I guess let's just start with the story of how you came to own down here.
Yeah.
That story kind of starts before that obviously of you coming up here.
Yeah.
No, not before.
I was coming up here.
So we came up here.
We used to stay at a campground.
Oh, sorry.
Coming up.
Robin's aunt owned a resort up here on Spider Lake in like late 70s, early 80s called Pine
Crest Resort.
So we started coming up, or she came up like as a kid, you know, and then Robin brought
me up in like 95, like when we came snow in the middle of the weekend, it was funny because
Robin's aunt goes, you got the same look in your eye that my husband had in his eye the
first time we came up and she goes, we never left.
So then, you know, 20 or 15 years later, we started, we were looking for a place, we
used to camp in Minnesota, like the midge Minnesota, and one time we were tired of driving
out there and Robin's called the Chamber of Commerce and just asked for if we had any
campgrounds up here, nice campgrounds, that one that I told you about.
So we started staying there like one week, two weeks, three weeks, you know, and then
we finally wanted to get a permanent site.
So we ended up at this deer run place.
So we started staying there and then it was cool, it was fun, and then had conversation
with those guys goofing around one time about, uh, you guys should sell this place and retire
and they said, well, what you should buy at this is our retirement.
So we said, we would buy this place, that kind of fell through, we ended up, that kind
of put the bug in us.
So we kept looking and looking and looking and people knew that on this knew that we
were looking and they actually approached us and said, hey, we got a resort for sale.
So.
Had you been here before then?
Yeah, a couple of times.
We came here for music and all that stuff.
So they, yeah, we came friends when we knew who they were.
Okay.
Yeah.
And then, like I said, we own that we managed another resort.
So we were up here more off.
I was up here all summer long.
So kind of got to know everybody more and stuff like.
So were you in hospitality business before that?
No, drove a truck for 30 years.
Yeah.
So that's kind of a switch.
Yeah.
Yeah, big thing.
Yeah.
Never, Robin had never bartended before.
The day we bought this was the first time she ever bartended it.
I bartended when I was a kid, like 20 years, 21 years old or whatever, but that was it.
And we just, like running the other one gave us a good idea, because that one was, there
was no bar.
It's just a cabin.
So we had a good idea with the cabins and stuff like that, how to manage it.
And then, I mean, just, it wasn't enough for us both to be up here.
Robin was still working.
I was getting summers off.
My work was real cool.
Robin was still working back in Indiana.
So you needed, you needed something more in order for you.
For both of us.
Yeah.
And then we were too far apart.
You know, it's getting hard.
Like she was always, I was always up here and she's down there and stuff.
The kids were still younger.
Okay.
Yeah.
So what, what year was it that you bought this?
We just bought this two years ago.
So this August will be two years, so 20, 20, 20.
And how many years before that have you started managing?
Three years, this will be our fifth year, this is our fifth year.
So three years before that, you know, and then we had that permanent site for like two
years, two or three years before that.
So that's how long we were staying up here like a lot.
So it's been a gradual process.
Yeah.
A little by little.
Yep.
And it seems like that's what happens to most people that come up here and live up here.
That's how that works.
It's just that up here just kind of, place kind of grabs you and brings you in.
I always said, like people ask, why do we drive all the way from, you know, seven hours
that come up here?
And I said, first of all, like the lake, I'm like, there's nothing is nice.
If something was like by the Delos where he's going out with these guys, if it was half
as nice, we would just go there, but like this lake with the islands and all that stuff.
Cause I'm not a huge fisherman.
I go out fishing a lot, but like we'd like hanging out on the islands and all stuff like
that.
Balzer on the different resort and stuff.
So like it's just the people you come up here and I tell them, we go to a bar at home
and he talked like the four people you're with.
You come in a bar up here.
It's like instant, like the whole bar is talking to each other within five months.
So that's just always been fun, you know.
I mean, do people say, oh, you feel like a local?
Yeah.
Oh yeah.
For sure.
Yeah.
And it's usually the first conversation is like, hey, you guys out fishing or, you know,
what are you guys up to?
