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

[Gunner55]

Keep 'em comin when your up to it.

[mike89]

and what a storm I'm hearing you all had!!  good write up!!!   

[glenn57]

My wife just showed me a picture of red lake from Facebook. Was from red lake fishhouse rentals. Holy moly bring the chest waders. It was pretty ugly.

[cookie]

dce

[cookie]

Not a whole lot to report on the fishing as most of the resorts and outfitters have been trying to make new plans. 2 days were spent up here getting too wheel houses, followed by rentals. The red baron  and blue thunder  had there first major workouts of the year. Have not heard yet but  red baron may of blown a radiator hose last night. We took blue thunder up to David's to try and thaw out in his shop over night as I have never seen so much ice on her. Should of took a picture. Even though it set all night she still had ice in the back.
 It's really hard after 18 years to not be able to  be out there improvising, going from plan A to plan B all the way to lets start over. I did  talk to one of my best friends  Billy aka The Greek  as Grandma Olga nick named him about my concussion? He mentioned I need to also rest my brain, which makes total sense. Other then its really hard to when every thing you have work for  all these years is out of your hands. Jonny boy  and richy rich have been doing a outstanding job.  But this storm created  quite a few problems I have not even experienced.  I did get out there  the 31rst to see for my self. From what I saw a good mile by mile where the majority of the wheel house and rental were is  probably shot for the year. All the drifting created a lot of weight . I will be so relieved to know or  see all 8 rentals safely on new ice completely away from that area. We have been canceling reservation day by day so far. If all plans go well we may be in operation today with one house being used as a day house for Tom and his crew. Then Pat and his crew will be up today using Kentucky  as a cabin possibly fishable? Rick  and his crew will be up Friday morning for north dakpta followed by Bradly staying in Colorado.
 As far as I know Hillmans is still closed to all wheel houses and traffic.
 Each resort  is dealing with  there own problems. Flooding, making new routes etc . It would be nice to take a cruise on each resort to see how each one has improvised. That is out of the question as driving is out for now. As the Greek mentioned that is not resting my brain.
 Buddy Hillman purchased a tractor with a snow blower to re open his road, which is a first for me to see on his road, It will be interesting to see how its working. From the sounds of it she was throwing snow last night.
 Our grand daughter Ashley has been up here before the big blow , she rode out the storm on the lake in California. It nice to see her step up and help where she can as she a has always been a good helper. She was nice enough to gather garbage, retrieve  frozen in extension cord s etc., She also shoveled a path for our garage. That's it for about now as I need to rest my brain.

[glenn57]

OUCH..... i got a buddy headed that way this morning..........hillmans was the destination!!!!!!!! i warned him via text!!!!!!!!!

[glenn57]

My wife got a text from our friends there headed to LOTW

[cookie]

At this time again its hard for me to report much. Richy rich's better half did have a good flurry of fishing yesterday while the guys worked . She said she had never caught so many walleyes? Being last year she caught one? maybe she caught 3 or 4 and that's a lot? 
 Jonny boy is having a hard time leaving  that area  but it just has to be done, With all the snow drifts one dusting followed by strong winds could be a disaster as all those trails will catch snow causing more weight..
 I personally would like to make a trip out there today to measure some ice thickness. Checking out all the other resorts is not in the books at this time.
 Just from following   all the resorts on social media every single one had different circumstances . It only makes sense that the further south has the most snow with the wind blowing  north NE that night.
 I'm still unsure when and if Buddy Hillman will again let traffic out on the lake. He does have a few rentals out there with the 12 man double decker sleeper, sitting on fresh ice.
 Were not full this weekend which is a good thing as the boys keep working on getting our houses on to fresh slush free ice.
  I will have a fishing report come sunday, Monday as We will have 14 guys out there wetting a line not counting the help.
 I know that buddy Hillman's was making progress with the tractor and snow blower. Jonny boy was out helping plow the main road with the red baron into the night after we put on a used upper radiator hose.
 I'm feeling a little better everyday by 1% if that?  Resting my mind from my concussion is probably the toughest. I have looked into meditation so will see how that helps.
 The  phone calls are a problem but way better then weeks ago when I  would cringe when the phone rang.
It amazes me how many people call looking for something this weekend or next. Looking at the books were good with reservation until the last weekend of Jan. Yesterday I had a string of calls in a row, as a outfit was calling there customers to tell them this weekend was a no go.  I truly wish we could help them. Buddy Hillman may have something but they would need to call Hillmans, 218 647 8504 calling me does no good..
 I may know today when they may be able to open there road again . Going off road is out of the question though. A sled  or something with tracks is really the only way to get off the road. I'm not even sure if  v plowing a spot are a option at this time?
 I'm hoping I can go out again today to say hello to rick and his crew in north Dakota. I would also like to say hello to Pat and his crew.
 Dan and Mel had to come up with a plan b after they got flooded out where they were at. They have been fishing and staying in our Florida House. Dan has also rolled up his sleeves helping out Jonny boy and Richey rich. He said yesterday he has a lot more respect to what we go through now that he has dealt with a taste of the operation.  Funny it made me think about the year we camped with the cowboys at the Effie rodeo. After hanging out with them for 3 days  I learned  they traveled from small town rodeos week to week. If they were lucky enough to get in the money it was a win.  Most had some type of injurie they were nursing. They all had pick ups with horse trailers. Man what a way to make a living.
 well time to rest my mind  and do my new thing  "meditation",
 

