With our western-facing shoreline we are regularly treated to amazing sunsets!
Jay and I are a little sick of winter. So let’s talk about summer vacation in Minnesota instead! I’m thinking about MN family vacation with sandy beaches, walleye fishing, relaxation and Minnesota GOLF! We are pleased to partner with two local golf courses offering golf discounts to all of our guests this summer!
Pokegama Golf Course and Eagle Ridge Golf Course have extended an offer to our guests for significantly reduced green fee/golf cart rates. This season all of our guests can take advantage of a $35.00 rate that applies to all rounds at either golf course regardless of the day of the week played. That is a savings of up to $20+ per round! (We do love discounts!!) Simply decide what day and what course you want to play, verify availability for tee times and we’ll give you a voucher to be presented when you check in at the course. Your charges will be added to your Wildwood invoice. It’s so simple! Give us a call or email us if you have questions.
Eagle Ridge Golf Course in Coleraine, MN is a short 15 minutes from Wildwood. Eagle Ridge golf course is cut out of Minnesota’s northwoods overlooking scenic Trout Lake. Open for play in 1996, this 18-hole par 72 championship course laout was designed by Garrett Gill of Williams, Gill & Associates. Eagle Ridge offers an enjoyable round of golf for all players while challenging the serious golfer with many great holes. Breathtaking views, wide fairways and large greens enhance the course which is beautifully tree-lined and sits 100 feet above Trout Lake. There are lake views from several holes that will make you want to play again and again! When you are done playing sit on the large deck overlooking Trout Lake and have a nice lunch or enjoy a beverage. Also enjoy their practice range, pro shop, and clubhouse with full bar and restaurant. Call 1-888-307-3245 or 218-245-2217 for tee-times or information.
Pokegama Golf Course in Grand Rapids, MN is also a quick 15 minute trip from Wildwood. Pokegama Golf Course of Grand Rapids is a Northland favorite. Guests enjoy their 18 hole layout on the shores of beautiful Pokegama Lake. Men’s, Women’s, Senior’s and Junior golf associations as well as the Minnesota PGA have chosen Pokegama as a host site for many local, regional, and state golf events. Golfers of all abilities enjoy the well-manicured course which is user-friendly to men, women, boys, and girls of all ages. The very walkable layout can also be enjoyed in a quiet electric power cart with GPS yardage. After play the Pokegama Grill features favorite food and beverages. Enjoy the spectacular lake and golf course views from the front veranda. Contact Pokegama Golf Course via email:golf@pokegamagolf.com; phone: 218-326-3444; web: www.PokegamaGolf.com or Facebook: www.facebook.com/PokegamaGolf.
Minnesota family vacation at Wildwood means cute kids having fun together!
Minnesota Fishing Opener is a short 12 weeks away so summer willreturn to Minnesota. The sun is getting stronger every day so just keep believing! 🙂
Kim & Jay
Fresh snow has made the landscape beautiful and the groomed snowmobile trails and x-ski trails excellent!
I think all of us can agree that winter has been pretty long so far. And the fact that it is only mid-February might make some folks head for the nearest airport to escape the cold. However, Mother Nature has finally given us a break this week with perfect snowmobile and x-ski trail conditions, fresh snow for grooming and “warm” temperatures to enjoy it!
Guests staying at Wildwood over the last few weeks are reporting near-perfect snowmobile trail conditions with all local trails being groomed regularly. It has been a busy winter for us and that hasn’t left a lot of time for riding our own snowmobiles. But on Friday night we finally got out on the trails ourselves and although it was not a long ride it was an amazing one! We picked the kids up from school and headed up to Marcell with plans to ride with friends. We hit the trails around 4:30 with clear skies and sunshine. We rode west on the Bowstring trail into the setting sun and as it dipped below the horizon it turned the sky pink and purple. Trail conditions were really good and were made better when we met the groomer out on the trail! The temperature dropped pretty quickly after the sun went down so we didn’t ride too long before we decided to turn around and head back the way we came. We had the kids along and wanted to eat steak at the Timberwolf Inn so the increasing cold and hunger pangs drove us back toward Marcell. Shortly after heading east again I was catching light out of the corner of my eye. I kept thinking I was seeing headlights of oncoming sleds. However, it didn’t take long to realize that the light was coming from the rising moon. It looked like it was playing peek-a-boo through the trees. With the clear sky the light from the full, yellow moon was amazing. It was so beautiful that it was hard to concentrate on the trail! With warmer temperatures forecasted for the coming week we look forward to getting more time on the snowmobiles. We hope you do, too!
