Its been interesting to see how each resort and outfitter has been able to improvise a solution to the ice conditions this year to get customers and houses onto the lake. I would guess and this is a guess that were average 11 inches of ice. Marty and I will be scouting some new areas and measuring ice thickness at each hole we augur . I have a board with a lip on the bottom that catches the bottom of the ice and has a tape attached to it so its dead on. No guessing. I like to see at least 14 inch for my houses. I have had them on 12 but prefer 14.
Yesterday I did get too say good bye to Rick, Matt and Mike . They had planned to leave early but the rattle wheels kept them up half the night. That’s a good thing to here.
Moving florida went real well and I had her moved, banked and augured in less then a hour. Brian and his crew Patty Josh and Jake rolled in around noon and I was able to escort them out to the house and get them set up. Then it was off to Bemidji to purchase a new addition to the operation. No more lugging them 2500 generators around. Thinking back, wow did they see some harsh condition out there over the last 10 years. Money well spent. I did have a little surprise last night when I went to the station to gas the new 2000 up. For some goofy reason the have a bigger cap and a smaller filler tube, Ridicules, I will get a better look at it today to see if it can be modified a bit . Marty was rolling in late and would be using when he arrived.
Checked On Brian and the crew ,they went to westwind for dinner and were playing some cribbage. They had a few on the ice ,Brian said they started biting around 4. They had also missed some fish so that’s some more good news.
Dennis and his wife were out in the wilcraft and did not fair to well. They did go out quite a ways out and Dennis said the ice was about this thick and held up his hands. I had ask him if he would measure the ice where ever he augured, too funny. Marty and I will be shuffling all the houses today and making our plans for the up and coming weekend. Thanks to all that have came up so far this year. Its been a great start to the season in my book on such a grand lake.

Got a great pic of Cory and his family yesterday with there 13 walleye and one eel pout. They enjoyed them self and Cory said maybe he will come back in march and chase a few crappies with us. Pat and Mike spent the night in North Carolina after fishing outside all day. They did have some action and went home with there 6. Travis and Christy spent one night in montana and had a few in the bucket.. When I stopped last night to check on Rick, Matt and Mike in Minnesota they were doing up some fish and had 3 in the bucket so they were getting more action the third night. They were taking off early this morning so I will never know how they did over night. Rick comes back in a few weeks for a couple more nights. I prepped all the houses yesterday for there next move which looks like will be more of the cookie shuffle at this time with the ice conditions the way they are. I’m in a fishy area for now with a solid 14 inches of ice under each house. I put off moving Florida un tell this morning so will be heading out in a bit to get that done before Brian and his crew arrive. I thought it would be fun to try and keep track of how many holes I punch this year and after today I will be up to 53 after I prep florida. All the houses were blocked up before we augured them as with only 14 inches office they do flood. The water seeps out from underneath the house and slowly freezes making it a little nasty for walking and working around the house. It also absorbs into the banking and there will be some ice chipping going on this morning. I should be able to have florida moved in less then a hour depending on how much chipping there is. I’m hoping its not to much as we have 4 more houses to move this week.

As of now Hillmens road is still closed to vehicle’s. wheelers, side by side and sleds towing wheel houses are allowed. If you saw vehicles running his road this weekend they were accessing the lake some where else then jumping onto buddies road

Tim and Jake hit the same spot they went to the day before. They still had decent fishing but only landed 19 for the day. Jake has some work at home to get done so they are taking off a day earlier then planned. My good friend Wayne and I played a little cards with them last night. Jake was the big winner and I told him next time I would be bringing the ringer my sweety ,Kellie the Hammer.
When I went to check on every one last night and top off the generators every one was bedded down or had the lights low so I did not find out how any of them did. Cory text this morning to give me a heads up the generator had quit for the second time this weekend. Turns out she is worn out and going through some oil. Last year the other 2500 generators charging system went out so it looks like Marty and I will be making two generators into one. She had a good life and both lasted 8 to 10 years respectively. I will be purchasing a used or new eu 2000 this week. Any one out there with a good used eu 2000 for sale give me a shout. Today after saying good bye to Cory and his family I will be moving Florida on to fresh ice for Brian and his crew tomorrow. Should be interesting out there today watching all the wheel leave the lake being towed by wheelers.