[LPS]

It is a constant flow of wheel houses coming up here now with Red out of commission too.

[hawg]

I have a portable sitting in the garage and a wheelhouse buried in the back yard, neither have been on ice yet. The Brainerd lakes are a disaster, many of our most popular lakes have ZERO houses on them. REW, like you said, I bet you guys are absolutely crazy with houses.

[LPS]

Great to hear from you Mark, Hawg.  Hope all is well with you. 

[glenn57]

It is a constant flow of wheel houses coming up here now with Red out of commission too.

italked to my friend that headed to LOTW;s after a no go on red. he said just looking around the area he's at he bets there's a million dollars worth of sleepers in his area.

my wife also red lake fishhouse rentals moved there operation up to the LOTW;s, per a facebook post.

[glenn57]

Great to hear from you Mark, Hawg.  Hope all is well with you.

same here!!!! I see though your starting trouble next door!!!!!!!!!

[cookie]

We survived another weekend, boy was it quiet out there. With Hillmans highway closed to wheel houses.
Buddy Hillman and the guys have  the ice road again in pretty good shape. Going off road at this time is a bad idea unless you have a sled or track vehicle.
 Just like always the fishing could of been better but no one got skunked.
 Old Minnesota had Toms buddies. Tom comes every year and rents 2 of westwinds day houses plus one of there lake cabins.
 They only managed to get a couple fish on a new spot.
 North Dakota had rick matt and mike, They had some action but just like most of the time the second night was not as good as the first. I think they got 9.
 Florida  had Mel and Dan. Dan helped Jonny boy and Richy Rich all week digging out all our houses and getting them on fresh ice. They also had to rescue there house from the storm. They also caught a few fish.
 Montana had Kevin and Nancy the hammer sister. They managed to land 12 fish plus had a big pike on twice. Fishy area?
 Colorado had Bradly and his crew. I have no clue how they did.
 Kentucky had Pat and his crew I think I escorted them out on Friday? Stupid concussion. I drove by them Saturday and saw they were cleaning fish outside so that was a good sign.
 California had Darrin and his family. They left early Sunday but Darrin did have a diesel truck with a plow so Jonny boy recruited him to help with Hillmans road/ highway. Plus they rescued some ones wheel house Saturday. I think they got 9.
 Today is me and  the hammer  42nd annerversity . We met 44 years ago yesterday.  I had met her brother on the school bus. He ask if I would like to come over on the ride home. As we went down stairs Kellie was coming up the stairs. When we got to the basement I ask Dan who was that? he said my younger sister. It was love at first sight, 2 years and 1 day later we were saying I do in a court house in south  Dakota as we were to young to marry in Minnesota with out my mothers permission.
 Speaking of my mom she passed away recently which was a god send as she was suffering. My mom remarried when I was 4  when I was 6 Carl my first step dad and her got in some type of argument, Next thing you no mom was at My dads car lot in Denver getting a car.  It was a 55 lavender caddy. She loaded me and my sister up and we  came to waskish to see my grandmother Olga my dads mom and hide out from Carl. We spent the whole summer here swimming, fishing, getting eaten alive from horse fly's, skitters and dear flys. My mother also met Bob which would become my second step dad 9 years later here? Carl did track us down. He showed up late in the summer and drug us back home to Denver. I remember driving back in that caddy , we drove through the 66 floods of Nebraska. That car set behind the garage where we lived until we moved and Carl left it there.  I plan on sharing a few more stories from child hood and memories of my mom Thelma Parson, Halvarson, Paulciani, Jennings she was married 3 times. She was with Robert jenning for 45 years.

