upper red lake Upper Red Lake Fishing Reports by Cookie

[Handsonthepole]

yes. one over 26.

[cookie129]

Lyman and Mary headed home Thursday and had a wonderful time.. The fishing was outstanding.

Greg and Gary left yesterday. They also had outstanding fishing with slip bobbers. I missed a good chance to fish Wednesday. The weather looked sketchy so I did not go out for the elusive but still catchable upper red lake crappie

[cookie129]

wow its been a busy month . kelllie and I managed to go after the elusive upper red lake crappie while Jake was here we landed five and kept two for the frying pan.

greg and brent were here fathers day weekend and did real well bobber fishing with night crawlers. Ken and his family also caught fish everyday they were here.

I took Richard,Chris and Chris's son zack fishing for two days. they had a big fish fry with the whole family Friday. Saturday we braved the wind and headed to one of my favorite spots on the north shore. We had not trolled more then 100 feet when Chris land a nice keeper. After landing 4 in a row and a couple sheephead I noticed poor Zack was looking a little green so we called it a early day. Richard cleaned 8 when we got back to shore and they headed home.

last night I had good friends Bob rick and Ty out we managed to keep 8. Rick had the hot hand and it was comical how many bite he had compared to all of us in the boat. Ty did land a 22 inch walleye so I he was excited.he thought for sure it was a sheephead but I told him there's no sheephead in this area a couple times while I he battled the fish.

[cookie129]

mY BROTHER WARREN WAS UP FOR A FEW DAY LAST WEEK. 4 FEET WAS THE MAGIC DEPTH ON THURSDAY, FRIDAY WE BRAVED THE WIND BUT HAD TO FISH DEEPER AS THE BOAT IS TO BIG TO GET CAUGHT IN THE TROFFS? AND WOULD BOTTOM OUT. SATURDAY WAS A LITTLE BETTER . wE ENDED UP CATCHING 20 WALLEYES WITH THE BIGGEST 18 .tHE WARM WEATHER MAY OR MAY NOT OF CHASED THEM OUT OF THAT 4 FEET DEPTH

[tipup]

Just made my reservations with Cookie!!! Cant wait and I know the Wife and kids are excited also!!!

[Hammskie]

I am also PUMPED to get up and fish out of Cookies at the end of December. And then hopefully at the end of January too! We had our most productive trip on record last year - 65 fish in just over 36 hrs of fishing. If this year is 1/2 as good we'll be happy. :-)

[PerchTasteBetter]

Hey Cookie, I'm coming up there in January to stay in good ol Minnesota. I'd like your suggestions for my walleye set ups. Braided? Mono? How many pounds strength. I'm pretty stocked on forage minnows and buck shot rattle spoons. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Looking forward to my first trip to URL!

Tony

[cookie129]

walleye assiasin covered it pretty good. I also use a 6lb mono line. Northland and Lindy have a huge choice of ice fishing lures. The slick jig is pretty cool I also like the lindy foo flyer. Northland has the eyedropper cant go wrong with a treble hook. Then any of the lures the rattle to attrack fish. see ya in jan.

[Hammskie]

PTB - I also highly recommend bringing your portable house, auger and all your cold weather gear, which you won't use. But also don't forget your sweat pants and slippers, which you will use. Lastly - and this one is very important - only get 2 scoops of fatheads before you head out onto the lake. This was the magic pattern for us in January the past couple of years. Hopefully you have to bug Cookie to go get you more bait! Good luck.

[cookie129]

things are still ugly here. Mother nature has thrown a wrench in my operations. With 12 plus inch of snow there is slush pockets out on the lake. Reports of just 10 inches of ice make me werry about traveling out there at this time

Blue thunder had a flat I got fixed Monday and yesterday had another flat tire. The red baron is waiting untell we ern some rental money to get her tranny. Still not sure if I can cut a trail over to hillmens or westwinds road. Then we need 14 plus inches of ice for the houses. wish us luck as we need it

[chaffmj]

Good luck Cookie! I feel for you and the rest of the outfitters who have had to deal with early snow and cold. We went out of the south side Sunday and Monday. We walked in slush and on Monday we had a pressure ridge come up about 10 yards behind the portable. The fish were biting so that was good..

[Hammskie]

Good luck Cookie! A lot can change in a week. Lookin at some good, cold temps in the forecast so hopefully that gets us a couple more inches of ice to make your job easier.

Let me know what I can do to help.

See you next Friday!

[MNfan]

Cookie what is going on in your world I sure miss your reports and am starting to forget the names of your houses? Hope you are getting on the ice and will start posting reports from your area soon.

Andy

[just_jig]

Has anyone used Cookies houses this year? If so how was your fishing and accommodations?

[bturck]

i heard last week when we were there that cookie will not be running his houses this year. that is to bad. even though we have booked through a competitor for a long timei always enjoyed reading his posts. this has been a tough year on the north end

[just_jig]

That's interesting, I book with him back in late Nov for late this month. Haven't heard anything from them, I best check before heading over.

[bturck]

i heard he was cancelling reservations ?????. i would give him a call. hope its a rumor and your trip still works out for you. i haven't seen any of his reports or pics here like past years...????

[kelly-p]

I have not talked to Cookie but the last I heard he was waiting for a little better ice. Cookie has heavy houses like us and it is pretty tough to find thick enough ice for the big houses this year.

