red lake report from me/cookie

Man did that last blow/snowstorm suck. Burn out must be sneaking in. Of course the timing of it could not of been worse with 3 of our four houses with guests they were going to be snowed in that was a given.
Monday morning mothernaure was in full force as all the wheel house were trying to get off the lake. I headed out with gas and propane just in time as once I arrived at old minnesota it was white out conditions. As fishermen left the lake the tracks they made filled in as fast as they passed causing more snow to collect in all the roads giving it no chance of blowing clean. My seperate roads were fairly wide but with berms on both sides all the snow was going to collect into them in no time. I had no desire to try and come back home monday so I decieded the best thing to do was stay put with shell, mis,hoag and deb. The fishing could of been better but we made the best of it with french dips for dinner a few games of cribbage and a few fish caught with Hoagi catching two 19 1/2 that could of been brothers. Dan and his two daughters managed to catch a batch of perch a couple small walleyes to eat but only took home 5 walleyes. Dan did tangle with a big pike that ended up breaking his rod. He had the monster on the rattle wheel and his fising rod went down the hole in the battle. The rod came up the other hole but it was broken. Dan in montana had horrible fishing,after digging out all day yesterday I did move them and when I went out last night they were doing much better.

Well today starts the final push .With 3 days left I have gotten 3 of the 4 shacks dug out and moved on fresh spots. Today will again be busy. Yesterday digging california out was a bear, I told my self no more putting the shacks on rough ice. I tweaked my arm when I was shovling and had to finish the day with a sore arm. I also am letting two of the crews coming check in tomorrow morning. I told myself I was not going to do that as check in is after 2 but its to hard to say no. With over 3 feet of ice I have 84 feet of ice to auger today.
I have one group coming march 1rst and my nephew jr will also be up next week.

Much better fishing yesterday. Keith buddie’s were up to 43 fish landed since I plowed them a spot. They were playing cards when I stopped in to see how they were doing. One of the guys had some jarred pickles which were way good.
Rick,bob,bob and Jason rollled in around 3 yesterday. They only had 3 keepers last nite so I may move them today. Bret,andy, trish and Jen had much better fishing after I moved them out a little deeper. Greg and Gary have done real well in minnesota. They have even landed 3 10 inch crappies. There’s been quite a few caught this year so it makes a guy wonder how many there are. I’ll be in no hurry to get the houses off the lake. I have three guys coming up next weekend to chase the elusive yet still catchable upper red lake crappie. Yesterday was just beautiful out on the lake, I sure will miss working out there as the season whines down.

My first day of my working vacation.
Got up around 530 as i wanted to be to old minnesota at first lite. The red Barons rear breaks were frozen tight as a drum sO I spent over a hour getting them brokedn loose. When I pulled up to florida i was plesently surprised to see jr and sarah had landed a 10 and 13.1/2 inch crappie over night

I then spent a couple hours fishing for kellie’s Glasses on the bottom of the lake and watching the new 007 movie. I did not retrieve her glasses but did end up retrieving my fishing rod after a fish took it from its holder.I then fired up blue thunder and went and moved montana to a fresh spot for justin and his buddie. After a short nap and lunch I went to look for a big patch of rough ice hoping I could find the mother load, i did find what i was looking for but the red baron got hung up in the process.That sulidified my scoutting and I now no wheer I want to search

After digging out of that fiasco I called it a day and headed to shore. Carriering to much speed in the red baron in 2 wheel drive the last corner at beacon harbors access I ended up loosing controll and buring the vplow and red baron into a 4 foot high snow bank. I did not take a pic though I should of

Jr and Sarah headed home wednesday after early dinner. They managed to catch one more of the elusive yet still catchable upper red lake crappies. Kellie and I spent last night fishing in old minnesota. I lost track of how many wallye’s we caught. It did not matter if your bait was a foot off the bottom they still came after are crappie offerings. The rattle wheels kept me up all night. A goofy 5 lb pike grabbed kellie’s jig around 12;30 am. After a 3 minute battle I spent the next 10 minutes resetting all the lines.
Josh and josh arrived yesterday afteernoon. They hit it hard outside untell well after dark with nothing but pesky walleye . When they came back to montana Josh #1 dropped down a jig and had the first of the elusive upper red lake crappie for the day. There plan is to hit it hard the next two days looking for the crappie mother load.
My plan is to move old minnesota today and again try for a elusive upper red lake crappie tonight

Another interesting day. I told my self to just keep moving the shacks down the middle of the road I made as it has produced a few of the elusive yet still catchable upper red lake crappies. It is also so most cost effective on the trucks. But no not me I have to drop the v plow and cut another new trail. I hit a area of ice that was a little different. I then firied up blue thunder and proceeded to prep the new area for minnesota. Once i got the shack moved into its new spot i proceeded to bank it with the plow. Then to finish with the number two shovel I discover the reason the ice was different as this is where I plowed a spot for the delano firemen. The good news is they did get 6 of the elusive crappies there so it will be interesting to see if we pick up one or two.
Josh and Josh seem to be enjoying there stay and landed there second crappie out of montana

Josh and Josh hit the road today. They had a great trip and managed to land 6 crappies out of montana. Kellie and I plan on fishing old minnesota this week, Then I may have to think about pulling the houses home. With no more customers as of yet it only makes sense.
I can offer half off if anyone would like a chance at still catching a elusive upper red lake crappie. I’m thinking by next weekend if there none rented its time to come home.

