On the south end… March is upon us which brings excitement for many anglers. Lake of the Woods enjoys an extended season with fish houses allowed on the ice through March 31st, walleye and sauger season open through April 14 and a pike season that does not close.
As the days get longer and the sun gets stronger, Mother Nature is encouraging fish to start putting on the feed bag. This leads to some great opportunities. Anglers are catching walleyes, lots of saugers, jumbo perch, pike, eelpout, tullibee and even a few crappies.
Many pike anglers have begun using tip ups in shallower waters, 10-17′ on average, with big live suckers or dead bait on a quick strike rig. Some nice fish being caught.
For walleyes and saugers, a few tips… Electronics help, you can rent them from resorts, outfitters and local bait shops if you don’t own them. Be aggressive with the jigging line. Lures with a rattle will attract fish and get some reaction bites. Use goto colors for stained water, golds, glow colors, orange, etc.
Bites can be very light. A small bobber or a rod with a sensitive tip is helpful to detect light bites. If fish are finicky, go small. Most report catching some small fish to catch keepers.
Most ice fishing is taking place in 26 – 33 feet of water.
On the Rainy River… Some walleyes being caught during the morning and evening. Gold, glow and glow colors working the best tipped with a minnow. Always use extra caution as there is current.
The snowmobile trail is groomed and staked from Baudette to Wheeler’s Point 12 miles continuing up to the Angle another 42 miles.
Up at the NW Angle… Some great walleye fishing this week. Most fishing is taking place in 22-33 feet. Gold, glow colors, orange or a combo of these colors productive. Keep lines moving to get and keep the attention of fish. Fish every fish. Small schools move through periodically.
There are various ways to travel to the Angle.
1. Drive through Canada (vaccination and COVID test currently required).
2. Groomed and staked snowmobile trails (stays in MN)
3. LOW Passenger Service (bombardier service across the lake staying in MN)
4. Lake Country Air.(stays in MN)
LOW enjoys extended seasons with fish houses on the lake through March 31st, walleye and sauger season open through April 14th and pike open year round. Lodging and fish house openings are available around the lake. A complete list at www.LakeoftheWoodsMN.com/Lodging.
I love fish and think grilling is one of the best ways to prepare it. The combination of lemon juice, basil and other seasonings is fantastic.
Ingredients
1 pound walleye, pike, perch or trout fillets
2 teaspoons butter, softened
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon minced fresh basil or 1/2 to 1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1-3/4 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
Directions
Coat an 18-in. square piece of heavy-duty foil with cooking spray Place fillets on foil. Spread with butter. Sprinkle with lemon juice, basil, lemon-pepper and garlic salt. Top with mushrooms.
Seal foil tightly. Grill, covered, over medium-hot heat for 5-7 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Carefully remove foil to allow steam to escape.
On the south end… A great week of ice fishing on Lake of the Woods for walleyes and saugers. Anglers are working through lots of small “future keepers” to find the eaters, slots and trophy walleyes. Most ice fishing is taking place in 28 – 32 feet of water.
Resorts and outfitters working hard to keep fish houses on fish. As the season progresses, it is important to work every fish. Electronics are helpful to show you when fish are below you, where in the water column and how they are reacting to your lures and presentation. Suspended fish tend to be nice walleyes or tullibees.
Work a combination of a jigging line and a deadstick. Jigging spoons with a rattle tipped with a minnow head or piece of tail, rippin raps, or simply a jig head and minnow for jigging line. If the fish are finicky, downsize presentation.
On the deadstick, try a plain colored hook or a glow or glow red/gold jig-o-bit or large crappie jig with a live minnow 6″ off the bottom. Jig your deadstick frequently to catch more fish.
On the Rainy River… Walleye fishing is best in the mornings and evenings. Gold, glow or gold combined with glow colors working well. A jig and minnow close to the bottom has been effective.
Those fishing sturgeon are still catching but patience is definitely part of the equation. Smaller sturgeon and other species are often caught while waiting for the big fish.
The snowmobile trail is groomed, staked and in good shape from Baudette to Wheeler’s Point continuing up to the Angle.
Up at the NW Angle… A wonderful week of walleye fishing up at the Angle. Resorts are doing a nice job of tracking fish movements and keeping fish houses in productive areas.