Ice fishing on Bass Lake has been a little slow this winter. We can only guess that the crazy, cold temperatures impacted the fish as much as the rest of us! We had ice fishermen in over President’s Day weekend who reported the the fishing wasn’t red-hot but they caught enough sunfish throught he ice to limit out. While we only maintain our access for ATV and snowomobile traffic the ice conditions are great for travel by truck as well. Last we knew there were no plowed roads on the south end of Bass Lake.
Finally all the windows and the front door are in!
Our project is going well and it has been fun to start thinking of the winter of 2015 when we will have nine cabins open for winter business. Of course, we have to get them built first so that’s still our main focus right now. Our contractors and Jay have been making great progress and all four cabins are coming along nicely. We ordered kitchen cabinets last week and have finalized our flooring decisions. Those feel like two big milestones right now. After this week we will be ready for the painting contractor to come in and seal up the walls, windows, doors and trim. Although we are trying not to get our hopes up it’s hard not to imagine getting Aspen Lodge, Oak Lodge and Cedar Lodge done before May so we can concentrate on getting the rest of the resort ready for summer! I included some updated photos in this blog but you can also check out our Facebook page for the latest photos on our new cabins.
Here is a little Minnesota “summer vacation” to get you through another winter day!
While our time and energy is focused now on winter business and building new cabins it’s always nice to hear from people who have started to think about taking a Minnesota family vacation to Wildwood this year. I appreciate talking about walleye fishing (on open water) and discussing the merits of renting a pontoon for large family reunion groups. As I answer “Mom” questions about our safe, sandy beach and our supervised kid’s activities it makes me anticipate warm, summer days on the lake and the sun on my face. It’s certainly been a long winter but let’s all remember that it won’t last forever and summer WILL return. In 12 short weeks it will be Minnesota Fishing Opener followed immediately by the kick-off of the summer vacation season. As hard as it is to believe we will be digging out our summer clothes soon so just tuck those warm thoughts under your stocking cap as you enjoy the last month of winter!
Cheers!
Kim & Jay
This is the view of the beach from the upstairs bedroom in White Oak LodgeWe installed a sound-deadening insulation on both sides of the adjoining wall in the duplex.This is the lake view from the upstairs of White Oak LodgeThere will be a nice closet for storage and an extra fridge under the stairs in the entry of Red and White Oak Lodges.The addition of the above the door really finish the look of Aspen Lodge.The windows and door let a ton of natural light into Cedar LodgeFinally all the windows and the front door are in Cedar Lodge!
Minnesota fall color tours are in full swing in our area!
The Minnesota fall color season is upon us and while it isn’t as spectacular as some other years it’s pretty darn beautiful! We were very dry coming into the fall so lots of the trees have dropped their leaves already. However, there is still plenty of beautiful fall scenery to take in. The DNR estimates that we are at 50-75% in our area while northern Itasca County is at 75-100%. A drive up the Highway 38 Scenic Byway or Scenic 7 will take you through some breathtaking fall color tours!
We’ve had some fall fishermen in over the last few weeks. We’ve seen a lot of bass and had reports of nice sunfish. I’m thinking that Jay and I aren’t going to get to fish at all this fall so I guess I’ll just have to tell you about all the fish that OTHER PEOPLE are catching. 😉
Cabin 4 looks strange without a deck! The good news is that the deck was removed and lives on at the resort of some good friends. Recycle and reuse!
Our project is progressing well but we really are going to need a late freeze this year. This coming week the cabins will be demo’d and the site prepared for our concrete contractor to come and set his forms. If all goes as we hope we will be ready to pour concrete for Aspen and Oak Lodges by the end of the month.
Jay started removing the floor from Cabin 1 this week preparing for the structural work that needs to be done.
The transformation of Cabin 1 into Cedar Lodge is also going well. We have gutted the inside of the cabin and will pull up the flooring this week. In the next few weeks Jay will be working on finishing demolition, leveling the building and working on the roof structure. It already looks like a completely different cabin!
This young maple in front of Basswood Lodge looks like it was dipped in ink. Love the fall color variations in its leaves!
Just a quick update this week…thanks for taking the time to catch up on the happenings at Wildwood Resort!
