Great Waters Fly-Fishing Expo ~ Minneapolis, MN ~ March 6-8, 2009

Moose Track Adventures will have a vendor booth again at the Great Waters Fly-Fishing Expo in Minneapolis, MN from March 6-8. Jim Blauch will be there to answer questions, book trips and just spread the news about the abundant fishing opportunities in northern MN.

The Minneapolis show will feature regional and national fly anglers and tiers who will help you take your fly-fishing to a new level.

Regional presenters and fly tiers will include Tim Holschlag, Wayne Bartz, Tim Landwehr, Kevin Feenstra, Carl Haensel, Lake Superior steelhead guide Damian Wilmot, Wendy Williamson and Larry Mann, muskie hunter Brad Bohen, Dave Barron, Nate Sipple, Andy Roth, Jim Kojis, Jim Blauch ~ Moose Track Adventures - Ely, MN, and an assortment of talented tiers, including Midwest Fly Fishing™ magazine fly tying columnist Dennis Potter.

FLY CASTING: Free one-on-one fly-casting instruction with expert casters and teachers organized by the Federation of Fly Fishers. These lessons will be offered from the start to the end of the Expo at the hotel’s Garden Court on the First Floor. Male or female, young or old, these lessons will help you improve your skills.

LEARNING STATIONS: Brush up on your knot tying, learn how to select rods, reels and lines for your fishing, identify the various species of game fish we catch on a fly in the Midwest, ask questions about waders, vests and layering at Learning Stations at both expos in the Exhibit Hall.

FLY TYING DEMOS: Learn from many of the best fly tiers in the Midwest on Fly Tiers’ Row and at our unique Fly Tying Theater in the Veranda Room.

FLY TYING FOR KIDS: At both expos, youngsters can learn how to tie flies from experienced fly tying instructors. Veranda Room

SHOP AND GET THE SKINNY on the latest fly fishing rods, reels, fly lines, flies, outdoors wear and watercraft at vendor booths staffed by knowledgeable and helpful industry professionals. Fly tying materials and tools. Wildlife and sporting art and artists.

BOOK A TRiP Lodges and outfitters from the Midwest, Alaska, Canada, the West and saltwater destinations will help you plan your next great adventure.

STEWARDSHIP AND CONSERVATION: The Great Waters Expos are the first major fly fishing shows anywhere to emphasize the vital connection between the sport of fly fishing and environmental stewardship and conservation. We believe that it is no longer enough simply to be an angler; one must adopt an active conservation ethic to preserve and protect our fly fishing waters. Programs on the Great Lakes, updates on TU’s Driftless Area stream restoration (TUDARE) and an evaluation of smallmouth bass opportunities and habitat in our home waters. Spokespersons for local, national and international conservation and fly fishing clubs — Trout Unlimited, the Smallmouth Alliance and the Federation of Fly Fishers among them — will be on hand.

LIVING RIVER BUG EXHIBIT. Entomologist and award-winning photographer Dean Hansen will be featured in an expanded setting. His live bug show and living stream exhibit are flat-out remarkable.

BEGINNERS. The Great Waters Expo will feature Fly Fishing Classes for Beginners. Newcomers to fly fishing can learn fly fishing basics from veteran anglers. All Expo programming will be beginner-friendly and free. No pre-registration.

www.greatwatersflyfishingexpo.com

Fly Fishing in the Boundary Water with Jim Blauch on AskAboutFlyFishing.com tonight at 8:00 pm Central Time

The LIVE show tonight on AskAboutFlyFishing.com is on Fly Fishing the Boundary Waters with Jim Blauch from Moose Track Adventures - Resort, Outfitter & Guide Service from Ely, Minnesota.

Jim Blauch has guided the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in northern Minnesota for the past 20 years. If you want solitude and crazy smallmouth bass fly fishing listen in and Jim will spill the beans on this great destination.

To qualify for the drawings you need to register. Use the link below to visit the registration page, complete the form, then send them your information and you'll be included in the drawing.

http://www.askaboutflyfishing.com/survey.cfm

Go to his 'ASK' page using the link below and ask him a question...

http://www.askaboutflyfishing.com/speakers/jim_blauch/

Tune in, Wednesday February 18th to hear his answers...

6:00 PM Pacific
7:00 PM Mountain
8:00 PM Central
9:00 PM Eastern

To access the show using the Internet just visit AskAboutFlyFishing.com home page at the time of the show and you'll see the red link 'Listen to the LIVE Show',just click on this link to launch Windows Media Player and listen to the broadcast.

http://www.askaboutflyfishing.com

One click and you're listening in LIVE.

Thanks, we hope you enjoy the show!

Bear Paw Cabin - the final lakeside cabin remodel

Cabin #1 or what is now known as 'Bear Paw Cabin' was the first cabin built at the resort in 1968. The original owners actually lived in this cabin while the main lodge/house was being built in 1969.

The original inside had wood paneling typical of the early 70's era. During our cabin remodels we use pine tongue & groove wood throughout the entire cabin - walls/ceiling and new pine 6 panel doors. To keep it light and bright inside the cabin, we use a natural stain with a gloss on the wood as one of the final steps in the cabin remodel.

Here is one of our remodelers. He is 'helping' dad out and saving his money for a new Star Wars lego set.

During this phase, we hired an electrician to change out the 'fuse box' to a 'circuit breaker box' just like in the other cabin remodels.

