Wow day 6 coming up of having the potential of being on the lake for a 102 days in a row. “ZOIKS”
I thought it was interesting to see I have been blogging for over 14 years on some fishing sights.
here goes it was a great start to the 2017 2018 season. Getting things prepped on Friday was a grind to say the least. I think I got on the lake at 9 am and when Ashly our granddaughter and Devon her guy plus our great grandson Bently, 9 months old this past weekend, It was 11pm.
It has become official as Saturday bently set on his dads lap holding a fishing rod and jigging. 7 generations have wet a line on such a grand lake. I find that amazing. Grandpa Norman homesteaded here, They had Grama Olga who was raised on the Tamarac river with her brothers and sisters jalmer drowned up by moose bank. My dad and his brother and sister ran the streets of waskish, I fished the lake when I was 6, Our kids came up her since they were babies. Our daughter kids same thing. Matty being born up here, well bemidji now Liam and bently coming here. I guess it paid off and the kids were the last ones to check in and did the best of all 4 houses. We could not figure out if they could have a limit for bently so they went home with 8.
Jamie and Dustin were in montana, the closest house to shore. They only landed 5 walleyes and two smaller pike, plus all the swings and a miss. The ice was a 17 inches where the house is. They stop flooding around 19 so that will be sweet. You can get away with out blocking them after 20 inches but you need to keep a good eye on them as if you get some big drift s from snow they will freeze in.
Jeff and Beth were in florida for one night, There friends with my friend Jeff aka boar and his wife Lorie they were in north Dakota for the weekend. They hung out in florida tell late into the evening/morning and only caught a couple fish. Boar said I had his house in 5 feet of water? I showed him it was 7’11” They did real good Saturday night in North Dakota. I’m not even sure how many they caught other then the rattle wheels kept them entertained and they took home 8 fish.
Saturday I would be fishing with Scott who lives in florida in our florida fish house. He was in mpls for work. He was opening up a new dunken dounuts. If I would of know I would of had him bring be a bakers dozen.
He had never ice fished, we got two rattle wheels set up and a vexlar, where we fished and visited from sunset tell about 8pm with a very slow bite . Scott did get to catch two keepers walleyes. So he was pleased that it was a catching trip and not a fishing trip. He spent the night on the lake. I came home and fried up his catch then brought him some fresh walleye as he had never tasted them.
Yesterday I headed out to move florida as that area has now been burned out. There were 5 pop ups just a little west of north Dakota. I talk to them briefly and they said it was slow but they were in the same spot Saturday and sunday ?
I timed it from when I stepped out the door and raised the step. It took me 40 minutes to dig out and move the house. So feasibly I could move 4 houses in 4 hours if everything clicks.
Buddy Hillmen’s highway is performing just like it was designed. We had a squall of snow Friday afternoon and it was minimum plowing even though we got a inch of snow coming down sideways with 30 miles a hour NW winds most of the evening.
Scott, Bob and Pete? were in the cabin and they almost lost the portable out there when that weather picked up. They did well Saturday and went right back to where they fished the first night.
We have one house rented tomorrow so at this time I have plenty of time to get re positioned for the next weekend.
We did get another inch of snow last night so there some snow to plow this morning. 3 miles I think of super highway. Buddy Hillmens still has plenty of opening for the 2017 2018 fish season 218 647 8504. There plans sounds like the double decker will go out after xmas

City: waskish
Remote Name: 209.191.208.74
Date: 03/11/2003
Time: 11:30:31 AM

Upper_Red_Lake

To all fishermen, If you spend 1/2 hour reading the past reports on here you should have all the knowledge you need to find those elusive crappies. Come and enjoy the lake , give every one plenty of room, Please bring your garbage home. Who ever left the 12 pack of empty bud cans I picked them up for you. Where do you think this garbage goes?I will tell you it ends up on the bottom of the lake or on shore so please take it home with you.This lake is pristine lets all keep it that way. THANKS COOKIE