[cookie129]

I guess I better speak up. Bad ice conditions for my houses put me at a slow start. Then mother nature has been beating me down with mechanical problems on both trucks the red baron is in the tranny shop which I hope to get back this week. Blue thunder has given me fits. First the battery ,starter. Then the fuel pump, then the water pump and heater and plugs, then the carb and now the starter again. If I can not maintain the houses I have had to cancel some reservations and have been turning down others untell I'm up and running. I hope this clears things up. I do have jeff,dave and Steave in florida and they had gotten up to 8 keepers. The young kids in Montana had gotten only three when I checked in with them last night.

[Hammskie]

A couple friends and I hired Cookie at the end of December (as usual) and had a great time. The fishing was slow, as we chose to stay in one of the bigger sleepers closer to shore. We caught about 15 walleye and a bonus pike for the weekend. We did have success going out in the portables for a few hours until it got too windy.

Cookie's houses are the finest sleepers I've ever stayed in. When we had good ice and no snow in January last year, we experienced one of the most epic times I've ever had ice fishing. 65 fish for 2 guys in one day up on the north break. It was a great time and we were in pure comfort, staying in Cookie's "Montana" house.

Accommodations: Generator with Gas, Rattle Wheels, TV, DVD, Stereo, Queen Bunks, Indoor Toilet, Ceiling Fan, Kitchen Stuff, Card Table, Good times.

If Cookie gets the trucks fixed and is able to move the houses into the deeper water, I'd rather stay with him than any other outfitter. His accommodations are simply the best.

[cookie129]

A season to remember for all the wrong reasons. What can I say it was the toughest season I ever had here on upper red lake. Mother nature had me by the bells and never let go. I have always enjoyed having the houses on fresh spots and I struggled just to get to the houses yet alone move them. Cusin pete my mentor helped more the a couple times and was a true hero in my book.

The red baron got a rebuilt tranny and lasted all of 10 minutes when I got stuck and burned it up again. Then back to the tranny shop .Then a electrical problem developed and it was down for another two weeks untell a broken connection to the alternator was tracked down buy my ex mechanic brother in law.

Blue thunder refused to be come my work horse and started with a flat tire and refuses to give me a break. another flat tire ,two starters a broken starter bolt, 3 sets of plugs. a carb, a water pump. a battery.Plus numereous times it was so cold refused to start.

As far as the fishing it was poor for my houses with more weekends the houses sitting empty. I never had to cancel any customers untell this year and it happened over and over all season long. I could of maybe got some in but not being able to give 100 % was to tough to deal with. I now have a year to regroup and give it another shot next year. Untell then will get the cabins ready for the summer and hope mother nature gives us a splendid spring and summer.

[LABS4ME]

Hang in there Cookie! Summer is only 6 months away!

Seriously, next season will begin anew. Here's hoping for calmer waters in your camp!

Good Luck!

Ken

[Teebones1977]

Cookie, I agree with Labs. Keep your head up! You always have a new season in 2015. My Dad and I have used you a few times over the years and rented the cabin out. You Sur are a 1st class guy! That shows with all the customers coming back year after year. I could be wrong but in 2012 you had more new customers coming in. The houses had been pulling in nice # out of Hillmans all season. With that said... Make sure those trucks are ready for next season! I don't see why you wouldn't have a season like 2012 again. Good luck!

[bturck]

Hope you have a great summer and no unhappy returns of this fishing season for next year. It has been a year from h*ll for sure.....

[cookie129]

thanks guys

[magnum mike]

5 months from now in August, the snow & ice should be gone (maybe) and you will be skipping across the waves in Imagine That.

[fsnrod]

5 months from now in August, be the snow & ice should gone (maybe) and you will be skipping across the waves in Imagine That.

[/quote The snow & ice should gone

[wall_eye_assasin]

Like others have said Cookie, you a a first rate guy and do your best to help anyone who needs it. Stayed with you many times and due to being in another group we have missed you the last couple of years. I heard you had some bad luck my friend but keep at it LUCK has to change and for the better we hope. I seen your wife up at the store and told her to say HI. I miss our times up on the Lake but retire soon and hopefully spend a few weekdays with you soon. Keep at it and keep your head HIGH, your hard work, your dedication to your business to do the best you can year after year will pay off in the long run. Stay in touch and wish you nothing but Great luck for the future. Hope to see you soon and have a drink or two.......Kirk

[JacobG]

The family and I stayed with cookie this past weekend as we always do every year. Like to thank cookie for his great hospitality as we had a great time. THe fishing was nothing short of phenomenal! Every where we fished we caught walleyes. jigging, trolling, bobbers it didn't matter walleyes were hungry and biting. We were even able to find a few crappies sat night. most everyone I talked to fished the east shore and primarily from the river mouth and south to the popples. Fact is I don't think it matters. Just go fishing and have fun. Thanks again cookie for a great weekend. cant wait to be back in a few weeks!

[cookie129]

fall fishing. My brother warren and nephew Bradly came up from Chicago this past weekend. Thursday was slow with only five keepers in about 4 hours. I heard the fishing was outstanding Friday but we pulled the dock and did some other projects . Yesterday with a 7 mph wind out of the west we trolled the eastern shoreline from 3 to 8 feet and had 12 nice keepers with the biggest just under 19. we fished from 900 tell noon. pulling spinners tipped with a fat head were the ticket.

Tried to fire blue thunder up Friday and gas was shooting out the top of the carb? Float I guess? I will be pulling the carb to see if I can fix it on my own? The red baron needs the batteries charged and then pulled out of the woods the v-plow needs some work . With the top on Imagine That I hope to spend some more time on the lake before we winterize it. Its about time Gary the farmer calls me to help at the farm. The golf course is winding down and closes Oct. 1rst. Minnesota, Florida and Montana will need a good cleaning as we pre pair for the up and coming season. Its also time to fire up the augers and generators and work the bugs out