Well, this past weekend went from one end of the spectrum to the other and back again on all levels. It started out Friday late afternoon with any ugly storm that yielded to walleyes going on suicide missions, to a post storm calm and can you say B U G S….. Yuck., to calm flat and hot on Saturday and the fishing a little tougher, to an absolute beautiful sunset on Saturday and the eyes again on the chew, to Sunday where I had flashbacks of what Mille Lacs has been all year. WINDY and WAVY but the fish were committing suicide again. 
Overall, I shared my boat with 5 people this past weekend. Each one of them except one experienced at least a glimpse of the phenomenal Mille Lacs bite of 2007. This weekends presentations went from rigging to corking, to pulling cranks. Pictured here is Steve Huettl with a nice Mille Lacs Eye.
Friday and Saturday I fished with my buddy Torre while my buddy Curt joined us for a very short period on Friday and my little brother Ron found a very rare free moment to chase eyes on Saturday. After and during the storm that rolled across the lake on Friday, Torre and I experienced an absolute suicidal corking bite on the Flats as we had a period we were pulling a fish every 3-5 minutes for about and hour and a half. 
Saturday we set out rigging the mud, pulling cranks in the mud, and corking the same flat in the evening as the night previous, to again see the fish stacked up on the bottom of the break waiting for the blistering sun to get lower in the sky before coming up to feed heavily. With the high sun we set up on the bottom of the break and were getting good fish and once it lowered in the sky we moved up to just off the top of the break and continued to boat some nice fish. Both nights corking we experienced a great bite until about 10:30 where it slowed down greatly. Saturday rigging and pulling cranks we experienced something a little different for me??? 
The size of fish were lacking, I think the biggest we pulled was 25.5”. Don’t get me wrong that is a great fish, but I’m not sure if it was the flat calm conditions or what, but we never saw a fish bigger than that until the evening bobber bite. I just found it very odd.
On Sunday I finally got together with 2 guys that have been long overdue getting out fishing with. The first is DrewsDad (Joel) from the site and the other is Steve Huettl of Gamehide. Steve and I have been trying to get together for quite awhile, but our busy schedules have not allowed it. Not quite knowing what to expect with a little slower bite Saturday, Sunday morning was a whole different story. We got on the water about 9am and with the wind kicking the waves up by the minute, we opted to troll some cranks out in the mud. Well this would prove to be a good decision. We set out 2 lines on boards and one long line out the back. Within minutes of getting set up, the long line gets smacked fish on , fish off, 
seconds later it gets smacked again , fish on, , fish off , 2 seconds later planer board #1 gets smacked , before Steve and Joel can decide who gets the first fish, Planer board #2 gets smacked, no need for deciding now. 
We have our 1st of 3 doubles of the day, just missing out on a triple. 
Well this was the story the rest of the morning as this school of fish was on the chew. We had fast consistent action for the first 2.5 hours in the big rollers. The speed seemed to be about 2 -2.1 mph and we even got a bite at 2.7 mph. That early morning bite they definitely had a preference. Perch Deep Tail Dancer was a good bait, but Gold and Black Deep Reef Runner was the “Big Fish Getter”. Perhaps our biggest fish of the day was lost boat side after the best battle I have seen yet pulling boards. 
After a very long battle, this fish would not come to the boat. She was still deep down and making some impressive head pumps and runs. Then just when you thought Steve had won the battle as the fish came up for the 3rd time and looked like the game was over as she was only a few feet from the boat and just under the surface, she took one last run and “POP” she was gone, as she was able to shake the hook out. It appeared to be in the 28-29” range. We got off the water shortly before 3 and the bite died for us in the afternoon after the sun broke. We picked up a few fish here and there, but nothing of the torrid pace of the morning. We ended up with 6 fish 26” or bigger (including the one lost boat side). Like my brother Ron bobber fishing the night before, Steve had the big fish “MOJO” working on this day. I had an absolute blast fishing with both of you Steve & Joel and we will have to do it again. You gotta’ love sitting in the boat catching eyes and talking about hunting and big bucks. Especially with someone that is more Buck crazed then myself. :
Well, like you all know the bite on the Big Pond is for the most part exceptional, and there may be a slow day once in a great while, but if you have not fished this fishery this Summer, get up here now as I think the bite until the 4th of July is going to be a doozy. . I will echo my last report and others, fish are being taken on about every method. Pick your favorite and go or this is also a great time to learn a new presentation. However, you can’t catch fish unless you are on the lake. I am looking forward to this weekends BRF Trip. Hopefully the bugs will die down and the Eyes go on even a bigger a TEAR. 
**CLICK ON PICTURES TO ENLARGE**
Ok since my brother is becoming a PHOTOGRAPHER FANATIC I have a ton of Cool (I think) Photos to share this week, so hold on abare with me.
Joel with his Steady 24″ fish.
Our first double of the day. Joel with his usual 24″ and Steve with a 22″
Steve with another Dandy.
Ok, one of the biggest questions I get is what I look for on my sonar screen while I’m trying to locate schools of fish. So I captured some cool pics of my sonar this past weekend. These are what I’m lookng for.
Notice the arcs below the pods of bugs/baitfish.
Thank you Rob!
