Evenings on Gohere Bay

Some of the best times at the Camp at Gohere Bay were the end of the day, once the chores were done, guests fed, dishes cleaned up and things began to wind down. As the air began to cool, we would grab a rod and some beer in a cooler and head off down to the end of the bay. The glacial topography combined with the tributary creeks give Gohere Bay a fascinating and diverse landscape. Hitting the rocky ledges we could get some walleye or the occasional northern pike, but the real circus was crappie. Weedbeds near the end of the bay dropped off into a sandy bottom creating a crappie hole which could entertain for hours. Minnows and jigs seemed to do the trick here. Sometimes a Mepps spinner with a fake minnow would work and I had a 'Vibra-Tail' minnow that was essentially a jig-head with a rubbery minnow shaped tail. As for the minnows, the fish seemed to prefer them a bit chewed up. After a while, you could practically drop down a bare hook and get a hit.

The sun would set lower and the empty bottles would accumulate in the bottom of the boat along with some decent sized fish. We would pick up some walleye and throw back some perch and every once in a while be totally caught off guard when a nice northern would grab a hook, quite the thrill if you were the one holding an ultra-light using 6 pound test line.

As the air cooled and darkness began to settle, we turned the boats for home. Unless you've experienced the calm and comforting feeling of returning to camp in the evening, you may not fully appreciate it. On the best nights, the water was smooth as glass and whooshing sound of water on the spray rails offset the drone of the Johnson 20. Breaking between the twin islands just off camp, the lights of the cabins came into view. The windows glowed the color of warm butter and peeked out between pine boughs. A string of light-bulbs ran from the store to the owner's cabin. And all of this was reflected in the still, cool waters of the lake.

We would dock near the fish cleaning house and begin the process of cleaning out boats and cleaning fish. The work was methodical, quick and accentuated by jokes and fish stories. When the work was done, and another day's meal was packed in the freezer, we sought refuge from mosquitoes indoors around card tables with cups of coffee, tea of hot chocolate, a peaceful end to a full day. There were discussions and debates about the day, the week, the year; plans for the next day, the next trip; until the lights went down for the night. The boats settled at the dock emitting a smooth glugg-ing sound as spray rails tapped the water, calls of wolves and loons echoed in the darkness and the whipporwill, that everyone swore was outside their window, all created the calming melody that set us to sleep. Even the drone of the generator played a part that seemed somehow to complete the tune of night time on Gohere Bay.

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