Black Island News 2011

We had an early start and a late start at the island this spring.  Mike went to the island the first week of March to do some ice fishing with Jon & Bob Koch.  They ended up taking down the old Bearside cabin and having one heck of a bonfire.  That’s one way to get warm when it’s 25 below zero! The cabin had not been used as a guest cabin for many years and it was really getting to be an eyesore.  We were late coming up after the ice went out because Barb was working a bit longer to help cover a maternity leave at the accounting office.  We couldn’t believe what a difference removing that building made to the whole look of the island. And the view from the new back porch of the lodge is incredible.  Yes, the new back porch is the old Bearside porch, so a little bit of history remains.

Our first project after getting camp open was to finish the Rockpoint remodel.  It turned out great.  The main room is much larger and the new bathroom is huge.  It even has a window.  And, yes George Fleming – it has new beds! Bobby Schean, who turned 80 in June, was the honored first guest to stay there.  Bobby has been coming up longer than anyone can remember and has seen all the changes at Black Island from the early 80’s on.  He still makes the world’s greatest hush puppies!

Along with Bobby and his guys, Dave Webb and the guys from central Illinois were our first guests in. We discovered that Abe Shoemaker can not only recover lost lures (see last year’s letter) but he can pick diced red onion out of a salad faster than anyone we know.  He & Bob Mueninghoff managed to land the world’s smallest Muskie. Too cute! So this year there were no big SE blows while the guys were here. Just COLD.  When Minneapolis was breaking records at 97 degrees, we were 58. Thank goodness! In spite of the cold, the guys caught lots of fish – even ones they eally didn’t want. Curtis Colins got a 40 plus Muskie while Smallmouth Bass fishing. You know those Southern guys don’t like those “toothy critters”! 

It’s hard to believe that after 18 years we could have another first, but we did.  The Gundrum men gathered together at Black Island for some family time.  There were 23 men, 21 of whom have Gundrum as their last name.  Not only that, Barb let them take over her kitchen and do all the cooking!  They also caught enough fish to have five dinners of fish; fried, poached, stewed, you name it and all good.  One evening they supplemented with turtle.  They were able to catch several snapping turtles which were really good.

If you have been checking the website over the season, you saw many large fish caught but only one entry for a 71 inch, 185 SWM.  Yes, George Fleming caught himself when the fish threw the hook back with a vengeance.  Not to be outdone, Sean Reiling hooked his brother the same week. So, for more weird happenings that week, Mike nearly hooked Jim Kinnard when a fish threw a hook and then Jim & Joe went on to destroy lures, hit rocks and then catch a 44 inch Muskie.  While all this was going on, Dirk & David Seymour managed to kick back and relax to NCIS reruns.  We think Dirk is a closet NCIS junkie!

The end of June brought Jerry Jones, who has been up with Bobby Schean, and his family. Grandson Braydon, who is 9, couldn’t get enough fishing. Now here’s a Southerner who loved fishing for the “toothy critters”. They started out fishing for Smallmouth but then one day, Mike took them to Obabikon Lake for Northern Pike. End of story.  Guess where they fished after that.  Jerry’s daughter, Cassie, has one obstacle to overcome in order to make the trip.  She had to find a way to take on online final exam while she was at Black Island.  Thank goodness for local libraries. She was able to do it in Morson and passed with flying colors.  

Summer finally arrived in July!  The first full week was as perfect for weather as you could ask. And the entertainment was exceptional. Flennard Thorpe and Bill Rinesmith started us laughing when they arrived with more stuff than even George Penton could have brought. And they claimed to have packed light. Good thing we have a 27 foot boat. Then, bring on the Hoffmans, the Kratzers, Bear & Linda, and the Korolewskis -- no extra charge for the comedy show every day! And the fishing…well, on July 6^th, between 3 boats over 160 Walleye were caught and released.  And huge Northern and Muskies were seen but unfortunately for the fishermen, not landed.

Again, thanks for all the bribes!  We’re not sure what we’re being bribed for but we really like them.  We’re so spoiled. We got candy from Bloomington, IL (there goes the diet), wine (sure did manage to enjoy it when the help quit!), sweet onions (Dave, I come to depend on that one), the white cornmeal form the South (our fish fries wouldn’t be the same), jalapenos (brought by Joe Curtis special from John T who couldn’t make the trip), a great cookbook Joe & his wife Bertha found that Barb doesn’t have (and everyone will tell you the recipes are great because Barb made many of them over the season), the Heineken (so Mike would clean George’s fish) and gum balls (OK Miller, you can listen to Mike smacking his gum). It’s like an auction listing, “items too numerous to mention”.  Thanks so much!

                                                                     July 21

Very hot but has stayed good even with a huge lightning storm Saturday night. Duignans are a hoot as usual. Linda caught 2 crayfish yesterday. She was very proud of herself! One has to have a light touch to catch those on a jig.

E-mail excerpt from George Flemings: Miller, Somehow the picture I took of your muskie was ont on my phone. I must have forgotten to save it in all the excitement. So, legally there is no evidence you caught one other then hearsay from some guys who are know liars. Sorry. I did save some othr oictures taken back. at the island under t less stressful conditions. Debby at Kelly's Lading is going to cook up my walleyeand wild rice for me and some friends and their employees tomorrow night. (Friday). She does a great job. I get brownie points with the bartenders. I hope your summer is going well. I head back to Black Island next week with my friend Frank Foulk. I stocked up on Bill's latest secret weapons lures. Of course, they probably won't work next year, and he'll havea new secret weapon. So it goes. (George Fleming is on the wall of fame this year for catching..............HIMSELF!)

                                                                          July 25

Eighteen years and we still experienced some firsts in the later part of July. Pat Duignan had a little trouble with his boat trailer on the trip up - he lost a wheel, where he doesn't know... So he drops th boat into the Rainy River, takes he trailer to get fixed and drives the boat to Black Island from the Rainy River across the big water, by himself. Let's hear it for Lund Boat and GPS! That was a first. He actually , made it here before his wife and son who drove up and came across with Mike. Th next first  was Jeff Olsen, fishing for Muskie, gets one on and is bringing it in. Meanwhile a fly bites his leg and he proceeds to fall in the lake, still playing fish. His son wants to throw him a life jacket, but he says "No take the rod". So son, Mike landed the fish ad his Dad!

August 16