[mike89]

good report and good reading!!!   Ya sound some better too!!!! 

[cookie]

thanks it only took me like 2 hours getting better 1 % better everyday. Never was 100 % so 75 80 should be good

[mike89]

thanks it only took me like 2 hours getting better 1 % better everyday. Never was 100 % so 75 80 should be good

that sounds a heck of a lot like me!!!      1% is better than nothing and thats for sure!!!

[hawg]

Great to hear from you Mark, Hawg.  Hope all is well with you.

same here!!!! I see though your starting trouble next door!!!!!!!!!

never could keep my fingers shut. 👍

[cookie]

I ended up on the lake for a good part of the day yesterday as we had a flooding problem a mile off the main road where we had the houses. None  of the houses had any flooding problems but our main road cracked from the weight of all the snow plus the mild temps might of had a hand in it. Stupid mother nature is again showing us she is the boss. Always has been and always will.
 Years ago  we also had a similar problem as the lake. It cracked all over and most if not all the secondary roads flooded. Some became very deep, then the cold temps blew in glazing them over.  Throw in a little blowing a snow to insulate them. Next thing you know your driving along and crash you brake threw only to be hung up from all the ice chunks sitting in over a foot of water.  You had no real idea which road was safe to drive on.
 The big storm sure made a mess of things in a good square mile of the lake.   Yesterday the first thing is blue thunder was out of commission due to a broken u joint . The red baron was sitting out on the lake next to old Minnesota and would not move as the  rear brakes were frozen with ice.from plowing on the Hillmans highway, then driving threw water.
 We get the torpedo out there and the stupid thing will not work. Back through the standing water on the "secondary roads" breaking though the ice that had formed to borrow a working torpedo. Plus buddy Hillmans parachute to cover blue thunder up to block the wind. Oh did I mention the wind was howling out there yesterday out of the north west  with the temps hoovering around 9. I"m in my pajama bottoms to boot, plus tennis shoe as that's the easiest things to ware having this brace on.
 Finally after some  chipping and heat we got her to move.. I would cut a new trail, she started off well but after 2 football field the pure white snow blowing off the v-plow turned into wet slush. Now I'm throwing slush instead of snow. Getting around to the house I went through 2 or 3 more slush pockets. Having no choice it was hammer down  until I hit snow again. We now had a trail to the houses and blue thunder with water filling them in not wide enough to pull the skid  houses through .  It doesn't end here though.. I go back to get jonny boy  so he can take out the drive shaft  and bring it to shore as we need a vise to install the new u-joint. Its also time to fill up the red baron. Pounding off some of the ice on her at the gas station.
I came home to take a break waiting for him to call and also  get out of my wet tennis shoes.
 Of course  the place where you install the u joint is mushroomed so jonny  boy has to try and file it down enough to in stall the caps. Again we head back out but now at least I have more clothes on  plus boots that the hammer had to help me put on, stupid brace I can not tie my own shoes.
 I again try another route around the water and hit slush again. I drop off Jonny boy  Then try to make the trail wide enough to get the skid house out of the area. Jonny boy calls to say we need u joint straps as the other ones  are to damaged from when it broke.  I again head back to pick him up. We head over to help Richey rich's house turned around and back to the main road. W3e get that done, turn around  to go back out to retrieve white lightning which has been idling all day.
 Now the sun is setting, the generators need to be filled . I come home to start chipping and hammering ice off the red baron ,jonny boy and rich pull in to help me. As the three of us are hammering away it totally reminds me of deadest catch when they have to de ice the ships. One hour later I'm off to Davids to put her in his shop to hopefully melt what ever is left. The hammer picks me up and I'm physically and mentally shot. I guess a little hard work pays off as I had my best sleep  since  my car accident.
 On a bright note we have fisherpeople in montana, florida, north Dakota, and north carolina . I can say some fish have been caught but  how many? Buy who is another story. I'm not making the rounds at this time due to my concussion .
 Today the goal will be to get both ice castles out of the area followed by old Minnesota and California.
 I would say yesterday was a grind. Today we also be a grind. we need to get blue thunder up and running. Jonny boy will have to install it out on the lake with a predicted high of - 10.
 I guess all you can say as That old timer Dave told me with spit coming out of his mouth. Its a grand lake and it owes me or us NOTHING! NOTHING!

[mike89]

I keep hearing things from different folks about what's happening up there and it's crazy....  take care and good luck!!

[LPS]

So does this mean you are taking care of yourself??

[Jerkbiat]

Ya Cookie. Sounds like you are pushing yourself a little more than you should.Take care of yourself.