Wow was I pooped last night. Here I thought buddy hillmen would be dragging the road. I headed down to the lake after the big blow Wednesday morning to find like always 3 to 4 feet of snow in our yard. Mean while Hank next door to us to the north, you could drive a car off there landing? WTf .To funny it must just make the perfect whirlpool. After spending a hour clearing our yard I headed over to hillmens to do the same thing. Buddy hillmen showed up with the drag and headed out while I worked on the landing. After he made two trips out he left and came back with his brown ford straight blade and we finished up the landing. then just like that we were making the super highway,pushing all the snow to the south. Jst as it was getting dark I headed to North country food and fuel to check the fluids and get gas. The right back out for another hour as we buttoned it up. Over a mile of the super highway done. Blue thunder got a work out , other then one wiper broken and one headlight burned out she came threw with flying colors, gotta love that truck.
Yesterday was another busy day as everything on the list for Wednesday now had to be done yesterday plus getting all 6 houses out of the woods and on to the lake to kick off the 2017 2018 season. I had dropped the ball on sunday and forgot too gather all the extension cords out of the woods . Luckily I had pulled them out of all the summer growth so it was just a mater of pulling them out of 4 foot drifts as they were not tangled in the underbrush, still a chore though.
Each house had to be secured, then broken loose before they could be tugged out of there resting places. Again blue thunder preformed flawlessly. Man I love that truck.lol. One by one I towed them out to the fishing grounds, 6 houses in all are now positioned on the north side of hillmens highway with 4 ready to block, bank and auger for todays first crews. Did I say I was pooped? Came in the house last night well after dark worn out. I need a second wind all ready and I have only been on the lake 2 days OH! OH! There was know 3 course meal last night it was a frozen pizza ,hot shower, a couple phone calls” more then 2″ and bed by 930.
Day 3 on the lake begins with gathering any blocks left down at the lake before the next snow fall. 3 propane’s and gathering all the extension cords. Then Its time to prep as 24 holes have to be augered before 2pm. I’ll just plug away and remember what That old timer Dave told me “ITS A GRAND LAKE AND IT OWES ME NOTHING NOTHING!

so here’s the scoop, Buddy Hillmen and I started the super highway yesterday. We made about a mile of road with the berm to the south . Crossing the berm would be a bad idea. Hillmens is allowing any size wheel house out to less then a mile with wheelers or side by sides. Any other question you can call the store 218 647 8504.
He also has some open rental on the lake at this time.
I have a very busy day ahead as the fleet is coming out of the woods today,

My no snow slow snow dance started off as rain? Guess I made a mistake and did a rain dance. Cleaning off the trucks last night I would say we got 3 inches far less then they predicted 9 to 11. The winds picked up last night and are howling right now. The snow was wet and heavy to start so I’m hoping its not blow in my landing to bad.
Barny from Kellier is coming up today to do a little welding for us before we pull the house’s off the shore line. Montana needs a hook re welded and the metal grade step repaired, Florida also need some work on the step.
I got the radiator ordered for white Lightning aka Cheyanne. I’m hoping it arrives before Saturday and I can get Devon to install it while there here. We also have a lite bar for blue thunder that Devon gave me this summer. I noticed the wipers quit working on the red baron and we will have to check that out as there kinda important out there on the lake.
Josh from Annandale is running a snowbear out there this year. He has a helper Travis that was out there yesterday guiding some customers. I talk to him briefly before the rain and snow started and he landed a 16 incher while I was talking to him, kinda curious how he did after that.
I expect quite a few rentals will be working there way out on the lake starting Wednesday, my plans are to check my area one more time before I make the move onto the lake. I’m hoping to find 14 inches of ice the whole route so will see how that goes.
I’m sure Buddy Hillmen will start dragging his road this morning if there’s good visibility. He like to get that snow off asap to make the ice thicker on the road. Plus with a good wind a lot of it catches the air and its much less plowing.
I know I have said it many times but it is one heck of a road and he takes a tremendous amount of pride in building it. Its a lot of work, a lot of ware and tare on the trucks, but I also enjoy being part of his operation.
Crazy but I have heard and saw pics of a few. ” More then 3″ elusive yet still catchable upper red lake crappies this year. Deb and Jim did not fair to well sunday fishing. I think it was there first time on red lake. They did manage to get two in the time they fished and also missed a couple. They came off the lake before dark to be on the safe side.
If you decide to come fish upper red lake in the near future please check in with the access resorts. With the snow cover they will have information Of any areas to avoid since they have all been checking condition daily. Remember common sense and if it does not look right it is probably not. Do not try and go to saved waypoints un tell we have weeks of ice making temps. Its just a fish. There’s plenty of fishable ice that’s average 10 inches. And the last Thing is remember as the old timer Dave told me” ITS A GRAND LAKE AND IT OWES US NOTHING!, NOTHING!

