Lake of the Woods, Minnesota

Once you catch on, you won’t want to be released.

By Hope S. Philbrick

Lush. Fresh. In any weather any season, these words best describe Lake of the Woods, Minnesota, which hovers midway across the United States at its northernmost edge.

The air here is so clean each breeze seems a soft sigh, every gust a satisfied yawn. Clean, healthy water teems with an abundant variety and volume of fish. From the sparkling blue water to the rustling green trees, the rich colors appear otherworldly. Bald eagles soar overhead. Loons wail a constant chorus.

Floating on this water feels like drifting on air. You can reach down and touch the clouds reflected on the lake’s glasslike surface.

Weather and wildlife cause more ripples on this water than people ever do. Dubbed “The Walleye Capital of the World,” this portion of the lake reaches depths of 36 feet. Walleye and muskies are king here, but northern pike, perch, sauger, crappie, smallmouth bass, lake trout, lake sturgeon, whitefish, and suckers also thrive.

Earth and water mingle across this 85-mile stretch that harbors 14,552 islands and 65,000 miles of shoreline. The nation’s sixth largest freshwater lake and the 100th largest lake on the planet, Lake of the Woods offers some of the best fishing in the world. While avid anglers cast in search of that elusive record catch, even first-timers get hooked.

“It’s a very beautiful place,” says Ed Phillips, an avid North Carolina-based fisherman who spent a week exploring Lake of the Woods. “The lake is so huge and has so many islands it’s easy to get lost on. ‘Lake of the Woods’ is a very accurate description. It’s unlike anyplace I’ve ever fished.”  

This is a place where getting lost in nature is an adrenaline rush. “Lake of the Woods is one of my top three places to go fishing,” says Rebecca Bingham, who goes fishing as often as she can and has fished in seven countries and 36 states. “It’s incredible. There’s such a wide variety of species and each fishing experience is unique—whether in warm months or cold—with its own adventure and excitement.”

Whether you fish for food or bragging rights, a prize can be found here. “You can find big trophy northern pike and walleyes,” says Craig Enervold, a Minnesota native who fishes at least 60 times a year and frequents Lake of the Woods.

From lodges to cabins to resorts, there’s an overnight accommodation option to suit your interests and budget, whether you favor rustic camping or one of the more than 45 full-service resorts, whether you crave the company of other travelers or prefer a true escape into nature.

Navigate the massive lake on your own using maps and a GPS or allow a resort guide to coordinate every detail from providing necessary gear to offering insights about when, where and how to fish for certain species, to even preparing a traditional shore lunch.

Shore lunch can be “one of the experiences that makes a culinary imprint on your brain,” says Bingham. “It’s part of the culture.” Recipes vary but always showcase your fresh catch and can be prepared in just 15 minutes. “I’d never eaten fish so fresh,” says Bingham. “Every fish I’ve eaten since is measured by that experience.” Shore lunches often pair skillet-fried fish with onions, potatoes, baked beans, and bread. Some resort chefs can also prepare dinners incorporating fresh catches; one popular local favorite is walleye and wild rice. Enervold says walleye’s white flakey meat has “a flavor all its own, but not a deep extreme taste.”

Novices and experts are equally welcome. “It’s such a fishing culture,” says Bingham. “Yet it’s big enough that you’re not fishing on top of som ebody else.”

Even if not fishing, discoveries await. “We saw some petroglyphs that natives had drawn on some cliffs,” says Phillips. “There’s no light pollution so at night the stargazing is incredible; you can look up and see everything. We saw the northern lights one evening.”

Located an hour from International Falls and two hours from Bemidji, the remote Lake of the Woods is a place that will linger in memory, lure return visits.

Click Here for more info on the Lake of the Woods Minnesota area.

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

It’s Sportshow time again.  Over the next couple of weeks, Lake of the Woods Tourism is displaying at two different sportsman’s shows across the Dakotas.  This is a great opportunity to learn more about the area, resorts and of course, the various kinds of fishing the go along with it.

This Weekend, Red River Valley Sportsman’s Show in Fargo!  It’s sportshow season in the Dakotas and this time of the year, anglers are excited to talk Lake of the Woods fishing.  Perfect timing to be talking Lake of the Woods at this weekend’s Red River Valley Sportsmen’s show that starts Thursday and runs through Sunday at the Fargodome in Fargo, ND.  Once again, we will be holding down booth #166 and look forward to seeing everyone.

Next Weekend, Sioux Empire Sportsman’s Show in Sioux Falls!  Outdoor minded folks from the Dakotas and the surrounding region love Lake of the Woods.  Once again, we will have our normal location in the main exhibit hall, booth #87.  Swing by and say hello!

Learn More about Lake of the Woods!  One of the great advantages of a sportshow is spending some time with experts from a destination to have the opportunity to learn, ask questions and ultimately make the best choice for your group.  A group of guys headed up to fish for four days might be a very different looking trip than a husband / wife getaway or family vacation.

