Pine Ridge Resort News & Views

Except for a couple of really hot, sticky days, our weather up north has been almost perfect this summer. Most days see high temps in the low 80’s with overnight lows in the 60’s. Perfect sleeping weather and great for getting out and enjoying the lake during the day. Predictions for next week sound hot and sticky but that weather doesn’t always get “up north”

Fishing has been fair to good the last couple of weeks. Guests have been catching some very nice messes of 10″ crappies, the bass have been biting fairly well and everybody that goes out seems to get a northern on their line at some point during the day. Walleyes are in their mid summer slump and are few and far between.

Unless you are Lou Halek, of course. Lou is here in her second of three visits to the resort this summer. On her first visit, during the 4th of July week, she spent some time on the lake figuring out where the fish were. This week, with husband Tony and her family here, she directed Tony out to where the fish were biting a couple of weeks ago. Where she soon connected with a 26.5″ walleye lurking within site of the resort. According to Tony, that was the biggest walleye Lou has yet to catch so there was some discussion as to whether or not to keep the fish.

When I showed Lou the “Catch and Release” hat she could have if she put the fish back in the lake, she promptly directed Tony to release the fish. Now Lou proudly wears her hat and a beautiful, healthy walleye lives to spawn another spring. Lou’s picture of the walleye is on our Fish Pics page of the website. Just to prove that the walleye wasn’t a fluke, she went out the next day and landed this 35″ northern. And, of course, it went right back into the lake also. Can’t wait to see what happens when she is back for her third trip to the resort this summer. See you in a few days.

Hey, I got to tell you about this incredible video that a friend sent me the other day. Here is the address. www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIJtKxdRQzY

If that address doesn’t work, go to www.youtube.com and search for Dan Dunn. The first couple of videos that come up on the search are just great. I love to see a really creative person perform.

Donna and I went to see the latest Harry Potter movie last night and I really liked it. Fun movies. The last book comes out tomorrow and one of our guests arriving Saturday emailed me to see if they could have the book delivered here to the resort. I agreed under the condition that I got to read it first. She said I would have to fight her daughters for the book so I guess I’ll have to buy my own copy.

More later.

It’s been awhile since I posted anything new to the blog. The weather’s been great and we’ve been out doing things, I guess. Today is rainy and very windy. Not often we see white caps on Girl Lake but there a lots of them today. So I’ll catch up on my postings. Got lots of new pictures to add.

Let’s start with Elias Schomer and the 4th of July. Howie and Kelly Schomer have been coming to Pine Ridge Resort for nine years now we’ve watched Elias and his siblings grow a lot. But one thing never changes for a kid of any age, and that it eating S’mores.

The 4th is alway a fun week at the resort. Longville puts on a great day long feast of food and fun in town, ending with a fantastic fireworks display that just happens to be right across the lake from our resort. So before the fireworks begin, we roast a few (two bags full) marshmallows and make S’mores for everyone. I put some other pictures taken on the 4th on the Home page of our web site, including a beautiful picture of some of the fireworks taken by Jeremy Hier, another long time guest.

The second week in July is another week we always look forward to. This week is the traditional week the Armstrong family returns each year. This, if all our computations are correct, is the thirteenth year they have gathered from various parts of the country.

A long while back, Wayne and Mona Armstrong taught the kids how to fiddle and strum and the boys have been doing it ever since. So when they all gather at the resort, the cars are half filled with fiddles, guitars, bases, banjos and a few other assorted instruments. Pictured below are Tim on the base, Rich on the guitar, Jim on the fiddle and Brad on the banjo (I think he made it himself).

Eldest brother, Joe, sitting in the back, keeps time and provides vocals. They can play all night long and the whole resort loves to sit and listen. Many of their kids also play or are learning to play so it seems the tradition will go on for a long time yet. The important thing is to start them out young so they get the feel for the music. Here is Wayne and Mona’s youngest grandchild, Liam, picking away with help from aunt Kathy.

This pics a little fuzzy. Either I was tapping my foot too fast or Liam was strumming too fast. Below are Wayne and Mona. Mona loves the music so much it’s hard to keep her out of it. She had Liam’s rattle going to add a little percussion section to the music.

Two of the brothers were missing from this years gathering. Brian and family are in Colorado. The family couldn’t make it this year but their daughter flew up with grandma and grandpa along with uncle Brad and cousin, Sam. Brother Kevin and his wife, Darlene, are in Minneapolis anxiously awaiting the arrival of their first grandchild, Wayne and Mona’s second great grandchild. Most of the betting around here is that Kevin will be here at the resort within 24 hours of the babies delivery. Kevin’s daughter, Kelly and husband Tom, have got to plan these things better so they don’t interfere with important things like fishing and vacation.

