Now, you must make some reservations and quick because a town like Walker is ALWAYS busy, especially on weekends and you better be prepared well in advance. Winter, granted, slows down a bit. But not too much, so stay on your game! There are four larger hotels in the area and two smaller motels along with one Bed and Breakfast. During the summer months there are also a TON of resort cabins and things of the like if you so prefer. But I will focus on two of these locations. One is The Country Inn of Walker, one of the “larger” hotels. And the other is the B&B called Embracing Pines.

I happen to know that The Country Inn is by far the best and most wonderful place to stay in Walker. The staff is amazing, led by an amazing manager, they will go above and beyond to make their guests feel happy and comfortable. They recently have completed renovations that they are very excited about! The rooms have new paint, new furniture, new drapes, new bedding, new amenities, new carpet and new LOVE (from you!). They are KNOWN for their cleanliness, friendliness, their amazing deluxe continental breakfast, their 24 hour cookies that they bake themselves, their comfortable new beds and their 100% devotion they give to their guests. I love this hotel! And you will, too! It is set right off of Leech Lake, one lonely block is between the two. Second floor rooms offer a lakeside view. They have beautiful suites, including first floor Jacuzzi suites and let me tell you those Jacuzzi’s are BIG! All in all, its just a wonderful place to stay.

Now, I have to give a shout out to the B&B Embracing Pines as well, because I advocate all of my favorite local businesses and I can’t leave them out. I LOVE a B&B. My husband and I stayed in one in Thunder Bay and ever since then, I am apt to seek them out whenever we travel. I was thrilled to see we have one in Walker! Well, it’s not right in town… but only about a 10 minute drive at the most. The scenery is amazing. The rooms are quaint and lovely. I haven’t stayed here, yet. I am hoping to soon though! They offer a shuttle to and from the trails, they have all sorts of activities to share in and they have a great website to check out. I have met the owner, very nice guy and you can see reviews on their site as well. It just looks fabulous! Either way you decide to go, you can’t go wrong.

“Alright, so we’re staying at The Country Inn…and it’s great. But we don’t want to stay inside all day, what are we supposed to do now??” Just stop whining, and I will help you!

www.WalkerCountryInn.com
www.EmbracingPines.com

When we moved here over two years ago, we would drive by The Boulders every single day. For about three months I thought it was a landscaping company who sold large rocks. Their signage is unfortunate. Right next door to them is a company who makes Log Homes, and they have the exact same sign it seems. Big red letters in what seems to be the same font. So most out of towners that I have talked to, think The Boulders is a landscaping company, as I had previously thought as well. It’s not, it is a fantastic restaurant. When I found out that this location was indeed an upscale restaurant, I wanted to try it immediately. Then two years went by. I got fed-up. We made reservations, for November 5th. Our golden anniversary.

We got dressed up and were feeling pretty fantastic ourselves. We walked in, at last…I was seeing it from the inside! I was impressed! Low lights, fancy bar, tables set with beautiful linens and dishes. The staff was highly professional and exactly what I wanted to see. It was a Thursday night and I was surprised at how busy it was and also surprised to see that no one really dresses up anymore. But I didn’t care, we looked like we belonged there. The sweatshirts and jeans galore looked out of place for a restaurant with much class.

We started with a martini off of their extensive martini menu. I had NEVER ordered a martini before in my life, being sure that I would be disgusted by them. What do you know, I loved it. From what I could tell, it was made perfect. And they were not outrageous, only $8.00 each for a large cocktail! We ordered the crab and artichoke dip with pita chips. Ok, the name of this appetizer does NOT do it justice. It was a meal in itself. The pita chips are deep fried and hot and the dip is warm with cream cheese…sooooo….yeah! DELICIOUS! Let’s move on to the entree’s. I ordered the 3 Cheese Baked Macaroni (I am a sucker for this dish) and my husband being the quirky man he is, ordered the Penne Jambalaya. Yup, they have Jambalaya. And even though I didn’t try it, he gave it a 5 star rating. I had to take my entire entree home due to being full on the appetizer. But I ate it later on that night, and it was simply amazing.

We were surprised after our meals with two little cheesecakes, one vanilla one chocolate with raspberries, and candles on the top due to our anniversary! My best friend and her husband, who live in Georgia, called ahead and paid for our entire meal and had them present the desserts to us in such manner. It was awesome! And our waitress was perfect.

So for your special occasions, please keep The Boulders at the top of your list! If you are visiting our wonderful little town for a special occasion, give this place a try. Any woman would love to be taken here! And what’s that you say….you need somewhere to stay for your special occasion?? Why! I have the perfect place!

