Northern Pike fishing has been good throughout the Park Rapids area. Tip-ups rigged with #2 chartreuse hooks tipped with a fun Dog hot dog—yes I said hot dog (hooked once sideways) suspended about 2-3 ft off the bottom in the 9-12ft depth range. Shiner minnows or Sucker Minnows will also catch the pike. A jigging […]
As the ice thickens from as low as 4” up to 8” on area lakes, hopefully the slush will go away! For now, foot traffic, small ATV’s, and portable shelters will get you to the fish—which are being caught plenty close to shore. Find still healthy weeds in the 6-10ft range and you will find […]
Ice fishing in the Park Rapids area is in full swing—as long as you are walking or using a small ATV. The ice varies in thickness greatly (3”-7”) so you must be cautious. Remember, ice is never 100% safe! Especially now that there is quite a bit of snow on the ice acting as […]
It’s all here: snowmobiling, ice fishing, cross country skiing, cultural experiences, you name it. Connect with nature and your family for a memorable holiday season. A week or a weekend in Park Rapids and Itasca State Park will not disappoint and make memories for years to come. Some snow blankets the ground and […]
Timing is everything One of the biggest mistakes I observe are dozens of ice anglers aiming to catch the sunset bite at the last minute. The “golden hour” of fishing starts well before sunset—up to an hour sometimes depending on cloud cover. One must remember the sun sets under the ice long […]
Attract and catch more pan fish by getting aggressive I like to have a rod rigged up with a medium sized gold or silver jigging spoon like a JBlures Weasel, Kastmaster, or a Northland buckshot spoon. I spend the majority of my day searching for schools of panfish. It starts with marking them through […]
Winter is knocking on our door After a storm ended a spectacular fall leaf show and a late heavy frost killed off the last blooming flowers, the stage is set for snow. It hasn’t arrived yet, but ice is beginning to form around the edges of ponds and lakes and winter is knocking at […]
Fall is finally here, all of the lakes have turned over and the big fish are on the chomp. The fish are staging in first ice areas (which are similar to early summer locations) A live bait rig or jig with a large rainbow chub worked slowly along the remaining weed lines […]
With an unseasonably late first frost, fall colors in the woods and along roads and trails remain vibrant and fall colors have not peaked yet. Gardeners are enjoying the extended season and the fall crop harvest is well underway. When temperatures shift, fog veils the picturesque landscape of stacked bales of hay and wetlands. Some […]
