Looling Back

Well I see that Andy and I came at last place in the boat rankings, and I can't argue. We did not win many pots but we caught a lot of fish, got along great with each other and had a lot of laughs. Andy said that this was his favorite trip yet. Looking forward to next year but no yet recovered from this year.

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The Chutes

Great trip

Another trip has come and gone, Ithink we all had a good week, agood enjoyable week with family and friends. I hope the camp is still there next year so we can do it again.

Boat Spotlight Confidence List Review

The final pre-trip list looked like this:

Gin is Toxic
Eye to Eye
Camp Director
Boy Was He Pissed
Almost Heaven
Teach a Kid to Fish

By my calculations, the final results should look like this

Gin is Toxic - There was 192 dollars in the fish pot this year and this boat took home 64 dollars (or 1/3) of it, including Big Walleye AND Big Pike for the week. This is not disputable....but I am sure someone (Trent) will have a dispute.

Almost Heaven - I don't have the log book in front of me but it seems like I was handing someone in this boat 12 dollars about every other day.

Boy was he Pissed - Ended the week with three and a half pots if I am not mistaken and stringers full of BS. Also, I am pretty sure this boat didn't clean a fish all week. That is some skill right there.

Teach a Kid to Fish - This was the surprise boat for me this week. They caught a lot of fish and caught some nice fish. Theron had a 26 inch walleye (ended up with two 13 inchers) and won two pike pots if I am not mistaken. They had a good week.

Camp Director - This boat started out on fire with Trent boating 3, 24 inch plus fish on the first day and Uncle Bob winning a Pike pot early in the week. Things fizzled out from there as Trent didn't win any fish pots and Bob never added to his winnings. Total pots won - 1

Eye to Eye - This boat never quite reached the expectations put on it. Troy and Andy were both in the running for fish pots almost every day but just couldn't get it done. Troy laid down for a nap one day with two fish pots and woke up an hour later with none. I think this boat won half a fish pot.

The camp director has the official book and I am sure each boat knows how many pots they won so please set the record straight in the comments.

What a Trip!

Thanks everyone for a great trip. A great time with a really great group of guys. It was nice to climb into my own bed but today I am ready to go back.

Recap:

Estimated Walleye over 24 inches - 8
Estimated Walleye over 30 inches - 1 :)
Broken Rods - 2
Lost Rods - 1 (Recovered)
Lost Nets - 2 (Both Recovered)
Hook Barbs Buried in skin - 2
Smoked out Hamburger Cooker - 1
Boats Paddled Back to Camp - 1
Pairs of Sunglasses lost - 2

Feel free to add to this list...Boat Reviews and Awards coming soon...

well its almost here

As we take care of the last jobs and say our last goodbyes the chutes is still rumbling by the caben to keep it company until we get there

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Boy. Trent must be busy.

Between not being prepared and the rumors of grocery list eff ups, the camp may be accepting nominations for co-camp director on Monday night.

*Fingers tapping on desk, Staring at clock*

Headed that way...

About to leave the house to pick up pepperoni rolls, have lunch with Jane, and head for Ohio. I have to leave in plenty of time to hear Dillon complain and try to steal my stuff and sell it, give Cody time to say so long to all his imaginary girlfriends, Bernie time to grumble. Here's hoping we all have a great time and catch lots of fish, most of all be safe! See you in a bit.

And so it begins...

The slowest day of the year. New yard is seeded and covered with straw. Work til noon, then mow, shower, check off all the things on my list, take my oldest daughter to girl scout camp and hit the road. I will not have a chance for a nap today so don't figure on me driving the first leg. I will take the second shift.

Chuuuutes

Good luck guys, have a safe trip and catch lots of fish, we left you plenty.

Back in the pink

I need to thank Wawa Walleye for mentioning Suzy. I instantly remembered where I left the shirt. I also found the missing salve I've been looking for. Damn rash....

Less than 24 hours...

Tic....Tock.....Tic.............Tock...............Tic.............................Tock!!!!!!

This is shaping up!

A trip without the orange hat or the pink shirt??? This is awesome. I may just leave the sunglasses at home. I have made it through another day here working the ends of my fingers to the bone.

5 hours tomorrow and I am going to leave here only to come back about 6 hours later to the exact same exit off I-77. It just doesn't make any sense but it will be the happiest waste of 3 hours of road time ever.

Reel Maverick Prepares for Butt Kicking and Name Taking...

Reel Maverick is in the process of getting his mind right for this trip. In his game last night, he pitched two innings, had five strikeouts and gave up 1 run. He had a double with 2 RBI and an outfield assist cutting down a runner at second base.

I am beginning to wonder if it won't be necessary for him to take it a little easier on all of us. Maybe if we are lucky, the fishing won't come as easy as baseball.

Nice game, Connor. Good Luck tonight. See you tomorrow evening. No stuffed animals, you can sleep with your ball glove. ;)

The Shirt

Finally starting packing a bag last night. Can't seem to locate my lucky pink shirt. I know many of you have been envious of it for years. I'm hoping no one kidnapped it last year. Will make another search for it today.

Last full day of work...

Today is my last full day of work before the trip. Troy has been on vacation all week, Trent and Bernie are teachers. Cody, Connor, and Andy are students. Dad finished up yesterday. Theron finishes up today at noon. Bob and Aaron are retired. Larry is laid off. It makes me sad that I am the last one working. Somebody has to keep this economy going I guess.

35 hours.

Like a kid at Chrismas...

I'm packed. I'm ready to go. I'm watching the clock tick down. All I want is to see Morgantown in the rear view mirror.

I made it back from the Store

I bought everything on my list for $265.50.

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Just when I thought...

I was going to have a nice relaxing, slow-paced wait until the trip, the guys show up to tear out my english garden and drop 3 tons of dirt, seed and straw. I'll let you know Thursday if I am able to still go. :)

On the upside, I really just needed to cut my hair and I'd be ready to go...until now.

Hot Dogs and coffee are in my possession.

Everything I am taking (minus my tackle and rods) weighs 44lbs and is packed in one bag.

My Favorite Things...

Raindrops on tin roofs and screen doors a slammin,
The sound of the chutes and the takeoff and landing,
All of the boxes of snack cakes we bring,
These are a few of my favorite things.

Bob with his hair jigs and Trent’s ears all crusty,
Beer battered walleye and stories a plenty,
Giving the year’s first nightcrawler a fling,
These are few of my favorite things.

When the Amish Gripe.
When there’s no bite.
When the bugs are bad…
I try to remember my favorite things,
And then I don’t feel so sad.

Pliers with tethers and Gin by the cap full.
Showing the colors of chips being helpful,
Rookies bright faces on first chutes sighting,
These are a few of my favorite things.

Boats tied together to see who’s is biggest
Aaron for once goes the week fish pot winless,
Moose in the weedbeds and glimpses of mink,
These are a few of my favorite things.

Troy and Andy at the mouth of the river,
A swig on a cold day sure staves off the shiver,
Hearing the drag on my reel make that zing
These are a few of my favorite things.

When the heat comes,
When the week’s done,
When I pack my bag,
I try to remember my favorite things
And then I don’t feel so bad.

OK, We can go now

Our bags are packed and we are ready to go. Patty and I are going to buy the food this morning. FYI I did all of the laundry for this trip. Patty is living like a queen around here!

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Listening to Jimmy....

Well I have been drunk now for over two weeks,
I've passed out and I've rallied and I've sprung a few leaks,
But I've go to stop wishin,
Gotta go fishin,
I'm down to rock bottom again,
Just a few friends,
Just a few friends...

These next two and a half days are going to wear on me.

Tractor is a go;

I talked with richard tonight at five o'clock, the tractor is going special delivery by rodney to the chutes tomorrow. the fridge isn;t fixed, but there is lots of ice. with the tractor we can move boats and haul ice.see all of you thursday evening, remember your passports or ID for the youngsters.

Chutes Report...

Got an email from Frank and he said they had a good week, caught lots of fish, fished both up above and down below. Fished for Pike up above mainly. Saw a moose with her calf and a Bull Moose. (Ladies, avert your eyes) Had a bear in camp the first day.

And the news you have all been waiting to hear....there is no Tractor at camp. This is a pretty big deal, in my opinion. He needs to have Rodney get something there before Friday. We have 5 guys at or near retirement age and two others under 14. I don't think this is terribly much to ask before we hand him 10 Grand.

Weather Summary and Bug Report...

Hot the first two days (Low 80's).
Closer to normal temps the rest of the week. (75-78)

Biggest threat of rain seems to be Sunday (60%)

Sunday also seems like the only day for lightning to run us off the water.

Bug report says high for Black Flies and Medium for Mosquitos. I would venture a guess with the hot weather they have had this past week that those two will be reversed for our week.

See you all in a few days.

Food and beverage

All of you younger campers are gittinng worked up over nothing , in my thirty eight years at camp no one has went hungry or died of thirst , relax we are ok on the food and beverages , We can work out the small details on the way to WaWa. See all pof you thursday at six-thirty.

White Fang No More

I called this morning and cancelled the motel rooms at White Fang. I guess it is official, we are driving straight through. Hey, quick question. How many hand held CBs do we have for this trip. I found an old one that I had, do I need to take it? I am not even sure if it still works or not.
Don't forget your fitted sheets and bug spray. See ya on Thursday.

Here's a good tip!!

I have my boat cooler packed with assorted dry goods but the best thing in there is a canvas bag big enough to hold the contents. After getting off the plane, every thing goes into the bag and the cooler gets stocked for the boat ride. Might be one of my brightest ideas. Also I regret to inform my fellow campers that "the hat" is missing. I've still got a few more days to search for it.

