Never too Late to Learn or Laugh at Fish Camp
Day1
The first day on our fishing adventure, the plan was to take my boat up to my dads at lake leelanaue rv park , drop it off, head to their salmon fishing camp; at twin oaks camp ground, set up camp, and get to the river. For starters I would like to add we both thought about leaving the boat at Twin Oaks and maybe use it during the day but were unsure on the boat being able to be used and how safe it would be; so the boats dropped off, we got checked in to Twin Oaks, tent set up, and cots and it looked like we really were regular campers so we headed to the river not really knowing what we were doing or where we were really going. We started fishing about 5 or 6 o'clock and I think we each caught two or three fish. Not bad but not great. All and all we both thought it was cool and headed back to camp tired and wore out from the traveling and getting up about four in the morning. It was probably about 45 degrees that night so no fire and the tent was not bad... nice and cool, other than being a fat guy trying to sleep on a cot probably made for taking kids camping and not an average adult let alone a three hundred pound man.
After a fist full of ibuprofin and some breakfast, that my fishing partner whipped up on his camp stove that at first looked alot like a can of Alpo dog food and some eggs, we headed for the river. The morning bit was not great, a few bites but very underwhelming. The evening bit we each caught 3 or 4, cleaned the fish at the fish cleaning station, and hit the shower trying to warm up. It was probably midnight to one in the morning. It was fairly cold and being wet from the river didn't help. The feeling of being cold to the core made my fishing partner get out his buddy heater. He tried over and over again to fire it up but with no avail and I headed to take a hot shower. Being satisfied with a warm shower and the water pressure of a old man with prostate trouble, I was pretty sure my back up heat was going to be a god send I had a 12 volt electric blanket that i was plugging in to a power source that we left in the tent. We gave up on the tent heater and just hit the cots hoping for the best as it seemed to be getting colder and colder out. My phone said 34 degrees out. My partner being the camping guru had a camping sleeping bag and was fine chilly but fine. Meanwhile me in my sleeping bag that I'm sure was bought for my daughter for a slumber party and my 12 volt tailgating eclectic blanket. The electric blanket worked so well I was holding my hand on the blanket wondering and asking myself, "Is this gd thing on? Is it working at all?" I was pretty much froze on my tiny borrowed cot. The whole night thinking one what the hell am i doing? and two wondering whether or not this damn blanket was working. I was checking my phone every 3 minutes hoping for the morning to get here. I know I fell asleep once at least because I woke up with my head and my arm outside of the tiny electric blanket. My arm was so cold I think I heard cracking as I pulled it back in under the tiny blanket. Tired, cold, and I'm sure kinda bitchy, we both tried to get a fire going and do what ever we could to warm up. My buddy went back to the tent and layed on his cot not getting much sleep his self on his tiny cot with his fancy twenty year old camping sleeping bag. In about two minutes of trying to get a nap he fell Thru it. The metal frame broke. So now we are one cot down. I'm guessing the cot was as miserable as we were and it killed itself. Either that or it missed its friend the buddy heater who had passed away early that evening. But on the good side we both knew that a horse trailer with two more fisherman and a furnace was on its way. So knowing that was going to be our last night in the tent and on the tiny cots we were way to excited for a horse trailer to show up. That was pretty much one of the most miserable nights I had ever spent. haha. I can laugh about it now but wow I'm definitely spoiled with camping in my dads trailer with the furnace and the cable tv.
Day 3
My camp conisoure fishing partner did most the cooking. We ate mostly from cans and he whipped up breakfast that morning of some hash and eggs. Looked alot like Alpo and eggs but being cold tired and hungry, it was actually pretty good.
We drove around and hit a few spots, not catching anything.We starting talking to an older lady wearing knee boots and carrying a fishing pole . the lady I'm guessing was in her seventy's. i asked her how they were biting and she said that she only caught two but her brother in-law and her uncle had did better than her ? at that point the only thing i could think of was , holly hell how old the uncle?we later Found a place we could have launched the boat and fished from a boat, which made us both cuss for taking it to dads.
We waited around for the horse trailer and our other fisherman almost wanting to throw a ticker tape parade as the pulled in. We set up camp that night about midnight and headed for the river. That night I think all four of us got 4 or 5 fish after fishing for a few hours and cleaning fish for a couple hours it was getting light out as we climbed into the trailer and slept for a few hours. Best night of sleep ever.
