Day 1 – An Incredible Drive
I left after Chris got back from dropping the boys off at school. I had to call into a meeting at 1130, but after that it was smooth driving. Western PA is beautiful, especially the Laurel Highlands… Ohio and Indiana are not… mostly lowland farms. Hit some traffic near CHicago but from then on I was unslowed to Wisconsin. I only stopped to get gas, pee, and get food, and kept driving until I got to Leas Lake Flowage at 336 AM (ET), 18.5 hours after I set out. It was a brutal drive but I was fueled by the excitement of stopping for the WI grouse opener and having just a short morning drive to Minneapolis. I doubt I’ll do the same thing on the way back home. I’ll probably drive until 11 or 12, get a hotel so I can shower and get a good night sleep before finishing the drive home.
Day 2 – Ladysmith to Edina
Woke up at Leas Lake GMA just north of Ladysmith, WI. Walked the south and east side of the flowage. Flushed a grouse on the way back, and a turkey on the way out. The grouse was perched 3-4 feet off the ground about 15 yards off the trail. It flew straight away and basically presented no shot. I also found some bear tracks on the way back- they are the first I’ve found in the wild. I’d like to guess their size and maybe the size of the bear, using the pics if possible. It started to rain as I got to the car so I set out for Mick’s in Edina. A few short hours later and I was pulling up to his house. His son Woodrow was looking for me out the front door as I pulled up. As soon as I walked up he asked if I wanted to see the big fish he caught. It was a really nice largemouth bass. I hung out at Mick’s for a while with his family, and had lunch before heading over to Jay’s. Jay, his fiancé Mel, Mick, his wife Brittany, and I went to dinner at a restaurant called Sea Salt in the park where Minnehaha Falls is located. I went back to Jay’s and crashed there in his guest room.
Day 3 – Grand Marais
Woke up at Jay’s. Went to get coffee and chilled in his back yard waiting for he and Mel to wake up. Hung out fr a while before heading over to pick up Mick. Packed the car and headed for Duluth. Met Jay there and dropped off this car before heading to Grand Marais. Stopped at Gooseberry Falls and the mouth of the river where it meets Lake Superior. Mick sawm in the lake- I just marveled at its size. We finished the drive to Grand Marais, an almost New England-esque coastal town on the north shore of Lake Superior. We had dinner at the Angry Trout, a beautiful little harbor-side restaurant with outdoor seating. After dinner we drove up the Gunflint Trail- Cook County Road 12- to Seagull Outfitters. On the way up we saw a large red fox. The Gunflint is 57 miles of uninterrupted north woods, beautiful in its expanse and monotony. We arrived at the outfitters after dark, checked in, had some beers on the floating dock and went to bed in the bunkhouse.
Day 4 – Alpine Lake Camp
We awoke in the bunkhouse, packed up, used the bathroom and waited for the outfitter’s to open. After paying for our canoe and bear barrel rentals, we loaded up and set out. The lake was empty and it was beautiful. Rain clouds and sunshine swirled around us and we caught a drizzle along the six mile paddle to the first portage. On route we entered the BWCA and were alone. Our solitude was cut short as we approached the portage where three or four groups were heading our way, off of Alpine lake. We disembarked and I started for the other side carrying my pack, 410 in hand. I dropped off the pack and went back for the bear barrel, opting to take the gun with me. About forty yards from the start of the portage I spotted a grouse. I told Jay to cover his ears, but noticed there were still people lingering at the entrance. I called out to give them a heads up and they waved me on before shooting the first grouse. I was- before noon on the first day of our expedition- on cloud 9 as I crossed the portage with the barrel . We stopped so I could clean the grouse before we found and made our camp on the south side of Alpine Lake. The spot was beautiful. A chipmunk came up almost immediately and climbed onto my pack. We cooked up the grouse and went skinny dipping in the heat of the afternoon. The water was clear but cold, and frightening in its depths. I set out the crayfish trap and fished before dinner. I caught my first northern pike- a little guy, but still cool. We ate steaks and crashed.
