Must-See Art & Music in Park Rapids Long known for its outdoor recreation and pristine waters, the Heartland Lakes area has a vibrant arts scene that’s been garnering more and more attention in recent years. Here are a few hot spots for residents and visitors alike. The Armory Arts and Events Center The Armory Arts […]
A Birdwatchers Guide to Heartland Lakes If you’re among the one in five Americans who identify as a birdwatcher or want to join the ranks, you will be delighted to see birds you may not expect to find in our parks and forests and along the lakes, rivers and trails in the Heartland Lakes area. […]
Seasons of Natural Beauty Whether you prefer to bask in the sun on a lake shore or slice through new fallen snow, the dramatic progression of the seasons bring a special sense of beauty and wonder to our lakes, rivers, forests, and fields. Phenology, the study of seasonal changes in nature, is a past time […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