Walleyes with some saugers, jumbo perch, eelpout and pike mixed in is what most anglers are catching.
Gold, pink and various glow colors have been productive. Vibration and noise can also be helpful on LOW due to the stained water. Colors and noise are important but jigging cadence and getting the fish to react is even more so.
There are various ways to travel to the Angle. Drive through Canada 40 miles and re-enter the U.S. up at the Angle (vaccination and COVID test required). To avoid traveling through Canada, the NW Angle Guest Ice Road, snowmobile trails, LOW Passenger Service (bombardier service across the lake) and Lake Country Air.
Wonderful Winter Wonderland Activities is what Lake of the Woods is known for this time of year. Air has been somewhat frigid the past week or so, but that never dampens spirits in this beautiful northland.
I have quite a list here of sensational activities happening start this weekend. Zippel Bay State Park has its own group of admirers called Friends of Zippel Bay. This Friends Group would like to invite you to come enjoy an evening outdoors at their annual Candlelight Ski and Snowshoe Events, held on January 15th, February 19, and March 19 from 4-8 p.m.
Zippel Bay State Park is located on County Hwy 8, northwest of Baudette approximately 22 miles. It borders beautiful Lake of the Woods and has a beautiful beach area and gorgeous roads lined with birch and aspen and pine trees. This makes for a winter paradise as friends of the Friends Group enjoy these beautiful moonlit evenings.
To participate in the activity, please meet outside the residence, located just behind the park office. A limited number of skis and snowshoes will be available for free checkout. Due to current restrictions, this will be an outdoors only events. There will be a fire to warm up around with picnic tables to rest on.
What a beautiful way to spend an evening. Come join the Friends and become a friend!!
Another great activity for some, but not those who are avid sportsmen and women. One way is to travel to the Northwest Angle by road, traveling through Canada and then back into the United States, visiting the chimney on the top of Minnesota…the northernmost point of the contiguous United States. (Please see qualifications to enter Canada in another article).
Northernmost Point in the Contiguous United States is at the Northwest Angle, Angle Inlet, MN
Another adventurous way to get to Flag Island is to snowmobile across the lake on a 35 mile trip. Yes, there are trails and even roads that are marked and well-traveled for you to get to this location. The Northwest Angle Edge Riders Snowmobile Club sponsors this great Snow Rally each year. You might say that just a few people might show up for this event, but that is not the case. Approximately 80 riders join together for activities of riding, fun, fellowship and food. Of course, no event would be complete without awesome prizes. This year’s Grand Prize is a 2022 Polaris Snowmobile! Raffle Tickets are available at a number of locations. See the poster included with this article.
Another great activity in this area is ice skating. Lake of the Woods Arena www.lwarena.com has a complete schedule of times for free skating mixed in with many youth and high school hockey games. The area also brags of two other arenas. One is located in Williams, MN about 16 miles to the west of Baudette and the other is in Roosevelt, another 9 miles to the west. Plenty of room for the beginning and more advanced skater.
Did you also know that Minnesotans are able to fish free with kids on the weekend of January 15-17? Minnesota Department of Natural Resources have founded this Take a Kid Ice Fishing Weekend as part of their program to introduce the younger generation to this great life-time sport. During the weekend, Minnesota residents can go ice fishing for free if they are fishing with a child 15 years old or younger. This age group does not need fishing licenses any time of the year.
Ice fishing is lots of fun for kids and adults alike. There’s nothing quite like making your way onto a frozen lake, drilling a hole through the ice and catching fish, says a volunteer mentor program coordinator with the MN DNR. If you would like more information, check the DNR’s learn to ice fishing page (dnr.state.mn.us/gofishing
Better yet, contact one of our 50+ resorts at Lake of the Woods who are professionals when it comes to ice fishing activities. There you will find any size fish house you might need whether it’s a day house or a sleeper with many conveniences you will need to make your time more than enjoyable. Many have ranges, microwaves and even bathrooms for the ladies to be completely comfortable while fishing these great waters.
See our website at www.lakeofthewoodsmn.com/lodging to stay in a wonderful location after fishing on the lake or lakeofthewoodsmn.com/ice-fishing to find great availabilities for your experience.
Whether you’re still preparing for Christmas or getting ready to take a snack to the fish house, consider this quick no bake recipe.
