THIS IS TODAY’S PICTURE, MONDAY, DEC. 15. GOODBYE SNOW, HELLO ICE. THE 45 DEGREE TEMPERATURES AND RAIN, CHANGED ALL THAT SNOW TO THIS PICTURE, SOLID ICE. WE WENT FROM 45 TO 15 TODAY IN A FEW HOURS AND WE ARE LOOKING AT ABOUT 9 DEGREES TONIGHT. WE DO NOT EXPECT HIGHS TO GET ABOVE 30 FOR THE NEXT 10 DAYS. WE ARE SET FOR ICE FISHING BIG TIME, SO COME OUT OUT.

YESTERDAY, THURSDAY, DEC. 18, ART AND LORIE WENT OUT ON THEIR SNOWOBILE ALL ACROSS LONG LAKE. THERE IS PLENTY OF ICE FOLKS, AND THEY SAW NO DANGEROUS AREAS, AND A LOT OF FOLKS IN THE CENTER, SET UP AND FISHING. WE MAY GET  A LOT MORE SNOW, BUT IT WON’T HURT US NOW, IN FACT IT WILL ONLY HELP. SNOWMOBILES AND ICE FISHING, KIND OF LIKE PIZZA AND A BUD?

WE’VE HAD SOME GOOD REPORTS TOO, FROM THE FOLKS WHO CAME IN THIS PAST WEEKEND. WALLEYE, PERCH AND SOME PIKE, ON GRAND, LONG, AND IN THE HARBOR. IN TOWN. MOST FOKS ARE USING BLUES AND GREYS RIGHT NOW, AND JIGGING OR USING TIP UPS. SHANTIES LIKE THESE PERMANENT ONES HAVE A GREAT ADVANTAGE ON DAYS LIKE THIS. WINDS UP TO 50 MPH, AND A WIND CHILL OF -15, CAN MAKE THE UNDECIDED FISHERMEN, STAY HOME. THERE ARE NO SISSIES OUT THERE TODAY. BUT YOU KNOW ALL THAT, OR YOU WOULDN’T BE ICE FISHEMEN.

WE ARE PLANNING OUR FIRST TOURNAMENT THIS WINTER JANUARY 17, 2009. A ONE DAY EVENT, ON SATURDAY. TICKETS 12.00, ONLY 250 WILL BE PRINTED. IF ALL SOLD, PRIZE MONEY WILL BE DEVIDED FROM THE $3,000.00 TOTAL. $1,000 FOR THE HEAVIEST THREE PERCH, 1,000 FOR THE BIGGEST WALLEYE [1], AND 1,000 FOR THE HEAVIEST PIKE. [1] ALL FISH WILL BE BY WEIGHT, AND WILL BE WEIGHED IN RIGHT HERE IN THE SHOP. YOU MAY FISH LONG LAKE, GRAND LAKE, ESAU, OR THE NARROWS. I’LL LET YOU KNOW WHEN THE TICKETS ARE PRINTED, BUT RIGHT NOW, IT LOOKS GOOD FOR JANURAY 17. YOU MAY BUY A TICKET IN ADVANCE WITH A CHECK, OR CASH, BUT NO TICKETS WILL BE HELD WITHOUT THE MONEY. WE DO NOT HANDLE CREDIT OR DEBIT CARDS. ALL PRIZE MONEY WILL BE CASH. SWEET! TO CLAIM YOUR PRIZE, YOU MUST HAVE A VALID FISHING LICENSE, AND THE FISH MAY NOT BE ALTERED IN ANY WAY.

CHRISTMAS IS GETTING VERY CLOSE, SO HURRY IN FOR A GIFT FOR SOMEONE NICE, LIKE YOURSELF. WE ALSO HAVE GIFT CERTIFICATES.

HOPE TO SEE YOU SOON

LORIE AND BUDD