Joe Henry with Lake of the Woods Tourism will be at the Lake of the Woods Tourism booth all weekend both in Fargo and Sioux Falls happy to share info and answer questions.

Seminars!  Sportshows are such a great place to learn more about fishing, hunting and the great outdoors.  In Fargo and Sioux Falls, check out tournament champion Ted Takasaki discuss the topic “Walleyes Love Structure” and

“Jig for Walleyes Like a Pro”.  Ted has a long and successful history in the fishing industry and has educated anglers for decades.

Joe Henry from Lake of the Woods Tourism will also be presenting at both sportshows.  Henry is a licensed charter captain along with a walleye tournament angler and outdoor media specialist.  He will be speaking about “Pulling Spinners for Walleyes Like a Pro” and “Feel the Noise for Summer Walleyes”.

Visitor Guides.  While at the show, stop by and pick up our new Lake of the Woods Tourism visitor guide.   This is a great time to learn more about the lake, resorts, activities, etc. taking place this year around Lake of the Woods.

There is a lot to talk about in the upcoming months at Lake of the Woods.

–Current Ice Fishing report around the Lake.  What are current ice conditions?  What is the current ice fishing report?  How long does ice fishing last?  What are they biting on? where to catch monster March pike.

–Upcoming Rainy River Walleye Fishing.  What is the outlook for spring fishing on the river?  Where should we fish?  What should we use?  How long does walleye season last?  What accesses are on the Rainy River?

–Sturgeon Fishing.  How long does the season last?   What kind of setup should I use?  What is a sturgeon rig?  What part of the river do sturgeon live?  What is slot during keep season?

–Resorts, Hotels, Outfitters and Guides.   Where should I stay based on our group and what we want to do?  Where can I find a list of resorts with amenity chart?  Are there deals?  What resorts offer full service guides?  What kind of boats are used on different parts of the lake?

If you are in the Fargo area this weekend or Sioux Falls next weekend, stop by and say hello!

Click Here to view Lake of the Woods Lodging Options

Click Here to view Lake of the Woods Tourism website

As we approach March, watching the numbers of big pike being caught on Lake of the Woods, some by pike anglers, some by walleye anglers, it reminded me that this happens every year.  Anglers really start to dial into March pike on tip-ups mid to late March into April.  With that being said, there is a ton of great pike fishing that happens in February that is under the radar screen.

The other thing interesting is how many big walleyes have been caught this year on tip-ups with big sucker minnows after dark.  That’s right, after dark in shallower water.  A flash light to shine out of the fish house windows watching for flags when the sun is down is how they do it.  Not every walleye is always doing the same thing in the system.  Big predators often like big baits.

This reprint of an article from Brett McComas of Target Walleye on catching big Lake of the Woods pike on tip-ups was just too good and educational to let die in the archives.

If you haven’t done it, tip up fishing can be a blast and a fun change from walleye fishing.  Resorts on Lake of the Woods will actually place “pike houses” in areas pike are living.  Most will use the house as home base and spread tip-ups around watching for flags from the comfort of their home away from home.  Enjoy the article.

By Brett McComas, Target Walleye

Known for its zillions of walleyes, Lake of the Woods has also become a world-class pike fishing destination — especially during the Mar/Apr late-ice period. The border waters’ special regulations mean these fish can be targeted all the way through ice-out.

Mammoth pike will stage for the upcoming spawn in shallow bays all along the south shore and are ready to pop tip-up flags. Believe it or not, 40-inchers are hardly considered “big ones” when the bite is on!

Big-fish junkie Andy Walls has been specifically targeting these toothy critters for years, so we tracked him down to get his scoop on putting these freaks topside:

Andy: “You can keep the gear pretty simple when running tip-ups, but make sure to beef things up for those larger-than-average Lake of the Woods gators.”

GEAR

> “Make sure tip-ups are spinning smooth and that they have fresh 50-lb Sufix Performance Tip-Up Ice Braid. From there a quick-strike rig tied right to the tip-up line, and a 1/4-oz weight fixed above the leader to keep the bait in the strike zone.

“Larger ‘Y yolk’ quick-strike rigs present both live and dead bait really well. They have a solid hook-up ratio with one treble fixed just before the head of the minnow and one rigged right before the tail.”

> “I’ve had the most success using 50-lb wire down to two #2 VMC Hybrid Trebles. However, there’s lots of rigging options out there…recommend using any legal option you’re most confident in.

> “Lake of The Woods has a 30-40″ protective slot, so fish between 30″ and 40” need to be quickly released back into the water. I’ve found that packing a kit — that we bring with to every flag — helps this process immensely.

> “In the kit: We keep extra rigs, sinkers, pliers, jaw spreaders, hook cutters, measuring tapes, fish grippers, a hole scoop, and a camera.

> “Being able to quickly take care of the fish after you land it and get it back in the water will help ensure a healthy release. Also allows us to get accurate measurements and a quick photo before we let them go.”

> “Lake of The Woods northern pike can be caught literally almost anywhere on the lake, but there’s a large concentration of fish that really never leave the south shore.

