'Mother Nature gave us just enough': Northern Minnesota resort owner copes with warm winter

[MUSIC PLAYING] CATHY WURZER: We started off winter weak, and it's coming to an end with a whimper. The temperatures in much of the state are soaring today to an unprecedented 50 to 60 degrees plus. Today Rogers' on Red along with many other resorts on Upper Red Lake and around Minnesota will end its ice fishing season early. The ice just won't be safe anymore with the high temperatures eating away at it. Joining us on the line right now is the co-owner of Rogers' on Red, Pat Frost.

Now we talked to Pat back in December after folks in his region made some news when a chunk of ice broke off stranding some anglers. He joins us now to talk about the rest of the season. Hey, Pat. Thanks for coming back. How are you?

PAT FROST: Well, very well, Cathy. Thank you for having me back.

CATHY WURZER: Absolutely. Well, gosh, it's been since December 21st, the first day of winter when we talked to you. And sure, winter had a hard time getting its toehold. It doesn't look like it's really done much since that time. How was the season for you?

PAT FROST: Oh, like a lion. Well, not so much. I think it's more like bring your suntan lotion if we're fishing today, I'll tell you that. It's very warm. But I don't know if a mother nature gave us just enough, Cathy. Just to keep things safe, to not really give the resort owners up here a reprieve by all means. If I'm sure everyone was checking diligently, we were here of ice-- sporadic ice through the season.

But overall, I think-- gosh, we're safe and fishing was fantastic. I don't know why the water clarity was so clear up here. Eight feet out and still seeing bottom. And if that had reflection on the walleye and crappie aspect of it. But by golly, it was sure was clear-- very clear water. And with no snow on-- it was great for ice skaters. It was a good winter for that.

CATHY WURZER: OK. Well, you seem like you're a glass-- you're optimistic here, a glass half full. But this seems pretty early for the end of the season though. That's got to hurt a little bit.

PAT FROST: Well, actually not so much. A little bit bittersweet. But actually the season, it would have been really lovely if they extended. I can remember in the years past where DNR and whoever the folks up there that make those decisions would extend a season because of a rough year I think twice in my time. And so I was hopeful that that would be. But by golly, if it isn't midnight of last night is the state coming to an end. So we're right on schedule with that.

But the crappies, usually then you would-- you would focus on the crappies and perch, panfish aspect of the game here.

CATHY WURZER: Oh, OK. Yes, exactly. And I'm wondering, though-- and I know you do a lot of business and people love coming up to your place because of the walleye-- ice fishing for walleye, what percentage of your business relies on money coming in from those ice fishing experiences?

PAT FROST: Oh, it's everything, good grief. I would say, the wintertime to some-- and we also have campsites in the summer also here. But the winter, I would have to say Tony-- I'm looking at Tony right now. I'm going to talk out my butt here a little bit, but is it 70% of our income? I would have to say 65% to 70% of our income comes from the winter ice fishing without a doubt. Yeah.

CATHY WURZER: So when you guys finally get out there when the ice was pretty decent when I talked to you, it sounds like you then-- from December 21st or so when we talked to about now looks like you got a fair amount of ice fishing in then.

PAT FROST: We did, yeah. This notorious crack which you're battling a crack of one sort or another every year of my seven years of being up here. There's always a crack wall by this crack that we had this year. But it was a tough one, it didn't want to heal, it didn't want to-- well, no cold weather really. So we're moving to bridges. So we got steel bridges. So we ended up moving it maybe five times in a month.

The area just gets unsafe. And then you just move it down the crack at the next good spot that it looks like to throw the bridge back up. But that's right. After this interview or the talking-- not interview because now we're just talking, lady.

CATHY WURZER: We're just talking, exactly.

PAT FROST: Yeah. Joe and I are going to head on out. We're at the bar down here. I can't say what a relief and joyous at the end of the season. It's a sad day, but it's also a nice day where you have-- it's like one big kegger party. You want to be responsible. You want to keep an eye on your guests for not drinking too much. And if they are well, let's get the keys for that person.

