Time Keeps Flyin' By...

Been retired for over 9 weeks already. Time really flies. Sure doesn't seem that long.
I haven't got a whole lot done yet either.  Made over a dozen bird houses. (Tracy painted half of them.) Made a dozen pens or so and did some finishing work in the garage that's been waiting to get done for 7 years already.

Only got out fishing once so far since last October and that was about 5 weeks ago. Caught enough White Bass for quite a few meals. They taste good deep fried in "Panko" or "Beer Batter". We've had them both ways so far.

White Bass caught at Winneconne early this Spring with a

friend who said he was going to take me out for Walleye

for almost 20 years. Had a great time.

I still have to clean up the boat and get it ready for the water as well as change the line on a number of rods and reels before we go up to the Chippewa Flowage in about three weeks. Hope to get it in Shawano Lake this week to make sure I can get it started first. Maybe catch a few panfish at the same time?

Some of our tomato plants we started in the green house are getting to be almost a foot tall already. We can't get the garden worked up either because of the frost every night for a period there and now we've had rain for about a week. Last year it was the 4th of July before we finished the garden because it was so wet.  We have 5 different kinds of tomatoes and at least that in different types of hot peppers. Our hot little purple pepper plant made it through another winter. We've had it for about 12 years so far and we've had peppers every year. We started a second plant about a year ago to back this one up in case something happens to it.

Chippewa Flowage #2 - 2011

John caught and released a small Northern Pike midway through the week. The weather hasn’t been cooperating this year like it normally has. Between the rain and thunderstorms and wind – we’ve been spending time watching TV.

Small Northern Pike-released.

Mona and Brew as we spend a little extra time in the cabin because of the weather – We are fare weather fishermen.

Mona Catches a Crappie at the Big Chip

We've been staying at the Chippewa Pines since 1998 and have really enjoyed the place.

Got in yesterday at about 1:30 or so. By the time we got unpacked it was 2:30.  We went fishing today and didn't run out of gas yet.

Chippewa Flowage–2011 #1

Fishing is going to be limited for Mona with her arm in a sling, but that doesn’t mean she can’t catch anything.

This one is too small for the frying pan but we did get more. We ended up with 14 crappies today. Our size limit was 10 inches so we think we got over 4 meals for the two of us.

Chippewa Flowage 2010

Mona keeps her eyes glued to the bobber in anticipation of it going down.

John/Mona and Brewster

John brings the boat to the landing so we can load it up in preparation of leaving the next morning.

Mona with more fish on the "Big Chip"!

Got a little Northern in the basket.

Another little Northern

Time to clean some crappies

Wildlife on the chippewa Flowage was Fantastic...

Above Left this photo was taken directly into the sun of a young Eagle. The Right photo was taken just after this Blue Huron swallowed a fish (looked like a small bluegill). Note the lump in it's throat.

Left - This Blue Huron is stalking some of the little bait fish that hung out around the shore line while in the other photo a mature Eagle sits on a fallen tree waiting for lunch.

 

Above left: This guy just moved over to a different spot as we were fishing bluegills. The right photo was taken from inside the cabin. You can see the side of the window on the left. It appears he got him self a little snack there. Again, into the sun. I wonder if this is the same guy that checked out my boat last year?

This is the same bird from above right and now he has to get a  little

drink to wash it down.

This Grouse was on the side of the road one day when went for a

ride around the Flowage.

Again we went to Hayward one day and this Turtle was on the

side of the road on Hwy CC. I had to grab the camera quick

and snap this picture.  I know that if my Father had been along

with us he would have stopped and picked him up and we would

have had Turtle Soup.

As we were cruising along heading out to one of our fishing spots

John noticed this deer in the bushes keeping an eye on us. A

little while later we saw another deer in the water crossing the lake

coming to the side where this one was.

This little guy was running around when we were up checking our

e-mail up at the Lodge. He had a mouth full of oak leaves and he

was bound and determined that he was going to go around us.

Later he ran right under the table past John's feet to get where he

wanted to go. You can see, there is a lot of wildlife around if that's

what you're into. We are.

John Caught Some Fish As Well

First of 3 small northen caught in Scott Lake

Number 2 of 3 in the same place.

This guy has some scuffs on his skin from something larger

than him.

Brew - The Poodle had a good time on Vacation too

Pictured here is Brew. He is a fairly neat dog. Notice the napkin he uses after his treats.

Brew and Mona

Brewster and Mona again.

Our Cabin at Chippewa Pines Resort

This is the side of the cabin that faces the Flowage. Cottages 5 & 6. We've been trying to rent number 6 for the last 5 or six years now.

Inside Cabin 6. Two bedrooms and enough room for us and our stuff. Real nice and cozy.

Saturday morning Mona puts the last couple of small items in the van before we check the cabin to make sure we didn't forget something. (Still can't find the battery charger for the camera so we hope we didn't leave it there somewhere.)

Last view is from the van in the previous photo looking towards the cabin and the Flowage. We had a lot of fun again this year.

(Click on photos to enlarge - You may also scroll left and right to see the entire photo)

Mona Caught Some Big Walleyes on the Chippewa Flowage This Year!

On Suday, May 30th, we went to one of our favorite Walleye Spots

and Mona landed this 23 incher that will go nicely into the frying pan

for a Friday Night Fish Fry once we get back home.

About 20 minutes later she caught this nice 28 inch Walleye on a

minnow with a slip bobber again in the same spot. This fish was

released so that it can help produce more fish just like it for some-

else in the future. No idea how much it weighed but it was nice.

Click on photos to enlarge

Mona measures her 28 inchWalleye. You can tell by the background that both fish were caught in the same place.

Up North - Chippewa Flowage

We are currently up north at the Chippewa Pines Resort trying to catch some fish.

That's a small fish for a big bait like that!