CRYSTAL LAKE, THE AMISH & KEEPING IT SIMPLE

   Our hunt for clear water & a fish dinner took us to Crystal lake in central Wisconsin near the town of Westfield in Marquette county about an hr northeast of Madison.

    Heading below the surface with my underwater version of a bow and arrow -a speargun, to sight see & to get a fish dinner. 
   My diving is simple and fits my minimalist personality -less is often more; fins, mask, snorkel, wetsuit & a breath hold. I dont use SCUBA.  Bubbles scare fish and the extra gadgetry inhibits the natural fit I aim for as I enter the fishes world. I accept & even enjoy the limits of a breath hold.

     Crystal Lake  -Internet tip was that this lake is beautiful, very clear, lots of crappie & hard to find. All true! When I finally found it I wasnt dissapointed! Public access is unmarked from the rd. After finally finding it, a 300 yd trail to the lake limits public accesss to mostly carry in kayaks & fishermen.
 
Below the surface -Right away plenty of bass came in to check me out. They are the the most fearless fish in these waters but off limits to me (Im only allowed to shoot panfish & rough fish -carp, sucker & gar) I see lots of bluegill & then the normally harder to find crappie -our meal of choice. Got to watch some "water wolves" -northern pike- cruising the shallows for their own meal. Great water clarity. I can see decently 20 ft down. Generally the deeper I go, the less fish I see. Most the fish are in only 5-10 ft of water.

                                                   
   Simple is better -Was reminded of this while leaving Crystal lake & ran into an Amish couple fishing. Enjoyed swapping fishing notes & methods. Gotta pic of their "car" in the parking lot.   We mainstream Americans often feel superior when we come across the Amish, more simple, "backwards" ways. ...even as we stress out in our own over buzzed, over scheduled, techno reliant lifestyles. I spent the nxt couple days learning bout "Amishness";  Amish stress living quietly & in harmony with God, nature, family & the land; mostly craftsman & organic farmers caring for their animals & plants -nothing is wasted or taken for granted. They emphasize self sufficiency & shun certain technology they see as detrimental to the best things in life.   -Sounds to me like they know how to live!

    In the evening we enjoyed a delicious lakeside meal; crappie fried in Louisiana Fish Fry seasoning, cornbeef hash, & fresh brewed coffee. Hungry & tired from the swim & the hunt, the smell & taste of the fish I got by my own effort hit the spot!
   

Worth a Visit?  Besides being hard to find, this would be a great lake for the kayak fisherman, or especially a swimmer with mask, fins & snorkel wanting to explore the 2016 Wis DNRs clearest lake in Wisconsin. We usually rely on GPS to get us to a lake, but not for this one. There is no address at the boat launch or nearby. From the town of Westfield take county hwy J east bout 1/4 mile to hwy E north. Follow E for bout 6 miles as it eventually heads east. Take hwy Y north for bout 5 miles until you pass Dakota lane. Be looking hard on the right/east for a driveway looking lane that leads to a small public parking lot & take the 300 yd walk in trail to the lake.                      

  Love Kimi Werners' ideas on spearfishing & exploring.