[catchafew]

Starting over at my age and shape isn't fun but it's the exploring new waters is what I loved most about fishing when I was younger. I'm a simple average fisherman, I chalk up our skunk today to sketchy intel, perhaps subterfuge from a local who doesn't like FIBs, I can't blame her and I've been coming up here for 30 years. I reach out on FB to a female local quasi fishing and hunting guide and she said this stretch has smallies. I think she's still pining for me from June 2000 as her and her Gumby gf at the Outer Limits bar were grinding on me in Iron River to Cotten Eyed Joe at her Bachelorette party. My gf thought I ** this fishing guide from her home town from 23 years ago. I'm like you're getting the two girls from the Outer Limits confused. I was trying to explain to her the locals were friendly to the missionary work I was engaged in UP and North Wisconsin. Local women know how to smoke out a FIB and his money at the bars for drinks, especially during deer season. I should write a tell all book about all the stupid and funny stuff I was in or saw up in the last 30 years in small town America. This guide sent us to a noted trout stream when I specifically ask her if it had smallies. I'm going to ping her back later and get clarification and have fun with it.

Anyway the river was low, I got stuck a dozen times on gravel bars. Aside from tiny bait fish, great blue herons, belted kingfishers and mergansers we saw no presence of fish holding in typical areas. We saw no fish rising despite flying insects all over the place. No hatches were going on, just dragonflies, deer flies in typical mid summer blues. The river was fat shaming my svelte 260# pounds getting stuck on gravel bars with my gf laughing at she drifted by with no problems. I sure I have to be some type of victim status

I lost my 30yo St. Croix Legend series spinning rod on this trip as I flipped my kayak being an idiot. My 2nd time kayak fishing and I'm more comfortable in a 16' 'prospector' type canoe going down rivers with secondary stability is how I'm spinning it. That fishing rods I brought all over the country and caught pike on in on loche Mask in Ireland, it my first nice rod. I think back in the early 90s I paid around $100+ at Ed Shirley's in LaGrange. Anyway it's the first rod I lost on the water and and it's fitting place to loose it. All things must pass. We threw tube jigs and wacky worms at all the typical spots. Water was slow enough at spots to properly fish a weightless worm.

Here's some pictures:

Friday I get a fish fry to go from a place in town. So I ask for PBR and they're out. So being a pretentious drunk I ask for a vodka martini on the rocks with olives, my dad did and I'll continue the tradition. Young kid server / bartender is clueless but unfortunately it's par for the course up here, guess she never heard of "Google It" and said she doesn't know how to make it. And I reply with "No worries I'll have a double vodka on the rocks with olives." and she retorts with "We're out of olives sir.". "No problem I'll have a double vodka on the rocks" I was hell bent to get a drink. My stepson was driving and I gonna relax with a drink while I wait for the beer battered cod. And here's my "double vodka on ice" at The Brick in Niagara. I complimented the young girl for a generous drink. I drank 2" of the house rot gut and left 14oz. Next time I'm asking her for a double of Ketel One, it's worth the $6.

Sorry it appears I may have double posted some pictures Sorry about that.