By Nick Simonson Even with the seemingly permanent cold conditions the region has experienced, spring will come and in the in-between, some of the most exciting fishing can be had on the ice as we enter the late hardwater season.  While an auger extension may be necessary to get through areas where the surface has…

ON REPEAT.  A slight warmup gets pulled out from under us by the end of the week, with March expected to roll in like a lion.  We look at the cause of your cabin fever and check out some lake history and safety for your hunting buddy in today’s Three Things.   Featured Photo: Winter…

THE BIG QUESTIONS. There will be no doubt about conditions today, as wind gusts will touch 40 mph this morning and stay elevated throughout much of the day as temperatures drop.  We check out three big questions in today’s Three Things.   Featured Photo:  School’s In.  A school of bluegills on display. Simonson Photo.  …

SUPER SATURDAY.  Get out there today and enjoy a relative warm up, as winds hold off until after sundown.  Tomorrow will be your time for inside projects as gusty conditions dominate the day.  We look into some modern windbreaks and some favorite birds in today’s Three Things.   Featured Photo:  Snow Row. Two lines of…

By Nick Simonson Of all the flies that trout eat, particularly in North Dakota, the caddisfly is probably the most common and easiest to imitate.  Many late spring and early summer evenings across the Peace Garden State can be spent chasing stocked rainbows that are adapting to their lake environments and the natural food sources…

CRIKEY!  Saturday will provide the best chance to get outdoors, and we take a look at the weather for the weekend (and future) and celebrate the life of an amazing conservationist in today’s Three Things.   Featured Photo:  A nice bluegill sparkles in the sun for a photo before a quick release back into the…

By Nick Simonson The practice of tying my own flies began almost as soon as I was introduced to the sport of fly fishing. Though even the first woolly buggers and simple nymphs were a bit rough looking, they caught fish the following season and that was enough to hook me on the process.  Since…

SNOW WHAT? Light snow tapers early this morning as we continue the elongated drag through February (are we sure this month only has 28 days?).  For much of the upper Midwest, this has become one of the snowiest months on record.  We keep pressing on with today’s Three Things, talking natural miracles and more. Featured…

POPULAR POLLINATORS.  Things warm up and will have you thinking 17 degrees feels almost springlike in the calm of today’s conditions. We get some good news from down south (no, they’re not sending their weather) on monarch populations and more about the status of important pollinator species in today’s Three Things. Featured Photo:  Hail to…

YOU CAN DO IT!  It’ll be a nearly 30 degree climb from our overnight lows, but it’s proof that Ma Nature still knows how to move the mercury, and maybe someday soon she’ll move it higher! In the mean time we talk trouble, survival and big bass in today’s Three Things. Featured Photo:  Big Dreams….

CLOSING IN.   This year’s biggest and brightest super moon will be tomorrow night, igniting yet another round of lunar hype.  Things should be clearing up to observe it as well.  We take a look at those topics and more in today’s Three Things. Featured Photo:  The “super snow moon” will be at perigee and will…

JUST THINKING.  We’ve got ideas for spring and some fun things to set up for when the snow melts, along with an ANS update from the G&F in our Three Things today.  We keep our fingers crossed for the warming trend with less snow forecasted at the back half of the week and a shot…

By Nick Simonson From his earliest days fishing on his grandparents’ dock in Minnesota, to the efforts he recalls from college driving two hours just to find a place to hunt outside of Denver, Colo., to his work in energizing sportsmen in the Montana Wildlife Federation affiliate clubs, John Bradley, the newly-hired North Dakota Wildlife…

WHITE WEEKEND. Snow totals will tick up tonight as a fresh four inches is expected through Sunday.   We look ahead for some relief in the mid-range forecast and see what’s on tap this in the next 48 hours in today’s Three Things. Featured Photo:  Frosted pheasant tracks are secured in snow by cold weather. Simonson…

By Nick Simonson All the flutter of a fleeing baitfish with the pulsating action of bucktail and flash come together in the Half and Half, a fly that combines the back end of a Deceiver with the weighted, jig-like action of the Clouser minnow into a powerful package that gets down in the column for…

ON THE EDGE.  We’re working our way through winter, and we’ve hit our fifth signpost of the season with the midway point of February.  We go through our Winter Severity Index and add some points today, taking stock of wildlife stressors for the season. Featured Photo:  A rooster pheasant puffs up against the cold along…

By Nick Simonson My enjoyment of baseball, particularly Twins baseball, began in my grandfather’s red party cruiser, or the bright blue paddleboat just off the shore on Big Detroit Lake.  My dad would bring an old battery-powered radio with a long silver antenna, set it between us and tune it to a Fargo station to…

MAD LOVE.  Happy Valentines Day!  Get your sweetheart something nice; may we suggest a new blaze orange vest or a pair of camo pants?  We’ve got other suggestions and give you a reason to snuggle up in today’s Three Things.   Featured Photo:  Handful of Hearts.  Almond heart feathers on a rooster pheasant remind us…

A LITTLE LIGHTER.  Today will be a welcome break in the weather whiplash the region has experienced as relatively light winds and temps nearing the teens (above!) should facilitate some on-ice action.  With the release of the conservation order, we look into light geese today and prepare for the upcoming spring hunting season in our…

HOT LINE.  Alright, it’s not going to be “hot” anytime soon with high temperatures stuck primarily in the single digits for the next few days, but we’ve got the numbers you need to know and more along our line theme in today’s Three Things. Featured Photo:  A stack of tippet spools is a common miracle,…

NEW PATTERN. We swap sub-zero temperatures today for more snow, as winter’s totals continue to mount.  Relief is in sight however as bitterness fades over the coming week, with the lows not as low, and highs returning to more facilitative temps for ice fishing and other outdoor activities. Featured Photo: Who doesn’t love camo? Simonson…

MAP IT OUT. While the near-term path is clear (continued cold and snowy conditions) for planning a spring fishing trip, or looking to fall and an epic big-game hunt, having the right maps and apps at hand not only gets a plan in place, but also gives you something to do during the winter doldrums. …

By Nick Simonson In the deep freeze we’ve experienced, I’ve been able to fill my time with indoor projects related to the outdoors.  Whether it’s tying up a roll of walleye spinners or cranking out an inline bucktail for muskies or filling up a flybox for a striped bass trip coming up in March, there’s…

WEEKEND WATCH. We’re fighting our way to above zero, and while it may not come this weekend, there’s lots to catch up on to finish out the winter strong and get ready for spring. We have reading for those and a cool contest for kids in today’s Three Things. Featured Photo:  Foam is a fast…

By Nick Simonson For a big streamer fly with life-like baitfish movement it’s tough to beat the Flat Wing.  Nearly two-dimensional, with its tall, flat profile on the vise, this streamer slims down in the water and with its large, arching top and bottom wings, it pulses with every strip and twitch, enticing big predator…

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):…

By Nick Simonson In the waning afternoon light of a warm Friday where the high temperatures spiked into the low forties between last week’s bone chilling outbreak of Polar Vortex media hype and the next cold slap forecast to hit the area, I stood on the edge of open water.  While it felt like spring…

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…