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

Its always amazes me how fast the house come off the lake when game fish season ends. I totally understand though as once there home and safe its a relief . Plus no more plowing or road cost the sooner you can get them home your done battling mother nature. On the other hand I seem to find my second wind and head west while everyone is headed east. I guess I’m a gluten for punishment . On the other hand its a time I get to relax, fish and enjoy Old Minnesota. I have squeezed in two naps out there all ready. The hammer, Jonny boy and I enjoyed two nights of fishing, having dinner. We closed out the walleye season, then spent Monday night on the lake looking for the mother load. I told Jonny boy to be watching his bobber at 6:05. I was off by 10 minutes when low and behold I landed my first of the year. A chunking, thick,13 1/2 inch elusive yet still catchable upper red lake crappie. The hammer followed me with 2 in a row with the bigger one pushing 14 1/2. Jonny boy followed up with one more so the mother load was a total of 4. The hammer is looking forward to eating them as they are one of here favorites.
The Dnr did swing in to check on us and said there was 8 people on the lake. So with 48,000 acres I sit her and wonder if I’m going to fish where some one is going to go, someone’s way point, or cut someone off .
Buddy Hillmen’s Highway is again plowed and ready for the next big wind or snow. Buddy brought his big double decker off the lake yesterday and I can just imagine how he felt getting that monster safe to shore. What a sight as they drove by. Duffy was standing out side on the upper deck and gave me a wave as they drove by. That 1 ton truck with a v plow of Buddy’s looks like a tinker toy towing it along the ice road.
Jonny boy and I headed out yesterday to rescue Darrin’s house and also rescue California which has rejoined the fleet. After getting them dug out and moved. with the temp close to 40 I got to enjoy a beautiful day on the lake, even working with out a jacket for part of the day. After unhooking California I headed to old Minnesota to again relax for a hour before the hammer and I headed to baudett to do laundry while Jonny boy held down the fort and again waited for the mother load to possible swim under montana.
We did get a great pic from him around 8 pm with a fat possible male that he released to fight another day or maybe tell the others we will let them go if they bite?
I’m on my own part of the day as Jonny boy starts a temporary job in tell he heads to Alaska to work with the greek in Alaska for the summer. The plan is to dig out the last 3 house and get them to the main road for now.
All the house’s are wide open for the weekend if there’s any one out there that would like to try and land a true trophy fish.
Jake is pumped to get up here as well as Sean as last year get together/crappie hunt got canceled due to mother nature ruining our plans. All the house’s have to be off the lake by the 15th so I have a couple weeks to fish and relax.
Sending pics to Jake just fires him up and is hilarious. He dreams of landing these fish. As the days get closer he will have a hard time sleeping . It will also be a treat to see all the guys again.

Well well another game fish season has came to a close. What a crazy weekend it was. My great plan back fired a bit with the fishing but all the wheel houses I plowed spot’ for seem to do pretty darn good. Mean while my poor houses kinda went out with a bust in stead of a bang.
I think the first spot I plowed was for a guy named Dustin from elk river, that tracked me down on the lake. Super nice guys and threw me a 50 for taking care of them which was much appreciated. Some good comradery was made both visit and they were catching there fish hooking the minnows up side down.
Merl showed up and I plowed a completely different spot for him. He threw me a 20, Then the next day had two more of his buddies wheel houses there. They also caught fish?
Chuck and his wife did well in there spot, Brandon and his dad rolled in Friday night, I put them in another new area. They left early catching 14 walleyes and no elusive yet still catchable upper red lake crappies.
All the other wheel house that found spots where I had set the others caught fish. Mean while down where the fleet was a whole different story.
North Dakota was doing the best with Greg and his two buddies from of all place north Dakota. They did have the treat of landing two impressive pike. They also had 5 walleyes for 3 guys. Throw in a few misses and a fish that escaped. Saturday was clear sky’s and slower then slow. They were gone sunday morning so not sure how they ended up.
Old Minnesota was next with Rick, Matt and Matt”s son Joe. They only had 3 in the bucket with a few missed as well. Crazy as the hammer and I fished the house last night for the final walleye night and she landed 3 with at least one miss while I got a big fat zero. All though I did prep and cook dinner while she was saying I got one. After dinner I checked my rattle wheel and there was no minnow? so It must of fallen off when I first sent it down or she sabotaged me while I was out side? All though she would never do that. Wayne and I had a hoot a last year sabotaging each other . From tighten his rattle wheel to cutting his line man did we laugh.
Rick and the boys also left early sunday morning. Not even going home with 2 limits but said see ya next year.
Montana was horrible fishing. Justin, Pudge there wife’s Irene and Janet had 1 fish Saturday morning. I expected it to get better after the first night but it never happened ,all though we did get a tip late saturday night. 3 feet off the bottom was working down off of no name lane. I was visiting when they brought a couple lines up Saturday eve, Not 10 minutes a fish was missed with another caught a fat 18 incher. They ended up with 4 more and also a couple misses. they did say they were all ready planning for next years trip
Florida with Mike, Vicky ,Dan and Justine. there house was the worst. I do not want to say it but I think they got skunked? They were such nice people and I enjoyed having a beer and visiting with them. They all had the right set up just a bad spot for some reason I guess.
Jim and his Ice castle did pretty darn good also. They went home with there 16 I think.
I’m not sure how many times its happened but a big snow fall Saturday night with again strong winds yesterday made a mess of things. Some time was spent opening up the road and rescuing a few wheel houses and skid houses that were stuck or stranded. If there was a good note it was a very light fluffy 8 inches of snow sunday morning.
I also have to rescue a couple houses this week. California will again be joining the fleet as I purchased it from Tony as he is moving on up to a wheel house. Darrin house is going to be a different animal as its a home made job shack. The one good thing is its not to far from the main road. Well just like that and its 9 oclock and time to check the e fluids, fire up the fleet and it hit the lake for the 84th day. With lite winds a possible 39 degrees? I may be working on a grand lake that owes us nothing in a tee shirt.