You guys bumming around and then where are you from?
And then everybody old chimes in.
That's kind of cool.
So what is it like being on your end of that?
Because that's obviously what a lot of people feel when they come up to vacation.
Right.
Yeah.
Do you get to carry that over when you're the one running the ball?
Oh yeah.
When you're on the other side, it's almost like the same thing.
It's more like you're hanging.
It doesn't seem like you're working.
You're just hanging out with friends, you know, behind the bar.
You're just on the other side.
That's pretty much what it is.
And you still have the same conversations and everybody comes in.
That's how you usually started.
Hey, when you guys up to, you know, you're fishing or how's the fishing up there and stuff.
So yeah.
So what has been, our story is looking at fishing, but also like how fishing in some
ways is competing with everything else to do with people.
Right.
Yeah.
We talked about, you know, 20, 30, 40 years ago, like it was fishing.
Yeah.
Just all little nine horse motors and stuff.
Yeah.
So.
And a lot of these cabins were built for fishing.
Most of those places are built.
Like that's why there's only one place of just two bathrooms.
Now you got a ton of people coming in like when we have music and stuff like that.
So it's like, yeah, most of them were built for people in the bar.
This bar used to end right here.
The previous owner built this out just to have more room, you know, so just cause like
it's more, it's coming more in the summers, like fishing is still a big part of it.
But like spring and then summer months, like June and July, you get a lot of families
doing the recreation stuff.
So.
And did you, did that already happen before you came up here?
Was that part of the way that you were a part of?
Yeah.
So we met up here, do fish, but like I said, it's like weekends, like fish for a couple
hours and then spend the rest of the day on the islands or fish in the evening, you know,
stuff like that.
Yeah.
And so in terms of how you advertise the resort, do you, are you advertising in two different
groups?
Or are they one group that does two different things?
It's, it's, I don't think we like maybe in the spring in the fall, we, you know, you
kind of, we talked about doing like package deals, like we're paying spring fishing or
our ice fishing, like this, like the best spots around the front.
So we like kind of focus them, but the rest time it's just more like a family recreation
type thing where you got all, that's what like the big, the big thing on the lake is
there's more, you know, there's so much to do out here.
That's why it's not just directed at just fishermen or just recreation people.
So.
Okay.
So you've almost adopted, there's almost like some of the clients came with the place.
Oh, yeah.
For sure.
Like we're probably like 70% repeat customer, you know, so it's like, they've, they've
been here way longer.
Yeah.
So you kind of got to fit in.
And what have they taught you about this place and like the culture of this place?
Like, uh, like, uh, just like, like family, like what, like family type oriented.
Yeah.
Like everybody's, everybody knows each other.
Like, let's go like the people here, you got to like fit in with the whole crowd.
You know, like everybody here, like a lot of these people come the same week.
So this guy knows, you know, and that cabin already and stuff like that.
So like we're kind of like, let them figure out.
We kind of just have to fit in in their groups as more as what it is.
Brandi was telling us before about the, all the work that the, the owners do to try and
improve the quality.
Yeah.
To improve the fishing.
Yeah.
Like the resort is association.
Like, like, so they put the fingerlings in.
We stock musky.
We, you know, every, every so many years, I just keep doing stuff to keep the late.
You know, that's a, that's a huge part of it.
There was no fish in the lake.
We probably wouldn't have anywhere near the people coming up here.
So, so everybody has to pitch in and do different things.
Yeah.
So is that something that, you know, resort owners.
Do on their own, do they work in the DNR or how does that come together?
They, you know, there's probably other resorts.
Like, but like treat, like treelands is a huge part of like treelands resorts, you know,
a couple of different places.
They're like a huge part of like the, the fishery stuff.
They put a lot of the stuff together and then like the muskies in groups, they do a lot
of stuff.
So it's all different, you know, all different ones that keep it going.
But the resort owners association does a lot of them.