The Boulders is on the web! Check out their menu! www.thebouldersrestaurant.com

And that brings us back to The Village Square. If I were younger and maybe single, I would spend way more of my time there due to it’s inviting couches and probably the best coffee on the planet. It feels much like the setting of “Friends”, without the desperation. Either way, we do frequent there a lot. They have free wifi in the entire place, making it very handy to spend way too much time sipping coffee. On one side of the place is the coffee and ice cream shop with the couches mentioned before. They have a rewards program for your coffee buying habits and the ice cream makes me fat just thinking about it. Bring it on!

Now, there is seating between the coffee shop and the restaurant area perfect for you and your laptop. Or if you prefer, you and your friends. On threw the hallway, past the seating area, is the restaurant area with more seating upstairs in a somewhat loft like space, or downstairs in a cozy booth or table. The whole place just screams “COZY”, which I love. “But how is their FOOD?? Get to the FOOD!”

I love their food. I have of course, my favorites that I always order. Once in awhile I will stray and try something new, and I am always delighted. Now, my favorites are the breadsticks and the Tomato Basil Soup. Which deserves the all capitals I just used as though it were a person and place and not just a thing. That soup captivated my taste-buds the first time we met, which was some years ago now. And nothing has changed. Honestly though, their entire menu is fantastic. It’s all home made, people! Do you even remember what it’s like to have a home made meal?? Go here, it will all come back in a flash. They don’t have a large “dinner” menu per-say, but what they do have they put their own spin on and make it more wonderful than you would have thought. When we go to The Village Square, it’s like a treat. A family owned business serving up sweet sweetness, it will always be at the top of my Favorite Things. Plus you can get a glass of the aforementioned Forestedge Wine, bonus!

“Well, OK, we get it. But we really want to go somewhere fancy and not as casual because it’s our 5th Year Anniversary. Now where are we supposed to go??” Let me tell you….

Check them out online!
www.villagesquarewalker.com

People who are familiar with Leech Lake know that Reeds Sporting Goods, is synonymous with fishing on Leech Lake and hunting, whatever your needs may be! At Reeds, they have a huge selection of everything related to outdoor sports that take place in the woods or on the water. The best part is that if you are visiting with the family, there is something for the kids, the wife and of course, the husband. When people visit the store for their first time, you can tell they are completely awe-struck by the abundance of items and the selection. During my visits to Reeds Sporting Goods, I have seen many well seasoned sportsmen with a childish look of wonderment on their face state “This is my first time here. This place is amazing!” The contents and staff in this store really do put the big guys to shame. You’ll never find the type of customer service or expertise from Cabela’s or Gander that you find in Reeds Sporting Goods.

When you first walk in the store you are in the clothing/apparel section which contains probably the largest selection of women’s, men’s and children’s clothing in Walker, Minnesota. As you step deeper into the store, you start to find all sorts of fishing equipment, ranging from above average items at a great price to professional grade fishing rods, reels, lures and the funnest fishing equipment: electronics. If you fish deep sea or freshwater from a canoe, Reeds has a selection of electronics for you whether you are in search of a navigation system or a simple fish finder. During the winter, they have pretty much any type of ice flasher, depth finder or underwater camera you could ever imagine. They carry products from all of the top companies: Vexilar, Lowrance, Marcum, Showdown, Aqua-Vu and more. If you want to know about one of the items in the fishing department, you can just ask one of the staff. Although, he will have already greeted you before you need to go in search of him. If you aren’t interested in electronics and stick to the old way of fishing, you will be interested in their massive selection of Jigs, Spoons, Spinners, Flyers, Whistlers and whatever type of lure you are in search of.

If you actually make it past the fishing section before the store closes, you will find the gun/hunting department that has the largest selection of firearms you will ever see in your life! From the selection, you’ll find antique handguns, the greatest and newest handguns, rifles and shotguns. Reeds works directly with manufacturers, so they are able to be the first to get some of the newest firearms before anyone else. The employees in the gun department have an abundance of knowledge that would overwhelm the most knowledgeable firearm enthusiasts but they are able to assist those who have no knowledge of guns by informing them, not belittling them. They also have many accessories such as ground blinds, decoys, ladder stands, trap throwers, clay pigeons and other accessories for all types of hunting and an array of ammunition. They even carry odd ammunition such as .280 British!

Reeds has an always changing selection of items, while keeping staple items in stock. My favorite part of Reeds is that they price match! If you find that another store has a lower price, Reeds will match it! Most times, I find they are already the lowest. So next time you’re in Reeds tell them you heard good things about them on LeechLakeTourist.com and that’s why you came. They’ll be glad to hear! They also have a website. Check it out: www.ReedsSports.com.

