Meshigun Point Townhomes, Wahkon

Talk with Chip Frederickson and you have to believe that the Mille Lacs Lake real estate market is poised for a comeback.

The co-owner of Meshigun Point Townhomes in Wahkon announced that he and his father, Shooter, have sold the first of three luxury townhomes which are part of a 12-unit planned development on eastern portion of Meshigun Point that also includes Frederickson Marina.

This comes almost three years since the Frederickson's built the three-unit townhome complex, which stands majestically just feet from Wahkon Bay, facing Half Moon Island and with views of Jacks, Outer Twin, Lower Twin and Spider Islands.

"Things are looking up in 2011," said Frederickson, who works full-time in sales for Country Lumber in Wahkon and Becker.  He covers the greater Mille Lacs area. "We were like everyone else, rolling along in 2005 and 2006 and we built and had high aspirations but our timing could not have been worse with the economy, so it's been a long three years."

One can't help but be optimistic when talking with Frederickson who is a fit, athletic guy who looks like he just stepped off the football field from his college playing days at South Dakota State in the late 1990s. He's worked with his father since graduation and the duo decided that a 12-unit, luxury planned unit development was the ticket when lake taxes reached their ceiling before the current recession.

"We're the nicest planned unit development and marina on the lake and I can say that without any reservation,"  Frederickson said.  He may be right.  The townhomes have every amenity, including custom cabinets, a two-car garage, stunning views, a covered boat slip, stamped concrete patios, paver driveways and top-shelf appliances and millwork. Checkout the Meshigun Point Townhomes website for more detail.  Or better yet, call Chip for a showing at 651-221-6923.

"We've got a great location, privacy and quality," he said.  Of the three current units, the first closing is scheduled for mid April on the middle unit.  One end unit serves as a model and is truly five-star in quality.  The other end unit is unfinished so that a buyer can choose his or her own cabinets, carpets, colors, appliances, etc.

Being 50-feet off the water with city sewer,  a one-minute wave runner ride to perfect sand beach, in a top-shelf gated community that features your own covered slip, a fish cleaning area with bathrooms and on-site fuel has a lot of people looking at the Meshigun Point Townhomes right now. In addition, with gas prices skyrocketing and projected to remain high, Mille Lacs is becoming even more appealing to lake home owners for its proximity to the Twin Cities.

"We've got all price points covered and there is something for everyone that wants that no-maintenance lake home,"  Frederickson said.   He is zeroing in on landscaping, moving a building and overall grounds improvement this summer.

"Once these other two units sell, we'll be digging footings on the next two units,"  Frederickson said, smiling. In addition to his lumber sales job and marketing the townhomes, Frederickson is married to Roxanne, a busy sales rep for International Paper and mother of two children --  William, 8, and Cori, 5.  Frederickson also serves on the Wahkon city council as a street commissioner.

"I can't wait for the day to hand the baton over to a homeowner association," Frederickson said. "Right now its extreme hands on!"  With the market coming back and buyers advancing on Mille Lacs, that day may be soon.

History:  The Frederickson's at one time had 24 trailers on the property.  The family history of ownership is detailed at the Meshigun Point website.  In 2000, they rebuilt the Marina and in 2006, they built a launch center, which houses the fish cleaning area and bathrooms.  The upper floor serves as a northern show-room location for Country Lumber.

Marina:  The 45-slip covered marina is top shelf.  It has some vacancies for the 2011 season.  The site has a public launch that can accommodate parking with boat trailers.  Cost is $15 per launch.  Fuel is also sold at the marina.  Contact Chip Frederickson at 612-221-6923 for more details on placing at boat in the marina.

We visited Kurt Klipstein and his "Motel" on Mille Lacs Lake in January. There are more photos on the Make It Mille Lacs Facebook Page.

When it comes to Mille Lacs Lake fish houses, Kurt Klipstein’s would be an on-water motel.

