If you had a choice, would you choose to move to the Artic or Baudette, MN? Funny question? That’s the very question that was asked by businesses in the US that were looking for special testing sites with low temps for their new cars.

Baudette, MN Is located on the US/Canadian border and is known as a neighbor to the coldest spot in the US. That’s our friends who live in International Falls, or so they boast.   Lake of the Woods is known as the Walleye Capital of the World™. The temps in this northland are certainly conducive to the wonderful ice fishing season that is currently upon us. Ice measures over 20 inches and outfitters are busy busy busy with guests who travel here for this great season. Anglers come from near and far to fish these pristine waters and the excellency of the fishery.

However, temps also play an important part for two businesses that have moved to the Lake of the Woods area. Any local person or guest traveling through on Hwy 11 can see incredible lights like a football field during the night hours.  One might even wonder if aliens have landed as temps in the atmosphere dictate how the lights shine into the sky on any given night. This local person even traveled one evening to see lights cascading straight up into the sky like beacons.

Two business that were brought here by the cold temps were Bosch, Inc. and AET (Automotive Enviro Testing). Both businesses test various brands of cars that will coming out in the future for their safety and durability during frigid winter months. Commercials by these companies have even put Baudette/Lake of the Woods on the map as they featured the area.

Bosch in Baudette

Bosch, Inc. is located at the junction of US Hwy 11 and Co. Hwy 172.  The company purchased land there, landscaped it beautifully, built buildings to store their equipment and built an incredible course to test their automobiles. When temps dip, the employees arrive in town and stay approximately 3 months. Baudette is fortunate to have them here as they stay overnight at local hotels, dine at the local restaurants, skate at the local arenas, employ people from the area, and are very generous in supporting the community.

“The Bosch (https://www.bosch-mobility-solutions.com/en/products-and-services/development-services/proving-grounds/proving-ground-baudette/)  proving ground in Baudette, Minnesota, approximately 100 miles (160 kilometers) north of Bemidji and 70 miles (113 kilometers) west of International Falls, provides test track surfaces for vehicle and system level testing.”

“Bosch’s proving grounds offer a variety of environments you would need to carry out your vehicle and system tests efficiently and under any conditions you may wish. We can simulate a diverse mix of driving and weather conditions, for all vehicle types. This includes a multitude of test tracks, for all speeds, and every incline, with great traction, or hardly any, simulating land or ice. There is a wide range of specialized services and workshops available to help successfully carry out your test programs.”

Temps below freezing are what they are looking for as they make ice and snow for their testing course. They have created curves, straightaways, and hills and work all through the night putting their vehicles to the test.

The other business that frigid temps have created in the area is AET (Automotive Enviro Testing). This company is located south of Baudette on Co. Rd. 1 which used to be the old Air Force base in former years.
The local owner has cooperated with automobile companies and have also created a course that has been prepared for all their testing needs. This facility also houses employees and creates a great work environment for them. This facility tests a different brand of automobile but doesn’t disclose what they are testing. Locals will often see cars covered in camouflage buying gas at a local station.   Are they testing Hondas?, Toyotas?, Teslas?  It’s your guess.

It’s been quoted, “AET has unprecedented track equipment, expert equipment operators and personnel for customer program support location.  Baudette is located in the “ice box region” of extreme northern Minnesota, an area known for having the best winter test conditions in the continental U.S. In 1995, AET began construction on a land based winter proving ground near Baudette, Minnesota. Today, AET is the most comprehensive low temperature test and evaluation facility in the industry. Totally self-contained and capable of supporting both the technical and human aspects of any program.”

Lake of the Woods known for its frigid temps during the winter months is very fortunate for the opportunities those temps bring to many industries.

The area welcomes you to come fish, dine, vacation, or move here to take advantage of this great northland and all of the magnificence it provides.

