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www.driftlessjournal.com | news@driftlessjournal.com | 563-382-4221 | Tuesday, February 27, 2024 | Vol. 6 Issue 9
A winter wedding for the Weymillers Will we see March weather in April? By Capn. Ted Peck
By Zach Jensen Modest and straightforward isn’t how most couples describe themselves or their weddings, but Callie (Bottorff) and Mitch Weymiller of the Lansing/New Albin area might choose those exact words for themselves, their relationship and, looking back on it, their wedding. The couple was married Jan. 14, 2023. “I wouldn’t change a thing,” said Mitch of the big day and 13 months after. “It’s hard to believe it’s been a year ago already,” added Callie, “I couldn’t imagine it being any better.” Mitch, son of Gary and Diane Weymiller of New Albin, and Callie, daughter of Gary and Carol Bottorff of Lansing, met at Shep’s in Lansing on New Year’s Eve 2020. According to Mitch, Callie caught his eye as soon as she walked into the room. He bought her a drink from across the bar and walked over to introduce himself. But, Callie, being super shy, clammed up and
acted like she wasn’t interested at first. Callie said that “a kind stranger named Joe” helped break that ice between them, and from then on, the two were inseparable. Mitch and Callie enjoyed their relationship for the following two-and-a-half years until one fateful evening in June 2022, when Mitch popped the question. “Mitch was hauling bulls out to pasture, and he invited me along,” Callie said. “He made me walk through tall weeds to a lookout point overlooking a valley, and when I turned around, he was on one knee. I said ‘Yes’ without hesitation. We went home, ate a frozen pizza and waited to share the news with friends and family until the next day.” While planning their big day, Callie said that, because they chose to have a January wedding, keeping everything easily accessible was of utmost importance. This meant that the ceremony and reception were just two blocks from each other,
Callie (Bottorff) and Mitch Weymiller were married in a winter ceremony Jan. 14, 2023. (Photos by Sarah Griggs Photography)
and, as Callie put it, “Cocktail hour started immediately after the ceremony so guests did not have to find somewhere to go in between.” “We chose January, because we didn’t want to sweat our butts off in the summer heat or interfere with planting, calving or harvest seasons,” Callie said. “We also planned it all in six months. Booking vendors was super easy, since January is downtime for most of them.” Mitch and Callie chose the Red Geranium of Lansing as their florist, while Jessa Kelle-
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her of Touch of Class in Lansing did Callie’s hair for the ceremony and Hidden Beauty Studio of Waukon did her makeup. Callie’s dress was from The Dress by Morgan Lynn of Decorah, while the groom’s attire was from Teslow’s Formalwear of Waukon. Cindi’s Catering of Clermont provided the food, and the couple gave out can koozies from Riverland Expressions of Lansing as wedding favors. TJ Hunter’s Banquet Hall in Lansing was the venue for the reception. Of all the different aspects of their wedding day, the most sacred to Callie and Mitch were their rings and the location of the ceremony. While their wedding rings were purchased from Elliott Jewelers of Waukon, Callie’s engagement ring was her grandmother’s. Callie was two months old when her Grandma Bottorff passed away. As a child, when nobody was looking, young Callie would sneak peeks of the ring in her mother’s dresser, and although the band was worn through, Callie’s mother had the ring restored at Elliott Jewelers as an extra-special high school graduation gift. Callie said her mother was always nagging her to wear the ring, but Callie was saving it to be her engagement ring. “The ring is Art Deco style with three round-cut diamonds in a gold setting,” Callie said. “It’s nothing fancy, but it’s unique. I’ve never seen another ring like it. We still have the
Weymiller
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Walleye fishing in Pool 9 is phenomenal right now! Last week the “clicker” used to count fish coming across the gunnel of my board recorded 100 walleyes, sauger and perch—by Wednesday. About 90 percent of these fish fell to a B-Fish-N Tackle B-3 Blade Bait, a halfounce piece of metal based on the Heddon sonar which has been catching fish on the Mississippi and elsewhere since 1956. Approximately 70 percent of these fish were saugers or walleyes just short of the 15-inch minimum keeper size. Four of the 100 were “slot” fish, 2027 inches long, protected from harvest to ensure egg production. Fish in this size range are at least 90 percent female. Over 30 percent of a walleye’s pre-spawn weight is comprised of eggs. Walleyes typically spawn on Pool 9 from April 15-20. Several years ago, the females dropped their eggs on April 1. These myopic fish typically carry on the family name when water temperatures reach 45-48 degrees, dropping eggs over rocky rubble bottom, within three days of the full moon if possible. With unusually warm temperatures this month, water temperature on the river mainstem rose four degrees to 36 by last weekend—the full moon period. If Spring weather holds, walleyes may spawn before the end of March—unless next month develops “lion” tendencies. If so, we’ll likely see March weather in April. Regardless, the arrival of meteorological Spring is almost a month away, the river is running low and quite clear and those dual-dorsaled denizens of the low light are really “on the chew”. These fish are beginning to move out of wintering holes, “stair stepping” into ever shallower water as temperatures warm. Walleyes have been in 22-32 feet of water, sauger in 30-50 feet of water and perch relating to wingdam rocks on the main channel 14-18 feet below the surface. The traditional way to catch these fish on Pool 9 is a Taylor Tackle hair jig tipped with a three-inch minnow jigged ver-
Jason Franzen with a 31”, 12 lb., 12 oz. prespawn egg cannon. (submitted) tically just off the bottom while the boat drifts slowly downstream. Walleyes tend to prefer purple colors in a snap-jigging presentation, sauger like Kelly green fished with a slow lift/drop presentation within 18-inches of the bottom. Old “River Rats” hold this secret close to the vest. Many younger rats have switched to pitching or dragging soft plastic baits like the ringworm, Pulse R and Ribb-Finn. Purple firecracker/chartreuse tail works well in low, clear water. A product called Liquid Willowcat, manufactured in Caledonia, Minn., squirted on the plastic produces amazing results. Heddon Sonar template baits, like the local popular “Zonar” knockoff were one of my favorite spring walleye lures 60 years ago when I first started chasing these fish below the Bellevue dam on Pool 13. Rods were fiberglass back then. Electronics and electric trolling motors were unheard of. Lure presentation was essentially just vertical jigging. When the minimal sense of lure vibration felt through the fiberglass rod stopped, you set the hook. Today’s electronics reveal intimate depth contours, bottom structure and actually show fish. “Spot lock” feature governed by GPS enables an angler to hold a desired position within five feet once fish are located. With this technology and the ideal rod, reel and terminal tackle, putting 100 walleyes in the boat in les than a week is no big deal if you fish essentially every day.
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