Let the GSA Begin!

Well, our time here at Pasha Lake Cabins has come and gone, it is time for us to move on. It seems like we just arrived here a few days ago but these past 16 days have flown by. 

The final fish tally? It's really not important, we are a team and that's what really matters. Our freezer is full of fish. Well, by full, I mean 6 but that is all we are allowed to take. We did get out on a few more adventures. Chad went back to The States for a few days for his oldest son's track meet and high school graduation. But, Brian, a high school friend of Chad's arrived. 

The first day he was here we went "Speck" fishing on Lake Nipigon, Lake Nipigon is huge! It is 1,872 square miles of water, If memory serves me correctly it is something like 60 x 90 miles. It has record Lake Trout, Northern Pike and Brook Trout (also known as Specks). These brook trout are the same ones we fish in the creeks and streams of South Dakota but here they get bigger, much bigger! They are also very elusive. If you see one, you are having a good day, if you catch one, you are having a great day! And it has always been on my bucket list to catch one. I had been out for them twice before in years past where I have had follows and even hits but never landed one. 

So off we went, launched boat and headed to our destination. An island 12 miles off the shoreline. Once we arrived we started throwing our spinners towards the shoreline. For 3 hours we moved up, down and around several islands in the area with nary a follow. That's when two things happened. One, it started to rain, and two, our electronics died. The last thing you want out there is to be 12 miles from shore in a rainstorm that you cannot see any landmarks, references or electronics to guide you back. Luckily, Brian brought a back up guidance system so we kept on fishing in a light misting rain. Cast after cast after cast then as I was least expecting it BAM! A Speck slammed my spinner a few feet from the boat. I can still see it in my mind's eye as this thing came from the rocks and hit the spinner. The oranges, the whites, the greens of the fish as it fought at the end of my line. I fought the fish for what seemed like an hour but was probably less than a minute as it danced around trying to get off the hook. We eventually landed it and I held in my hands this 20" beauty!

After taking a few pictures I slid it back into the water where it could someday again make some other fisherman's dreams come true. That night we celebrated our day. Some more than others, Brian was very proud that he guided me to my trophy Speck!

                                           Early on                                                      A little while later....

Chad and Michelle's son, CJ, graduated and got first in his two track events, the 110 and 300 hurdles and will now go to state next weekend!

We had another visitor last week when a friend of ours from Beardmore stopped by for an hour or two to visit. We met Wanda several years ago when she worked here and she drove over to catch up. Unfortunately I did not take any pictures but it sure was nice to see her. 

Barb also made another friend this week when we went fishing. This is Sam the Seagull.

Barb likes to throw food scraps to the seagulls while we are fishing. On this particular day it was Goldfish crackers. Well, Sam must have really liked Goldfish crackers because I kid you not, he followed us around for 3 hours. We would move, he would fly directly behind us until we got to our next location where he would land and wait for a treat, then he would follow us to our next spot and our next spot and our next spot. It was quite comical. 

On our way back home we had to stop for this logging truck that was being loaded. They are logging like crazy up here with trucks going up and down the narrow roads. You really have to be careful as there is barely room to pass. It was cool to see this truck get loaded. 

Luckily, they were nice enough to move and let us through before they loaded the rest of the truck. 

And here is a short video of Barb bringing one of her many fish.....

I managed to hurt my elbow somehow now it is grotesquely disfigured. Not as grotesquely disfigured as pretty much Dino's entire body but disfigured nonetheless. 

It's like someone implanted a golf ball under my skin. I am pretty sure that it is from reeling in all my fish. The good news is that unlike Dino's disfigurements, mine is only temporary. 

Our last night here Brian and Chad threw a goodbye party complete with steaks and fresh caught walleye! Oh, and beer, lots and lots of beer. 

I am pretty sure they are throwing a good riddance party tomorrow night. So now we start the real part of our GSA. I mean, The Farm and Pasha are adventures but now we are off to new and unknown destinations, wish us luck!