Where to go?

[Nick Kuhn]

I'll be joining the family for a little trip this August. They are notorious for poor planning and waited until the first choice was booked to try find a place to stay. Anyway I'm looking for an area where we'll have a chance to catch some fish as well as keep the women of the family entertained. It's not that they don't fish, it's that they don't like staying in the boat for more than an hour or 2 at a time. My mom would definitely like a golf course nearby and a casino within reasonable distance. For the sister a good swimming beach and horseback riding would be nice.

For the fisherman (myself, the old man, and my two brothers) an area where we can put some 30"+ pike in the boat with some regularity or have a good shot of putting a few muskies in the boat would be great (seeing some would be a must, the younger brothers lose interest if they don't see a fish after some time).

Aiming for suggestions of northern Minnesota or northwest Wisconsin cities, as they tend to meet the many needs of my family. I was thinking something like the Bemidji area. Something that offers a lot of nearby choices that won't be too busy (yes with my family you are often searching for magical non-existant places and their expectations are never met). A list would be nice because odds are they'll find a way to veto my first through 3rd picks, go with my fourth best choice, show up decide it sucks and tell me I never get to pick for them again.

[DUCKJ]

Cass lake would meet all yur needs I think. Plenty of pan fish for the kids and a very nice beach. Muskies, pike and walleye for you and yur dad. Casino for yur mom only 15 min drive. Not to sure about the hourses for yur sister but im sure you could find somthing though. Give Steve at Break On The Lake a call. Dont know if he is booked or not but its a great place to stay and very nice people. Dont think I can post a number or web site so you wil have to search it on the net yourself. Tell him Duck sent you.

Duck

[Nick Kuhn]

They aren't really kids anymore, and they don't panfish but for the occasional fly-rod numbers contest on glassy water. Get those conditions and you had best be pulling them out faster than a fish a minute to win the contest (give fly fishing a try and you'll never want to fish panfish, particularly gills, any other way).

Walleye's have been so easy to catch lately that I don't think we'll bother targeting them. We'll catch a half dozen by accident, probably all in the protected slot like the others caught this year though. I mean 2 weeks ago I had a follow on a big bucktail that turned out to be an 'eye. Don't know what's up with them this year.