Give me the athority

As far as needing an extra meal, let me know and I will put another meal on the menu, since I'm buying most of the food anyway. Patty can help me come up with something, but be warned she's gonna want to throw a veggie in there. I'm probably going shopping on Monday so let me know.

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The Man Cave is Resting

Unless the camp director changes his mind, I think the man cave is resting until after we return from the north. A lot got talked about, but as far as I know, only one thing got decided. We are meeting at fishfinder's on Thursday at 6:30 pm.

We still don't know what to do about the Friday night meal or how to do the fish pot money but we are leaving Thursday. it is unclear whether or not we will have a tractor, water or a toilet. Trent mentioned nothing about picking up the worms, I hope he remembers to do that.

Just for you Bernie..."All my bags are packed, I'm ready to go..."

I am a haircut and 3 1/2 days of work away from being 100% ready.

Alright, I'll say it...

Other than the fact we feel like it is jinxed, is there any other reason not to take 129 up to Foleyet? Seems like the 45 minutes to an hour we would save would be valuable. Obviously, I don't care which way we go but the conversation is worth having.

It was like I was already there...

We went to see the Indians play the Blue Jays last night. Great game. It got started with the Canadian national anthem and ended with us sending the cunucks back home in dramatic fashion. Talked to a couple of guys that came down from the north to see their Jays take a beating. It was nice to talk to some people who pronounce about, "aboot" and end all of their sentences with "eh?"

It was like I was already there. I got 50 singles with my money withdrawal so nobody else needs to add that to their list.

It is so close I can smell It.

If you care.

I know most of you don't have jobs so this is not exciting for you but tomorrow is my last day of work, before our trip. Sounds like I will see most of you guys Saturday out at Dad's working on the man cave.

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2011 departure time ?

Texas Bob spoke with Richard tonight, we can fly in Friday, actually at noon, this means we will get an extra day at camp . We will need to leave thursday evening between seven and eight o'clock or even earlier , it takes about sixteen hours to drive to Foleyet, I can leave anytime , need some input from the rest of you , regardless i am still going.

Fahrenheit/Celcius Conversion Chart

Fahrenheit/Celcius Conversion Chart

Click on the link above if you don't want to do the math

Boat Spotlight: S.S. Gin is Toxic

In honor of us being a week out, I thought I'd post this a day early. A little treat. That and you might need a little extra time to take it all in. Enjoy...

You might be wondering how the guy who had been doing all the reviews on these boats can impartially write his own boat's review.

He can't. Watch. I'll show you.

No stars need to align, no superstitions need to be adhered to, no magic potion needs to be sprinkled on us, we are just due.

A lot of trips have passed since Dad started going in 1976 and me in 1982. In that time a TON of fish have been boated and great times have been easy to come by. There has just been something missing...

Dad had a stretch of years fishing with Bob when huge question marks were raised about his fish catching ability. In recent years he has found his groove again and not only been catching more fish but seeming to put his boat partner on big fish. He is a steady fisherman, a good boat captain, and hopefully a good worm and beer getter. He has a lot to do with the challenges for this boat but none of the challenges are his directly.

His Anchorman has talked the talk for a long time and while catching a lot of fish, hasn't seen a ton of money come his way as an adult. This is another case of just plain-old being due. There are not issues with fish catching, netting, anchor work or anything else for that matter, he just needs to find that big fish. Finding the focus for that big fish may be the challenge. Never has an anchorman had so much responsibility.

I need to balance the continuous effort to cast that orange hat off Dad's head (I saw Aaron C. do it before so I think I have a good grasp on how), ration his Gin intake, ensure proper hydration, probably have to make his sandwiches, stock the cooler, fill the gas...etc. A lot of these are normal activities for an anchorman but it is the Orange hat and Gin that are the real challenges. Do I keep the Gin from him before dinner so we can fish in the evening or do I give him a little before dinner and after? There is a fine balance that needs achieved so we can fish early each morning and each evening after dinner. I may develop some sort of table to keep tabs on it. There aren't enough sunglasses on the planet for me to stare at that orange hat all week so there may need to be some sort of covert op post-gin where I can swap it out with a different hat.

If I can get these things accomplished, the possibilities are just endless for the amount of fish we might catch. But the 24 inch and up fish have eluded us for quite a while (some of us longer than others) and this is the year that changes...in a big way. The domination predicted for Gin is Toxic in 2011 will make Trent's 2009 look like a day at the bluegill pond.

Troy and Andy finally have some competition. In fact, for the first time throughout this process, they aren't at the top of the list. NEW LEADA!

Final Confidence List:

Gin is Toxic
Eye to Eye
Camp Director
Boy Was He Pissed
Almost Heaven
Teach a Kid to Fish

So there it is boys. Do with it what you will. I would steer clear of the Gin is Toxic boat on wagering day because with the amount of money sure to be placed on that boat, the payout is sure to be minimal.

I don't want to alarm anyone....

But when was the last time we had to run the wood burner all night? Now, keep in mind, this is a little premature, but the low On Monday and Tuesday of our week is forecasted to be 38 degrees....not Celsius.

Our first day of fishing is supposed to be a repeat of 2009. 6 feet from the sun.

Thursday Edit: OK...So maybe they don't have it nailed down just yet...

You might think these two forecasts are for different countries but they are in fact for the same location.

Hints from Heloise (Cabin etiquette for the new guys)

• Do not turn the kitchen sink on when someone is in the shower. Hottttt


• When baiting a mouse trap with peanut butter, do not double dip. Something to do about germs.


• Close the cabin door when entering or leaving the cabin in the early morning or after dark. Buzzzzzzzzzz.


• Do not put used cooking oil in the cupboard above the stove in an open container. Some people are naturally curious.


• Say you like the food even if it sucks. They may have slaved all day over a hot stove.


• Take a turn at washing the dishes. It's the only way I know to get rid of the worm guts that get stuck under your fingernails. Don't forget to rinse.


• If the blue poker chips change to green, it's time to go to bed.


• If you hear a loud thump that shakes the cabin in the middle of the night, it's OK to roll over and go back to sleep. He's alright....


• When you return to the cabin after fishing in the evening, do not be alarmed at the fellow sitting in the corner in shorts with an unbuttoned shirt or possibly no shirt at all. No that is not really an opossum hanging around his neck. He may be asleep, but you really need to resist the urge to run you fingers through the fur. He doesn't like to be touched. Well, maybe Cody could get away with it.

Outdoors Card...

Only Theron (and PITAIT if he chooses to buy a license) will need an outdoors card if I am not mistaken. Yeah Theron, they are going to take you for an extra ten bucks at Youngs.

Duty free is open 24/7

Youngs is open 7 to 7. 7 days a week.

Finding a hot hamburg may prove to be difficult unless we find lunch in Foleyet.

What did you guys do for lunch on the way up last year?

The Back Cabin...

I think we should decide it by geographical distance to Camp. The four people who live the furthest away should be in the back cabin. It just so happens that I have calculated those exact distances and I have listed them below.

Morgantown - 840 miles
Woodsfield - 863 miles
Gilmore - 802 miles
Gnadenhutten - 791 miles
Bolivar - 765 miles
Wadsworth - 724 miles

The only downside as I see it is that Cody gets a top bunk. Bernie usually likes to be on top of Larry, but I am sure they can work that out.

That's Better....

For Reference 25* C is 77ish degrees, as a general rule add or subtract 2 degrees F for every degree C (Actually it is 1.8 but I'd hate for anyone to have to use a calculator...or abacus).

I've Made It

Although I've had some technical difficulties I've managed to FINALLY get on this blog. It's good to hear you all think you all have a chance at fisherman of the week. That will make it more fun for me to beat you all.

Under 10....

Now that our Thursday departure is a definite maybe, our countdown is officially under 10 days. It is really time to get serious about this trip. Theron and I got Reel Maverick to the water's edge last night with a spinning rod in his hand. He's got the hang of it. We didn't simulate the pulling of the anchor rope but he will figure that out soon enough.

I've got a few more things to throw in the duffel but for the most part, I am packed and ready to go.

Did we figure on an extra dinner or are we just going to add a fish night to the mix? There will be a lot of extra hot dogs so if Fishfinder wants to add a couple more packages of hotdog buns to his list that is an option.

9+ days until departure.

6 more days of work. (Assuming I'll be able to stay all day on leaving day)

I am going to once again refrain from posting the fly-in day weather. I'd hate to have to pay for a cabin for you guys again while I sleep in the van.

I am just a haircut and a bank stop from being ready to go....mentally I'm already there.

Departure time

I spoke with Richard this evenibg, looks like we may be leaving Thursday night. He is going to call me and let me know what time we need to be there Friday afternoon,should have more info tomorrow. No rain in tuscarawas county, dry and dusty, need a lot of BV to cut the dust. Looks like Thursday and Saturday are Mancave work days.Fish Finder brought out his chop saw this afternoon , will save a lot of time when the walls start going up. I have all my stuff packed except my clothes, will not take to long to pack a clean pair of socks and a toothbrush.

OH BROTHER, WHERE ART THOU......

Aaron, it has dawned on me that we will be the only brothers paired up in a boat this year. This trip will seem more like a father and son outing. I have to include Larry and Cody in this group as well as Larry is considered to be Cody's Grandpa. Worse than that is that Cody claims Bob as his uncle. Could it be they are all related in some round about way? Being the odd men out, we will probably have to sit off by ourselves during dinners. On a lighter note, I just got finishsed cleaning up a downed tree between the shop and the house from yesterday's storm. Larry and Cody came over and helped. We of course got another inch of rain and some marble sized hail. Starting to gather things together for the trip. Starting to get that Christmas spirit you talk about.