At 18,000 pounds and capacity to sleep 12-18 people, this behemoth has made a name for itself over the years on the Big Pond. And so has Klipstein.

“It takes a 5-ton with lift like you have on a semi wrecker to get it up and moving,” said Dennis Sand, Fishermen’s Wharf Resort operations manager, and the guy who tows the rig from its shore grazing spot onto the ice each year.  “It’s usually the last one or two out because it’s a such a monster.”

Decked out with a wood-burning stove, reclining chairs that cover featured holes, a full-sized bar, appliances, TV and sound system --  and two stories high -- you can’t miss it when you are out in Fishermen’s Wharf territory on the east side of Lake Mille Lacs. It also sports its own attached wood shed on one end and a bathroom on the other. We didn’t ask what size generator it took to power up but the one there might take three guys to lift.

“It’s a poor man’s cabin and I don’t have to worry about grass or a dock,” said Klipstein, 49, as he jigged with his line wrapped around the top of his Coors Light can, in full relaxation mode while some buddies gathered to help show off the place. “It’s below zero and it’s snowed for 24 hours, but we’re just sitting here fishing, living the dream.”

Part of that dream includes some fishing, lots of entertaining and trips ashore to hang out at Toucans and MSA Flagship.  The gregarious Klipstein has a Jimmy Kimmel-type personality that attracts an entourage. You can’t help liking the guy at first impression. We’ve seen his following at Flagship for karaoke first-hand.  He’s truly a funny guy to be around.

During our tour, he rushed to pull out a yellowed November 1999 Details Magazine copy (A Maxim of that era), featuring  him and his fish house as the lead on a three-page feature story about Mille Lacs Lake ice fishing.

“Make sure I get that thing back,” he said, smiling, as he gave it to us to look over.  It described Klipstein’s physique as a “beer-bellied, nearsighted, pigeon-toed bowler look.” Well, not much has changed in the 11 years since the story, except a little graying, and a receding hair line.  But his motel, he admits, is showing some signs of wear.

With its patched carpets, well-worn easy chairs, dated appliances and fire-scarred stove, it all backs up the motel’s “man-town” mantra.  Not that it’s a no-gal zone.  I was offered a tour of the top floor bunk area as he started to pull-down the ladder but passed.

While the motel’s condition may have dipped a notch, its value to Klipstein and his friends hasn’t changed.  It’s one of those places a guy could spend a winter on the ice, rivaling the feat accomplished by the Wharf’s Dale Eggen who just did 70 nights on the water.

“I fish at least once per day,” admitted Klipstein, who is a technical support specialist for a Twin Cities firm during the week. “But can somebody go find me a perch so we can get a picture for this story?”

It’s safe to say that Hunter Winfield’s Dave Estrem is the youngest, longest-tenured resort manager on Mille Lacs Lake.

Which must mean the 28-year old, 2001 Onamia High School graduate is a pretty darn good one.

“We rely on Dave to ensure our customers have a good experience…many of our rebooks ask if Dave is still here,” said Margie Christensen, who with husband, Mike, own Hunter Winfield’s Resort in Isle and are entering their sixth season. “The resort business is a tough one. It can make you insane. Dave helps Mike & I stay sane to a degree. He’s truly our right hand and right now, we need a couple right hands.”

The soft-spoken Estrem has got a smile for everybody, a penchant for being on-site whenever needed and a nose for finding fish – which is probably why so many customers keep asking for and about him. He is the original and only resort manager Hunter Winfield’s has known since its September 1, 2006 debut.

“Dave is the face of the resort -- he is generally the person that people checking in meet first and they rely on him during their stay for 24/7 on-call service in the winter,”  said Margie, who also runs a successful consulting business and is a mother to two young children – Claire, 2, and Max, 5 months.  “He sets up boat rentals, launches, and provides tips on fishing spots in the summer or winter.”

