So this will be more about asking for everyone’s support. If you have not heard the red lake nation has taken steps federal and state to acquire all of red lake and a 1 mile buffer zone around the lake. They would take big bog state park, the boat ramp access Plus the red lake state forest. I beleave there top priority is getting control of the lake. This has put a emotional toll on all it effects. Our best bet is to start asap e- mailing or calling as many of the state senators and reps from your districts and others districts as well. If they were rewarded a mile around the lake we would lose our home, business, and waskish would basically be gone. There would be no access to the lake .
This is a small community. This effects every hunter,fishermen,and visitor to the area.
My great grandpa Norman came here in 1909 and homesteaded here. my grandmother Olga was born and raised here. She lived her entire life here 92 years. She raised 3 children here. My dad John was going home to bemidji from waskish when he was tragically killed in a car accident. He was only 38 years old. This winter we had our great grandson here to make it 7th generation. This is Mary K Kunesh 39 dfl. Anyone in here district needs to call and or email her. even if you are not in her district call or email to oppose the land back bill 651 296 4334. This is 34 dfl John a Hoffman 651 296 4154 Grant Hauschild 03 dfl 651 296 1789 all the support we can get would greatly be appreciated.

yesterday may have been the last hurrah for me. I jumped in with jonny boy in his razor to go on a crappie hunt using a cheatmaster 3000 fish eliminator. Mark and Carry also tagged along as we headed out off of our landing. Jonny boy has been out on the lake almost everyday since we brought the houses home. They have had some epic days of fishing as Andy would say. I have to admit that using that machine can be a lot of fun. The first couple spots we checked before the pressure ridge we fought all year at 4 1\2 miles. Scanning the first 2 spots we saw nothing. On the third stop we saw a small school of the elusive yet still catchable upper red lake crappie. The poor fish did not have a chance as we were able to auger right on top of them. The fish were spooky and scattered the first holes we augured. They did not go far as some trickled back in to hammer my chartreuse rattling flyer with no bait. I banged out 3 in a row as fast as I could run the lure down. I had my 3 I wanted to keep in less then 2 minutes after I started fishing. The third one inhaled the lure, As I tried to get the treble hook out of its throat my vex was still lit up like a christmas tree. By the time I got my line back down they were gone just like that. Mark did miss a couple and Carry got one. After scanning around a little bit more they were just magically gone. I have a theory that they just hunker down in low spots. Thinking as in the past how you can catch fish out of one hole but 2 feet away you cannot mark a fish? We loaded up and headed out to check another area. After a couple more scans we arrived at the pressure ridge. Man did the high winds a week ago change the pressure ridge. She broke up and changed the whole thing, just amazing how chunks of ice the size of a car 20 inches thick can be stacked up. It looked like if you took your time and checked you could now find a spot to cross without a bridge. I guess we could of used that big wind months ago we might not have had to move the bridge sometimes 2 or 3 times a day. Jonny boy had a spot they found after the big winds to cross. We got to where we had some great fishing the last weekend of the season. Again, auguring a couple holes and scanning nothing. We kept heading west, about the fourth spot we checked there she was the motherlode of the elusive yet still catchable upper red lake crappie. 2 huge schools again they were very skittish and kept moving away from us. I would say after chasing them around for 20 minutes they came back to some of the holes we had already augured. Just like that it was game on for the guys. I ended up keeping a fourth that again inhaled my lure. Jonny boy also got his fishing equipment out to catch a few for himself. I would guess I missed way more then I caught as they would charge up and take your lure still going up. I lipped quite a few from that. We ended up staying in that area the last 2 hours of fishing. Mark and Carry got there 10 a piece, Jonny boy kept 3 and I kept 4 for a total of 27 elusive yet still catchable upper red lake crappies. With no wind and the sun shining almost 60 degrees we headed back to shore. The landing’s are starting to get a little muddy as the shoreline ice begins to melt. I’m not sure when we may be able to keep getting out. Back in the heyday we were water skipping my sled out onto the good ice. I even got the hammer on the back of my sled once. Of course, when we got out there, they had quit biting. Coming back as we were approaching the open water my sled sputtered as I hit the throttle. It was to late too abort so I feathered it a bit, she took off and we screamed across the water. When we got to shore the hammer said in a pretty loud voice never again.
