Get Your Bite On – Minnesota Ice Fishing

To say that the weather this weekend was a little strange is like saying the Pope is a little Catholic. Friday’s warm temperatures would have been odd enough for this time of year but it also rained. It didn’t snow and it wasn’t even sleeting – it was pouring rain. Needless to say snowmobile conditions have deteriorated. That’s the bad news. The more positive news is that snowmobile cancellations have created openings for the end of this month. We now have 4 cabins open for next weekend (February 26th & 27th) so if you have been thinking of a late winter trip north for fishing or relaxing give us a call!

Ice fishing has been good this winter and the milder temperatures have made it more comfortable to spend time outside! Lake conditions after Friday’s rain were slushy but cold weather early this week should firm up the lake surface allowing for 4-wheel drive truck access. Fishermen over this past weekend still managed to catch a mixture of nice sunfish and crappie.

We would love to talk to you about a late winter stay at Wildwood so check out our availability and then contact us. There is still a lot of Minnesota winter left to enjoy so get out in it!
Kim & Jay

 

 

 

 

Bass Lake Ice Fishing Report

Ice fishing reports indicate that the bite is hot on Bass Lake! Action is best in the late afternoon hours with most fish being found in about 17′ of water. Bite seems to be best from around 3:30 until dark. One local angler told us small jigs tipped with Euro Larvae out-produced waxies roughly 4 to 1. Ice depth is about 12″ and we’ve seen lots of full-sized trucks on the lake. Someone must have plowed a road from the public access off of Pincherry Road out to the fishing grounds because we see trucks traveling over there often. We maintain our lake access for ATVs or snowmobiles (not trucks) for Wildwood guests only. We don’t allow access through the resort for the general public.

Itasca County Snowmobile Trail Report

We enjoyed having the Warren Snowcat club at Wildwood over the weekend. We were VERY concerned about trail conditions after it rained last Wednesday night but the Warren club reported great conditions on Friday. Saturday the trails were a little rougher thanks to heavier traffic and warmer temperatures. Temperatures were near 40 yesterday so I’m sure we lost some ground in terms of base on the snowmobile trails. However, temperatures are forecasted to stay below freezing this week and there is snow in the forecast. We are really hopeful that the 2016 snowmobile season is going to be a great one!

We also had some families in last weekend that enjoyed the mild winter temperatures. They fished a little and played a little and were gracious enough to let us post this photo. Rest assured that Mom and Dad were supervising these future Minnesota snowmobilers!

We still have openings for most of the prime winter weekends. Check our availability and call 1-218-328-5858 or email us for more information!

Have a great week!
Kim & Jay

Grand Rapids, MN Snowmobile Trails

We finally got a chance to get our sleds out on the trails yesterday. Our time was limited so we only traveled about 50 miles. We were pleasantly surprised at how good the trails were. There were stretches that were awesome and others where the need for more snow was obvious but overall we had a great day. It felt so good to be out on the trails on a beautiful January day! We took the Bushwacker Trail to the Taconite then took the Clearwater and to the Suomi Trail. We are all about what’s for lunch so we planned to hit one of our favorites, Cedar Creek Grille, which is on the Suomi Trail. (They are open for lunch on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays during this time of year) The Bushwacker which runs just to the south of Bass Lake was okay. It has been groomed and cleaned up but we certainly need more snow to improve conditions. Parts of the Taconite were excellent and then other parts where the snow was a little thinner weren’t as good. Both the Clearwater and the Suomi were rough but had been groomed.  Lunch at Cedar Creek was awesome as usual!

It felt incredible to be able to get out on the trails again.  We only got to ride one time last year so we have high hopes for the 2016 Minnesota snowmobiling season.  We plan to head out again tomorrow with friends so we’ll let you know what we find! Winter is here to stay so we might as well get the chance to enjoy it.

See you on the trails!
Kim & Jay

 

 

Snowmobilers, Start Your Engines!