Well we’ve been busy the last couple days. Marty rolled in late Monday night with his young neighbor Dylan in tow. I had a list of things we needed done before we pulled the houses onto the lake for the up and coming season. I did have a few fishermen here and with there portables in tow they all seemed to find a few fish. Andy and his crew camped with there ice castle on the river and enjoyed the peace and quiet. Kyle and his crew were in the cabin. I set two of them up to fish north Carolina but they never did make it out there. Yesterday was the big moving day as we broke all the houses loose and headed on to the lake. Do to the ice condition this year I had no choice but to start out in front of my place just off the last break in 8 to 9 feet of water. There should be no reason we will not catch fish there with most coming after dark. I augured a few test holes and found 13 inch of ice close to shore. I then started walking to the west auguring holes every 25 steps. Checking the ice with a tape measure I was a little disappointed to find 11 inches not 50 feet from 13 inches . The next 6 holes all showed 10 inches. We are just not having the super cold weather that makes ice. Every year is different and this year is no exception. Last year we were driving 6 miles out at this time with well over 20 inches of ice. Right now as it stands I will have to stick it out close to shore un tell the ice conditions improve .When the time is right I will head north and get all the houses on to buddy hillmens road. The lake has been a very busy place the last couple days as all the outfitters and resorts are trying to get houses out to fishable waters. Last I heard Hillmens would only be allowing 16 foot and under ice houses on to the lake towed by wheelers and side by sides. I have no idea what westwind is allowing at this time. Eva and Matt will be fishing our new house North Dakota starting today. They are here for two days and then the house is open Saturday. They will be the first to land a fish in our newest addition. I had Marty and Dylan in montana last night so will see how they did later this morning . Rick and his crew roll in for Minnesota Friday, Cory and his family also arrive for florida. Mitch cancelled montana and Travis and his wife will be using it Friday night. Pat will be bedding down in north carolina Saturday eve. Its nice to be on the lake . She’s a grand lake and as David the old timer up here told me its a grand lake and it owes us nothing.

The excitement is building as were just a couple days a way from getting the houses out of the woods and on to the lake. I spent a little time yesterday plowing out on to the lake to prepare for the move. I have some more plowing to do today as blue thunder is starting to get a good workout. Marty will be up later today and be helping me prep the houses for the move.
Jake and Rory finally found better fishing and said they really turned on at 3 pm yesterday. Blong, chang, natila a shang did not have very good fishing. They never did walk out in front of my place and were a little worn out from all the walking and dragging out there equipment onto the lake. It sounds like they will be back in a couple weeks when they can drive onto the lake. There were not quite as many fishermen on the lake yesterday but there were quite a few. I have Andy and his crew camping on the river lot starting today and Kyle and his crew coming for the cabin later today. Buddy Hillmens road is in great shape just like every other year. I be leave he is asking fishermen to stay with in 2 miles of shore at this time as a crack came across his road Christmas eve.

Good morning to all. Just enjoying the morning watching in depth outdoors. There fishing oak island and I was digging the air boat they used to get on safe ice.
Here on the northeast end of the lake saw a lot of traffic yesterday. I figure there were about 300 portable and wheel houses within view. Fired up the heat in montana yesterday and the ceiling fan stopped working so that will need to be addressed today. We made it to 6 below this morning so I imagine we have gained a inch in the last 24 hours.
Jake and his buddy had slow fishing yesterday. They moved 4 times through out the day. They did manage to get there limit but they had to work for them. The guys in the cabin were going to walk off our property but must of came up with a plan b as there trucks were gone all day and they were not down at the lake. At this time it looks promising to take the houses out of the woods and on to the lake Wednesday. I will be starting the season close to shore and expect good fishing so time will tell.

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good morning to all. Talked to Budddy Hillmen yesterday around 10 am. He did not agree with me as I figured we would gain 2 inches of ice by sunday evening. He said with the snow cover and ice he highly doubted we will make that much ice. He then headed out to start dragging his super highway a mile out with his Dakota pickup. His mechanic Kelly ask if I wanted to open the next mile of road with blue thunder. I told them I did not have the kahunas to do it. Mother nature reared her ugly side yesterday and I was thank full the houses are still tucked in the woods as it was white out conditions. If the houses were on the lake they would of had some major drifts around them.
The guys in the cabin headed out around 1pm yesterday and that had to be a wicked walk out of westwinds straight into those west winds howling to beat the band. I can just imagine how tough it had to be to put up a portable. I spent a hour plowing down at the lake to keep it open when the time comes to get the houses out of the woods. I have a couple wheel houses camping down there this weekend also. I will head down there in a bit and plow again as the snow was piling up pretty good down there yesterday. I did pick up a new front u joint for blue thunder and that will be addressed this weekend

well we ended up with 3 1/2 inches of snow . Better then the predicted 7 or 8 but more then we wanted. The temps have dropped and we are now truly making a little bit more ice. I would think we will gain a inch or two by Sunday witch will bring us up to around 8 to 9. Mike and his crew caught fish yesterday. I think they are going to stay another night? Darrin and his crew went home with there 9. I fired up blue thunder yesterday to plow and the noise coming from the left front does not sound to good. I be leave its the u joint and needs to be addressed asap. I plowed down at the lake to give the ground a chance to freeze better and clear out a area for Adam and his crew to camp with there wheel houses this weekend.
I talked to Jake and he will be up Friday to button up our new house North Dakota. We may try and move it down to the lake sunday. I’m a little concerned about that u joint though . The plan is to get the houses out of the woods sometime next week and that can really put torque on the 4 wheel drive. One of the fishing sites has a satellite pic of the lake on dec. 13th and you can see the big crack that runs through the center of the lake..

Were pushing 6 inches of ice here on the eastern shorelines of upper red lake. Fishermen walking out have done well in 8 feet of water. Hillmens are allowing wheelers out of there access. Buddy Hillmen has his road staked out and is asking fishermen to stay with in a mile and a half of shore.

mmm