BLAIR LONERGAN FOR TASTE OF HOME
Ingredients
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1/2 cup milk (I use 2% milk)
2 cups granulated sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 cups quick-cooking oats
Instructions
Step 1: Prepare baking sheet
Line a large baking sheet with parchment or a silicone mat and set aside. You’ll want the tray ready to go as soon as your cookie mixture is combined!
Step 2: Boil chocolate mixture
Combine butter, milk, sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla extract and salt in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, whisking regularly. Continue whisking and allow the mixture to boil for about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat.
Step 3: Add oats
Stir the oats into the chocolate mixture until completely combined.
Step 4: Drop onto baking sheet
Use a spoon or dough scoop to drop the oat mixture onto the prepared baking sheet. Work quickly, because the chocolate will start to set right away.
Thank you, thank you, thank you to all veterans for your service. For this year’s Veterans Day, we thought it only appropriate to share information about the Pay It Forward Veterans event on Lake of the Woods.
It started out as an idea to “give back” to those who have given and still give so much. The name we chose for the Lake of the Woods Area veteran’s event was “Pay It Forward”. We thought it was appropriate for many reasons. This past week, for the seventh year, 70 veterans converged on Lake of the Woods for a 3 night, 2 day all expenses paid fishing trip.
They arrived from all over the U.S., but mainly neighboring states and all across MN. When it’s all said and done, veterans of all types, male and female, various branches of the military, some in the heart of conflicts overseas, many with a physical and/or psychological ailments such as PTSD or TBI come together and rub elbows with other veterans. Veterans spending time with other veterans on and around Lake of the Woods in a loving and supportive environment. This recipe is what makes the Pay It Forward event so magical.
There are so many touching stories. Some are happy stories. And honestly, some are not so happy. Like many veterans discuss, for many, even though back home, the “battle” is still real, maybe just in a different form. Like one veteran put it, “I may have left Vietnam, but Vietnam has not left me.” This quote is deep and resonates with many veterans regardless of when they were in and what they were involved with.
Pay It Forward allows veterans to forget about challenges, at least for a few days. Hand picked speakers help shed light on a variety if issues, resources and solutions affecting our veterans. How to peruse the VA medical system? Where can I go for a job? Who can I reach out to if I feel like I am falling through the cracks? What does a veteran’s service officer do and how can I reach one? Are their support groups? How can I receive help for my specific struggles? What is my purpose in life? In many cases, there are resources or groups that can be helpful in some way to veterans.
One of the guest speakers this year was Melony Butler of Eagle’s Healing Nest in Sauk Centre, MN. On the first night, Butler explained more about the “Nest”.
We are a non-profit organization committed to meeting the needs of our veterans, service members and their families who suffer from the invisible wounds of war. Our entire team is committed to meeting those needs.
A promise to one and a need of many was what created the vision of “Eagle’s Healing Nest”. The “Eagle” represents the past, present and future military strength, independence, pride and honor. The “Nest” is full of meaning such as home, family, brotherhood, safety and security. The “Hands” cradling the nest represents the many that will wrap their support and give services to the veterans and military members to help reintegrate them back to their families and into their communities.
Many of our military are struggling and need programs with a caring hand to assist them. Eagle’s Healing Nest will help foster purpose and direction. Our service member’s families, who also serve our Country, deserve the resources, support, and best treatment available. Eagle’s Healing Nest provide this.
Night two, we heard from a variety of leadership representing various veteran organizations. Tom Goodrich of Fishing For Life, Todd Tanhoff with MN Elks Veterans Service, and Bobby Edwards from For His Glory Outdoors. Mel Butler finished up the evening with some suicide prevention training.
The final evening was a time to award the top prize for longest walleye and pike. Top walleye honors went to Joe Bistodeau with a 28.5 inch walleye, beautiful fish. The top pike is awarded despite everyone walleye fishing and a pike catch is normally accidental. Nonetheless, we normally get some big ones. Vern Schwalbe took pike honors with a 28 inch pike. There was video of a 40 plus inch pike that literally got away at the boat.
And finally, some great entertainment. The first performer was Mike from Eagle’s Healing Nest. Mike would be the first to tell you he isn’t a pro, but nobody could tell as he played a short set of some of his own songs written about veterans.