They're partnership with other, they're in the DNR, but like, yeah, they do a lot of
stuff just to improve, like, because someplace they'll, they'll, the DNR will put so many
in and then we'll add like they, with the money they collect or whatnot, they'll add
more to it, you know, so.
So you were saying that you were kind of a presentation that they gave you recently.
Yeah.
You talked about walleye and some of the competing, you know, the different fish that people
go for.
Yeah.
Mm-hmm.
That was very interesting.
DNR came and they did, they do a test every so many years.
I think they switch off on the right, on the east to the west side of the lake and then
they drag a net and they'll tell you, you know, they give us a report on, or they just
post a report on, you know, up and down numbers versus 10 years ago, 20 years ago and stuff.
And is that, I mean, you said you kind of fish or sometimes?
Yeah, I'm not a huge fisherman.
I'm like, I always consider myself a catcherman.
That's why I like paying fish and stuff.
I like to go and take the kids out when the, like right now it's perfect.
Copy or spawn and bluegular spawn and go out there and catch a bunch of fish like two
blowers and eat.
That's pretty, I like to catch and eat whatever I catch.
So are, are walleye not worth the time with the effort or just?
I'm just not that good at it yet, I don't think.
Like, I have a lot of guides up here and I keep telling my wife on and get out more,
you know, because like sometimes when I get out, I don't have a ton of time.
But that's why all these guys are like, hey, anytime you're ready, I'll, I'll teach you
a, like, better than a fish walleye and stuff, you know, so.
Why is it that walleye are considered a cut above?
I don't know.
Yeah, I don't know.
A taste of it.
I think the taste is one of the biggest part.
Plus it's like, you know, it's not as easy to catch and I think so it's one more sport
in it to you.
Like people, people come up just, most people are like, just walleye fishermen, you know,
especially this part of the year, you know, pretty soon they'll be a lot of musky, like
musky come more summer and stuff, you know.
But there's just, there's something, I mean, anyone, almost anyone, a kid can fish fan
fish off the day.
Right.
Yeah.
That's Susie, your first fish.
Right.
Yeah.
You know, they're all after the 24, 25, 31, 12.
You're fine.
Come on in.
Oh, you're fine.
Come on in, guys.
What the heck?
Watch, don't take over anything.
I know you were a celebrity.
I am, yeah.
Hey.
We're trying our best.
Come on in.
How's it going?
We just kind of see how the other.
Yeah.
These guys are staying at our place on the other side.
Oh, yeah.
How are you?
Good.
So, I mean, I guess, in terms of, obviously, the DNR put a lot of time to monitor research.
Right.
And to try and make sure that walleyers, too.
Oh, yeah.
Mm-hmm.
What would it mean if, like, there were a walleye out there?
I think it would cut down efficiently.
I think it was a good example in Minnesota that models, models lack in what it's called.
Yeah, they cut out walleye fish in for like two years to let it replenish kind of deal
in the resorts.
Like, they really struggle.
Like, now I guess it's fantastic.
I mean, it worked out in the long run.
But, I mean, there's a lot of people.
They just come to walleyers.
Like, it'll do you see them.
That at least is a muscle.
Yeah.
More, you know, more, but people are looking at it.
Yeah.
What is your...
Oh.
Okay.
I'm so sorry.
Would you mind just sitting on that chair over there?
Oh.
Which chair?
Oh, just on.
Hold on.
Does that help me?
Yeah, yeah.
This one.
Okay.
No.
I appreciate it.
Right.
We'll be going soon.
We'll be quiet and soon.
No, you guys, you're fine.
We just do it while you're in it.
Classic, you know.
Yeah.
Oh, it's on your face.
You can do that when you're in it.
Right.
What was that?
Yeah.
So, one of the other groups that exists up here, and that's, I don't see forever, are the tries.
Yeah.
Do they factor into what people think of when they think of these water, non-fishing, especially
walleye?
Yeah.
I mean, I think the tribes, like they, a lot of islands are theirs.
Islands out here and stuff, you know, so they're, it's part of the, you know, a lot.
We're on, this is actually reservation.
Like, we're on, like, the road and stuff going down as reservation.
