Fishhouse Makes Poor Substitute For Single Car Garage

Imagine for a moment you just spent a good portion of last summer fiddling on a project to build a new portable fishhouse, or ice shanty, if you will.   Proud as you can be…you built it your way and saved thousands of dollars in the process over buying a commercially made model.

Now imagine you are Clem and Betty Neisen who were innocently driving to the lake for a relaxing afternoon of fishing…when suddenly the unthinkable happens.   You hear a big crash, you feel a jolt, and as you turn around you find a car has just exploded through last summer’s project and parked itself on top of your pickup bed.   Chances are now good you won’t be making it to the lake fishing on this particular day.

Fishhouse1

Fishhouse2

That is exactly what happened to this elderly couple a few weeks ago in Northern Minnesota when they were heading to the lake to do some fishing.   Apparently a young girl who allegedly was speeding and talking on her telephone did not realize the roads were icy and the Neisen’s were traveling much slower.

Reports are that Mr. Neisen spent several weeks on the project and over $1,200 in materials to build the fishhouse.   I guess all considering, everyone is lucky that nobody was injured, or worse yet killed in the accident.

Indeed, Mr. Neisen and his wife have a story to tell that is much bigger than the one that could have gotten away at the lake.   And even though this story really doesn’t have a happy ending for the owners of the fishhouse, it certainly puts a smile on the faces of other sportsmen who are thankful this situation didn’t happen to them on the way to the lake.

© 2005 Jim Braaten. All Rights Reserved.   No Reproduction without Prior Permission.