[cookie]

it was a crisis for jonny boy,  had no choice.  I think we have it under control now

[cookie]

First things first, we are looking to add to the fleet. wanted running driving mid chevy 4x4 truck, 350 engine ,automatic, tranny. Straight blade boss plow would be nice. Other option is a parts truck 84 chevy automatic tranny 4x4. If anyone knows of one sitting on a farm or behind a garage etc. you can contact me at 218 556 6197.
 Fishing report to follow,
 It has been quite the week here on the shores of upper red lake, I learned I can not do much at this time if I want to heal.
 We had john and his crew in north Dakota, Pat and his family in florida having a grand time on a grand lake. Dominic and his dad in montana for 2 nights Vern in north Carolina.
 John and the crew figured they got 25 walleyes,
 Pat,Savana and son Dustin? They have eaten fish every night plus got a elusive yet still catchable upper red lake crappie.
 No idea how Dominick did as well as vern?
 The boys have had there hands full trying to get our houses out of the area onto fresh ice.
 Blue thunders broken u joint turned into a nightmare as the hammer and I had to track down u joint straps  All the way to Bemidji. We also picked up a upper ball joint for blue thunder and a alternator for the red baron.
 Blue thunder lasted all of one day before blowing out the rearend errr. Jonny boy and Richy recruited some help this morning to finish up moving the house for todays guest.
  I've always babied my trucks, blue thunder 2 is our banking, unbanking and cleaning up the roads, plowing the driveway etc. fish house moving machine. The red baron  cuts a beautiful trail, helps throw snow to the south of buddy Hillmans main road and in a pinch also  moves houses. White lightning is our  hauling  gear around truck plus maybe my new driver to work next summer vehicle . Mother nature has not been kind to red lake this year. there are areas that have flooded. going off road is out of the question with out a v-plow to cut a trail, If snow is not pushed away the weight of the houses combined with the snow will create flooding around houses. There s still 20 plus inches of ice under the water but as the flooded water freezes it basically become a ice skating rink.  If the trails have to much snow piled up on both sides and  you get a crack or augured hole it basically become a canal full of water and a new trail needs to be cut.
 I would say were hand cuffed of ware we can set up at this time. Anywhere there was a house set up during the storm has created slush fields. I would estimate there were over 100 houses out of Hillmans during the storm, not counting rentals.
Will all that freeze under the 20 inches of snow we have out there? Not sure but I expect it will not.
 Buddy Hillman had to purchase a tractor with a snowblower just to get his main road back, as there was just to much snow to move. The main road is now in pretty good shape but is closed to all wheel houses un tell further notice.  We have our rentals out there as well as buddy Hillmans rentals so our guest can access the houses.
 Buddy's double decker fish house that sleeps 11 has been open every weekend as fisherpeople keep canceling? Everywahere I have measured ice has ranged form 19 to 22 inches.
 I got recruited to clean old Minnesota this morning, as the boys work at getting all the houses set for guest arriving today. With out bluethunder there will be quite a bit of number 2 shoveling for the guys. Throw in 50 plus hole augured I might have to buy them dinner tonight.

[cookie]

Here goes nothing,
My good customer /friend Larry arrived Friday for old Minnesota, north Dakota and florida. I can say for sure Larry landed 2 16s 4 over 20 one line breaker. all his buddies  no clue.
I heard through the grape vine north Carolina did well
 California with jarred no clue,
Andy Andy had montana they also did not do well, Blake and Sam were in Kentucky  no clue but not good,
 The guys in Colorado not good,so moving all the houses in was not the ticket?
 The boys have  another busy schedule again this week.
 My as  well throw in some snow coming tonight to boot.
soo sorry about the poor report. I slipped on the ice Friday, I did not fall but realized I can not help/work on the lake this winter period.
  I'm sticking to paper work, organizing, recovering.
 On a side note we all need to make the world better if possible so here are a few tips. I will continue to throw in a few  the rest of the season.
Say hello! nothing chaps me worse then when someone is to good to say hello back. Years ago  I worked at touslyy ford. the managers would not give you the time of day. I ended quitting and going to white bear dodge.
Saying thank you cost you nothing.
Support local. No reason to get all your supply's for the big trip up north down in the cities.
Last one Read more.
 We have guest coming through out the week so we will see how they do. Were still handcuffed on where we can go at this time. Hillmans highway is still closed to wheel houses. Rental and portables for now as far as I know.

[Jerkbiat]

Good report Cookie and I could agree more on your tips. Glad you learned to stay off of the ice without making matters worse.