I expect I will be hearing from Jake, as he comes home from the oil fields. He is possessed with these special fish. Big Tony and Darrin mentioned they would also like to get back up for one last hurrah on a grand lake that owes us nothing.

Yesterday we spent most of the day getting the fleet out front of our place. The biggest obstacle was pulling them across the pressure ridge. I would guess the pressure ridge bridge was moved over 15 times the last couple weeks. Anyware from 3 to 5 or 6 guys at a couple hours a time that roughly 150 hours of manpower.
Traveling on the ice at night was also a obstacle this year with lack of snow. Many of our customers had to be escorted back to the bridge as there was never really a plowed marked road as we had to negotiate around and through piles of broken refrozen ice fields.
I towed old minnesota home in blue thunder. She sure needs another tune up and some exhaust work. She has gotten quite a bit louder. We did scratch out another year out of old Minnesota. Ole and I fished out there last wednesday catching a couple 4 crappies and a limit of keeper walleyes. Wayne and I fished over the weekend we landed a few 15 walleyes some
2 elusive yet still catchable upper red lake crappies, 2 giant mooneyes. I also lost quite a few fish throughout the week and weekend. We need to replace the whole runner system into steel if we want to have her out on the ice again. I even spent sunday night out there getting woken up 3 or 4 times from the rattle wheels. Having the house over the pressure ridge took a lot of worry away and I did sleep well last night not having any customers on the lake.
The first group that had north dakota got here early Tuesday it was so nice out they fished outside. I told them what I knew, and they landed 17 elusive yet still catchable upper red lake crappies. They landed a couple more the next day in the same area.
Thursday we hauled her another 1 1/2 miles west with montana. Jake had a crew looking for the motherlode of the elusive yet still catchable upper red lkae crappies. Jake figured they landed and released over a hundred with just a couple meals kept. I think each house got one overnight.
We had Scott had his family in Tennessee and Utah they hit the motherlode last year but this year was quite a bit slower. They had 7 or eight people so they were able to eat some fish.
Don with Lee and Tiffny outdoor show The Crush from Iowa,
also came up again .Him and his buddy also ate fish both days and took home a limit.
Mike and his crew were also back again. They only caught walleyes but had a grand weekend on a grand lake.
I set up Rod again in his ice castle for the weekend with my bob, rick and john plus 2 other ice castles. Rods house got 6 elusive yet still catchable upper red lake crappies. Plus they all took home there walleye limit.
Colorado also went out with Jake and crew looking for the motherlode. They also caught some nice fish out of the house.
Our plans at this time as to take most of the fleet back to some areas we have had success catching crappies in the past for this coming weekend. I would say we got close to 7 inches of snow with high winds. Tony headed home as well as Darrin so it’s me, dusty and jonny boy.
I’ll wait another week before we thank all our new and repeat customers this year. All and all this past week has had some great end of the season walleye fishing.
We could not have done any of this without all the help from the crew from Jonny boy, Big Tony, Dusty, Darrin and his truck. Dan and his plow truck with Mell cooking the crew many breakfast’s Thank you so so so much guys. I could never have carried on without all your help
Jonny boy will be guiding the rest of the season searching for the mother lode of the elusive yet still catchable upper red lake crappies. Here is his direct number 218 508 7036.

Wow just 7 evenings of big game fish left for the season. Mother nature sure threw us a couple curves this year. With record warmth, lack of snow, rain, 4 degrees this morning.
the fishing went from great to just so so for all our houses.
Colorado probably had the best fishing of the fleet. They caught 15 walleyes 4 elusive yet still catchable upper red lake crappies, a couple perch they also missed 18 fish.
Darrin did get 9 elusive upper red lake crappies Saturday night. plus 5 walleyes and quite a few scuffits. I have always said if your getting very small walleyes the crappies are in the area.