Probably here.
Yeah.
So, I mean, I guess, yeah, they're always, I mean, everyone knows that native islands are
and stuff like that.
And like, new poses.
Like, it's kind of weird.
Like, I guess you can go back to, like, last year was the 100-year anniversary.
And if you ask, like, resort owners, it's like, oh, they're celebrating, like, 100-year
anniversary with the, the natives.
It's not, it's like 100-year.
They have teach, some of them have teachers, like, 100-year, you know, they're sad about,
you know, like, it was two different, two different deals, you know.
Yeah.
And obviously, way back in the 80s, there were like the walleye wars.
Yeah.
But I heard stories about all that, like, fights at the dreams and stuff like that.
Yeah.
But that doesn't exist.
You don't hear people talking?
No.
You know, I don't know.
I don't know.
I never see, like, a boatload in the US.
I mean, I don't know what the difference is.
But, you know, like, I don't know.
They can fish, like, earlier in the year, so I think they get a better chance.
You know, like, with spear and stuff like that, what's going on and stuff.
So, yeah.
But that doesn't fact.
I mean, you don't...
I guess you...
Sometimes you hear poor people grow.
Yeah.
You hear?
I don't know.
I have a feeling that, like, died down, you know, like, year people.
So, I think some people disagree that they can fish when it's...
When an early one, you know, in the spawn and stuff like that.
But you don't hear...
It's not as much of that kind of thing as it used to be.
Like, I said, we were nowhere near being here during that time.
But I heard of, like, all the stuff that would happen and stuff.
Do you think people know how many fish the tribes put back in through, like, their stocking programs or things like that?
There's just more of that almost doesn't, like, their full existence is kind of separate.
Yeah.
I don't know.
Yeah.
Like, we don't get as many...
Like, I mean, when we have those meetings, just a week, so the tribe comes and talks and stuff.
And they talk about, you know, what they're talking about, like, camp and islands and stuff like that.
But yeah.
I mean, the DNR just came, I guess, bigger thing on what they got stocked in.
So, yeah.
So, I don't know.
I guess you don't really think about it too much.
Yeah.
In terms of, like, your long-term plans, is this, like, semi-retirement?
Or is this, like...
Yeah, like, eight to ten years was our plan.
Yeah.
I was 52 when we bought it.
I was kind of somewhere around 62.
And then we're tired.
Unless we really love it.
And, you know, it gets easier.
We go on after we're done remodeling everything and stuff.
So...
And then, who knows?
Or someone could come in a couple of years with me.
Like, who wouldn't want to be retired, you know?
I mean, of course, that could be, like, you're going to be the one finding out who's interested in buying it.
Yeah.
Yeah, that could be.
I always tell people now, like, you hear people go, you know, what made you do this?
And that's really cool.
Me and my wife talk about doing them.
I'm always like, well, come see me in eight years.
You know, like, we got another eight years.
And if that's when you're looking, you know, so...
So what's it like for you when people pull in that you know I've been here forever?
It's like, I mean, is it a family coming back?
It is, like, a big family.
Like, like, our Sundays for music.
And then, like, the people.
Now, we're just getting to know, like, these guys we know from the other place three, four years now.
After you're here, a couple of years, it becomes, like, family.
You know, we know what week certain groups are coming.
And we're like, oh, hey.
So-and-so is coming this week.
The McMan group coming this week, or the one group, the Italians from Milwaukee.
They're coming.
It's like, it's fun.
Yeah.
It's like, you know, it is like family.
And you can almost see their milestones.
Like, just on the branding, like, this is the first year his grandson came.
Yeah.
And it's cool.
Yeah.
And we try and, like, but those guys, they came up and they asked me about a, like, basket that their friends made.
They talked about it.
So she went out and dug it out of there.
I'm like, it's still over there.
You can go get any else away.
You can see how, like, it's, that's a high level when they come and they, they've been here coming so long.
And when they, and they take care of the place, like, it's their own.
You know what I mean?
Like, like, the cabins are better when they leave.