Kim & Jay
Decking material is green-treated so it cannot go to the dump with the rest of the cabin “demo” material. The decks from Cabin 3 and Cabin 4 were moved to our friends’ resort and will live on to enhance the MN vacation experience of more visitors for years to come!Until it was taken down last week I didn’t realize how big the oak tree was that stood next to Cabin 3. Its stump measures more than 4 feet across!
For the last week or so we’ve been overwhelmed with running the resort and planning for our big project. As we prepared over last weekend for our the final week of a “full” resort we were feeling tired and wishing we could just close up shop and get on with construction. The group we were preparing for are members of the Wolfhounds – men who served in the 2/27 Wolfhounds C Company 2nd platoon. They are Vietnam veterans who come together every other year in our area for a week of Minnesota fishing, fellowship, a lot of laughs and a ton of tears. They spent several days this last week at Wildwood and I can’t tell you what a loss that would have been for us to not have had the chance to welcome them…they are amazing men full of courage and our acquaintence with them is a gift.
Yesterday Jay and I sat with this group of gentlemen as they took several hours to discuss the history of their reunions with our local newspaper. We were struck by the great tragedy that the Vietnam war was for the men and women who served. The atrocities they saw and the ones they perpetrated during an act of war have scarred them. They all described coming home not as heros but as enemies of America. They were spit on in the airports on their travels home and treated as pariah on the airplanes. One described being in a fire-fight in the jungle one day and then just 48 hours later he found himself home in the states at a family party in his honor. There was no debriefing and no one to understand the horrors in his head. They had spent a year or more in the jungle fighting as ordered by the American military with no idea that sentiment toward them at home had changed for the worse. They were ill-prepared for re-entry into “normal” life and learned quickly that their service was to be hidden – a disgraceful part of their lives never to be discussed. So they lived with the images of the dead and the dying their heads for decades. Many have had multiple marriages and struggles with addiction. Most say that their wives and children had no idea what they had been through and sometimes not even that they had served at all. But for these Wolfhounds that changed when one member of this group began to seek them out. What began as a mission by one man to find the men with whom he fought has grown into source of healing for them all. Since 2004 they have reunited regularly and to a man they discuss the healing power present in the acknowledgement of demons long buried and in the bond of their brotherhood.
They told us they aren’t heros – that their only goal was to save the man to their left and to their right. But we know differently. These men (and all who have served in our military) are heros in every sense of the word and I won’t forget that fact as long as I live.
Since a picture speaks 1,000 words I’m going to let these photos tell the story of the last week or so at Wildwood. (Hint: there was a lot of fishing, family time and fun at the lake!) We also have had some fabulous FOOD so I included a recipe, too. Enjoy!
Tubing on Bass Lake – the best way to spend a perfect summer day!He is smiling for good reason…his 15oz. bluegill tops our Fishing Contest entries so far this year!Just like most of our guests, we’ve enjoyed lots of family time this July!Nice 4lb 4oz walleyeComing in for the night…
A neighbor on the lake shared her very fabulous rhubarb recipe with us. I’ve lost track of how many times we’ve made it in our house this summer!
Rhubarb Meringue Dessert
2 Cups all-purpose flour
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 Cup cold butter or margarine
Filling:
2 Cups sugar
1/3 Cup all-purpose flour
1 Teaspoon salt
6 egg yolks, beaten
1 Cup Whipping Cream
5 Cups sliced, fresh or frozen(thawed) rhubarb
Meringue:
6 egg whites
1/2 Teaspoon Cream of Tartar
3/4 Cup sugar
1 Teaspoon vanilla extract
In a bowl, combine the flour and suar; cut in butter until crumbly. Press into a greased 13×9 in. baking dish. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Cool on a wire rack while preparing filling. In a bowl, combine the sugar, flour and salt. Stir in egg yolks and cream. Add rhubar. Pour over crust. Bake at 350 for 50-60 minutes or until set.
In a mixing bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in sugar, a tablespoon at a time until stiff peaks form. Beat in vanilla. Spread over hot filling. Bake 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours before serving. Refrigrate leftovers. Yield: 12-15 servings.
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There are lots of fun events going on in and around Grand Rapids this coming weekend! Check out the Visit Grand Rapids Events Calendar for a listing.
We love sitting down to a meal with everyone on potluck night!
