Walking down the hill to Pentoga Village

January 3, 2019 - Thursday evening

33 degrees/clear skies/calm winds

Pentoga Road

I'm excited. Tomorrow will see my first trip out onto the ice for the year. I know Jambo will be calling any day, wanting to go fishing, and he'll expect me to guide him onto the lake and put him on fish. I'd hate to disappoint the boy so I think I'll head out first and see if I can locate a bluegill or crappie.

I spent much of yesterday working on ice fishing equipment. The first order of business was to get the gas auger going for the year.

A change of fuel and squirt of starter fluid saw the mini machine roar to life.

Next was making sure the Tundra was ready for another season of fishing. I checked the oil and after I add fuel in the morning, it too will be ready.

The entire afternoon was dedicated to getting the ice fishing tent, the Clam, ready.

Since I had previously made a rigid hitch for the old wooden ice shack, I decided to remake it to fit the Clam. Having it will let me pull the Clam to the lake at the end of the road.

The base was ten inches too wide which resulted in having to reconfigure the angles and cut the bracing down significantly.

It has been a while since I worked barehanded in cold weather. Many years ago, I thought nothing of working outside in the arctic without gloves or mittens. Yesterday, the relatively mild twenty-degree temperature seemed a bit harsh on my delicate hands.

The hitch was soon made to fit the Clam.



Sargie had to close last night and didn't arrive home until after 9:30. By the time we drove to town to get the Kia from the mechanic's, it was well past 10 before we ate supper. Bedtime was after midnight.

This morning began with a walk to Pentoga Village. The temperature had moderated and made for a pleasant stroll.

An old abandoned house in Pentoga Village

The temperature may be warmer, but there's still a solid inch of clear ice over all the secondary rural roads. Thankfully, most have received a liberal coating of sand making traction possible.

After a quick brunch, Sargie and I began taking down and putting away Christmas decorations. Every year we swear we'll cut back and every year we decorate more than the year before.

We developed a system where Sargie would pack the totes, all five hundred of them, and I'd carry each out to the storage shed one at a time. It took almost all day, but all the holiday glimmer is  stored away for another year.

The only item on my agenda for Friday is to go fishing in the morning. The equipment is checked and packed, the wax worms purchased, the Tundra ready. I plan to ride the snowmobile down the road towing the Clam filled with the auger and other fishing tackle. With any luck, I'll be jigging through a hole in the ice ten minutes after leaving the house.

Unless fishing is unbelievable, I'll be home well before noon and will let Sargie decide what the rest of our day will bring. No doubt, it will involve a ride while sipping a Coke.

After all, a man's work is never done.

So are the tales from Pentoga Road...