Fishing Forecast: Sunny!

In mid-August, we returned to Henry's Cottages, at the northern end of Lake Champlain in Vermont. This was our fourth year, so it was rather routine, except that the owners had chosen to demolish the cabins we've stayed in in previous years, rather than bring them up to code. So we were in #7, a carbon copy of our usual #6, but next to the office/residence and shop on the main loop of the resort. We were concerned that it would be busier and noisier, but, fortunately, the increased disturbance was negligible. Turns out the resort is so quiet overall that it doesn't really matter which cottage you're in.

As always, fishing was Sarah's and Don's focus, with two-to-three boat trips a day. No walleye or northern pike on the line this year, but plenty of smallmouth bass (including a 21" one that Sarah caught and brought in on her own) and oodles of nice sunfish (weighing up to a pound). I tagged along once a day or so and even fished once. The boating highlight for me was watching an osprey dive for a fish, struggle with it in the water for about 30 seconds, and finally fly away with a sizeable meal.

Our "new" cottage is right across the driveway from the
resort residence (in yellow).

Don and Sarah returning to the dock after some early-
morning fishing.

Studying the fishing regs before heading out

Dock girl

Fishing is serious business for these two.

Red nun #2

Yes, I fished (but not enthusiastically and not for long).

Sarah and her 21" smallmouth bass

   

A pile of pumpkinseeds

Sarah and Don in their secret sunfishing spot
among the sailboats

Sorting the sunfish: so many to choose from!

Returning from "the big lake" under the railroad bridge

Headed out in unsettled weather

Sarah and Don caught 80-100 sunfish over the course of the week. They kept 29 pumpkinseeds...enough for a yummy fish fry and some for the freezer.

There's more to life at the lake than fishing, however. I enjoyed my morning walks, crossword puzzles, and kayaking. We played lots of Yahtzee, and I taught Sarah to play gin rummy. She did gymnastics and conditioning (she's a little driven) on the front lawn. We attempted (unsuccessfully) to fly her kite, and she practiced skipping stones. She and Don watched a pre-season football game (the wonders of wi-fi) one night. It took some arm-twisting, but I convinced them to look for a couple of geocaches on an ice-cream run one afternoon. And Sarah built a fort in her bed.

All par for the course at the lake. Did I call it routine? I think I meant traditional. Yes, that's more like it.