Access fees?

[Caleb S]

More importantly, how was the fishing?

[ndsufootball]

I agree with that Harvey but it's also more than that. I really almost feel safer going out of resort roads, you know the ice is safe, they check it and if it's not safe they will let you know. It's tough to know what your driving on when you bring your wheel house out of a public access. I ran into this issue already once this year and I can't thank Paul enough. If it wasn't for him I might not have my house. Thanks again Paul see you soon.

[Walterwontfalter]

I also agree that the value of your rig should have nothing to do with how much you pay for a road fee. The wife wanted to get a camper and I wanted a fish house that I could use to sleep in during deer season. We compromised and settled on a Ice Castle. I don't think I'm cheap because I don't feel like I should have to pay any more than everyone else. All I ask is for a fair price for everyone, wheelhouse or not. Like I said above, I am all for road fees. They earn their money. Some, not all discriminate against wheelhouses and if anyone has looked around you'll see that they've become very, very popular in the past few years. If these resorts want to do good business they will cater to everyone.

Oh, and I don't think my truck and heavy wheelhouse do any more damage to the roads than a bunch of idiots in 3/4 ton trucks driving 60 mph down those same roads.

I think that if the road fees keep rising just for the wheelhouses you'll soon see large groups of wheelhouse owners getting together and plowing their own roads out of public accesses. I'd hate to see it have to come to that. I like stopping in at a resort on my way back in and give them some more of my business for the hard work they do.

[chrismackmn]

they do make nice roads so I can understand the charge but what is the point. there are maybe a few dozen fish in the entire lake. The only thing I hear is that it is slow or people occasionally catch fish. I don't expect fish to be jumping through the holes but Mille Lacs is overfished. Too much netting and too much pressure. It needs a few years off to repopulate the species.

[dreaminofjumbos]

Wow you guys are sad. These resort owners bust their butts trying to get people who want to catch fish out on the lake. Just because you go up to pull your house on for the weekend doesn't mean the resorts are only working on the weekend. These guys have to keep the roads open and safe all week long with only a few people coming on the lake during the week. They work seven days a week so most of you can fish for 2-3 days. They spend endless amount of hours and dollars on the roads equipment and employees, and see little profit. It used to be the resorts plowed roads for people using their shacks, and inviduals on atvs. Since the wheelhouses have become much more popular the roads have to be wider bridges have to be better, and they have to keep track of the wheel houses going out of the resort. Needless to say they have seen a drop in house rentals. You also have alot of guys renting out there own houses to people for a profit. This all takes money away from the resorts. I hear about owners putting their trucks through the ice during the week to get things ready for you and you are talking about plowing your own roads. Get a life. Here is an idea sell your wheel house grab an atv and a portable pay $10.00 and come do some real fishing with the rest of us. If its to much work for you rent a house from the reort. After all it is supposed to be about fishing not sitting in a decked out house occasionally looking away from your T.V. to check if your bobber is down!

[NickNy]

true that!!!!

[Willy]

Ok dreamin, you ALMOST nailed it.

But the fact is, most of the resorts business is from wheelhouse owners and not all of us park in one spot and sit and watch corks and tv. Most of us out there are moving every day to stay on the bite. I would hate to see any of the businesses on Mille Lacs survive during the winter without wheelhouse guys spending money up there.

I have no problem paying for a road pass. I have respect for what the guys do, but the portable people(what us wheelers call em) are not the only ones on the lake fishing. So the "rest of us" is mainly wheelhouse guys you are talking to.

[dreaminofjumbos]

Willy,

I am not talking about everyone who owns a wheelhouse. Just the ones on here complaining. You have every right to be out there and you should go. In response to wheeler guys being most of the business thats wrong. The resorts make most of their profits from the people who leave their houses up all year and have them moved on and off the ice, and stored. You and I only cover the costs to keep the roads open. This is why you pay more. It costs the resort more to get you to the spots beyond the major areas of houses. The roads are wider for example to the flats and need more attention. I am sorry if i offended you about sitting around in your house. To me "moving on a daily basis to get on the bite" is not really fishing. But if you enjoy yourself thats really all that should matter.

