of deep space with one misplaced paw! The foolhardiness of youth.

Seriously though it was quite a storm that came through yesterday. The lake level was standing at 0.8 tenths of a foot prior to the storm and is now at a little over 0.9 tenths. The lake temperature also went up to 60 F in a matter of about an hour from 57! The water deficit seems to be corrected to a great degree. It was incredible how little of the deluge actually ran off to the lake! The ground sucked up the water like Dick Cheney sucks up bribes at a big oil convention! The trees are now in full leaf. Today is in the 60s F completely overcast with very little wind. Janet and I went fishing last evening – in the “calm after the storm” and caught a lot of nice bass mostly on surface lures – torpedoes, floating jointed Rapalas (“Leon White lures” – We miss him much this time of year! I think we’ll name a shoal after him. Henceforth Janet and I will refer to the shoal off the south-southeast tip of Raven Island as Leon’s Reef.) and I even got a really nice walleye on my favorite color and size of little Cleo spoon. Janet also caught a nice sized pike off the surface near elephant rock! I will post this as soon as the External Telecommunications Array is repaired by the Norteleians. It took them 6 hours of replacing junction boxes and fried phone line!

And the living is easy.

Well not quite. There is still a lot to be done here. I did get the east dock set up and the camp utilities up and running but now have the boat maintenance and general cabin maintenance to be acquitted. I have to reroute two recalcitrant sink drains as well as dig new seep pits for them and redig the leach field for cabins #7 and #9. I’ll probably get a backhoe in to do most of the digging but that still leaves the collection of the clean gravel, placement of said gravel, covering the bed, resodding and relocation of excess soil. The other problem is I have to hand dig the connection to the system that is near a tall spruce tree between the cabins. We all saw the results of damaged tree roots when the tree went down next to the renovated horseshoe pits – sooooo I must be vewwwwwy caarrrful, as Elmer Fudd would say. There are also a myriad of other jobs to do, but those are the ones weighing on my mind right now.

Baxter (TWD) is busily consolidating his control of the far north. Swimming, running, chasing squirrels, mauling June bugs, chasing snow shoe hare, pooping and peeing in the weeds, pulling up plants that Daddy has just planted and running off with them, digging at the beach during campfires, rolling in sweet smelling essence, chewing sticks, chewing fish skeletons, harassing guests dogs, terrorizing his beanie baby and crow and causing everyone that sees him to say “My god he’s soooooo cute!” As with all Tibetan Terrors they are lords of all they survey – lucky for us the fur grows over their eyes when they are about a year old limiting their inherent domain.

Since I got the right dock in I now have a bona fide lake temperature (taken 2’ down at the end of the dock) of 56 F yesterday. The surface temperature has been varying around 68 to 70 F depending on the wind conditions. It has been a rainy two days here but warm. We needed the rain badly, moisture has been slowing the trees from leafing out properly! The fish are biting well in the gravelly shallows. Several nice pike have been caught in Firth and surrounding lakes too. Some dragonflies are hatching but we still haven’t had “the Big Push” of the blackly eating hoard. According to Janet it will be soon if the weather holds. Dragon fly hatch day should be declared a national Holiday! I know I see it as one!

Before I depart I will publish the link to Janet’s 50th Birthday Party pictures as promised.

http://www.evangeltech.com/sportsmenscamp/birthdayparty/index_JansPics.html

I also must take my obligatory shot at the nonelected ASSHOLE fascist war criminal we have in the white house – sooo place huge raspberry here – thrrrrrrrrrrrrpt. That reminds me last years wild blue berry and red raspberry port is done. Its fucking delicious – I drank a good deal of it as I was depulping it and transferring it to clarification vessels. I’ll have to bring a bottle home for Jim and Linda Palmer.

As Casper Guttman would say (use guttural voice here) I bid you Adieu!