Otter Tail Country Tourism

According to websites MinnesotaGasPrices.com and the Fergus Falls Journal, gas prices are down in Otter Tail Country, meaning it's going to be cheaper to get to, and cruise around, lakes country this fall.

Gas still seems to be pretty expensive (especially for this pickup driver!), compared to less than ten years ago when gas was less than a dollar (those were the days), but not nearly as horrible as just a few years ago when it was close to that $5/gallon mark.

Between driving to the lake, getting out and about at the lake, and cruising the lake in the boat (unless you're a canoe, kayak, or rowboat operator), you can put some miles on your vehicles - which equals money spent on gasoline.

From to the Fergus Falls Journal:
"Average retail gasoline prices in Minnesota have fallen 4.2 cents per gallon in the past week, averaging $2.72/g yesterday. This compares with the national average that has fallen 2.3 cents per gallon"

While these prices are down for the moment, they're about 20 cents higher than they were this time last year.

Let's take advantage of these low gas prices and take a trip out to the lake - Fall is a great time to enjoy the lake!

Labels: fall, gas prices, otter tail country, travel

Today I took a drive I've only taken a few times in my life: all the way through our great state from Fargo, ND, through Otter Tail County (naturally) to Minneapolis/St. Paul and into Wisconsin for a trade show.

The Fargo - Minneapolis, MN drive isn't that bad for me anymore. When I was a kid, it seemed like we were taking a cross country road trip that I thought would never end. Nowadays, it's a quick trip to some great shopping, restaurants, and friends.

It's amazing how different parts of the state can be - from the flat farmland and prairies of the west central Minnesota, to the rolling hills, and forests, it's amazing what our state looks like. Throughout all the different landscapes, there are always lakes.

You can have a "lake" in the middle of a farmer's corn field, with nothing surrounding it but cattails and crops, and ten miles later you'll have suburban Lake Minnetonka, with mansions surrounding it. Our state is awesome in that way.

Although sitting in the car for eight hours isn't my favorite activity, seeing all our gorgeous state has to offer really makes up for the ride.

Labels: lakes, lakes country, Minnesota, travel

I've heard from quite a few friends that this weekend is the big one - the weekend when you con a couple friends into going to the lake with you to take the dock out. Yes, it's necessary, but nobody likes to do it.

1) The lake is starting to get cold. You want it to be warm, like all those July and August afternoons on the water skis or wakeboards in the warm water, or just being on the boat and feeling the cool splash of the water relieving your sun kissed face. But no. It's cold. And hard work. Best solution: throw on some waders. Yes, you'll look goofy, but you'll be warm and dry.

2) It signals the end of one of the best seasons for Minnesota lakes country fans. You're taking your dock out for a reason - you want to get that job done before the lake gets so cold you'll be shivering until next walleye opener.

We just ask that you be safe while taking your docks out this season - no, it's not very much fun, but it's well worth the effort. You'll be able to relax until it's time to put that dock back in knowing you're ready for winter.

-Al, Otter Tail Country Tourism

Labels: dock, lakes country, seasons, winterizing

Remember when we wrote about the Twins being a reason to be proud to be from Minnesota (besides boasting 10,000 lakes)? Shortly thereafter those Twins of ours clinched the American League Central Division with a win over the Cleveland Indians.

Like I said - we're pretty darn proud of our beautiful lakes, forests, and all the other wonderful things about our state, but we get pretty excited when our teams do well. The Twins came from behind in a thrilling victory on the same day as the (then) second place Chicago White Sox took a loss, earning the MN Twins a division victory.

Hopefully you haven't "closed up shop" at your lake place for the year and can get some great post season Minnesota Twins baseball out at your cabin - it doesn't get much better than that.

See some more at http://www.bemidjipioneer.com/event/article/id/100022146/group/Sports/

Labels: lakes country, Minnesota, relaxation, twins

A few days ago I wrote how the Minnesota Vikings are one of the things I love most about our great state (besides the lakes!). Well after yesterdays performance, I'm just happy that we have the Minnesota Twins! Their year is going much better than the Vikes have started out.

Yes, we traveled across the state to Minneapolis to watch the Vikings take on the Dolphins this weekend, and had a ton of fun doing it - Minneapolis/St. Paul has a ton to offer and even though the game didn't go quite as planned, we had a blast. It's tough with a bus full of Vikings fans to come home after a loss, but the experiences we had on the trip made it worth it.



In addition to the great trip, most of us are Twins fans as well - and we have their success to fall back on. The Twins have been a fantastic team the last few years, and it's been a lot of fun watching their success. As long as we have one professional team to cheer on through victories, we'll be alright.

