cookies upper red lake report from the shores of upper red lake

[cookie]

WOW 35 degrees all day yesterday with a 15 mph wind melted all the snow again. Its 34 right now and never got below freezing last night. Headed out last night to check on Shelly and Mike. They had 5 in the bucket and caught there 6th keeper while I was there. Shelly fishes with out a vexlar or bobber and just jigs and waits for a bite . What a great way to fish as when a fish hits its such a surprise. Seems moving that 100 yards payed offed for now.
I buttomed up blue thunder yesterday and will take it out this morning to check out the three bridges crossing the pressure ridge out of hillmens. Buddy moved a few of his houses over the ridge yesterday. I will more then likly wait to push out as the fishing is fine where I'm at for now. Talking to Buddy it sounds like theres still a good bite in 8 feet of water but everyone wants to be further out. There were a couple portables fishing shallow yesterday and they never moved? I did not want to bother them so will have to wonder how they did. The family is coming up for xmas so I need to prep a few extra fishing rods for the gang as we plan on wetting a line. I also have to get north carolina out of the woods today as It is rented just after xmas. I may have to haul snow off shore again for banking the way it looked last night

[cookie]

First off merry christmas to all from Cookie and Kellie. Last night heading out to check on Mike and Shelly and there was quite a bit of standing water on the lake. I do not think theres enough running down the holes to make  big holes which is a good thing.  The fishing was a bit slower yesterday for mike and shell. I told them my houses never seem to get better the second and third day. Not sure why or how to correct it other then moving the house onto fresh ice. Its very quiet out of Hillmens road with just a couple andlers out there.
 Buddy Hillmen has moved most of his fleet over the pressure ridge and has them stung out  every 1/4 mile or so. Looking for the bridges became a adventure I was driving nice and slow and just could not make out a bridge untell I drove over a 3 inch wide crack of open water. I then spotted the bridge to the west. The second bridge was bigger but I did not cross it as I have no intension of moving that way yet as the fishing has been good where I'm at for now.  I also noticed I still have no heat in blue thunder even though the temp gauge is around 189. When I got home I topped off the radiator,I then got a funnel and topped off the overflow tank. Turns out just like I thought the over flow tank is cracked and spewed out all the antifeeze I dumped into it. I then procedded how to remove it. I had to pull the battery,then the battery trey and move all the wires for the plow. Sure as sh the tank was cracked I repaire dit with goralla glue and will put it all back together today. I hope that solves my heating problem but I may still have to flush out the heater core.
 I also set up Gary and Kay the farmer I work for . They fished montana for a couple hours and landed 5 fish with quite a few misses. They fish old school with jig sticks and bobbers and then hand over hand there fish. No vexlars or rods and reels Gary did not even have a depth bomb. So I set all there lines with the vexlar just off the bottom. Mike and Shell are on there own today as I have to go to bemidji this morning. Rick and Diane show up tomorrow.

[Boar]

Mery christmas cookie. See yq on newyears!

[The General]

Yes merry Christmas cookie.  I look forward to all your reports and enjoy reading them.

[Fawkinnae]

Yes, Merry Christmas Cookie. Your reports are exceptional!

[cookie]

Good morning to all. I hope santa was kind to everyone.
Mike and Shell left a day early ,not sure why but when I talked to them and everything was fine, they even left me a tip. Rick and Diane arrive today for a couple nights in florida, I will be heading out to move it onto fresh ice ,detail it and auger 6 holes. There is no snow on the lake so I will have to shovel snow into the back of blue thunder ugg. Mother nature at work again . The temps are going to drop this weekend so I need to make sure all the houses are moved,blocked up and banked. If your coming up I would reccomend some type of ice cleats as its slick out there. Driving out last night to check the houses when we got home from town the standing water was starting to glaze over.It would be nice if it freezes up a bit before the traffic this weekend. All the grandkids will be coming today so we will be all wetting a line over the next three days, should be fun. I need to put blue thunders overflow tank back on today . I have also been drilling out two holes to bolt the plow bracket on the frame and broken 2 drill bits. Running out of room and not sure how to get broken bits out of holes. North carolina need a little more minor work also so I have a busy xmas daay.