Hot Dogs...

I was all set to come on here and post that Sandy's sister is contributing the hot dogs for this trip so we can take them off the grocery list. Then I looked at the grocery list here at Dad's and the hot dogs were no where to be found. I will look at the rest of the list to see what else has been left off. Thus begins my campaign for co-camp director. I will bring the hot dogs, no need to add them to the list now.

ONE HIT WONDERS

I'm a little confused on why Ryan is giving reviews on our boats. It's a little like listening to Keith Oberman give reviews on NFL players and their teams. Don't you think one should play the game first. There is however an old tale about him catching a nice walleye at the moose stand many moons ago. I believe this is my eleventh trip and I haven't seen any thing on his stringer that could be called outstanding. This fish I've heard about must have been caught in the previous century. He predicts a bad week for the Haines Brothers this year. Ryan knows as well as all others who have been there that a bad week is still a good week when you're at the Chutes with friends and family. Hope everyone gets a pot winner.

Things Are Coming Together

As the date of our departure approaches, my excitement continues to increase. Things are really starting to come together. The Man Cave is starting to take shape, the worms have been ordered, the beer has been bought. Now, I need to find some time to get my reels lined and rods in the case. I am going to try and keep my clothes at a minimum.

I have talked to a couple of people who have returned from Canada already and they said they had a great year. The fish should be jumping in the boat. Theron and Connor might actually have a chance of winning a fish pot.

Lastly, is anyone actually believe a word Ryan has posted about the boat reviews? I can't wait to hear his review. One thing is for sure, I won't read it while I'm eating for fear of choking. Take care all and keep the posts coming.

This is going to be a perfect trip...

First forecast for fly-in day : Sunny and 77 degrees. That is a perfect day. I am sure it won't change at all between now and then.

I am going to hold off on the bug report for the time being. It isn't something you want to see.

Connor and Trent...

Some good info at the following link starting at around the 9 1/2 minute mark of the video. Pitching jigs for walleye. The Next Bite

By the way, for those of you who have watched much of Keith Kavejecz and Gary Parsons, if I hear them tell me one more time about the semi-standup jig that took them two years to design, I might scream.http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

Boat Spotlight: S.S. Teach a Kid to Fish

If you give a kid a fish, you feed him for a day. If you teach a kid to fish, he'll throw every set of pliers you own in the river.

Which is why we are putting Connor with his Grandpa on Day 1.

This boat has some real challenges ahead of it. It isn't without some things going for it though, either.

Connor is as rookie as rookie gets and with that comes quite a bit of historical fortune. I am really excited he is going on this trip and even more excited I will be around to see his face when the first 30+ inch pike comes to the top of the water. At some point during the week, he will catch a pot winner, all his Dad has to do is not screw it up with the net. One thing I know for sure, is that Connor will figure out how to get the fish to bite and then perfect it with each cast. He might do it in a stealth-like manner but he will do it nonetheless.

Theron is a first time returnee and could very well be the quickest a guy has gone from just keeping all of his tools in the boat to Boat Captain. There is a lot to learn on that first day: The motor, the depth finder, trolling speed, the anchor, tying lures on, taking fish off, making sandwiches, the list just goes on and on...what more could be expected of the guy other than keeping his son dry and catching a few fish in the process. A pot winner just seems totally out of the question.

But what happens when Connor does catch one, he gets it up to the boat and Theron, in the midst of all the other responsibilities has forgotten to untangle the net from the rods. While he works to get the net loose, Connor is reeling against the drag and the fish breaks him off. Oh, Theron will hear about it the rest of the week. Connor is not the type to pat his Dad on the back and say, "It's OK fella, we'll get 'em next time." It will haunt Theron until he has a chance to redeem himself.

Speaking of redeeming himself. I hear he is bringing extra pliers. We are going to count the number he brings on the first night of camp and again before we leave just to see if 2006 taught him anything. Wow. Has it really been 5 years since Theron was up there last? The MNR takes our fish and Theron doesn't go back for 5 years. I would be pissed too if I donated two sets of pliers to their waters and they still had the nerve to take all my fish.

Welcome Connor and welcome back Theron. As a welcoming gift, I am going to put you at the bottom so it will be easy to find your boat in the list. Prove me wrong, nothing would make me happier.

Confidence List:

S.S. Eye to Eye
S.S. Camp Director
S.S. Boy Was He Pissed
S.S. Almost Heaven
S.S. Teach A Kid To Fish

Two More Weeks and just one more boat spotlight...It doesn't look like there is any space in between any of these to put another boat. Only space at the top and at the bottom...we'll have to wait and see.

Big Fish, I hear you are among the living...

If you would like to be able to make a post instead of just comment send me an email to rsmcouts(at)gmail. com. I can't hardly wait.

Man cave update

Texas Bob,Mudslinger, Fish Finder,Big Fish,No Pulp, and Cody had a successful day at the man cave, poured the other half of the floor. fill dirt, limestone and the lumber should be delivered Friday morning. We called Richard today during our ten minute lunch break, I left a message ,told him I would try to call him on Friday as soon as I talk to him ,more info will be on the blog, back to the man cave ,long time until dark.

Startin' to come together , Pepper

Looks like this group is starting to shape up a little. Most of these guys apparently don't like spring training. We've heard recently from Reel Maverick and Anchor Boy. WawaWalleye is starting to come around and I here Big Fish is thinking about a comeback. Now if the rookoe PITAIT can step up a little, I think we might have a team here.

I may not be ready on the 15th.

In years past, I was always as excited as Ryan is now, as our trip approached. This year for whatever reason I have seemed to loose touch with the concept of time. It was just yesterday when I realized the the 4th of July was this weekend. Don't get me wrong, I'm still looking forward to heading north, but I haven't made any preparations. I haven't gotten any gear together, I haven't even bought new line yet. I'm on vacation starting July 11th and was planning on using that time to go to Cabelas, buy what I need and start getting gear together and doing laundry. It is clear to me now that I'm needed to go out and work on Dad's man cave that week so my plan has been thrown out the window. Seems like 5 out of work guy's isn't enough to complete the project. If nothing else maybe it will silence all of the complaints from those 5 guys that I've been getting about my lack of help. 860 miles is a long way to have to listen to that noise.
But just know this, when I crawl out of the plane at Pine Lake the spirit and beer will fill me up. So you guys might want to make a plan on how to get my drunk ass up the hill.

Speaking of beer. It is now in my possession. 27 cases $460.00. Good news too, Miller Lite was on sale for $7.99 a case. Bud light and Coors light were $21.50 a case. Bad break for some of you guys, but life is good if your last name is Couts.

Dad please give Richard a call so we all leave on the same day.

See all of you in 2 weeks.

I wish it would rain...

...so the Camp Director would provide some information. It must have dried out enough to get some concrete to the man cave is all I can figure. I will keep assuming we are leaving on Thursday night until I hear otherwise. The group from Pittsburgh is leaving Friday morning and should have a report for us when they get back. It looks as though they are forecast for pretty nice weather.

Tomorrow gets us our first ridiculously extended forecast for fly-in day.

Two weeks. Two Boat Spotlights, and the eye on weather and bugs begins...we are inching closer.

Reel Maverick is like Chris Perez....

...he likes to keep things interesting. We went to his all-star team's game tonight. The opposing teams pitcher had a one hitter through 5 innings and Reel Maverick had the one hit. His team scored 4 in the top of the sixth to take a 5-1 lead. His team then gave up three in the bottom of the sixth to make it 5-4 with two outs and a runner on third. Enter Reel Maverick to the mound. He hit the first two batters to load the bases with 2 outs and then struck out the next kid on 4 pitches. He didn't want things to be easy. Nice game Connor. You did a nice job. We'll see if those skills will translate to your boat. :)

All Points Bulletin...

Chsst...We have a report of missing campers....Please reply if you know their whereabouts. The missing campers are...No Pulp, Big Fish, PITAIT (Pain in the Ass in Training[Cody])Anchor Boy, and the entire Teach A Kid To Fish boat.

Seems like it is going to take Fireworks to get these people interested in this trip.

Final Biggest Loser Weigh-in

Today marks the final weigh-in for our Biggest Loser contest at work. My starting weight for the contest was 216 and my final weigh-in was 198 for a total weight loss of 18 lbs which is 8.33%. By the way, I won. I will be able to set aside a few extra dollars to wager on the boat of my choosing. My actual weight this morning was 194 which means I lost another pound this week. I am thinking 189 is a possibility before July 15th. We'll see. This weekend won't do me any favors.

Gambling is not allowed at Bushwood, sir...

It has come to my attention (shockingly) that not everyone agrees with the direction of my confidence rankings. Well you had better start developing a mental list of your own because you are going to get a chance to place a wager on the boat you have most confidence in.

The first night in Camp I will be accepting wagers (in whole dollars only, Larry) on the following boats:

Bob/Trent - S.S. Camp Director
Troy/Andy - S.S. Eye to Eye
Bernie/Aaron - S.S. Almost Heaven
Larry/Cody - S.S. Boy Was He Pissed
Theron/Connor - S.S. Teach a kid to fish
Steve/Ryan - S.S. Gin is Toxic

The boat with the most fish pots is the winner. It doesn't matter if you fish with someone else one or two days, the pots you win on those days will be awarded to your original boat listed above.

Any large bets will be investigated throughout the week because I can already hear the wheels turning on some of the Monroe County folk.

