An Outdoorsman’s Journal:

Hello friends, I made an attempt recently to let you know I am currently in a cycle of my life that is very busy but also positive. This week’s column should be fun for you; I hope you are enjoying your spring.

Saturday, May 25 – High 74, low 44 Plan A had me paddle trolling on Lake Superior out of either Washburn or Ashland, and I was very excited about it. That plan was cancelled yesterday when a good friend told me the wind would be too strong to paddle a canoe on that piece of water. I changed that plan to spending 30 hours on the Turtle-Flambeau Flowage and would begin on Saturday instead of Friday. I would have to leave Sunday, as I had a graduation party in Glidden to go to. When I travel, I am blessed with two sets of neighbors who take turns feeding my cattle, chickens and dogs/puppies. This morning, I had planned on getting up at 4 o’clock. At 3 a.m., I heard something in my backyard that did not sound right. At 3:20, I heard the same sound at the end of my house; at 3:30 I heard the same sound out my bedroom window and when I looked outside, directly on the other side of the glass were my two steers and a heifer, all about 1,100 pounds and very loose. Had I left yesterday this would have been an ugly story. I ran outside buck naked, got a bucket of feed and lured them back to their enclosure.

Today I put my canoe in at Murray’s Landing, the most remote location on the flowage and a place I truly love. I had concerns that it might be a challenge to get a campsite at this point on Memorial Day weekend, but that would not be the case. As my journey began, I decided to drag a Salmo behind me, which is an effective type of crankbait. I had paddled maybe 30 seconds when my pole started bending and I landed an 11-inch perch. There would be a brutal headwind but I had no cares: I was on the Flambeau, I already caught a fish, my cattle did not run away and in just four days my daughter Selina would be coming home from Missoula, Mont., for a wedding.

To make matters even better, my rod started bending over again and this time I caught an 18-inch smallmouth bass and just after that I found a super cool campsite, made a comfortable camp and then went paddle trolling for whatever was hungry. It did not take long and the Salmo had lured in the first crappie of the trip, a beautiful 13-incher. The rest of my day was fish catching, going down memory lane from a place my dad first took me to 54-years ago, and enjoying the nonstop view of peace and nature. Sunday, May 26 – High 72, low 42 The Salmo was hot again this morning and it was tough knowing that I had to head out, but I was headed towards Glidden, where I am blessed with many good friends from the area and would be going to Jersey Polencheck’s graduation party. Jersey was an all-star athlete, excelling in basketball and softball, and she is also a very kind and fun young lady, not to mention a go-for-it outdoorswoman. The shindig was at the Shanagolden town hall, which is in the boonies, and let me tell ya, it was fun with a capital F. I like the remote, down-to-earth crowd and that is what you will find in the Glidden/Mellen area I used to call home.

Folks, I am out of space and Selina is now home as I write this, and my next trip is in the morning.

Jersey, you rock! Sunset

Mark Walters