More Rain

Local day

Northern Alligator Lizard


Sun Jun 13th

The unsettled weather is coming to an end, not just yet!

The rain cleared during the morning and gave way to some warm sunshine that enabled us to get outside, but with an uncertain forecast we decided to stay local.  

Fred took to her knitting needles and I checked out the gazebo up behind the house to watch the wildlife .... well I saw a lizard and that was about it!

Mid afternoon, and needing to be doing something I did a solo canoe around Mixal Lake.  I've been surprised how few waterfowl there are on the lake.  

At most I have seen the odd Merganser and there are two sometimes three Common Loons out fishing.  They are an extremely attractive bird with their black and white marked back and would make a good TV test card!

Just as I was heading out on the canoe, my new fishing mate rang to ask if I'd like to have another go for Mixal trout.  Silly question. 

The paddle was very tranquil and I got down to the bottom of the lake reasonably quickly. 

The Loons were splashing around but that was about it.  The odd spit of rain didn't spoilt the enjoyment.  At the far end the water runs out of the lake down a creek northwards to Sakinaw Lake.  I wonder if it is navigable in a canoe?

Turning at the top of lake I discovered the easy paddle down had been wind assisted.  Paddling back was a challenge, half the speed of the downwind leg.  I've gone off the idea of paddling to Sakinaw, if only because of the uphill return leg!

Canoe stowed, dressed for fishing I met up with Nigel for three hours of fishing on the lake, in the rain. 

Our uncooked prawn pieces didn't seem to attract the trout but as soon as Nigel switched to a spinner he hauled out a nice specimen.  

My total for the afternoon was a single signal crayfish, and that was only because I dangled the bait under its nose on the rocks below me.  These are the American freshwater crayfish that are doing so much damage to UK freshwater crayfish stocks.  I have been offered the loan of a trap, so crayfish could be on the menu later in the week!  We've eaten them in the UK, and they taste OK.

As I was looking down at the rocks below me, something swam past an enormous speed.   I was unsure if it was a turtle or not.  A little while later a Loon popped up 20-30m away.  Impressive turn of speed, but not great for fishing! 

Nigel was clearly having more luck as he also pulled out a Sculpin.  An odd looking fish with spines that can be quite painful.  Not the greatest of pictures as I had rain on the iPhone.

Trout
Sculpin














I was awarded the trout on the way home and it was soon cleaned, plated and ready for the fridge for Monday supper.


Cleaned and ready for supper


The house we are staying in, is part of a Strata estate, where the occupiers own their own property and immediate land around it but share the common land and services; in this case the access roads, water system (from a 300ft well pumped to the top of the hill behind us) and the septic tank system.

Twenty properties occupy Dream Valley Country Estate which has private access to Mixal Lake and shared access to the trout lake, the smaller lake on the edge of the garden of the property (arrow shows us) we are staying in (middle of picture).  It is a delightful setting, but no views and pretty quiet mid-winter when only half of the estate is occupied. 


 





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