Don Johnson Letters and Journals
Part 43
• Don places buoys on Rainy Lake
• Don sings praises for his loved ones
• Fishing not so good but more executives and guests
enjoy the lake on the “Mando” houseboat

5/7/52 RAIN — FIRST OF SEASON! A helluva day for me. We took Talbot out for trial run and I hit rock 1⁄2 mile from home. I am pretty miserable tonight — don’t know what I would do without Layna to keep my spirits up.

5/8/52 Back on top of the world again tonight. Walter put on his usual excellent chicken dinner. Much hilarity when Mr. Faegre called guests to dinner before it was ready and I shooed them out! I was called on for a few stories and I think they went over big. Mr. Faegre put his arm around me on Point Dock and we darn near had a good cry but settled for a few tears. He said my letter on consolation the best he received.

5/11/52 Lewis, Carol, Pavek, Ethel Koch here in Paveks new boat. I honestly think they made special trip to razz me about hitting rock. I must be a real important man in these parts when something like that makes such a furor. As usual, reports greatly exaggerated — but somehow over a period of years, I have built up a great resistance for such things — and I’m not badly hurt.

5/12/52 Up at 4 a.m. and off for Kettle Falls by 4:50. Crash boat heavily loaded, 5 anchor blocks, 5 chains, 20 gal gas, Buck & I speed about 7 mph. Wind freshening from N. by time we got into Kettle River (4 hours). Placed all buoys, changing from rope to chain on some and out of river by 1:30. Strong wind from N. hit us right in the nose. Decided to cut across and follow Canadian shore. Meandered in and out behind islands all the way to Brule Narrows. Put out the 4 buoys there and monkeyed around locating rocks till wind went down enough to travel about 7:30. Home after dark.

5/13/52 A most successful day for me. Up at 5 a.m. and over to Buck’s by 6:30 after getting equipment ready. Off for buoy job 10 minutes later. Worked back from Harbor Island and all done by noon. Also picked up 4 slabs of rock from Dryweed. Buck one helluva good man — anyway you look at it. Layna and I placed buoys in harbor as well as one N. of Dr. Mary’s Point. Then on to put batteries in lights. They all work. Home at 9 p.m. Layna one helluva good gal anyway you look at it.

5/14/52 Usual last minute preparations for first trip. I never seem to get things completely done until last minute but by God everything seems somehow or other to shape up the very last few minutes. Picked up party of 9 - Lardy, Lehman, Boeckh, Frykman, Knudsen, Kinports, Graham, Art Larson, Sandstrom at 5 p.m. and on to Mando. Art Larson gave Chamber of Commerce (and Paul Kinports) hell which did me good.

5/15/52 Whole gang out of sight by 9:15 p.m. but Lardy full of talk. Me, the best listener in the world, stayed with him until 1:30 a.m. I LIKE HIM! Crew, from all outward appearances, getting along fine on boat. I have my fingers crossed.

5/16/52 Took Lardy’s party #1 to town right after breakfast and picked up #2 at 4 p.m. Layna in town to meet me. We did the usual routine shopping in the Falls and on home. Home at 11:30 and Layna fried up a couple of walleyes and good. I was about played out so took a nap — woke up after 1 hour fresh as a daisy. Lardy party #2 - Johnston, Amidon, Kalar, Paul Anderson, Jorgenson, Hilden, Fred Williams. Hilden a pain in neck at times. Sure glad I got nap because up till 12 again.

5/17/52 A most embarrassing experience when my crew (Amidon, Anderson, Kalar) got out to look at army worms and boat floated away. Bill Skwarok along before Louie came after us.

5/18/52 Took party to Falls at 5:30 and about face for Mando at 6:30 with Canadian party. We are sure running a heavy schedule.

5/19/52 Canadians great kidders and in many ways show a keener wit and sense of humor than most Americans.

