Paul Bunyan Country Outdoors

Bruce Jean of Rainy Lakes Guides checks in to talk about some BIG northerns coming through the ice, along with several other hot bites. Plus, we talk gear, get a couple of dad jokes and a Fast Five...that doesn't go real fast. Great stuff though!

Chuck Hasse has been on the ice hauling fish houses to the hottest spots (figuratively, of course) on the Lake. Leech has had a strong year and Chuck has the story.

Dick Beardsley with a harrowing tale of the dicey ice of 2023, plus updates on how it's looking now. There are fish to be caught, Brady and Dick discuss. Plus an update on cool outdoor happenings with Visit Bemidji and much more!

Mike Frisch is a busy dude! So busy, he hasn't even had a ton of ice fishing opportunities. Nonetheless, he's a veteran and has some great hard water wisdom. We get caught up on what we'll see on "Fishing The Midwest", talk about the School Of Fish, and even throw in a Fast Five.

It's been a very spotty winter for ice. And even where there's good ice, there's often slush and snow piled on top of it. But there are a couple places that have great ice and fairly good access...Red and Lake of the Woods. And who knows more about Red and Lake of the Woods than Carl Adams? Well, probably somebody...but I don't who they are.

Garett Svir's business name says it all: Slab Seekers Guide Service. With ice finally firming up on Otter Tail Country lakes, Garett is finding fish and action while dealing with the slush that s prevalent throughout Minnesota this year. Plus, the new panfish regs effects on slab sizes and much more.

The Brainerd Jaycees Ice Fishing Extravaganza is on the way and we get the details from Tournament Chair Tad Johnson. Plus, we head over Grand Rapids way and check in with Dave Weitzel to find out about another Grand Rapids area gem for our latest Lake of the Week. Click HERE For the Extravaganza: https://icefishing.org/ Click HERE For Lake of the Week Details: https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/lakefind/lake.html?id=31077500

John Hoyer has had another amazing year. He captured his second Cabela's National Walleye Tour National Championship, he was part of Team USA at the World Predator Classic in Czechia. On top of all that...he got his deer, Robin Hood style. Great stuff from John Hoyer on the latest podcast.

We have a Lake of the Week Doubleheader today, learning about Lobster Lake in the Alexandria area (no, we don't know why a lake in Minnesota's Paul Bunyan Country is called "Lobster") and Pine Lake in Walker. If you want to learn a little more here are some links from the MN DNR LakeFinder: Lobster: https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/lakefind/lake.html?id=21014400 Pine: https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/lakefind/lake.html?id=11029200

Blane Klemek is not only the Northwest Regional Wildlife Manager, he's a columnist for the Bemidji Pioneer and one of his most common topics is birds. He has a passion for all the birds in the north country and today he shares his top tips for bird feeding and luring the birds to your backyard and feeders.

If Mandy Uhrich had her way, she'd fish for everything and hunt for everything...but there's only so many hours in the day...and pesky jobs too. Nonetheless, we'll find out about her hunting adventures as well as her thoughts on this snow dump we got before the ice was ideal. Plus a Holiday Fast Five and a Fishing/Hunting New Year's Resolution.

Bro Brosdahl loves this time of year. It's finally cool enough for him! Now if we can just get that ice thick enough. Bro tells us what he's seeing on the ice, where to find them, what to spend your Christmas money on AND even a Holiday Fast Five.

The ice was shaping up nicely...and then all that wet snow. That has set everything back and we check in with Nate Blasing to find out how things are (or are not) shaping up in the Brainerd Lakes area. The cold has helped the ice continue to thicken even under all that snow. He's got it all...plus a Holiday Fast Five.

Henry Drewes spent many years as the Northwest Regional Fisheries Manager and now he's spending many days on the water, in the woods and in the fields. We get his thoughts on the past year's fishing, the upcoming ice fishing and some hunting too.

Blane Klemek has been on Paul Bunyan Country Outdoors almost as much as Kev Jackson lately. But there's been a lot to cover. We had hunting seasons to preview, hunting seasons to recap, and there was the CWD positive deer and a possible special hunt. Well, Blane is back because it's now TWO CWD positives and the hunt is happening...very soon. Plus, Blane can take "Interim" off that title. We have all the details.

Lots of reports of good ice bites and of course, many places are not quite there yet. Dick Beardsley checked in a couple weeks ago to preview the season and give early ice advice. It's always fun to talk with Dick Beardsley, who has never found a reason to NOT be enthusiastic.

There were certainly some good stories in the various hunting seasons this fall, but there was a bad one too...a CWD positive deer found in the wild south of Bemidji. Blane Klemek covers that and everything else deer and otherwise in this season wrap up...well, except for muzzle loader and a few hardcore archers.

Scott Mackenthun wrote about it last year, and this year he tells us the tale. As deer season wanes (just muzzle loader left...and a few hard core archers). We had it on the radio prior to the opener, but if you missed it then, listen now...plus a little fishing talk too (and his first Fast Five).

Mandy Uhrich is always in a quandary. She loves fishing and she loves hunting. When we talked to her prior to the deer opener, she was torn by the great bites every species were providing in the Brainerd Lakes area. But the call of the woods was hard to resist. Certainly since then, she's probably given up on fishing, but a great conversation as always!

We talk alot of fishing with Bruce Jean of Rainy Lakes Guiding, but he also loves deer hunting, and we had a chance to talk prior to the opener. Great tales, plus some (now close to outdated) fall fishing talk and much more.