[cookie]

I had a very busy day yesterday. Detailed all the houses, hauled north carolina out to the area I’m fishing. Moved. augered and banked florida. I had to get 3 loads of snow from shore to bank it. Wow a lot of shovling the back got a work out yesterday. The kids did not arrive untell late so we did not fish. All the houses are being used today so we will have to wait tell tomorrow to fish. I reinstalled the overflow tank on blue thunder and still do noy have good heat. I guess the next thing to try is flushing out the heater core. I must do that today as the temps are going to keep dropping all week. We have a full house today so we will see how the area I’m fishing holds up. I still think they are fish in shallow and could have good fishing in 8 to 9 feet of water. I still have not driven over Hillmens bridges but if you travel over them go slow

[Boar]

how thick is the ice cookie? are ya gona try to fish shallow to confirm your shallow suspicions?

[cookie]

jUST TALKED TO A FRIEND AND THEY ARE DOING REAL WEEL IN 7 FEET OF WATER..gO FIGURE

[cookie]

wow have i been busy the last few days.no tim to report  so this will be quick.were catching fish moving houses .Learned a valuble lesson fishing by pressure ridge and willnever put house that close again gotta go for now

[cookie]

Looks like I have a half hour to spend a little time talking about the last few days. None of the customers I've had went home dissapointed so that was good. The fishing wasn't spectacular but every one caught some fish. I have ruined another area and moved 3 of the four houses to new fishing grounds.
Dan, Trent and Ben really enjoyed old minnesota and loved the set up. I turned Ben on to a couple pieces of diamond willow and he was digging that. Rick and Dianne went home with there 6 and also enjoyed them self. Norm, Brad and Jake fished 1 day and did not do as well with only taking home 6 fish. They had alot of excitment friday night when a truck got stuck in the pressure ridge right out the front of the picture window. Rick watched all the action from the bathroom window in florida. It took 10 jerks to get it out and the cv joint or driveshaft was broken on a brand new ford truck. Geno, Hunter and there other buddie also got in on the action and watched them get the truck out at 1 am. Not sure why people think they can drive over these pressure ridges. I guess they see a area that looks flat and assume its safe. There may also of been alittle drinking involved. I heard it was not even there truck as the owner was passed out at the fish house. ZOIKS bet he was mad.
We had the two youngest grand kids up for the holidays with my daughter and her new boy friend Eric. I took advantage of him and him help me move houses and gather snow from the shore of upper red lake as there was/is little snow on the lake. It takes about three loads of snow to do one house so times that by 4 and your talking 12 loads of snow trucked out on the lake. Eric was a little sore when they left sunday. Missy detailed the houses on sunday before they left so thanks guys you were a tremedous help. Pat and his two boys Liem and Shawn rolled into minnesota sunday afternoon along with Vince and his crew in florida. Pat and the boys did real well in the new location and got 31 fish the first night into yesterday morning .Last night was slower with the fish very finincy for some reason. Vince and his crew fished in florida next to the pressure ridge the first night and had a bite about every hour.. Yesterday morning when I headed out to check on them and take Tom and John to montana a crack had came behind florida under montana. It then turned and went back the other way where it went under the generatoar and back to the pressure ridge causing both my houses to be floating on a giant chunk of ice. When I came back with blue thunder to get the house's out of there the crack had widen to a foot under montana. The runners must of been frozen in to the ice just enogh to not give. The shiftting of the ice broke the welds on the steal runner and  the 16 foot runner  came off the house causing the edge of the house to fall down to the frame work . Zoiks I checked with Tom and John and they said the house shiftted a little bit? So they moved there trucks. I spent a good part of the day trying to find some one to weld it once I got it up off the ice and blocked up. With know luck of a portable welder. I will be heading out shortly to try and repositon it, drill some holes and bolt it back together instead of welding it. Brian was a no show for the cabin sunday monday and did not even bother to call and give me a heads up. 
Buddy Hillmen has 3 or 4 bridges crossing the pressure ridge and cracks and you need to stop in the store to get a heads up . Remember to drive over them slow there is 18 inch of ice on the edges so driving over fast mess things up. There is plenty of ice  to drive over slowly.   Its getting light out I need to hit the ice have a grand day

[DDSBYDAY]

    We look forward to your reports Cookie.  Keep them coming. 

