…were waiting for me on my driveway this morning. Took all morning to clear a path for everyone’s cars. Couldn’t use the snowblower-the snow was so wet and heavy it would come out of the chute and land on the snowblower. Grab a shovel, huff, puff, toss the snow. Repeat. Finally left for work around noon-tow trucks were still pulling cars from the ditches along the four lane.

I am really ready for spring. Can’t wait until fishing season starts. I mostly shore fish locally; lots of panfish around here. I used to love running a boat for fishing and chasing around the lakes. Now with zebra mussels and what-have-you weeds almost requiring that you sterilize the boat and trailer before moving it between lakes, well, I just don’t have that much time.  Maybe if I had a cabin on a lake, but you’re talking some real money there. I mean, that’s just for taxes and government fees-to actually buy a cabin on a lake, you’d have to win a lottery or something. The folks I know that have a cabin inherited it, and share the cost between family members.

I heard the DNR came out with a new rule for Mille Lacs walleye fishing this year-all catch and release, with no live bait allowed. How bad is the walleye population if you can’t even keep a walleye if you catch one? As far as I remember, the DNR has been pushing walleye production on that lake since Hector was a pup. They are even so desperate that the statehouse is trying to require the DNR to negotiate with the Indian tribes to stop using gill nets during spawning season. (All together now–You have got to be kidding me!!!!). There are so few walleye in that lake that anglers can’t keep any–but the tribes can gill net thousands of pounds of fish during spawning season!!!!!  

OK, let’s talk about something else before I start getting grumpy.  How about that guy in Winona who filled out an ATM deposit envelope  with his name, account number, and amount, then sealed and deposited the envelope without having put any money in it. He then started withdrawing the nonexistent money from his ATM account. He figured he had a good plan, except for the bank having his name, address, and a video of him pulling this stunt.

Remember, kids, only the government can spend money they don’have.

Balancing the books for the Good and True,

Billy Acre