I received a phone call a month or so ago by long time (now long distance) friend Scott asking if I’d like to ride up to the great North woods and waters. His cabin had to be opened up for the year so, why not do it along with a few trips to the waters. How can a guy say no to an offer like that?….right?
Landing in Drummond around 2pm the truck was un loaded, water turned on, windows opened and it wasn’t long, we all ready had that moved in look going for us 
Thinking the evening is going to be just a kick back, Scott was talking about hitting a lake. He was serious and in no time the truck and boat were headed for Cisco Lake just north of Drummond. I was told this will be hit or miss. Long story short…. it was a miss as far as fish action but… a hit as we laughed hard and long catching up with each other.
Day 2 comes around and I can see in my fishing partners eyes that he meant business, look out finned critters its time to put the game face on!
Lake Owen was the water to be fished, my first time on the lake 
The main target and only thought Scott had on his mind were crappies. In no time the boat was making a B line across a light chop before coming to a pause along a wind blown bank holding tons of wood. The area was trees laying on top and submerged resting on a sand and rock bottom in 2-6fow then dropping into the deep. The surface temp was 54-55 degrees and our first lesson of the trip was taught. Big Black Faced Male crappies are making a protecting beds on the sunny side slopes of this type structure 
The first black speckled side gave itself away to my favorite set up this year so far, he inhaled the 3inch Plastic Fluke. Once the males were located, Scott started to pick them off with a hook, minnow and slip bobber rig. I assisted with a few after down sizing. The protectors of the disk shaped indentations had no problem taking a gulp alive minnow placed on a 1/64oz jig head.
The biggest fish were 14 inches with Scott’s biggest at 14.5 inches. The smaller fish were running 12 inches….yep, you heard me right, the small ones were still 12inch fish 
While Scott kept picking away at the paper mouths, the rock and timber that slipped off into deeper water intrigued me. There was no problem seeing 16 feet below the boat in this crystal clear water. The Fluke was put back into action. Pitching out into 20+fow and poppin’ the jig up the slope turned into a rod bending, fish on, kind of a day
Not any true pigs but some stout small mouth were hangin’ at the bottom of the slopes while Northern Pike and the Large Mouth smacked the offering in 8-10fow were a weedline was starting to grow.
With what seamed like only a couple hours time, the day was coming to close. Everything thing we heard on the radio or seen on TV talked about rain and storms on Saturday 
With full belly’s and ready for bed the decision was made, when we got up if it was storming it would be a no go but, if it was just a rain we needed to hit Lake Owen one more time before heading back to our homes.
Saturday morning arrives and there was a nice rain falling from the sky, nothing that would keep a guy from getting back out on the water. Walking past the Sun block I told Scott there was no reason to bring this along then grabbed the rain gear.
Scott’s rig was second on scene at the landing. Dressed in our water repellent attire the chase was back on. It didn’t take long to realize the crappies had a different attitude about them. Them buggers did not want to chase nor play as hard as the day before 
The boat was slipped up closer to the shelf the fish were found on the day before, then the sun popped out. Crappies could be seen in there love nest tight to trees and rock waiting for the orgy to begin. Sight fishing was the ticket to get a few more of these beastly boy sized slabs into the live well. Pitching past a nest then dragging the bait into it, then being patient until the male picked up the intruder was the only way these fish could be taken. It was just like fishing in an aquarium. The deep structure still produced some LM Bass and Pike for myself making it hard to decide what to fish for
The last tango Scott had with a speck is a story in itself. We could both tell he was a brute and Scott wanted him in the worst way. At least 15 minutes was spent hovering over the pig to only have it finally hit. Scott started lifting his rod and it looked like a pie pan turned sideways in the water. As I dropped for the net, then towards the side of the boat, I turned around and a bobber appeared to be headed at me doing a hundred miles an hour. With a turn of the head to keep from taking a hook and a bobber smacking my glasses, a disparate reach was made with the net only to miss the biggest crappie of the trip. Oh well, what do you do….we laughed our butts off But still had that dangit feeling too 
….so close
Late afternoon it was time to call it quits and head back and prepare for the ride home early next morning. Grilling out and tippin’ suds on the back deck of Scotts cabin was a perfect way to bring the trip to a close. My head felt like a lit match stick because we didn’t need the sun block
Grillin’ out we watch an anvil head form in the distance while listening to the loons and other water fowl nestle in before dark.
The night ended with eyes full of tears and stomachs hurting from laughter. Like they say…”All good things must come to an end”.
Once again a friendship was made stronger bonding in the great outdoors. Thanks a ton for everything Scott, this weekend is forever burned into the memory 
Also thanks to all our Vets and those still serving, it is because of you we have the freedom to get out and enjoy what the wildlife has to offer 
Good luck fishing people 
More pics of fish.
Scott running us out.
The structure looked for.
My favorite Jigs this trip.
The Anvil cloud taking shape as it hits a warm atmosphere
Great read buddy.
Way to go Scott on them “pie plates”. 
You guys made some great memories and have the pictures to preserve them. 
Bret:
Really cool read a little ways from home from you. Lake Owen is one of my favorites up in the north country of WI, and from the looks of it, you guys sampled her entire bounty! Congrats on some great fishing, good work on the crappies.
Joel
Nice fish Bret
WTG Bret!!! You couldn’t have picked a prettier lake to fish as well as its ability to kick some fish out!!!
Mark
Finally got a chance to read through the whole report without being interrupted.
Very cool read Bret! Sounds like a great place to fish.
The kind of stuff that would leave me dreaming of going back for years to come.
Makes a guy wonder if he should add a couple of these small, clear water northern lakes to the bucket list. Sometime, the big water holding lots of big fish isn’t necessarily where a guy gets the most bang for his buck.
Awesome job guys! I passed on my annual trip to Boulder Junction this week and your post is really making me feel like I should kick myself in the
. Great Memories!
It is interesting. My Father guided and fished Lake Owen as a young man before the war. My first visit was on a trip by train, the Son Line from Chicago being dropped off in the dark of night on the station shore. We summered on Lake Owen at Eagle Knob Lodge for years. I was back there with my brothers and my son a few years ago and plan to return this summer.
I was amazed how the water clarity had diminished from the 50’s and 60’s. Still very clear but the like swimming in a martini as we used to say. I am glad to hear that the Lake is doing so well and is healthy. If we make it up there this summer; that will be 4 generations and 80 years of our family presence on the Lake. We put an engraved stone on the shore as a memorial to my father some years ago. I think that it is a magnet drawing us into the Lake’s aura, I hope for many generations to come.