Canada bound again!

After a hiatus of more than twenty years, I’m thrilled to be returning to Canada to fish this summer.

In 1987 and 1988, I went on a brother-in-law’s family fishing trip to Lake of the Woods. I managed to dig up some pictures that bring back fond memories of family and friends, houseboats, and plentiful fish. Fortunately, there are no photos of me pitching a full stringer of walleyes into the lake before hooking the end to the boat. But I get good-natured reminders from eyewitnesses every so often – including a stringer with a padlock as a Christmas gift a few years back.

Work, kids and coaching kept me from continuing to make the annual trek over the last two decades. But this summer, I’ll be rejoining some of the same old gang – plus some new guys – to once again experience a week of camaraderie, relaxation, and nearly non-stop fishing in this breathtakingly beautiful and wild place.

One thing I discovered: a passport is now required to get into and out of Canada – and mine (of course!) expired this month.

Applying for a new one is easy – forms are available at any post office. And I found this great website where you can produce your own passport photos.

I found the instructions were very easy to follow:

• Get someone to shoot a picture of you against a white or off-white background, framed with space at the top and sides, using a quality digital camera
• Upload the photo to the website.


• In the “Standard” pull-down menu, I selected “Avatar 2x2 – Smaller head” to produce the 2”x2” photos required. (For some reason, if you select “United States – Passport” on this menu, none of the available sizes is 2’x2”.)


• Download the photo the site produces.


• Print two copies in color to cut out and staple to your renewal application

I should be getting my new passport in four to six weeks – in plenty of time to be reeling in fish, wolfing down shore lunches, and listening to the loons in June!