We love summer! It’s so much fun to see our guests enjoy themselves on their summer vacation. We’ve all been enjoying beautiful days by the lake and gorgeous sunsets over the campfire. Potlucks on Monday nights bring everyone together and our children’s activities program entertain the kids twice weekly. It’s hard to believe that we are already at the half-way mark of our summer! But don’t worry…we’ve got lots of sunsets and sunny days to go before it’s back-to-school time.
3lb 3oz & 3lb 12oz largemouth bass RELEASED on 7-6-13
This was the amazing sunset after the July 2nd storm last year. Hope amid chaos!
This summer is our 15th year as owners of Wildwood Resort. It’s hard to believe that much time has passed since our first nerve-racking, name-memorizing summer of 1999! We knew that we would love our life here but had no idea that our amazing guests would be the greatest blessing of resort ownership. A year ago this week was the “Great Storm of 2012.” (You know it was a doozy if it gets it’s own name!) We are fortunate to be hosting all the same families that rode out that week with us last year. In the days that followed the storm we received a huge outpouring of support from our guests as well as our friends and family. The experience only proved that we are the luckiest two people on the planet to live out our days at Wildwood!
In this photo 25-year-Wildwood-veteran, Dale, demonstrates the appropriate pre-potluck behavior: claim a seat because introductions take some time and rest before inhalation of A LOT of excellent potluck food!
As I was pondering the amazing people we’ve come to know at the resort it occurred to me that we have learned many important life lessons from the veteran guests at Wildwood. Some lessons are simple and some are thought-provoking but probably the easiest lesson is about the vacation itself. These people are so good at vacationing in Minnesota that I think they qualify as professionals! They could do seminars on How to Enjoy a Minnesota Vacation! So in honor of the countless practitioners of quality Minnesota vacations I thought I’d share their secrets with you. Most who read this blog are already pros at the Wildwood vacation experience but you never know when you might pick up a thing or two from other savvy recreationists.
Immediately upon arrival allow the children to exit the vehicle and run like crazy people to the playground. After a few (or many!) travel hours anticipating “going to the cabin” it’s best to let them run free. Don’t even try to make them help you unload the car. The moments of peace you experience while unpacking in your cabin are often the first of the day. So while the kids rush to experience every single thing there is to do at the resort in the first 30 minutes just take a breath because you made it. You’re on vacation!
A lack of plug awareness led to this Bass Lake neighbor using his boat upside-down a few years ago!
If you bring your own boat you’ll want to check a couple of things prior to backing down our boat launch. Firstly, it’s best to use your boat with the plug in the in position. Lack of “plugness” has resulted in many unpleasantly frantic moments for guests as they hurry to get the boat back on the trailer before it fills with water. Also remember to remove the strap on the back of the trailer that holds the boat during transport. Removal of the strap facilitates removal of the boat from the boat trailer. Secondly, don’t be afraid to let Jay back your boat down the launch. For many boat owners backing up with the boat trailer behind the vehicle is tricky. It’s just not something most do often! To avoid the unfortunate and ill-advised “jack-knife” trailer position – just ask Jay to help. If you aren’t a regular boat-backer-upper then just swallow your pride and take his advice and you’ll be out on the water with the wind in your hair (or hat) before you know it!
The fruits of early morning fishing can be great as evidenced by this 4lb walleye!
Mornings on vacation are magic. Vacation mornings are not like work-day mornings in one very important way: you don’t have to go to work! Instead you should sleep until you wake (no pesky alarms), drink vast amounts of coffee on the deck in your pajamas and fry bacon with the windows open so the resort owners can enjoy your breakfast too. Consider applying sunscreen prior to putting on the most comfortable clothes you own. This is a must for the small ones who will spend the entire day fishing from the dock, swimming, catching minnows, riding bikes and digging holes on the beach. The only variation we see in this morning pattern relates to fishing. Early morning fishing is the only acceptable reason to set an alarm. In fact, early morning fishing is a GREAT reason to set an alarm. That way you can drink vast amounts of coffee on the boat (in your pajamas if you choose) while watching the sun peek up over the trees. The bacon thing still fits in just fine after a morning of fishing.
Northern Minnesota version of a hot tub!
During the warmest part of the day there are a few options open depending on your state of mind and idea of fun. My personal favorite is the option where you spend the entire day on the lake tubing or skiing behind your boat or just bobbing on a pontoon while you eat junk food. That version usually involves anchoring in a good swimming spot and jumping in for a refreshing swim.