Texas had decent fishing thursday then she fizzled out.
California had a few fish, The guys in alaska and utah went with the snowbear friday and it was ugly only landing 3 fish, sounds like he did much better saturday.
I set Rod up with his wheelhouse they did get a couple elusive yet still catchable upper red lake crappies 4 plus a few walleyes.
Old minnesota has just done all right, Heather did get an elusive yet still catchable upper red lake crappie. She also lost a big walleye at the hole. They love the charm of old minnesota and I expect to see them again.
Tennessee just did so so with 2 elusive yet still catchable upper red lake crappies and 5 walleyes.
North dakota and florida had rick, lenny, len jr.and Mike? those two houses had the poorest fishing only getting a handful of fish.
Montana had Jason and his two boys they also managed to get a few fish but nothing to brag about.
Yesterday I drove from this end of the lake all the way to rodgers in black beauty 1\2ton truck in 2-wheel drive. I cannot believe all the area that looks like no one has fished all year. There is a area I would like to get to I have been trying to get back to that area for years. This may be the year. Jake will be coming up towards the end of the week. I going to talk him into going out there with me if mother nature cooperates.
I have been reading all the archive’s from years ago. 2015 was the year we pounded on the elusive yet still catchable upper red lake crappie, that was the year we all had the magical fishing that this grand lake can offer.
Watching all these fishermen with the cheatmaster3000 fish eliminator as my brother and I call it. The poor crappies do not have a chance. I know we sure would like to keep catching them for the next 20 years. The hammer and I sometimes will keep 3 with noodles and veggies is enough with left over fish. My personal opinion if you harvest fish with the cheatmaster 3000 fish eliminator you should at least only be able to keep half your limit. Watching 6 guys keep 60 is tough to swallow. The dnr does not manage this lake for these special fish she is a walleye lake. They have been doing a fantastic job with the walleyes in my opinion. I never expected to see trophy walleyes.
We’re hoping to do some tip up pike fishing the next few days as it’s always fun to tie into a big fish.
We have a few open houses for the week and a full house the last weekend of big game fishing. Our plans are the same as every year for the past 23 years to stay out looking for the mother lode of the elusive yet still catchable upper red lake crappie. Will have to keep a eye on the pressure ridges, plus have some back up plans for getting the fleet home. Yesterday the crew and buddy hillman had to move the bridge again. I can see why he does not want wheelhouses going over it as they spent close to 2 hours chopping and giving the trucks a good workout. It now sounds like they are again working on it out there at this time.
I also plan on fishing every night just to enjoy the relaxation. Might even talk the hammer into spending the night out there on a grand lake that owes us nothing.

23 years doing this here on the shores of upper red lake. Every year mother nature seems to give us something different. With all the warm temps we were lucky the fog and clouds kept the sun from doing his damage. The rain we had last week had me a little worried as the water was going down the holes like a toilet being flushed over and over and over. We did drill some extra holes around some houses to stop all the water going down just one hole. When the temps dropped the water slowed down by morning most of the water was gone other than some spots the water was too deep to freeze in one night. As of yesterday, I would say 99 percent of any standing water has refrozen. I did see just a couple holes that were close to be big enough for a tire drop in. There really is no way to check every inch of ice out there so that’s why they say ice is never 100 percent safe. In the last week I have not measured any thing under 19 inches. Hillmans bridge again. Finding a good spot was quite the chore as the pressure ridge had gotten quite a bit wider. You could see why Buddy Hillman did not want wheelhouses to go over it as some would have been stranded up to 6 hours as that’s about how long it took to find and prep a new spot. We were able to still get to our clients, but it was around about way. This past weekend three vehicles tried to cross the south side of hillman’s highway. When it cracked and sank it basically created another pressure ridge. As I have said over and over for years if it doesn’t look right don’t drive over it. All three had to be jerked out.
Now for the fishing report I had heard that a few wheelhouses that set up a lot shallower caught quite a few fish over the weekend.
