5/28/69 Our first guide crisis of the season. Jim called to say Ruth was in hospital and asked to be excused for today - which of course we agreed on. We did not plan on Bob not showing up. We had picked up a party of eager beavers - all from the deep south. We called Norman Seegert who took three men, Brian took three and I took Jim’s boat and the day was saved. Goddamn such worrying. Fishing fair.
5/29/69 Breakfast at 7:30 and no Jim or Bob. At 8:00 I called Bob’s house to learn that they had left a short time before. Worry, worry! I put in a few good licks for NWI and them made base for light at Franzen Island. A small step toward all I have to do for Coast Guard.
5/30/69 I went fishing with the gang today, and thoroly enjoyed it. In Jim’s boat and it was fun. Walleyes cooperating fairly well - not spectacular but we must have had at least 60 all told. Twenty went in frying pan at noon.
5/31/69 Rain, wind, cold. My third trip of the season to put some one on 6 a.m. flight. The third time it rained - this time a genuine downpour. Mr. Bagwell very appreciative, maybe because it gave him a chance to get me alone and tell me that in 1940 his father gave him a team of mules and 50 acres of land and now he was a millionaire. Many details. What the hell makes a man feel he has to tell such stuff?
6/2/69 Snow - 31o !! Strong north wind. Snowing hard at daylight - and flurries off and on until noon. Layna had rough trip to town with no help from us because Norman Curtice was on phone practically all p.m. She brought letter from Sally telling about trip to Miami and all the dope about the Dahlberg clan. It revived many pleasant memories - and many not so pleasant.
6/3/69 Met Harry Bean and party at 4:00 p.m. Four couples. They sure got a good impression of Rainy Lake & NWI. An Indian summer like day. They went fishing in Grassy Portage and did fairly well. Brian’s boat giving trouble. Is this the beginning of a troublesome summer? 500 hours on our inboard/outboard. Anything can happen.
6/4/69 I called Falls Marine at 8:00 a.m. to ask for mechanic to look at Brian’s boat. It took a little doing but they finally agreed to have Jim Pullar come out. We are still friends despite the hard feelings over us buying our boats from Minneapolis - a mistake. Pullar agreed that the head gasket was leaking and replaced same. It was running good by noon. After dinner - 8:00, Jim and I out for “research” on bass. He caught one on first cast on Mepps and that was it. A fine evening. My feeling for him growing daily.
6/6/69 Layna and I to town and picked up George Utter and 8 more rabid bass fishermen. When 6 o’clock dinner was over and all hands raring to go, we had to tell them that Jim and Bob were gone. Damnation, what a helluva situation. Brian took three and I took three and 3 went alone. Brian hit jackpot in Commissioner’s Bay - got 11. Home to learn that Jim had called to say Ruth had a baby. Wonder what that will do to him. Byrne and Brad arrived. Good.
6/7/69 No Jim, no Bob. Damn their Indian souls to a hunting ground where there is neither fish nor game - or squaws! Luckily Byrne was here and took over in Bob’s boat while I took Jim’s. My fishermen, Bill Cotton, his son Jean, and Oscar Hut, are definitely insane on the subject of bass. They throw wildly in all directions at the same time and are consequently, hung up much of time. Bill a “take charge” guy and we have had a few sharp words. Not too lasting.
6/8/69 Out fishing with Cotton, Cotton and Hut again. On to Green Shack Point where it was almost spectacular. Many WE caught - 6 of them in 2# class. Had shore lunch and then I’ll be damned if they didn’t veto idea of more good WE fishing in favor of going for bass! As the day before, it was snag up and into shore. We do not fish half the time. “I don’t care which way I run this boat. Along the shore or toward it.” Karen and Robin have been here since Friday nite and left after dinner. I was fishing when they came and fishing when they left. I didn’t say 25 words to either of them.
6/9/69 My three guests still hot after bass so out we went at 8 a.m. Four hours and four thousand casts later, we had one 3# bass to show for our efforts. I made the usual number of trips to shore to unhook snags. By 2:30 we had them at the airport and when Bill Cotton began giving Ralph instructions on how to load the jet, I said “Don’t take charge here, too,” and got a good laugh - even from Bill. Checked on the buoy story and told myself that Bill Lloyd was just picking them up to paint them. A form of escapism, I guess.
6/10/69 Tried to call Bill Lloyd but no answer so decided to run him down on Rainy Lake. It was rainy, too. A cold, miserable, futile day followed. Stopped along line and inquired but altho Johnny Kulakoski had seen him go east, no one saw him go west. Stopped at Dutchy’s, half frozen. They gave me a hot rum and a couple of cups of coffee and I left there feeling fine. Home at 6:30 to learn Bill Lloyd had just called. I got him on phone to learn that our worst fears well founded. They took out 17 buoys along boundary. I can’t explain my feelings. I am not getting myself all wrought up like I did last year. Maybe it is a good thing- maybe not.
6/11/69 A complicated day, productive in the end but frustrating at times. It started when Jim called at 7:00 to say he would pick up Bob and go to work on #19 day marker. I went to Camp Kooch-i-ching and luckily was able to get barge at this busy season. The weather was perfect. Called Buck who came and we went to Bohman’s to discuss buoy situation. I went with Bob, Jim and David with a barge full of gravel and cement. A few complications and a helluva lot of hard work but by 7:30 the form all poured. Thru supper and out again to shovel rest of gravel off barge and scrubbed it clean. As we finished, a great black cloud out of NW gave us a terrific wind. Rain threatened so Jim and I back to #19 to cover our cement. A wild ride for sure. Home at 10 p.m. Cold and wet - but satisfied!
6/12/69 Layna and I picked up party of 8 customers at 2:00 p.m. and after a quick lunch they were gone fishing. I had chance to see Harry for a few minutes at noon and he showed me article for today’s paper. Should tell our buoy story fairly well. I did not get far into my tale of woe concerning the past few days (guides) and present troubles (Coast Guard) before I realized I was talking to wrong people. How goddamned insignificant are mine compared to theirs. Harry is running his paper without an editor. Grace does not weigh more than 100# and walks with a decided limp. Not a squawk out of either. I felt mighty small mentioning my troubles. Five buoys on way but only 2 to go in Brule Narrows. Damn!
6/13/69 Gilmore arrived at 10:30 with 5 buoys and sinkers. He wanted no part of a trip up Rainy Lake. We went over chart, he agreed with everything I said, and off he went. We agreed we would tell Banen that he had made trip. Joe Jones called and asked if Blatnik should be brought into this and I said “Sure!” Now what? I decided to skip whole deal because of weather and went over and finished Edward’s dock. Brad along - we got along fine.
6/14/69 Had big plans to get going on buoy job but hit a couple of snags. Went to landing and scrapped old paint off of black buoy and rubbed two holes clear thru. Goddamn the Coast Guard. They hauled that leaky buoy all the way from Sault St. Marie. What an outfit. It began to rain before I had chance to do anything with others - so that was that. Bob came in with word that the outboard unit on his boat was grinding something fierce. I called Ron Jonson and made arrangement to rent a boat for tomorrow. On to #265 and had a very, very pleasant evening with the kids.