And the headliner. Bobby Vandell has been awarded 5 gold records and is a 9 time inductee in the Midwest Rock and Country Hall of Fame. He spent almost 50 years drumming for a whos who list of performers such as Prince, Bonnie Rait, Chuck Berry and Lipps, Inc. Normally, this event doesn’t attract this kind of talent, but through a relationship with Eagle’s Healing Nest, Bobby was gracious enough to come up for an evening and entertain this years veterans.
Roughly 20 veterans commit suicide every day. Many veterans believe that number is understated greatly with the number closer to 100. Any number is too high. A number of caring veterans, people, volunteers and folks working with organizations who help veterans are part of the Pay It Forward event. There are a number of key ingredients that come together to make a good recipe. Everyone of those ingredients are important and in this case, it is no different.
This year, and since the outset, Fishing For Life has assisted as a partner of Pay It Forward. They are a group based out of the Twin Cities but reaching out to folks throughout the region helping tremendously with bringing veterans together, identifying issues and providing solutions, creating veterans events that are key to fostering support and so much more.
Pay It Forward is made possible through the generosity and giving nature of sponsors. This includes resorts who donate lodging, charters and meals, small businesses and veteran organizations who believe in helping veterans enjoy a fishing trip aboard a charter boat in this loving, caring environment along with the positive outcomes we see year in and year out. Thank you to all sponsors who make this event happen.
This past week’s event, like every event, brought very special people who happen to be veterans to Lake of the Woods. And once again, magic happened.
If you are interested in yourself or perhaps a company being a sponsor or if you are a veteran or know of a veteran who may be interested, check out www.payitforwardlow.org or our Pay it Forward page. You can also email Joe Henry at Joe.Henry@LakeoftheWoodsMN.com or give a call to 320-260-7727.
Thank you to all veterans and all who protect and serve!
Jigs or spinners? For many, a classic jig and a minnow is the go to walleye presentation on Lake of the Woods. It could be argued that the jig and minnow has caught more walleyes out of the big lake than any other presentation. It still is the go to and super effective. However, there can be some very good arguments made in learning the nuances of pulling spinners for walleyes, also called crawler harnesses or simply snelled spinners with a crawler, minnow or leech can have big advantages. One of those arguments is, at times, you will simply catch more fish.
Spinners for walleyes really kicks into gear as the water begins to warm up. Normally when water starts to hit the mid 50’s, it is time to start considering drifting or trolling with spinners. Currently on Lake of the Woods, the water temps have reached 60 degrees in many parts of the lake.
First off, a crawler harness and snelled spinner are basically the same thing. When you are not using a night crawler, we don’t call is a crawler harness anymore, thus it’s a snelled spinner. Semantics out of the way, these set ups are effective.
Why are spinners for walleyes so effective? A lot of reasons, the flash of the blade. The different color combinations of the beads and blades. The vibration of the spinner is sensed by the walleyes lateral line much like that of the prey they feed. You can put crawlers, minnows, leeches and plastics on a harness.
My go to set up is a two ounce bottom bouncer with a harness between 4-6′ long. It is conducive to use a longer snell in clearer waters, thus on Lake of the Woods, I normally go about 5′ or so as the water is stained. In a nutshell, the key with this presentation is to slowly be pulling this through the water column where the fish are so the blade is spinning and a desirable speed the walleyes want that given day.
What that looks like is drifting or trolling your set up with a desirable 45 degree angle. When I am trolling in my boat, my goal is 1.25 mph. You don’t want the harness way behind the boat like when you are trolling with a crankbait. You want that 45 degree angle and have total control.
Keep the sinker just off the bottom, not dragging the bottom, but rather touch the bottom once in a while to know you are down there and lift just off so you avoid snags and other debris.
When a walleye grabs it, it loads up like a wet sock. Normally they don’t hammer it. Simply lower you rod tip back at the same speed of the boat so the walleye doesn’t feel anything change for two seconds and swing the rod with a mild hookset.
When using a crawler, I suggest a two hook harness and pinch off the crawler once hooked on the harness so only about 3-4″ of tail hangs off of the back hook. This amount of crawler is perfect for great action but will produce many more hookups vs using an entire crawler where the walleye hits it half way back and misses the hooks.
This set up covers water. It can be used from shallow to deep. It will catch everything that swims. And for the folks who go fishing with you less experienced, is a relatively easy way to get walleyes hooked up.