[cookie]

Yesterday was another busy day. Spent the first three hours of the day repairing montana in brutal conditions on the lake. -15 with a west wind at about 20 mph. Without Tom's help I could not of repaired it. After the repair I moved montana over by the other houses. Then it was hecktic as all 4 houses needed to be prepped for customers arriving at 2. They all arrived on time and I had to have them wait a 1/2 hour untell I had all the houses vacumed and augered. The old strikmaster is getting a little tired and needs new blades. I have the blades 65 bones but was so busy did not want to spend the time putting them on. The time I would of saved augering I should of just changed them as it was a bear punching out all them holes in short order. I got Shell and Marty checked in florida. Sergio and his group of 8 with 5 young kids in montana and old minnesota and jessica and carl in north carolina. After going over the rules of the houses I headed home to take a quick break. The break was short as it was close to 4 oclock and I like to go back on the lake at sunset if I'm on shore. All 4 houses had all ready had some action when I topped off the generators . How sweet is that it always pays off to move even if its 30 yards. Now if I could just figure out how to get more then two good days of fishing I could leave the houses in the same spot. Wisfull thinking I guess. As the evning went on I again headed out at 10 to check on everybody one more time as the winds had picked up through out the day and it was wicked out there. What little snow is around is blowing to the west and 30 miles a hour. To my surprise there are 2 foot drifts all ready around the houses. Every one was still catching fish and Sergio had 9 in the bucket fishing plain red hooks and a fathead. Marty and Shell were getting ready to chow down on 5 upper red lake walleyes. Bob and the guys in montana had all the lights off so I did not bother them but Sergio said they were catching fish. Carl and Jessica came back from north carolina with 5 keepers and are staying in the cabin. Today I need to finish drilling out holes for plow mounts on blue thunder and get that bolted as it sounds like some snow is on the way.
 Buddy Hillmens road is in great shape with a berm to follow on the south side of the road and reflectors on the north side. Make sure you check into the store/bait shop as the bridges can and often have to be moved. Be safe out there and stop trying to cross pressure ridges. I learned a good lesson sunday and have no plan to put my houses that close again.I new better and got burned

[cookie]

Happy new year all you fisher people.
Sergio and his group did really well and headed home with 32 fish. They had tremendous fishing. Marty and Shell were in florida for the second night and the bite was not as good, seems the house's never get better the second night. Joel and Luke are in North Carolina and were up to 22 last night . Shell Jeff and Chase arrived around 10 and to my surprise brought blue thunder 1 back home from pine city so I have a parts truck on hand. How cool was that and unexpected. We had a couple cocktails through out the evening as I waited for Nate to arrive with his group for Montana. They had some vechicle trouble and rolled in at 1;30 am. Talked to Jessica and Carl in the cabin they headed way out on hillmens road and had a fantastic day of fishing .Sounds like there is a good bite going on out deeper with a few bonus  elusive upper red lake crappies to boot.
Marty came to shore yesterday and we were able to get the plow mounts bolted on blue thunder which was a project that needed drastic attention. The wind has been howling for 48 hours and I think most of the snow on lower red lake is now around my houses. Wow there are 4 foot drift its just amazing where it come from. Blue thunder and the red baron are about to get a workout. Wayne arrives for Montana today and Nate and his crew are switching to florida. Chase is going to help me do some plowing and what ever other work I can find to do.

[HD]

Thanks for the report Cookie!

