The Skyport Lodge and Raven Rock Grill are officially closed until May 1st and we are taking a much needed break from the action to vacation with our children. April is the month reserved for deep cleaning and repairs around the lodge, but we felt it was important to get out of town for a couple of weeks before the summer preparations begin.
Bo and Sophia, our children, have been on Spring Break this week with their grandparents while Rachelle and I have been taking care of the lodge. They will end up missing an extra week of school to travel with us to Florida, but the education they will get at Disney World is worth missing a few days in the classroom.
The vacation will end on Easter weekend with my family in Des Moines, Iowa. It has been a couple of years since we have been back to my hometown, which is too long when you consider our kids are only 4 and 5 years old. Traveling long distances is not always easy to do, especially when you have recently purchased a lodge and restaurant, so we are taking full advantage of our short window to travel, rest, regroup, and renew.
Spring is always exciting for me; the anticipation of boating on open water is reminiscent of a child waiting for Christmas Day to open presents. Winter is enjoyable, but I miss the warmth and comfort of the outdoors and cannot wait to start exploring the Devil Track area.
The days are longer, walleyes bite better, and everyone seems a little more chipper when the sun shines – I call it the Vitamin D injection. Saganaga and Northern Light lakes, where I have guided for walleyes for the past 22 years, are two of the best walleye lakes around, but it is exciting for me to learn a new area.
There are a lot of projects to complete around the lodge before Memorial Day, which I would prefer to forget about for the next two weeks. Some of the best advice we have been given by other lodge owners is the importance of separating yourself from the business in order to stay sane.
Cory Christianson has worked as a fishing guide on the Gunflint Trail since 2000. If you have any fishing or wildlife reports or stories to share, send an email to: christiansoncory@hotmail.com or call 218- 388-0315. You can also visit Cory’s website at Gunflintfishingguide.com.
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