Give spinners for walleyes a try this year, you might be surprised how many more fish end up in your boat!
Some look forward to this day all winter. Others simply make a mental note. If you are from MN or fish in MN, you are certainly aware of it. The 2021 MN Fishing Opener took place this past weekend and Lake of the Woods did not disappoint.
Known as The Walleye Capital of the World, Lake of the Woods is one of the best fisheries in the world for walleyes. The fishing opener did not disappoint. The majority of the anglers caught limits of walleyes and saugers with a lot of trophy walleyes mixed in. When we say trophy walleyes, we are talking walleyes over 28 inches which is typically about an 8 pounder with a good share of fish over 30 inches as well.
The majority of fishing opener walleye anglers used jigs and minnows or frozen shiners. On some lakes, anglers are used to moving around slowly with jigs and minnows trying to get over more active fish. On Lake of the Woods, however, anchoring up and jigging is a very effective method for a number of reasons. First off, the walleyes and saugers on LOW seem to move around a lot which bodes well for still fishing and simply staying put.
Second, some believe a mini ecosystem is actually created under your boat when anchored up and jigging. Scent and scales from the minnows are in the water attracting fish. In addition, anglers are jigging, often contacting the bottom of the lake and shaking their jig. All of this commotion creates vibration which equates to a meal for a walleye or sauger. More fish start to congregate, anglers are reeling in fish and there you have it, an ecosystem for angler success!
Walleyes were caught in many locations during the opener. Anglers fishing the Rainy River overall experienced good fish in the river. It was a bluebird weekend with sunny skies and calm winds. Again, a jig and minnow were used the most with success.
Anglers on the fishing opener also found fish throughout 4 Mile Bay. When walleyes spawn in the Rainy River, some stay in the river and others slowly make their way back into the lake. 4 Mile Bay is a natural spot to hang out with it’s warmer water, many areas just off of the current and good forage offerings for walleyes.
The majority of anglers fished Lake of the Woods along the south shore. There were good reports from the Lighthouse Gap all the way to Long Point. The most popular depths were 18-22 feet, but walleyes and saugers were caught very shallow around 5 feet and deeper than 30′ as well. As you know, walleyes are not all congregated in one area, especially in a lake with a lot of walleyes.
Up at the NW Angle, great success was also had during the opener. Shoreline structure, points and neck down areas where there is some current was the best. Once again, a jig and minnow was by far the most used presentation. One resort commented on opening morning, guests said they caught walleyes in almost every spot they fished. The action slowed a bit in the afternoon.
Right now is an incredible time to fish Lake of the Woods. The fish are hungry and relatively close to shore. They are caught in the river, bays and along shorelines. The water is cold and the fish are hungry.
There are many ways to experience LOW. Some anglers bring their own boat. There are numerous nice public and private boat ramps to land a boat of any size along with safe parking.
Others who don’t own a boat or simply want to make their trip easy jump in with a guide or in a charter boat. Contact your favorite resort for more information.
Up at the NW Angle, most visitors will hook up with one of the guides who work through the resorts. Guides up amongst the islands typically use a nice 20′ boat, perfect for accessing the 14,552 islands Lake of the Woods is famous for. This is an adventure before you even wet a line navigating amongst the islands and many great fishing areas.
With the US / Canada border being closed, there are a few ways to travel up to the NW Angle. Boating across the lake from the south shore and staying in MN waters is one option. Boaters have to make sure to have a large enough boat that can take big water. It is also helpful to watch the weather and wind forecasts. Many who boat up to the Angle leave at daybreak before the wind comes up. Don’t have your boat overloaded and take all safety precautions.
Another option is the Lake of the Woods Transport Service which will transport you from the south shore via charter boat to your favorite NW Angle resort. No worries here. The charter boats are big boats operated by a licensed charter captain. Sit back and relax and enjoy the scenery and adventure.
The third way to travel up to the Angle is Lake Country Air. This is a flying service that has a plane stationed on the south end of the lake at Baudette. It can fly you across Lake of the Woods in about 10 minutes. They also have options to fly groups in from around the state.
Lake of the Woods is full of fish. Whether you are after the most sought after fish, the walleye, or you are looking for other species such as pike, perch, muskies, sturgeon, or smallmouth bass, good fishing opportunities abound.