It's just cleaner, cleaner when they got out here.
You know, so it makes it, they're just, they know they're coming back next year.
So it's a big part of that.
Anything else that you want to add on along what we've been talking about?
Yeah.
What do I think about that?
That was good.
Thank you for.
Yeah, yeah.
No problem.
So I think what we'd like to do is if you, I mean, you said you're those are your friends.
If they're okay with us.
Hello.
Yeah.
I was going to go over there later on.
I still come in a couple things.
Yeah.
Make sure I say hi to everybody.
How are you doing?
Alex, you're a pretty good job over there for you.
Yeah.
He's a nice kid.
Yeah.
He's actually from, like, our neighborhood.
Yeah.
So we met him up here.
And we worked outside, just get to be a lot.
People that cleaned.
If you look at the grass and then the date that they laid.
They took care of him, then he was looking for something new.
And then this girl fell.
And I'm like, hey, you know, I want to do it all.
He's like, sure.
Yeah.
What?
Oh, no.
That was number.
No, no.
No, no, no, no, I didn't know where we were at.
The kids are at until a minute.
No.
Is that PBS that we see?
These guys are from Beaver Dam.
Okay.
Yeah.
Oh, are you?
This is my cousin.
Well, actually, I live in one of key.
Oh, yeah.
I'm in the middle of things.
Are you really?
I'm forgetting things.
There's just dry material.
Yeah, we stay at a place that they own over on Afo.
What is that, you guys?
It's called the BB.
Yeah.
It's like four or four years.
Yeah.
No, we stay at chances the first time.
Oh, it's right.
Yeah.
You can come and they're doing a story.
This is five.
Yeah.
They're doing something.
Yeah.
They're not bad kids.
Yeah.
It's pretty.
I'm curious because it's weather and stuff.
Well, they went out.
Even when it was raining, they put the thing up on the...
What end is this on here now?
Just cheap lake, no, here.
No, cheap lakes farther that way.
We're like no walking.
We're very flat.
You're in Milwaukee Bay.
Yeah.
Milwaukee Bay is right over here.
Blueberry flats.
This is blueberry flats.
Okay.
Yeah.
Right.
Yeah.
Blueberry resort.
Oh, yeah.
On the other side.
Yeah.
Okay.
Yeah.
You can't get through.
The campground is still there.
But the resort is cool.
Yeah.
So this is what?
Blueberry.
Blueberry flats.
Yeah.
What do you call it?
Minnesota.
That's farther than that.
Yeah.
This is like the ice fishing that it's about.
You get like on the winter.
Well, I eat people out there on the weekend when I eat.
There's a big hole.
You know, just like in front of Johnson's.
There's a deep hole that people go for.
Like everybody comes here for ice fishing.
That's nice.
We let people park here and then just say to you as long as you come in and get a drink.
So you don't have your cabins open all you hear them?
Yeah.
These are open.
There's like six of them that are four season camp.
Oh, they are.
Yeah.
And then are duplexed by us four season.
Yep.
So, actually a friend of ours rented.
Pass.
Yeah.
We were wondering if you wanted to.
Or.
Yeah.
Or.
Like he turned into one of those.
Yeah.
It's cheap when we got it.
Are we crazy?
Oh, I know.
Yeah.
Well, we want to get it in there.
Oh, yeah.
Yeah.
It's perfect for the kids.
We have one that was 13 so he has his own goal.
Oh, that's cool.
We have four goals.
Nice.
So.
Yeah, it works out because you get the whole thing yet.
Yeah.
It's like, you know, it's funny because people complain with the bars are open.
But then like, it's nice and it's quiet.
Oh, okay.
Well, that's what we were saying.
Yeah.
We wanted to buy that, please.
I don't know.
Like in hindsight.
I'm so glad that this is the thing.
Yeah.
It's something that we set up for the garage.
It's like turning these things into apples or something.
Yeah.
And then two winners like we had.
They're like, no snow.
Yeah.
They're a bit tough.
It would have been tough because like, like this we still have cabins.