That was a hoot! And it was nice to meet Steve (stop lurking) who is a heck of a nice guy and let the old man (me) have the comfy chair. I’ll do that again any time. Rob definetly knows what he’s doing out there! 
Joel
Sonar!
Another
I was on some decent schools this weekend and my sonar continually looked like this on Saturday.
Those are some great pic’s Rob
Nice report Rob. That Joel guy can really fish. I am still waiting for my chance to fish the pond with ya.
John
A tagged fish Steve caught that was caught on a deep long line. Do these fish lay in the mud??? It looks like this one may have been until he fell to a Perch TD.
Torre with a 25″ Board Fish.
Cool Pic of the IDO Logo.
My brother with a early evening corking fish from his lil’ honey hole.
A release shot boatside!
A Tired Lip after 12 hours on the water.
My lil Best buddy and I.
In case Tuck missed it…… Here you go Tuck!
Action shot.
Not many days you see Mille Lacs like this.
This is the way you end a day on Mille Lacs.
That be all folks,
at least until next Monday.. 
Great report Rob. I can’t wait to hit Mille Lacs 3 weeks from tomorrow. I sure hope the bite continues to stay hot!
Well, thanks John! But all I did was wait for my turn and try not to lose the fish. Rob did all the work and never took a turn the whole time. He has definetly got the running boards down. Rob is a great guide and a great guy!
Hopefully I can show Rob as good a time down on one of the pools soon!
dd
nicce report Lip. I think I’m going to take screen shots of your screen shots and try to get them to match up.
Looks and sounds like a great weekend.
Great report Rob!
You guys sure get into lots of big, beautiful walleyes up there on Mille Lacs.
Very nice!
Boog
That is one heck of a report and even better pictures. Thanks Rip for sharing all those great pics.
Nice fish Lip, We too had some nice fish on the black and gold reef runners, also had some fish on cheep sunglasses.
Wallster ><((((>
Thanks Guys. It was a blast having some great guys in the boat this weekend.
Joel, Anytime and thanks for the kind words.
P2 will be calling our name here soon. 
John, Hopefully soon
Have you hit our Metro lake lately???? A buddy of mne is picking up some good numbers but no size on the eyes.
Ben, I hope it stays hot too.
CE, Thanks. I have a ton and I mean a ton more cool pics on disk here that my brother took through out the day.
Boog, perhaps a trip up here is in order????
Wallster, Cheap Sunglasses doesn’t catch fish?????
Honestly, Cheap Sunglasses never made it to the water for me this past weekend. 
Rob & Joel: No longer a lurker thanks to you guys
Just wanted to thank Rob for a great time on the water! We managed to 
the big girls right away in the morning. The fishing was fantastic and I only hope I can return the favor this Fall with some Big Deer. That is of course if I can pull him off the pond in October 
Thanks Joel for being a great partner for the day 
Can’t wait to do it again soon! I hope to see you and Stacie up on the pond in late July 
Thanks again Lip!
Steve
Excellent report as always! You better get in touch with me this weekend. I’ll be up Friday through Sunday. Will you let me tailpipe you to a flat at night for bobber fishing…I promise I’ll park close enough to pass you beers
Bri
Just got to love the big pond
Here is one of my daughter getting a little help from the Old Man 
With that most familiar back drop 
………BB
Welcome Steve!
“Live4PassThrough” Let me guess…
A heart lung shot that goes right through the deer? Am I right? Do I get a prize?
Steve is a great guy folks and he knows his deer and turkey stuff!
And he is a pretty good stick too!
You’re gonna like it here sir! Hope to see you again soon!
Joel
Way to go boys!
…just sorry I missed out! This weekend I’ll be back out for sure though! Only 2 more days until I get to chase some big eyes with my boys! 
Great report and pics. Did you send in the number on the tag. Be interesting on the fishes history.
VERY GOOD report Rob.. Thanks for all the info and you are correct it is a very buggy one out there..
Great report and picture Rob!
Jami
Thanks again Guys!
Welcome aboard to IDO Steve!
Your name fits you perfect. You will be able to get me off the pond if Big Bucks are in order. Besides, I have been given 2 demands and one of those is a buck and the other is a muskie. So I need to make sure those 2 things happpen this year otherwise fear the wrath of you know who. 
Hi Honey, Can’t wait to see you tonight. Have a good flight back. 
Brian, give me a call I should be anchored up soemwhere by 8 pm Friday hopefully.
You just have to find me. 
Bruce, awesome picture and that sunset does look familiar.
I have a feeling now that you are retired, you will be seeing plenty of those. 
Congrats 
Flatfish, we did not get the #. There was too much junk on it and with the warm temps we wanted to get the fish back into the water after the photo.
I have done it in the past and it is cool to see the stats on it.
What boards do you use or recommend for buying?
Joel – You are correct!
Don’t let anyone ever tell you your not a smart guy. 
Your prize…maybe another day in the boat with Rob & I!! 
Rob, All Stacie needs is a muskie & a buck…shouldn’t be a problem at all
It’s you I’m kind of worried about 
Stacie, Hope to see you in July!
Board Preference???? I used to be a Big Church fan, but the Off-Shore Boards even though they cost around double to get them set up right
are wearing on me. 
Nice report Rob!