Well another weekend has come and gone. It was a interesting weekend to say the least. Jake was up again to do some scouting and enjoy the beauty of upper red lake. After spanking them two weeks ago he was served a slice of humble pie. Jake fishes out of his van with tip ups set up for walleyes. He never found a fishy area all weekend. Saturday afternoon as he headed over to help me move Minnesota his van stopped running. We think his alternator went out and he had been running with his battery Friday and Saturday morning. Before he made it to me the van dies again. Being I run two batteries in blue thunder we switched up batteries and he was off to shore to see if he could get the alternator off. No such luck though.
I sent him home with two batteries and he ended having to buy one more to make it home.
Now for the rest of the fishing.California did the best Saturday with 8 keeper walleye and 2 elusive but still catchable upper red lake slabs.
I was off by 5 days as I predicted one of my house would have a crappie by the 10th.
Florida had Tom,Mike and Leonard they barely caught enough fish for a fish fry. I left Florida where it was because it had some good night time action the previous two fishermen. The plan was to move it Saturday depending how they did. Tom and Mike fished outside a good part of the day Saturday and did not fair well at all. I offered to move the house but Tom decided they would stay put. Hindsight I wish I would of moved it last week befor they arrived. I still think it a good spot but the bite was just off.
Montana had my old boss from Chomonix golf course in Anoka. They also had poor fishing and they were om a fresh spot. It was nice seeing Ben and Greg as it has been at least 5 years. Jason wants to come up hunt a bear this fall.
Arizona had a few guys from Mpls Darnell,Jon,Mike George and Derrick. They were not avid fishermen. They have gotten a few fish but only 3 keepers since last night. I checked there set up last night and Jon’s bait was 3 feet under the ice. I adjusted his bobber stop and before I had left he had his first upper red lake walleye a fat healthy 16 and 3/4.
Minnesota had Pat, Todd and Ryan. They have been coming for 7 years. Todd flies in from San Fransisco. Ryan spanked me in two games of cribbage and playing a dime a point I ended up owing him 8 dollars and 40 cents.
They did well after the move and Pat served me up some killer chili he made.They did go home with 12 upper red lake walleyes.
All in all the bite was not that good again on a weekend. Minnesota needs to be moved today as Matt and his crew roll in tomorrow.

Jon’s first upper red lake walleye

Leonard with one too big

An elusive yet still catchable Upper Red Lake crappie

I only had two fishermen out there the last two nights. Anthony and Nick. The first night they said the rattle wheels went off 7 or 8 times and they got one keeper and missed the rest. I was like dudes you needed to get out of bed and Jig. Nick SDI they were to tired so lets hope if they had a run last night they got after it a bit.
I was able to move Arizona and Montana yesterday. I was hoping to leave Florida on the same spot but may have to move it today since it has been fished three night by two different groups.
Minnesota will have Pat for 3 days so I will have them fish it the first day where it is and then we may move it Saturday or Sunday. California will be used as a day house Friday, Saturday, Sunday and no one has spent the night in it where it is so it will stay where it is for now.
The fishing sure had been better then last year and lets hope that continues. Its nice to see fish coming out of the houses. I’m surprised I have not heard from Jill and her crew as they have been coming up for quite a few years

The year sure has started off well compared to last year. No one has been skunked and the weather has been unreal. That’s about to change though and she will be a little tougher working out there today.
Nick and Anthony are fishing Florida as they arrived yesterday afternoon. Spent some time visiting them last night. They have fished a couple of other outfits up here in the past. And said i was the first one that ever checked on them . I guess I was surprised about that as I assumed that all the outfits check on the customers. I have never rented a fish house so I base what I do on what I would want. we have another full house this weekend then it tapers off a bit during the week.
The last weekend of Jan.all the houses are open? I guess there no reason to panic but we sure hate to have empty houses on the weekends. Lee and Tucker were here Sunday Monday and did ok .Lee had me out for fish Monday night in old Minnesota and the meal was excellent. They headed home yesterday with 4 real nice keepers. Lee did find one very fishy area and I need to decide if I want to slide a house over there.
I sure like where Florida is and plan on bringing Montana over by it today. Minnesota may go where Lee scouted and California has not been slept in where it’s at so I may just leave it there for the weekend. The sun is coming up better get to work

Said goodbye to all my fishermen yesterday morning. The college kids said they will be back next year. I then got busy finishing Arizona for Ryan and his crew. Wes rolled in 8 am sharp and I got them settled in and continued to work in Arizona. Just as I buttoned that one up Tim and his buddy arrived for one day in Minnesota as as well as the guys in Arizona. Once I had everyone settled in I moved Florida and prepped her out and then took California out deeper. Tony did not show for California so I did not auger the holes and headed off the lake. Ted and his buddy rolled in just after dark. As I met them at Hillman’s it had snowed a dusting and the wind was howling. I knew before we hit the lake that finding Florida in the dark was going to be a challenge and sure enough as soon as I hit the lake the landscape had changed do to the blowing wind. It took a few extra minutes to find the house but I managed to find it and get them settled in. Then it was off to do the rounds for the eve. Tim landed a 38 inch pike while Greg was in town and did not have a camera. Montana and Arizona both had slow bites all day with each house only having 3 keepers. Greg landed a fat 23 while I was in old minnesota and a small scuffit plus Tim missed two bites. Back to Florida and the guys were all settled in and hoping for a good bite.

the fishing is still above average. With 4 0f the 5 houses full every house has been catching fish. The collage kids love the rattle wheels and are having a good time. Mike and his gal from teamiceheave.com will be leaving today. Mike does winter guiding in the milacs area. Ben and Shawana are here one more day and have had a wonerful vacation and have not left minnesota in 3 days.

