Chigger Chillin'

[Muskie Matt]

6079 What could be better after a day that included a little fishin' and a little Harley ridin' than an evening chillin' with the Chiggers on the pontoon? A most enjoyable evening learning a few new banjo tricks with my buddies from Nashville... thanks guys. We need to have Stoltman onboard with us next time, we'd have a whole floating band, we could call ourselves... "The Bobbers"...

[Pete Stoltman]

Would have loved to make the cruise but was "on the job". However, I had a fun evening after the show last week with the guys. Sid showed me the chords for some of the songs and the preview of the upcoming Chiggers music video. Always fun to have our Nashville buddies around.

[Sid Chigger]

Twas a hoot guys - thank you so much for your friendship and hospitality! Fishing was terrific.. Only one evening out of 11 was rained out.. Rest of the time the weather was cool and a tad on the windy side some days but tolerable.. The Wild Eagle is such a nice place to stay too.. Already booking next years trip..

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Here's a 28 in Muskie I boated back in Mud Creek off Watersmeet lake.. Hit a Mepps #4 going fast over the weeds just under the surface.. We caught LOTS of Northerns there and in a few other places.. Big Daddy got a nice fat 16" Wally on a crappie jig in Otter Lake.. I got a nice 2lb Smallie on a flyrod in the channel between Cranberry & Catfish.. and about anywhere you drop a minnow under a bobber in some weeds you're going to catch some panfish.. Found a spot on Lynx (south shore) that yielded some nice Crappie on every minnow drop for about an hour.. Fast as I could get a fish off and re-bait, I was bringing in another one.. 75% of them were 10" or bigger one would was in the 2lb range..

Matt showed us an Eagles nest on Yellow Birch just off the northern point of "The Bullpen" that was fascinating.. There were a couple young ones - still not flying - that were around all the time and Mama/Daddy was always in the sky near by... The thrill of the trip - adise from boating a bunch of fish - was an Eagle "close encounter".. We'd just entered Scattering Rice cruising along at about a quarter throttle when no more than 10' off our left side from behind and right at head level came an adult Bald Eagle.. We could hear the "whoosh" if it's wings.. He/she flew on ahead of us about 50' infront of the boat it cut right and down and grabbed a fish right banked back across the bow and up into the trees to the left to enjoy a meal.. That was worth the price of admission right there.. What a majestic bird.. Just seeing one that close was remarkable... Must have had a 4 or 4 and a half foot wing span..

We had dinner one night at the White Stag with Matt, his daughter, her Hubbie and his Granddaughter.. Can highly reccomend the White Stag - Great Steaks... Same can be said for Blink Bonnies outside of St Germain. Atmosphere at Blink Bonnies is really nice - you see the place from the outside and think, "this is a steakhouse? get outta here..." But I assure ya their steaks would rival Ruth's Chris Steakhouse...

Matt - thank ya for letting me play "Fred" on the Radio Show - that was fun! I don't play out "live" much any more so that was a treat!

Thanks again guys - Twas a wunnerful time!!

Steve

[Jeremy Hopland]

Sid - Glad to hear you boys had what sounded like a wonderful time. I know I just love it up in the Northwoods too!!! It does sound like your fishing was a bit more successful than ours was though... Oh well, there's always next year, right? Only 10 more months!!!

[Sid Chigger]

Hi Jeremy! Matt speaks highly of you guys!!

10 months isn't all that long... They go by faster as I get older..

I'm doing my level best to talk Big Daddy into a mid January visit for some icefishing for a couple days so maybe my next trip up won't be a year away after all.. Hope not! Miss it already!

[Jeremy Hopland]

Yeah, mine might not actually be 10 months away either... There's a 50-50 chance that I'll be up in late October. I'm hoping to get out and chase those late fall big girls!!!

[Sid Chigger]

That's the spirit!!

The way this summer's been, there may well be snow on the ground come late Oct! LOLOL