Piragis Northwoods Company in Ely, Minnesota
Piragis Northwoods Company Enews
June 1, 2011
Greetings!

The bite is on.  It is Spring here in the Northwoods and that means it is the perfect time for golden filets on the fire.  All reports here at Piragis Northwoods have the water continuing to warm and the bite continuing to get hotter.

Of course, the usual suspects are in the line up.  Keeping your bait as natural as possible - whether you're retrieving or trolling a rapala or fishing gulp minnows, leaches or the real thing.  Presenting it in the water as if it were the food of choice delivers results time and time again.

Shallow waters are producing the best results at this time.  Brrr, the water is cold, but the warmest water out there is shallow water, so it stands to reason that is where the baitfish, minnows and other entrees should be hanging out.

If you like fish and your trip is coming up, remember to take some pictures and send them to us after your trip.  If wildlife is your passion and serenity is why you trip the Boundary Waters, take a camera along, too.  We've received reports of lots of birds being spotted, wolves, otter, beaver, loons and more already.  Last week someone actually captured a moose on camera right in town Ely.  Yesterday I watched what could only have been an hour or two old fawn getting its legs as it gently parted the tall grass, exploring the new world.



Come up and visit Ely and take an early Boundary Waters trip!

From the end of the road,

Sincerely,
Tim Stouffer
Piragis Northwoods Company


What lies around the bend?
Discovery, solitude, untraveled miles;
the rocky ribs of earth for a bed and unknown trials.
Down portages of stone and cedar
waits my unknown friend.

TJS 2011

From our Favorite Book Shelf.


THE NEW BOUNDARY WATERS AND QUETICO FISHING GUIDE by Michael Furtman

If you're new to the Boundary Waters or if you've got the old version of this book with the white and blue cover, you'll want to get this book.  In fact if fishing is one of your passions, this may be the most important piece of gear you slip into your pack.  We recommend it more than a landing net if that gives you any clue.

The long awaited update of Furtman's original masterpiece guidebook for the Boundary Waters, this book is a must have, integral piece of any fisherman's or fisherwoman's gear.

Hundreds of changes to the heart of the book - the indexes to the fish found in nearly every lake in both wilderness areas and two new chapters mean that this book is necessary for even those travelers who own the original.

Each major fish species gets its own chapter on techniques and tackle. Whether you're an experienced angler or a novice the information in this book practically guarantees fresh fish dinners
  • Sound advice on fishing gear and tactics for the wilderness
  • New chapters on route planning, advice on choosing the BWCAW or Quetico and obtaining permits.
  • Best times of year to fish each species
  • Specialized techniques for angling Canadian Shield Lakes

It sells for only $14.95 and at the price of a couple of new baits today, that is quite a bargain.  Click here to get yours today!

 

Call or email Bert or Drew to plan a trip into the Boundary Waters or Quetico wilderness in 2011!!!

 
Send me your trip stories and pictures: piragis webmaster
 
An incredible deal on Day Packs
We recently got a great deal on last year's closeout colors of some fantastic backpacks.  We're passing it on to you!  These are are a totally new and innovative design from Ivar.  They are designed for urban professional use, but there's no reason at all they can't experience some Boundary Waters portages and lakes and double as a multi-use trippers daypack.

In fact that's what we've been testing them as and here's what our numero uno field tester, Steve Piragis had to say about them.  "These backpacks have the best suspension system of any day pack I've ever used, making them the perfect choice for canoe trips, the daily commute or school."

Regularly $85.00 -- $95.00, now 40% OFF.

Click here to get yours now!



Is this year the year for the Army Worms?

 

Every so often they come back.  Is it time? 



About 10 years ago we hit the peak of the Tent Caterpillars or Army Worms as we refer to them around here.  You know the little worms responsible for the tent-like structures they weave into the branches of your trees just before they eat all the vegetation present in your yard -- yeah, those.

They arrive in cycles -- as near to the ten year mark as only they feel comfortable with.  They usually show up little by little during the years previous and years after their peak.  Since the late 1800's, according to an article published this March by the Duluth News Tribune, their arrival has been plotted in a range of 6 to 16 years.
 

Find out the rest of the Army Worm story here.  


 

What is landing on my hat?
One of my favorites of all the local wildlife unique to this area is the dragonfly.  In that sentence most of you would instantly get a mental picture in your head and identify a group of insects.  You might group some who look nearly alike, but may be a bit smaller in with them.



