so here’s the scoop , as most fishermen know most of the resorts up here started letting wheeler and sleds out on the lake last weekend. That does not mean you can go any where you want as the winds have shifted the ice a couple times and opened up a few cracks . Check with the resort you access and stay in the areas that have been checked out.
The fishing has been pretty good.
I have had a few projects that were put off untell I got laid off from the golf course and mother nature again made my projects more challenging. I’m making progress slow and steady and maybe this time I have learned my lesson not to put these off when its 70 and sunny. Chasing breaking 80 at the golf course has got me processed.
From the looks of it there a good chance we will have all our sleepers on the lake by the 7th of dec.
My plans are again to go out of Hillmens resort and help Buddy hillmen with his road. He has built a 2 story house that may or may not be on the lake as its huge, I think it can sleep 8 to 10. Its crazy big 14 by 28.
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Trying to post a fresh report on my phone is a little frustrating. As of now all resorts are allowing walk out traffic for sure. Mother nature has wiped out quiite a bit of snow to my surprise..Buddy hillmens double decker 10 man fish house is coming alo g nicly and if anyone is intetested in renting it and can not reach him feel free to contact me 218 556 6197. My buddy waynes friends were up here last saturday out of hill.ens and did limit out. He ssid it was 1 fish every half hour. All also heard of a good report out of westwind. Our books are slowly filling up ut we have plenty open dates at this time.
oct 10 2017
Not a whole lot to report on the fishing at this time. Sounds like the rainy river is hot.
We have been short handed at the golf course Oak Harbor Golf course so I have been working all most everyday.
I had the treat of seeing a bull moose on the way to work so that was a sweet. He crossed a dirt road right in front of me.
Buddy Hillmen is building a new fish house and its huge. Two stories, 14 by 28 I be leave.Its quite the sight to see. Looks like most of us that rent fish houses are starting to do the pre season prep work.
The reservation book is ready. As I always tell customers that I start taking reservation around hunting season.
The greek was here for a couple of days passing through from Alaska. We were able to get in a couple rounds of golf and had a hoot.
bob and Rick will be up to do some work on our deer trails and stands. My plan is to again try and take a deer with me recurve bow. I up graded to carbon arrows so I been doing a little shooting to get ready. I have a new spot to hunt this year and need bob and ricks help to get set up. The grouse hunting has been getting a little better as the leafs are falling off some of the lower brush and trees.
The fall colors were spectacular this year.
I still plan on doing a little more fishing as my friend Pat may be coming up next week with Jeff and his son coming up around the 21rst. So there may be a fishing report in the future, if the weather cooperates.
Aug 14th 2017
The fishing has been pretty good the last week or two. There not jumping in the boat but we have been able to scratch out a few limits with out fishing all day long.
Wayne , Kellie the Hammer and I got out Saturday for a couple hours and kept 6. We missed way more then we caught.
I’m not quite ready for summer to fade away so I guess I’m hoping we have another nice fall like last year..
It has been pretty dry up here this year and the lake is low. The tamarac river has next to no flow.
The bear hunters have started baiting. I got to see 4 bucks in velvet all together last week I’ve seen 3 before but never 4 so that was cool.
We may go fishing again Thursday and Saturday
aug 7th 2017
Another weekend is in the books.
Kimjoy and Tim enjoyed them self tenting down at the lake. The wind played a little factor in there fishing but they were not to disappointed and plan on coming up to try a little grouse hunting this fall. They also took in bible study at our Baptist church here in town on Wednesday and enjoyed seeing everyone again.
Jeff, Jeff and Dillon came up Saturday morning and we hiked out to our land as they wanted to check it out. jeff and Dillon had to take off so me and jeff got out to do a little fishing. The sheephead were very aggressive but we managed to get 3 nice keeper walleyes for dinner.. Jeff and I had a fire down at the lake as we watched another classic upper red lake sunset.
Sunday morning we headed out to my early morning spot where we picked off 4 nice fish before jeff had to head home. I did catch a eel pout of all things Saturday?
Danny did real good fishing with his clients as he was up here for over a week.
I ran in to a old customer/friend that was camping at the park and they also managed to find a few fish.
aug 1rst 2017
Wow where did the month of July go? I guess its that old adage when your having fun time fly’s by.
The lake is low this year as we are in a semi drought in this area. Our good friends Bob and Rick came up this past weekend so we got out Friday eve when I got home from work. We drove past the ball fields on our way to launch the boat and Hillmens were getting ready to start there game of beer ball and it look like they were having a nice turn out for that.
We headed straight out to deeper water 12 feet where we trolled spinners and ended up picking up 7 nice keeper, a couple sheephead and one small pike. Not bad for just a couple hours of fishing.
Saturday we were in no hurry to fish so we went and had breakfast at westwind before heading out.