This is the continuation of My Favorite Things to see and do in lovely Walker, Minnesota. And yes, I am stealing the name from Oprah. Well actually, the Sound of Music…but I digress. Also in my Favorite Things, I will not be handing out thousands of glorious gifts to my adoring fans. The gifts come by way of suggestions and my adoring fans come by way of you…? Time will tell! Onward we go!

As I mentioned in my previous post, I have a recommendation for those who prefer wine over beer, of which I often fall into this category. There is a winery! It’s not exactly in the town of Walker, but it is very close. It is about a 20 minute drive, and the scenery on your drive could not be more lovely. The Forest Edge Winery is set in the country and is quite charming! My husband and I also decided to visit this location on our 5th Year Anniversary, we accomplished a lot on this day. Anyway, our anniversary is unfortunately in November which means most places outdoors are now indoors or closed. It wasn’t closed yet for the season so we did get to hop inside and sample some wines! To be honest, I didn’t have high expectations but only out of sure ignorance. The gentleman who hosted us was very pleasant and accommodating and made us feel at home. A home with a lot of wine, which was great! We sampled many varieties of the fruit wines they produce, my favorites being the White Cranberry, the Raspberry Cranberry, and the Black Current. I honestly have never tasted a fruit wine that was so delicious and crisp you could tell exactly what you were drinking. We both really loved their wine and ended up with 3 bottles of our own.

I was a little disappointed that we could not tour the winery, but I know how it goes with an anniversary in November. So we will go again next summer and bring our out of town friends with, too! In the meantime, we can buy their wines at local liquor stores (you can too, check it out!) and order a glass at our favorite restaurant, The Village Square. I will talk about them later…..

Check out their website: www.forestedgewinery.com

After taking the brief but highly informative tour, we were offered samples of the different beers they brew and making it feel like a real party, there were pretzels. They even brew an IPA (India Pale Ale) which highly impressed my husband. They sell growlers that you can get refilled with any of the selections, good for us locals! And they have their beers available in some of the local restaurants as well, very exciting. Overall, we had a fantastic time, met some wonderful people and walked out with a growler of our own…now adorning our kitchen counter. So if you are in the area visiting for the weekend or live here year round, stop on by the Leech Lake Brewery, you will not be disappointed! Unless you prefer wine. In which case, I have a suggestion for that as well. Stay tuned!

Check out their website for more info: www.leechlakebrewing.com.

When to Fish
In the spring and fall you can fish almost any time of day. When the sun is out the shallow water warms up and the fish love it there. A cloudy day is great for fishing and if it is raining there is no better time to be fishing. You will catch more fish in the spring then any other time of the year.

In the summer the morning or evening are the best time to fish. If it is a clear, hot, sunny day you are better off doing something else but you can still catch fish. But just like in the fall or spring if it is cloudy you will do well. If it is raining, that is even better!

Assorted Tackle
You don’t need to bring a huge tackle box just bring along some 1/4 oz jigs and a few spinners. Leech Lake is notorious for great activity on chartreuse colored lures, which is a green color that borders yellow. This is the color I always start out with. If they don’t seem to be going for it, try another color or different type of lure. If you are fishing at night or early morning try using a glow jig. They can work wonders at times.

Cast out as far as I can and troll in whatever type of lure you have. Walleye are predatory fish and if they feel or see something moving quickly they are likely to go after it.

The Right Line
Choosing the right type of fishing line is essential. If you are using light line, like Trilene Sensation, for shore fishing, you are likely going to loose many lures on the rocks or weeds. If you are going to get monofilament (mono) fishing line, which is most commonly used, you should get something like Trilene XT (Extra Tough) line which is great for most shore fishing situations. A 6 or 8 pound test line is best.

If you really want the best, you should pay the extra cash and get some braided line. When you compare mono and braided line of the same pound test, the braided line is always going to be thinner, harder to cut and harder to snap. It also has less memory. Mono is high memory, which causes fishing line to twist up and tangle. Some people use a florocarbon or mono leader when they use braided line since it is harder to see.

Fishing Rod / Reel Combos
It is always best to bring at least two combos (a rod and reel) with so if you end up loosing a lure you can still have a line in the water while you tie on another lure on. It’s a good idea to have two different types of lures set up in case the fish aren’t too keen on that color that day. A spinning combo works best in most shore fishing situations.

Essential Equipment
Besides the obvious there are a few essential tools you will need, which will make the experience go smoothly and enjoyably.

• 5 Gallon Bucket – Bring one or two to throw your fish in. If you want you can buy these at sporting good stores but you can always stop in a fast food restaurant and ask if they have any that they are throwing away.
• Pliers – You do not want to reach into the mouth of a Walleye to get a hook out or you’ll get bit! They make pliers and other contraptions just for this.
• Line Clippers – You will need to cut that line some time.
• Food – Bring a backpack with food so you don’t have to leave if the fish are biting.