> “Some of my best success early on in the season is in the 8-12′ range. Look for subtle structure changes like: a slightly quicker depth change, funnel, or ridge the fish may be following. Changes in the bottom content — like a rock or gravel patch — will usually provide even better action.

“As the days start running longer and temperatures begin to inch up, pike will start to migrate in closer to the shorelines. By late March or early April, we’re typically setting lines in less than 5′.

> “The later in the year it gets, begin concentrating your efforts closer to — or directly out in front of — main spawning areas where runoff is the highest…draws fish in.”

> “Spread lines out to cover as much water as possible — I like walking at least 25-35 steps between holes. The more areas you can eliminate (or find) quickly gets you more bites in a day. Once you settle into an area with fish, they seem to let you know pretty quickly.

> “Not getting bit? Try moving north/south (shallower or deeper) first…when you find the right depth those flags will pop.

> “If I’m getting activity but not getting fish…AKA “false flags”…I’ll make smaller moves east/west or play with my bait (size, type, depth set, etc). Even if it’s the minnow tripping a flag, it’s likely because a pike spooked it and didn’t eat. Dead bait seems to be better when getting a lot of those false flags.”

SETTING BAITS

> “You’re allowed 2 lines each…makes it a little faster to see what’s working! Mix up the depths you set your baits down — covering the entire water column keeps the fish ho

nest. I’ve caught them setting lines just inches below the ice all the way to laying baits right on the bottom.

> “Arming your spread with a mixture of live and dead baits will allow you to quickly figure out what the pike want that day. Alewife, smelt, herring, numerous sizes of live suckers, or even large shiners work well.

> “Pay close attention to which flags are going off: If dead baits are getting more bites…switch more lines over to dead bait. If more flags are going off on a certain side of the spread…start shifting the entire spread in that direction. Can turn a good day into a great day!”

WHEN TO SET THE HOOK

> “Some people like to wait and let the fish eat, but I’ll grab the flag as quick as I get to it and set the hook while they’re running…not stopped. My theory is that anytime the fish is moving, they likely have a good grip on the head or tail of the bait…both have hooks.

> “When they’re not moving, they’re adjusting the bait in their mouth…so you’ll miss half the fish that grab it.

> “Also seem to get much better hooksets when the fish is running — doesn’t take nearly as much force for the hook to penetrate since the fish is already pulling the other way.”

[BONUS: YOU’D BE SURPRISED HOW MANY BIG WALLEYES YOU CAN RUN INTO TOO!]

Click Here to access the Lake of the Woods Tourism website

Click Here to access Lake of the Woods area Lodging and Fish House Rentals

The NW Angle Edge Riders Snowmobile Club will hold their 20^th annual Snow Rally on Saturday, February 27, 2021 at Sunset Lodge Resort up at the NW Angle.  Follow the ice road from Young’s Bay, or ride snowmobile across the lake from the surrounding communities – watch for the rally signs.

Lake of the Woods has excellent marked and groomed trails coming up to the NW Angle from the Wheeler’s Point area at the mouth of the Rainy River as well as on the west side of the lake from Arnesen’s Rocky Point and Warroad.

Nice trails across the lake make it possible to stay or park on the south end of the lake and sled up for the day.  The trail to Sportsman’s Oak Island is about 42 miles, but a fairly easy drive.

Once you are up to in the NW Angle Edge Riders territory, take advantage of not only the beauty of the Angle, but of the hard work that goes into maintaining and grooming the area snowmobile trails.

This is also a great year to drive up on the NW Angle Guest Ice Road.  The ice road begins at Springsteel Resort and goes about 30 miles up to the NW Angle.  Even if you don’t snowmobile, the snowmobile rally is a festive time with guests stopping at numerous resorts, bars and restaurants in the area.

Consider working in a fishing trip around the NW Angle Edge Riders snowmobile rally.  Regardless of what resort you visitor or stay at, these resorts specialize in taking care of not only snowmobilers but also anglers.  The area is home to some of the best ice fishing in North America.

As mentioned, Sunset Lodge is home to this year’s event.  It is known for it’s good food, beautiful bar and Rally Day will be no different.  Many of the activities will be located outside so dress warm.  The bar and restaurant will also be open for guests to enjoy.

There are activities happening all day.  Do you have a fast sled?  Perhaps you want to take part in the radar run.  For those who think they are tough, try the “goose bump jump” where you jump into the icy waters of Lake of the Woods.  I dare ya!  Once you jump in, warm up by the community bonfire.  There will be outdoor games and a tent near the lodge, raffles during the day and certainly lots of great camaraderie!  Don’t leave the kids behind as there will be kid’s activities and this is a family event.

The Sunset Lodge staff is excited to welcome all and to support a good cause. The Angle locals take their winter recreation seriously, and the Snow Rally is the pinnacle of the winter season!