I suppose I should add a little about the fishing. Not great but guests have been catching some fish. Last week the pan fish were biting well but were of the smaller variety. Northern were doing well for those that went out in search of them as were the bass. Randy Knight, a long time visitor to the lake, probably caught and released over 100 largemouth in the week he was here, besides seeing some great smallies on a bar on Woman Lake.

Guests have still be catching some nice crappies. I took my father out last night and we caught about a dozen nice 11″ to 12″ crappies right across the lake from the resort. The wind has everybody sitting tight today but it’s suppose to be down tomorrow and they’ll all be out chasing them in the morning. Then, it’s back for an afternoon of swimming and fiddling. Life at a resort is so hard.

I’ll try to keep up with my posts on a more timely basis from now on.  Take care everyone. See you at the lake.

This is our 16th year at the resort and there remains only one person who has been to the resort each of the 16 years that we have been here. Bob first came to the resort in 1954 with his family and has been back most of the years in between. Not all the same people come with him each year but Bob has always made it. Over the years, there have been a lot of pictures of Bob on our website with various family members and the fish they catch. Bob is here this week with wife, Linda, three of his kids, Pat, Sarah and Nora and several grandkids.

I was reluctant to take his picture in a Bears shirt but since that’s all he wears, I had little choice.

Bob is pictured here in his optimistic mode.  You see, it’s Ice Cream Social time and Bob thinks he is going to get that pan filled with ice cream.  He went off and pouted when I very politely explained to him that it wasn’t going to happen.

He has also developed this annoying habit of reminding me that he is one day younger than I am.  A couple of years ago we were comparing all our aches and pains and we discovered our birthdays were a day apart.  He hasn’t let me forget it since.  Fortunately I do have one up on Bob.  You see, I still have most of my hair and most of what I have is still primarily the same color it was 40 years ago.  Obviously, that isn’t true for Bob.

Bob and his family were almost our first guests 16 years ago and we certainly look forward to having them back each year.  He loves his crappie fishing and is still finding crappies this week when everyone figured the crappies had spawned and headed to deep water for the summer.  I’m taking him walleye fishing tonight out on Woman Lake.  Winds will be about 20 mph.  A great walleye chop.  Bring the Dramamine, Bob.

Thanks for a great time, Bob, and we’ll see you next summer.

While relatively new the resort, the Klingenschmitt family has quickly become part of our resort family.  They have just departed after their second  year staying with us.

Helmut and Mary Ann, Marcus, Martin and Hans

While many family’s like to wait until later in the summer to vacation for the warmer water  and the swimming, these guys like to fish and come when the fishing is the best.  Almost too good from Helmut’s standpoint (that of fish cleaner).  He figures he cleaned over 200 fish during their visit last week and from the looks of the fish house, I would agree.  They found both the bluegill and the rock bass in the shallows among the fallen logs and emerging lilly pads and had a great time.

But fishing did not occupy all their time.  The boys loved the kayaks and spent lots of time paddling around the lake.  Martin’s arms aren’t quite long enough to make the kayak go where he wants it but by next year, he’ll be able to keep up with his brothers.

Thanks, again for staying with us and we certainly look forward to seeing the whole family again next summer.

Pictured below are Rob, Tammy, Steve and Jeanie Ferenz. Rob, Steve and Jeanie are brothers and sister and Tammy is Steve’s daughter. They have been coming to the resort now for the past seven years, missing only in ‘06 when Tammy was having Steve’s second grandchild.

But that’s not the whole story. Rob was only 4 years old when he first came to the resort with siblings Steve and Jeanie and their parents. That was a few years ago. Now they are back with grandkids and we love having them here.

They all love to fish, Tammy maybe most of all. I have previously posted pics of Tammy kissing a big crappie she caught a couple of years ago. I could show you that picture but here’s another picture of Tammy in a slightly different pose.

If that’s a little dark, that’s Tammy with a cigar holding a night crawler up to her father. They keep telling me Tammy’s camera shy but I’m not convinced.

We’re looking forward to seeing all the Ferenz family again along with the kids. Tammy’s oldest son Alex was here for a couple of days earlier in the week along with brother Chase. The baby will probably make the next trip. Got to get these kids fishing early.

Thanks for coming and we look forward to seeing you all again next summer.