[cookie]

Good morning to all you fisher people. Another fun but busy day yesterday.Marty and Shell stayed two nights in florida and Marty was such a big help.Thanks again Marty if ya want to come up and fish and help me out just give me a shout during the week. Natte, Holly and the other two guys had fantastic fishing when they checked in at 2 am, they have eaten some fish  and are enjoying there stay in montana. Luke and Jeff decided to spend another night in north carolina. Shell chick,Jeff and Chase have caught a few but it has slowed down. Wayne is in florida and missed a couple on th erattle wheels but was throuly enjoying himself.
Last night the bite had really slowed down in the house's. The plan is to move all 4 today before we batten down the hatches for 4 to 8 inches of snow starting today. I set up a few fishermen in there wheel houses yesterday, Wild Bill and his two buddies were one shy of there limit last night and they are completly buy themself. I also set up a few other wheel houses around the lake and they all were catching fish and happy with there locations. How sweet is that.
Chase will help me again today and what a asset having a young buck helping me out for a day. Wayne has to move to montana today as Aaron and his crew arrive for florida. Dave rolls in for the cabin and North carolina. Shell ,Jeff and Chase may stay again tonight they were going to decide today. I will be spending my spare time wetting a line with Wayne as he is one of my best friends.he is also one of the best fishermen I know. I've learned all sorts of tricks from Wayne that catch fish.  The plann this morning is get all the houses on fresh spots, I'm staying in the area I'm at for now and hoping we have not fished are honey hole out. With all the snow around the houses it only makes sense to dig in right there with plenty of snow around to bank the houses. With a high of 11 below sunday banking the houses is going to be evry importent. Time too warm up the trucks and get ready too hit the lake I expect great fishing the next two days so it willl be interestting to see if I'm right<b></b>

[Boar]

Morning cookie! Got 8 i. The bucket but the wind change outa the east has slowed down the bite for sure. Night time rattles were goig about every hour. Made for a sleples night. Love it. Stop in again when ya have a chance.

[cookie]

Yesterday was one long a$$ day. With the impending storm I was determined to get all 4 houses on new spots, fresh ice ,all blocked up and banked to the hilt. I had a great plan but as always murphy's law takes over. Jeff and shell chick had a flat tire so we delt with that plus I had to come home and unload blue thunder 1 form th etrailor Nate and Holly,Spencer and Andrew has a fantastic time and siad they would be back. I receved a email that Lyn would not be able to show up for old minnesota. I needed to get north carolina and florida moved first as they were showing up at 2pm check in time. Dave and his family called around 3 to say they arrived. I came to shore only to find out they were not ready to go and I still had montana and old minnesota to move. I gave them 15 minutes to get ready as I had to get out there and move those two house. In the process I figured out I had another no show for florida. Ouch two no shows on a big weekend. Thats to bad as I had other calls for this weekend that I turned down. The season is short and a guy hates to loose that income plus all the hard work I put in getting the houses on fresh ice. I set up Chris and Tim in a new spot and they had there limit in 2 hours with another bonus elusive upper red lake crappie 15 1/2 inch that Tim released .Way to go Tim. I have a pic on facebook under John Halvarson she was a beauty.
 After getting Dave and his family in Northh carolina it was off to move montana. The move went well and I had Wayne wetting a line in know time. Headed over to old miinesota the last one to move, it was dark. I try not to move houses after dark but had no choice as I wanted it moved before the snow hit. It was good experiance incase i ever have to move a house in the middle of the night. The wheel houses I talked to had slower fishing in the area were at and it may be burned out. Ruined another good area. Time will tell. Just as I finised banking minnesota the snow started coming down. I came home ate dinner got gas and headed back out at 9pm to play a few game of cards with wayne and wet a line. I landed two one on the rattle wheel and one on my rod and reel with the vex i also checked in with Chris and Jim and they were way happy with there spot. I talk to all the wheel houses that are around me today if I get the chnace just to get a feel if the area is fished out . I was happy with the two i caught as I was also playing cards.
 
