Summer is escaping rapidly, and the window of opportunity for activities to share with my children is closing as well. Operating the lodge and restaurant takes most of my time, but it is important to make memories with my family despite the daily demands and long hours.
Luckily, my family enjoys being on the water and having access to a variety of boats that are tied to a dock and ready to go – that helps us spend time together, even if only for a short time. Devil Track is a neat lake that offers a variety of boating and angling opportunities. There is the campground, a public beach, and even a few islands to explore while floating around in the pontoon boat.
My passion for fishing has been curbed lately by a lack of staffing at our lodge, which has been especially hard this summer since my son, Bo, has recently taken a liking to the sport. Bo and Sophia both used to enjoy fishing with me, but lost interest, as they grew older. Thanks to “extreme fishing shows” Bo has become infatuated with catching monsters, and now asks to go fishing every day, which is exciting for me – even if I was not the motivating reason.
I grew up watching Saturday morning fishing shows, despite the ridicule from my siblings who wanted to watch cartoons, and was inspired by the likes of professional anglers like Al Lindner, Babe Winkelman, Jimmy Houston, and Hank Parker. Most shows back then featured an overweight bass angler slinging spinner baits on a farm pond in Florida – too boring for today’s standards, but now fishing shows are hosted in remote areas of the world featuring an angler wading through dangerous waters while targeting an elusive and rare fish with teeth like a vampire.
If extreme fishing is what it takes to get Bo inspired, then I am all for it. All I know is that I now have a fishing buddy and a great way to bond with my son.
Cory Christianson has worked as a fishing guide on the Gunflint Trail since 2000. If you have any fishing or wildlife reports or stories to share, send an email to: christiansoncory@hotmail.com. You can also visit Cory’s website at Gunflintfishingguide.com.
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