Editor’s note: For 27 years, beginning Feb. 8, 1973, Ralph Anglen of Bonners Ferry wrote an outdoor column for the local paper that was widely read and used as a source of fishing and hunting information. It was called “Anglin’ with Anglen,” and was the real deal, the genuine item, written by someone whose socks were wet, whose toes were cold and who pulled no punches. We will continue as space allows to reprint Anglen’s column solely for its pleasure and historical significance. Any typos, we leave as is. Readers are reminded that this column was written almost 50 years ago and conditions, including state fish and game regulations, have changed.

July 26, 1973

And still it stays hot and dry! Had a nice shower in town Saturday, just enough to let us know what it smells like and that is all.

My granddaughter and I were on Dawson Lake about 5:00 a.m. searching for some crappies and three hours later we were still searching. Had to leave and come home early but don’t suppose we would have caught anything anyway. We never got a strike — oh yes, I caught two small perch. I think anybody that fishes that lake had ought to have his head examined. It is the most fickle lake in the country for me. There wasn’t a fish raising anywhere all morning. And I did so want my granddaughter to catch some of those crappie or bass. The next time I go up there I may catch a gunnysack full.

Wednesday Otis Unruh and I went to Robinson Lake and caught 18 bass. Nothing big but Otis had a hold of three that broke his line. Two of them were in the three or four pound class as I had a real good look at them. I lost one. A real light outfit just doesn’t have any place in bass fishing if you want to be sure of landing your big ones but in using heavier line I find it is just like casting a roll of barbed wire.

We were on Herman Lake Friday and had a fairly good day. Guess we got 10 or 15 bass between us. I went to a heavier line and so did Otis. The second cast I caught a 16-inch two-pound bass. Good thing I had a heavier line so I could keep home out of the moss and weeds. Just seconds later Otis hooked one and let him get in the weeds — he got his line and hooks back but the fish pulled off. We caught a few perch while we were there but didn’t work at it very hard. I have reports of 1 ½ to 2-pound perch coming out of there but I haven’t caught any of them. Should be some big sunfish in there too.

When we were on Robinson we saw several schools of little bass and the fish were sure feeding on them. At Dawson we saw the great blue heron. Man, they look like they stand as tall as I do, just like something out of “Sinbad the Sailor.” They have a cry that could be used to scare little kids or even grownups on a dark night.

Ran short of nightcrawlers so wet the flower garden down and caught a few. This is almost as much fun as fishing. I use a flashlight and they can get back in their holes just as fast as they ever could. They are real good bass bait and also work for big trout. It gets to be frustrating fishing bass with them as often a bass will pick them up and swim 30-40 feet with them then spit them out or more often I will jerk and the bass will have the nightcrawler and I will just have the bare hook. Plastic worms work good for bass and is really a lazy man’s way to fish. Just cast them out, let them sink to the bottom then reel real slow, to retrieve them—the slower the retrieve the better, at least that is the way it works for me. I use purple and black worms almost altogether.

Thank Leona Mossman for putting the benches at these various lakes—I know they will be appreciated. I’ve often thought it would be a good idea for some organization to put fishing docks in these lakes to make them more accessible for the older people.