-Al, Otter Tail Country Tourism

Labels: baseball, lists, Minnesota, sports, twins

The Minnesota Vikings.

Today I'll get on a bus, headed towards Minneapolis, MN with 41 other friends in order to enjoy tomorrow's Vikings game versus the Miami Dolphins.

Who else, besides Minnesotans, would put themselves through the torments of being a Vikings fan? My dad's favorite phrase when someone is giving him grief is "You can't hurt my feelings, I've lived through four Vikings Super Bowl losses". Anyone who defends himself like this is obviously either a lunatic or a fan of Minnesota.

Tomorrow, as we cheer on our favorite team in purple and gold, we'll remember why we love our state. No matter how tough and cold and windy the weather is, we're tougher because we're Vikings fans.

-Al, Otter Tail Country Tourism Team

Labels: lists, Minnesota, Vikings

As invasive parasites, Zebra Mussels are a huge problem in Minnesota lakes.

Volunteers at Lake Minnetonka near Wayzata, MN have begun using snorkeling and scuba gear to assess the threat the mussels are posing to that area. So far, they've only found young Zebra Mussels in the lake but need to do some further research to make see what has to be done to stop the spread of this aquatic nuisance.

Experts say if the mussels take over Minnesota lakes, we may have to wear shoes to walk on sandy beaches because of the razor sharp shells protecting the mussels. And I think it's safe to say, none of us really want that.

See more at http://www.myfoxtwincities.com/dpp/news/volunteers-to-explore-zebra-mussel-infested-waters-sept-12-2010.

-Al, Otter Tail Country Tourism

Labels: lakes, Minnesota, news, zebra mussels

We found a blog update from a couple weeks ago on the Star Tribune website from Gary Peterson, owner of Ken's Tackle on Otter Tail Lake that talked about an eHow article's ranking of the top 10 fishing lakes in Minnesota.

The article really highlights some of the best fisheries in the state, but we always love to see a local lake spoken highly of on these lists.

From the article:

"Otter Tail Lake
Otter Tail Lake, located in the northwestern part of the state near Fargo, North Dakota, is a notable walleye fishing destination, but the lake has many perch and bass, as well. Fish here tend to be large in size, and once you boat in beyond the shallow flats, you'll find year-round fishing opportunities."

The top ten is rounded out like this:


Please check out the rest of the articles via the attached links. You'll find fishing tips from Gary and the analysis of the other lakes in the list - they're both informative as well as entertaining!

Al, Otter Tail Country Tourism Team

Labels: fishing, honors, lakes, lakes country, otter tail country

Many people park their boats for the season towards the end of August - they take it out of the water and think about winterizing it.

This might be a good call, if you're not really interested in catching fish.

See fish take the opportunity to "fatten up" in the fall - get all the forage they can get before their metabolisms slow down in the winter. Many people think fish lose their appetites in the fall, but realistically they're still working on getting ready for those long, cold winter months.

Walleyes will be hanging out in 10-30 feet of water, with some diving Rapala type lures working well. Days when the pressure is rising are good days to get out there, so keep that in mind.



To get those big northerns interested in your bait, take a chewed up, older Rapala lure and remove the hooks. Attach a black leader to the tail-end hook loop, and to the leader attach a DareDevil type lure - nothing irritates a northern pike like watching other fish enjoy a meal! This will get the lazy fish moving.



Look for your panfish (perch, bluegills, sunfish,crappie, etc) to move to mid-depth areas out from the deeper parts of the lake, preparing for winter. Look for good underwater cover areas 8-10 feet deep and use similar baits and lures to what you use in the summer: small hooks, lures, and small worms.



So there you have it. You can keep on fishing, and avoid all the other anglers, by keeping that boat on the water a little longer. Don't be afraid to try a new lake this fall, either. You won't have much competition, and this could prove to be a very relaxing experience - but also an excitement-filled fishing excursion!

-Al, Otter Tail Country Tourism Team

Labels: fall, fishing, fishing tips, lakes, lakes country, pointers, weather

A Twins-City Daily Planet writer recalled a recent trip to Otter Tail County's own Richville, MN, during which she visited the Rockin' Horse Cafe.

In addition to telling her readers how beautiful our part of the world is (which we love to hear!), she had nothing but good things to say about this small-town diner.

She had her family with her, and they were amazed when they received their food - the "junior" pancake was falling off the plate! They all seemed more than satisfied with their meals, and all this came with a very reasonable price tag.

