Driving the boat report 12.11.16

[Scott McKee]

Now that we've had Aurora for almost a year I've noticed I sometimes speak to youngsters and inanimate objects like they are dogs. This morning when I turned the key on my VMax was no different. I fauned, "good girl, such a good girl", when she fired up and started whizzing despite the air temperatures in the low-20's around 7:00. I had brought a hair drier (it's for my back, in case you're interested) if she was frozen. "That's my good girl!"

Jojo and I fished (he fished and I drove and froze) for a few hours on the west side. There were five other boats (I think) who joined us around 9AM. We focused on UN2 and 13 trolling slooooooowly.

Strawberry Island was just a white shadow and Grand Island was shrouded from the snowfall as we set-up our troll at the top of Lunge Lane.

There was bait and hooks in all of the usual spots and as usual we didn't catch anything. Thinking warm thoughts, about 10 layers of clothing and this year's batch of Claudette's Christmas cookies, which might be the best ever, kept us from freezing. This gettin' old stuff ain't easy.

After solving most of the world's problems, making plans for next season, singing the theme song from Mystery Science Theater 3000, and slugging down half-frozen soda pops, we called it a day around 1:00, filing another instalment in the no-fish/had-a-great-time book Jojo and I have been writing jointly for almost two decades.

I am putting the baby (my boat) to sleep for her long winter nap tomorrow. Best of luck to those that are heading out these last four days. Pop a beast. Let her go quickly. And stay warm... The long night is coming.

[Scott McKee]

Never been so happy to get the boat on the trailer tonight... Took me half an hour to go from the canal to Sheridan.