My son, Son-in-law, and I went fishing yesterday up the Swan Valley to Salmon lake, know for it's Northern Pike, bass, jet skiis, rude and nude boaters among other things.
Jerry (son-in-law) bought an old boat last year, (16 foot Larson with a Merc Cruiser inboard) and we decided to spend a day beating the crap out of the water and getting sunburned, both of which we accomplished.
We get to the lake about 7:00 am and Jerry backs the trailer down the landing very professionally, if hitting the dock along side only twice is considered professional. At the last second before the stern end hits the water, Bobby, my son, notices that the drain plug is not where it's supposed to be.......in the drain hole. He frantically signals Jerry to stop, which Jerry does but just a tad late. Water is flowing in the hole, but Bobby manages to find the plug and get it in before more than, let's say, another 50 gallons of Salmon Lake flows in.
We finally get on the lake and cruise down to the "Pike" end of the lake, about 2 miles away. Jerry cuts the motor and we just drift along, checking the depth finder and fish finder.....looking for the Salmon Lake Monster.
Jerry: " Wow, it's deep here. Depth finder says 30 feet. Gonna have to use to deep running lures."
Bob (me): uh Jer.........I don't think your finder is set right. Take a look over the side."
Jerry: Wow, this water is clear. You can see all the way to the bottom."
Bobby: That's because the water is only 4 feet deep here, dummy. Your depth finder is set wrong." Bobby gets it set right and we're in business.
We get busy plastering the water with all the latest lures.........well Jerry and Bobby have all the latest lures. My "newest" plug is a Cisco Topper, bought in 1972 at Speiss' Sporting Goods in Eagle River.
Suddenly I hear this "pop" sound from the front of the boat, and turn just in time to see the front 4 feet of Jerry's spinning rod following a beautiful arc through the air, and land in the water about 30 yards out.
Jer: "What the F?"
Bobby; rolling with laughter: "Nice cast. Should scare up something with that one."
Jerry gets the rod back when he reels in the line and puts it back together.
We manage to catch a couple of small Northerns (18 inches or so) and Bobby and Jerry decide to have a sandwhich. I'm still fishing.
Bob: "Watch the pike go after this lure. Can't resist this thing."
Jerry and Bobby both laugh. "yeh, right. What is it anyway?"
Bob: "It's an old Pikey Minnow I got probably in 1965 or so."
They are eating and paying no attention to me when I yell "FISH ON!"
They laugh and then turn and see my rod doubled over and the drag screaming as line disappears from my reel. I manage to get the fish about 15 feet from the boat, when he decides he's had enough messing with me, and spits the lure out. All three of us saw the fish and agree it was anywhere from 3 to 10 feet long, depending on your angle of view in to the water, and how many Moose Drool's you had.
We decide that we've had enough excitement and get ready to head back in. But in all that excitement Jerry hits the open part of the windshield (this is an open bow boat and the center section of windshield opens) knocks it off it's hinges, and ker-plunk....into the water it goes. We watch it go down and hit bottom.
We can see it so the water must not be too deep. Depth finder says 12 feet. We draw straws to see who the lucky one will be to go overboard and retrieve it. Guess who the lucky one was?
Jerry maneuvers the boat over the windshield and I drop into the water and immediately freeze to death. I head down, find the damn windshield, and haul it back up.
When we get back to the boat ramp, the place is crowded with people. People are looking at me....soaking wet.........like "what the hell happened?"
Jerry says out loud for all to hear............"we throw the old guy overboard 'cause he drank all the beer, and has these old crappy lures in his tackle box."
Can't wait to go again!!
Anyone for a Weenie Roast?