Bella's Big Fish Day

Jackie and I brought granddaughter Bella back to Minnesota to attend her uncle David's basketball camp in Grand Rapids. I promised her that I would take her fishing and told her we would catch some real fish. She has a pond near her house in Novi, MI where she spends hours catching 6" perch and sunnies being satisfied that they will bite on the hotdog she uses for bait. We went fishing on Pokegama Lake Wednesday afternoon and all we could catch were small perch. We were a little disappointed especially being it was a cloudy cool...no...cold afternoon of boating.

Hoping yesterday was going to be different I planned to take her out on Trout Lake and a chance for some big walleyes. The pre-trip events of the day were a nightmare and lets just say I ended up picking up Bella late and Zach had business which made us very late to get onto the water. I asked Bella if she was too tired to go fishing, and got a big no I want to catch fish!! On our first trip out on the lake we set up and made 3 casts and I got a call from David telling us there was a spotted tornado north of us and it would be passing by in 10 minutes. Up came the lines and Zach made a warp speed bee-line to the landing. I drove the boat onto the trailer and got to ride back to his house sitting in the boat doing 60MPH. We waited till the storm passed and I ask if we should go home. Bella said lets go fishing!

We found a spot with fish and Bella showed us how to catch nice walleyes, after she landed her fish before we had any bites Zach said he may have her in the boat for the next tournament and maybe I should go golfing! As we tried to make 1 more pass at the fish we saw that another storm was heading for us and blocking our return to the landing so we found shelter at a campground under a shelter. We stood watching the downpour for about an hour before we raced back to the landing between storms. I guess everyone who has tried fishing in June knows that if your going fishing this year bring your rain gear because your going to get wet. It has rained almost everyday this June!!

I hope you enjoy the pictures that follow as much as Bella did catching these fish. I hope you have a opportunity to get out fishing but remember bring your rain gear or your going to get wet this year if you don't.

Good fishing,

Steelheader

Trout Lake is where Zach and I like to bring people out to see big walleyes, and it was a joy to bring my granddaughter Bella out last night. She is very a patient fisherman as she can spend hours on the little pond by her house catching 6" perch and sunnies.

As Bella will tell you she is a fish magnet, she had 3 bites and 2 fish in the boat before Z and I had a bite! It was great to get her out and watch her land these fish.

Bella holds up the last of her walleyes caught last night.