Outdoors

I end up with many kids in the boat throughout the season. The last couple of weeks I seem to have had many kids as young as 6 years old. This has prompted me to write about a few considerations when it comes to fishing with young kids and getting kids hooked on fishing. I have written...

The hottest new craze over the last few years for walleye fishing has been the use of an ice fishing lure in the summertime. The lure is a "jig rap" and it is fished very aggressively. There are other brands like the "shiver minnow" and puppet minnow" that are also very popular. They...

The Mille Lacs Lake drama continues. The walleye season was closed on July 21 this season after being open for catch and release only. It will be reopened to walleye fishing August 12 and remain open for catch and release only through the Labor Day weekend and be closed again starting...

Live bait rigging (commonly referred to as "Roach rigging" or "Lindy rigging" and named after hall of fame anglers Gary Roach and Al Linder) is a technique that has been working for catching walleyes for decades. It can be fished and work from opening day until the lakes ice up. It...

While picking blueberries recently at a favorite spot of mine, not far from Itasca State Park, I was thrilled to observe a family of one of my favorite birds to watch and listen to. A striking bird, few birds can match the beautiful red-brown color of the appropriately named brown...

Summer fishing success can be improved for multiple species if you learn to fish in and around weed areas. Some fish are always relating to the weeds. Not all weeds are created equal when it comes to holding fish, and in my experience, cabbage weeds are the best fish producers. Weeds...

Few birds are considered as intelligent as members of the crow family are, otherwise known as, collectively, corvids. Among the most intelligent of the lot are crows and ravens, although, I'll have to say, few, if any, can match the combination of both intelligence and friendliness...

This week I will try to answer some questions that I get asked by customers frequently. It is amazing how many times the same questions come up from people with different background and walks of life, and different parts of the country.

We have made it through the busy Fourth of July holiday with just what you expect of a Minnesota holiday weather experience. We started the weekend with a severe cold front, followed by a heat wave with scorching sun and no wind, making for flat water fishing conditions. Always following...