We had a visitor today in the front yard

 

This video compliments of our neighbor Pieper.

Checkout the claws. Sorry the picture is blurry.

Father's Day 2010. Fishing in Delta.

 

Sunfish, Bluegill, Bream, Brim, Copper Nose or Pumpkin Seed.  No matter what you call them they are fun to catch on light tackle (2 wt fly rod).

All in all pretty slow fishing. But, sunny warm and family made it a great father's day.
Thanks Scott, Kellie, Ed and Donna for a fun day.

Smallmouth.

Sandhill Crane Family. Mom,dad and chick.

A little work and little play in between the rain drops.

A little quiet time.

Slightly undersize walleye. Less than 15". Returned to the waters.

Largemouth Bass. A legal length of 17". Out of season. Returned to the waters.

Common Snapping Turtle.  Enjoying lunch. Rock Bass was the only menu choice. LEFT ALONE..... because!...........

 .......... I really like my fingers and toes. Second half of lunch soon to be gone.

Road trip.... bus trip to Bayfield.

Today we took a bus trip to Bayfield WI. We took our bikes and joined Ed on the bus for the trip over to Bayfield. We did a little site seeing, had lunch, poked around some of the shops that were open. The weather was great. The crowds were small and fun was had by all.

This photo was taken near the U.S. Coast Guard station in Bayfield.

That's Madeline Island in the background.

I caught this guy sneaking out of Morty's..... and those aren't our bikes in front of Morty's. By the way I hear rumor that they serve Rolling Rock.

A new addition to the camper. It's very own quilt.

Our camper now has it's own theme quilt. A fishing theme should be no surprise to anyone who knows us or reads this blog.  The quilt was handmade by Donna...... mostly on the QT. It was only when she needed help deciding which was a Northern Pike and which was a Muskie that I was told about the "surprise".

And here it is in the camper. I think it adds a little style and class to our traveling quarters.

This is the main theme area at the top and bottom of the quilt.

Each corner has it's own unique panel. This is a "dandelion" which has special meaning to my life long love of fishing.

This is the upper right corner panel. Not a half bad cast.

This is the lower left corner. The reel is made of individual piece of cloth stitched together to make  a great looking fly casting reel.

This is the lower right corner. A fishing creel. By the way it is full with our limit for the day.

Michigan U.P. fishing and camping trip.

Traveling east in the Michigan U.P.

Camping near Paradise MI.

Entrance to Paradise MI. Paradise...? Look here. Read and enjoy. For another take on literary connected locations in the MI U.P. see here.

Suspension Bridge over the mouth of the Two Hearted River.

Crisp Point Light House on the north shore of Michigan U.P. (West of White Fish Bay).

Shore of Lake Superior looking west from the lighthouse.

Shore of Lake Superior looking east from the lighthouse.

Anyone know the name of this moth?

Trout caught under the bridge at the mouth of the "Big" Two Hearted River.

Grand Marais MI

Now known as The Lake Superior Brewing Company.

Great bar. Good drinks. Fun locals.

Thanks Ashleigh and Dan. Ashleigh is by far the hardest working bartender I seen in a longtime. Dan just moved to the region to help run his granddad's business.

"THE BEST" juke box in the U.P.......... I'm told

Rock hunting and swimming.

There are hatches and THERE ARE HATCHES. This was latter.

Dandelions. It isn't Wareham MA and it isn't Tautog.  I'm still fishing 55 years later. I still think of my first fishing partner every time I wet a line. Thanks again Dad for teaching me to fish. Here (#1) is a Google Map image of the spot where I caught my first fish circa 1952-1955. Spot #2 are the "finger piers"

An underwater photo taken with my new underwater camera when it was working which was just before it wasn't working. 

May fishing trip part 2. May 30th was "species day". I caught Smallmouth bass (3), Largemouth bass (1), Northern Pike (4), Bluegills (10), Walleye (1). All catch and release. All but the Largemouth Bass were in season and legal size. Most but not all were caught on a foam fly I tied from a pattern (see here and here) found here on the internet.

Almost time for opening day 2010.

Catching up on home repair projects. New front stairs.

Update: Finished steps.

First camping trip 2010.

Spending the weekend on Lake Superior north of Duluth. Shipping traffic into Duluth is already underway. This is the first camping trip for the 2010 season. Hoping for nice non-seasonal weather. Under normal circumstance this should still be a winter scene with an ice covered Lake Superior.