Where Beauty & Nature intersect

Smokey Hills Outdoor Store Park Rapids Area Fishing Report 7/16/14 After a week-long cold spell in the Park Rapids area, Mother Nature is looking to give us temperatures more conducive to enjoying outdoor activities. The ten day forecast promises mid 80’s on the majority of the coming days and that will bring surface temps up […]

Smokey Hills Outdoor Store Park Rapids Area Fishing Report 7/9/14 The Park Rapids area fishery did not disappoint last week as panfish, walleye and bass were all feeding ferociously on live bait and artificial lures. As the lakes are plentiful with prey midsummer, this week will be another great week to make some memories on […]

It should be said folks in the Park Rapids Lakes Area feel pretty fortunate these days. The lakes and rivers are high, but not flooding. Instead, the ferns grow inches taller than in other years and all the woodlands are green and lush. Against the beautiful backdrop Mother Nature has provided, summer awaits with a […]

Park Rapids Area Fishing Report Courtesy of Smokey Hills Outdoor Store 6/18/14 Anglers of the Park Rapids area reported a high rate of catch in the past week; we are having a year with a very active bite. Recent fishing tournaments in the area have coincided with this by posting above average fish weighed at the […]

The bright Park Rapids area sunshine has turned local anglers “lobster red” and the burn has been worth it. Water temperatures are rising by the day making for a progressively more active bite. The area league tournaments are underway and the results are positive. Connor Summers and Mike Johnson were able to capture first place […]

It’s daylight until after 9 o’clock in the evening and watching the sunset over the lakes and pines just might leave you breathless. As the summer solstice nears, there’s plenty of daylight to play at the beach, on the water or in the north woods. At Itasca State Park, you can walk across the headwaters […]

The sun is shining and the fish are active on the Park Rapids area waters. While the birds are using fishing line as nesting material; our local anglers hope to use it to pull in a monster bass for this weekend’s opener. The ten day weather forecast is predicting most days to be in the […]

The frost is still growing on the windshields of Park Rapids area vehicles in the early morning hours but the weatherman is predicting that summer will get a firmer grip in the coming ten day forecast. If the predictions become reality, our area water temperatures will finally warm up and so will the angling action. […]

The 2014 Park Rapids Area Fishing Opener is upon us….at last! The buzz of the line winding station has been heard daily as the fishermen have been preparing for another heavy opener day walleye bite. We had one of the coldest winters on record and the surface water temps reflect that fact by remaining below […]

Mother Nature is slowly setting the stage for summer. The ice is out and the Loons are back! A year ago excitement was spreading about hosting the Governor’s Fishing Opener. It seemed everyone was involved in preparations. Leaders made lemonade out of lemons. When the big day came and most lakes were still frozen, the […]