Well again plan A turned into plan B.
After a disappointing weekend looking for the mother load of the elusive yet still catchable upper red lake crappies the plan was to move the fleet to the south east for Jake and his crew. Two days of 50 degree weather with winds had melted quite a bit of the snow and Sunday caused the pressure ridge to expand taking out the bridge in the process. 
I had scouted out a plan B escape route just incase of this situation. All the wheel houses had gotten over the bridge but one so I escorted him on a long journey to the south only to discover that the area I had been crossing was broken on both side with open water 30 yards wide 6 feet deep. Zoiks!!!
We headed back to the bridge while Jimbo followed the pressure ridge to the north looking for a place we could safely cross. I was defiantly a little worried having all the houses still out there.
Jim ended up driving all the way to the north shore where he found a place to drive across. We headed that way to take a look. After getting the last wheel house safely across we took a good look at what was happening and I felt that this area was not going to move and we would be all right keeping the houses out . I then headed out  and talked to a couple trucks that were still on the ice to let them know how to get off the lake.
As you followed the pressure ridge to the north it was quite the sight to see but it slowly fizzled out to just a crack with a little bump real close to the north shore where it fed into another ice heave that had expanded and runs along the north shore east and west. That also was very active..
Every where around the pressure ridges there was open water. Some areas the water was 8 feet deep with open water 20 feet from the pressure ridge. Now with the crazy winds and snow, plus the cold temps these areas may refreeze. I would say these spots are very dangerous to say the least.
Monday morning seeing the predicted weather forecast I made the decision we needed to come home.
Man that was the right call as the warm weather and winds sunday eve had melted and pushed gallons and gallons of water across the lake to the south east into the pressure ridge.All of the old roads were completely filled with standing water. I would say some areas the water had to be 14 to 16 inches deep. There were also areas that had to be 40 acers of water if not more.
We grinded away and slowly made our way back home with each house. There was one spot where a small stream of water was flowing under the ice heave.
The last trip out  I wanted to pull  Buddy hillmens bridge out of the water so it would not freeze. There was also another  bridge that needed to be pulled home so we would have to make the long journey around to retrieve that one. We decided we would go get Jimbo’s house then come back on Hillmens road where we could collect stakes ,orange cones, liter etc.
Well again plan A turned into plan B. Here comes a Toyota truck with two guys. They want to know how to get to there wheel house  still on the lake.  The only option they had was to follows us. I could then escort them to the corner at 4 miles where they could drive up that old road . When we arrived at that corner it was a lake on a lake. I stayed there while they went to retrieve the house. After a bit I could tell they were having trouble and I headed over to help them. I quick jerk with blue thunder and we were on our way . Once we got back on Hillmen’s road where it was running east and west there was not much water on the road as the berm to the south was holding it back.. Once we crossed the crack for the last time it was a huge relief as who knows what that wind and snow may have done out there.
As we were traveling towards shore the sky to the west was the most spectacular grey/ blue I have ever seen. Mother nature at her finest  My phone was dead so I could not try and capture it but Jimbo also noticed it. It only lasted a couple of minutes but I will always hold a vivid image of that in my mind. Again a spectacular sight on such a grand lake.
Monday evening and man did things change. The winds picked up, the temps dropped and it was a full blown blizzard out there all day Tuesday right into the evening and right into yesterday for a better part of the day. The 3 to 6 inches of snow never happened but what snow we did get is piled into the shore lines. There were a few locals  that live on the lake and had to be plowed out. Jana’s daughter cars is completely buried as the snow came around there house and made the perfect drift. Marks wheeler was also buried. Our lake shore has some impressive drifts going through the woods.
Last weekends fishing report? There were a few elusive yet still catchable upper red lake crappies caught. My Two houses florida  with old friends Joe and Brian and montana  with Rick and Bobby were not so lucky. All though Bobby did loose one at the hole.
I heard of 30 caught but that was a group of 8 guys for 3 days, Randy and Tammy  had the kids up. Travis, Taylor and Heather. They managed to get 7 for 3 days  with one move. Another guy got two . A local set up about 50 yards from me to the north east and they got 4 Saturday night. His name was Bruce. Very nice guy. He has a cabin up here and plans on retiring here in a couple more years’
Well that’s about it for now. I expect I will be taking a look around the next week or two but have no plans of chasing the elusive yet still catchable upper red lake crappie unless I’m very confident that its safe.
 I know one thing as you do not want to get even any where close to any of those pressure ridges that rest of the year. There was also areas of standing water. The temps have glazed them over and when you break though them you are hung up with no way of digging out of ice chunks and knee deep water with out a tow.