You don't have to bet. You might not have enough confidence to bet on anyone. That is fine. Payout will be determined by the total amount bet and the amount bet on the winning boat. For example, if 100 dollars total is bet on all the boats and 40 of those dollars is bet on, oh I don't know, Gin is Toxic, then the payout is 2.50 for every 1 dollar wagered if that boat wins. So if you wagered 10 bucks on this boat (you really should), you would get 25 dollars.

There are only six possible outcomes so I am not going to get into the whole win/place/show. Win only. The Commission (me) will not be deducting any fees for service. All money bet will be paid out.

Might as well keep things interesting...Start your mental list now.

Things are starting to come together

Well with just over two weeks before our trip, things are starting to go our way. Gas prices are coming down and the exchange rate is going up. That and the Gas money we already have and this trip will be almost free. After I win about 6 fish pots I will come home ahead of the game. I only have 7 days of work left. I took an extra week off so I will have time to pack. See you soon boys.

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Wow...things are flying by....

Day left...17.

Days of work left...11.

I am an optimist so I went ahead and rolled the countdown clock back to Thursday night at 9:30 instead of Friday morning.

We haven't really discussed what time we would leave Thursday night but the earliest I could be to Gnaden would be around 7:30.

Only two more boat spotlights to go...Rumor has it, these last two might bookend the current list.

Went fishing yesterday...

Dad came up yesterday and I let him help me with a couple of toilets. Then we took the girls fishing. I let him use one of my rods so he will probably want to do that while we are in Canada too. I just hope I don't have to put any bait on for him or tie any lures on. He came up to help me with my toilets but he left with packaging for his over-fifty boat seat and a fixed rattle in his truck.

All in all, it was a pretty productive trip for everyone. He and I needed that to get us in a positive frame of mind after last wekend's debacle. Yesterday probably helps out our boat spotlight quite a bit. Just a few more hurdles...

Let's have the every year conversation...

I know we are good on depth finders but what about nets, minnow buckets, walkie-talkies, and boat coolers? Theron and Connor, I have a good boat sized cooler if you guys need one. Dad and I will be using Old Red. Uncle Bob, I think you said you have a couple of nets. Theron and Connor will need one.

Worm and Beer

The family and I went and ordered the worms yesterday. The price went up a little this year. I am being charged $50 a flat. Three flats at $50 each = $150 dollars. Now I just need to figure out how much I am going to charge each of you for the worms. If I play my cards right I can make a nice little profit off of you guys.
I also found a guy who will sell me the beer for $16.99 a case and he isn't going to charge us any tax. Once again, i am going to make some money off of you guys. I'll probably let my boat partner in on the profit, but the rest of you guys are screwed.

pop and water.

It was a wet and rainy day, too wet to mow grass, I put my cb in the truck this morning, this afternoon I went to town and picked up all the pop and water we need for thr trip. I will try to get hold of Richard this week.

Boat Spotlight: SS Boy Was He Pissed

You might be asking yourself, "How in the hell could these two manage to boat any fish with the amount of planning it will take to screw with the rest of camp as much as they will?" I have no idea.

But they will. Cody will have the Rookie fortune working for him. We'll have to check the record books but I don't know that a rookie has ever gone the whole week without winning a fish pot. The question is, how will he deal with being so far away from his text machine. The trouble is that we won't know if he is actually homesick or if being in a boat with Larry forced him into said sickness. Time will tell I guess.

His boat partner (and dare I say, mentor) hasn't changed since the minute he started going on this trip. He will sit in his boat seat with his straw hat (and apparently now an umbrella) and drag that Erie Dearie around the river until something gets in the way. All the while making mental notes with regards to who he wishes to mess with at dinner. He will catch fish, he will make lots of mental notes, and inevitably make the rest of the camp laugh at various moments throughout the trip.

This boat lacks the focus to be a serious contender for the top of the confidence list. Larry will have a great time and because of this, Cody may be looking to make a trade by about Tuesday.

The real dilemma for me is whether or not this boat lacks the necessary focus to be above the SS Camp Director on my confidence list. I just don't see it.

Confidence List:

SS Eye to Eye
SS Camp Director
SS Boy Was He Pissed
SS Almost Heaven

Chsst...Attention Cabelas shoppers...

We have a sale in our bargain cave on swim whizzes. (now called the believer). It can be yours for only 18.99...for one. ....chssst.

Grocery list

to Mudslinger:
If you want to e-mail my items, send to smcouts(at)sbcglobal. net

Dad, I edited your email so your box doesn't fill up with spam.

Fly in

Next week when Trent and I have a break from the man Cave construction, we will call richard and check on the camp condition and the tentative fly in date. more info to follow at a later date.

News and Notes.....

*Gas Prices are getting better... (60 cents a gallon is about 20 bucks a man in savings.)

*Exchange Rate still sucks...

*55 degrees and raining today in Chapleau. The end of next week will be our first glimpse at the fly-in day weather.

*I am packing very lightly this year. I am bringing one duffel bag that will have everything but my rods in it.

*I doubt there will be any mosquitoes so I will probably leave the bug spray at home.

*There are only three more boat spotlights left.

Weigh-in Day

Down another pound to 195. Total of 19 lbs lost. I am not going to reach my goal of 185 it would seem but I am going to see how close I can get. Hope all is well with everyone.

Grocery List and Worms

I completed the update of the grocery list last night. I will be emailing the list to those needing it sometime this week. Seems like a lot of food, but we never have much left at the end of the week. 26 cases of beer and only four gallons of milk. Don't let the women see this post. If anyone wants something added to the grocery list, just let me know or you can pick it up yourself and we will reimburse you at camp (This doesn't mean that Larry can buy a new fishing rod and have us pay for it.)
I am also going to order the worms this week. Three flats is a lot of worms, but I think Larry puts a new worm on every cast. Troy also uses a lot of worms. He sets the hook on air a lot causing him to rip the hook out of the worm. I believe Andy will be the better fisherman in that boat this year. Keep the posts coming. See ya all real soon.

One Step Closer...

Mother nature washed off my Rods, Reels, Tackle Box, and Lures on Sunday. It also conditioned my rain suit for the possible Canadian elements. I am going to clean up my workshop this weekend and make that packing headquarters.

Hope the man cave is coming along nicely in Gilmore. Hope all is well in Monroe County and Morgantown. Theron and Connor are well on their way towards proper organization for this trip. Boats are all running well in Gnaden. Dad even has his list on a chalkboard in the garage.

Getting down to crunch time. Just over 3 weeks.

fathers day fishing trip

My sons and I went fishing today to celebrate Father's Day. I hope this trip was not an omen. We got about 2 miles from our launch site running wide open thru the speed zone and the motor died. So we trolled over to the shoreline and fished for awhile before trying to restart the motor, It didn't start. Did all the usual checks and motor was getting gas. Aaron then took off the cowling and the cover to discover disintegrating wires. Cut a section of wire of the bilge pump harness and tried to patch things up , but no luck. So we headed back toward the launch with the trolling motor. And then the thunderstorm began. rained in buckets, then the lightning was getting pretty close so we beached the boat and waited for about 1 hour in a downpour. I walked about a half mile to get the truck so we weren't standing out in the elements for the entire hour . After bailing the boat with the cooler(the water level was to the top of the batteries) the boys got back in, switched over to the fresher battery and headed towards the marina ramp. I took the truck around and about dark we got loaded up and headed back. In spite of it all, we had a good time and a whole lot of laughs. A fathers day we will always remember. We're going to try it again next year. Should have the motor fixed by then.

No activity

Twenty five days left until we leave and nobody is on the blog, I guess no one is excited to head north like I am, maybe their will be more activity in the next couple of weeks. It is raining outside so I had to come in and harass the rest of you fellows.

short timers

Time is getting near close to leave for the great North. I am starting to pack, checking my list twice as I go, don't want to forget anything, Motown and Big Fish's boat revue started with a bang and ended with a boom' beware action is louder than words .

5K complete...

Finished my first ever 5k today in 30:51. My goal was 10 minute miles and I snuck in just under. Need to pick up the pace on the weight loss train but this is one more thing I wanted to accomplish before Canada.

Boat Spotlight: SS Almost Heaven

When I first started thinking about how I would rank the boats, this is the one that came to mind first as the potential leader. Bernie never says a word about how many fish he catches but somehow at the end of the day somebody asks "Who got the big walleye today?" The answer has been Bernie....A LOT. I hate that. ***Pause for random jab at Trent***...and who can forget the clinic he put on during the 2009 Virtue where he single-handedly almost kept his team out of last place by measuring the biggest walleye and biggest pike of the tournament?

Aaron H hit the ground running in 2009 and continued to bring in quality fish last year. He did a lot of boat hopping so it would be hard for me to put the credit on his various captains. Rumor has it he jumped from boat to boat because nobody could handle Larry for more than two straight days but I don't know about any of that.

So I originally thought, "This is going to be the boat to beat...". I have since rethought my position. These lucky a-holes have been doing this to easily for too long. This is the year the struggles come. I predict a net disaster or broken rod, or something that is going to keep these two out of the top of the list this year. Also, you can't ignore the trip and expect the fishing Gods to reward you for it. Big Fish has been noticeably absent from the Blog this year and while his brother has attempted to make up for his shortcomings, I just don't think that has been enough. I mean for Pete's sake, THE CAMP DIRECTOR has finally embraced the blog and we can't get Big Fish on here once a month?

The mighty Nemegosenda will rise up with a fury and hand out the punishment to Bernie for ignoring this trip and Aaron will suffer because of it. You can't put yourself inside the blast zone and expect to walk away unscathed. These two are in for a long week.

Confidence List

SS Eye to Eye
SS Camp Director
SS Almost Heaven

4 weeks from today we will either be driving or flying....either way we will be headed the right direction.