For more information on lodging around the Lake of the Woods area:  www.lakeofthewoodsmn.com/lodging

For info on ice fishing:  www.lakeofthewoods.com/ice-fishing

And to read an interesting article in Car and Driver Magazine…  https://www.caranddriver.com/features/a25378576/winter-testing-automobiles-at-30-below-zero/www.lakeofthewoodsmn.com/ice-fishing

For Immediate Release

Mille Lacs Lake Joins the Keep It Clean Campaign

February 2, 2022: Mille Lacs Lake has joined the Keep It Clean campaign. The campaign, which originated with Lake of the Woods in 2012, was also recently adopted by Red Lake. Designed to address the growing problem of garbage and other harmful materials left on the lakes by anglers during the ice fishing season, Keep It Clean focuses on leaving no trace.

Among the state’s most popular walleye fishing destinations, Lake of the Woods, Red Lake and Mille Lacs Lake hope that other Minnesota lakes come on board. “Anglers leaving garbage and other waste on the ice isn’t just a local problem or a state problem,” says Joe Henry, Executive Director, Lake of the Woods Tourism Bureau and one of the founders of Keep It Clean. “It is an entire ice belt problem. The Keep It Clean campaign gives us a universal language and key messages to help support ongoing education, awareness, enforcement and cleanup efforts. Well known fishing destinations in Minnesota have an opportunity to lead the way.”

“Healthy lakes with clean water, pristine ice and litter-free reefs and shoreline help create an ideal environment for sustainable fishing,” says Ann Brucciani Lyon, Vice Chair of the Mille Lacs Area Community Foundation, which is spearheading the Mille Lacs Lake effort. “They also help ensure that people of all ages — whether they are rugged outdoor enthusiasts or families — can enjoy being at the lake at any time of year.”

“Although, in some ways, our lakes compete for the same anglers,” says Henry, “we feel that the issue of clean water and sustainability with our natural resources — which affects fishing — is so important that we have banded together as partners in success. The more awareness we can create about this issue, the better the outcome will be for all of us who enjoy using the lakes for fishing, snowmobiling, boating, swimming and other sporting and recreational activities.”

In recent years, all three lakes have seen a dramatic increase in winter activity. The popularity of ice fishing has grown quickly with better technology, better equipment and wheelhouses, which make staying on the ice for extended periods of time more comfortable. With the increased activity comes more pressure on the natural resources including an increase in the amount of garbage and waste left on the lake. During the 2020-2021 ice fishing season, Lake of the Woods clocked roughly 2.7 million angler hours. Mille Lacs and Red Lake weren’t far behind.

“Although it’s exciting to see more people enjoying the sport of ice fishing, the safe disposal and removal of garbage and human waste from the frozen lakes is reaching unmanageable proportions,” says Robyn Dwight, President of the Upper Red Lake Area Association, who helped introduce Keep It Clean at Red Lake. “A true outdoors person leaves no trace. In fact, they strive to leave the environment they fish, hunt or outdoor recreate in as good or better than they found it.”

To help reduce the amount of waste left on the ice, Keep It Clean encourages ice anglers and their guests take the following steps:

• Make a plan for trash and waste removal before you arrive. Whether you access the lake from a public or private access, plan to take off of the lake what you take on to the lake. Many access points and resorts offer garbage collection services. If your site doesn’t, make a plan to transport it home for disposal.
• Use colored garbage bags. In snowy conditions, white trash bags can be difficult to see. Brightly colored or even black bags are easier to spot making it less likely trash will inadvertently be left behind.
• Take a moment before you depart the ice to make sure that you have picked up any garbage in your area. And if you notice someone else has left something behind, take a moment to pick it up and bring it with you.
• Secure your garbage before traveling. High winds, bumpy ice roads and other conditions on or off the lake can cause unsecured bags of garbage to fall out of truck beds and off of trailers and sleds without you even realizing it.
• Make sure you have the tools you need to move or remove a fish house. Support blocks, insulation, landscaping fabric, wood and other materials need to be properly disposed of and not left behind.

