Happy Mothers Day to the Mom’s out there! The ice was “officially” declared out on May 2nd. But there was a large area of ice/slush on the SW corner of the lake until prior to this weekend.
As the ice went out with the changes in wind direction a few times the wooden blocking that was not picked up by some “congregated” and when the finally NW breeze blew as the ice went it ended up on some corners of the lake in full force. It caused am social media frenzy on some Mille Lacs pages and it was not a pretty sight and put a bad light to the ice fishing businesses around the lake. Our shoreline was one of those spots. More blocks washed up on shore in our 1 mile shoreline that I have seen in many years. Forcing us to go out in rowboats along the shoreline in the coming week or so and pick them up. The most frustrating part of it is that they were not from our business or our customers. We make every effort every year to pick things up in the areas we maintain road to. (The only good part is we will not have to come up with more blocking for quite a few seasons….) But our adjoining neighbors shouldn’t have to see them on their shoreline. Years ago shoreline owners would gather them up and burn them in their campfires. But now with alot of it being treated wood scraps it’s not so good of an idea.
It’s actually quite easy to get blocking when a house is pulled. Some chisel them, but when they are stacked 2-3 deep into the ice that can be a challenge. We use a small chainsaw with a long blade, cut the four sides around the blocks and with one “pop” from a chisel the whole chunk of ice with the blocks in it comes out. One worker this year kept up removing blocking with two trucks pulling houses to shore. That was 50 houses in one day. Then late in the season one worker and I made the Loop and got what was left when the snow melted. 2 snowmobiles, 2 sleds, We got 1/2 bag of GB and about 25 missed blocks. We used to wait until the ice melted to the point where the blocks were exposed and get all of them, but some years it was touch and go for safety out there. Over the years we had many “block parties”. I sincerely hope next year everyone that runs a road out there does a better job.
The big rush is on at the Lyback’s Marine as with the lake open as many want their boat for opener. The crew is keeping up with demand as best as they can. Many do not realize that we couldn’t get their boat ready 3-4 weeks ago as we would normally do. With snow and freezing temps thru April it was not the weather for it. Plus no one wanted to take their boat then either. Now it’s hurry up and go. But that is the way of the world these days it seems.
Fishing Opener is next weekend. Every one stay safe and good luck out there!
Eddy