Day 5 – Alpine to Sag
I woke up early and headed south to the portage to Jasper Lake alone. After securing the boat, I walked to the other side. I realized the flow was *into* Alpine lake, not out of it, and started fishing at the top of the rapids coming from Jasper Lake. Before long I had landed two very respectable smallies. I then lost the stick bait I’d been throwing and switched to a jig. After a few casts, I had a huge hit and before long reeled in an absolute pig smallie. It jumped several times as I fought it, but I was able to land it after a few minutes. It was probably 20″ and 6lbs and the biggest smallmouth bass I have caught by far. I went back to camp, we ate breakfast and packed up. No cray fish in the trap. We fished a bit on the way up Alpine Lake. I caught another nice smallie near the portage to Red Rock Lake. We portaged to Saganaga and made for the first camp. I caught another smallie on the way that we kept and ate as an appetizer before dinner. The second camp was beautiful and by far the most expansive… we each had out own little grove to set up a tent, almost like rooms. We ate dinner and relaxed. I caught one more- 18″- smallie from camp… would have been my PB if not for the morning mogan.
Day 6 – Night Stick Island
When we arrived at the campsite on Red Rock Bay, Jay immediately found a stick some previous camper had fashioned into a night stick for clobbering fish. I thought this boded well, but we haven’t had much success on Sag so far except for the smallie last night and a pike that broke me off immediately. I woke up, readied the canoe and set out for the unoccupied camp across the bay from us. I used onX, but it clearly had the wrong location for the camp. I found it later in the afternoon and we raided it for firewood, but in the morning I returned to camp to look for grouse in the woods behind it. After a short amount of walking now not long after sunrise, I spotted a grouse maybe ten feet away. It was so close I worried about obliterating it, even with the 410. I tried to aim just above his head so he wouldn’t get the full pattern, but it was so tight I missed and he flew off. I hunted again after lunch, this time all through the wilderness behind our camp. I spotted a grouse at one point, but before I was sure it wasn’t a woodpecker (skinny and in a tree) it flew off and I didn’t take a wing shot hoping I could follow but could not. Deep into the woods I found moose poop. All of a sudden I had an eery feeling, being so far from camp, I hastily made my way back. Before dinner I walked the same general area close to camp where I’d missed early and found another grouse, this time at a more appropriate distance. I took two long deliberate strides forward and shot. I made a sandwich with the breast that turned out so delicious I shared it with Mick and Jay.
At 220 am I awoke to the loud sound of breaking branches and thrashing brush bearing down on our camp. I guess it 50 yards away and coming quickly when I called to Mick and Jay who they were already awake. Upon hearing our voices it halted, paused, and hastily retreated into the wilderness. We rushed from our tents with flashlights to get a glimpse, but it had disappeared into the endless north woods.
Day 7 – Last Full Day
I slept until shooting light for the first time and poked around behind camp after, but knowing I’d be doing at least one long portage today I decide to fish and relax at camp. I’ve been having an amazing time, but am now really starting to miss Chris and the boys. We at breakfast, packed up, said goodbye to our beloved kingdom, and set out for Grandpa Lake. After some debate and confusion about the passage to Roy Lake, and trolling up a smallie, we found our was along side Canada to the portage. The crossing was fairly short, but somewhat vertical. Roy Lake was beautiful. We saw a group of river otters. But Roy Lake was short, and we quickly reached the portage to Grandpa Lake. Pulling up to the landing, Mick spotted a grouse. We swung the boat broadside and I took a shot while they covered their ears. Third grouse of the trip. 5th siting in the BWCA. After a short paddle on Grandpa Lake, we arrived at another beautiful campsite. In these northern reaches the forests are dominated by pines. We cooked up the grouse in the cast iron skillet with gryllkrida and relaxed. They swam and I still hunted the pine forest hoping to see a spruce grouse. The trip has been amazing, but I feel obliged to get the most out of it.
Day 8 – Exit Strategy
I slept until shooting light and was surprised when I got up to pack and it was dry out, it having rained last night. Mick and Jay were slow to get up and get going, but we had agreed to leave early, without breakfast. After breakfast and our second pot of coffee, they sluggishly packed the canoe. Maybe because they knew it meant our trip was ending. I walked the trails through the pine woods behind the camp one last time, pausing to absorb as much as possible. The paddle off Grandpa Lake was quick, but knowing this would be the longest and hardest portage as well as my last shot at spruce grouse, I readied myself and set across first with Jay just behind. At the peak of the portage in a patch of pines, there on the path stood an unmistakable spruce grouse. I whispered to Jay and quickly stepped up to take the shot. The bird fell where it stood and I was ecstatic- my first spruce grouse, a beautiful bird. We completed the portage and then a ninety minute paddle back to the outfitters. We unloaded the canoe and I got the grouse on ice. After lunch at the Hungry Hippy in Grand Marais, we picked up Jay’s car and got coffee in Duluth before parting ways. I had a truly amazing time, but I was due at Murry’s Landing on the Turtle-Flambeau Flowage by 7 PM so I had to boogie.