“If everyone does their part to take off of the ice what they bring on to the ice, it will go a long way toward ensuring our lakes and their fisheries stay healthy and sustainable,” says Mike Hirst, a Resource Conservationist with Lake of the Woods Soil and Conservation District who worked with Henry to establish Keep It Clean. “It will also help reduce the safety hazards for anglers and other recreational lake users year round.”

“A clean, healthy lake is the lifeblood of the resorts and businesses in our area,” says Eddy Lyback, owner of Lyback’s Ice Fishing. “We are delighted to welcome the Keep It Clean campaign to Mille Lacs Lake and look forward to helping it get up and running.”

For more information on how you can join the effort to launch Keep It Clean at Mille Lacs Lake, send an email to mlacf@ifound.org or visit https://mlacf.org/

Ladies!—Don’t just send the guys out on that lifetime adventure of fishing the waters of Lake of the Woods. Plan your trip now for the Ladies adventure through one of 50+ resorts to choose from at this fine destination.

Yes, anglers come in all genders, ages, shapes and sizes to Lake of the Woods. This renown fishery is located at the top of Minnesota at Lake of the Woods. Lake of the Woods is the largest freshwater lake next to the great lakes showcasing 317,000 acres in Minnesota. It is international as it shares its waters with both the United States and Canada. Lake of the Woods has 65,000 miles of shoreline and 14,552 islands.

Lake of the Woods is known as the Walleye Capital of the World™. These waters are famous for their fishing, hunting, wildlife and recreational opportunities. Open water fishing remains the favorite for most people, however, hard water (ice fishing) has become a main event of the winter season featuring thousands of fish houses and wheelhouses taking up residence on the frozen waters. It’s a sight to behold as you approach the landscape of an actual fishing village.

So…ladies….why not gather your friends and have yourself a great vacation being a lady angler. There are professional women’s fishing groups that have been formed and it’s no longer a novelty for ladies to enjoy this fine sport. One of our local resorts here hosts a Girls Gone Fishing group each year. The event draws from many localities and be sure to know that the ladies have a great time fishing and also gathering for other activities.

As a matter of fact, many anglers bring their young girls with them as they teach them the skills of fishing for walleye and other species of fish on both open and hard water. Young ladies feel the thrill of catching their first small or trophy fish and it gets imbedded in their memories as one of the greatest experiences ever. Remember, this doesn’t have to be a once in a lifetime experience. Why not make it an annual event or better yet summer and winter season experiences.

Now ladies…. Ice fishing these days has taken on a new look. Most outfitters are seeing that ladies are taking to the sport more and more so they have equipped their ice “shacks” to accommodate whatever a lady needs.

1. Most ladies want the availability of a bathroom. Check √! Fish “shacks” now have rest rooms built right into the “shack” as you let it be known you’d like to have that available.

2. Most ladies want some cooking facilities. Check √! Most houses have either a full size or apartment size range that runs on propane complete with over and even some cook ware. No need for refrigerators out there but the house usually has ample supply of paper towels and toilet paper.

3. Most ladies want cleanliness…even while fishing. Check √! Our outfitters have been very careful to maintain a clean environment to come into. All houses have been sanitized after each use and any refuse disposed of.

4. Most ladies want to know they’ll be warm. Check √! Each shack is heated by propane furnaces and be assured that guides are out in the early morning hours drilling the ice holes open and turning up the thermostats so that you walk into a heated enclosure.

5.Most ladies want to know they are safe. Check √! Our guides are incredible at keeping their guest safe. Not only do they deliver you to your house safely as they travel over the ice roads, but they also alert you to the fishing regulations for you to adhere to and they also make several stops during the day to ensure that you are all doing well and are safe in your experience.

Ladies, do you want to rough it out there or fish in a luxurious house. Yes, Lake of the Woods features both extremes. Shop our resorts and their amenities at www.lakeofthewoodsmn.com/lodging and check out all their facilities as well as what kind of ice houses they have.