Tubing on Bass Lake is so fun!
The non-boat version of that is just a fun, though. All you need to do is perfectly position your beach chair (in or out of the sun), slather on the sunscreen and then prepare to do absolutely nothing until something better comes along. Most people read or play with the kids until it’s time to take a little swim in the lake. Inflatable rafts are highly recommended for the perfect combination of hot-sun-cool-water relaxation. Notice that sun, fun, water and junk food are the universal elements here.
Napping isn’t the only way to relax in a beach chair. Reading is perfectly acceptable!
Behaviors of the most experienced MN vacation -ers would indicate that a mid-day nap is often advised. There is something about a good night’s sleep that requires a nap during the day. It’s an inexplicable element of vacations. Rest and relaxation are exhausting – let’s face it. So to keep up your stamina while on your family vacation we suggest a little shut-eye during the day. You can grab some Z’s on the boat, on the beach or in the shade of a well-placed tree. It can be done in a hammock if you have one or on the couch in your comfortable cabin. Naps for children are often a must but during vacation the adults can lay down with their kids or grandkids and snooze guilt-free. No lawns to mow or emails to return so go ahead…just close your eyes and zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.
The campfire is a staple of the perfect Minnesota vacation
Meals should be kept simple. Paper plate meals are perfectly acceptable and even encouraged. Make use of the grill provided and share the meal prep among vacationers so no one gets crabby. Clean-up should never be done by the cook and all meals should be followed by something sweet. As dusk approaches consider lighting a campfire and eating copious amounts of chocolate on graham crackers accompanied by tiny amounts of marshmallow. (That’s how I do it!) Allow the kids to stuff as many marshmallows in their mouths as they want. Come on, it’s vacation! If you can find the coconut covered marshmallows they make an unbelievable s’more. As do fudge-striped cookies instead of graham crackers. It’s fine to skip bath time for the kids or a shower before bed. Marshmallow will wash out of the hair tomorrow while swimming in the lake and it’s wonderful to go to bed smelling of campfire….at least I think so.
Fishing at sunset
If you are of a mind to take a break in between supper and the campfire then a seasoned Wildwood guests would advise a little fishing as the sun sets. Jay and I often tell people that our lake is a dawn-and-dusk lake during the summer. So pack the bug spray and the tackle box and head out to look for some panfish or walleye. Keep your eye on the sun so you don’t miss the absolutely breathtaking sunsets we experience here on Bass Lake. There is nothing like casting into still, sunset-colored water at the end of a beautiful day to set your world right. It restores the soul – I’m serious!
Finally, we all know that no matter how wonderful vacation can be sometimes you might need a break from all the relatives. Or maybe a break from the summer sun. Or maybe you just need a little retail therapy. No matter the reason – our long-time guests recognize the value of taking some time away from the resort. Many bring golf clubs and spend a day at a local golf course. Rainy days are a great time to take in a matinee in town or to visit the Children’s Discovery Museum. And if laying around on vacation isn’t your idea of a fun time then you can find something to do every day you are here by taking in both natural and man-made area attractions. There are many historical and natural points of interest in and around Itasca County so feel free to spend your days exploring!
One of the many wonderful families who have enjoyed a Minnesota vacation at Wildwood. Family photos by the lake are a must!
I think the main element of a successful Minnesota vacation is to just take one! Life is busy and goes by quickly so probably the most important thing we have learned from our amazing guests is to just plan it. Make it a priority to start a tradition with your family or your friends (or both!) that involves unplugging from real life for awhile and recharging your batteries. Connect with the people in your life who make you happy and take time to absorb the beauty of God’s creation.
The beach: all dressed up and ready for guests to arrive!
We are so thankful that our summer season has finally arrived! The cabins are open, the sun is shining and the temperatures are warming so it really seems like we are ready for the Minnesota vacation season to begin. We have guests in and they are catching fish and relaxing on our beach. It’s nice to hear kids laughing on the playground and smell breakfast cooking outside in the morning. We have two potlucks under our belt and our kids’ activities program starts up again this week. Minnesota Summer Vacation has returned to Wildwood and life is good!
This 6lb smallmouth bass was caught and released on May 31, 2014!