Apparently the business marriage between the Christensens and Estrem is paying big dividends.  The resort has 50 percent more bookings for this upcoming season than it did in 2010.  And that was a very good year for Hunter Winfield’s. It has tripled its business overall in five years of operation.

The trio maintains that Hunter Winfield’s success is driven by a combination of quality service, state-of-the-art accommodations and focused marketing, especially using the internet.  Combined, these things have helped drive Hunter Winfield’s to area prominence on Mille Lacs Lake.  Consider that its ice house fleet features Lodge Wheeled Houses which feature every amenity available – and DirectTV to boot! The resort has four modern rental boats, a pair of quality launch boats owned and operated by Dereke Voge, six cabins, a luxury log home and great fishing guides.  It also sells premium fuel off its permanent, modern dock that can host a bevy of boats.

Estrem gets a big grin when talking his favorite part of the job.  “I love dealing with the people and being out on the lake,” said Estrem, who figured he spent 359 days at work last year, taking only a pair of three-day mini-vacations to fish Lake Michigan and hunt.

You can sense how much he loves his work by following him on morning rounds.  From driving out on the Big Pond to service a generator to helping put some customers on a perch hot spot, Estrem is in his element at Mille Lacs. In winter, he dons his ice armor gear early each morning, capping it with his signature orange skull cap. You can find him in various south-shore locations some evenings – still in the garb – competing in an area dart league or stopping to meet some friends at a local watering hole.

It’s easy to see that Mille Lacs is in Estrem’s blood.

By his calculation, he grew up only 4 miles from Hunter Winfield’s – by a Mille Lacs water route – in a lakeside home off Eyota Way that his parents, Pat and Roger, still occupy. He worked at the Izatys Resort marina, cutting his teeth as bait boy, fishing guide and marina night manager from the age of 14 until his hire at Hunter Winfield’s.  In his spare time Estrem, well, fishes.  And fishes.  Which has helped him  earn him the moniker ‘Prime Time’.

“We call Dave ‘Prime Time’ because he’s one of the best early-season fishermen we have,” said Mike Christensen, who is one of three Mille Lacs Lake Lindy Tackle Guides who cranks out fishing reports  on online audio updates.  “He beat me and he beat John Thelen (another established guide) and like 16 other pro guides in a Pradco National Sales Meeting Tourney late last May – he’s a pretty good stick.”

While Christensen is the featured guide in the Hunter Winfield stable, Estrem gets his fair share of missions behind launch captain Dereke Voge as the resort’s No. 3 guide. His realm of fishing excellence lies mainly between Izatys and Isle Bay, but he’ll push north as well.

“Dave’s invaluable, we wouldn’t be able to exist without him,” Mike Christensen said.  “He more or less lives here.  We can trust him to get things done and he takes care of our customers more than anyone else.”

Estrem said he’s strayed from Mille Lacs only once in his life. That was for a stint at St. Cloud State, working toward a business management degree. But his love for the lake and fishing brought him back home to Mille Lacs and to his current job at Hunter Winfield’s.

“I like going out every evening to fish,” Estrem said. “In the early season from like 8 p.m. to dark is just crazy fishing.  I definitely look more forward to summer when you just pound the walleyes.”

 While his job brings a lot of praise and fishing glamor, Estrem will tell you it isn’t always perfect.  The late-night visits treks on the frozen, wind-swept tundra to fix a downed generator and the occasional cranky customer can put a crimp in his day. 

Those bad times are few, however. So Estrem contends he’s where he wants to be, doing what he loves most, helping Hunter Winfield’s succeed.  Big Time.

After a couple years on the shelf, our Bobber Down column returns to Mille Lacs Lake. It will provide readers with short, interesting updates that we’ve gathered from around the lake.  We will always attempt to verify all our information. We are a blog, not a newspaper.  However, you may see things attributed to sources “wishing to remain anonymous.”  If you read Charley Walters “Shooter” column in the St. Paul Pioneer Press and read “a little birdie says,” you’ll understand our planned format.