But now amp that up for a resort aspect, it's a lot of responsibility. And that's what I'm feeling right now, is just-- oh, it's over. My goodness, it's over. But then I known a couple of days I'm going to miss it, but people getting stuck, the trucks breaking down, fish house problems. No medical stuff this year, which is fabulous. So you're just the liaison for Rogers', and then your guests that come out through your resort.

And I'm sure it's the same for every resort owner. It's just a lot-- of lot of-- not a burden by all means. But a lot of responsibility that you got to take care of these. You got their back. So that's just a nice little break right now, is what I'm feeling.

CATHY WURZER: So for folks who are not familiar, so obviously Red Lake's big, big lake. And we were talking about that crack that was in the ice. And you said that-- prior, that it's been there. This happens almost every year, because you get some a crack in the ice. And that's why you got your bridges, your big bridge that you got. So you're going to drag that in to land here later on this afternoon, and then it's all over.

What's next? I mean, I know you've got summer guests.

PAT FROST: Yes, it is. Now were too early to start cleaning up. Next is getting geared up, work on some docks. We got a new fish cleaning house in. We just converted the old lodge that was built in 1945. We converted that over into the sleeping 8 bunkhouse, if you would. Permit of no water but electric. And so we're just excited to be renting that out this spring.

And then just a lot of work and some repairs. But on the flip side, with the bad business, one of the main things out here is plowing. Plowing, you got-- our road is usually a four car highway out there. Four lane, a four lane road is the size of my road. And when you new average, I'm going to say about 20 to 30 plowing is a winter that I was even debatable to plow the one time that I did.

Oh, thank you Jesus. Are you kidding? That's wow, no breakdowns in the truck. So I mean, yeah, it's bad. It's not bad for revenue aspect. But then there's always things to be thankful for. And--

CATHY WURZER: It was just such a weird--

PAT FROST: --is one of those.

CATHY WURZER: Yes. And when you and I first talked, as you say, there was those ice chunks that were-- folks were on the ice. Big chunks would break away and they'd float out into the middle of the lake. I mean, it was just kind of a-- it was a difficult situation to begin with. So it sounds like it improved a little bit, it's going to end a little early. But if the fishing was pretty good, who knows about next year?

PAT FROST: It will be. And the numbers just keep on producing. What a lovely lake? You got to give thanks to the lake. I don't want to get all spiritual, but give thanks. One should because the Red Lake is just a gorgeous fishery. It just keeps itself substained. So hopefully fingers crossed, a good time to buy a resort. And what I've heard, we got nothing but 15 years of greatness coming off of this lake.

And then the beautiful thing is it's one of the first early-- the early lakes to freeze in the whole state with being a top five walleye contender like Mille Lacs or Leech or Lake of the Woods. Red Lake is right up there also. And we are the first lake to freeze, in my opinion. Thanksgiving is usually a go. So everything we experienced this winter happens in November. It's done.

It's all locked up. The seven-- and it's only been seven years for me. But with a recap on this winter, everything we experienced should have been all experienced in November before we even opened the doors.

CATHY WURZER: Crazy winter, isn't it though?

[INTERPOSING VOICES]

PAT FROST: --we're usually driving by December 8th. And this year we didn't get out there until Christmas. So it was a good three weeks behind schedule for everything.

CATHY WURZER: Well, Pat, I know you're busy. You got to get that bridge in this afternoon then you have to go celebrate the end of the season. So I appreciate it. Thank you so much.

PAT FROST: Yeah. Well, thank you so much, Cathy.

CATHY WURZER: Take care.

PAT FROST: The invite is still open.

CATHY WURZER: All right.

PAT FROST: Restaurant went great and come on up and I'll buy you a burger.

CATHY WURZER: OK. And a beer. Thanks Pat. Pat Frost, co-owner of Rogers' on Red.