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…

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…

LAST NASTY ONE. We make our way out of the deep freeze, and the climb starts today.  We go around the horn in today’s Three Things to keep your mind off the cold…sorta.   Featured Photo:  Have a crappie day! Simonson Photo.   WEATHER (Bismarck Forecast): Today: Wed 1/30 – A struggle. Hi -10, Lo -27…

BONE CHILLING.  Brutal wind chills take hold for the next 48 hours, with some areas seeing lower than -40 degrees in their real feel temperatures. We look at what’s in store, what’s ahead and what you can do to catch more fish this time of year in today’s Three Things.   Featured Photo:  Active lures…

SLIP SLIDING.  Slick conditions will persist after yesterday’s rain/snow mix that hit much of the state, and our temperatures will be in freefall through Thursday.  In the meantime we’ve got some inside outdoors-related journaling tips for you in today’s Three Things to help you make it through the deep freeze!   Featured Photo: Download the…

TAKE COVER!  A snow-rain-ice mix descends on ND today as warm air meets cold.  Things deteriorate rapidly after lunch and wind gusts increase to 55 mph by midnight.  Strap everything down and be off the ice before things get bad.  We talk about that and what’s to come in today’s Three Things.   Featured Photo: …

ENJOY TODAY!  Tomorrow is going to be a wild one, but Saturday’s conditions will be perfect for a trip on the ice or out on the landscape for predator hunting.  We check out your weekend forecast and other fun topics in today’s Three Things.   Featured Photo: Put on the Gloves!  Get ready to duke…

FIRED UP. ND’s biggest ice fishing tournament is up tomorrow as SB 2315 hits the committee today – don’t forget to EMAIL the committee and request a “DO NOT PASS” recommendation.  We talk about that and a few items of “lighter” note, in today’s Three Things.   Featured Photo: Hole-y Cow!  Ice Tourney season starts…

AW SNAP.  A couple of cold days stand ahead of a snowy weekend and a serious bottoming out next week.  We keep an eye on that and developments at the legislature along with a sign of spring in today’s Three Things.   Featured Photo: Winter with a touch of spring. A pair of wild turkeys…

By Nick Simonson The preservation of outdoor opportunities and the continuation of the traditions of hunting and fishing in North Dakota are sustained by three things: 1) the people who use and conserve hunting and fishing opportunities; 2) the habitat necessary to provide populations of fish and wildlife; and 3) perhaps most important in the…

DIG IN.  Or is that dig out?  Light snow accumulations over the last 48 hours might have you doing some clean up around home and the ice shack, and our roller coaster continues into the coming day. We hunker down with a hearty recipe in today’s Outdoor Dish.   Featured Photo: A Real ND Slice. …

ON WATCH.  We’re watching the weather and legislation as we tie up some more lures on a blustery January day. We talk about those topics and more in today’s Three Things.   Featured Photo: Box of Fun.  Blades, beads, bodies and hooks are set for an epic afternoon of lure making. Simonson Photo.   WEATHER…

By Nick Simonson For a quick-tying and fun addition to any lure with a treble hook, such as a crankbait, in-line spinner or  spoon, that also ups the odds for catching fish, dressing a few spare treble hooks in colors that set various species off and seal the deal when they come in for a…

By Nick Simonson As we settle into the heart of ice season and the challenges of the middle stretch come to be, there are some little changes that can help up the odds of success and make things easier, when conditions might conspire to make fishing tougher.  What follows are a few tips, tweaks and…