THE BOTTOM. Welcome to the coldest day of this bitter stretch as temps once again reach their way to the low negative twenties. We keep your cabin fever at bay in today’s Three Things.   Featured Photo:  Quick Break. Even the dogs keep outdoor time limited these chilly days. Simonson Photo.   WEATHER (Bismarck Forecast):…

NOT WORST. Pick your poison as cold, falling temps and strong winds make things bitter today, while tomorrow’s deep freeze will at least be calm.  We’re getting through this tough stretch with amazing stories and other info to keep you warm, which we cover in today’s Three Things.   Featured Photo:  Seeing Red. #4 Octopus…

REPEAT.  It’s more of the same as sub-zero conditions keep hold of the upper Midwest.  To avoid cabin fever, we’ve got some organizational tips for your outdoor adventures in today’s Three Things.   Featured Photo:  Hang ‘Em High.  Muskie spinners hang in a row on a corkboard. Simonson Photo.   WEATHER (Bismarck Forecast): Today: Wed 2/6…

BIG CHILL.  Temperatures continue to trend well below average as winter locks on to the upper Midwest like a pike t-boning that little walleye you were reeling in. We think of things to watch that might get your blood boiling and take a glimpse at the forecast in today’s Three Things.   Featured Photo:  A…

By Nick Simonson When making it through a long and chilly week like the past one, I often find myself debating…myself.  Perhaps it’s a symptom of cabin fever here at midwinter, but the inner dialogue (monologue?) at the lure-making bench does tend to get interesting.  One of my favorite debates raged on in the negative-20s…

TIED UP.  Welcome to the heart of winter, as we spend much of the next week below zero – for highs and lows.  Don’t fret though, it gives you the perfect opportunity to get your gear in order for spring and complete those tackle projects.  We talk about those tips and more in today’s Three…

By Nick Simonson One of my earliest memories is of that misty kind shrouded in the fog of early self-awareness. I am looking up to see a man sitting beside me in a boat.  The lake is calm, reflecting gray skies above, his head is bent over what he holds in his hands.  The boat…

ANOTHER SHOT. A second wave of winter in as many weeks will hit the region, with heavy snow dominating the day over much of the state, and the highest piles will fall in the northern two-thirds.  We check out what’s in the forecast and go around the horn in today’s Three Things.   Featured Photo:…

By Nick Simonson Along the lure-making learning curve, the trout spinner is a versatile bait that’s easy to create and fun to customize for salmonids in any lake or stream.  A dressed treble hook and a few components come together for an easy-casting compact lure that triggers brutal reaction strikes and covers water to help…

HEY! HEY! HALFWAY!  Congratulations!  You made it to the halfway point of meteorological winter! While we haven’t had much, save for the last two weeks, it’s still time to check in on where we’re at with those conditions that stress wildlife in the Peace Garden State as part of our Winter Severity Index update. Today’s…

By Nick Simonson With a two-year-old and a just-turned-five-year-old running my house now, things go missing, particularly the remote lovingly named “Alexa” that connects to the Amazon-based lifeline of twenty-two minutes of peace and quiet in the form of Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, which for those of my generation without kids is an animated spin on…

TAKE TOMORROW OFF! Put your vacation request in today! Afterall, you’ve earned it getting through this slippery, bone-chilling stretch.  Temps begin to rise today and light winds will make afternoon outdoor events tolerable.  The big thaw comes tomorrow, and we size it up as part of today’s Three Things.   Featured Photo: Sunset.  We’re putting…