Our houses all did very well with most catching more than a few. We did get our old friend ole to come up before the rain and he was just tickled pink to catch 10 elusive yet still catchable upper red lake crappies Plus his 4 walleyes. It made up for the previous week when he had gotten skunked.
I was able to enjoy old Minnesota a couple times even landing a couple fish.
Jonny boy and his sweetheart heather\feather fished old minnesota catching a few of the ever elusive but still catchable upper red lake crappies. She managed to set the hook and land 7.
North dakota had Tony and his family they took home their limit of walleyes plus a couple bonus crappies.
Florida has Jessica and her son and his friend they have caught a variety of fish all three days. Austin her son wants her to by florida fish house.
Boar and his wife were in Montana Boar figured they caught more than a few fish over 50.
Colorado had Kyle and his buddy’s they had fantastic fishing.
Tn had Steve and Magen they only landed 15 fish but did miss quite a few.
Texas did the worst off all the houses? They had a grand time anyway.
Utah has Britt and his dad they caught fish the first night saturday and planned on keeping fish last night. Let’s hope that plan works.
Friday was a chore trying to bank the house as all the snow was gone. As the temps dropped, we did get a little bit of snow but good old mother nature had to throw in 25 mile per hour winds.
Now looking at the extended forecast we will start making more ice by Wednesday, Thursday. We do have Tennessee open next weekend plus some houses open during mid-week and next. The big game fish season has only 12 nights left, wow what a crazy winter.

Well it was a very good weekend for fishing. Making the rounds Saturday evening was a treat to check into every house as the fish were finally cooperating in a new area we had reached.
The whole crew came together saturday morning to get the whole fleet over the active pressure ridge. With the warm temps the ice has been expanding causing the pressure ridges to heave up. Sunday morning was all hands-on deck as we gathered chippers and chainsaws to knock her down. We first thing we had to pull the bridge, then it was manual labor as the crew chain sawed and chipped her down level. It now sounds like we will be heading out this morning to find another place to cross. At this time buddy Hillmans is not allowing wheel house to go across. That could change but mother nature needs to cooperate and give us some colder weather to lock things up.
There were some fish caught in the houses, some means more than 5? Other houses caught a couple which means over ten? Then there were others that caught a few which is over 15?
Old minnesota had the hammers sister shell chic. Plus we were able to get the wife’s mom out Sandra. The hammer joined them to spend the night on the ice. They did get some the first night with a mix of walleye perch and a some crappies. The second night I joined them for the bewitching hour. We broke out the fish call, set it on nighttime crappie, within less then 2 minutes the hammer had a nice elusive yet still catchable upper red lake crappie. The shell chick got in on the action also landing one. Sandra got a beautiful 18-inch walleye.
Shell chick spent the night out there. and had a little more action over night. They went home with a mess of fish.
Elvis was in Tennessee. He had a fantastic night as the motherlode of elussive yet still
catchable upper red lake crappies came through. He figured in two days he landed 24 He kept 3 for a fish meal and also kept a couple more for our fish fry saturday eve,
I had the whole crew trying to get enough for our fish fry.
Luke and his crew only landed one elusive yet still catchable upper red lake crappie. They did get enough walleyes for dinner saturday night. They decided to spend another night and caught some more walleyes to take home.
Florida had Rollie and Kevin for I be leave the 11th year, same house, same dates. They took home 6 walleyes,12 perch and released a 40 inch pike.
We kept that house on this side of the pressure ridge.
Montana was a open house so Heather and Jonny boy spent Saturday night in there. They only fished a bit but got 4 nice keeper walleyes.
Mike had alaska with his crew they also had good fishing plus they went out exploring and landed quite a few elusive yet still catchable upper red lake crappie’s. We try to encourage our customers to not take limits of these elusive fish. These fish have a special place in my heart as a well as Jake, Jonny boy and the rest of my crew. I never stopped chasing them and have always kept our houses out after walleyes closed. I think every year our houses have been the last to come off the lake. I have had some crazy nightmares over the years. I have dreamed more then once going down to the lake and its wide-open water and all the houses are out there floating around on a sheet of ice somewhere.
