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Where Beauty & Nature intersect

MAY 2023 BLOG

  May 2023 A New Season Unfolds As May begins, windy days have removed the ice from most of our lakes, loons are returning, pairs of swans are nesting and soon fawns will arrive. The change of seasons remains part of what we love about living here and we invite you to share the Heartland […]

March Blog 2023

  Embrace winter now and plan a summer stay A beautiful fresh snowfall has blanketed the landscape and will likely be with us for a while. The temperatures and longer daylight invite anglers, snowmobilers and cross country skiers to do the Minnesota thing and embrace winter. Walleye, pike and bass fishing season has ended in […]

PRDBA photo contest winners announced

Winners of the winter-spring Park Rapids Downtown Business Association (PRDBA) photo contest are Brad Lee, Mike Sheeran and Barbra Wicks, all of Park Rapids. This was the PRDBA’s 20th contest. Lee’s photo, Great Blue Heron, won in the Wildlife category and was taken at Fish Hook Lake. Sheeran’s winning photo, Secret Spot, won in the […]

Spring Fishing Tips: Bigger hooks = More Spring panfish

Go big or go home! Bigger hooks for more Spring panfish. I love big hooks—bigger than what you would think. Hooks do not scare the fish, they attract fish—especially the colored hooks available today. These larger hooks will decrease the number of missed fish by increasing hooking percentage. For bluegills I prefer a #8 or […]

It’s Time to Hit Refresh Indoors and Out

Spring is suffering a setback as May begins, but the loons are back, trees are budding and lakes are open. Some have take advantage of a few warm days to clean up after a very long winter and started spring rituals like raking and ditch clean up. In Downtown Park Rapids Spring 19 stores and […]

Spring Fishing Tip: Catch big crappies with plastics.

It’s no secret that the biggest crappies of the open water season are found in the shallow warm waters of Spring hidden in some form of cover such as pencil reeds, sunken timber, or near the edges of cattails. The problem starts when a live crappie minnow is used under a float. It’s just a […]

Mother Nature turns a page

Fortunately for those downstream, our snow-covered fields and forests and ice-covered lakes are melting gradually.  Small pools attract swans, geese and ducks in places where you don’t expect to see them. Spring is teasing us, but will continue to reveal her true nature soon enough. The Hubbard County Coalition of Lake Associations (COLA) and partners […]

Now is the time to plan your vacation in the Heartland Lakes.

Looking outside at the snow loaded pines, it’s hard to believe that in a few months spring will arrive and then summer all this wind chill will be a distant memory (at least until next winter hits and we do it all again). Before you know it, school will be out and family reunions and […]

Minnesota Fishing Guide Service’s Report – 05.23.18

It’s that time of year when fishing patterns are all over the board! The Bluegills and Crappies are all basically shallow—7’ of water or less. Small tube jigs, bobber minnow/waxie combos, or even tiny crankbaits will land a bunch of crappies or Bluegills this time of year. The Walleyes are leaning towards any new weed […]

CHAMBER PARTNERS:

Park Rapids Lakes Area Chamber, a Partner of Explore Minnesota Minnesota Chamber of Commerce Northwoods Bank, Partner of Park Rapids Lakes Area Chamber Citizen's Bank in Park Rapids, MN Park Rapids Downtown Business Association Park Rapids Lakes Area Convention & Visitor's Bureau