Back to top

[Boar]

Hey cookie. Here the 12:30 am wake up, also hit a 17.5 and missed anither nice one. This morn i awsoke to some rattles of a 16.5 a miss and a small.  Wen u showed up i was cleaning iut the plumbing, lol! But as we talke outside cause of wife still snoozing,sorry biut that ur always welcome in the boars nest,  but one of my brood hit a 16. So they are still in the are. AWSOME finnaly meeting you ill be back next weekend with my son and his freind, see ya then! Thanks for checking on us.later boar

[attachment deleted by admin]

[cookie]

Sounds good boar

well all my hard work paid off. I would guess we got 5 to 6 inche’s of fresh snow.With the wind blowing the lake is full of pillow drifts. Wow there were some cooll looking drifts out there. There not wind blown hard yet and as long as a guy watches what he is doing can still travel off road.Its when you hit a spot where there was a wheel house or hard house that it gets interesting to say the least. i was tooling along last night cross country at a very low speed in blue thunder when i rolled over a froven mess. Every thing in the truck ended up somewhere else. Glad i was going slow or I would of been air born.
 Now for the fishing report, Arron and his group fished florida for the day and ended up with 12 keepers. I have caught 4 hanging with wayne while playing cards and having a hoot. North carolina has been slow but when 1 guy has 4 lines down its nothing but bad ju ju in my book. I also rented old minnesota yesterday .The first time I stopped to check on them yhey were napping after the long drive. I ate a minnow in front of the two kids and boy did there faces lite up.To funny. Boar pulled out around noon with there fish and thinks the area still has potential.which is good because moving houses with all this snow just got a little harder. I’m sure we will be working on Hillmens road all day so I’m glad no one is coming in untill tomorrow. Wayne may stay a extra day. Lets hope because I sure enjoy his company. The red baron is running as I type while blue thunder has a bad starter wire that I thought I correctted yesterday. The red baron also needs new plow lites as the old ones have broken off . Blue thunder needs tail lites so I have one truck with headlites and no tail lites and one truck with tail lite and know headlites. I guess i could hook them together. Oops just looked at the calender and I have Matt and his wife coming today with Todd rolling in tomorrow. – 22 this morning burrr

[The General]

The Days of our lives with Cookie......Love it

[cookie]

Things have been a little hectic the last two days with the 6 inches of snow. Nick, Derrick and there two boys Ely and Dillon stayed in old minnesota saturday night. The kids had a blast and it was fun to see there smiles.. The fishing was a bit slow for them all though 3 of the four times I stopped in they were all in bed. They did take home some fish sunday morning and left the house in great condition thanks guys. Wayne had to go home sunday after all. He did not catch a lot of fish but had a fantastic trip partting with everyone thursday night. We played quite a bit of texas hold em as he loves his poker. Dave and his family also went home with fish, they used north carolina has a day house and also had the cabin. The guys in the cabin yesterday went out of westwind about 4 miles and figured they caught 20 fish yesterday. Plain red hook has been the trick the last couple days as the fish have be come lathargic with all the snow cover.
I spent about 4 hours and two tanks of gas plowing Buddy hillmen's road. Coming off the lake in the afternoon I pulled on to the hwy and the Red Baron started to shake. I assumed I had a flat tire and limped it home. When I got home it was not a flat tire but a compleatly worn out wheel bearing / hub assembly. A trip to blackduck yesterday for a 180 dollar part. I'm hoping there,s no other damage and will no more later today. 
Matt and Tammy have been fishing in Florida since sunday and are enjoying them self with Tammy landing the biggest  a 18 icher. Matt and his crew checked in to montana yesterday .The door handle broke on the fish house sunday morning. I picked up a new one yesterday and need to install that later today. They had 8 keepers last night when I checked in on them. The Goose and Rich have 4 keepers when I stopped by for birthday dinner. Sunday I plowed into one of the extension cords on montana I looked at one in kellier and they wanted 94 dollars for a 100 foot 14 gauge cord. I had to pass on that as I want attleast a 12 gauge. I still have not gotten to bemidgi  to drop off my third generator thats not giving out power. The house have all been catching fish and I have a couple days to decide if I want to move them. After writing closed on my calender thursday I ended up renting all 4 house to a group heading to Lake of the woods and wanted to fish from noon to 5. That really puts me in a small window if i want the houses on fresh ice friday for the weekend. oops what was I thinking.
I also made a huge mistake and never checked out the bridges before the snow storm and have no idea where I can push the houses over the pressure ridge. This willl make it a little more interesting when I push to the west as the skid houses can not use the bridges. I have heard through the grape vine that theres some good fishing out there. The heat is stilll not producing in blue thunder two and a heater core is going on the list of repairs as she was a little cold when it was 22 below yesterday morning. Still loving the work. A little tired but that happens when you get older every year.
Buddy Hillmens road is in great shape, the wind was un bearable out there yesterday and the snow was diffently moving  around and drifting around every object on the lake