Do you want to spend the day on the ice fishing and then take your catch in for a great meal of fish? Yes, our resorts do a wonderful job as guides bring your catch in, clean them and then deliver them to the kitchen and prepare an incredible meal using your fine catch of the day. OR…do you want to have the experience of staying all night out on the lake in sleeper fish houses. Most of our resorts also have these available. They are larger houses and can often sleep up to eight people. Bunk beds are built in and ready for the bedding that you bring with you.

Are you ready ladies??? Check out availability now at www.lakeofthewoodsmn.com/lodging-availability-request and call your friends and make your plans. Show the gentlemen that ladies are also experts at the sport of fishing.

If you happen to be in central MN this weekend February 4-6, 2022, stop by the St. Cloud Sportsmen’s Show at the River’s Edge Convention Center and say hello.  Joe Henry with Lake of the Wood Tourism will be available to chat anything Lake of the Woods!  This is a great opportunity to learn more about the lake, different methods of fishing, what resorts might fit your group the best, etc.

 

Make plans to watch seminars on walleye fishing from Joe Henry.  The first is titled Spot Hoppin’ for Walleyes.  The second, Fishing Success on New Water.  Both seminars have been popular and will add tools to your fishing tool belt regardless of where you fish.  Professional walleye angler Corey Sprengel will also be presenting.  Korey’s first topic is Trusting Your Electronics and his second is Spring Walleye Techniques.

Sportshows are a great opportunity to sit back with your favorite beverage and learn ideas, tips and tricks enabling you to become a more successful angler.

While at the St. Cloud Sportsmen’s Show, pick up the New Official Lake of the Woods Visitor Guide and of course, let’s talk Lake of the Woods fishing, resorts, NW Angle, spring fishing, sturgeon and everything else that makes Lake of the Woods a special place.

For some, the focus will still be talking ice fishing as fish houses can be left on the lake overnight through March 31st, a bit longer than most of MN as we are border water with Canada.  The walleye/sauger season continues through April 14th on Lake of the Woods which  extends the ice fishing season on Lake of the Woods.

Many anglers are looking forward to the spring run of walleyes on the Rainy River.   Typically the Rainy River starts to open up east of Baudette towards the middle or end of March.  Only Mother Nature knows when this will happen but when it does, it can be world class fishing for big female walleyes.

Walleyes from a good portion of Lake of the Woods will make their way to spawning grounds up river.  Imagine, all of these walleyes constricted into a relatively small river.   This can lead to some epic walleye fishing and of course memories.  The Rainy River and Four Mile Bay is catch and release only for walleyes and saugers from March 1 – April 14.  Most anglers don’t mind as it is a chance to splash their boat and fish walleyes for the first time of the year.  It is also a chance to catch a walleye of a lifetime!

There will also be anglers wanting to chat about big pike in March or possibly catching them when the ice goes out as the pike season never closes on Lake of the Woods and that lends itself to some nice opportunities.  Lake of the Woods is a trophy pike lake with many fish caught over 40″.

It won’t be long and anglers will also be targeting Lake Sturgeon on the Rainy River.  This fish that dates back to the prehistoric times is a handful of fun and a blast to catch.  Anglers will be fishing sturgeon up and down the Rainy River as well as in Four Mile Bay.  Many skip the walleyes and focus on the sturgeon.  It is fun fishing too.  Basically anchored up near a hole in the river fishing night crawlers on the bottom.

In addition to Lake of the Woods, the St. Cloud Sportsmen’s Show will have a large selection of fishing tackle retailers, boats, trailers, resorts, etc.  The River’s Edge Convention Center is located right in the downtown area of St. Cloud on the shores of the mighty Mississippi River.

The show starts Friday at noon and continues until 5pm on Sunday.  Click Here for complete details.

 

 

Click Here to return to the Lake of the Woods Tourism website.

Click Here for a list of Lake of the Woods Lodging.