by Mark Walters

Hello friends, So I am in 6th grade at Poynette Middle School and so is Patti Shaw. We are in the same homeroom through our senior year and every year we sit next to each other, and we always laughed and had a blast.

This week’s column is mixed up with past and present as I returned'to'Algoma'to'fish'for'salmon'with'Patti'and'Jeff'Rouse'

and hang out at their vacation home in Algoma, just like I did 20

years'ago'for'the'first'time.

Back in 2001 with my six-month-old daughter Selina, her

mother'and'I'joined'the'Rouse's'for'our'first'trip'to'Algoma'and'it'

just happened to be Algoma’s “Shanty Days Festival” which also

included'a'salmon'fishing'contest.'At'that'time'the'Rouse's'fished'

out of a 25-foot Starcraft “Chieftan” and I have to admit I have never been very wise to downriggers and the gear that goes with

deep'water,'great'lakes'fishing.''' '''Long'story'short'on'our'first'night'out'I'caught'a'24-pound'

King which held second place until Sunday morning and then it fell to fourth. I had my trophy mounted and right now I am looking at it from my desk. That salmon was netted after dark and'was'quite'possibly'the'strongest'fish'that'I'have'ever'fought.

''So,'the'Rouses'and'I'have'an'almost'twenty'year'in'a'row' history'of'getting'together'and'salmon'fishing'is'just'part'of'it.' The only time I ever golfed we went to a three-hole course and

Jeff'and'Patti'who'are'avid'golfers'realized'that'there'was'zero'

hope.

''When'I'first'started'trying'to'kill'myself'out'of'a'canoe'by' fishing'for'salmon'in'the'dark,'I'had'a'close'call'with'death'that'is'

in my top hundred of close calls. Even though I had a Coleman lantern running and hit the charter with my spot light my guess is that the drivers windshield was fogged over. In all honesty, he was no more than thirty yards from a direct center hit before I was spotted, and an emergency move was made.

''Patti'and'Jeff'have'been'lifelong'friends'of'Selina's'as'she'

went on this trip for about ten years and then each school year

they'would'take'Selina'binge'shopping'before'school'started.'Jeff'

old buddy, now that Selina is all grown up would you take me binge shopping?

''Jeff'and'I'always'give'each'other'crap'in'a'major'way'and'it' is'a'blast'and'Patti'loves'it,'and'Jeff'is'also'fun'to'drink'beer'with.

''So'on'day'one'of'this'year's'outing,'we'caught'one'fish'which' made'us'very'happy.'Jeff'caught'about'a'ten'pound'rainbow'trout' after pushing me over and yanking the pole out of my hands, don’t worry Patti I am not hiring a lawyer to cover my latest injury!

'''In'all'honesty'we'really'do'not'care'about'fishing'salmon' or'if'we'catch'anything'as'much'as'we'used'to'and'possibly'Jeff' did not brutally assault me but what we do is have a blast and Patti who used to own and operate the best restaurant in Lodi the “Spring Creek Country Inn” cooks excellent meals.

When it comes to very cool communities in Wisconsin, Algoma rates right up there and that is always because of the people.

''Jeff'and'Patti'keep'their'boat'at'The'Algoma'Boat'Club'and'

had a very positive man who had a slip next to theirs. This is not a real happy story but last year or the year before he was launching his boat for the season, suffered a heart attack and died by his boat. This fella could catch salmon in a bathtub and never gave Jeff'and'I'a'hard'time'when'we'had'a'lesser'catch'than'him.

My point on that is that he died doing what he loves, and it was quick.

' ' Jeff' has' been' literally' begging' me' to' come' back' and' fish' with'him'next'year'so'I'can'teach'him'how'to'fish'salmon'once'

again. About all I can say is that if my classmate from forever ago “Peppermint Patti” comes long I shall return, possibly I can take

up'golf'and'teach'Mr.'Rouse'how'to'swing'a'club!

Smile lots!

Jeff and Patti Rouse on the first day of our trip, with inset photo featuring Jeff Rouse, Selina and Mark Walters from about 16 years ago.