It's No Fish House, It's a Motel!

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?”