This event is a lot of fun and not only celebrates the culture of snowmobiling in the north woods but is also a fundraiser for the snowmobile club.  This year the prizes are impressive including a brand new Polaris snowmobile along with a variety of other prizes.

The NW Angle Edge Riders do a wonderful job of keeping trails properly marked and groomed.  The NW Angle and all of Lake of the Woods with the Lake of the Woods Drifters snowmobile club on the south end of the lake create some of the best trail riding around.  Known much more for it’s walleyes, snowmobiling in the region is world class but often get overshadowed.  If you are a snowmobiler, come up and check out beautiful sledding without the traffic!

Click here to learn more about snowmobiling around Lake of the Woods

Click here to learn more about Lake of the Woods MN

Click here to access Lodging around Lake of the Woods MN

The plans were made months ago.  Once we had word the business owners up at the NW Angle were taking matters into their own hands and constructing the NW Angle Guest Ice Road, Greg Jones of Midwest Outdoors and myself were on the phone making plans on how to shoot a show and get the message out.  So a few weeks ago when the ice road first opened up, we made the trek on the road up to the Angle and once again, we were not disappointed.

Our destination on this given trip was Sunset Lodge on Oak Island.  The plan was to film the adventure of driving on the ice road starting at Springsteel Resort just south of the Canadian border and proceed north on the NW Angle Guest Ice Road to the Angle.

After stopping a number of times along the way to take some pics, record a video and fly the drone, we were on our way to the land portion of the Angle.

Heading up, things wouldn’t be right if we didn’t stop at the Northernmost Point Buoy located between Young’s Bay Resort and Jerry’s Bar and Restaurant.  This is where we decided to film our open.  With daylight running out fast, we did a couple of different takes and like most TV shows, leaned on the videographer and video editor Dave to sort things out on the back end.

With the hard work of Dave to turn around the show with editing over the weekend, the show was sent to Midwest Outdoors for airing.  In most cases, this show would have aired next year to pre-empt the next upcoming ice fishing season.  In this case, the show was put in the loop immediately and aired in just a few week due to the unique circumstances of the border closure and the NW Angle Guest Ice Road.

Accommodations were very nice, overlooking the docks and incoming ice road into Sunset Lodge.  All of this and only a 2 minute walk to the resort where there is a full menu and bar amongst a beautiful northwoods feel.

The next day was a day of fishing.  We were set up on some shallower structure, in about 22 feet.  Fish have been moving through this particular area well.  The optimism was high.  Even though our goal was to film a TV show, there is still that excitement and anticipation every time we drop a line into Lake of the Woods.  You just never know what could happen.

We have learned to not drop our lines until the videographer is ready.  Too many times we get hooked up when the camera is not rolling.  On this occasion, we patiently put on our mics, waited for Dave to adjust the light as it was still a bit dark outside and finally, we were ready. 

The fish were there immediately, to the point I couldn’t get down a second line.  Each time we caught a fish, as our goal was obviously to make a good show, we had to chat about an aspect of what we were doing, showing or wanting to communicate.  This ate up valuable time during a hardcore morning bite.

We caught some nice walleyes and saugers.  The action was hot and heavy.  After a while when the sun started getting a bit higher in the sky, the bite just stopped.  Literally stopped.  100 miles per hour to nothing just like that.

While the action was slow, we had the chance to have Ronnie Davidson, one of the owners of Sunset Lodge along with Travis and Samantha Palmquist, fly very low right over our fish house a couple of times.  Ronnie is known to fly up to the lake and land in front of the resort on the ice or on the water during the summer months.

During the day, just like all of the customers, the ice guides checked on us.  They check on fishing, see if there is anything we needed or they could do for us and then go on to their to do list.

We picked at a few more walleyes and saugers up throughout the day along with some tulibees.  Finally when the evening hit, action picked up again and we finished up with some nice walleye action and just as fast as it had started, it was over.

Some of the fish houses were positioned over deep mud.  They didn’t have the good morning / evening bite we did, but they had more consistent fishing throughout the day.  Other anglers fishing out of Sunset’s houses in different areas on structure fared even better than we did.  One house had 16 walleyes caught in the last hour and half of the day.  That’s what Lake of the Woods can do.

The trip home on first the island ice road and then the NW Angle Guest Ice Road was again easy and enjoyable.

It was a business trip, but like anytime we go to the Angle, good things happen and memories are made.

With the border being shut down since March, 2020, it feels good to be around hard working small business people who are friendly and down to earth.  Simply trying to make a living caught between two countries during a pandemic.

Enjoy the show!

Find more out about Lake of the Woods

Discover Lodging and ice fishing options around the lake

Learn more about the NW Angle

As many Midwesterners who enjoy ice fishing are in the heart of the ice fishing season, it is good to look ahead at a month of ice fishing that many don’t really consider when it comes to targeting walleyes and pike, March!  You see, in most of the great state of Minnesota, March ice fishing is somewhat limited.  Fish houses cannot be left overnight on the ice after February 28th, the walleye season and pike season closes and ice fishing for those targeting predators appears to be over. 