Colorado had Colby , Eric and there 3 boys. I showed them how to eat a minnow, the one said ahh I’m going to puke. Zakia yells give me a minnow. He put it in his mouth sucked it in like a spaghetti noodle and swallowed it. His dad recorded it and we all cheered when he opened his mouth with no minnow. they all had a blast catching a few fish.
Utah had Jason and his 2 boys they went hole hopping and got a nice mixed bag of fish.
Texas had Lisa, Darrin’s sister she had a few kids with her. They also got a couple fish to take home. Dan and Mel had real good fishing as well as mike and Wendy and Darrin.
There was a horrible accident sunday east of shooks. Prayers to all the family’s. Please if your going through waskish slow down and do not pass over the double lane there are over 40 driveways and roads through town. Drives me crazy.
Our big ice castle Colorado canceled for the up-and-coming weekend. Feb. 8 9 10. We also have old minnesota open at this time.

Will try and make this short and sweet. Dusty was able to take his relatives out over the pressure ridge and catch quite a few different species of fish. We had off and on guest all week with very limited results. We mark fish and see them on the cameras, but they refuse to take anything we offer. The schools of crappies we were catching became very skittish. As soon as you pinpoint them, they race away? All those releases have educated them. We may have to get in on the action by keeping more for the frying pan and wall?
I have spent every year the last 20 years targeting the elusive yet still catchable upper red lake crappie. Some of the nights have been amazing over the years.
I do not remember the year. The hammer and I were spending the night in old minnesota. Jake had the motherlode go under his house the night before. The hammer and I had caught a couple that evening while we were having a nice dinner. I set up one of my rods with a pepsi can that would tip over if I had a bite. The hammer had her hole with the vexlar. I had the corner rattle wheel tipped with a waxie and the hole next to the pepsi can set with a bobber and a open bail. About 4.30 am I heard the pepsi can fall. I got up in my underwear. The bobber was gone also. I set the hook and pulled up a elusive yet still catchable upper red lake crappie. I walk over to the hammer and said honey there biting very quietly. I grabbed her vex put it down the hole and it lit up like a christmas tree. I reeled in the one that the bobber was down. As I fought that fish the line broke. I grabbed the first rod , tipped it with a minnow I drooped it down. it just kept going. I set the hook and another crappie was out of the hole. I again said in a low voice honey there biting. The third one hit the minnow as it was going down. As I brought that one in he was a huge one he had ingulfed the jig. Trying to get the hook out I broke the line now I did not have a rod. I went over to the hammer and in a louder voice I said honey there biting. As I held the fish in front of her. She opened her eyes looked at her rod started reeling it in and said. Hey where’s my vexlar. Then she said I need a minnow. I grabbed the vex grabbed a minnow . She dropped her line in while I turned and thought shoot I do not have a rod ready too go. I looked at the rattle wheel. As I stepped to bring it in and switch to a minnow she says I got one. I quickly took care of that got her another minnow. She got her line down while I took the waxies off the rattle wheel line. Just as I put the rattle wheel back in the water and as it went down she again said I got one. As I dealt with that the rattle wheel never stopped and I had another top side while I also helped her again. It was just crazy fishing! At some point I was able to get another jig on my rod. I had been throwing the fish in a cooler full of water. It was nonstop action one after the other until I said I better see how many we have as the cooler was packed! We were closing in on 20 fish. All this happening in my underwear and the hammer in her jammies at 4.30 in the morning. I will never forget that action as A grand lake that owes us nothing gave us one of the grandest times. Ice fishing in old minnesota.
The crew is out on the ice moving all the houses for the weekend, maybe someone else will have that magical moment.
We will keep moving the houses looking for good fishing.

It’s already been a week since I got to write a report. On the 22nd we spent the day getting all the houses cleaned and pulled out of there spots. My brother Warren from Indiana arrived monday evening. It’s been over 2 years since he has been able to come enjoy this grand lake the still owes us nothing. We had a lot of great laughs. He is very smart and very witty. Jonny boy found the crappie mother lode so we moved old minnesota right where he found them.