Fishing on Bass Lake has been tricky with the late ice out. Lake temperatures and feeding patterns have followed along at the same rate as the ice out. Lake temperature now is hovering in the mid to upper 60s and the bite has finally turned on. We haven’t seen a lot of bluegill yet but we’ve seen nice walleye, big crappie, largemouth bass and lots of northern. We even saw a 6lb smallmouth caught and released!
A quick check of the Visit Grand Rapids area calendar shows lots of upcoming events to enjoy during your resort vacation in our area. Grand Rapids and the Itasca County area offer amazing opportunities for the arts, shopping, dining and relaxing! We are particularly happy about the great educational programs offered this summer at the Forest History Center and the Edge of the Wilderness Discovery Center. Feel free to check with us during your stay to find out more about things to do in our area.
McKayla is back again this year providing the kids with fun crafts and games during our twice weekly kid’s activities!
We still have a couple of July openings so if you haven’t planned your Minnesota family vacation yet please check out our availability calendar.
Have a great week!
Kim & Jay
Fish for supper!
Introductions during our weekly potluck14 oz sunfishGuess who caught the first walleye in the family!? This 4lb 4oz walleye was caught on 6/15/131lb 3oz black crappie
Life at a Minnesota resort: Earlier this week I thought I heard the sound of a lawnmower. I looked outside and saw Jay using the snow blower to move piles of snow out of his way. Half the yard needed a rake and the other half needed the snow blower. What a crazy spring!
During most of our years at Wildwood Jay has already gotten one or two sunburns by May 1st. He’s usually been outside 15 hours per day trying to get everything done at once. This year the poor man is trying not to lose his mind as he waits for the chance to start doing everything at once. He’s been accomplishing important business-y stuff that usually gets forgotten this time of year but that is of little consolation. As I write this post we still have snow piles around the resort and reports of 20+ inches of ice on the lake. The ice is pulling away from the shoreline but according to neighbors who’ve been out ice fishing (in May!!) there’s still lots of ice. Temps are forecasted to be in the 70s after the weekend so we’ll see if that’s enough spring to get the ice off the lake. If not, this will be the first Opener in our time at Wildwood that we didn’t have ice-out before Opening Day.
Here is my annual spring cleaning photo. I’m always amazed at the mess we have to make in order to clean up!
With the ground frozen and snow piled up around the cabins we haven’t been able to do much of our spring preparations. I’ve been spring cleaning the year round cabins but our seasonal cabins are sitting waiting for the ground to thaw enough to turn the water on. Our docks aren’t going anywhere either. I suggested to Jay that he push the docks out on the ice and then just leave them wherever they sank this year. He wasn’t too keen on that idea. 😉 Spring is always a tricky time for us with a small window of opportunity to get LOTS of work done. This year we’ll have even less time to get ready than normal. I’m sure the cabins will be ready and the docks will (mostly) be in but I have a feeling we’ll still be raking up the yard in June!
Instead of “Where’s Waldo?” let’s play “Where’s the fox family?” Can you see mama fox and one of her babies peeking out of their den?
While we’ve been lamenting the lack of warm weather I have to say that spring has been sneaking up on us. It’s evident in the nest of our next-door neighbors, the eagles, who have a baby to feed and it’s evident in the den of a fox family living just off of our driveway. The young kits like to roll down the hill below their den just like our kids do on the hill in front of Riverbirch Lodge. Some of the hosta around the resort are poking their heads above ground even though the snow hasn’t melted all around them and I heard some Loon calling earlier this week. It’s even raining this morning – not snow but real live, liquid rain that doesn’t pile up and require shoveling. Wow!
That’s my pep talk for the week. Let’s all keep our heads up and looking for signs of spring. In a few short weeks we’ll all be in our summer clothes slathering on sunscreen!
Kim & Jay
P.S. Another sign of spring – there are lots of great things going on in the Grand Rapids, MN area! The calendar of events on the Visit Grand Rapids website is already full of events, performances and festivals. It’s a great place to check out all there is to see and do during your vacation up north.
Can’t quite put those hydrobikes in the lake yet!Most of the snow that remains is where Mother Nature or the plow truck made big piles!Just last week the snow pile was too big to use these steps off the deck. This is progress!The Itasca County Sheriff’s Department puts the channel markers in Bass Lake each spring. The Department literally has 1,000+ hazard buoys and channel markers to put in area lakes. The resort community aren’t the only ones feeling the pressure of a late ice out. Once we have open water be careful on area lakes – it will take awhile for the Sheriff’s Department to mark hazards this season.