Area Golf:  Boom and Bust.  Three years ago, we did friendly golf course reviews on Fiddlestix, Izatys, Hardwoods and Higbees. The health of that circle has taken a slight hit with the recent recession in a trend that has wiped out countless courses nationwide. A new course has come onto the scene for us.

Despite rumors, Higbees will be open for its ninth season, according to owner Pete Wilkes. There will be several new types of memberships.  Membership letters will be out within the next two weeks, Wilkes said.  A woman's league is planned.  The Friday night scrambles will continue. The course will continue to operate its nifty outdoor bar and barbeque area.  For more information contact Pete Wilkes at 320-495-3333 or 320-630-6482. 

For the first time in years, Izatys Resort was open through winter. It heads into spring with a solid commitment from current owner, Commerce Bank.  Weddings, corporate and golf group bookings are way up, general manager Jason Tollette said.  The golf operation is in transition mode with a new golf superintendent pending and the planned re-opening of The Sanctuary front nine.  Tollette has targeted mid-summer for Sanctuary to be operational.   He said the long-expected Izatys Resort closing with Faribault businessman Roy Winjum could drag into June or later but is still projected to happen.

The delayed sale of the resort will not affect course opening or operation, Tollette said.  Blackbrook remains a top course in the Greater Mille Lacs area.  Edina’s Commerce Bank has continually funded the resort’s operation since 2009 and will do so this year, Tollette said.  Commerce will fund operations, equipment, maintenance and materials budgets to keep Blackbrook running smooth until Winjum takes over, Tollette said. Visit the Izatys website for more membership and golf information.

The Mille Lacs Golf Resort – or Hardwoods -- website is down and the only Google searches one can find on the course at present are on Golf Link and Golf.com.  The course phone number is operational but we get a constant busy signal.  The 18-hole course, built in 1965, should be open this spring.  We’ll provide you details when we learn more about ownership and its plans.  If you haven’t played it, the front-nine is a gem.  The back nine, not so much.

Fiddlestix is healthy and completely ramped up to steam into its 24^th season.  Owners Harley and Tamma Exsted run a solid business and continue to attract more and more golfers to this well-maintained 18-hole course, located just southeast of Isle.  This family- owned operation was our Course of The Year back in 2008.  It would have been an interesting matchup between it and Blackbrook over the last two seasons, but we didn’t conduct reviews. Remember, it opened March 31^st last year and is always one of the first courses out of the shoot in spring.  It has a large league and tournament listing scheduled.  Visit the Fiddlestix website for more information on leagues and memberships.

A new player in the area golf scene that is sparking interest is Garrison Creek Marina’s nine-hole executive course.  This newly refurbished nine hole, Par 3 golf course is open to the public. A new clubhouse is being designed along with other improvements.  All new greens and tee boxes have been added, and 117 ten foot high Colorado Blue Spruce were transplanted to give the newly designed course a challenging but forgiving golf experience.  For more information see the Garrison Creek Golf Marina website.  

Greg Miller with a long iron. See an array of photos at  Make It Mille Lacs Facebook page.

Onamia’s Ivars Wagner may not have the sun tan to prove it, but he’s played Puerto Rico’s Dorado Beach East Golf Course this winter. 

He’s also played Torrey Pines, Pebble Beach and Pinehurst -- all on a Microsoft LS Links golf simulator at Fiddlestix Golf Course in Isle. 

Wagner and 15 other local golfers convene each Wednesday at the Isle Course clubhouse simulator to blast drivers, punch chips and stroke putts in what could become a popular Mille Lacs Lake winter past time.

“It’s great for the area and the distances are right on,” said Isle’s Greg Miller, Wagner’s partner and owner of Eagle Signs, a local business. “It’s something to do, giving you a chance to swing a club. It’s accurate -- as the machine doesn’t lie. The sensors pick up the way the spin of the ball goes.”