We have snow!  Our fervent Christmas wish this year was for cold weather followed by snow. Santa FINALLY came through (I guess our gift was back-ordered?!) with “normal” January temperatures early in the month. Cold temps helped firm up the ice on our end of Bass Lake and helped solidify the swamps enabling the snowmobile clubs to get out and groom. With the latest snowfall current trail conditions range from “fair” to “good” depending on what area you check. Ice depth is good on our end of Bass Lake so it’s easy to access the snowmobile trail from the resort. But ice depth on area lakes varies and not all swamps are being reported as frozen solid so “ride smart” in those areas. We plan to ride tomorrow to check conditions first hand.  It’s a tough job but someone has to do it! 😉 We still have plenty of openings (including a 4 bdrm opening the last weekend of this month) during prime Minnesota snowmobile season so give us a call and make plans to head north!

Ice fishing has been good as well. Fishing last weekend slowed a bit thanks to the arctic weather but guests still caught sunnies and crappie. (remember the special limit of 5 per person on Bass Lake bluegill!) Ice depth on the south end is approaching 12 inches and there have a been a few brave souls who have traveled out by truck. We haven’t verified for ourselves that there is that much ice so we still advise staying on the safe side and traveling out via snowmobile, ATV or side-by-side. Again, ice depth varies widely on area lakes including the north end of Bass Lake so exercise caution when venturing out to your fishing hole!

Cross-country ski trails in the area are in beautiful shape! X-skiers who stayed last weekend raved about the beauty of the trails and the excellent ski conditions.  You can find up-to-date trail conditions as well as maps of area trails the Northern Lights Nordic Ski Club website.

Winter is here – might as well get out and enjoy it!
Kim & Jay

Can’t Snowmobile? Might as Well Ice Fish!

Mother Nature and Old Man Winter have conspired so far to keep snowmobilers waiting on the white stuff. Snowmobile trails in Itasca County aren’t open yet due to lack of snowfall but, honestly, we don’t think that’s such a bad thing right now. With the “warm” winter we’ve had so far there isn’t much ice on some area lakes and the swamps are still too soft for the groomers. What we REALLY need are some good, old-fashioned, Minnesota winter temperatures so we can make ice and freeze swampy areas and then we’ll be ready for all the snow we can handle. We haven’t given up hope that we’ll get a good snowmobile season this winter so let’s all think cold, white thoughts through mid-March!

On the positive side there is enough ice for anglers to get out on Bass Lake and fish! Our New Year’s guests enjoyed some really good ice fishing for bluegill and crappie. Jay and a friend even ventured out on Sunday and caught their limit of bluegill in just a couple of hours. There is 6-7 inches of ice topped with a couple inches of snow. Our guests had no trouble making it out to the fishing grounds by 4-wheeler or snowmobile. There isn’t enough ice for truck traffic or even a Ranger in our opinion. We are hoping that the forecast for next week holds true and we get more seasonal temperatures.

The other positive is that there is plenty of snow for the x-skiers! The trails in Itasca County are groomed and ready to welcome x-skiers of all skill levels. There are even lit trails for skiing at night – how cool is that?! Itasca Trail Sports in Grand Rapids, MN rents x-skis and we’ve had many guests rent their equipment. Click here for more information on x-skiing in our area.

Overall life is good at Wildwood! Won’t you come and experience it for yourself? Give us a call or email us today to start talking about a mid-winter stay with us!

Think Snow!
Kim & Jay

P.S. We are still offering our “Stay 2 Get a 3rd Night FREE!” winter promotion in conjunction with our $39/night/person winter rate. You can’t go wrong!

It’s Time to Plan a Winter Get-Away Up North!

Here we are again at the end of another year. It’s hard to believe especially since its mid-December and we are still seeing temps in the 40s during the day. Bass Lake is iced over but we need daytime high temperatures to stay below freezing before we start making any real ice. The nice fall enabled Jay and I to get Wildwood buttoned up for winter without freezing to death while doing it. We even got some work done on the septic system in the hopes of keeping it from

freezing up like it did last winter. The rain was plentiful through November so with a normal snowfall (hopefully!) the lake level should be good next spring. There’s lots of talk about a warm winter but even if it’s warmer than normal we could get the snow we need. That’s my Christmas wish – just in case you wanted to get us a gift. Let It Snow!!!