Well yesterday was a very busy and productive day to say the least. All our guest caught a few fish through out the day and came off the lake just after or before sunset to be on the safer side.. everyone reported 10 to 12 inches of ice. on our end of the lake. Buddy Hillmen was planning on letting single axel wheel house 16 feet and under out with wheelers. There phone number is 218 647 8504.
Its so nice to have close friends. Chris came up and we went for a walk in the woods hoping to spook up a grouse and also look for a flu flu arrow I lost when I missed a grouse this fall. We did see one bird but he was out of range. when we got back Chris was kind enough to help me button up old Minnesota’s project.
The guys in the cabin struggled finding fish, but yesterday stumbled onto the mother load and I was able to visit them and have a couple pieces of fresh fish last night.
Deb and Jim are coming up to give it a shot today while everyone else here will be packing up this morning.
I was hoping to make it to church for advent but saying goodbye too our guest may throw off the timing.
Today I need to spend the time picking up any thing on the ground lying around as snow is predicted starting Monday afternoon.
I would also like to take chris to my honey hole for grouse as it was huge for him to take the time to help me yesterday.
The vexlars are charged and tonight the rods and reels will be prepped for the up and coming ice season.
All the vehicles are starting and will see what this cold does to them. They still have a few small issue but they always do. I’m going to do a no snow, snow dance today and tomorrow but not sure if its going to work. Mother nature is getting ready to show her nasty side with snow and high winds out of the north then nw.
Well its getting lite and I have ton of things to do. I can not empathize enough if your fishing on upper red lake please use common sense , Talk to the resort before you go on the lake. Be safe and have a buddy fishing with you. There’s plenty of good fishing with in the first mile or two. We have all season to work our way out further as the season progresses.

Here at my place I’m making progress for the up and coming ice fishing season. Slow and steady. The fleet keeps getting bigger .We now have the red baron running great “Knock on wood” all though it does need a couple parts. He does not go on the lake right away so were good for now.

Blue thunder went from what I assumed was a little job to remove and replacing the whole front differential, We were able to remove a different one from the original blue thunder 1. Blue thunder 1 was a heavy duty 3/4 ton and even though we thought it was the same one major part was different. The steering arm was shaped just a little different . It took 5 saw blades and a small tank of acetylene to remove it. Then we realized the u-joint was shot so that had to be replaced and the left axle had to come out. He is all put back together now . I also picked up a new set of rear shocks to match the new front ones. Looks like there will be some more torching to remove them, but that’s to be expected when your dealing with a 33 year old truck.
The new edition is another chevy we nick named White lightning aka Cheyanne. He is a she and needs a new radiator . Then once she is on the road we will deal with any other issues that may arrive.
The old dodge prospector is in the woods for now .It may be time to say goodbye but will see.
There may also be a runner vehicle in the future but we will know more later on.
We did have a couple cancelation for this weekend due to the tragedy last week which I completely understand as no ice is completely safe. Buddy Hillmen has been on the ice every day since she locked up and has traveled around quite a bit watching and keeping notes of any thing that may concern him. He has his road staked out to about 3 miles where he does not recommend any one traveling past the pressure ridge that formed. It heads to the north where it turns and heads west north west. I did venture out on the ice yesterday just to check where I would like to start the season and found 12 inches with a little less the further you go west where I never found any ice under 10. I also talk to a few fishermen and they were catching a couple that’s slang for more then two .
Mike and his crew had a few, again slang for over 3.
The other Mike in the cabin with his two buddies did not fair as well and got a honest few 3.
The to do list has been shrinking as we get closer to hauling the houses out of the woods. A little snow would help that progress but good old mother nature will make that decision unless I have to do a snow dance and I sure do not want a lot of snow so it may have to be a modified slow snow dance. Its 25 here this morning so that’s good.
Buddy is allowing wheelers, sleds, side by side off his access and asking not to venture past the pressure ridge at about 3 miles. Please remember to use common sense if your coming up.

Well its looks like I have to chime in a bit of the conditions on our end of the lake. Upper red lake is a huge body of water and freezes up different every year. One year it glazed over in one night and the ice was so smooth I could of put on ice skates and skated all the way to gilbar on the north shore which I would say is 5 miles away.
This year as the shore line was slowing making ice we got very cold temps with a nnw wind. Each wave would hit the ice pack and some water would spray into the air where it would ice up or lets say turn into snow. By morning it was ice as far as the eye could see. It stayed cold and the wind died down a bit . I couple days later another big wind came more winds from the wsw and again pounded ice into the eastern side of the lake. That why the water is or was so stirred up underneath. Some ice broke up further out and was driven under and over the ice making shelf ice where it could be twice as thick. As far as I know the ice pack on our end never broke loose from shore quite a ways out and we kept making ice. Even though it was warn down in the cites one day there was a 25 degree difference they were at 40 and we were at 15. Opening deer season was a week of cold, cold, cold. If I remember one night it was 8 below.
I’m very confident that we have plenty of ice on this corner of the lake. No wheelers, or sleds have broken through on this end that I have heard of. Buddy hillmen of hillmens resort has staked his road out quite a ways “miles”. same with westwind and beacon harbor. There was a crack out at 3 miles that did separate but the wind drove it back together and made quite a pile of stacked ice out 3 miles. Westwind and hillmens is requesting know one try and jump or travel over it. Is the ice 100 percent safe, No it never is. Common sense is a must, If it does not look right its probably not right.
I have had a few fishermen here and they all have measured 9 to 10 inches of ice. The area I plan on scoping out today could have 11 ? The fishing has been pretty darn good with pink and gold shining. One day they want jigging the next day dead stick. This end is allowing wheelers, sleds and side by side out to the pressure ridge around 2.5 to 3 miles. There’s plenty of fish and space, there is no reason to venture any further. Just use good common sense.
If you do choose to come up check in with the resorts, they have been on the ice every day .