Here's a link to the full story, with pictures included: http://www.tcdailyplanet.net/blog/amy-rea/rockin-horse-cafe - it's definitely worth a look!

Next time you're going through Otter Tail Country, or feel like running to town while at the lake, head towards the Rockin' Horse Cafe - you won't be disappointed!

-Al, Otter Tail Country Tourism Team

Labels: dinner, food, otter tail country, restaurants

Yes, we all know Summer is the season-to-be when it comes to the lakes - boating, bikinis, and beer. But Autumn can be just as exciting a time to visit the lakes country we all love (or heck - even take a vacation!).

We've said it before - Summer is the busiest time of year at most lakes, but that doesn't mean it's the only time you'll enjoy beautiful weather! Right now I'm enjoying a cool breeze coming in the windows at my house (unfortunately I don't live at the lake, but a guy can pretend!) which I'm sure is almost as relaxing as one with the smells and sounds you can only find at the lake.

When that breeze that you always have at the lake blowing the dried leaves in the trees and on the ground, the last few hoots from those tough late-season loons, and the stillness that only comes from a mostly-deserted resort or campground, you'll be on sensory overload at the lake this Fall.

Fall in lakes country isn't for the faint of heart - it can get chilly, but it's nothing a campfire won't fix. You'll feel much tougher telling your neighbors in town that you spent the weekend at the lake when it's not 85+ degrees and sunny!

Take some time to join us as we enjoy one of Minnesota's 10,000 gorgeous gifts this Fall - and the rest of the year!

Al, Otter Tail Country Team

Labels: autumn, fall, lakes, lakes country, relaxation

Well Labor Day weekend has come and nearly gone, and with that the signals of the end of summer have started showing up. The weekend was gorgeous in this part of the world, until this afternoon (of course!). Great weather until some storms on the last day of a beautiful three day weekend? You won't catch me complaining.

Yes, they say Labor Day is the last weekend of summer - but you can't forget about those Indian Summer days when nothing sounds better than a dip in the lake that's been heated by the Sun's rays all summer, or a cookout by the fire, or just staring up at the stars in the night sky.

The fishing will still be good, even if those big walleyes lose a bit of their appetite. The hot dogs slow cooked on a stick will still taste great. The breeze of the wind in your face on the boat won't feel any worse if it's not 90 plus degrees outside. It might even be a welcomed change - trust me!

Get out there and have some fun - maybe even make it out to Otter Tail Country. Summer is far from over.

Al, Otter Tail Country Tourism Team

Labels: Labor Day 2010, lakes country, otter tail country, otter tail county, relaxation, summer

Detroit Lakes, Minnesota has been named one of the top ten boating destinations in the country this summer.

The state of Minnesota was actually named number 10 on the list, put together by the National Marine Manufacturers Association, but they highlighted Detroit Lakes. They chose DL because of the popular area's ease of access to boating and sales of boating related items (boats, engines, etc.).

Florida was the number one state, but it's still an honor to be included in this list - Minnesota is always a hot spot, even if we can't boat year round.

-Al, Otter Tail Country Tourism Team

Labels: boating, boats, lakes, lakes country

We all know Minnesota is the home to 10,000 lakes - that fact is on the license plates, for Pete's sake! We're also known for a heck of a lot of oversized objects - the worlds biggest things in a few different categories. We'll throw some of them at you - you let us know which ones you've been to!

The World's Largest Adirondak Chair can be found in St. Paul, MN. The chair was built for inner-city kids, for some reason - there's not too much known about this bad boy, but it's a seriously big Minnesota chair!



The World's Largest Paul Bunyon and Babe the Blue Ox in Akeley, MN (my dad was born in Walker, MN). I remember as a kid, driving through and looking up and thinking "WHAT IS THIS GIANT LUMBERJACK DOING!?!" Then, my dad decides everyone has to get out of the car, climb in his mighty palm, and get their picture taken in the hand of this giant Paul Bunyon statue. It was pretty cool after I got over the creepiness of the situation.



Frazee, MN is home to the World's Largest Turkey. They're also home to a few large turkey farms, which employs many people in the surrounding areas. If you enjoy Thanksgiving, there's a good chance your turkey came from this area.



It wouldn't be a post from the Otter Tail Country Tourism blog without an Otter Tail County reference - well we're giving you more than a reference: we're giving you an Otter! Fergus Falls, MN is home to the World's Largest Otter. It seems fitting, doesn't it?



I hope you've enjoyed this mini tour through the large items Minnesota has to offer. We're a proud state - and not just of the lakes.

-Al, Otter Tail Country Tourism Team

Labels: attractions, big things, fun, lakes