March ice fishing on Lake of the Woods, however, is very different.  Fish houses are allowed overnight through March 31st.  The walleye and sauger season continues on through April 14th and the pike season is open continuously.

Being further north, the ice typically is good and thick throughout the month, and even if some melting is taking place, ice fishing is happening in areas of the lake less affected by runoff, flow of water and current.  On Lake of the Woods, ice fishing for March walleyes and pike is the norm and allows an extra month of excellent fishing.

Some resorts actually extend the life of the ice by blanketing ice approaches to the land access with saw dust or hay.  For those of you with more history under your belt than others, this is much in the same way ice was kept for ice boxes.

What a great time of the year.  The sun is out longer, the fish are active and in some cases staging for the spawn and some days anglers actually need to wear sunscreen.  Other days seem more like winter with snow and cold.  It’s March ice fishing for walleyes and pike on Lake of the Woods and it’s tradition.

This is an interesting place.  One one end of Lake of the Woods, people are catching walleyes, saugers, jumbo perch, world class pike and mo nster eelpout through the ice.  Fish have the feedbag on gaining energy for the upcoming spawn.

While all of this great March ice fishing is happening, on the other end of the county, the Rainy River is starting to open and there is another group of anglers chomping at the bit to get their boats on the river!

Rainy River Spring Fishing.  Typically towards mid or late March, the Rainy River is open and people are fishing in boats.  This is the time of the year that big numbers of walleyes from Lake of the Woods slide up the Rainy River on their annual spawning run.  This is also the time of year an angler can catch a walleye of a lifetime, not to mention big numbers of fish.

Most anglers will be using jigs and minnows for walleyes.  More popular are jigs and plastics.  The brighter colors of chartreuse, orange, pink and white are all popular colors depending upon many factors, the color of the water being one.

The walleye season on Lake of the Woods continues through April 14th.  The regulations on the Rainy River for March through April 14th is different than the lake as the walleye season is catch and release only.  As most anglers aren’t here for the fillets, the chance at a monster walleye, big numbers of walleyes and a chance to splash your boat for the first time this year is all what draws anglers the end of March and through April 14th.

Limits on Lake of the Woods remain consistent with a combined limit of 6 walleyes and saugers, with up to 4 of the 6 being walleyes.  Any walleye between 19.5″ – 28.0″ must be returned to the water immediately, with anglers being able to keep one fish over 28″.

Limits on pike are three with a protected slot limit of 30″ – 40″ having to be returned to the water immediately.  Anglers are allowed one pike over 40″.

If you decide to start planning a spring Rainy River trip, there are numerous boat access points along the river.  Click here for a myriad of info about the Rainy River.

If you decide you want to get in some bonus March ice fishing, here is a list of resorts and outfitters from the south end of the lake up to the NW Angle.

As border water with Canada, Lake of the Woods enjoys an extra long ice fishing season with the walleye and pike seasons extended as well.  Whatever your choice of fishing or species, fishing for predators during March ice fishing or April on the Rainy River might be worth a trip!

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

Click here to view Lake of the Woods lodging options for March Ice Fishing.

Click here for info on fishing the Rainy River.

The most common strategy when ice fishing in Minnesota where an angler gets two lines while ice fishing is to jig one line and deadstick the second line.

One of the most simple techniques while ice fishing is live bait like a minnow on a hook underneath a bobber.  When we refer to this method, it is often called the “Deadstick”.  The reason it is called this is on Lake of the Woods, you can use two lines for ice fishing.  A very common and effective strategy is to jig one line and deadstick or have a live minnow on a hook about 6″ to a foot off of the bottom.  The deadstick refers to the line you let just sit and work with a live minnow.  It is key to have both methods in play.  When fish are active, the jigging line may be more effective.  Sometimes when fish are in a more neutral mood, the deadstick will outfish the jigging line.  Check out the Deadsticking for Walleyes While Ice Fishing Video below for some ideas.

There are many variations to usingdeadsticking for walleyes.  Here are just a few…

1. Using a bobber – The most popular of methods is to use a bobber on a ice rod. Either a plain hook with a split shot sinker or using a spoon or another jig tipped with a minnow can be productive. Sometimes fish will prefer a dead minnow to a live one depending on the day. Using a bobber allows the fish to take some line before noticing it may be hooked. 
2. Using a rod with a flexible tip (as featured in this video)  – Some anglers will set a rod just over the hole with either a sensitive rod tip or a spring bobber. When a fish is on the rod tip will bounce up and down or have a constant bend down into the hole.  This technique can detect the slightest of bites often missed with a bobber.  Be Careful as a big fish could rob you of a fishing pole.  Some anglers will set their rod on a bucket or in a rod holder to prevent any rods down the hole.  If you are actively fishing, laying it on the floor is normally fine.
3. Rattle Reels – This method is usually for permanent shacks but some anglers utilize these in portables as well by attaching them to buckets or stands. What they are is heavy line spooled around a wheel filled with bells or other noise making balls. When it rotates with a fish pulling line, noise is made for the angler to go over and catch the fish hand over hand.