Next up...SS Boy Was He Pissed (that should be fun...I may start writing it now.)

Wednesday Weigh-in

Down to 196. A supreme accomplishment given what I ate and drank last week. I am also currently leading the Biggest Loser Contest here at work. I am down 7.14%. 5K this Saturday. I won't be breaking any land speed records but I have a goal. We'll see how that goes. 4 weeks from tomorrow night (or Friday morning). SS Almost Heaven boat spotlight coming up on Friday. I am a little disappointed in Big Fish's blog effort this year. His boat spotlight might reflect that a little bit.

New additition

Last Monday was a great beginning on the new man cave,Larry,Bernie,Matt,Cody,Trent and I worked endlessly to get the water line and footers dug and laid. Thursday the footers were poured since then Trent, Larry, and I have been busy laying block. Blocks should finished by Friday. Floor will be poured next and then wood construction. While some people are running their mouths we are building are biceps to pull in the big fish. If you want to have some fun come to my house,we work hard and drink alot of beer. Captain Bob

Things seem slow....

For there only being 32 days left, chatter seems a little slow. Must be a lot of stuff being built, you know, garages and what-not. My tackle box could use a little work after the camping trip. Probably some new line on a couple of reels as well. Just a couple more weeks and it will be time to start making the pile of stuff in the basement. It is getting closer.

I'm all warmed up...

Just spent 4 days camping at the finger lakes and got quite a bit of fishing in. Also a large number of Blue Lights went by the wayside. I tested out a couple of items for food. One that sucked and the other that was fantastic. The one you can write off is canned potatoes for hash browns...they suck. The one that is great is corn on the cob in the fire. If it is something we want to consider, we can do it pretty easily and quickly.

I will post a picture of fish when I get back to a regular computer so you guys know what you are getting yourselves into...

Boat Spotlight: SS Eye to Eye

I am not going to lie, this was my favorite boat to name. I am a sucker for a good double entendre.

Ladies and gentlemen, i would like to introduce your odds on favorite to bring home the money this year. It is a combination of proving ability, years of experience, and just plain old being due.

Andy is no longer tagged with the rookie label. He has a mount to prove his ability. The easier it gets to pull the anchor rope, the easier it gets to go looking for big fish. Andy may suffer the senior year blues but that is doubtful...another big year is a real possibility.

Troy has a lot of trips under his belt and has caught a ton of fish. The really big one seems to have escaped him for a number of years. He seems to be around for lot of huge walleye being taken over the years but the rod he is holding never seems to be the lucky one. This could be the year. There is probably only one other person in camp more due for a big fish. Future spotlights will reveal who this might be.

There is no question this boat will bring a great number of fish in the boat and to the fish house. Is this the year Troy replaces his 23 incher with a truly mountable fish? I think the odds are pretty good and give them the edge to have the biggest week.

So far, through two spotlights the weighting goes like this:

SS Eye to Eye
SS Camp Director

SS Camp Director Reply

Wallete Killer you have just earned the first bunk on the left in the back cabin. Co- camp directors are not being showed much respect for trying to make every ones trip enjoyable.
Trent and I always find things to do around camp because we have are fish caught in the first hour or two of the day,while the rest of you whiners are licking your wounds from the preious days defeat.

Wawa Walleye is back and better than ever!!!

Hello to all of my fishing buddies and Larry too. Sorry I haven't been on here recently. There are a couple different reasons for my absence. I usually check the blog on my phone, and for some reason my phone had not updated in about a week. The last posting that I saw was from Ryan about getting his IPad. Secondly I have been working 12 hour days this week. We have not been very busy at work yet this year and are just now starting to pick up. I count on the OT pay to fund this trip so I need to work every minute available until we leave. Unfortunately due to the amount of hazardous chemicals we work with, (I have some new scares to prove it) they will only let us work 12 hours per day, so I may not have enough money to get into the fish pot this year. Just kidding, I am glad to make the extra money and an looking forward to the trip. I really hope we can get in a day early, that really made the trip nice.

On a different subject today is our 17th wedding anniversary. We are celebrating by me having the house to myself while Patty takes the kids to her brothers in Columbus for 2 dance recitals. Yes I said 2. Two different girls. One is at 2pm and one is at 7pm. I know that Sandy gave Ryan an IPad for there anniversary but Patty gave me the greatest gift of all. She let me stay home and enjoy my day off. I love that woman.

Did WawaWalleye lose his internet access???

He must have moved in with Big Fish.

Boat Spotlight: S.S. Camp Director

What do you get when you put a guy who can’t sit still, in a 15 foot aluminum boat? You get -“Well Trent, what do you want to do?” This will inevitably lead to them heading back to camp to trim some hedges, split some firewood, or mow the grass. There are nearly 70 years of combined Canadian experience in this boat and I think if they were able to make an effort long enough, they could probably be pretty productive…on the water.

Don’t get me wrong, I am very appreciative of the fact that Bob doesn’t let the paths get over-grown and that Trent can build a fire pit like nobody’s business. The problem is, there are other boats that will have to pick up the slack for the fish these guys aren’t going to catch.

These two guys offer a ton to this trip but unfortunately there aren’t a lot of awards in camp for the most well-rounded camper. Nor are there awards for participation. They will have fun. They will drink a lot. They will get a lot of stuff done in camp. They will make sure everyone is having a great time. Don’t discount this. It is all important.

If you are kind of feeling like there is something missing in this review…it is any mention of fishing. Uncle Bob doesn’t really have an interest and Trent is, what I like to call, the locust of fishing - he shows up about every seven years and REALLY shows up about once in every 30.

I don’t think this boat is in danger of winning any fish pots or setting the fishing standard for the rest of the camp to aspire to, but you will have a good time and much of it will be their doing. Maybe I’ll bring Certificates of Appreciation so they don’t feel like they are leaving camp empty-handed. There are 6 weeks left, maybe they can develop a plan to improve their odds, but just in case, you should plan on catching their share of fish.

Next Friday: S.S. Eye to Eye

Chat with Richard

I talked to Richard Tuesday morning, camp is open and ready to go. He wants to put another fridge in the back cabin , the tractor is back together and ready for duffle. There is a possibility that we may get to camp on Friday, more info on this at a later date. Richard, Rodney, and one of Richards freinds were going to camp to fix the water in the back cabin. Trent , once school is out and we start on the garage and you start on your deck, the pounds will fall off daily. Just a reminder for everyone, don't forget about your passports.

Diets SUCK

Well, started my pre-Canada diet yesterday. Weighed in at 194. Want to lose 15-20 pounds before the trip. This could be a long six weeks. Dad talked to Richard this past weekend. I will let him post about the conversation. Hopefully everyone has started to get their tackleboxes organized and their hooks sharpened. Can't wait to see the Chutes again. It truly is one of the greatest places on Earth.

I added a few pictures to the photobucket. Just click on "see full album" then choose view as slide show.

More technology for me to rip you guys...

My loving wife got me an iPad for our ten year anniversary. There is literally nowhere I can go and not have access to this blog. You guys will reap the benefits by having glowing boat spotlights written about you.

Attention Rookies.....

This is a 5 minute lesson on improper net man tactics. Keep the net out of the water until the fish is ready to be netted. Take my word for it. I was the resident expert two years ago.

About 7 weeks left...

It is coming quick. No weigh-in for me this week because I was in Orlando, but I fear what next week's weigh-in might bring.

I don't know if we actually took a poll at the meeting but I am good to go Thursday night rather than Friday morning if George tells Richard there is availability.

Boat spotlight

Trent and I can,t wait for all of the positive remarks we will be reading about the s.s. Camp Director. A perfect name for the vessell hauling two of the best fishermen in the whole camp,looking forward to the June 3rd biography of the s.s. Camp Director. Positive remarks will definately be appreciated.
p.s. Headnets may be needed at the main street address we are leaving from, I was there this afternoon, mosquitoes seemed to be plentiful.

Fishing Season is Open

As of yesterday, Walleye season is officially open in Ontario. If Ryan goes up now, he might actually have a chance of winning a pot. If you listen real carefully you might be able to hear Rodney trying to start the tractor at the chutes.

Too Much Coors Light???

I am concerned that I ordered 1 case of Coors Light too much. Is there anyone who might over drink their beer order and help me finish my last case on the final day? Or, is Coors Light considered to be P*** water by all, and my only option will be to pour it in the River for the Walleye to enjoy? :o)

Poll for today...(and trivia answer)

Trivia answer for the last question....Potatoes. It is now legal to take potatoes into Canada. It hasn't been for a while. Anyone ever not eaten a potato up there in the last 10 years?

Today's poll: Are you putting anything new in your tackle box this year?

Also - I will be doing Boat Spotlights this year starting Friday, June 3rd (6 weeks left). I didn't do a very good job with the after trip reports for the Angler Spotlights so I am just doing boats this year. I will be doing one a week and have conducted a personal random drawing to determine the order in which they will be done. (Which really means that I am doing them in the order that I see fit.) It is also customary that a boat be given a name and I have also assigned them below. The order is below...

Bob/Trent - S.S. Camp Director June 3rd
Troy/Andy - S.S. Eye to Eye June 10th
Bernie/Aaron - S.S. Almost Heaven June 17th
Larry/Cody - S.S. Boy Was He Pissed June 24th
Theron/Connor - S.S. Teach a kid to fish July 1st
Steve/Ryan - S.S. Gin is Toxic July 8th

So there you have it. I am looking forward to writing them as much as you are looking forward to reading them.

Today's Trivia...

What have we been bringing on our trip accidentally illegally for years that is now legal starting this year? (Hint: It has nothing to do with fishing.)