Yesterday I started buy moving old minnesota. I had not moved a house with the red baron all year. Wow did I need blue thunder. I spent well over a hour digging away the frozen banking one shovel at a time. Difffintly worked up a sweat. I then said screw this I’m going home for blue thunder. On my way out for the evning fishing I first stopped at california and dug her out and pulled it to the edgo of the main road. next time I head towards shore california will be in tow.
Now the fishing report.Kelllie had to be at the town hall for the election so I had dinner out there by my self until she arrived around 9

pm. I did land a elusive yet still catchable upper red lake crappie.

Its was a small scufffit 11 inches still nice to see. The walleye action was guite slow and we only managed a couple small perch. I will fish part of the day today while I dig out florida and montana. It sure whould be nice to get a couple late season fishermen up . I had two calls that never call backed other wise it has been quite. We both lost quite a few fish again and you always wonder was that a crappie, About the third walleye kellie caught she called it rotten walleyes

Last nights dinner in old minnesota

The wife and I are still fishing for the elusive upper red lake crappie. Last night we had another great dinner date while fishing in old minnesota.

The after math

Clancy,John and Jim are up to two elusive upper red lake crappies and I nice bucket of perch in there wheel house.
Tony and Mike rolled in this morning and are fishing old minnesota, I’ll be headed out later and prep montana so they can have another house to fish in on a new spot. There two buddies will be up later today. I would like to move minnesota one more time for kellie and I . I sure would love to put her on a nice crappie this year as its been such a long time that she has caught one through the ice

Coming off the lake with Kellie friday evenimg I got a call from tony. They were fishing another lake and battling the slush and wanted to know if I had a house. They arrived yesterday mornin g around 6am. Tony was surprised the charactor old minnesota has. heres a pic of Tony with a elusive upper red lake crappie

Tony ,mike, Mike and Kolt are have a grand time on a grand lake I also moved montana and set them up in there so they did not have to share a double bed They were nice enough to auger the holes. I’ll be heading out soon to check in on them.I think there fishing tell noon unless somthing changed. Florida and California are now in front of beacon harbor with montana and minnesota to follow as I throw in the towel before this next snow storm.

had a very bad day thursday as I atttemped to vplow from beacons to the front of my place. It seemed to be going well and I kept stopping and backing up a letting the red baron cool down. The gauges all looked good so I kept pushing threw. I can not smell but when I saw smoke on the floor I new I was in trouble. I backed up got out and proceeded to try and put the fire out as the underside of the red baron was on fire. Not good. I popped open the hood to find more fire coming up the fire wall. The fire extingusier did not work so I prceeded to throw snow trying to get it out. I also starting grabbing any thing I could save as I thought she was going to burn to the ground. The good news it did not burn to the ground and the bad news as it does not look to good.The first step is to get it home

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pretty darn quiet around here as of late. Last time I checked my houses no one has driven down beacons road since the last snow fall. I had planned more fishing but untell I get my houses home I have no desire to go out there.
I did get the dodge prospector running but I have to use a jumper wire as the ignition switch is not working? The snow has settled quite a bit but still to much to just drive through. From the looks of it there almost done with the channel in front of the river and will be hauling the sand away soon. It was a expencive end to the season, I burned up the transmission in the red baron plus the fire damage,I blew up my ultra ,I reopened beacons road after the last big snow storm. Would i do again hindsite is 20 20 but I have already started thinking what I can do better next year, learning from mistakes is all part of the business, Mother nature will always be the true boss

Warmer weather ahead my friend,sorry you had a tough ending.I know we will see the Red Barron again next year. Luck to you.

thanks wismitty Are you the one that used to come late season and stay with bearpaw? Goose fishing I still laugh at that

wow at 7 degrees were making ice. I still have no plans to go fishing untell the houses are closer to home.. I did make it past the mouth of the river and now have the houses staged to bring them in front of our place. There just so much snow down at the shoreline we have to wait untell mother nature does her thing. Every years I have dreams/ nightmares of the houses getting left on the lake .Last week Im at westwind waiting for customers when I look around the building and there are boats trolling . Last night a wake up and alll the snow and ice are gone and my houses are sitting on a sandbar surronded by 10 foot reeds. To funny how people dream. Maybe tonight I’ll dream about fishermen with big smiles landing those elusive upper red lake crappies

Yep that’s me!!!Hope the crappie come back a little more and I’ll be up again.Just love the hunt for those slabs.

yup last time I saw you yowere so madThey went goose fishing. If we ever loose this snow we may get a few days of shirt sleeve weather to fish in.

Lyman and Mary headed home Thursday and had a wonderful time.. The fishing was outstanding.
Greg and Gary left yesterday. They also had outstanding fishing with slip bobbers. I missed a good chance to fish Wednesday. The weather looked sketchy so I did not go out for the elusive but still catchable upper red lake crappie

any crappies showing up yet my son and i are going to make a run up there next tues for the 4th

they may be done. June 1rst is the prime time in my opinion. jake got 63 in two days while kellie and I got 5 in a couple hours 2 weeks ago

thanks for the reply it does not sound good but we will probably give it a try anyway