[cookie]

Tammy and Matt leave today. They fished florida in the same spot and never asked to move and I never volenteered as yesterday with the wind it was absulutly brutal out there. They caught plenty of fish,lost a few, more then three. Remember a couple is 8 or nine while a few is in the 15 to 20 range  to fuuny..
Cody and his gang are here one more day, they also feel very content and did not ask to move and I again did not volenteer. I did get there door handle replaced and thinking about it thats the third door knob for that house in 9 years.I guess there life span is 3 years.
The wind was absulutly brutal out there yesterday. It gave me the perfect time to drive to the end of Buddy Hillmens road/hwy.. WOW what a road. I feel so proud to help work on such a masterpiece 6 miles and you could land a 747 on it.  The three bridge are in good shape and I also found a spot to push my houses over the pressure ridge when the time comes. There was one wheel house at the very end of the road and square miles of unfished water to the north. Wow again man is there room to spread out. After that wind yesterday I will have to see if the drifts have gotten wind blown. Once they get hard the v-plow is the ticket to cut a trail. The red baron is still down and I have also damaged the king pin assembly and looks like I will have to find all the parts from a junk yard. Lots of metal shaving and parts compleatly ground up. Ouch I always new there was somthing going on in the front end and figured it would break eventally.
I also ventured out of westwinds road looking for bear paws houses as I wanted to say hi to a old friend Kirk. The vissibilty was poor yesterday and I never did find there houses with the side roads drifting in. I lost a tire chain that wrapped around the rear end and that was a bear getting it off in that brutal weather on the lake. The blower switch went out in blue thunder and made for a interesting drive back to  my house's. I was at old minnesota when Lee called at 430 to see if I had a open house. With another cancellation I said minnesota is open buddy and he said I'll take it. It sounded like he was on the road. When I ask where he was he said brooklyn park. Lee will help me move florida today in exchange for a break on the house. I hope to have all 3 moved on fresh ice for the weekend. I had a beer with Cody and the guys in the cabin last night. What a bunch of nice guys .Cody has his work crew up here and said they will take down a few dead trees I have here as thats what they do. I'll barter with them and give them a free night or two in exchange for the work.
Goose and Rich must of liked where I set them up as they made a small move yesterday  about 50 yards to be on freash ice as they have a crew coming up. I also saw Buddy moving his houses on to freash ice for the up and coming weekend.It sound like there doing well out deeper past the pressure ridge. Make sure you stop at hillmens to get any updates onthe three bridges

[cookie]