Even without snow Wildwood is a great place to spend a winter weekend. Our area has many groomed x-ski trails – some are lighted – catering to both the novice and the expert. Itasca County has more than 1,000 miles of groomed snowmobile trails and our guests have direct access to them from the resort. Bass Lake is a great fishery and our guests have easy access to 2,400 acres of hard water to fish or spear. Best of all we offer beautiful, new cabins with gorgeous lake views so you don’t even have to go outside. It’s perfectly acceptable to just relax and recharge in front of the fire with family and friends!

Check our availability and then call or email today to make plans for your Minnesota winter getaway!
Kim & Jay

Grab Your Girls and Have Some Fun at Wildwood Resort!

I know that Minnesota Deer Opener is just as important to women who hunt as it is to men. And I know there are many men who don’t go deer hunting at all. I’m not trying to start a discussion about societal stereotypes of men and women. (I’ll save that for the dinner table because Jay LOVES IT when get on my soap box!) Nope. Instead I’d like to make a suggestion to all those women who could hunt (if they wanted) but instead choose to hang out on Minnesota Deer Opener weekend (November 6-8, 2015) with their moms, sisters, daughters and besties going to craft sales. Let’s call it the “Minnesota Deer Opener Weekend at Wildwood Resort for Women Who Could Hunt But Choose Not To.”

Obviously such a weekend would take place at Wildwood Resort! Our cabins are an ideal destination for groups of fun women to gather together and enjoy girl stuff instead of roughing it at deer camp. It just so happens that Minnesota Deer Opener occurs right after our winter rates kick in.  That is VERY good news for the non-hunting girl because our winter rate is just $39/night/person and we offer a FREE NIGHT with a minimum two-night stay! That means you can stay three nights and only pay for two freeing up precious $$ to spend on massage, pedicures or handmade goods at the craft sales! There are some small print disclaimers that go along with our winter rate like minimum 2-night stay and minimum occupancy but the lodging rate is still a great deal!

My suggestion would be to arrive on Thursday afternoon or evening (since the 3rd night is FREE why not?!) so that on Friday you have time for massages at the cabin or pedicures in town before the big craft sale weekend. OR you could bring up your scrapbooking stuff and finish that project you’ve had trouble getting done. Friday night you could have dinner out at one of many great restaurants in our area or you could take advantage of our fully furnished kitchens and cook for yourselves. You could then enjoy a relaxing evening watching movies in front of the fire or plotting your plan of attack for the Saturday craft sales.

Saturday you wake up whenever you feel like it and then drink coffee until it’s time to shower. You could then head into Grand Rapids and browse about a million handmade items at the many craft sales and church bazaars that are held that weekend. In the afternoon you return to your cabin for a nap or a little downtime so that you have energy for Saturday night!

After another wonderful dinner at a Grand Rapids restaurant you can head to The Reif Center to see comedian Sonya White. You don’t even have trouble yourself with purchasing tickets in advance. We contact The Reif on your behalf and the tickets are waiting for you before the show. Did you know that because we partner with The Reif Center that Wildwood guests receive the lowest ticket price offered on events at The Reif? It’s true! Ask us for details when you book your stay.

Sunday morning dawns as you drink coffee looking out over Bass Lake. After a late check-out you head for home relaxed and renewed from a weekend spent with your favorite women! What could be better? We are happy to make suggestions about services or activities you’d like during your stay.  Give us a call at 218-328-5858 or email us today!

Happy Hunting!
Kim & Jay

Fall Colors and a FREE NIGHT!

I don’t know if you’ve noticed or not but it’s fall. It kinda snuck up on us this year. We were doing our normal summer resort vacation stuff and all of the sudden – BAM! – it’s fall. Today the kids are at school, the house is quiet and outside it feels very autumn-y. Jay is happy because it’s cool enough for him to put on a sweatshirt. He didn’t break a sweat as he did his chores today and the resort is empty enough that he could let our new puppy, Kami, run around with him. I, however, am a little sad. I’m not the greatest admirer of fall because it marks the end of summer and the school starts bossing us around again. No more free-wheeling summer days. Nope! Now we have bedtime, alarm clocks, bus schedules and homework.  Blah! 🙁

In an effort to rehabilitate my attitude toward fall I’m going to make a list of things for which I’m grateful. I’m going for a new Gratitude today! (Grateful + Attitude = Gratitude)

1) Fall colors are amazing! There is no denying that the way the leaves change color is nothing short of miraculous!

