Woods & Water by Dick Herfindahl

After having survived our first major storm of the new year, I have to give a nod of thanks to my two oldest grandsons, Trevor and Taylor, for shoveling. The one thing that takes away from the beauty of freshly fallen snow is the aftermath and the work that comes with it. In some ways I get kind of a feeling of self-satisfaction whenever I shovel the driveway and the sidewalk in front of the house.

The bird feeders that hang in front of our house were even blasted with a wall of snow and as my granddaughter Emma gazed out the window she was pleasantly surprised by the number of birds that were fluttering busily around the feeders.

Last week my grandson Trevor took me fishing on Fountain and Pickerel Lakes. We fished mid-day and with the exception of quite a few small bluegills, we didn’t have much luck. On Pickerel, the perch were curious, but not in the mood to sample any bait that I had to offer. Although we didn’t have much luck size-wise I did catch a few small sunnies, which is more than I have caught through the ice for some time. The time that I got to spend with my oldest grandson was reward enough for this old grandpa.

This past weekend Trevor and some friends went to Fairmont and fished one of the lakes in the chain of lakes in that area. Trevor said the fishing was fantastic and that most of the crappies they caught were in the 10 to 11-inch range. Throw in some white bass and walleye and it was a great weekend. I’d guess if you have a portable and want to get into some good fishing the Fairmont area might be the place to go. You can check with local bait shops for hot spots or follow the trail to the numerous houses that sit clustered on many of that area’s lakes.

Back home, the word is that the crappie fishing has picked up on Fountain Lake and I’d venture to guess that an evening bite might be best. I am not an expert when it comes to ice fishing so the word “guess” would be just that. Although past experience in open water points to the best crappie bite usually being in the evening.

After spending part of a day on the ice with Trevor, I have to say that I am ready for more. I am sporting a new knee and everything physical seems to be less of a challenge than it has been for some time. After that day I was already looking forward to another fishing excursion to a nearby lake. I am curious as to how the fishing has been or would be on Beaver Lake near Ellendale or St. Olaf Lake just north and east of New Richland.

Visiting one of these lakes would be like revisiting a little bit of my childhood when I attended fishing contests on St. Olaf. Mom and dad would take me to the annual fishing contest that was held there each winter, where I would spend hours staring at my bobber in that little hole that had been dug in the ice.

I would sometimes manage to catch a small perch or two but never anything big. My Mother would leave the warmth of the office/store/bar to check on me from time to time. I never once told her that I was cold and wanted to quit because, after all, I had on my long johns, winter coat and stocking hat along with my 5-buckle overshoes, so I was in it for the long haul.

I never did win anything with my fishing expertise, nor did I get my name drawn for one of those neat prizes, but that really didn’t matter because I was fishing just like a hundred or so other folks and that is what really mattered. Once the contest was over I would head for the warmth of the store and would be rewarded with a bottle of soda and a candy bar or bag of cheese curls, which were my favorite at the time. Maybe my lack of success at those contests was the reason that I never really got into any serious hard water fishing as an adult.

Back home, I’d roam the slough, which was my domain in the winter time, and I’d look through the clear ice hoping to spot a fish swimming in the current beneath. Yes, this was where I was in my comfort zone and on the days that I ventured out alone I would imagine that I was an explorer or a frontiersman which made me feel just that much closer to nature.

Until next time, spend some time in the outdoors sharing an adventure with a youth whether it be your child, grandchild or a friend’s child. It’s what memories are made of.

Please take some time to honor those who have sacrificed so much for the freedoms we enjoy today. Also, take some time to remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice, those who served and those troops serving today.