Yesterday was another brutal day. With winds out of the west at 25 mile a hour the snow is again moving around the lake and making some massive drifts around objects on the lake. If you go out of Hillmens with a wheel house try and get atleast 50 to a 100 yards to the north away from the road as the drifts work there way across the road if your parked to close. If you need a place plowed give us a wave and we can try and help. After yesterdays wind the drifts are becoming a little harder and you can walk on top of them. It unreal how mother nature can pack that snow so tight. Buddys Hillmens road is in great shape there are a few drift crossing the road but not a issue at this time. The berm to the south has sank and it would be a very bad idea to jump them as there is slush under the snow as the weight of the snow has cracked the ice and flooded it under the snow. . I don't know the math but with 6 miles of road and atleast two miles of room to the north there is plenty of room for guys to get away from any crowding.
I also got out of westwinds to go see my old friend Kirk and I do mean old. ha ha just kidding soon to retire Kirk. Westwind road was also in great shape with squre miles of unfished water. Again I'm sure if you wave a plow truck down they will get you a plowed spot off the main roads. Westwind does not make a berm like hillmens so you can go to the south,west or north or maybe even east if you have gone out to far? Tammy and Matt headed home with there fish yesterday and ate fish everyday. She is quite the outdoormae/women. It was nice to get to know them and next year there bringing the kids. Cody and his crew parked there truck in a snow bank? There also having issure with there jeep. The triangle still has it s power even if its walleye fishing. To funny. I did have a beer last night with them and they have had a grand time on a GRAND LAKE.
Lee took me to westwind for lunch and I highly reccomend the toco salad. After Lee helped me with two propanes we headed back to minnesota where Calvin and him were ready to focus on some hard fishing I taught Lee years ago. They called around 9 30 last night and said they were tired, had there limit and were going to bed. They must of fished hard to be so tired. Im thinking about having Lee up next winter to help me out. As a ma and pa operation fightting mother nature can quadrouple the work load. With no snow only a week ago things have changed dramaticly.
I have a crew of 12 swinging in today on there way to low. I'm going to try and get a couple of houses moved on fresh ice before they get here. Theres alot of snow capcherd around the houses. My plans are still to have all 4 houses on fresh ice for the weekend. Sounds like I will be working in the snow today, if its not to windy it should be a glorious day working on the ice. Looking forward to hitting the lake at sunrise



COOKIES on Upper Red Lake
Winter and summer guiding, deluxe fish houses, cabins summer and winter.
218 647 8391
http://cookiesonupperredlake.com

0 Comments
Add/View Comments   
Edit This Blog Entry



.
posted on 

[JohnWester]

hey cookie... what ever happened to Russ and Judy? you ever hear from them?

[cookie]

just heard from russ a month ago They still live in avon  He wanted to know if I wanted to buy his two augers. They are onfacebook

[glenn57]

just heard from russ a month ago They still live in avon  He wanted to know if I wanted to buy his two augers. They are onfacebook

Avon............ that's just 10 miles up the road from me!!!!!!!!!!!

[cookie]