[Willy]

Maybe it is not, but I will bet I catch just as many as you do. We scout on the ice first. Trust me, it is the way to go. When you are at home or sucking on suds in the bar, we are jiggin.

[Walterwontfalter]

Let me be clear here. I'm very much FOR paying road fees and I'm not complaining about having to pay one but i disagree that because I occasionally take my wheelhouse out that somehow I should have to pay more than everyone else. Like I said, I don't think my truck and wheelhouse together weigh more than that big 1 ton diesel dually I've seen on the lake recently. I also don't sit around watching TV, I don't even bring one with because it's just one more thing to haul. If I'm on the lake and not sleeping, I'm fishing. Besides, If someone wants to rent a house every weekend all winter long or sit for 3 days straight in a portable, or even for a few hours on a bucket, even sitting on a soft bed watching a movie with the rattle reels down while covered with an electric blanket like someone I know does... who cares, they have a right to spend their time fishing anyway they want. Don't they?...and who am I to judge them? If the money to the resorts is really the issue here, then why not drop the wheelhouse road fee to encourage more owners to frequently purchase a road fee and raise the fee for the ones who sit on a bucket or in a portable and go out fishing more often? maybe have the same fee at 18 dollars for everyone. I would think that would make more money than discriminating against someone because of their choice and ability to buy a wheelhouse to use. I respect your right to fish in a portable, in fact I usually fish out of my portable as well.

All that said, i think rather than fish and leave that everyone stop in and thank the resort for plowing such nice roads and the hard work they do and have a burger and a beverage. What would be wrong with throwing the plow driver a 10 or a 20 for a tip when you see him on the lake? I think that would be time much better spent than sitting on here and arguing about who's more of a fisherman and who's not?

[chadice]

Lot's of new ground being covered in here I see......

[gonecribbin]

I cant figure out why wheelhouses are charged more? Wouldnt a resort make more $ off a wheelhouse than a portable? i have a wheelhouse and I try to choose a resort with good food, entertainment, and beverages??? From 7 till 2am our posse is belly up to the bar spending money like rock stars... When I take the portable im on my way home shortly after dark.... We had 2 wheelhouses and we had a resort try to charge us $100 each for the weekend, we went elsewhere and I KNOW we EASILY dropped, $2000 between the 4 of us over the weekend (plow guys drank free on us all night)...

[chris63]

To each his own....one mans portable is another mans "freezing nightmare!"We all go fishing for our own reasonsc63

[eelpout1]

Everyboby reading this has a computer, most of you have a phone. Intead of making your plans around rumor call the resorts, go on line, most resorts have e-mail. find out first hand what the charges are. plan ahead, most resorts I do business with are honest and up front with prices. These guys work thier tails off---period!!! for those of you thinking about banding together and plowing out of public access's you should ride with one these "Plow Jockeys" (said with respect) see how the ride is, I think I'll start a vehicle recovery business, it will be booming. Down the road, accesss pricing will work itself out, the reputable resorters will come out on top, if you do your homework you will benifit. Thanks to Macs, Appldorns, Hunters point, Lybecs, all you guys on the SE side for making my fishing the best and safest it can be. See you on the ice, I'll be the one with the BIG smile.

[mniess]

time to drop both of these "access fees" threads and move on to more productive conversations. Looks like all sides have made their points.

[HunterWinfield]

$100 for two days! Are you sure? Who on god's green earth would charge and expect to get paid $100 for two days? I have been fishig the lake for 30 years and never heard of such a thing at any resort. We pay $150 for the entire season.

We charge 100.00 for the season road pass and let the wheel houses stay. Each additional vehicle with the same group is 50.00 for the season. We will charge plow fees if you need a house plowed, but I've never heard of $100 for a weekend either.