Where to start, oh where to start? the Memorial Day holiday weekend has always been a big one here at Big Rock Resort. I would call it our unofficial start to the summer and our jam-packed, stuffed to the gills, get sore feet part of the season, and I absolutely love it, and I wouldn’t change a thing about it. We have around an 85% rebooking rate over the holiday weekend historically, this year 19 of our 20 cabins that stayed with us over the weekend have visited with us before. When you’ve been here as long as I have you can’t help but make amazing, lifelong friendships. There is just something about seeing the same faces year after year and all the changes that come with it, that melts my heart into a little puddle on the ground. Watching families grow and enjoy the resort we all love is the best feeling in the world, we would not be where we are without every one of you.
Fishing, to put it simply, was phenomenal this weekend, and the weather, was as beautiful as you could ask for. Anglers and guests alike started filing into the resort on Thursday and Friday (some earlier) and went right towards the boat ramp and our rental boats and pontoons. We scrambled to dip out spot-tail shiners and fatheads, as the minnow buckets piled up. I struggled in the lodge, and with the help of someone special, I was able to keep up with the dipping of ice cream cones, and root beer floats!
Pictured below from L to R: Kev Luehrs and Karl Pinske from Walker and Plato, MN – Christian George and Mike Kreutzfeldt from Stillwater, MN – Matthew Suchy from Blaine, MN – Chuck, Doug, and Matthew Suchy with Alex Ullman from Champlin, and Minneapolis, MN
This year like many before it was packed full of fish cleaning, we’re one of the few resorts that still offer free fish cleaning to our cabin guests. Our dock crew, myself included dulled a few knives this weekend, well at least I did, the other guys all like these new-fangled electric knives. I stick with an old reliable Leech Lake Filet knife that was given to me as a gift years ago. A majority of our anglers like to spend their days up on the north end of the lake fishing. Shallow warmer water accompanied by early season weed growth makes Sucker Bay a prime area to target many species of fish all at the same time. Limits of Walleye, Perch, Northern Pike, Crappies, and Blue Gills were packed into live wells and shipped south to our fish tank, taking a short break for pictures before then being slid across the cleaning table. Our freezers filled up fast, and the smell of fresh fish being fried wafted about the resort soon after!
Pictured below from L to R: Alex Ullman, Matthew Suchy from Blaine, MN – Pat Jacobson from Brooklyn Center, MN, and Doug Suchy from Minneapolis, MN
Pictured below from L to R: Daniel Diekmann from Minneapolis, MN – Steve Suchy and his daughter Mckenzie – Chuck Suchy, Steven Dehn from Osseola, WI, and Daniel Diekmann – and another pic of Steven Dehn
As we reflect on an amazing holiday weekend with friends and family I wanted to take some time and remember why we celebrate. If it wasn’t for the many brave that paid the ultimate sacrifice we wouldn’t be able to do what we all love, with the people that we love. From everyone here at Big Rock Resort we thank you from the bottom of our hearts, your service will never be forgotten.
Featured Image up top is of a beautiful evening sunset from Annex Reef – I wish I could have been there!
Thanks for reading
Come see us at Big Rock Resort
(800)827-7106
Ray@bigrockresort.com
Ray
Enjoyed your blog can’t wait to see you in July!!