All the houses have now been moved to fresh spots :yay: . I was able to move 3 on monday and florida yesterday. The fishing was a bit slower yuesterday afteernoon 🙁 but Ben landed a nother pike a 36 incher :waytogo:. Thats 3 feet of fish .
My collage studenets arrived amanda,heidi,harris,parker ,cody,travis and dylon. The girls were outfishing the guys when I left the lake last night. They fished milacs last year and caught 5 fish total,they had all ready passed that mark before I came off the lake.
Jeff left a day early ? Not sure what happen. I had him fish in montana and spend the night in california. Then yesterday moved him to arizona. I arrived to fix the gas lights and he said if I’m working in here he’s leaving? I told him I had to fix it to have lite?
Mike from “Teamiceheave” and his gal are in montana they had caght a few fish but were not banging them out. They leave today and I will move montana to a fresh spot for the next fishermen.
Yesterday was another wondeful day on the ice .With a awesome sunrise and sunset.
I spent the late afternoon cleaning up the drifted snow around buddy Hillmen’s bridge. They sure make one heck of a road and I look forward to hepling out all winter long. I put blue thunder through a workout yesterday and need to check all the bolts before I do any more plowing.
Today I will also spend time detailing arizona as it is a mess. Once its cleaned up it should be a pretty nice 5 man sleeper.
We still have two sleepers open for the up and coming weekend 6th, 7th. It sure would be nice to have fishernmen in them as once the weekends gone I can not make it up untell next year.

Your welcome soldomcass.Yesterday was a busy day as all thehouses needed to be moved due to the high winds the drifts had created quite a bit of weight around the houses.

I was able to move old minnesota, california and montana. Arizona I had not augered so I just moved the snow.Hind sight I should of just moved the house it would of been cheaper less gas thne moving al that snow. Florida willl be moved today.
Ben and Shawna Rolled in yesterday around 3. They are in old minnesota the house that Ben propsed to Shawna in. When I stopped to check in on them Ben had just released a 41 inch pike. Jeff started in montana while I moved california. When I went to have him switch houses he had 3 keepers in the bucket. I had no choice but to move montana as the weight of the snow had caused some flooding in all my shacks.
Atleast theyare not frozen in. heres a few pics from the weekend.

Its been a few years since I have been able to get my house’s up towards the north shore. After some scoutting I found a area I liked and hauled california up there. Yesterday old minnesota made the trip. Florida and montana will follow with my new house arizona to bring up the rear.
Last night when I made the rounds Pat and Ryan were way happy with the move.
Jeff and Penny were also having some good fishing and as I visited I even landed a couple of fish on Jeff’s rod and reel.

Penny with two keepers.
Florida and montana were not doing all that well. I feel so bad when that happens but theres not much I can do.
Both houses had deccent fishing the night before but nothing to brag about.

Well with only four houses this year it was nice to see all four with some fish. Mike and Verna had 4 keepers in Florida. Richard and his crew had a couple in Montana and a small pike Pat, Ryan and Pat’s son Shawn had two keepers. Pat has been a great customer over the years. He has even tried two other outfits that I know of but still comes back to old Minnesota. I told Pat they needed to be jigging a bit more as they had set lines down as they played cribbage. Joe and his crew fished California for the day and were gone before I got there. They did have a keeper before I left so that was encouraging.
While I was there just as it was getting dark I dropped a line and banged out 3 fish in less then 5 minutes. Keith had given me two fish so I was hoping for two more. After the first one all I needed was one when I had a keeper on my rod and reel. As I was trying to get the hook out the rattle wheel went off and just like that I was over my limit. The one on the rattle wheel went right back down the hole even though it was a fat 16 I had no choice. I guess it was a nice choice to have.
Getting all the houses ready yesterday morning was a adventure. When I arrived at Montana it looked like every piece of snow to the south west had drifted around the house and I had no choice but to move all the snow before I augerd out the holes.
When I got to Florida it was just the opposite and there was not a stitch of snow within 100 yards of the house. Minnesota the darn heater had gone out. We put a new control valve on it at the tune of 350.00 so I was a little bummed but the gas man will get it dialed in.
When Joe and his crew arrived I escorted them to California and all my fishermen were here for the night. Today we have another crew coming for Florida, and California

Jeff and Lisa stayed in florida with there two girls Llee and Libby. They fell in love with the top bunk and never wet a line as they had there own little fort up theer .Lisa and Jeff managed to get a few and have a fresh wallleye. Jeff had a couple of friends on the lake and it sounded like they reallly stuggled each onlt getting one keeper.
Tommorow it gets real busy and the auger is going to get a good morning work out. All four house are full the next couple of days. Lets hope the fish cooperate.
Talked to Buddy Hillmen today. He said there doing real well out there. Jimmy’s brother got a 40 inch pike when I pulled up with Jimmy’s house. I pulled it from my shore over to beacon harbor. Things went real smooth so that was sweet. California is on the north shore and it will be fun to fish such a new area. I had hoped to fish it when I got there but the bolt to my auger vibrated out and the head fell off the truck. It damaged the gas cap. I could of jerry rigged it but I caught a couple of fish there two days ago so I know its a fishy area.