Another weekend is in the books. The guys in the cabins did all right but the fishing did slow. maybe due to the water getting stirred up from the winds and the cold front that moved through.. today Monday looks like its shaping up to be a beautiful day. ken is here for a couple days and scott and his parents are coming tomorrow for a day or two. The kids will be coming for the holiday weekends so I guess I better get the boat in the water this week. I held off due to the low water but the park was able to jump through some hoops and dig out the channel so I think I’m ok. The access was crazy busy yesterday and I still have no clue where they all come from. I guess its just a combination of other resorts and people with cabins with in 100 mile radius.

Some one hit the panic mode and somehow they were able to dig out the channel going out of the tamarac starting Friday. Before opener. Quite the sight coming out in your boat and driving by two tractors and a backhoe sitting out in the lake Saturday and sunday.
The fishing should stay pretty good for a few weeks. We do have the two cabins here with plenty of open dates during the week.
Saturday day was pretty busy but buy late afternoon the landing was wide open.
I still have not found any morels mushrooms but maybe this week.

It was a little bit of a chore cutting the trail over to Buddy Hillmen’s highway . I sware the way our landing is and the shape of the shore line all the snow that blows ends up on our landing. Its just amazing how the wind just packs it in there. It did not take long to get stuck as the snow was up to the red barons door handle. Once I could not go any further I went back around to Hillmens and was able to come from the other direction and get through . But I again got stuck going through Buddies berm. Man did we pile up snow there through out the season.
Once that was open I headed out to start bringing the fleet home. Just taking my time I was able to bring north Carolina, north Dakota and florida home . Since the heat was still on I spent the extra time to go ahead and get them vacuumed and cleaned up from the past weekend.
Jonny boy stayed out there in montana. While Darrin showed up for California with his buddie Mike. Big Tony showed up with his daughter Katrina. Tony was my helper years ago.
Darrin was up to 4 or 5 last night. Jonny boy has picked up just a couple over the last couple nights, Tony and Katrina were also up to 4 or 5 with a couple bonus perch. katrina did catch a elusive yet still catchable upper red lake crappie and has kept her streak alive, she is 9 as has caught at least one every time she has came fishing with her dad. I’m thinking she is Tonys lucky charm as one year they set up in the middle of no where and landed on a few.
The lake has been pretty darn quiet, all though a couple young guys we met during our crappie hunt were out there. Jonny boy had invited them over to fish by us as they had only caught one that weekend. They showed up that sunday eve and after talking to them they may of landed on the mother load that sunday night before they left.
I drove over to talk to them yesterday as they were just south of us . They had a different trailer so I did not know it was them. They have been testing some new gadgets from Garmin all winter . Turns out they have been fishing up here since they were young. Over 20 years . Two super nice guys. The equipment they are using can pick up fish in any direction from 100 feet away. It will show you if they are 10 feet away or 27 feet away. It also shows bait fish . Its all most not fair? But you still have to get them to bite? You can drill right over where you spot them. Then turn it looking down with another setting. If you had 8 holes you could see all you jigs . Turns out just as I had pulled up they had landed on the mother load not 300 feet from the houses. they figured they caught over 20 . They kept 4 . Then just like that they were gone. With there gadget they spotted them 75 feet away to the sw and moved there Yettie over there for the evening bite .
Coming off the lake last night I’m thinking one more move should be in order. There’s plenty of snow to bank Minnesota and montana. I do not have any more fishermen coming up so its time to get California home. Then I need to decide if I want to fish in old Minnesota one more night at least. I know Jonny boy will have no problem staying in montana as many nights as he can. I see it s time to check the fluids and head out to check on the guys and say good bye. Who knows maybe tonight will be the night the mother load swims underneath old minnesota