[mike89]

 

[cookie]

Well again not being able to visit customers make for a poor fishing report.
We did have Tim and his crew in north Dakota for a few nights. I know that did catch some fish but I have no numbers to speak of.
 Scott and his crew came Tuesday for one night. They played cards and  enjoyed hanging out. They did have some action around 3 in the morning . They were headed up to low for there annual trip.
 I did find a rear end for blue thunder, Jonny boy and Richie worked there rearends off last night . Jonny boy drove her home around 3 30 am. It never ends as  now they have plenty of work this morning as they finish banking houses and auguring holes.
 Mother nature has not been nice this year, All the customers  arriving today will have to make plans to hunker down..
 Sitting here on the computer the wheel houses headed to low keep on going by. I sure would be curious how many are registered in Minnesota. Got to be a crazy number.
 I did make a trip to see dr about my fractured vertebra. It was very scary seeing the ct scan pics. from right after my accident tell 2 months later. When you fracture them they slowly collapse. Think of squishing a marshmallow  on one side as that's what they now look like. They do not want to see them get any worse or some type of surgery would be in order.
 were closed next week as I'm headed down to Iowa for my moms funeral. She had a crazy life  with 2 divorces. She then married  Bob for 44 years. He has been a great dad to me, Turning me on to deer hunting when we moved to Minnesota when I was 16. he bought me my first rifle a 30 30 marlin.
 He also had a brand new snowmobile that I got too enjoy.
 When I was about 12  my stepdad Carl got a boat, they named it harmony after the bar he owned . We took it to the lake one Saturday where  my mom went water skiing, When he swung around to drop her off she came right up on shore as she let go to late. She did a face plant right in front of us in the sand. I will never forget seeing that. They were drinking so I do not remember her being hurt.
 The last thing is again lets all try and make the world a better place.
If you can volunteer do. Its something I need to do for sure.
 Donate your cloth if possible.
 As a family try to eat together.
 no politics at work

[Boar]

awesome cook!! lov ya brother!!

[cookie]

Well we made it home from my moms funeral in Iowa late last nite. Fishing report to follow.
 Jonny boy and Richie will be busy today as they get out on the lake to make some  decisions on what we can do for the up and coming weekend.
 After slamming on blue thunder last week installing a used rear end in blue thunder she lasted all of one day . While plowing out our driveway after a long day before banking un banking plowing moving houses etc she broke a front outer axel shaft. All this snow and slush has put my poor trucks through a work out. Getting stuck then trying to get them out is so much harder on them. I have always babied my fleet as much as possible. This year that is all most if not impossible. We were able to find parts on the way home so hopefully with a little luck we can get her up and running asap.
 Some of the outfitters have pulled the plug for this year. Rumors fly on the internet making our winter even tougher? Most of the outfits that live here year long are still open. The wheel houses  have drawn the short straw this year.
 Every season is different when it comes to mother nature. It is just the way it is. I have been preaching for 20 years she is the boss . One year the ice froze like a skating rink . I could of ice skated all the way to the north shore, another year the lake cracked all over the place? Another year we had over  3 feet of ice maybe closer to 4. Another year we hauled snow from shore to bank the houses. Another year it was 40 below for 5 days with highs 30 below.
 Trying to share how all the house's did last weekend again is kind of  a nightmare. We headed out of town sunday while everyone was staying tell Monday. Sarah and her crew did manage to get 4 over 17 with a total of 15 fish taken home. From what I gathered the fish started to bite sunday? No one got skunked as far as I know. Again the rest of the houses caught some fish but I have no  numbers. Not being able to visit and get to know my customers  has been tough on me. I want to get in a truck right now  so I can go checkout the lake my self. After the little slip a couple weeks ago I keep telling my self I can not help period. I'm still hoping I can atleast do a little fishing in old Minnesota before the season ends. As long as I do not catch one over 10 lbs since that my weight restrictions  of what I can lift. If I do get any fish I will just have to hoist them out of the hole since bending over is tough with this brace on plus the brace is to stop me from bending.
 Again sorry about the poor fishing report, its been a long week traveling  to southern Iowa and back.
 At this time we are going day by day or week to week as we see what mother nature throws at us.
 Again a few tid bits as we all try and make this world a better place.
 Laugh more you only live once, laughter is the best medicine.
 Be honest its a lot easier to remember the truth then to make things up.
Give complements, open doors, lend a helping hand.
 Call your parents,
 Don't hold grudges. forgive and forget.
Love thy neighbor,
 Pay it forward,