Louise Lake
~ Gee Whiz Bang ~

Louise Lake © Ken James McLeod

"Gee Whiz Bang" and numerous cuss words Martin spouted as we rolled up the logging spur road looking for a jump-off spot to start hiking from. "This spur is almost none driveable!" Martin's '74 Datson pickup wasn't a 4x4 but it usually could get us to where we wanted go and was cheap on gas - usually my dog kennel crate was chained in the bed with my German shorthaired pointer inside named Pardner.

Once parked, we took off through the wet brush in foggy weather in about 42 degrees. We side-hilled mostly through the timber staying at about the same elevation en-route. We came upon a point or pass we then ascended where below us the emerald-colored lake shrouded in fog.

"There it is big fella" Martin proclaimed. Martin called me big fella alot, it was his nickname for most of his friends. Before long we were down at the lake where we stocked the 300 cutthroat trout fry I had carried on my back and in the pack. Fly fishing wasn't too good, the lake temp was 45 degrees, though we saw one other fellow who had caught one about 16 inches, where he came from I do not know?<

Upon heading back out, we traversed over to Tupso Lakes where we encountered a Tarheel couple yarding out the trout using worms! Their drawl speech distinct from the Carolina's. "Gee Whiz Bang" and then some Martin barked about their limits they had caught. Having heard we had stocked Louise with trout from the other fisherman, they grabbed up their gear and took off, perhaps thinking we were the Game Dept. or something?

Before long we were back at the truck and once again headed for the nearest burger joint, where Martin again had to tell the clerk just how he wanted his shake to go with his meal, otherwise the air might become blue with more "Gee Whiz Bang" words...

KJM

Aug. 30, 1980

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