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Making Memories Since 1941 Go back in time to 1941 in the Crane Lake, MN area, and you’d see a number of family-owned resorts dotting the shoreline of surrounding lakes. Winding gravel roads then took anglers primarily to small outposts that provided family-vacation and great fishing both. One of those classic northern Minnesota resorts that…

A Walk in the Woods – Grouse Game      It’s one of the most closely guarded secrets of the Crane Lake universe.  A good grouse trail is shared only with family or close friends, and even then reluctantly.  Maybe it’s because ruffed grouse are the most pursued gamebird in all of Minnesota.  Or maybe it’s due…

Crane Lake, MN - ATV Trail Riding Mecca If you’re an ATV or UTV enthusiast, chances are you already know about the off-road trail system in and around Minnesota’s Crane Lake area.  After all, it’s host to a rapidly expanding trail base that’s currently around 250 miles of ATV trail, as well as ground-zero for…

An Amazing Chain of Lakes With Something For Everyone Some lakes in Minnesota have nice amenities like on-site gas, bait, and bars/restaurants.  Others are connected to a chain of lakes, offering a variety of fishing and sight-seeing options for the whole family.  But no other lake area in the country has both of those options,…

The Boundary Waters Canoe Area and Ontario’s Quetico Provincial Park covers well over 2 million acres, straddling an international boundary in the heart of the boreal forest.  It’s as close to a wilderness experience that most people will ever encounter, but occupied campsites, busy entry points, and canoe races to packed portages are a daily…

4th Generation Full Service Marina on Crane Lake Handberg’s Marina on Crane Lake is a 4th generation, family-owned outfit that specializes in just about everything.  Owners Jeff and Lori Sanborn run the marine service and sales business with their oldest son John, and youngest son Scott both working with them.  “It’s been great to have…

Crane Lake Area Early Season Walleye Fishing Tips For Depth, Temperature, and Targeting Getting bite in May can be a challenge for anglers in the northern half of the walleye’s range, as every year can be a bit different depending on ice-out, weather conditions, and what it does to the impending spawn.  Even the spawn…

Day cruising is about enjoying one day or part of a day on the water without necessarily having a destination or a specific goal/activity in mind. That said, fishing, waterskiing, sailing, gunkholing (like a Sunday drive exploring coves and beaches) and picnicking are perfect ways to cruise on a boat and they are fairly specific…