Dobie Lake Recap July 28 to August 4, 2013

 Another Great Trip in the Books!

John Gaddum, Bob Haldrup, Randy Shields, Clayton Wright, James Clark
Garrett Haldrup, Reece Clark, Holden Clark, Neil Haldrup, Andy Haldrup

Our late July/early August trip found most of the fish away from the shallow inflow and outflow rivers. We found fish between 6 and 20 feet with some exceptions.  In shallow water, the fish were at the edge of weed beds in open water.  The deeper fish were in the 12 to 20 foot range near points, the shore, or open water humps.  Water temperature cooled from 67 degrees to 65 at the end of the week.  We caught a lot of healthy 16" to 20" walleye with some up to 22".  36" and 40" northern were found deep while fishing for walleye.  As usual, Clayton filleted 99% of the fish and Andy led the cooking effort.  Fires were stoked and poked by James and his minions.  John and Randy kept us well supplied with Whiskey and Cokes on non-Gimlet nights.  Bob kept the prizes flowing. $1,457/adult and $925/kid without air, and without some food, and lodging for travel dates. 

July 26, 2013 (Friday)                                                   

John scheduled a training mission for the week in Michigan and wrapped things up today.  He headed toward Duluth after lunch in his luxury Chevy rental and stopped in Eau Clair for the night.  The Indy crew (Bob, Randy, Clayton, and Andy) loaded up Clayton’s truck with the new Canadian Trip Extender and Bob’s imi car after dinner and stopped at the haunted Alaskan Motor Inn in Mauston, WI.                                                                                                       

July 27, 2013 (Saturday)

James, Holden, and our Rookie, Reece, were up and on a 6am flight to Chicago, then Duluth.  John met them at the airport and they all went to Gander Mountain near the Duluth airport for some additional wiggly and pointy things.  The Indy cars made a run at Gander Mtn when they hit Duluth.  I was awake at 4am, but laid in bed until almost 6am, thinking that I needed to be up at 6am.  However, we needed to be at the airport at 6am-ish for our 7:10 flight.  We scrambled and had a few minutes to spare.  Garrett and I arrived in Duluth at 1pm after a layover in Detroit.  We exchanged pleasantries with everyone and headed for the border.  Gas at the Holiday and jigs at the Sportsman in International Falls before cheese curds and dogs at the DQ.

Border crossing was quick and easy at 4:30pm.  Drove straight to L&M base camp with arrival at 7pm.  No activity, so on to the Indian Camp Resort run by Cindy and her lovely husband, Hank. We stayed in the garage at $25/person.  A definite chill and a few sprinkles in the air.  Cindy had things cozy for us with a fire burning. Welcome packs and shirts passed out to all members followed by a blood letting by G.  John, Jimmy, and I headed to the metropolis to get “c” batteries and pizza. 

 July 28, 2013(Sunday)

Up at 4am for our required attendance with Shane, Larry, and Mary at 4:30am.  A little breezy and cool at the dock. Very nice operation.  Settled up with Mary and then Shane told us where to catch the big ones and how to avoid the mine field.  Larry flew us all in with a departure at 5:40am, about 10 minutes after sunrise.  We arrived at Dobie at 7:05am.  A crew of 4 dads and their 4 sons, aggressive mosquitos, and a teasing sun greeted us.  The dads and boys told stories of a prosperous week with so many Walleye, they got bored, and some big Northerns found at the left ear.

 The cabin sleeps 12 in 3 bedrooms.  The boys took the room inside the front door to make it easier for the hungry bear to find them.  The kitchen has 2 large stoves and 2 large electric fridges.  The Honda generator was a nice and pretty quiet touch.  Clayton adorned the tri-outhouse complex with tropical fruit fresheners putting him in contention and an early leader for the Martha Stewart award.

 We unloaded and hit the lake by 9am.  The weather was nice (nearly 80 degrees), but breezy and turned out to be the best day of the trip.    We spent most of our time at the inflow and south end of the lake.  Everyone caught fish, but we think the bigger fish and numbers are at the deeper north end of the lake.  Bob and Andy made a run to the outflow and discouraged all from repeating (shallow and rocky with current).   James rearranged the fire pit to save on lawn care. Larry and Shane returned to replace a motor and shave the yard. 

 Clayton filleted Garrett’s walleye that Andy paired with Spaghetti and the inaugural Gimlets.  Boomerangs and moose prizes passed out for unknown reason to Reece, Holden, and Garrett.  In bed by 10pm.

July 29, 2013 (Monday)

Up at sunrise (everyday occurrence 5:30am).  Bob and Andy to bay north of cabin and John and Neil to bay south of cabin.  Eggs and bacon for breakfast.  John and the Clarks headed to the rock ridden outflow and got separated.  They discouraged all from repeating - shallow and rocky with current (sound familiar). The other 6 went to the left ear with little luck as the winds picked up.  Saw a moose swim across north end of left ear. 

Garrett did land an 18" eater 3-eye and Clayton found a swarm of walleye opposite the north point at the edge of a large weed bed.

 Everyone back at camp by 4pm after some heavy rains/high winds caught most of at sea.  Candy fish for dinner and more prizes for the boys!

 July 30, 2013 (Tuesday)                                        

 Andy, John, and Neil to weed bed before twin islands.  Caught a few walleye at the edges before returning for pancakes.  Everyone headed to the right ear after breakfast to scout potential shore lunch sites.  Reece found a spot with some walleye before we investigated a shore lunch spot near the mouth of the right ear. Rain and wind loomed and most of us headed for home.  Andy and Randy weathered the storms and returned home around 4pm.  Early prizes awarded by the love of Bob. 