Wow just figured it out 105 day and counting that I have gone on to the lake. There may of been a day or two that I did not go on the lake but I guess I do not remember when that was. Its been another fun grind if that can be such a thing.
My blogging has not been as much as I would like. After a couple days you can not remember all the little things that happen. Such as as all the fishermen’s names that I meet along the way. How many fish were caught and released, who did what, why they drove there, what mother nature threw at us.
I would say that not as many fishermen drove into the pressure ridges or snow berms this year.
There were again more wheel houses this year then last year as they just keep pumping them things out. There were some lake politics that I do not get to talk about, about the same as every year. I hooked up with snowbear Josh as he has become a new friend, I tried to give him some pointers and helped him out where I could.
If I graded the fishing 1 to 10 I would give her a 8, we had 3 really slow weekends in our spots. It seems that they are always biting somewhere on this lake, its just getting to them places can some times be impossible.
If I graded Buddy Hillmens road/highway it gets a 10, but I biased on that as I help with that. Our crappie get together has gotten smaller which is fine as I get to spend more time with the guys and gals. My working vacation started the day after walleye closed. I’m defiantly burned out with cooking the 3 course meals in old Minnesota, all though the cooking space is about the same size as our kitchen just no running water.
I would say we have to be around 150 to 200 elusive yet still catchable upper red lake crappies since walleye closed. Which is pretty good considering we can not get to where we want to be this year. I’ve really had to stay on the move to get the houses on new spots to improve the chance of catching such a elusive fish, but I always wonder if I should of stayed where I was.
When Wayne came up this weekend he drove into the maze of trails I have made in the last 3 weeks and said “your right you really do ruin areas” man did we have a laugh about that. They say Laughter makes you younger and again I may of gained a year or two.
Having Jonny boy working with me was a treat, as any time you can spend quality time with your kids is a bonus in life. Auguring holes with all most 3 feet of ice has become quite the chore , he makes it look easy, as after 3 holes I’m spent, I’m not sure how I ever have been able to knock out 40 holes on a Thursday or Friday. I guess I have to chalk it up to age.
He is also a fishing machine compared to me. He had spent every night out there since walleye closed. As our good friend Ole has said in the past. “he is a trophy hunter” you can not catch them if your not out there. Every one of these elusive crappies in my book are trophies’
Yesterday I started moving the fleet home after saying good bye to the guys. I have 3 of the 6 houses staged close to shore. Were going to keep montana and California out there for a couple more days I think, It all depends on mother nature, and how cutting the trail to Hillmens road goes today with the red baron. The houses can be out there after the 19th as long as there occupied and Jonny boy has no problem staying out there a few more nights.
Now for the fishing report, Ryan and his son Ripply arrived Thursday and spent two nights in florida. They were rewarded with 3 elusive yet still catchable upper red lake crappies. I also had 5 in the cooler so we sent him home with 5 total enough to have a great meal. The hammer and I ate the other 3 out there last night.
Wayne made it up for old Minnesota, I managed to snag one Saturday eve so he also got to have fresh crappie dinner when he got home last night.
jeoff, Jeromy, Larry and Kevin were in north Dakota and montana. North dakota got 5 the first night and Saturday morning, montana got 2 I think, then Saturday night it was the opposite. They figured they caught at least 20 counting the fish caught hole hopping during the day. The crew of 4 only kept 8 or 9.
Jonny boy and I also moved California and Florida Friday , Jonny boy picked a good spot for California and has caught more then a few, yesterday Dick and his wife came for the evening and had 2 last I heard, Dick said both are going on the wall.
Marty and Tony came down from low Saturday and fished in florida they left before dark so no fish for them.
Sounds like Darrin is going to come up tomorrow for a day or 2. Jeoff said he may come back as he has a hard time putting the ice fishing gear away, kinda like me putting the golf clubs or the fish houses away. I took the hammer fishing last night for her birthday but no elusive crappie for her all though I think she may of lost one or two, as well as me.
Hillmens highway is still in good shape, with the lake completely snow covered at this time. we have not lost much if any ice other then the landing which is not that big of a deal as its so shallow .