Weigh-in Wednesday....

Down 1.5 lbs. I was 214 at the start and am 198 now. 8 more Wednesdays to go.

Walleye Fishing Anyone?

Ice Free

Poll for today (and yesterday's trivia answer)

Poll for today - What is your favorite sound of this trip? Least favorite sound?

Favorite: I can't really decide but it is between the sound of the water splashing up along side the aluminum boat or a loon first thing in the morning on a glassy frog lake.

Least favorite - Hearing a beer fall off the boat seat into the bottom of the boat.

Yesterday's Trivia Answer - 88 Degrees on Monday and Tuesday. But I agree with Dad and Aaron...it felt a lot hotter. I don't know if it was the boats, the water or the lack of wind but man it was hot.

I got to wonderin'.....(Trip Trivia)

I was thinking about past trips and how hot it was in 2009 which brings us to our first "Trip Trivia' for 2011.

What was the warmest temperature we experienced in 2009? (Hint - I would have been high with my guess.)

Groceries have been adjusted

The Camp-Director and I went through the grocery list tonight and made the proper adjustments. We just saved every man about $20. We felt that lunch meat was way too expensive so we have decided to go back to Spam. Also, we are going to try powdered milk. If we focus on using the things that are available at the Chutes we could really cut down on the cost of groceries. So here is your assignment. Thinks of meals we can create using the following ingredients: Good Luck
Wild Blueberries
Fish
Groundhog
Mice
Black Flies
Mosquitoes

12 is a good number

twelve is a good number, a little more comfoftable riding. The young bucks in the back, more room for Texas Bob up front. Some adjustments on the grocery list and beverages or we can just eat and drink more, either way a good time will be had by all.

Rod Balancing for 2.25

I balanced both my spinning rods last night using rubber chair leg caps and quarters. My Bionic Blade (with a Spirex) took 5 quarters and my Fish Eagle II (with a Sedona) took 3. Really makes a big difference...not enough for me to pay 20 bucks per rod online though. Enjoy your tip for today. The Chair Tips that are 7/8 - 1 inch work for both the Fish Eagle II and the Bionic Blade.

Nightcrawlers

I picked up 5 or 6 dozen night crawlers last night after the rain. What in the world were we thinking that year we decided to catch our own nightcrawlers. That is hard on a guys back.

Down to 12

Well it was with a sad heart that JJ told me today that He and Harris will not be able to go on the trip this year. They hope to be able to go next year. I just spoke to Trent. We will get together and scale down the menu, and yes Ryan I will reconsider the pop count. I may have over estimated how much we would need. Also I think we may want to cancel one of the hotel rooms. 12 of us should fit in 3 rooms. On the bright side we will have more room on the ride up. 6 in Trents car and 3 in each of the trucks. Or if we want we could make the 4 West Virginan's stay in Larry's truck so we can enjoy the ride.

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Weigh-in Day

Down 2lbs this week. After the Meeting and Mother's Day brunch, I'll take it. I am down 15 total, 15 more to go. A couple more pounds and our gas mileage on the way up is going to skyrocket. Good Luck tonight Troy. Trent - Aaron and I are going to do this in September. You in?

Warrior Dash

Aaron in Motown

I wonder if I got this to work?

Camp Director: Avert Your Eyes...

This may break your heart...

"It is further recommended that the remaining twenty-nine (29) properties be vested into the City of Greater Sudbury. Following is a list of these properties. The first two properties are improved with older buildings which are at the end of their life expectancy. Tenders will be requested for the demolition of the buildings. "

18 Young Street, Capreol
Riviera Hotel, two storey building
Parcel 22014 SES
Lots 43, 44 & pt of Lot 45, Plan
M-65
Con 6, Part of Lot 11, Capreol twp

Wow. Trent - I think we were both wrong...

This is a 5 pin bowling alley. If I recall there was a laundry mat across the street that had vending machines with the little cans of pop with no pull tab. Just the two holes...

Anyone up for some Chinese

"You try #8, you like it." Can't believe they are still in business.

Recognize This Place?

Wow! Looks like it could use a little work. I am surprised it is still standing.

What I learned from the Canada Meeting...

1. Troy is worried about the amount of pop we are taking.

2. Dad is lucky there aren't any bar stools in Canada.

3. Trent has a hard time taking control of 8 adults. I have no idea how he handles a classroom of kids.

4. Cody will be lucky to go the entire week without going over the chutes.

5. I need to do some training before this trip because I felt like CRAP all day on Sunday.

6. There will be 10 rods and reels in the Camp Directors boat.

7. The next 66 days will seem to take forever. This is going to be a great trip.

River is Open for Business

The river seems completely free of ice and the ice pack at Main Camp seems to be diminishing.

Invites Sent....

For those of you that gave me your email address on Saturday, you should have an invite in your inbox for starting a new post.

Great meeting on Saturday. Thanks to the Camp Director for the hospitality and the food. Thanks to the Junior Camp Director for taking all the notes. Should be a great trip, hopefully these next 66 days fly by.

Meeting in the Books

Well, I think we got a few details worked out last night. But It seems to me that some of you were not serious about the meeting. I think a few were just there to drink beer and tell us stories. Thanks to the Co-Camp Director for keeping the meeting on track. It won't be long until Andy and I are winnning the first night fish pot! You Boys better sharpen your hooks.

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Ice is gone...

The ice has left Frog Lake and Pine lake. Looks like Kapuskasing Lake is still frozen solid. Just a little over 2 months and the fish will be practically jumping in the boat.

10 Weeks

In honor of us breaking the 70 day mark, I have fashioned a new countdown clock. I hated the other one but until now had been too lazy to change it. See you all in Gilmore tomorrow evening.

Weigh-in Day

I was actually a little bit shocked this week to only lose 1.5 lbs. Hopefully those last two weeks were my lull, now things will start picking up pace. I ran 5 days last week. I am done with my 1.6 mile week and this week begins 2 miles. 10 weeks from Friday we leave. 6 weeks left until my 5k. 4 days until the meeting, see you all there!

Gas Money

Here's an idea, if everyone that is paying for gas on this year's trip brings $20 to the meeting and throws it in the gas pot we would instantly have $200 more towards the trip. Doesn't seem like much, but it might make things a little easier. Just a thought, what do you think?

Walleye Killer

Come a little early to the meeting if you can, we have a few problems on the computer.

Going back to 2009

I think it is sad that Troy and I are the only ones that posted favorite parts of this trip. I will give the rest of you a chance to redeem yourself....

Troy started this list and I added to it.

-Hearing Dad's diesel fire up when it's time to pull out of the driveway.
-A hot hamburg at the upper deck.
-The drive from the boarder to Wawa.
-Getting off the plane at the Pines and giving Rodney a hard time.
-The boat ride to the chutes. (this is my favorite time of the whole year)
-Seeing some of the familiar scenery on every turn of the river for the first time of the year.
-Coming around the last turn and getting the first look at the Chutes.
-The feel of a hook set.

My additions....

The smell of a crisp morning stepping outside the cabin is one thing that is burned into my memory. I smelled that smell one morning when left my hotel in Seattle.

The glassy river as you leave the trappers cabin and make your way to the fish market.

The sound of a loon along with the water splashing up on the side of the aluminum boat.

"There's one"

The sound of the screen door slamming shut on the back cabin.

The smell of a pic burning.

I wonder why Nemogosenda Lake thaws before everything else???

Thaw report as of April 30...

Missing persons report

I was putting milk on my cereal this morning and noticed the pictures on the side of the carton were of L. Dillon and B. Haines. No reward being offered. Haven't heard from them or seen any blogs. Anybody know there whereabouts? If so, just keep it to yourself.

Anyone seen Fishfinder????

Somebody check his garage and see if is trapped under a pile of rubble. I know he has been doing some garage remodeling but I haven't seen him post on the blog lately. I wonder how many minnow buckets, worm containers, stringers and taildancers he found.

meeting update

Saturday evening, before the meeting we will have Canadian Walleye and monroe County bluegill, The walleye are the ones I caught,5 and 6 pounders and the 6 ounce bluegill came from a monroe county pond.
Hope to see all of you May 7th.


Camp director/Texas Bob

Some more math

77 / 7 = 11 - Weeks left until we hit the road.

875 * 1.05 = 918.75 - I don't think I need to put this in print.

1700 / 15 * 3 * 4 - 400 / 10 = 96 bucks per man in gas if we left today.

We could really use something to turn in our favor between now and July 15th. :)

The diet suffered...

Mom's Easter dinner, kid's Easter baskets, my lack of willpower - All led to me not losing any weight this week. I didn't gain any...but I didn't lose any either. I will right the ship this week. 11 weeks left. Need to lose about 2.5 a week.

Fishin in Motown

Aaron in motown ,
How has the fishing been this past week? The weather here has been terrible for the last three weeks, did give me time to get my tackle box ready for this years trip.How did the mountainers look during the spring game? see you on the seventh.
C amp director

Wide Open

It looks like this years Rookie of the Year award will be fought over by 4 first time campers. This will be the most exciting race since I won the award in 1979.

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Blog Posting

For those of you that go on this trip and would like access to start a new post, just shoot me your an email to rsmcouts(at)gmail .com. For those of you who are minimally computer inclined, be sure to change (at) to the @ symbol and remove any spaces. Writing it this way keeps my inbox from filling up with spam.