Another game fish season is about to abruptly come to a end . Its lived up to its expectations as being a grand lake. Were up to 14 elusive yet still catchable upper red lake crappies as they seems to all be loners.
Jake is fired up to get up here as he loves a fishing challenge and has a total fascination with these fish. He encourages only keeping a couple of these elusive fish and I’m right with him. The hammer would love to land a couple this year so we will be fishing after the 26th. My plans are to take my fishing vacation wetting a line, napping and spending a few more night’s in old Minnesota. Jake and his crew will be up on the 7th. Last year’s hunt had to be canceled do to warm, wet conditions. Plus a collapsed pressure ridge. This year I think were pushing over 3 feet of ice so I expect the hunt for the mother load will be a hoot. Bring extra extensions guys and gals. We also have Steph and her crew joining us this year .
Dan and His daughter Micky spent Tuesday, Wednesday in Montana and had two fish for dinner the first night. They headed home Thursday morning with there 8.
I also had time to wet a line Wednesday night before we moved old Minnesota for Ricks arrival this morning. With 3 fish in the bucket before dinner time, walleye and glazed carrots were on the menu. Jonny boy and I had one fantastic dinner as the honey bunny aka the hammer was under the weather and did not join us. After dinner Jonny boy went to fish north Carolina and I threw in a movie, crawled up on the top bunk for a little nap. The next thing you know a rattle wheel wakes me up at 1 am. Jonny boy said he stopped in at 10 30 pm and I was out like a light. 4 fish in old Minnesota on the same spot since sunday. All 4 fish were caught on the orange single hook forage minnow tipped with a fat head. I have been experimenting for a few years to see if the house’s can have good fishing for more then 2 days, I’m still on the fence but it was hard to move old Minnesota as the fishing stayed pretty darn good.
Yesterday was another grind, but such a enjoyable day working out there with jonny boy and no wind and temps above 20. Jonny boy and I moved 3 houses and augured over a 100 feet of ice as we punched out all the house’s. I also had to detail montana and old Minnesota. Another 12 hour day on the lake and I would not trade it for the world. Throw in another spectacular pink and orange sunset. The last thing I did before coming off the lake last night was vacuum old Minnesota. Again I just always get a kick out of vacuuming the fish house’s. I also get a kick out of cooking dinner in old Minnesota and serving up the bounty on the china dishes I have in old Minnesota.

And now the rest of the story.
Once Jonny boy and I got all 5 houses moved sunday, it was back to cleaning up the roads. In between checking in Rick, Bob and John into montana. Shell chick and Jeff into Old Minnesota. Harmonica Mike and his two buddies Shannomn an Rod or Shane? Mike did not bring is guitar so there was no jamming for me. Oh well always next year I guess. We also move North Carolina for jermoy and his gal and a couple of the guys rode in florida as we did the cookie shuffle.
One of the guys commented, “we sure did not move far” Jonny boy figured he may of jinxed them. It turned out all right with the one that making the comment managing to get 3 him self.
Joe landed a nice 22 just as they were leaving Monday morning.
Shell chick is the hammers sister so we visited with them quite a bit and they managed to get 8 so we decided to have a fish fry Monday afternoon . I was kinda worried they would not get 8 more but shell chick is quite the fisher woman and darn if they did not have there 8 when we said good bye yesterday morning.
Mike and his crew in North dakota also left yesterday with there 12 but it was slow in there books, Mike did come over and visit us in old Minnesota Monday night and had a couple beers with Jeff.
Rick, Bob and John also went home with 12 yesterday, Bobby wanted to go for a ride in the red baron so we jumped in Monday and worked on Hillmens Highway for a bit plus made a couple driveways way out towards the end of the road.
I also checked in Terry and his nephew Chad into florida on the same spot as it was only fished 20 hours They were only here one night and got the big fat zero?
Yesterday Jonny boy and I cleaned up the first 3 mile of Hillmens highway. Wow was there some snow on the road, in between I had to clean montana for Dan and his daughter micky. They only had one last night but had missed 5. It took jonny boy and me roughly 6 hours to move all the snow to the south. Once we were done I headed over to old Minnesota where the house must be on the honey hole as I landed 3 fish in less then a hour with one miss half way up the hole. Jonny boy jumped into north Carolina where he caught 5 before dark.
We also plowed a spot for Lonnie and they had 4 last night when I stopped in.
Ken was also getting a few fish where we plowed them a spot, last I had talked to them they were up to 8. plus a couple they had ate the day before.
The plan right now is head out to old Minnesota and wet a line , then Jonny boy and I will be making one more big move for the final game fish season with everyone rolling in starting Friday morning.