Yeah.
And that's just the pump.
You had to spend all that money just to have the bar basically.
Yeah.
You had to fish your right away.
So right at home.
Yeah.
Oh, yeah.
Like that helped us.
Like two years ago when we had no snow, the ice mission out here helped us get through
the winter because like, everyone was still out.
It was enough ice.
Yeah.
That's a lot of people come in.
So you guys are here too?
Yeah.
We're going to paint.
I got a style pizza that pizza goes back and forth.
All the rivers.
Everybody loves our pieces.
It is.
What's the thing about them?
Yeah.
It's a practical thing.
No.
It's almost like we bring up for…
Ice.
Well, we did have….
They put on the fish that they caught in the freezer.
Oh, good.
Oh good. We may have a fish fry with not what fry me like. Yeah. Maybe we'll try to go on this evening or something. I know that you do a fry all the time.
We're on this week's go. The females were up to us and the males were still in the cell.
Oh guys, that's kind of hard to bite down there. Can't hard to find them. Oh yeah. Yeah.
Crop is too loud to talk with me. Yeah. Crop is quite awesome.
The guys that we're in earlier today said some of the theme big plots with blue gills and females that vary most by the running squad.
They're very uncomfortable blue gills, they said. I thought they invited one of the guys. He's like kind of a guy.
He went out yesterday in a little cooler full of walleyes. He's just everything's been harder but he knows where they're at.
Yeah, that's what they're gonna try to think.
Yeah. Yeah. I keep saying, you know, I get a lot of guys. I don't know why.
She's going to get a little bit of time. I love fish. I like all the guys and stuff around here.
Yeah. She's about to eat for sure. Oh okay.
That too. Yeah.
But she comes up here quite a bit and fishes. Ooh.
Yeah, they do. They have a whole women's thing on their foot. Yeah.
That's where they go. Yes. Mm-hmm.
Yeah. Yeah. Out of deerfoot.
Amanda's the owner of deerfoot is a big fisherman. She fishes the musky, all the musky germin.
So she caught bias.
Yeah. It was great.
Great. Great. Yeah.
Great. Yeah. It's pretty heavy.
What's up, man? It's your piece.
Everybody raises a penalty.
Yeah. It is.
It's 30 in the knee.
Breaking is right on the corner. Good order.
How are you guys?
We just really did.
We just did.
Yeah.
It's a shanette.
Hey.
It's pretty good.
Yeah.
Yeah. I got there.
I'm probably with there seven times.
Six times.
We're real good.
One time.
Yeah.
Like, check a little bit of bar.
Yeah.
We've been in R2 and it was hard to, they'll have like one weight test.
Yeah.
But it makes me him and his wife.
Yeah.
It was true.
I think he was too aware of it as such a weight.
So it's less nerve.
I think they closed because they lost their cookies.
It's hard.
It's hard to pass away.
Yeah.
And they can't fly over to these cookies.
Yeah.
The rumor is it's supposed to build a high-end summer club over year.
I've heard that.
I don't know if it's interested in me.
This isn't ready yet.
Oh, the camera.
Yeah.
Oh, yeah.
That's the kid.
No, no.
Front doors.
They're, uh,
It's family has a race heart and they need to sell right now.
Yeah.
The first price.
I mean,
The other thing...
They opened...
They opened.
See you over here.
They opened.
Sorry, your in my window.
I don't try to be nice about this.
Okay.
Alright.
Why do you know you actually get the window?
Well, I'm going to get coverage.
I'm going to shoot at a bunch of different ways.
Oh, you did?
Yeah.
It really was quiet, because this side of the band's side of the band's side
is where we have soda because it's the brother.
It's been six hours on the road.
Yeah.
I think you need to find yourself.
Yeah.
I think you know, you saw me down there.
Oh, okay.
What about that?
Yeah.
Right.
He's going to be on the go.
Oh, man.
No.
Oh, man.
Oh.
Let's go ahead and open that up once.
Yep.
Wait.
Stop.
There you go.
Go ahead.