The smaller lakes in Cook County have been frozen for nearly two weeks, and the overnight temperatures have been cold enough to make ice. I plan to check a few of the smaller lakes for thick enough ice this weekend, with my brother visiting from Denver for Thanksgiving who is excited to catch anything on the ice. Normally ice fishing... READ MORE >
After braving the white-knuckle drive from Minneapolis Friday evening, while returning from San Diego, it was nice getting home and sleeping in our beds again. The thought of staying in a hotel one more night and having to unpack the van again was not worth it for me. We drove slow, as did the other travelers braving the elements, and... READ MORE >
The buzz of overly zealous snowmobiles blessed the evening hours this week after a healthy six inches of snow fell on Cook County. The ground is still far from frozen, but the low temperatures forecast for this week should start hardening the muddy base that is hiding below the recent blanket of white snow. One of the hardest things to... READ MORE >
Last week I mentioned being one big wind away from losing our fall colors, and the 30 mile-per-hour gusts this week have done just that. We have been blessed with a long warm fall season, but now the landscape has been stripped of color as we prepare for the wintry mix of snow that is forecast for later this week.... READ MORE >
The landscape has become slightly less colorful as more and more leaves find their way to the ground each day. One good blow of wind could take away the last birch and aspen leaves, leaving only tamarack trees to show their brilliant golden needles, as the season of color slips away. I was fortunate enough to savor the sunshine this... READ MORE >
Tuesdays were a lot more fun for me before the kids went back to school, and the weather was nice enough to spend the day chasing walleyes and picking blueberries. Temperatures are peaking around 50 degrees with a brief shot of sunshine before plummeting to the mid 30s in the afternoon—even the nice days are becoming cold while sitting in... READ MORE >
The days are numbered for fair weather anglers since high temperatures are barely reaching the 60s with plenty of rain in the forecast. It has been a wet season, which many believe will translate into a wet winter with plenty of snow—let’s hope they are correct. Gunflint Hills municipal golf course became saturated enough last week, that it was difficult... READ MORE >
The beautiful colors of autumn are in full swing as the landscape turns from green to gold. I feel like the peak season is rapidly approaching since many trees are still half-green, while others have already lost some of their yellowed leaves after the recent storms. Autumn is famous for colorful transformations of the forest, but it is also a... READ MORE >
Although I have never drawn a firearm on a grouse, or any small game in the state of Minnesota, my time spent on the summer home roads every fall has educated me on their preferred habitat. I have nothing against small game hunting, I was simply too cheap to buy a non-resident license back when I had the time to... READ MORE >
Anyone of the opinion that the seasons are too short in Cook County has never owned a restaurant here. Summer has been escaping with every changing leaf as we enter the final few weeks of busyness, and I cannot remember a season lasting this long when I was just a fishing guide – I guess time does fly when you... READ MORE >