2) The kids are back in school. I’m not one of those moms who REALLY wants the kids to go back to school. However, there is something to be said for a quiet house. (And the ability to eat cake for breakfast after the kids get on the bus!)

3) Number 2 above means that I can actually get some office work done….like updating this blog. 🙂

4)  The shift from “Minnesota summer vacation” mode to “fall getaway” mode means that the resort is quiet even when full of people. Our fall color watchers are here to relax and maybe do some fall fishing on Bass Lake so the activity level is low but the peace-and-quiet quotient is high!

5)  This is the most important one of all:  We love our life here at Wildwood no matter what the season! We are lucky to spend our lives doing something we truly enjoy. Each of our guests is a blessing to us and for that I’m truly grateful!

Phew! It worked. My Gratitude has been adjusted.  Did my list work for you, too?  If not, then why don’t you plan a stay at Wildwood this fall?! We are offering a FREE NIGHT in September and October when you book a three-night stay. That means you could spend four nights enjoying fall colors and some R&R but only pay for three! Check out our availability and then call or email us for more information.  We’d love to see you!

Happy First Day of School!
Kim & Jay

Great Savings on End-Of-Summer Family Vacation!

It’s that time of year again when all the big retailers are starting to push back-to-school sales. I hate the reminder that pretty soon our schedule will be dictated by what time the school bus arrives and how much homework there is to get done in the evening. We will even have to start setting an alarm again.  The horror!

The good news (at least for most Minnesota kids) is that we still have 30 days before we are required to think about anything academic. In fact, here at Wildwood we still have late summer family vacation weeks to talk about! And not only do we have weeks open – we are offering them at off-season rates.  That could mean a savings of up to $1200! August 8th week we have a 4 bedroom cabin (Red Pine Lodge) open and for the week of August 15th we have a 2, 3 or 4 bedroom cabin available. (Cedar Lodge, White Oak Lodge or Red Pine Lodge) Check out our availability online and feel free to contact us if you have any questions.

So far the summer of 2015 has been a beautiful one! We’ve had warm temperatures, wonderful guests and great fishing. I could tell you all about it but I think I’ll show you instead. Enjoy these snapshots of what summer and family vacation means at Wildwood Resort!

Kim & Jay

 

 

Make “Forever” Memories on Your Family Vacation

As I’ve reached my mid-40s I realize more everyday that I’m living the middle age cliché. My youngest is mortified by my car dancing while listening to 80s music with the windows down. I am constantly surprised by the person who looks back at me from the mirror. (Who IS that forty-ish woman and why did she tan with baby oil as a teen?!) And my memory is truly terrible – I’d give you an example of just how terrible if I could remember one. But with those tongue-in-cheek horrors comes lots of lovely blessings as well. I get unholy joy out of embarrassing our 10 year old by rolling down all the windows and cranking my “oldies.” I’m more comfortable in my saggier and wrinklier skin than I was 20 years ago and 20 pounds lighter.  And what I’ve lost in terms of memory I’ve gained in appreciation of the sweet moments in the present.

Our life at Wildwood feeds that appreciation. Year round I get to spend nearly every day with my husband. In the summer I get to spend nearly every day with our kids and our parents as well. And I also spend every day of the summer watching people make life-long memories on their family vacation. Last week I watched a young boy learning to clean a fish with his dad standing just over his shoulder. I had to take a picture of his laser-like concentration. It was one of the sweet moments.

Last week I also sat on a pontoon with my dear cousin and our kids on the lookout for the Northern Lights. We watched the night sky as we made up a story with each of us adding a few lines at a time. I can’t remember the whole story but it revolved around  a dog who ate cake and included lots of bathroom humor. Although I was the kill-joy who added “The End” after about 3 rounds (some things – like my tolerance –  don’t improve with age!) it was still one of the sweet moments.

So what’s my point? It’s the same one I make every year in a July blog: take time with your family or friends and make some memories that last. Find a place to go where you can appreciate the sweet moments in the present. We would love to see you here at Wildwood but, honestly, the time and the place aren’t important. It’s really the “doing” that counts so get out there this summer and soak up the present with the people who matter.

See ya on the lake!
Kim & Jay

P.S. I have some more sweet moments to share: