Its again been awhile since I put a fishing report out.
Working 2 jobs in the summer 5 days a week keeps me plenty busy. I’ve been seeing the same patterns as most years. The bigger 18 19 inch fish we were crushing are now 13 to 16. There’s different theory’s. After watching the dnr doing there seining test last summer, if this year is the same there’s plenty of food for the fish to eat . They swim to deeper water? There all have been caught?
We did get out twice over the fourth of July with family. Both trips were a lot of fun. Saturday morning we headed to my morning spot with Miss, Eric, Britny and Nick. the weatherman said winds would be less the 3 mile a hour but once we were out there they had to be 12 to 15. As we fished the winds dissipated and by 9 am it was much calmer. Are first fish in the boat was none other then a elusive yet still catchable upper red lake crappie. A nice 14 1/2 incher that my grand daughter brit landed. Eric then got in on the action with a real nice golden eye. I may have to start smoking fish as there seems to be plenty of them if a guy were to target them. Eric had the hot had and landed the most fish, brit was right behind, Nick could not by a bite so I designated him the minnow boy. Miss also had trouble catching any thing but finally landed a monster sheephead. We ended up keeping 6 fish and letting a few small ones go.
The second trip of the day Matty, Elvis, Jonny boy and Nick went again. My grandson Mathew had the first bite, when I checked his bait 90% of the leach was gone. Then Elvis caught on fire, Jonny boy missed a couple before he landed a real nice one, Nick then got on the board followed by Mathew getting a nice 18 incher for the biggest walleye of the two trips. We ended up with another 8 keepers in the live well with everyone missing and landing a couple fish.
Leaches out performed fatheads by far as both trips we burned through 24 leaches in no time. With all the bait fish/young of the year fish. I be leave a leach is like a piece of candy to the fish. We never tried night crawlers.
I also talked to a few fellow fisherman that did well fishing cranks.
The rest of the summer looks real quiet. Neither of the cabins are rented the rest of the summer.
The big bog festival is this weekend. The potluck in the park Friday night is one of my favorites followed by church in the park Sunday morning then a wild rice pancake breakfast here in Waskish. There’s a softball tournament in Kellier Saturday as well as car show, kids activity’s and two bands Saturday evening. Sunday early afternoon is also the mud runs in the pit here in Waskish, This has really become popular and is always a big turnout.
We then have Hillman’s memorial softball tournament coming July 26 27 28th. there always looking for more teams. They start there festivity Friday with beer ball. Saturday after softball they play tackle football in the mad pit which is again a huge turnout. Hillmen’s also have a band Saturday night. Then Sunday they finish off there softball tournament.
We then have Westwind Corn hole tournament the first weekend in august . I think the hammer and I may enter as she is also using that nick name throwing bags.
Time to get ready for work, again leaches seem to be the better choice of bait.

I usually do not put out many fishing reports during the summer. Last Thursday while mowing the park I did stop to talk to the census lady as the access was crazy busy. I ask her where all these fishermen come from. She said most from the county. I guess you call them day trippers. Bemidji, northome, kellier, grand rapids etc. She said 121 boats went out that day and most everyone coming in had caught some fish. The lake was like glass that day and one of my favorite days to fish on red myself.
Friday the winds picked up but again the fish were snapping.
Saturday we had some guest for one night Ronnica and Traig. With strong winds straight out of the south we ventured out on the lake. It took us a while to get down towards Rodgers to get out of the 4 foot waves where we drifted spinners and jigs with some fantastic fishing. Lots of fun and laughs with some nice people for sure.
Bobby and Daryl son Justin was also up for the weekend. They went out in the wind friday and found the honey hole where they got 7 limits in 3 hours of fishing. They also managed to get sun burnt and soaking wet coming in . They had a blast and never went out Saturday.

The weather was a factor this past weekend as it was chilly on the lake.
Jonny boy and I tried to find a couple elusive yet catchable upper red lake crappies Friday night with no avail.
We did catch quite a few walleyes though. Will keep searching ,looking for the mother load.
The walleye fishing was definitely slower this week for some. Jonny boy wayne and I did get out twice. Wayne did get to go home with 4.
The new crew that stayed here had a great time and all ready committed to next year. They had a nice camp fire ,did some grilling,played some bags,had a fish fry.
Frank and the guys did find fish with the evening being way better then the morning bite.
Wayne and I did tromp through the woods a bit with no signs of any morels yet.
Back to work today, Ken never showed or called so if you read this give me a a call as I do not have your number anymore.

With the winds yesterday morning it was a bit quiet on the lake for at least part of the day.
A couples of the guys from Sean crew arrived and did get out to catch enough for a fish fry.
Sitting here this morning the boats have been going by at a pretty good pace. I did watch a semi pass a boat. I’m not sure why people think they can pass other vehicles through waskish as it is painted a double line I see it every day. lets just pray no one ever has a accident as there’s driveways all the way through town. Living here 20 years and I have never seen a vehicle pulled over for passing ? Do not see many getting pulled over for speeding either? Oh well.
Frank and the guys will also be rolling in today.
It will be interesting see the harvest numbers when they come out . When we fished last weekend we never caught 1 under 17 so it was a good thing they changed the slot. I have not seen the gigantic schools of shiners like last year. It may have something to do with the water levels but last year it was totally amazing.

Mother nature decided to give red lake a reprieve as she has been getting hammered. Yesterday the ramp was busy all day long. For every boat going out another was coming in. The fishing has been pretty darn good but today the white caps will keep 99% of the fishermen off the lake.
I still have not had much luck finding any morels but I ‘ll keep looking.
Will be heading back to the Oak Harbor golf course for work next week.
We do have a couple crews coming today.
With all the water this year I expect one of the tough years when it comes to skitters .They can be brutal up here at dawn and dusk.
We plan on doing some fishing again this weekend. Our good buddy Wayne is going to try and make it up.

well not much to sat other then its a grand lake that owes us nothing. The winds from the south made it a challenge to fish. I would say it was more like catching then fishing. What can you say they wanted to harvest some of the fish between 17 and 20 inches . I would say that was a success. All the guys here at our cabins had no problem catching fish Even a couple rookies got in on the action.
I’m hoping some morel mushrooms will start too popping this week.as we finally had temps over 60.
There’s no problem with lack of water this year as the lake is more then likely above normal with the tamarac river still flowing at quite the rate.
I did even here of a couple elusive yet still catchable crappies caught. And of all places out in front of our place to boot?
I expect to be going back to work at oak harbor golf course this week so it will be back to the grind.
Every year I have these grand plans of getting my old 56 merc running like a top. Then I get caught up in golfing after work. I also have some repairs from the past winter, plus maintenance on the fish houses.

This year the fishing was brutal , Last year had to be one of our best walleye years, followed by one of our worst? One great highlight was Brad Turk bringing his daughter up for one night. Brad dad Bill was on here quite a bit before he passed away. There must of been a little intervention as they had some great fishing , They even headed home early. They came on a Thursday, so I left the house right where it was for are next guest. They caught a few fish but nothing like Brad and Ryley did . The house was only fished 8 hours by Ryley and Brad. The hammer and I were in old Minnesota that night. Wemaybe caught 2 less then 200 feet away. Sean brought his wife and daughter plus his good friend Jeoff. They had outstanding fishing . They were straight west of where brad and Ryley had been. Then Paul came up with his crew. I put them right where Sean was the first 20 hours. I think they got 3 fish. I then moved them doing the cookie shuffle that someone coined.. Just like that they had better fishing. I know they were watching us when we moved them and thought is this guy goofy moving us 100 feet. Then the last weekend I gambled we would still do well working our way west. Afew fish were caught but again not the best fishing. My crappie get together is on hold as of now as I brought the houses close to shore for now. I have some spots we want to try but I need to watch whet the lake does with all the snow as It’s not worth tearing up the equipment

Yesterday was another grand day working on a grand lake.
Seeing all the news of rescues. We just went about our business and headed out on the best road on red lake . There were only a few that road out the storm. They all new we would be out once the winds subsided.
I dropped the red barons v plow after sledge hammering all the ice off her. Reminded me of the deadliest catch when they have to pound the ice off the ships. I can not imagine doing a whole ship. Wow!
Our plans were simple. Just plow down the center of Hillmens highway to the last wheel house, then work our way back making the trail wide enough to get off the lake. No one out there was panicking,they all were just riding out the furoshise winds. V plowing up to the front of the vehicles is always tricky. Yes we had to shovel a bit. I then backed the red baron in, hooked up tow rope and pulled them out. All and all it went pretty well.
Once we had everyone off the lake. 5 total. Jonny boy and I headed out to take north Dakota and florida close to home. After plowing every one out I decided I needed to throw in the towel. Leaving the houses out chasing the elusive yet still catchable upper red lake crappie with all the snow seems like a real bad idea at this time. We will see what mother nature does but for now the houses are coming close to home. We do plan on targeting them with the sleds if possible as I have a couple spots I would like to try.
One spot you line up the tree with, the ditch grade, a mile from the main road. Had to throw that in there for my good friend Jake.
Jonny boy and I went about our business. With all the snow the houses did have some flooding issue, but just taking our time, slow and steady, not being in any big hurry as my mentor cousin Pete taught me. We were on the move. It basically took twice the time as normal with all the drifting etc.

