Summer days on the Wisconsin River

An Outdoorsman’s Journal

Hello friends, This week’s column is about a simple, do-as-littleas- possible camping trip on a sand bar on the Wisconsin River near Boscobel with my golden retriever Ruby and her 4-month-old pup Red.

Friday, Aug. 5 High 89, Low 62

I would be using my 18.6 War Eagle and my goal was to have enough water on the very low Wisconsin River to find a sand bar that had deep enough water next to it to hopefully catch some walleyes or catfish from shore. In reality, my only goal was to do as little as possible and have an enjoyable experience with Ruby and Red.

I found paradise about a mile south of Boscobel where I had 10 feet of water a short cast from shore and then I casually began setting up a screen tent camp with a kitchen, a cot, Coleman lantern, a cooler and a chair. Though I know it will pass, since Michelle passed away on June 15 my mood is improving but I am very low key. In all honesty, all I wanted to do was sit on a lawn chair and watch the world while the pups took part in their always nonstop wrestling matches.

I did have two simple goals. One was to write as many thank you cards as possible and the other was to do some serious water training with Red for the upcoming waterfowl season.

Here is my situation with the training. I am not in the frame of mind to play hardball with a pup. I am teaching the basics like sit, stay, down, go and no, but am not into the water training. I know this is not a god thing but at this month of my life, all I want to do is hang out with her.

I have to tell you a story. Three days ago my sister Chrissy Luke came and visited me, and we went on a 22-mile ATV ride. There was a monarch butterfly that wanted to hang out with us, and she told me a story about when a butterfly hangs out with you it is someone that has recently passed away. Today at my sandbar campsite I had a Tiger Swallowtail butterfly that stayed by me until dark.

Red kept trying to catch and eat it, but my friend would always escape just in time.

Saturday, Aug. 6 High 85, Low 57

Last night the river raised and just about flooded out my camp. What was really neat was a major fish feeding frenzy that began about midnight and lasted until about dawn. I could literally hear fish catching minnows just a few feet away from my tent and it was nonstop. This morning I tried casting dead sticks with crawlers and the bite the entire day was almost nonexistent. I caught one sand sturgeon, a couple of small catfish and sheepshead. The real story for the day was my butterfly. From daybreak to dark it stayed within 10 inches to 10 feet of me and had at least 20 near misses with Red trying to eat it.

I worked on thank you cards, drank some always refreshing beer, read, cooked, and trained the pup. There was a group of 15 young men that were brought to a neighboring sandbar. They were maybe 21 to 25 in age and it was a real hoot to watch these guys have an absolute blast.

Sunday, Aug. 7 High 84, Low 60

The river is dropping big time and I hope I have enough water to make it back to the landing. Last night there was no sound of fish feeding but, like the night before, the pups and I listened to raccoons fighting and, in my opinion, that is one nasty animal. This morning as soon as I got out of the screen tent my butterfly found me and today it would land within inches of my hand.

I have no idea about the story Chrissy had told me just a few days earlier, but I have to tell you, on this three-day experience it sure had me thinking.

All’s well that ends well and the War Eagle made it back to the landing and the Chevy made it home.

Thanks for reading! Sunset