Tackle box loaded and ready to go

up early this morning, put new items in my tackle box. it is loaded , ready for a big week of catching big walleye. Nothing special, just full of the old fish catching lures of the past. Trent and I have industrial heavy duty stringers to make sure we do not lose any of our big fish.
happy easter to everyone on the blog, as you can see this is my first attempt at the computer, I am a lot faster at cutting trees. fishing meeting mav seventh

Camp director

Catching up with technology

Camp Director ( a.k.a. Texas Bob ) is now able to post on the blog. Visit frequently for latest trip updates, or if you just need personal advice or attention.

What the......

This trip seems to have just gotten more expensive for me and it has nothing to with anything in Canada. I am currently blaming Troy but I am sure it will all get sorted out at the meeting.

For the Young Guys....

Smoothest flight you will ever be on.

News From Richard

Dad and I talked to Richard today. Read the comment from Camp Director for more information.

You are all going to lose

I am the best fisherman and the rest of you are playing for second place.

My first setback

Well I didn't do very well at my weigh in tonight. I gained 1.5 pounds. I need to get back on the ball this week. There is a $50.00 contest to see who can loose the most weight over Easter week.

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Additional Beer Update

I was down 4.5 pounds this week. I also logged about 6 miles running this week. Not only am I going the right direction to be able to bring an extra case, but I will also be in better shape to get it up the hill. Andy, Connor, Harris, and Cody should appreciate my efforts. Hope everybody has a great week. 12 weeks from Fri. Time is flying by.

Trent was right....

This is a great read. Click the link below to go to the article

Makes me want to leave tomorrow.

Thaw slowly creeping its way north....

But it isn't there yet. Things up north still pretty white...

Still on this diet

Well I know you guys are on the edge of you seats waiting for my weekly diet report. I bet you have been wondering why I haven't posted my weigh in results over the past couple of weeks. Well it is your lucky day because me and my fat ass are beck. I hadn't posted recentley because we went to Disney World 2 weeks ago and I missed the weigh in. Last week I was back on the scale regretting all of those prepaid Disney meals and desserts, but was surrprised to have lost 1 pound while on vacation. I guess all of that walking must have helped. This week I lost 4 pounds. That brings my total to 18 thru 7 weeks. 13 more weeks left and I would like to pick up the pace a little. See everyone at the meeting.

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Canada Meeting- Be there or else!

The current Camp Director wanted me to post this for him. Texas Bob camp director,retiree says I have a young wife that comes first ,I'll get to the details of this trip. Show a little respect for your elders. fishing meeting May 7th at 7 o'clock bring your own weenies. No shows will have extra camp duties. Bernie,Larry,Aaron and Cody can stay at Shirley's bed & Breakfast but bring your own doughnuts. Camp Director Texas Bob

Pocket Blog

So sorry about the pocket Blogging. I am taking steps to stop this from repeating.

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<-------Double Digits....

Work/Relax trip to DC was not kind

But my workout/weightloss just got serious. Biggest Loser competition started today at work and I paid my registration fee for a 5k in June. No turning back now....

Camp Director seen???

Is the Camp Director spending his retirement with his feet up or is he planning a date for a Canada Meeting? As of tomorrow there will be double digit days left. It'll be here before you know it. A trip like this takes a lot of planning. Has anyone ever been there before? :)

Early Run at Canada

Just returned from our friendly neighbor to the north. It was a little hard to visit Canada without wetting a line, but it did get me in the mood for the trip in July. I must say, the Duty Free store at Niagara Falls is a lot bigger and nicer than the one in Michigan. I managed to drink a case of Blue Light, but I couldn't find a Hot Hamburg anywhere. Just over 100 days until we make our trip to the Great White North. I feel something special might happen this year- maybe Ryan might catch a pot winner, Uncle Steve might win a card game, and maybe, just maybe the three young boys will have the time of their lives.

passports

Heads up for J.J.- You probably already know this , but just in case, you need a passport for this trip. My son-in-law,Theron, applied for his this week and it made me wonder if you were aware of that requirement. Thanks to Troy I now know where mine is. I'm sure glad Patty didn't decide to get rid of that van after our last trip.

h

Ghoo

Pjfla.
-

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Rediscovering my Buffett roots....

This morning....I shot six holes in my freezer. I think I've got cabin fever....Somebody sound the alarm. I've gotta go where the pace of life slows....

Going back through some older posts....

Was there ever an official vote for Fisherman of the Week for 2009? That spot must be blank in the official log. That's a shame...Trent and Bernie both had pretty good years that year. It would have been nice to see how the vote turned out. We need to be sure and vote this year before everyone goes to bed. I would hate to see Bernie get screwed out of another award.

From 2006

Excerpt from an email I sent to the group....

Weather for Chapleau, ON for the 12th of June.  Partly cloudy  High 70 Low 40.  (This is as far out as I am able to project)
Gas price at the Sault Ste Marie 93.5 cents.......a liter.  (93.5 x 3.78 = $3.53 per gallon)
Exchange rate is $1.10 (could do without that)


Ha!  What we wouldn't give for 1.10 on the exchange rate right now.  Gas in Canada then is what it is in the US now.

Canada Meeting

I was thinking....there are going to be a few first timers at this meeting. We could put together a bunch of pictures on a thumb drive from those of us that can contribute digital images. I could bring my laptop and projector and we can just let it run as a slideshow. Might also be fun for us to see some pictures we didn't know existed. Maybe Dad and Bob could gather up a few older pictures and I can scan them to get them into the slide show.

For those of us with a little bit of know-how, maybe I'll just start a photobucket site and we can all upload the pictures we have and I'll just download them from there. I will start the album on photobucket tonight and give instructions on how to upload pictures to the album?

Now, who has digital images on their computers, CD's, etc.?

I may have to drink whiskey....

I need these Girl Scout Cookies out of my house. No progress toward my weight-loss goal this week either. I need to buckle down. Troy, I hope you had more success than I.

New Equipment Functions Properly

Tried out my new rods and reels on Friday. Caught 4 Largemouth. I am not sure of the drag function of my new reels. The fish weren't trying very hard once they got hooked in that cold water.

My wife made me buy a new rainsuit on Saturday. I protested but she insisted. I also bought new sunglasses but those broke Saturday night so I sold them to Larry for 25 cents. He then sold them to Cody for 3.00 who then sold them to Bob for 5. The Grandapple doesn't fall far from the tree.

16 more Fridays. I will be bringing one bag this year for my clothes, boat cushion, tacklebox, rainsuit, shoes, etc. The only thing that won't be in that bag will be my rods.....oh, my rods and the ass whoopin' I plan to put on all of you. That will require it's own protective case.

One last item of note, The Camp Director assured me on Saturday that all the arrangements have been made for Travel. I am not any more convinced than I was before Saturday. He was a few Black Velvets and Water in by the time he made this claim. :)

Week 2 Weigh In

Well after a fast start last week, I came back down to reality. After loosing 9 and 1/2 lbs last week I only lost 1 and 1/2 this week. I will need to keep a better pace if I want to meet my goals before our trip. I need to work a little harder this week.

18 weeks to go!

I Was Told There Would Be No Math.....

So here is how this breaks down....nerd-like.

Last year there were 10 people on the trip. All the cargo in Uncle Bob's truck. Uncle Bob's Truck with a cap has an approximate area of 180 cubic feet. That averages out to 18 cubic feet per person.

18 cubic feet per person x 14 people is 252 cubic feet of cargo room we will need.

The cargo area of each truck is as follows.

Bobs with Cap - 180 cu ft
Larry's with Cap - 150 cu ft
Steve's with Tonneau Cover - 60 cu ft.

If we assume 16 inches from the floor of the bed to the bottom of the bunk in Bobs Truck, that brings his cargo room down to 62 cu ft.

If we assume the same for Larry's Truck, that brings his cargo room down to 52 cu ft.

If we put the bed in Bob's truck we are going to be WAY short on cargo room. If we put the bed in Larry's truck, we are are still going to be short by 20 cubic feet or to put it in terms we can all understand, 7 cases of beer.

Something to consider for whenever the camp director schedules the meeting. (Not the first weekend in April, I will be in DC. ) :0)

Fourth Ride

I just secured the 4th vehicle for this years trip. 33 mpg. Plenty of room for 4 adults.

Week one weigh in.

Well so far so good. Tonight was the first of 20 weekly weigh ins. Glad to say that I lost 9.5 lbs. I know that there is know way to keep up a pace like that, but I'm just glad to be off to a good start. I think the biggest challenge ahead will be sticking with this for the whole 20 weeks. That's why I decided to make my journey public on this blog, to help keep me motivated and make it harder for me to give up.

19 weeks to go.

Wednesday % update

I have lost 2.38 %. 5 lbs Went with my scale numbers. I must have been really heavy when I did my first body test on the Wii. The Wii said I lost 6.37 lbs. I had to double check on my scale. I will post a picture of my Wii Graph after 4 weeks.

Added motivation...

Thanks to Troy's inspiration, I have decided to get serious about getting back down to fighting weight.

So I propose this...Everybody get their starting weight and keep track of it between now and July 15th. On July 15th the person who loses the biggest percentage of their original body weight gets their lunch/dinner paid for at either at Upper Deck or Red Pine depending on when we leave. Honor system of course.

Who's in?

My Personal Effort to save space for this years trip.

I just started a 20 week weight loss challenge. The final weigh in is July 15th. In case you forgot that is the same day we leave for the mother of all vacations. I have 2 weight loss goals. First, try to loose enough so that Andy and I are not on the same eye level in the boat this year. I mean why should his feet always be bone dry. My second goal is to loose enough weight to justify a couple of cases of beer being flown in for me to enjoy. I know you guys don't need to loose weight as bad as I do, but I suggest that everyone only gets to bring one case of beer for every 20 pounds they loose before the trip. Dad I'm just kidding, and know, that does not apply to bottles of liqure. Just think of the overweight charges we could avoid if we wen't beer free this year and switched everyone to whiskey.