What to Wear
It is in your best interest to wear some boots in case you need to walk on shore rocks, covered in moss and algae. Water-proof boots are best if you have some that you won’t get too hot in. A good rain suit is a great idea too since the fish bite most when it rains. This is when fishing under a bridge is quite nice.

After eighteen successful seasons, The Woodtick Band has now started their nineteenth season. They play in the quaint Woodtick Musical Theater, located in the heart of Akeley, Minnesota. About a ten to fifteen minute drive, south of Walker, Minnesota. Please, note the map to the right.

Their show has a well balanced mix of country, bluegrass, folk, gospel and comedy throughout. Sometimes, all at the same moment! They add their own style to songs from as far back as you can remember as well as songs that the young ones listen to on the radio. By adding their own style, they convert these songs into something everyone can enjoy while still maintaining the original song. One of the most satisfying parts of the show is that you do not have to worry about your children hearing profanity or any sort of unsavory humor.

The Woodtick Musical Theater is one of the venues I hear the most recommendations for. So, after putting it off for too long, my family and I decided to go. Before the show, the host asked everyone in the audience to show their hands if it was their first time visiting the theater. About half the audience raised their hands. Next, he asked those who had been to the theater before to raise their hands. The other half of the audience then raised their hands! At first, it was surprising but after seeing the show it was easy to see why the theater and band have such a large fan base.

The show is reminiscent of Prairie Home Companion, minus the pretentiousness. The members of the band are all local artists who each bring their own musical and comical styles to the table, creating a premium blend of that old fashioned, Northern Minnesota charm we all love. The size of the theater is small enough to make it personal, yet it fits enough people to hear roaring laughter.

Soon enough, we will be able to say we’ve been there more then twice! If you want to find out more about the theater and show times, the Woodtick Musical Theater has their own website. Be sure you call ahead to reserve tickets. Often times, the shows are sold out!

Woodtick Musical Theater’s official website: www.woodtickTheater.net

Last Ice Fishing on 2009 Ice

Choose Your Lure!
Before you choose your lure you need to know what are you going to be fishing for and what consider what time of year it is. Leech Lake has most of the species of freshwater fish that fishers of all types aim to catch. Most are looking to catch Walleye but the open season on Walleye does not start until May 15, 2010. So you are going to want to keep those small jigs around for Panfish, like Crappies, Bluegills and Pumpkinseed since they are always in open season. They can be a lot of fun to catch too since when one is biting usually all of the others are too. This means many platefuls of fish!

Panfish
Get some bobbers. They are cheap and make all the difference in being able to see any nibbles. Use some tiny jigs, even ice fishing jigs will work. For bait, wax worms and maggots are best. Panfish are not too picky about color. They are not too hard to persuade. If it looks mostly like food, they will try to eat it. As long as you stick to brighter colors they will usually try to bite.

In the early years of the festival, most people had a line in the water anticipating a bite. As more people began attending, the more it has turned into a huge drunken party on the ice. This year was my first Eel Pout Festival experience. I was at the store when a aquantence of mine invited me out on the lake. I asked if I should get my own fishing equipment from home. He told me I wouldn’t need it. I assumed he was going to lend me some of his equipment. On the drive out to his plywood shanty, I saw old school buses, camping trailers, some normal fishing shelters, very unconventional fishing shelters and a mess of people everywhere.

My aquantence parked his truck in front of his shelter. We had arrived! When I stepped out of my car there was so much music and amplified voices it nearly became white noise. We walked to the shelter and opened the door to a small party of people dancing to loud music. There was a recently caught Eel Pout hanging from the ceiling with slime dripping off it. Immediately, I realized that no one here had plans of fishing. After a little bit of chatting we decided to see what was going on around us. We came across a bar in the middle of a giant snow bank. They were serving anything… for free. Most people who had bars set up outside or in their heated shelters were doing this. Just giving away free drinks.

While it was fun watching people (some of them anyway) and having a chance to get out to see what was happening I sensed that things were not as wild as they were soon to be come. It was still early and the sun had just gone down. So, I got my butt out of there.

For Those who Want to Fish
If you are interested in actually fishing in the competition, you could win some great prizes and it was only ten dollars to enter this year (2010) to enter. You can set up your ice fishing shelter far away from the main festival area very easily. Roads are plowed all over the lake, providing easy access to people in cars as well as trucks and ATVs. This year the big prize was a Custom Made Eelpout Fish House to the one with the biggest Pout and thousands of dollars in prizes to several other categories.