Catches of the day

The hours spent on the lake finally paid off. We found a spot where we were catching fish on a regular basis. Even I was pulling them in, as you can see above with one of my catches of the day. I caught eight fish--seven perch and one rock bass--and all but two were keepers.

The perch we caught today were pretty big. My dad wasn't getting them in quantity, but he made up for it by getting a two-plus pound walleye and capping the day with a seven-pound freshwater drum. The latter fish was so big that it broke the net when one of my brothers held it out to help get the creature out of the water. After some research and a split vote in the family, my dad cast the deciding vote and released it. The freshwater drum is in the carp family, and opinions vary whether it is considered a good fish to eat.

We fished from this spot on the lake. The temperature was again in the mid to high 60s, and the wind was minimal. We've experienced remarkable weather here in northern Minnesota and had none of the drawbacks. Mosquitoes have been a non-factor. Even if the fishing hadn't improved, we've had a good week here. Yes, my family has driven me crazy from time to time, but considering this trip wasn't something I was entirely sold on, it's been better than anticipated.

Here you see my parents' dog, a schnoodle who eagerly goes along for the ride and keeps track of everyone.

I've spent more time fishing than I planned, so knitting time hasn't been as plentiful as I intended it would be. Nevertheless, I should have a finished pair of baby socks when I blog tomorrow.