It was last March when Steve and Joe Weber walked into Everts Resort to take over the management. That was on a Wednesday. On the following Friday, I walked into the bait shop to find five anglers, all with smiles on their faces.
Now that doesn’t seem too news worthy, but I had to stop and comment. I was too long since I saw that many people in the shop and smiles were as hard to come by as a 32″ walleye.
One year ago, Memorial Weekend coming off of high water the resort was a ghost town for the weekend. On Sunday it was just two long time seasonal campers an myself occupying the whole resort. It’s a big place when your there by yourself. We talked about how different it was…and I’ll leave it go at that.
One year later, tonight the Favorite Wife and I came into the resort just after dark. There were cars and trucks lining the road in front of the cabins on both sides. Some rigs were parked high on the beach in the anticipation of the rising water of the Mississippi River caused by last weeks and today’s rains. All cabins were filled and their guests sitting at the picnic tables out front, planning out the next days strategy for the walleye and how to prepare should a storm pop up. Smiles were a dime a dozen.
Two campfires lite the shore line. One in the regular spot by the dock that was filled with the Resort regulars. Kerry “The Kampfire King” had another fire going at the opposite end of the resort “up the Trimbel”. Just by walking past the folks at either fire would generate a “come on over and sit down” welcome.
River Rat Randy was making his rounds with the guests and campers ensuring his duties as Hospitality Director were covered. Guide Marty Hahn was talking walleye’s with what I presumed to be his next day’s clients. The light was on in the fish cleaning house with a couple gents cleaning their days catch of channel cats and the Trumars were kicking back in their motor home parked next to the beach.
By the light of the fading sun, the Trembel cleans it’s self of it’s clogging debris as it empties into the Mississippi River in front of Everts Resort.
Mr. Evert, you can again rest in peace knowing you’re resort is in good hands again and your tradition continues.