Looks like we have about 10 fishermen coming for the last weekend before the houses come home. The ice is in great shape with the snow slowly melting down. Ii have found a couple areas of slush but that has been where a lot of snow accumulated through out the year.
Jonny boy and I moved all the houses one more time, The hammer and I fished Monday night. We had dinner and spent the night with out ever catching a elusive upper red lake crappie.
We gave it another shot last night as I grill burgers with oven baked French fry’s. Same house Old Minnesota, same spot we fished Monday and we were rewarded with 3, yes 3 elusive yet still catchable upper red lake crappies. I’m thinking fresh crappie for dinner tonight.
Mean while Jonny boy was fishing Florida where he also landed a couple that were released to fight another day. Its always nice to educate them as that makes them that much more elusive.
Its been pretty darn quiet on the lake, Yesterday I did see 2 trucks headed down Hillmen”s highway to the end of the road. I also saw one truck on beacon Harbors old road.
The plan as of right now is start bringing the fleet home sunday after we say good bye to the guys.
As the snow has been receding. I have had time to check out a few old spots, so far the liter had been very minimal which is nice to see. Every year I try to go back to every area I have ruined. I like to police the area one more time, reminisce in my mind all the fun and memories that were made on as Dave the old timer told me A Grand Lake that owes us nothing! nothing!

Well after last years fiasco with mother nature it was nice to see a few of the guys for are annual crappie hunt. Being on the lake for over 90 days has a huge advantage as my goal is to have the houses close if not right on the mother load. Every year is different, This year a man made pressure ridge and another that came all the way across the lake at 7 miles hand cuffed us of where we wanted to be. Just like every day out there plan A became plan B. Adam brought a wheeler so he could shuttle out to where we expected to find the mother load. Adam came and got me at the end of the road, as soon as we got to the spot I look back and my headlites got left on. I take Adams wheeler back on the same tracks we came out on? 200 yards form blue thunder I buried the thing in a old road bed. Joff and Bob arrived just in time to help me dig the thing out. We worked 3 different areas with nothing to brag about. The area Jonny boy, Marty and I tried was about as fishy as it gets. I marked fish from the time I wet a line untell the time we packed up. I have no clue if they were perch, walleye or elusive yet still catchable upper red lake crappies.
Jonny boy and I moved the whole fleet again Friday as we had found a few fish just east of the houses. The moved defiantly helped as Saturday morning a few more elusive upper red lake crappies were caught with Joff and Bob in Florida landing 5 over night.
Shawn and Paul in montana had a couple also with Paul landing 4 over night , Jake and his family lost one at the hole, Adam also lost one at the hole. Mike and Mat that rolled in late Friday night and parked by us got 4 I think.
Darrin and his family landed 4 also.
Joe and Rick staying in California also landed 4,
Richy, Shela, John and Adrea? were in old Minnesota. They were the newbies as shela had given Richy a birthday present of fishing such a grand lake. Richy got his first elusive yet still catchable upper red lake crappie just after dark. They were pretty excited when I came to check in on them.
Saturday the crew decided to pepper the area we moved the house’s to. This strategy has worked in the past hunts. Around 4 30 Joff landed on the mother load and pulled out 15 fish in a row. Sean came over and punched a hole next to his, then they were both catching them, then Bob jumped in on the action as well as the crew in old Minnesota. Shela lost one at the hole and dove all the way to her shoulder but they are so elusive that one got away. They did end up with 7 with two going on the wall.
So a first. Saturday night around 10 I pull up to old Minnesota and they are all outside line dancing. Talk about people knowing how to have a good time. They were all having a blast. They even got me out there doing the chicken dance with Polka music. It was a scene right out of a Minnesota movie. Mean while every one was visiting, house hopping, laughing and just enjoying a beautiful evening out on the lake. A few more fish were caught before everyone packed up sunday morning.
Jonny boy and I decided we will move the houses one more time in case some one wants to come up and chase these very elusive, yet very catchable upper red lake crappies. We know there’s still a few around as joff only kept 5 of the twenty he caught. I would say that half the ones caught were released to fight another day. The hammer and I plan on wetting a line a few times this week. I expect Jonny boy will be camping out in Florida every night as he has a passion for catching fish, he also may be looking for that magical moment when the mother load swims right under the house. Stay tuned as I predict “it could happen”
Off road travel can still a bear, common sense and not driving into old road beds is the key. Hillmens Highway is in great shape. I will have both the red baron and blue thunder on the lake. There’s plenty of room for me to punch out a spot. Its truly amazing as you watch the snow slowly melt and see all the areas that never saw a hole augured.

