East Cook, Minnesota

BWCA (almost) Part Trois. The night before, I wondered out loud, "Where do loons go to sleep?" And I found the answer while fishing. Went out for the last night, and again nothing big, but they don't have to be. I'm just grateful they want to play with me. My friend still wanted to troll for trout, but I saw a steep rock, almost a little cliff, and knew it was likely a drop-off into the water, so I steered us over there. Harassed a few more smallies. All in good fun. We turned around and saw a loon nesting in some grass, and the beginnings of a double rainbow, reflected in the evening water like glass. A sight so lovely I clumsily attempted to paint it with the watercolor kit I brought with me. Big fish are great and all, but I still appreciate the little things.

BWCA (almost) Part Deux. My friend told me there were only two species of fish in this lake, smallies and lake trout. We spent the better part of a late afternoon, me steering the canoe (I'm really good at paddlin 😉) and him in the front with a fish finder, trolling for lake trout with no luck. Not a great time for trout, I know. And eventually I'm like, I know where the fishies are. Right next to my tent and my meat, so let's go home and just fish there.

BWCA (almost) Part 1. After a ridiculously difficult portage (which was actually a hiking trail, but that's a longer story), I was physically exhausted and barely had energy to shove some jerky in my face. But there was a nice drop off outside the campsite and smallies were to jumping. I could almost hear them calling "Catch me! I'm right here!" So in went the mepps. Nothing big, but catching is better than fishing. And that view...

Big ol guy

Boundary waters adventure was a blast. Was a lot of work but worth it to hit the trout opener of 2020.