Deadsticking for walleyes can be very effective if you pay attention to the nuances. Some ideas…

-Have one angler use a plain hook and another use an ice fishing jig

-Use a different kind of minnow

-Use a dead minnow

-Use a different kind of live bait like wax worms

-Elevate your offering a few feet off of the bottom

-Upsize or downsize

-Try jigging your deadstick frequently to get attention

Hooking a minnow.  There are many ways to hook a minnow to trigger more fish.  In the below video, Jason Mitchell does a great job of sharing some ideas on how the same hook and same minnow can have such different action.

Anglers fishing Lake of the Woods who pay attention to details using while deadsticking for walleyes will put more fish on the ice.  The concept is simple, the nuances are everything!

Click Here to access the Lake of the Woods Tourism website

Click Here to access Lake of the Woods Area Resorts/Hotels/Fish House Rentals

Introduction

The Minnesota Outdoor Recreation Task Force (ORTF) was formed in 2020 by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and Explore Minnesota to consider (1) how to bring measured growth, increased and equitable access, and a higher quality of outdoor recreation opportunities to Minnesotans and visitors and (2) how to organize and implement this collaborative work going forward. In response to this charge, the Task Force has drafted a set of recommendations for the Minnesota DNR and Explore Minnesota intended to improve accessibility, inclusivity, collaboration and promotion of outdoor recreation across multiple sectors as well as build a stronger outdoor recreation community in Minnesota.

Given sufficient time, resources and both public and private support, members of the Task Force believe these recommendations can help “transform Minnesota into a major leader in outdoor recreation that is known as a world-class destination that welcomes everyone to enjoy its outdoor recreation resources.”

How the recommendations were developed

The 21-member Task Force drafted recommendations they believe will positively impact Minnesota’s residents, visitors, outdoor recreation assets, businesses and the state’s economy. The recommendations were developed by the Task Force over a series of meetings that began in April 2020. The Task Force began by focusing the discussion around the key areas of access, coordination, economic development, promotion and public awareness, and stewardship and conservation. Using these focus areas as a lens, the Task Force completed a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) analysis of outdoor recreation in Minnesota. These analyses guided and focused the work of the Task Force, which informed these recommendations.

Participants and Conveners

Task Force Members

Reinaldo Aponte, The Loppet Foundation

Lynnea Atlas-Ingebretson, Youthprise

Mary Bauer, VA Medical Center

JR Burke, Polaris

Elliot Christensen, Lower Sioux Indian Community

Megan Christianson, Visit Grand Rapids

Katy Friesz, Winnebago Industries

Matt Gruhn, Marine Retailers Association of the Americas

Aaron Hautala, Cuyuna Lakes Mountain Bike Crew

Breanne Hegg, Girl Scouts River Valleys

Joe Henry, Lake of the Woods Tourism

Hansi Johnson, Minnesota Land Trust

Greg Lais, Wilderness Inquiry

Perry May, All-Terrain Vehicle Association of Minnesota

Sarah Milligan-Toffler, Children and Nature Network

Mark Norquist, Modern Carnivore

Stephen Regenold, GearJunkie.com

Mollika Sajady, University of Minnesota Health

Naomi Sam, Mille Lacs Band Department of Natural Resources

Asha Shoffner, Fiwygin Outdoors

Steven Voltz, REI

Agency Leadership

Randolph Briley, DNR, Task Force Co-chair

John Edman, Explore Minnesota, Task Force Co-chair

Sarah Strommen, DNR, Honorary Chair

Public Input

The Task Force now seeks public input on these draft recommendations, inviting more voices into the process to reflect on how they think Minnesota can make the great outdoors even better. Reflections, comments and additional recommendations can be submitted between now and February 15, 2021 through the online public input tool or by emailing mortf.dnr@state.mn.us. Public input will be reviewed by the Task Force and incorporated into the final recommendations and implementation plan.

Recommendations

The draft Task Force recommendations fall into four broad categories:

• Advance Equity, Diversity and Inclusivity
• Unite Minnesota’s Outdoor Recreation Community
• Unify Communication
• Create and Fund Minnesota’s Office of Outdoor Recreation

Major themes that emerged from the Task Force’s conversations include fostering a welcoming outdoors culture in Minnesota; increasing participation in outdoor recreation, especially by people in underrepresented populations; and improving coordination among all of Minnesota’s diverse outdoor interests to enhance the profile of the outdoor recreation sector in the state. Balancing increased participation with effective stewardship of our natural resources in the state will be critical to the long-term sustainability of outdoor recreation in Minnesota.

Many of these recommendations overlap with each other. This is a product of both the recommendation development process and the general interconnectedness of the themes, and serves to reinforce key points. Moreover, many of the recommendations share similarities with those found within existing plans such as the Parks and Trails Legacy Plan, but further expand upon or update those previous recommendations to address today’s outdoor recreation needs.

