River trip to see Fishing Machine

Well, the ending destination was to make it to Guttenberg IA to the Fish Shack to have Flathead and Channel Cat, but we had a pre arranged stop in Lansing to see the one and only Fishing Machine, Jimbo and the rest of their family.

The day we left we had 3 footers on Pepin that were spraying over the top of the deck and on to the fly bridge, but the wind died down once we came around Point No Point. It pretty much rained all the way to Lansing on and off.

Jimbo and his wife Linda picked me up at the marina and we went to Mary’s house a short distance away. She was making BBQ baby backs, a pork roast with all the fixing for us. Hours were spent talking about the old days when she would make barrels of pickled suckers and pike. Her son (IDO Member HERB) came up as we all missed that curmudgeon. He passed away way too early.

It was Memorial weekend and I found myself walking through the last lock operator’s house still standing on the old Mississippi River at Lock and Dam 10. At one time the Lock Master was required to stay on the property. Then up the hill to the Lansing over look. Made it just in time to hear Monday mornings 21 gun salute. It was pretty awesome once I realized the shots were from the ceremony below.

Since the wheels where left at home, I actually walked over 10,000 steps that day. Stopped in at a grain mill converted to a coffee shop and caught up on emails. As I was leaving I notice they had a fishing museum attached and spent another 2 hours looking through the old commercial fishing stuff.

Made it to the Fish Shack and it was everything and more that I’ve heard about. Mike the owner was very hospitable, the fish was fantastic and the sides, well, I’ve never had Southern Potato Boil, or Apple Pie Baked Bean, Peach Baked Beans or Koolaid Pickles before (Cherry Koolaid soaked pickle spears). I had 6 meals there and it wasn’t just because the Fish Shack was the only place that served Hamm’s for miles either!

Stopped back in Lansing on the way home and took Mary and the whole crew for a little cruise on the river. Since she hasn’t been on the river in years, she really enjoyed it.

The one thing I will say about Lansing is that it really reminded me of Mayberry USA. That’s not a bad thing at all. I just loved it there and hated to leave. I’m pretty sure I’ll be back someday.

Oh, almost forgot! Fishing Machine says HI to all of her friends on IDO!

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Hi FM !!! Looks like it was a wonderful trip BK !

Very cool BK. Thanks for sharing, sounds like a great trip.

What are you floating on these days?

I have the Skeeter, but it’s hard to shower and make dinner in, so the Carver 40′ is still the floating camper.

It’s hated just a little more then Ralph’s wake boat.

Great to see Mary is doing well !

-J.

Lansing Iowa is a great little town! It is featured in the movie “The Straight Story” from the early 1990’s. Also got to visit Horsfalls’ Variety Stores where the aisle in the older store are “One Way Only”. The Driftless Area Education and Visitors Center is worth checking out too; Great River history, fishing, and aqariums with various River species. I will have to check out the grainmill/coffee/museum you mentioned mentioned!

Kirk Charipar wrote:

Horsfalls’ Variety Stores where the aisle in the older store are “One Way Only”. The Driftless Area Education and Visitors Center is worth checking out too;

One way only is an understatement! If it’s not at Horsfalls, you don’t need it. It’s the Axeman of stuff!

Made it for a brief visit to the Driftless AEVC. It had a very good explanation of what the Driftless area was.

Very cool trip BK! Sounds like it’s straight out of Tom Sawyer.

So does this mean the kids are left here with no supervision?

Sounds like a great trip BK.
What was the price of river petro?

MX1825 wrote:

What was the price of river petro?

I called ahead to check on prices before it was needed.
Lowest paid was $4.99 – Highest was $5.25 for 87 octane

Highest I heard was $6.80 and I would assume that was for premium.

“As always this is my opinion only and is not to be taken as having any value.”

Next time you come down this way, between Lansing and Guttenberg is a town called McGregor, there’s a bar called Backwood’s Bar and Grill, on Saturday they got an amazing prime rib.

I was there 3 years ago…is that the place that resembles a saloon with wooden floors? I don’t recall what I had but I do remember that I would go back.