Fathers Day: GUSTO Fishing w/ Austin, US Open Final Round, Austin’s Winger Wings, 9 Hole Scramble
Father’s Day on Lake Pend Oreille – June 21, 2026
Austin and I were up at 5:30 this morning, grabbed a coffee, and headed for Athol. After a quick stop at Super 1 for supplies, we continued on to the marina. Soon we were idling through the bay aboard GUSTO, prepping the gear in anticipation of a morning of fishing.
A light southwest breeze was putting just the right amount of chop on the water. We motored across toward Lakeview and took a few minutes to inspect the public boat dock and restroom area before beginning our troll.
Our spread consisted of four rods on the downriggers and two rods off each side on the planer boards. We experimented with a variety of presentations, including flies and a jointed Rapala, but neither produced any action. The winning lure of the morning proved to be a blue-and-chrome fish-pattern Apex. Austin was first on the board, skillfully landing a beautiful 18-inch Kamloops rainbow.
Later in the morning, while working an area near Kilroy, one of the downriggers released and we found ourselves connected to a solid bull trout. After a spirited fight, we brought the fish to the boat, estimated at approximately five pounds, snapped a quick photo, and released it to fight another day.
By 11:30 we were back at the condo rejoining Carrie and Jack. Austin prepared his version of the famous Wingers Restaurant chicken wings, and they were absolutely perfect. It was a wonderful Father’s Day meal and brought back many memories of time spent with my sons during our early years in Coeur d’Alene.
The afternoon was spent watching the conclusion of the U.S. Open. Then, at 5:00 PM, we headed to the clubhouse for some driving range work along with chipping and putting practice. At 5:40 we teed off and were joined by another golfer named Kyle. The three of us (Jack, Austin and Myself) played a nine-hole scramble from the yellow tees and managed a score of four under par.
After golf, it was back to the condo for a piece of Carrie’s famous carrot cake, the perfect ending to a memorable day.
As the evening wound down, I found myself reflecting on how fortunate I am. A morning on the water with Austin, a couple of fish, good food, good golf, and the chance to spend Father’s Day with family. These are the days that become the stories we remember.
Tomorrow we’ll begin preparations for our departure back to Kansas on Tuesday, but this Father’s Day will be one worth remembering for a long time..
Steak Supper Saturday
