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From: Bill
Date: 02 Dec 2004
Time: 13:10:37 -0500
Remote Name: 66.133.135.13
Ed, Thanks for the memories.
I just returned home from a few weeks golfing in Pinehurst, NC and found Mark had left the old discussion board up. It's so easy to navigate for a dinosaur like myself that I'm grateful for his consideration.
Your post reminded me of those long ago trips and how much I used to love the old highway above Barre. It was a long hard haul pulling boats that usually got a nap stop alongside the road around Huntsville. Used to be an old abandon gas station that we pulled over in and would rest up. Then continue in the early morning fog that seemed so warm and friendly to a now city dweller. Breakfast at a place that's still there but now on the opposite side of the divided highway which used to just be two lanes.
Next came Rt 63 and the "Bottle House" which always intrigued me plus the opportunity for that occasional moose siting. Finally the blood letting war with black flies on the Kipawa launch and a quick stop at Kipawa Supply (Cunningham's) for beer and we'd be off to Barney Jawbones (White Birch)or Joe McKenzie's(Red Pine Camp)places depending if it was our May or Sept. trips. In the spring we typically stayed at Barneys and fall at Joe's. However, regardless of time of year we always did the Ragged Chute journey. My first experience at Ragged had me whipping the water to a frenzied froth after watching a enormous northern rip a 2-3 pound walleye off my Uncle's line. My Dad also caught and released a 14 pound male walleye which spilled milt all over him that day. I encourged him to have that fish mounted but was informed we only keep what we eat in Kipawa. I'm thankful for those words of wisdom on my first trip 40+ years later as the fishing last year was still pretty good. Not getting as many big ones as the old days but still catching fish and enjoying one of the most beautiful places I've ever visited.
Do you remember traveling from Edwards Narrows to Joe's when the only other building you saw was the white government building before Butney Narrows? We used to catch fish at the little island in Grindstone on the south side of the entrance to Mungo every time we stopped.
Also, your experience with catching 5 - 8 pounders up in the Brennan reminded me of similar experiences many years ago. Once just before a rain we were pulling them out on one side of the boat and releasing them on the other side for near an hour. Oh to use minnows again! I keep returning to those bays off McLachlin Lake but have never enjoyed that success again.
I could go on and on but guess I'll wrap this session and get out the 8mm and slides since my memory is running wild with thoughts of Kipawa.
Thanks for the memories Ed and Mark if you're reading this Thanks for the consideration of this old timer.