Anyway I weigh in every Wednesday and will keep you posted on the results.

20 weeks to go.

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Another Month Goes Down.....

February has come and gone (thank God). As I was on my way home from teaching last night I mentally took a trip down the river. Aside from coming around the bend and getting the first look of the chutes, what is your favorite spot on the river? There is something about sitting and BS'ing just out from the beaver hut at the Trapper's Cabin. That may just be the quietest, most peaceful place on the river. There may be some fishing down below for me this year.

Update From Texas Bob (Read the comments below)

Just so it doesn't get lost in the shuffle...

Trent, whilst under the influence, entered into a verbal/text agreement for himself and his father. He then proceeded to call me vulgar names via text message. Very poor sport.

Just received my final order....

My wife has phoned Gander Mountain, Cabela's and Bass Pro and told them to no longer accept orders from me. I think I am done shopping....well....you know, until I see the Rain Suit I want on sale. I don't know what I am going to do for the next 140 days....

Sitting here watching the snow fall makes me wonder what it would be like at the chutes right now. One thing is for sure, we wouldn't need to worry about the windows having screens in them.

Gander Mountain Fishing Sale

Gander has a bunch of fishing stuff on sale online right now.

Bleeding Colors Tail Dancers (TD7) for 5.99. You know, if you are into that sort of thing. Husky Jerks are 4.79.

Just trying to help....or recruit people into my addictive behavior....however you would like to see it.

www.gandermountain.com

Enjoy.

Little Joe

I think with the three young boys going this year it might be time for Uncle Steve to break out the Little Joe card trick. Better practice up, the trip will be here before you know it.

JJ and Son - Welcome

Let me do the blog introductions...

WalleyeKiller - That's me. Ryan - a.k.a. every other year guy. I really take a beating here.

WawaWalleye - Troy - I assume you have met. If not we need to do a little better job screening our new applicants.

Mudslinger - Trent - You will hear him refer to himself as the Co-Camp Director - You are going to want to dismiss this.

Texas Bob - Bob - Trent and Troy's Dad - The actual camp director. You can believe most of what he tells you. There is a tipping point and takes a while to figure out how much Black Velvet makes him start lying. You'll figure it out.

FishFinder - Steve - My dad - Been going on this trip since 76 I think. Gin and Tonic is his Kryptonite.

Big Fish - Bernie - He is a little wishy-washy. Andy will tell you. Every year he says he isn't going back and every year he makes the trip.

No Pulp - Larry - But Larry's thoughts are posted by Bernie. You will soon find out that Larry entire purpose in life is to piss you off. Larry is bringing his grandson (I think) Cody.

Morgantown Pie Man - Aaron - Bernie's brother....He actually posts his own thoughts. I guess he had a big year last year, I don't know, I wasn't there. I will have to see for myself.

Anchor Boy - Andy - He will be the veteran of the young guys. Great kid. Loves the pull the anchor rope.

Theron - is...well...Theron - My brother-in-law - Making his second trip. If he asks to borrow your pliers, you are going to want to say no. Unless of course you want the added challenge of fishing them from the bottom of the river. He is taking his oldest son Connor on his first trip.

That about sums it up. You can go back to the beginning of this blog and learn a lot about the trip and the people. Welcome aboard...Trent came home from his first trip when he was 6 and told his mom "It was the best F*******g trip I've ever had." Nothing has changed. Best week of the year.

If it was yours

Imagine if the Chutes were yours. What would be the the things that you would do to fix it up a little. In other words, what needs done to make it the perfect camp?

Here are just a few things to start the list.
1. Fix the roof in the cabin.
2. Build docks down below and up above.
3. Make sure the ice gets cut every year.

I've always wondered.....

Ever wonder how ice gets cut (or doesn't get cut)

http://www.redpinelodge.com/ice.htm

Pretty cool (cold)

Pro-tec Powder Paint

Wow. If you ever wanted to paint your jigs, this is what you need. Crazy easy. No globs, no unevenness, really impressive. I did a few last night. Heat em up with a heat gun or a torch, dip in the powder, wait 5 seconds, drop it and start on the next one. Cured them in the oven at 300 degrees for 15 minutes. Dropped one from as high as I could reach on my workshop floor after curing and no chips, or even a scratch. I am impressed. I bought 50 1/8 oz jigs for 3.50 and they will end up the same quality as 6 Northland Jigs for 3.49.

Speaking of the jigs, I bought them from the site down a few posts and they are really good quality. Eagle Claw hooks, well molded, and much nicer than I thought they would be for 7 cents a piece. He could charge double that and still be WAY under anyone else. Pretty cool.

New Rod ordee

I just placed an order for a new rod to replace the one I broke last year. I ordered the exact same one as the one I broke. The way the walleye were fighting with each other to get hooked on that thing, I figure why change.

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droid

pretty cool

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Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.7

Test from my wife phone

This Droid Blogger app is pretty cool.

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Somebody Needs to Stop Me...

I can't stop. Somebody come get this computer from me. Did you know you can order almost anything related to fishing over the internet? New items so far:

Spinning Rod
Spinning Reel
Baitcasting Rod
Baitcasting Reel
Jig Heads
Powder Paint (4 colors)
Tackle Box
Plastics Binder
Husky Jerks
Line
Grubs

Jig Heads

Jig heads on this site, up to 1/4 oz, $.07 each. www.tnttackleonline.com

I am also going to tinker around with some powder painting of my jigs this year.

Husky Jerks were on sale at Cabela's for 4.69.

Berkley is having a rebate going on now thru June. Up to 15 off of 40.

Consider yourselves educated.

Change your names

Hey Troy and Ryan, could you both change your user name. Neither one of you is worthy of having the word walleye associated with your name. I laugh every time I read those names.

Bernie

so did you say bernie may not be going this year? What is his deal?

Pictures

Does anyone have any pictures of the hook through the thumbnail removal procedure? You had plenty of time to take them. It took him darn near all day to get the thing out of there. Pansy. I don't have many pictures at all. I am going to take our digital camera this year and photoblog the entire event. Be on your best behavior boys.

High Tech Blog

i wanted to let everyone know that I now have this blog on my droid and will be able to reply to any lies of exaggerations quicker than ever before. my typos and misspellings will be at a all time high.

Back OnLine

Well It took me a minute, but I was able to remember my password and here I am. You guys can stop telling lies now and lets get down to business. This year will have the most kids in camp since Trent and Ryan were getting their butts kicked by Little Dan and Cool Ray! As far as Logistics go, Dad and I were talking. Here is what we were thinking. Dad's truck, Larry's truck. Dad said he bought a cap, and my van. That is only room for 12, but what do you think about 2 sleeping in the back of the truck. Sorry, now that I typed this and did the math I realize that, we only have room for 10. Dad and I must have been drunk when we came up with that plan. Looks to me we might need 2 trucks the van and another car. Boy I hate to think about buying gas for 4 cars. Does anyone have a better idea.

Problem Solved

Who said vacation homes have to cost millions....

Think they'll do a time share?

LINK

Speaking of Logistics...

Does Uncle Bob's truck have a crew cab? Is the Silver Sierra making its first trip up north? Will Trent or I have to beg an Acadia from our wives.

Assuming the Ford is a 2 passenger ride:

Troy's Van - 6 people without much cargo I would imagine.
Acadia - 6 with very little cargo - 4 with a considerable amount
Bob's Ford - 2 people and obvious cargo.

I don't think this senario gives enough cargo space.

If we take two trucks, and Troy's van or one of our SUV's with a third row seat, we won't have enough room for 14 people.

If Bob's truck will hold 4 and Dad is willing to take his truck, the we could just decide who's wife to take a vehicle from and all would be right with the world. :) I am sure we will work it out but just something to think about.

logistics

It's been a long time since such a big group has made this trip. Hope the tractor works because there are only three to four decent boats above the chutes. Although I don't mind fishing below for a couple days.
Rodney is going to have to deliver ice at least every other day.
Bob still gets a bottom bunk.
Prediction: Connor will catch a 2o inch walleye on his first trip, not his twentieth.
Prediction: Larry's roomate will be Bernie(They have matching shirts,you know.)
Prediction: guys on last flight will not arrive at chutes the same day as everyone else.
Prediction: There will be mosquitoes
Check list for Theron: Worm box if desired,Landing net, Stringer,several sets fishermans pliers,life vest and rain suit for Connor
Note to Connor: You should be practicing with a rope and 20 pound weight fom that door above you garage to simulate pulling the anchor for your dad. (This is a PG-13 exercise)

This is a test post from my Blackberry via text.

Truth and Rumors

There are a couple of rumors going around this winter I think need some clearing up.

1. Bernie is out. (Scratched out in very light pencil)

2. Theron is in. (Written in Pen)

Edit: I have verified #2 as being true and in addition he is bringing his oldest son, Connor. Welcome to the trip Connor. Camp is officially full by my count. Additional attendees will be on cots in the kitchen of the back cabin. I may have to run for Camp Director this year since the present Camp Director and Co-Camp Direct seem to be slacking on their responsibilities.

If # 2 is indeed true. This may need to be a consideration.

http://www.basspro.com/Berkley-Classics-Tools-Floating-Needle-Nose-Hybrid-Pliers/product/10221708/-1754550

Where's everyone at

This blog is one of the things that gets me through the winter, where is everyone? I know Ryan has more material to use to bash me. Troy usually talks out his ass about how great a fisherman he is- by the way, has anyone seen the minnow he has hanging on his wall? Let the bashing begin, if we don't it could be a long winter.