While it doesn’t yet have the area following of bowling, dart or pool leagues, simulator golf draws well in metro areas, helping give players a great indoor substitute during winter.  It has potential to catch on at Mille Lacs as word spreads about its availability.

"We try to play the courses the tour is on," said Fiddlestix owner Harley Exsted, as Wagner and Miller battled Bill Olmstead and Harley Sawatsky Wednesday in a noon match called recovery. "It's a great tune-up for your golf game. We've got 20 courses to pick from and we can do scrambles, skins, best ball or match play."

Exsted said he originally bought the simulator to help his son, Grant, a Isle High School golf phenom, to better his skills.  With a heated club house and simulator set up, Exsted decided to open it to the public last winter to defray costs and create a potential business buzz during the lull between seasons.  Manager John Searles bartends, mans a pull-tab boxe and serves pizzas for those interested when people play.

'We're flexible if you can’t make it on a Wednesday,'  Exsted said. "Anybody can call the golf shop and make a tee time and we will keep this up through the end of April." List price for the simulator is $20 per hour.  It takes a foursome about two and half hours to play nine holes, which is pretty close to the real thing.  Things like work team-building functions, bachelor parties or family outings all would do well to give this venue a shot.

The simulator gives a lot of stats each time you hit a ball.  It depicts distance, ball speed and launch angle to name a few. Both Exsted, Searles and the guys playing are generous with helpful tips. Watching the foursome hit balls, rip some tabs and have a couple drinks, it looked like a novel way to spend part of a cold winter day at Mille Lacs.  The next closest simulator is in Brainerd. 

"Another good thing about this is we never lose any balls," said Exsted, smiling, "But we do get stuff like this (a cracked ball) after you whack it for about five rounds."

Until April 15, Fiddlestix is still offering its 24^th Anniversary $99 membership package. To get it, you sign up for two years and can golf anytime Monday through Friday, paying only for your cart.  With tax, that gives you a two-year membership for about $211.

Only twice in the previous 23 years, has Fiddlestix opened on or before April 1^st. Last year, the course opened March 31^st and was playable for every day in the month of April. For a listing of leagues, play dates and initial player meetings, see the Fiddlestix website calendar.

Here's Sunday action from the first heat of Open Pro Quads, won by #28 Taylor Peterson

GARRISON -- More than 2,000 people converged on Garrison for last weekend's six-circuit ice racing events, helping this Mille Lacs Lake town cap its best winter recreational month in years.

"In a lot of years we haven't had snow or we've had rain and water on the ice in February," said Mark Tadych, Blue Goose Inn owner and event organizer for the races. He added historic perspective, having been in Garrison since 1993. "This is our best February yet."

Tadych and an estimated 30 Garrison Commercial Club members were on the ice, assisting with entry fees, parking, selling concessions and event oversight. It was the third straight weekend the community has been in the limelight on Mille Lacs Lake.

Arctic Blast XVI and the 7th Annual Ducks Unlimited Ice Fishing Tourney brought thousands to Garrison and Mille Lacs in previous weekends.  The DU tourney had 3,054 registered anglers.

"This definitely helps the community make it through the winter," said Myron Stevens, President of the Commercial Club. "These last few weekends kind of make us or break us for the winter.  And the ice fishing's been pretty slow lately."

Racing organizations operated on both days of the weekend independent of each other, making it a mecca for outdoor snowmobile, car, ATV and motorcyle racing.

The listing of circuits present: the Oval Racing Alliance (ORA); ORA Vintage Snowmobiles; Stud Club Motorcyle and ATV; Hardwater Racing Association; International Ice Race Assocation; and Kids Pro Ice all held races.

All have dedicated followings, websites and a healthy base of competitors. Tournament Banquets for many of the organizations were held at the Blue Goose Inn and Harbor Inn on Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings, Tadych and Stevens said. See some awesome racing photos from most circuits on the Make It Mille Lacs Facebook page.