Warren checked into old minnesota. Jonny came a knocking and said get out here. Warren got to stand in one hole and catch 11crappies in a row using the strikecheating 3000 fish eliminator. Yes that is what i call the live scope the poor fish do not have a chance. We also went and got our customers from Tennessee so they could enjoy the mother load. With chris running the stikecheating 3000 fish eliminator he called out which hole to drop a line in or auger another hole. With 6 guys running around warren stood at the same hole with no bait landing a few? 11 elusive yet still catchable upper red lake crappies while sipping his expensive whiskey. I also got in on the action getting some? 4. Warren and I kept 7 for a dandy fish fry. We also fished in old minnesota 3 nights in a row catching very few fish and no crappies 30 feet away from where warren caught the 11 and I caught the 4. Crazy lake.
Jale rolled in tuesday. Again, as always, he is possessed with also finding the elusive crappy mother lode. He again found a smaller group of fish. Then they then did the same thing Chris gave direction while everyone else caught fish. I think I may have gotten my biggest ever, but I did not measure her. We did get a great pic and let her go a little more educated. Jake kept a couple so we had a second crappy fish fry.
Barb was here in california where she only caught a couple keeper walleyes.
Norm and his crew came wednesday thursday and the only caught a couple walleyes.
Bingo was here for one night and only got a couple. Ole also spent one night having terrible fishing. Thursday was all hands-on deck as we had turnovers plus new guest coming in.Joe and his dad were here in montan plus chris and his wife and baby were in utah. There friends so we kept them together. Chris and his family caught quite a few perch, Joe and his dad just got a couple fish so we moved them to a new area that had good fishing a week ago. That move also did not pan out. With all the houses on fresh spots for the weekend she was pretty slow with none of the houses having the hot hand ERRRRR,
Jonny boy did take Bob and his crew out with there side by side and portables They just hammered the fish where you can only get to by wheeler or sled due to a nasty pressure ridge.
To all our guest coming the rest of the year if you can bring some portables, and machines we can direct you or possible take you to some possible outstanding fishing on such a grand lake that owes us nothing.
This coming weekend we still have old Minnesota, Utah, and Texas open feb 2nd 3rd. We also have Montana open saturday night.
Jonny boy had his appendix removed monday so he is out of Commision for at least a few days.
Darrin,Dusty possibly jonny boy? may be able to shuttle customers out over the pressure ridge to unfished territory as getting over it with trucks may not even happen this year.

she was a little busy out on the lake this past weekend. For some reason just like most years when we help a wheel house they always seem to do better then the rentals. it has to have something to do with the noise?
We hosted operation freedom outdoors out of Oklahoma. They had 4 houses for the weekend. North dakota, florida, montana, and utah. With all the houses on fresh spots we sure expected better fishing They did get to take home some limits but it was a tough bite. There host plans on bringing another group next year.
Alaska had John the owner of that house and his buddy Alex, Alex did get his personal best a fat 24 inch walleye. They also had slow fish maybe landing a half dozen fish.
Colorado had andy and two red lake rookies. They took home 11 plus a few dandy perch.
Tennessee had Elvis the owner of that house and his cousin they did not do well at all so we did move them to a new location where they had a little better action but only took home a couple fish.
Texas the big ice castle with the slide out also had the owner and his family. Not quite sure what happen there? as my friend Rod I had set up just to the south did real well. Saturday night and sunday morning was excellent fishing catching and releasing fish.
California had Ben and his two boys they did manage to catch a few fish.
Old minnesota was a no show so me and the hammer had dinner out there and fished for a couple hours. I lost a nice fish halfway up om a rattle wheel, the hammer my wife lost a fish on her rod and real then we had a couple more bites on the rattle wheels then packed her in for the night.
Preston rolled in with their wheelhouse later friday night. I gave them a general area to go to. They had real good fishing both nights.