5/20/52 Up to see MacKellar who is sick in bed. Obviously a case of running himself to death. It makes me glad I’m not a big executive altho at times I find it hard to keep up with the Mando, Norway Island, and Coast Guard. I don’t think I could stand that pace 12 months out of the year. Thank God for our long winters!

5/21/52 The day markers that mark the channel to Island View were put in in 1941. They haven’t been painted since — and show it. I had no idea how long it would take to paint the seven of them but had a sneaking hope that it could be done in a day. NUTS. I got 4 of them but it was a struggle. Karen with me all the time and she sure is a morale booster.

5/23/52 Layna came over in kicker on way to town and she walked right into a mess. A truck load of stuff from Mpls for Sprague’s awaited her at Rex Hotel. When I got back she was in quite a stew and don’t blame her. Dan McCarthy boat on bum and no way of hauling stuff. I loaded whole works on Talbot and delivered same with Frank Bowman’s help. When I came home Tuesday night I was full of plans of accomplishments on my three days at home. I worked like a fool and all to show for it is 7 day markers painted!

5/24/52 Steeprock coming into Swell Bay. Maybe (I hope) because of 3 days of east wind.

5/25/52 A good song fest on way home. Paul Murphy a good entertainer. I sure like those southern boys. Hell raising most of night. I went to bed at 10 and they got me out at 12:30. I chased whole crew to bed and at 1:30 they were down again — serenading.

5/26/52 Fishing rotten. It is days like this that make me realize that we should move the Mando. Swell Bay and immediate vicinity getting worse and worse. Even Steeprock is showing up. Two moose swam across from Sandpoint. A mad scramble for everyone to get a good look at them, but they made shore before anyone got closer than 100 yd. Sure made me feel good to know there were a couple left. Rain started about 6 p.m. We haven’t had a single rain since the snow went off.

5/27/52 To Spawn Inlet with gang after 6:30 breakfast. Saw 2 deer playing on bar at Grassy Narrows. They put on a real show. Robyn Campbell the perfect host. Everything we suggest is accepted without question. He is obviously well liked by the group — and doesn’t have to spout off to make himself felt.

5/28/52 Karen gone to Hibbing so Layna and I home alone. Stopped at Biddy’s for a real steak feed and on to Norway Island. A most enjoyable evening sitting by the fire — almost like a couple of newly weds.

6/2/52 A blessed rain falling when we got up — and continued most of the day. It will do untold good over this entire area.

6/3/52 Tonight I know — as I have strongly suspected for some time — that there is no damned way of satisfying some people. At the table, John Endren said that as far as he was concerned, he had been on one of the finest trips of his life, and was willing to call the fishing end of it quits. Plain said no soap so we now have preparations for another 6:30 breakfast tomorrow and a mad rush to get off for town. Damn such foolishness!

6/5/52 Layna and I for dinner with Sprague & Devins — apparently they are well satisfied with conditions on island.

6/7/52 Picked up Internal Revenue party headed by Larry Lando and out to Mando. Out fishing and got hit by most severe storm of season. Took refuge in Gerow’s porch but caught it right in the nose when we started out.

6/9/52 I had been invited to fly to Hudson Bay today but call of duty too strong. Nuts! I should have gone and I know it. The world is full of people who ball up their lives with an over exalted opinion of their own importance. This outfit would have got along fine without me.

6/16/52 To town at 2 p.m. for directors party to Mando. Wind 23 mph with gusts up to 40. I planned on taking them right down middle to Sheldons but lost my guts when I got to Robert’s & cut inside. They got a damn good shaking up when we crossed from Pine Narrows to Sheldon’s. I am sure that was a better argument for a new boat than a million words and a thousand letters.

6/17/52 An hour and a half of quiet water just at dusk and bass hit good. Me: “You are a damned good fly fisherman, George (Dobbie).” Mr. Faegre: “Well, aren’t we all?” Me: “Yes, but some are a lot better than others.” Mr. F. (walking away): “I like that.” Me: “Surely Mr. Faegre, you don’t think they are all as good as you.” Voice from sidelines: “You sure pulled that one out of the fire, Don!”