Day 4
Drove around with the horse trailer twins checking out the area and doing our best to kill the better part of a couple cases of beer. Hanging out at the camp with my fishing partners cooking skills upgraded tremendously with a larger array of chow while waiting around camp the neighboring loud mouth camper came over to tell us how he was the greatest fisherman possible in the river and maybe the world. He could tell the type of rock his bait was dragging across just by feel, and as I was refilling my tackle box with jigs, the drunk neighbor said he wanted no part of those outlaw lead sling er type guys and stumbled away, after his Buddy's from his camp hollered over to tell him to leave us alone and stop talking on his gay blue tooth phone thing. That night fishing was not the greatest night. Toward the end of the night the horse trailer twin one was helping my fishing partner net a fish and the fish went under the net swimming between his legs and hooking his waders, hooking his leg, and tearing his waders, in the center of the fast moving river at one in the morning. Twin number two had caught his limit and was already at the truck. My partner and twin one headed for the bank and i lugged behind only having four fish still looking for number five. I made it almost to the bank and my right foot stepped in what felt like a deep hole, so there I sat on my left foot right one in a hole I'm thinking possibly broken and I cant get up. The only way is to lay forward and basically do a push up in the water getting extremely wet as my waders were filling up, while doing my push up. Once I stood up I used my net as a crutch and hobbled up the hill with my friend dragging up my shit. Cold wet and a foot that in my mind is probably broke, we had the fish cleaning guys clean our fish and made our way back to camp kinda beat up and tired.
My partner whipped up a breakfast, we threw a loin in the smoker and headed to Travers City to pick up some wine and beer for twin number two. My foot hurt like holy hell but I sure wasn't going to tell my ruthless fricking Buddy's. So off we went hunting a new set of waders and wine and beer from a winery. The whole trip up there, the three of us poked more fun at twin number two for taking us to a gay wine place and down town Travers to buy coffee beans. Made it fun for us but im pretty sure it was greting damn old for him. We all knew we were in trouble when we pulled up to the place and there was a wedding going on there in the front yard, and here comes up cruddy unshaven and fish blood all over my cleanest pair of pants. yeah we fit in.. haha
I thought the bus driver waiting by his bus was going to fall over, when he heard me ask if we could go to a bar and get the gay off me or possibly thanking him for bringing me to a wine place and making us all now raging homosexuals,lmao. busting each others balls is just part of hanging out with your buddys. " i guess i should think about my phrazing there" ..lol. We got back to camp and waited for two co workers, of horse trailer twin number two, fisherman number five and six. While waiting, captain morgan came out and started flowing. Not sure if it was the captain or what but my foot is feeling great. Once the co workers showed up more booze came out and flowed. Once everyone was greased up really good with all the booze. to much really, to be safe or smart ,so we headed to the river. The captain or the whiskey, not sure really, had pretty much every thing funny to me.my fishing partner said he had no trouble finding me in the dark, i was the only one giggleing like a crazy person . At one point the captain really messed up my casting rod. so I had to go back to the truck and get a spare. When I came back to find my normally calm fishing parter he had been swarmed by fisherman and was getting mad. I got up beside him as he announced that if I drowned the jack ass beside me in the red hat it would be OK with him. So me and captain morgan, started side casting and shinning my head light in the eyes of red hat till he went way.. haha
Everyone I believe got their limit and we all headed to Andy's bait shop to get our fish cleaned.crazy to me to think about paying someone to clean my fish, but it makes sense at times.
Day 6
After breakfast we left the horse trailer camp and headed north to bass and walleye fish for a few days.
By the time we showed up unloaded the boat and got to the water I was almost too tired to head to the point. You would have thought I worked all day instead of messed around..lol.
Day 7
The rest of the days are kinda tough to differentiate from one or the other. Each one of us caught our limit a few of those days and each caught a four or four and half pounder which was cool. We fished everyday until Wednesday night decided to go home Thursday because they were calling for rain and we had been wet and cold about enough. We decided to head home and beat the rain. Wednesday night the three of us went in to dicks pour house which is probably my favorite place to eat in the world, always getting the same thing. Smelt dinners, which is pretty much nothing more than fried minnows.The next morning we got up and it was nice and sunny . Pretty much back to back trip between biking out west and then, backing it up with a fishing trip.It was great but much more costly than i had ever planed . Hopefully next year i can repeat this, with a few lessons learned and much more money, but all and all i would not change a thing. Making it home alittle fater, alot broke'er, and hopefull a touch wiser for next year.
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