GETTING WARMER.  It’s a sizzling Saturday, with temps cracking 100.  Of the two warm days this weekend, this will be the best – with light winds and sunny skies.  Tomorrow, expect gusty conditions and an old-school drought feel.  Speaking of no rain, we address the recent dry stretch in our region and more in today’s…

By Nick Simonson For avid lure makers, there’s nothing more valuable than a few quick shortcuts at the bench to crank out high-quality, customizable homemade baits.  With salmon season firing up, the addition of banded mylar strips to a tackle-crafter’s material list is a must have this time of year.  These stretches of mylar which…

GETTING WARMER.  We’re headed into a super-warm weekend, with Saturday and Sunday’s highs hitting 101. On southern breezes, expect warm and windy to be the tale of the two-day stretch until things cool down into the 80s on Monday.  We talk about that and more in today’s Three Things.   Featured Photo: Time Flies. The…

By Nick Simonson While strolling the aisles of the nearby megamart it hit me like a ton of bricks, or a pile of spiral-bound notebooks, as it were.  The creeping metal twist through covers of blue and yellow binding college-ruled papers brought a slight feeling of melancholy. It was as if I had been transported…

SMOKIN’ HOT. Things stay warm into the weekend, and those slow sultry summer sunsets will be heightened by smoke in the atmosphere.  We talk about where that’s coming from and some summer animal observations and yet another hunting season to prepare for in today’s Three Things.   Featured Photo: A deep red sunset settles in…

GOING FAST, GROWING FAST. We’re motoring through August, like sprinting pheasant chicks through ditch grass!  Nearing the 1/3 mark on the month, we’ll see temperatures soar this weekend to give you that full summer experience.  We talk about those items and more in today’s Three Things.   Featured Photo: A nearly full-grown pheasant chick sneaks…

NOTES & NUMBERS. The high number will be 90 or more today as temperatures begin to get back into more August-like reaches.  In addition, there’s lots to sign up for as shooting sports and hunting application deadlines come due.  We have the scoop on those items and more in today’s Three Things.   Featured Photo:…

FLASH IN THE PAN. While today will be cool, things will heat up quickly, keeping summer patterns for your fishing action on track and running strong into the second week of the month.  We talk about the near and long term forecasts and what they’ll mean for your fishing (and hunting) action.   Featured Photo:…

TAKE IT EASY.  There are steps to take while fishing that will make the process of catch and release easier this time of year.  With warm waters, the stress of landing fish requires a quick and knowledgable turn-around to get them back in the flow to be caught again.   We talk about those tips in…

By Nick Simonson In Part 1, we tied up the skirts for our mondo muskie spinner.  In this installment we’ll combine them with the rest of the components to finish off a lure that will help you catch more muskies as the spinner slinging season begins in late summer. CLICK HERE FOR STEP-BY-STEP TUTORIAL In…

WHO’S READY TO HUNT? Patiently awaiting the opening of management goose or dove season?  So is your four-legged friend.  We’ve got some hot weather to get through and still quite a bit of fishing to do, which we address in today’s Three Things.   Featured Photo:  Ole the lab pleads his case for a session…

TRIM TIME. NDG&F Roadside Brood Counts are underway, and as hay fields and ditches start to come down with many farmers waiting until after the first of August to mow to protect young pheasants and other birds, we’re seeing broods en masse for the first time, and numbers are looking good. We talk about that…

UP & AT ‘EM!  Temperatures are on the rise today, bringing in a much more August-like feel to the region with a hot and humid stretch coming on south winds. We talk about that and some history and current events on the hunting and fishing fronts in today’s Three Things.   Featured Photo: Shiny Three. …

JIG SOLVED PUZZLE.  There are few places where jigs can’t be employed to catch fish, and these simple options are great for summer panfish or slowly working weedlines for walleyes and perch.  Pick your favorites and hit the water with tips in today’s Three Things.   Featured Photo: Getting Ahead of the Game. Stock up…

SHIFTING. Changes are ahead not only in the next couple of days, but in the outdoor world around us.  We look at what’s coming up, and what’s going down in today’s Three Things as we make our move into late summer.   Featured Photo: What remains. A small vertical island sits separated from what’s left…

HEADED HOME. We’re heating up today and tomorrow before a slight cool down and a good looking weekend ahead again.  We get funny with our outdoors wording and remember a fun fishing photo from a close cousin in today’s Three Things.   Featured Photo: A rooster warily watches from a ditch before sprinting into cover….

PERFECT PAIR.  Welcome to day two of your perfect weekend! Sun’s out, guns out; along with fishing rods, boats, and everything you need to enjoy the day. We look ahead to the coming week and more in today’s Three Things.   Featured Photo: Two jackrabbits lounge in the mowed grass of north Bismarck. Simonson Photo….

By Nick Simonson Mid-summer, with its relatively stable conditions, obliging fish of all species, and typically warm temperatures is the perfect time to get kids outdoors and on fish.  Whether it’s bluegills in a farm pond, bullheads on the bank of a small river, or hungry pike on a spoon trolled on a lake, finding…

CUPS RUNNETH OVER! Down that coffee this morning, because it’s going to be a full weekend of fun.  Conditions and the full moon align for a warm, comfortable two-day stretch outdoors before things heat up on Monday.  We talk about what to fill your weekend with in today’s Three Things. Featured Photo: A favorite cabin…

By Nick Simonson At this point in the summer, weedlines have become well established and are the places where food is found by bigger predators bingeing from mid-season on in to fall.  Young panfish, this year’s crop of minnows and other smaller prey items abound in the underwater jungle created by the stands of seasonal…

SHOOT ON! There are lots of shooting sport events coming up to get you set for all your fall field activities.  From sampling shotguns to signing kids up for another exciting season of CTL, we’ve got the skinny on all the great shotgunning events on the calendar. Featured Photo: Shooters take aim at Capital City…

FULLY COOL. The dog days don’t seem to be bringing the heat just yet as we slide toward August.  Our cool stretch continues, making it perfect for an outdoor run, some field work with your dog or just enjoying the evening on the water.  Watch as things stabilize at the back half of the week…

SUMMER SPEED UP.  There’s lots happening as we reach the end of July, and far from slowing down, the dog days of the season are red hot (except the weather?) with fun news items, which we discuss in today’s Three Things.   Featured Photo: A rooster pheasant comes out and shakes off some overnight rain….

FOLLOW THE WIND. Today’s breezy conditions will set up an excellent evening of fishing that will continue into tomorrow.  Remember to fish those areas that the wind has consistently blown against during any stretch of time, as the pattern of incoming water will drive a lot of fish activity.  We talk about that and more…

QUICK STOP.  A quick shot of rain can’t be ruled out this afternoon, and some storms may become severe with high temps and spiking dew points.  We look ahead to what comes after the storm and keep an eye on what’s going on at home and and outstate in today’s three things. Featured Photo: A…

FLUID CHECKS. A boat is a place where mechanical, biological and chemical all come together.  Whether it’s keeping the engine running or catching fish, there are all sorts of additives, sprays and other fluid options to make things run more smoothly. We talk about at trio of must-haves in today’s Three Things. Featured Photo: Juiced!…