All the paneling and ceiling tiles come down and then Jim changes out all the electrical receptacles and switches (the original ones are black/brown) to 'almond' to go with the new lighter wood that will be used throughout the cabin.

We will keep you posted on the progress. It's 25 degrees and snowing today.

Jim and Gavin did go trout fishing on Saturday and caught this nice one which we had for dinner last night.

Winter's grip...But there is light at the end of the tunnel

Waking up this morning to 15 below zero made us realize that wither still has a firm grip on us. But with temperatures expected to reach 30 degrees by Thursday there is definitely light at the end of the tunnel and it will not be long until the busy 'soft water' season is upon us. February is one of our favorite winter months because the days are getting longer and it is a great time to go skiing, snowshoeing or better yet - ice fishing.

Speaking of ice fishing, Jim and Gavin spent Saturday on Burntside Lake chasing lake trout during the 7th Annual Burntside Bash. They had a few lookers and chasers, but were unsuccessful at icing any fork tails. Thursday we plan to head into a remote lake to catch some splake and brook trout. Should be fun and we will post the results.

February is also the month to start 2009 remodeling projects. Jim is about to begin the gutting process in Bear Paw cabin. Everything has been emptied out of the cabin and the next step would be ripping the 70's wood paneling and kitchen cabinets out. This is the last of the original and final lakeside cabin to be remodeled and then it's back to putting new steel roofs on 2 cabins and the lodge. Lots of work and never ending projects.

Want to learn more about the flora, fauna and history of the BWCA?

Discover the special habitats that make the Northwood's so unique; floating bogs, old growth pines, boreal spruce stands. Explore our country with specialists in bird songs and bird I.D., forest ecology and flowering plants. Great photography opportunities await
Consider a Guided Eco-Tourism Day Trip or even a Boundary Waters All-Inclusive Outfitted and Guided Canoe Trip.

A Guided Eco-Tourism Day Tripwill put you on the water for 8 hours with your guide to check out all the different birds, trees and animals of northern Minnesota and the BWCA.


The 6 day/5 night All-Inclusive Outfitted & Guided Canoe Trip includes everything you will need to have an enjoyable & memorable BWCA experience: top-of-the-line lightweight camping gear & canoe packs, kevlar canoes, tasty & delicious meals and professional & knowledgeable guide. Your canoe guide will help you navigate your way through the Boundary Waters Canoe Area, take you to the best campsites, help you set up camp, cook some delicious meals over the fire, and point out interesting things along the way including flora, fauna, BWCA history and for the anglers, put you on the fish!

Another 6" of snow...

This morning we awoke to another 6" of fresh snow and eventually it warmed up to 20 degrees ABOVE zero (finally!) - yes, it felt like a heatwave to us after all those MINUS 30's days we just had.

Jim and Gavin went ice fishing today and came home with a few trout caught in Miners Lake. Nothing like a fresh fish sandwich in January!









As far as business, Bear Paw Cabin (otherwise known as 'Cabin #1') is slotted for it's remodel this winter/spring. It's the last of the lakeside cabins to be remodeled. New windows, doors, kitchen cabinets - the whole works! We will keep you posted with pictures as it unfolds. Bear Paw Cabin is perfect for both couples and families. It has a private dock for docking either your boat or one of our new 16' boat/25hp motor rentals. Not in the mood for fishing - grab a adirondack chair and a book and head out to the dock for some 'rays of sunshine' instead. Don't forget there is also a fire ring for roasting marshmallows or you can skip the fire and just sit outside at night admiring the stars and northern lights (if you are up late enough). Give us a call and we can check availability ~ 800-777-7091

100 hours of temperatures below ZERO - let's think about spring fishing!

Believe it or not, the Ely School District only closed school one day this week, that day we woke up to 44 degrees below zero. The rest of the week was between 20-40 degrees below zero. On Tuesday when the high looks to be around 28 degrees ABOVE zero, it will seem almost 'balmy' after this past week's weather.

Since the beginning of our winter we've had plenty of snow & cold weather. But Ely has plenty of places to go and things to do, whether you are snowmobiling, cross-country skiing or ice fishing.

Trout fishing opener is tomorrow and maybe if Jim & Gavin get lucky, I will be posting some winter lake trout pictures!

Anyone want to fast-forward past winter and start thinking about spring fishing on 'soft' water? Here are a few pictures of the fish caught in the month of May 2008.

Nice stringer of fish on a guided fishing trip on opener May 2008. Ice out was 2 days before fishing opener last year on a lot of Ely, MN lakes (about a month behind previous years).

Brian caught this 30" northern pike on a guided spring opener fishing trip with Jim.










Lee caught this nice smallmouth on a fly-rod on a guided fishing trip with Jim - May 18, 2008








Nice 30" walleye caught on a guide fishing trip with Jim - May 16, 2008







Jill caught this chunky smallmouth on a guided fishing trip with Jim on May 16, 2008




Zach with a 39" northern caught on Farm Lake - May 29, 2008

Jeremy with a 45" northern caught on Farm Lake - May 29, 2008

Mike caught this 41" northern pike in Farm Lake on May 26, 2009








Ron caught this nice smallmouth on a guided fly-fishing trip May 2008.

Whether it's staying in a lakeside cabin and finding fish on our local lakes or going out with a guide for a fun-filled day of fishing on another Ely area lake ~ there are still dates & permits available! Call 800-777-7091 to book your Spring 2009 fishing trip today!