Advance equity, diversity and inclusivity

The importance of equity, diversity and inclusivity were prominent in Task Force discussions. Use, services, support, and access barriers in outdoor spaces and recreation impede Black, indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC), lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) communities, women, people with disabilities, and people with low- or no-income and is a serious concern that Minnesota needs to address. One overarching theme from the Task Force is to build a culture of the outdoors so that Minnesota is known as THE place where EVERYONE is welcome to enjoy Minnesota’s natural resources. The majority of population growth in Minnesota is happening in communities of color. State, regional and local governments, businesses and non-profits need to strive and partner for proportional representativeness in services and supports for these populations to ensure the success of outdoor recreation in our state. In addition, there is a huge potential for growth in outdoor recreation from untapped users in BIPOC and other historically underrepresented communities referenced above. Minnesota needs to promote culturally relevant outdoor recreation and conservation communities in Minnesota.

There is a growing familiarity with Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) efforts. The Task Force included “justice” in the first group of recommendations below. The Task Force expressed concern that there are isolated and privileged outdoor spaces and recreation activities where racism, sexism, and homophobia have been present with limited recourse and respite for those that experience these types of injustice and harassment. In the Task Force’s conversations, it was acknowledged that not enough work has been done to support underrepresented populations’ outdoor groups and clubs, or individual customers; or to address barriers unique to their lived experiences that limit their participation in outdoor recreation and outdoor spaces.

Below are recommendations to advance equity, diversity and inclusivity.

Justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI) planning

• Ensure all users are safe and protected from injustice in outdoor recreation and outdoor spaces in Minnesota by directly acknowledging, investigating and creating targeted interventions; this work must be done by government agencies, industry and law enforcement.
• Bring together Minnesota outdoor recreation stakeholders in a way that includes BIPOC, LGBTQ+, women, people with disabilities, and people with low- or no-income—to develop a shared strategy to build community, improve cultural relevance, foster relationships, and facilitate an inclusive and safe outdoor recreation tradition for all in Minnesota.

Marketing and business practices

• Create and implement a united marketing strategy to coordinate across public and private entities that welcomes historically underrepresented populations into the outdoor recreation community.
• Welcome and integrate underrepresented populations as customers, owners, employees and vendors of outdoor recreation agencies, groups and businesses. This includes increasing diversity, equity and inclusion in the hiring and retention practices of both private and public outdoor recreation sectors.

Improved access

• Identify and develop solutions to overcome current barriers such as cost and transportation, and create new pathways for accessing outdoor recreation activities including improving cultural relevance and increasing accessibility of outdoor facilities and equipment for all shapes, sizes, abilities and income levels.

Welcoming culture

• Promote and facilitate a culture of welcoming everyone outdoors by practicing inclusivity and ensuring that BIPOC, LGBTQ+, people with disabilities, and women are equally valued as tenants of Minnesota’s experience.

Conservation

• Build awareness and understanding of the need for everyone to properly steward and conserve our natural resources as in integral part of outdoor recreation activities.
• Educate all Minnesotans about our impact on land, water, and native species and how we all can play a role in conserving them.
• Promote conservation strategies that connect diverse outdoor recreation groups under a unified mission.
• Become a national model for the inclusion of historically underrepresented groups as thought partners and leaders in advancing the health of Minnesota’s natural resources.

Unite Minnesota’s outdoor recreation community

Unifying Minnesota’s fractured and disconnected outdoor community was a major theme in Task Force discussions. To do this, the Task Force recommends promoting more shared dialogue on challenges and opportunities and identifying new ways to promote outdoor experiences in Minnesota. There are many varied groups and ways that people enjoy the outdoors, and these groups are not always well connected to each other or coordinated in their work for the outdoors. For example, stakeholder groups such as snowmobilers, hunters, ATVers, mountain bikers and skiers may not be talking with each other about their common interests in the outdoors. These outdoor interests are actually much more aligned than many realize across the outdoor recreation community in Minnesota. Bringing these groups and interests together for a unified outdoor recreation sector in Minnesota through improved public to public, public to private, and private to private collaboration, as well as working with the state’s Tribal Nations is needed. Below are recommendations to advance these goals.

Improved coordination and communication

• Bring together users, government agencies, non-profit organizations, for-profit companies and Tribal Nations with an interest in outdoor recreation to build a united community, drive relationships, and facilitate a shared vision for outdoor recreation in Minnesota to create greater collaboration on behalf of our shared parks, forests, trails, transportation corridors and destinations.
• Identify stewardship and conservation priorities that will bring together diverse outdoor stakeholders around a common goal.
• Convene outdoor recreation stakeholders annually; including BIPOC, LGBTQ+, women, people with disabilities, and people with low- or no-income; and measure and share the benefits of coordinating at the annual event.
• Develop coordinated messaging and welcome new narratives for Minnesota’s outdoors.
• Ensure all of Minnesota’s varied geographies, landscapes and recreation opportunities are positioned as equal tenants within Minnesota’s brand.