This time it was a bit windier so we decided to drift around the same area we had fished the night before. The first drift we had a double and things looked promising. We only needed five more fish for a 3 limits. I ended up getting a fat 19 and we missed a few fish. A couple more sheephead were caught before we had our 5 keepers.
Coming in I saw Tyler when we were pulling up to our dock and Tyler had said they did real good Saturday morning in 13 feet of water.
Danny from outdoor authority was up for the softball tournament and landed a 29 inch walleye Thursday or friday
After dinner we went and watched the mud football. This year they only had two girl teams of 4 and 2 guy teams of 4. Every year different . I remember one year there were at least 8 teams and they played tell dark.
After the games we went over to Hillmens bar tall tavern where they had a outside band and enjoyed some music.
Sunday Bob and Rick headed home and I went and watched the softball . They had 7 teams this year.
The blue berry were a bust this year so I never got my 12 pints and will have to wait another year.
My friends Tim and Kim rolled in last night and are staying a couple days so I hope they can get a few fish.
july 17th 2017
The hammer ,our god friend wayne and I goy out sunday for a bit of fishing.
Wayne had the hot hand landing 7 walleyes , 2 sheepheads and one nice mid 30s pike that cleared the water on one jump. I heard 2 guys had there 8 with two just over 18. Frank at north country food and fuel said he talked to a couple guys that also did real well.
Justin Shane? Bob Baily and Kyle got 5 Friday but the wind got the best of them Saturday. They came up to cut down a few trees for me and stayed down at the lake.
There’s a few things coming up Hillmens has there softball tournament coming up at the end of the month. I could find enough bed to host a team. Again Saturday eve they play a very mean game of tackle football in the mud pit that is always a hoot to watch.
westwind will be hosting there second annual corn hole tournament limited to 32 teams the first weekend of august. They also have some live music in there bar Friday night.
july 13 2017
Well a few interesting things to write about.
We had a bear running around Waskish for a couple weeks. From the story I heard he was caught ? Yep, a local had a raccoon trap in his yard and the bear put his tongue in it. I guess its a tube that you stuff marshmallows in. I’m not sure if that the first bear ever trapped by his tongue.
Talk to Steve, He said Tyler was hammering them. 6 feet of water?
Rodgers had a good fishing report also
From the sounds of it the fish are cooperating between 6 and 8 feet of water.
Weather wise lets just say brrrrr. I had 3 layers on yesterday when I was mowing at work. The plan is to wet a line this weekend if the weather cooperates.
The cabins are wide open the rest of the summer at this time.It seems every year it slows down up here after the 4th. The big pike should be turning on .Speed trolling is the trick and if your catch one with a black and orange salmo its mine.
Hillmen’s has there softball tournament coming up the last weekend of July. They are still looking for teams so if there’s any team out there that wants to play I can host a team here for lodging. If your young they play tackle football in the mud pit Saturday evening after softball and it is quite the sight to see. They also play beer ball Friday evening and that is always a hoot.
Last thing is this weekend is the street machine nationals at the st paul fairgrounds. Back in the 80s The hammer and I stumbled upon them when we were cruising around in my 340 duster and man did we have a good time sitting down by the fair grounds watching all the cars coming and going. We found a stop light and just set there all evening
july 11th 2017
Another Big Bog festival is in the books. A few highlights. The pot luck was again a small turn out? They then had a presentation at the park where they had three raptors two hawks and a small owl. that was pretty cool.
The mud run had a side by side that was 300 hp with nitro. Wow did that thing scoot.
Sundays church in the park had a good turn out with David playing his saw followed by wild rice pancakes.
I did wet a line sunday morning in one of my go to spot where I missed 3 and managed to land just on small walleye.
Rays sons caught a 45 inch pike. I ask if they were targeting pike and he said they were just fishing
Saturday the winds kept most of the fishermen away but I did see a guy with a few walking into the fish cleaning shack at westwind .
Our web site seems to be down ? I will have the hammer check on that later tonight. I may wet a line Thursday if things work out . My tree trimmers are coming up Friday and plan on doing a little fishing
july 6th 2017
To my surprise I have ben hearing some good fishing reports.
Jonny ,Ashly and myself got out Sunday morning. We headed out to deeper water right away where we ended up keeping 5 and missing a few ,plus a couple throwbacks.
Monday Devon and Jonny took the boat out and hit the same spot where they got 7 keepers in a couple hours.
A few fishermen Ii talked to said they did well in 8 feet of water and I even heard of some fish caught in 4 feet of water.
This weekend is the big bog festival. Some of the high lights will be pot luck in the park Friday evening at 5;30pm
Saturday and sunday softball tournament, The atv mud run is at 3 and has become a huge turnout everyear. Westwind will be hosting a outdoor dance Saturday evening.
Sunday morning is out door church service at homestead park at 9am followed up with wild rice pancakes.
My guys canceled for the weekend so I may get out and wet a line if mother nature cooperates