Well we weathered the storm with a direct miss. My no snow, snow dance may of worked? Or the weathermen have no clue. With the warmer temps, then colder temps, then winds out of the east at 30 mph. Buddy Hillmens highway is in great shape for the up and coming weekend.
Yesterday 2 jets came out of no where and gave us a wave as Jonny boy and I were moving a couple houses on to fresh spots. I think they have gone over every other day for the last 10 days. Last week I’m sitting in old Minnesota with the hammer looking out the picture window and here comes a jet right at us. I told Kelly quick look out the window. She looked out the back window just in time. Wow what a treat as Jonny boy said, they never get old ,so impressive.
Today the plan is to reset florida, north Dakota and old Minnesota. The hammer , I and Jonny boy will be doing some barbecued ribs, with bake potato’s, as I vacation and try and out fish the hammer. She has me 2 to 1 on the elusive yet still catchable upper red lake crappie. I also built a s ice slide for the grand kids when they were here. I plan on going for a spin or two to get a chuckle out of the hammer.
Jake and the crew arrive tomorrow for a annual crappie hunt, It does not look like I can get to where I would like to be so I’m hoping some one brings a sled. All the crappie’s we have caught in the area I’m working have been after dark so that should work out nicely.
I have all ready made a few liter stops on the lake. A red wheel house left 2 buckets, 2 pieces of carpet, a beer bottle and a sh load of cig butts? I just do not understand why people do this.
With the temps down to zero tonight we will be making ice. The bite was horrible the last 48 hrs. so I expect the fishing to get much better. Will see if I’m right.
Time to check the fluids, fire up the fleet and enjoy another day on such a grand lake. who knows maybe we will get another jet fly by as they never get old

Monday morning and again the winds are howling out of the east. Saturday while wayne ran to town with our grand kids, Phil walked over and helped me move old minnnesota to a new spot. He said man does this bring back memories. Hindsight is always s 20 20. After all the fish the hammer was marking Friday night I should of never moved . Other then winds predicted over 20 out of the east it was a good move for old Minnesota for the door to be facing west. Fishing wise it was a horrible move.
Wayne took charge of dinner while I fished and the east winds must of effected the fishing as it was the dead sea Saturday night. Jonny boy did have a big pike on , stupid fish can eat a fish a third its size and eats a half inch crappie minnow. Jonny boy had a gas fighting the fish though. Jonny boy did land a elusive yet still catchable upper red lake crappie around 3 am . Over the years my observations have found find small scuffit walleyes, big pike and there will be a few elusive yet still catchable upper red lake crappies around.
Cards with Wayne and the hammer was again a fun time. Lots of laughs to boot.
Sunday morning I was on the lake early to get the grand kids and Phil off the lake. He drove up in his semi so we had to shuttle them on and off the lake. I fillet up his two crappies plus 1 perch and sent them home with a fish meal any way.
I was also able to send Wayne home with some fish as we had a poacher forget his take under there shack when they left Saturday? My kind of liter I guess. I was not sure what I should do with them so I sent them home with Wayne rather then throw them away. I did look at the fillets and they sure looked like walleye. I’m thinking maybe I’m naïve some times when it comes to people poaching as it may happen more then I think? Something to ponder.
It’s kinda nice that I do not have to be in a big hurry this morning getting out on the lake.
The hammer and I fished again last night, We again had fish for dinner. I was hoping the second night on the same spot was the ticket? Jonny boy also fished montana. will see how he did later today.
The plan right now is again to dig out all the houses . Get them all cleaned and inventoried for the final weekend. Jake is pumped .
From the looks of it we may have the whole lake to just our crew, There were 3 wheel house on the lake this weekend.
Buddy Hillmen has all ready gotten his houses put in the woods for the season. It look like the big double decker came off with out a hitch, so I imagine that was a nice relief. I know how I feel when mine our tucked away for the year.
I had Phil peek under neigh the red baron. We have some major repairs so I will be babying her the rest of the season. New ball joints , two new tires,plus whatever else we find.
White lightning has a few more issues, as my summer list just keeps getting longer and longer. Oh well its times to get to work as we have 2 days to get re set