Good old mother nature and another mechanical breakdown changed my plans in a hurry yesterday. Have not figured out why but the new blue thunder did not want to fire when I headed out yesterday morning? I cleaned the cabin and had kellie come get me with her bravada so I could get out on the lake to say goodbye to the guys and clean the houses. I only had a small window as a crew of 11 were rolling in at noon to fish on there way to low. Again mother nature had made a mess of things with the fresh snow coming down and steady winds at 20 miles a hour. It was a adventure going through the drifts as The wife all wheel drive does not work. As I was saying goodbye to Calvin and Lee, Cody and his crew drove over to say good buy and drove right into a snow drift that they could not see do to the white out conditions. I handed them a shovel after we tried to push them out with no luck. Of coure I had the bravada so did not have a snatch strap. I did have the insight to bring a shovel though. We headed back to shore to get a rope while they dug the truck out.Of course when I got back they were gone. With near white out condition and both trucks down moving a house or houses was not a option. Cleaning the houses became quite a chore as I had to walk through the snow drifts to get to the houses. I also had to auger out nortyh carolina . Just has I finised things up Bruce called from Hillmens to say they arrived. I headed in to meet them then back out through the snow drifts and 25 miles a hour winds out of the northwest. Luckly they all had trucks so getting to the houses was simple for them. Of course parking 4 vechicle around the houses with the winds imstantaly started making more drifts around every object around the houses. Ugg Once I got them all checked in I headed home to see what was up with blue thunder. She started right up with no miss what the f. After looking her over I gassed her up and spent the next 4 hours plowing snow around the houses and cleaning up the road too my houses. The guys heade d to lake of the woods around 630 so I said my good byes Each house caught a few fish and they were very satisfied with the set up.. About that time Phil called me as he and his dad Gordy needed two spots plowed out for there wheel houses as they are hosting some friends this weekend. More plowing to take care of them and I finally headed home. Took my boots off and looked at the calender only to see a special note that Jason and his crew were going to roll in at midnight. Zoiks guess I was not going to hit the sack early after all. With hardly any heat coming out of blue thunder I put a sunflower in the cab and  I started it around 10:30 to try and un freeze the windows as the were pretty frosted up from all the snow plowing cleaning things up after all the guys left. What a mess and man do i have the snow around the houses. Jason called at 1am and off I went to meet them. Everything was going fine and then blue thunder sputtered and died 2 miles out on the lake. I'm thinking its again the fuel filter. I have another new one but have no clue where it is . I thought I had it in the truck and will head out shortly to try and find it. After sitting on the lake with no heat and the wind howling she fired back up and I limped her home where again she will not start this morning. Looks like a beatifull day out there today I'm headed out now to find that filter and hit the lake. Phil and Gordy got there 6 with in a hour of setting up.  I will mark that spot with my system

[cookie]

I do not have all there names down yet but the guys in montana and florida are another great group of guys. With the red baron still in pieces, blue thunder is my work horse. She would not start again ,I found the spare filter and spent part of the morning replacing it. Putting the 1 inch nut "fine threads" on I got it crooked and stripped the threads a bit.Very frustrating working in the cold with bare hands. I had to put the problem on the back burner so I could check on the guys and gas up the generators. Quite the adventure driving out there as the wind blew all nite and created some massive drifts. Around florida is the worst with there truck parked in front of the house a drift had formed 4 feet deep behind there truck making it impossible to drive rite up to the house.. All four houses have snow plowed up and major drifts to deal with. FUN FUN FUN. Trevor called around 10; 30 to tell me they were here. I met them and escorted them out to montana where they hooked up with there buddies that arrived thursday nite friday morning. Peng Seng, and Neng also called around 11 so back to shore I went to meet them and get them all set up in old minnesota. Once they were checked in it was after 12 as I headed back in with the wifes bravada.  Back to working on blue thunder while Kellie headed to black duck to pick up parts for the red baron. I was able to reset the one inch nut onthe carb and get the steel fuel line threaded back on. Now its was time to try and start her. I poored some fuel down the carb and she fired right up but only ran for 20 to 30 seconds. I poored some more fuel down the carb and this time it stayed running  Sweet I thought only to notice fuel is seeping out the side of the fuel pump. A quick call to kellie and she turned around to get new fuel pump. She arrived home after 4 and it was to late to work on it so thast my project this morning..My  goal is to get her running and move montana and florida on new spots today. Just to move them blue thunder will get a work out clearing all the drifting snow. With the temp at 11 below this morning installing that fuel pump will be very tricky as the lines underneith are all most impossible to get to. The fishing has been poor in montana and florida which I totally expected with out them on fresh ice. The houses never get better? Oh well I feel bad but good ol mother nature wins this one. Peng ,Seng and Neng were not doing much better all though I missed two while I was visitting them as they were playing cards enjoying there stay. I then headed back to montana to play some cards with the boys,while playing cards I had a keeper up to the hole but Trevors bobber also went down and as his drag was spinning he pulled the fish right back down the hole as we were tangled and it got off. Thats what happens when you play cards instead of fishing hard. Oh well we all had a good laugh and went back to playing cards after we reset the lines. It would be nice to see some fish out theer this morning when I check on the guys because I sure want to see them get some more action. When I left the lake last night it was still blowing and drifting

[tomcat]

I sure enjoy your reports.



tomcat