My Three-Day Ice Fishing Adventure In Northern Minnesota

THREE DAY ADVENTURE

I've just returned to work today after a three-day fishing trip to Ballards Resort on Lake of the Woods in Baudette, Minnesota. I don't believe I've ever fished in Minnesota that far North. Wow. What a trip!

I traveled with 40 other ice-fishing-bound guests. We had guests from all over central Minnesota joining us on the trip, and it was fun to learn a little bit about them and a pleasure to travel with such a positive group of people.

We even had some people who went solo on the trip, and forged lasting friendships; fishing together, eating together, and exchanging phone numbers to stay in touch and make plans to go on the next trip.

We arrived around 5:30 pm on Wednesday and had been given our cabin numbers on the bus, so we were able to immediately go from the bus to our cabins.

Afterward, we made reservations for dinner and were treated to a very large and tasty pile of BBQ ribs, with delicious mashed potatoes, salad bar, and dessert.

I forget how quiet it is when you don't have any traffic. I slept like a baby and was ready to get up and start fishing bright and early.

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DAY TWO

We got up the next morning at about 6 am and enjoyed a fantastic breakfast (including to-die-for caramel rolls). I believe there was French toast, eggs, sausage, bacon, waffles, and so much more.

We then had the experience of riding in a Bombardier (snow track vehicle). This resort is the only one on the lake that has these vehicles that were a piece of history. The vehicles were built between 1946 and 1966 and how exciting it was!

Each day we were delivered to a pre-heated ice house that had all holes drilled and ready to go. Tanner our guide, helped set our poles before he left, and checked back on us every couple of hours to make sure everything was okay. Our guides brought us a sack lunch each day that included a sandwich, chips, a bar of some kind, and cookies. of course, I can't forget...they brought us our very own outhouse! How fancy!

Vicky Davis, former Executive Director of the Tri-County Humane Society, was my guest and caught a fish within the first 5 minutes of putting her hook in the water. We caught a lot of fish, but we kept one walleye and one sauger on the first day of fishing. I should have known that Vicki was going to be the Rockstar on this trip...and that she was.

DAY THREE

On day three, we ate breakfast at 6 and left for our ice houses at 7 am. The ride to our Ice House was about an hour long each day. I believe we were just a couple of hours in, and Vicki caught the biggest keeper of the day; a 19-inch walleye! It was exciting, to say the least.

That evening, we enjoyed a delicious steak dinner, complete with baked potato, salad bar, and green beans.

LEAVING

As we returned from fishing, our guides were busy cleaning them and preparing them for the trip home. We loaded the bus and were served supper; a gigantic cheeseburger with JoJo's, and a side of sour cream. (If you don't know what JoJo's are, they are potato wedges. Isn't that what everyone calls them?)

All in all, we brought home 10 fish but caught many more than that. Seven sauger and three walleye.

I'm hoping I have the opportunity to go on this fishing trip again very shortly. There's nothing like having all the hard work done for you. This was a relaxing trip, and one I would recommend to anyone who wants to enjoy the experience of ice fishing.