The Walleye Capital of the World rarely disappoints. If you have been to LOW, you understand. If you have not, now is the time. You wont’ regret it!
The next time you’re up to Lake of the Woods don’t forget your golf clubs. There’s always time to squeeze in a quick round or maybe you only have time for 9 holes.
If you’re staying near Baudette on the Rainy River or at any of our south shore resorts Oak Harbor Golf Course is your stop. This beautiful 18 hole, par 72 championship course will provide golfers of all skill levels and abilities with fair, enjoyable and exciting golf experiences. The vintage front nine, created in 1968, offers a true and natural layout nestled along the Rainy River with scenic fairways carved into mature and heavily wooded confines.
The newly designed back nine is a Scottish link style with fairway and greenside bunkers, large ponds and quick greens. It features a fairway bunker that is self-proclaimed to be the world’s largest walleye attraction. Located 9 miles north of Baudette, Minnesota on Highway 172. The course itself is 6549 yards long from the tips.
The greens are firm so even some the best will be challenged. Oak Harbor Golf Course also comes with a full bar and grill which is quite the eye catching hangout after a round to have some of your favorite beverages. Tournaments, leagues, and events are held here and can be viewed on the course webpage.
Congratulations Sydney
Youth are taught to golf through the high school program at Lake of the Woods Schools. They have had great success over the years as they compete in tournaments around the area. One great success story is of a young lady named Sydney Hufnagle. She was raised up through the ranks and went on to win many trophies. She also qualified for a college scholarship using her golfing expertise. She is currently on the college golfing trail for her college this spring. Shouting out congratulations to Syd.
The Northwest Angle Golf Course also provides a chance to golf will visiting. The course has 2 grass greens and 7 sand greens. The sand is local sand and is firm so you can actually putt on it. As Risser says, “Sometimes it isn’t as smooth as the grass so you have to hit the ball a bit harder.” Everyone is putting on the same green so it is equal across the board.
Yes, it’s still open. Yes, 9 holes with sand greens. Unique hazards – deer, geese and other critters on the fairways . Small clubhouse, men’s and women’s leagues. On-site post office . Owned by Judy and George Risser. 223-8001.
There is an etiquette to using sand greens that is good to know. A special two sides rake is used to groom the green. One side of the rake is toothed to create grooves in the sand. The other side is smooth to create a smooth putting surface to the hole. Two holes border the water, holes #4 and #5. The scenery on this course cannot be beat. And neither can the hospitality.
Angle Inlet, MN is a small community and having a golf course is a privilege. There are leagues, tournaments, etc. just like a normal golf course. The course rents clubs, has balls and tees and actually has two golf carts for rent that they keep in the storage sheds across the road. “Everyone is welcomed” so come and enjoy.
It’s not too soon to think about Rhubarb coming up!!
Ingredients
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup quick-cooking tapioca
3 cups sliced fresh or frozen rhubarb (1/4-inch pieces)
3 cups sliced fresh or frozen strawberries, thawed
1/3 cup orange juice
4-1/2 teaspoons orange marmalade, optional
1/4 teaspoon grated orange zest
Dough for double-crust pie
Directions
Preheat oven to 400°. In a large bowl, combine sugar and tapioca. Add fruit; toss to coat. Gently stir in the juice, marmalade if desired and orange zest. Let stand for 15 minutes.
On a lightly floured surface, roll one half of dough to a 1/8-in.-thick circle; transfer to 9-in. deep-dish pie plate. Trim to 1/2 in beyond rim of plate. Add filling.
Roll remaining dough to a 1/8-in.-thick circle; cut into 1/4-in.-wide strips. Arrange over filling in a lattice pattern. Trim and seal strips to edge of bottom crust; flute edge. Cover edges loosely with foil.
Bake until filling is bubbly and rhubarb is tender, 40-50 minutes. Remove foil. Cool on a wire rack. Store in the refrigerator.
Editor’s Note
If using frozen rhubarb, measure rhubarb while still frozen, then thaw completely. Drain in a colander, but do not press liquid out.
Combine 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour and 1/2 tsp. salt; cut in 1 cup cold butter until crumbly. Gradually add 1/3 to 2/3 cup ice water, tossing with a fork until dough holds together when pressed. Divide dough in half. Shape each into a disk; wrap and refrigerate 1 hour.