Jonny boy worked on rusty trusty as we broke a cv joint axel. Of course, Napa sold me the wrong part. I even told them I just drove 70 miles are you sure it’s the write one. Oh yea they assured me. Not the first time and not the last.
I think the big rumble saturday night was a new crack that formed along buddy hillmans road on the south side. There were a few spots where the ice heaved up 3 feet. Never ever try to cross that south edge of the road. There were a few trucks that tried this past weekend. They had to be pulled out.
Not many elusive yet still catchable upper red lake crappie caught this weekend that I have heard of.
Ashly came up this weekend with our newest great grandson. That makes 6 generations that have been on such a grand lake.

I guess we can start with how the houses did this past weekend and go from there. First some fish means more than 5, a couple can be anywhere from 7 to 12, a few can mean over 15. Anthonys crew were in Texas, she had her first outing on the ice, she is a big heavy house, but she caught a few fish with the first 24 hours better than the next 24.
Old minnesota had our great friend Wayne he had a couple nice runs of perch taking home a couple 9 nice one. Plus, he got his 4 walleyes plus a couple extra released. He thought he had a big big elusive upper red lake crappie it turned out to be a big sheepshead.
Florida had our crew for their 10th year from Iowa. Sarah, Terry, Ken, Carl. they were sharing a generator with a new guest Elibeth and her hubby in montana. She had a camera and saw fish the whole time they were here but could not get them to bite. Carl had a big pike on he said the head was 4 inches wide before it snapped his line, they had a chore after as the fish had gotten all the lines in the house, so they had quite the mess to untangle. Both houses only caught some.
Colorada had mike and I want to say Steave. This was not there first-time fishing together they caught quite a few fish 40 counting some nice perch they also went home with their 8 walleyes. Mike made another reservation in February.
Lisa and her family were in alaska. They caught some fish and took some home but not sure how many as they left early.
Tennessee had his two boys with the 4-year-olds birthday to boot. He wanted to go fishing for his birthday. They left early Monday morning but I did get a thank you message as the boys had a blast catching fish.
Utah also had a couple fish but did not pound them by any means so the first weekend all the houses caught fish.
Darrin and Dan took out about 7 houses out with a dolly. Of course, they all did well. That seems to just be a given Maybe when they get set up the noise is much less then the rentals with all the vehicles activity. Dan and Darrin also got all the house ready Friday. I could never have done any of it without them they busted butt.
Jonny boy did a podcast a week ago so we were able too watch that. He did a great job considering they never went over what they would be asking. It was episode one of many many more it was called On The Road With Ice Castle Ep 1.
Mother nature finally gave what everyone wanted with a nice cold snap. Then she took a deep breath and has blasted us with high with white out conditions. We had a turnover with colorado and north dakota so the guys were out there getting her done.
I had to get wayne off the ice we then spent part of the day putting his car under the parachute with the torpedo. Our 2 set of guests arrived so I escorted them out to meet jonnny boy so he could get them to the houses in such nasty conditions. Buddy hillmans road was doing what it was designed to do. The winds were howling down the road. With no obstacles and so wide. She was pretty clean. Now around all the houses is a different story as I do not want to even see how big the drifts are getting around them. The boys will have to work as a team today to get our houses out of what buddy calls their nests. Sitting up here in the house you would never know how nasty it is out there. I will worry about all the houses tell the boys can get them moved. I’m sure there’s 3-foot drift around them all.
I’m sure it looks like the moon surface out there this morning.
As I’m trying to have all the help do any lifting, shoveling, and all the manual work etc. it’s very hard to go out there and not have some type of issues. Turning a generator, turning a box, lifting a generator out of a box. lifting gas cans, stringing out a extension cord it’s all very hard for me and my back. It’s also very frustrating I’m really not sure how I use to do it all other then adrenalin.
Of course, we have to mention the fleet. we will be needing the v plow as the wind packs the drifts rock hard. rusty trusty did not want to start yesterday. Blue thunders plow stopped and started working. black beauty is my driver as I cannot spend all day in blue thunder like I use to and now it has heat. time to check the fluids and fire up the fleet.