What a treat . Phil brought up two of our grandsons Mathew and Jacob. 6 generations catching fish and having fun on such a grand lake. Yesterday I piled up some snow with blue thunder and spent a little time building the kids a slide for there saucers. With some more grooming its only going to get faster today.
Phil said last night this was his first elusive yet still catchable upper red lake crappie. With 2 in the bucket so far. Mathew lost one at the hole fishing with his uncle Jonny boy. Every elusive yet still catchable upper red lake crappie we have caught the last 2 weeks have been after dark.
Again I was cooking a big dinner, fresh crappie, fried potato’s and glazed carrots were on the menu. As I was cooking up a storm I had my one chance and what ever I had on I pulled the rookie move and bounced it off the bottom of the ice. Oh well! The hammer, I and Wayne did not fair so well in old Minnesota. The hammer had one on that may of been a elusive yet still catchable upper red lake crappie.
She was the only one with a vex. It was quite humorous watching her get ticked off as they would come up 3 feet and they go back to the bottom. As I was leaving the lake last night I spotted my next move. With Wayne’s help we will put old Minnesota on another fresh spot I plan on fishing tonight and its someone else turn to cook dinner.
I was the big winner at cards so they will be gunning for me tonight.
I did plow one spot for a guy named joe and his dad. They only spent one night and told me they got skunked? Only to find out they landed 2. Its so funny even though I plowed them the spot. Fishermen are still tight lipped about there catch. Oh well!
The big get together with Jake’s crew starts Wednesday so all the houses will be moved one last time starting tomorrow. The weather looks good after last years crazy weather. Time will tell though as today I need to do a no snow snow dance. Looks like its time to fire up the fleet and check the fluids. If every thing works out I may even sneak a quick nap in old Minnesota today.

Last night our good friend Thad that works for chad benson out of boondocks landing came out to wet a line and have taco Wednesday with us. It was good seeing him. We had some laughs and reminisced about how we met and how he ended up here in gods country,
We did have some excitement with a couple fish lost that may of been the elusive yet still catchable crappies we are after. About 830pm the beeper went off on my rod, the the same time the hammer set the hook on a fish and the fight was on. It took a minute to realize that one of the two, the hammer or Thad had a big pike on. It was quite hilarious as we tried to figure out who had the fish on. The hammer would fight it for a minute while Thad left the bail open, then they would switch and the hammer would open her bail as thad would fight the fish, with me looking down the holes with the flash lite. Once we determined that Thad had the fish we were able to coax it up the hole. I quick pick and back down the hole she went. A very feisty 32 inch pike that thought he was a 44 incher. I expected that the hammer and I would not catch a crappie after releasing him as they have a tendency to lay on the bottom for quite some time after being released. Jonny Boy came over from montana holding a nice 14 incher. He also got one Tuesday night so were closing in a limit caught since moving into that area.
We again spent the night out there but had forgot to get our new license so when we shut her down around 10 30pm. The rattle wheels were pulled up which was nice as I was not awakened by that ding ding ding.
The plan today is moving the last two house over to the new area where we will be spending more time trying to catch these elusive fish. Lonnie and Lisa are here for 1 night so we will be visiting them later tonight. As of now 3 of the houses are wide open for the weekend as there not much interest in catching such a elusive yet still catchable upper red lake crappie