Joe and Rick did go home with there 8 with 2 over so that was nice. Both house also had on a big walleye sunday night. I would guess it was the same fish as they do swim around, Joe lost her at the hole in north dakota as well as jess fishing in florida.
Bill and Sharon were the farthest from the road but we were able to slowly make our way out there with the last 20 feet consisting of a little backing up and ramming.
Jeff and Bethany had a pretty good drift in front of them so a little shoveling was in order. Then the tow strap got them on the road.
All my other houses were good from the prep work I did Saturday. No flooding issue and easy to get to.
Today the plans is to get them all closer to home ,then a couple days off as I’m a little burned out.

I guess the first thing to say is mother nature is brutal just brutal. With the high winds predicted my plan A turned to plan B on Saturday. I guess that’s nothing new this year or most years. Talk about a challenge. It just never stops.
I’m not complaining as the season winds down. We had a great year customer wise. Having all my repeat customers year after year is such a reward as they become friends then customers second. I write more about the highs and lows the next few days as I reminisce about what I woulda, coulda done better.
The fishing on the other hand was probably one of the worst we have seen. My theory is the bait fish in this lake last summer into fall was unreal. We marked fish all year that refused to bite. The only problem with my theory is the early ice bite. But I would guess they were still putting on the feed bags at that time. Then the rest of the year/winter they could live off there fat reserves. I would guess I saw hundreds of fish and not a skinny one in the bunch.
Seeing the winds were going to basically be hurricane forces? After taking the grand kids out to lunch Saturday I fired up blue thunder and headed out on the lake to prep around all the houses. Talk to all our customer and warn them of the up and coming winds. I also stopped and gave the wheel houses I plowed spots for a heads up. Some took my warning and pulled the plug. Brandon and his wife left with there 8, Glen and his son also got there 8 and hit the road. Alisa and hubby got off.
Rick got off the lake early sunday morning just in time. They did not do so well in old Minnesota. It does sound like Rick may come up this summer.
Mark and Sarah were in montana. They also only managed a couple fish but she enjoyed her first ice fishing trip.
California had Jack and his dad. They also did not do that well. They did take my warning and got off the lake before the big winds hit.
Florida had Dan his wife Valli and daughter Brooke. They had outstanding fishing. They headed off the lake sunday once I got out there. I escorted them back to shore along with Darrel in his wheel house.
The winds were unreal by that time, I had to go back out one more time to gather generators, what a mess.
My last stop was to get Boar off the lake and drop gas off to the other Jeff in his ice castle.
Joe and his dad Rick are still out in north Dakota. John and Jess stayed in florida to ride out the winds. So north Dakota is 100 feet from florida and they have caught only a couple fish? I don’t think I will ever figure out why that is.
The red baron is running and I guess its time to go check things out. Blue thunders plow stopped going up and down as I was buttoning up my prep work so That’s needs to be addressed asap. Stay tuned as we keep on trucking on a grand lake that owes us nothing

Well its the push to the end of big game fish season. With the amount of snow on the lake looking for the elusive yet still catchable upper red lake crappie will be a challenge.

The good news is both plow trucks have new radiators.
Were still seeing a few more walleyes caught compared to most of the year, I have no clue why there biting better now other then there fat reserves are waring off from the feasting they did this late summer and fall.
Glen and his crew were up to a few ? 8 this morning with another 10 smaller one’s released, so there getting some action. Glen is a fishing machine so if ther’es fish in the area he will catch them.

Darrin and the boys ended up with 7,Jonny boy and Jess have caught a couple. I lost a nice one while cleaning Minnesota yesterday.
Were picking up two of the grand kids today so Jonny boy and Jess will be holding down the fort.
Its pretty quiet out on the lake today with maybe 10 fishermen out there counting my 7 . The guys in montana Andrew, Noah, Chris were sleeping so not sure how they did at this time.
We have 2 early arrivals Friday so just like every day, all winter long we will be busy tomorrow.