Rainy Lake '09

On Thursday we left for Rainy Lake with the weather forcast not looking good. It rained on and off most of the way up to International Falls, but by the time we were ready to go onto the lake the sky began clearing. We cruised out past the Brule Narrows with only a few sprinkles to annoy us. Only to be looking for a campsite for the better part of 3 hours and 40 miles. We had to camp in a site under construction and set up our tent on a turtleback rock. On Friday we went fishing in the morning and got into a good school of fish. From 9 to 12 we caught most of our weekend fish. Friday afternoon we went looking for a legitimate campsite and were lucky enough to see someone leaving the campsite that we've been at for the last 3 years.

By 3 Pm that Friday afternoon we were home at last and set up. Friday night the monsoon moved in, the rain was so hard it broke one of the tent poles and almost collapsed the tent. At 2 in the morning I'm running around in ankle deep water trying to keep the tent form crashing down on us. I managed but one side of the tent was hanging only inches from my nose for the rest of the night. With all the rain and high winds Saturday was not a good fishing day and when we tried to get out we got pounded. If you look below you will see what Saturday was good for.

Anyway the trip was OK but could have been better. No fishing trip is ever a total bust. A good time was had by all with good company, and a couple of good dogs. There will be other trips this year and I hope you will look forward to their descriptions of the mayhem we enounter.

Hope you can get out an make some memories of your own,

Steelheader