 Official NLFC meeting followed the burgers/dogs/beans/chips dinner.  Meeting minutes from prior meeting reflect we enjoy these trips a lot.  Old business discussed, including how much we like these trips and why we do not do more of them.  Jimmy gave us a talk on safety and how to build really big fires.  Reece nominated for Rookie of the Year.  New business included a discussion on why we do not do more of these trips.  Reece motioned to restrict prize awards to actual competitions with a prohibition on receiving prizes on consecutive days.  The motion passed without objection.  We also voted to take another trip in 2015.  Airing of the Grievances focused on complaints about not taking enough trips.  After the meeting, we played pass the trash and after a double burn between finalists John and Holden, everyone returned with new life, but Holden won out.  More prizes awarded!  In bed by 10pm.

 July 31, 2013 (Wednesday)

 Found some walleye early at the twin islands and beyond at sunrise.  Sausage gravy and biscuits for breakfast followed by fishing in mostly northern end of the lake between and during wind and rain.  After a short respite early afternoon the sun encouraged some to return to the water.  Bob and Garrett fished the inflow again during and between afternoon storms.  Andy made Asian fish for dinner and we washed it down with Gimlets.  Toast to NLFC Founders and all members before bed.  My notes do not reflect prizes this day, but that is clearly an error. 

 August 1, 2013 (Thursday)

 Fished John’s Bay north of the cabin at sunrise.  Eggs and sausage for breakfast and then to plant fish guts at sandy bear beach across from Rabid Bear North Point.   Garrett and Reece fished the furthest northen edge of the right ear and Garrett landed the fish farthest from the cabin.  Neil landed a 36" northern at nearly 30 feet near one of the submerged rocks off the right sister island.   John retrieved the wildlife camera to see that he captured an eagle and eaglet foraging on the fish remains.  No bears captured.  Wind and rain continued to blanket us for most of the day.  Ham and potatoes before a $10, winner take all, fishing tournament at John’s Bay.  After the event concluded, the sanctioning body requested voluntary confessions of any rule infractions and instead of a confession, Bob accused other teams of cheating.  The infraction committee immediately declared a foul by Team Bob and Andy (caught fishing before official start time) and a motion to disqualify Bob and Andy from all contests for 2 years passed unanimously.  After sentencing, a 3 way tie declared between Team Clayton and Reece, John and Garrett, and Holden and James.  We found Sasquatch lurking in the woods near the blueberry patch and in bed by 10.

 August 2, 2013 (Friday)

 Coolest morning so far with storm clouds looming in the north.  Big group out to twin islands and then to scout for shore lunch spots near outflow before breakfast.  Andy lost big Pike near outflow entrance.  Andy took a boatload of boys out after pancackes.  Garrett at the bow, Holden at port, and Reece at starboard.  All the boys caught fish and G declared it the best day of the trip despite the driving rain and cool temperatures.  Snack fish for dinner using chex mix for a batch and Pringles for another.  Reece called an emergency NLFC meeting seeking reinstatement of Bob and Andy.  Heated discussion and arguments flew before a unanimous vote to allow Andy and Bob’s participation in all things NLFC.  Vivid rainbow graced the northern sky.  Headed to bed hoping for a pleasant last day and a shore lunch.

 August 3, 2013 (Saturday)

 Another cool morning with high winds and clouds, but no rain!  After cereal and toast, we all headed to the north in hopes of a shore lunch at the island entering the outflow area.  Winds too strong, so shore lunch moved to spot in the north ear.  After taking stock of the shore lunch “inventory” we realized we forgot the oil for candy fish.  A trip to the cabin and back would take 45 minutes, so Clayton filleted the fish leaving the skin on one side.  Andy artfully grilled the fish over the fire and shared it with beans.  Very tasty mistake.  The winds continued after lunch as we all headed for home.  On the way, Neil and G caught a 40" Pike at the Norrthern Point and landed it with Andy and Bob’s assistance.  The skies started to clear for a beautiful afternoon.  Home to clean the boats and start the cleaning process.  Candy fish night with sausage and rice and o-rings.  Beautiful evening and brilliant stars.

 August 4, 2013 (Sunday)

 Final cleaning and packing before plane arrived at 6:50am.  Son with father and father-in-law arrived to take over the camp.  Beautiful start to the day, but who knows what the day turned out to be at Dobie.  Final NLFC meeting declared Reece Rookie of the Year! We headed for Dryden at 7:40am and we were greeted by Mary at 8:50am.  We loaded the cars and gathered some souvenirs and hit the road to IF at 9:30am with unremarkable border crossing at noon.  Lunch at Subway and on to Duluth.  Tried to drop off some things at the airport but denied and on to the Best Western before good-byes to John and the Indy cars.  James scrambled to package and mail some of his things and then the boys took a hike with me and James to the Canal walk.  We dined at Pizza Luce after being turned away at Fitzgers.  John made it to Chicago as the Indy cars made the final jaunt home.

 August 5, 2013 (Monday)

 Indy cars home by 4am as James and the boys arose for a 5:45am flight.  Neil and G at the airport by 6 after cab cancelled by hotel clerk and emergency cab hailed.  James and the boys delayed in Chicago near John’s gate, but never saw each other.   All fliers home by 5pm.

Awards and Words of Remembrance

We are looking forward to Ben Meyers and Filson Gaddum joining us as Rookies in 2015.  Early site contenders include Latrielle, Brennan, Dobie, and Carroll.

• July 27 - Travel from all to Border, dash to Dryden by pm.
• Lodging at Indian Point Camp
• July 28 - Fly-in to Outpost
• July 29 - August 4 - Fishing, etc
• August 4 - Fly out to base in am.
• August 4/5 - Travel home

For those of you who do not have a Non-Resident Outdoors card or if your card expired, you will need to go on line and order one. 

The card is required for you to purchase a fishing license. 

Go HERE for more information on getting your Outdoors card and License.