Not even sure where to start? As quite a few fishermen may know we had a tragedy here on upper red lake this past weekend. A young couple Zeth and Melissa lost there lifes doing what it looked like they loved to do from pictures and comments I have seen and heard of the couple.
I’m a little different then most guys and I can become a little more emotional then others and I will flat out say I have shed a few tears and am choking up right now as it breaks my heart. I have read a couple of post out loud to the hammer My wife and can not get them out with out tearing up..
Facebooks Ice Fishing Minnesota has a post where you can post a fishing picture in there honor. what a beautiful tribute in my opinion.
It turns out that Zeth was from Stacy Minnesota. My wife’s sister shell chick lives in Stacy. I raised our family in Wyoming Minnesota just down the road from there. My helper from years ago Tony had played softball with Zeth as a team mate and against him. Mark works with his dad. Renea son was best friends with him, Bob’s daughter’s boyfriend was a friend . Paul had just talked to him. Its such a small world sometimes.
Melissa brother posted a story about spotting a couple dark objects on the lake that led him to the recovery site. The dark spot were two eagles, When we had my grandma Olga’s funeral here in waskish there were eagles flying over the church.
The hammer does not want me going on the lake at this time, I feel very confident to venture out but just like every year I stay back un tell I can drive blue thunder on the ice. Once I’m on the lake I could possible be out there close to 100 days in a row so I’m never in that big of a hurry ,plus my mentor, cousin Pete who has lived here all his life and was best friends with my dad has always said slow and patient, don’t be in a hurry, that how things get broken. By the way my father died in a car accident heading home from waskish in 1978. I never got to here all the stories he had of his stomping grounds up here as a teenager. I can only imagine as he was a daredevil as he raced figure 8s in Colorado when I was a kid. I know they use to water ski up and down the tamarac river and try and sling shot each other into the reeds. I have also heard a few car stories but will not share as I do not want to give any one any ideas.
I had a close call or two on this lake . When I was 6 I was on the lake with my cousin Stan and my sister when we ran out of gas and a storm blew in. We lost both oars and were at the mercy of the wind and the waves. We had no clue we were in danger un tell a rescue boat retrieved us.
Mother nature can be extra wicked up here as I have blogged over the years as well as summer,
I try and request a prayer every year in church that all the fishermen and workers on the lake have a safe season. Do to the circumstances of what happen I would rather not share any fishing reports for a few days. I’m not even sure how I’m going to feel when I do get on the lake. As Dave the old timer told me ITS A GRAND LAKE AND IT OWES ME NOTHING NOTHING
May you rest in peace Zeth and Mellisa, and I’m so so sorry

well we finally got our home computer back so it sure is nice to be able to type again instead of using the phone.
The wind were wicked Monday night but by the looks of it this side of the lake held together so that’s real good news.
Lonnie and his buddy braved the winds yesterday and headed out ,they managed to get 7 of there 8 but it was a tougher bite then last time they were here on Saturday.
This weekend is going to be crazy up here as I have had quite a few inquirers about lodging on shore. Buddy Hillmen may have something but he is tough to get a hold of as he is busy building that mammoth house.
We ran into a hiccup on blue thunder and have a part we can not get off to replace. I’m hoping Tom can come over and button it up. as Devon worked his butt off to get er done. You could see the disappointment in his eyes, Blue thunder is my work horse and I’m feeling the pressure of getting her up and running..
Our new used lake truck may show up sunday if all goes well. Its name is Cheyanne “I think that’s spelled right. It blew a radiator in fargo and is arriving on a trailer .
Old Minnesota is the only house that I have not detailed as I also had some major work on her that was ignored while I was trying to break 80 at the golf course this summer. Every one have a great thanksgiving and if your coming up here make sure you check in the resort your going out of as they have been on the ice everyday