Partnership creation and growth

• Build, strengthen and grow public-private partnerships at local, regional, state, national and international levels to unite the outdoor recreation community.
• Use public-private partnerships to advance equity, inclusion and success in awareness, promotions, credibility, technology, industry employment and offerings.
• Encourage private sector partnerships to recognize the market potential of historically underrepresented audiences (including BIPOC, LGBTQ+, women, people with disabilities, and people with low- or no-income) and approach with an asset-based lens (i.e., value the skills, knowledge, connections and potential in these communities).
• Promote partnerships between communities, conservation and stewardship groups as well as outdoor user groups to maintain recreational infrastructure and preserve Minnesota’s natural spaces.
  • This should include public to private, public to public and private to private partnerships, as well as partnerships with national/international organizations and initiatives.

Conservation, stewardship, and natural resources advocacy

• Encourage conservation and outdoor recreation groups to work together more for the common good.
• Identify and address conservation threats that the different outdoor recreation users of Minnesota can get behind to preserve our natural resources for all communities, such as water quality as a unified stewardship for fishing, boating, and hunting.

Unify communication, promotion and public awareness

Creating more unity in Minnesota’s outdoor recreation community must include better communication, especially by characterizing and honing a cohesive, modern and widely heard voice and identifying new ways to promote a more expansive outdoor experience. Doing so will grow participation in and stewardship of Minnesota’s outdoors. In addition, outdoor recreation is a big industry in Minnesota with significant economic impact across the state. Finding ways to better expand the importance and role of outdoor recreation in Minnesota will benefit not only the economy, but the health and wellness of Minnesotans. Below are recommendations to advance these goals.

Promotion

• Define and promote Minnesota’s unique value proposition as a world-class inclusive outdoor destination.
• Promote and facilitate a culture of “welcoming everyone outdoors” where Minnesota is a world-class destination not solely because of our outdoor recreation resources, but because of our inclusive outdoor culture.

Mediums and messaging

• Develop new communication mediums such as apps and mobile-first strategies to reach target audiences.
• Strengthen land and water stewardship messaging and education in order to grow public investment and attention from more people who will help steward Minnesota’s outdoor resources.
• Create tactics to amplify communication resources and to do more with less through communication partnership creation, and focus these efforts both in and outside of Minnesota.
• Measure and communicate the return-on-investment metrics of outdoor recreation investments, specifically focused on measurable economic, health, and wellbeing benefits.

Create and fund Minnesota’s Office of Outdoor Recreation

The Task Force’s vision is for a Minnesota Office of Outdoor Recreation that champions an inclusive outdoor recreation culture and creates barrier-free pathways for all Minnesotan’s to benefit from Minnesota’s outdoors. Driven by our “Only in Minnesota” difference, an Office of Outdoor Recreation should fuel increased outdoor opportunities for all residents and visitors, economic development for all businesses, stewardship of our state’s natural environment, as well as increased attention to the cultural value of the outdoors. Below are recommendations to advance this vision.

Office creation

• Create a non-partisan, independent, representative and inclusive entity to facilitate collaboration and relationship building amongst Minnesota’s people to advance outdoor recreation and equity in Minnesota, and fund and staff this entity appropriately.

Office purpose and goals

• Within Minnesota’s collective outdoor recreation storytelling, bring together all user groups, all voices, and information on the total economic impact of the sector to present one unified story, one unified need, and one unified return on investment.
• Understand and develop economic development tools to build the economy of Minnesota’s residents, communities, businesses and industry.
• Help explore and define best practices for outdoor recreation communication for DNR and Explore Minnesota. Clearly identify the communication path through the eyes of the resident or visitor, not the state departments.
• Ask what the Minnesota public feels they are missing in outdoor recreation and then collaborate with other state departments, residents and businesses to make it happen.
• Create and maintain a public-facing database of outdoor recreation stakeholders and users.
• Review outdoor recreation trends and use patterns of residents and visitors as gathered and provided by the DNR, Explore Minnesota and other agencies. Help communicate and amplify the message to residents, visitors and businesses.
• Bringing people together to address the state’s backlog of deferred recreational infrastructure needs.

Final thoughts on success

Success from the implementation of these recommendations would mean more use and stewardship of Minnesota’s outdoor recreation resources, which can translate into more spending, more traveling,  more funding and more influence for the outdoor recreation sector in Minnesota, as well as positive impacts to Minnesota’s economy overall. Success will result in significant increases to the quality of life in Minnesota. Success in all these areas is dependent on success in expanding diversity, equity and inclusion in outdoor recreation, which is why this is a fundamental and cross-sectional feature of the Task Force recommendations.

In addition to the recommendation of creating and funding an Office of Outdoor Recreation, this Task Force also recommends other government agencies, non-profit organizations, user-groups and industries also advance these recommendations in concert with an Office of Outdoor Recreation in order to realize a more welcoming, inclusive, active and connected outdoor recreation community in Minnesota.

Access the MN Outdoor Recreation Task Force webpage

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