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.