Fishing in Minnesota is a pillar of the tourism economy in our state and beautiful water is the focal point for most Minnesota family vacations! Good stewardship by all who enjoy Minnesota lakes ensures clean water and good fishing for generations to come. This is a letter that we will be sending out to our guests prior to their arrival this summer. We hope to encourage everyone who fishes or recreates on Minnesota water to think of ways they can prevent the spread of invasive species.
Look at those faces! They are the reason that we act to protect our waters and our fisheries.
Dear Wildwood Guest:
You may or may not be aware of recent news identifying one of our local lakes as the latest casualty in the zebra mussel story. Larvae was found in a popular fishing lake this year and while there is no reason to panic over that news it certainly ratchets up the heat on preventing the spread of invasive species in Itasca County.
Preventing the spread of invasive species comes down to taking personal responsibility for our actions as they relate to boat ownership. Jay and I take the threat of invasive species very seriously and we sincerely hope our guests hold Wildwood Resort and Bass Lake in enough esteem to do the same. Here are some points of information and suggestions that we’d like to share with you. Most come directly from the DNR Fisheries Area Manager, Chris Kavanaugh. Chris is a supporter of resorts and understands the issues that face our industry. He is also (obviously) a big supporter of fishing in Minnesota and allowing public access to our lakes and rivers.
Be Informed! If you intend to fish area lakes while on a visit to Wildwood Resort or if you just like to lake-hop around your home area make sure you have identified the lakes that are already infested. The 2013 Fishing Regulations includes a list of infested lakes and the DNR keeps an updated list on their website at: http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/invasives/index.html. Chris advises that if you are going to fish more than one lake on any given day and one of those lakes has an identified invasive species then perhaps visit the infested lake last. That way your boat has time to dry out overnight before you would put it in another water body.
Be Conscientious! Practicing good “boat hygiene” is similar to practicing good personal hygiene. We are careful about washing our hands after coming in contact with infectious substances or handling dirty items. We should strictly follow a similar regimen when leaving a water body to make sure we aren’t spreading invasive species to any other lakes. We all know the obvious requirements such as emptying live wells and bilge water when leaving a lake. However, Chris has some practical suggestions that may take a few more minutes when loading your boat but could save our lakes from future infestation:
1) Exchange water on your bait. If you are leaving a water body and you empty your minnow bucket of lake water then with what do you replace it? Chris suggests carrying a cooler of water from home in your vehicle. Empty the bait bucket of lake water and then submerge the bait in the cooler of water you brought along. Repeat the process at each lake you visit. You could also carry jugs of water from home to pour into the bait buckets if you don’t want to keep a cooler of water on your vehicle for that purpose. Note that any water brought from home should be stored in your vehicle – not in your boat!
2) Once your boat is on the trailer, position your motor to best drain the water. Experiment to see what position allows the most water to drain. Then turn your motor on and off a couple of times to kick out any lake water left in the motor’s water pump.
3) If possible, move your boat to an incline that will allow both boat and trailer to drain while you finish strapping down the boat for transport.
4) Inspect the rollers and/or the bunks on your trailer to make sure no plant or other material is caught in the rollers. If possible, inspect them before you finish cranking the boat all the way into position on the trailer.
5) Before fishing season begins inspect your trailer to see if you can modify any areas that might trap lake water. Consider drilling holes or removing caps on hollow tubing to allow water to drain completely.
6) Remember that Minnesota state law requires you to drain the live well, bilge and bait buckets before leaving a water body. And you must travel with the plug out of your boat in Minnesota! Claiming ignorance of the rule will not prevent a fine so make sure you pull the plug even if you are only a short distance from a public access to your destination. Visit the DNR site at: http://files.dnr.state.mn.us/eco/invasives/q_and_a_drain_plug_law_20110609.pdf for details about transporting your boat in Minnesota.
Minnesota walleye
Be Responsible! If you love fishing and value our lakes and rivers practice good “boat hygiene.” Proof of an invasive species is not a reason to avoid fishing infested water. You simply must take personal responsibility for making sure that when you leave the water body you aren’t carrying the invasive with you to another lake. It’s up to each of us as individuals to stop the spread of invasives and to preserve the quality of our lakes.
We look forward to welcoming you to Wildwood this year and wish you great Minnesota fishing this season!
