Fishing is something that will always be a part of going to Camp. Despite being down in North Carolina for nearly 30 years, I've never gotten the hang of fishing like I did up there. Something about being able to actually see the bottom maybe...
Of course, the kids always look forward to fishing for sunnies.
They aren't any good for eating because they're small and bony, but they definitely keep the kids busy.
You can practically catch them on an empty hook!
I don't bother bringing my own pole with me most of the time when I bring the kids because I know I'm going spend every minute either baiting a hook or unhooking a fish.
That doesn't mean I did get any fishing done. I did take a couple of trips up to Bog River Falls and managed to land this 16" largemouth bass. I've never caught a largemouth up here before! Apparently, they aren't supposed to be in these waters because they crowd out other fish.
In all, I caught 6 good-sized bass in both Bog River/Tupper and Lake Eaton.
For Olivia's AHG Fishing Badge, she had to clean and prepare fish two ways.
She pan fried one set and baked the other with garlic. They were both amazing!
Fish weren't the only animals we got to see up there this year. We spotted a number of birds that we though were loons, but turned out to be Merganser ducks. They have really long necks and dive like the loons do, but they sit lower in the water and don't stay down as long when they dive.
This bullfrog decided that Rebecca's paddleboard was a good place for a rest.
We found a Monarch Butterfly that had just emerged and pumped up his wings, so he was easy to catch. Of course, as soon as his wings dried in the sun, he flew off.
Of course, there were plenty of toads to catch, too.
And on one of the hikes, we spotted a woodpecker darting from tree to tree.
But our most amazing sight this year was a loon with her baby. We got to see her several times out on the lake in the mornings and evenings.