These would be the damselflies.  And, no, they are not female dragonflies as the name might suggest, and as I have incorrectly deduced for a long time.  Notice I did not say assumed.  It pays to read.  It pays to discover all you can about the wildlife around you.

Here are some differences I discovered by reading our guidebooks available from Piragis online.

Dragonflies Have/are:
  • Eyes in Contact with each other
  • Bulbous-headed, nearly as long as wide
  • Stout Build
  • Strong, sustained flight
  • Wings held flat and perpendicular to body when perched
  • Ovipositor non-functional (except in darners)

Damselflies Have/are:
  • Eyes separated by at least own width
  • Hammer-headed, much wider than long
  • Lond, slender build
  • Weak, fluttery flight
  • Wings held over back when perched (or at 45 degree angle)
  • Ovipositor present and functional


One of the most fun things you can do is learn how to utilize a couple of tools that have a low-skill level and are inexpensive.

Read the rest on our Blog here (with more pictures)
 
Do you have friends that are interested in the Boundary Waters but don't know how to start planning their first trip?

Let them know about us.  We love to introduce people to the beauty of the Great Northwoods!  Forward this newsletter to them or just have them give Bert or Drew a call!


The Boundary Waters is the perfect place to spend quality time with friends and family. Without the hustle and bustle and noise of the busy everyday world, the wilderness naturally lends itself to bonding people closer together. Are you looking for a vacation that will make a difference this summer? Have you been searching for the opportunity to foster new relationships or perhaps mend some voids that are beginning to widen as your kids get older? Have you recently connected with old friends on Facebook and are looking for a way to reconnect? At Piragis Northwoods Company our focus has always been on the best relationship we can build with our clients. We know that time spent in the wilderness gives a whole new perspective to "quality time." Get away together, father and son, mother and daughter, families, friends. Away from distractions and surrounded by pristine beauty, and 2000 protected lakes. Bonding closer together couldn't be easier when we do all the planning, right down to each meal if you want us to. Begin planning a vacation that will find you returning home closer to those that are the most important.

Has a Boundary Waters trip been on your "Bucket List" for too long? Are you worrying that you might not have the skill or stamina for a wilderness adventure? Having fun in the woods on the canoe trail doesn't require refined camping skills or extensive experience. That's one of the reasons we're known as Your Friends in the Great Northwoods. The Piragis Northwoods Outfitting Staff can route and plan a trip for you that is unique to your group. Let's say you want to base-camp, you'd like to avoid long portages, you want day-trip options, you long to see a moose. Regardless of age or paddling experience, it is time to stop dreaming of adventure and start living it out.

Are you looking for more adventure, do you desire more solitude? Are you curious about what lies north of the Boundary Waters? Whether you fly in or paddle in to Canada's Quetico Provencial Park, Piragis Northwoods Company is your ticket to the beauty of Ontario. We've paddled these northern waters ourselves and we know the best campsites, the most arduous portages and the singularly most awesome landscape. We know how long it takes to travel in the footsteps of border travelers of yesteryear and we know how those bigger lakes up north react to wind and weather. Quetico Park can turn a canoe trip into the canoe trip of a lifetime and we're prepared better than any other outfitter to deliver that kind of adventure. Plan ahead if you intend to cross the border, call us today to make sure you've got plenty of time to get your passports, remote area border crossings and permits in the works.

Our rental system is the easiest to understand of any outfitter. We rent the lightest weight canoes with kevlar paddles and comfortable lifevests at on all-inclusive competitive price. If you need one piece of camping gear to supplement your pack we've got it at low daily prices. If you'd like to try our ultra-comfortable portage packs and easy-to-set-up Boundary Waters tents we've got those, too. If you want our complete outfitting package with or without food, we're your backcountry experts.


Your Friends in the Great Northwoods,

Piragis Canoe Trip Outfitters, Bert Heep and Drew Brockett

1-800-223-6565

Join us on FACEBOOK.  Help us grow our Facebook followers.  Share Piragis with your friends and click the old "LIKE" button.
If you were a facebook fan of ours, you'd know that the loons were back in Ely last week and just what the Kawishiwi Falls looked like right before the ice on Fall Lake went out.





We use Facebook to post quick news about Ely, special sales, fire-ban status in the wilderness, current events and fun stuff.


Thanks for your social media help and thanks for sharing us with your friends as we continue to promote Piragis Northwoods Company and the Boundary Waters Catalog and utilize all means necessary to keep you, our valued customers and trip clients, in the loop.

 

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Your Friends in the
Great Northwoods
105 North Central Avenue
Ely, MN  55731
1-800-223-6565
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In This Issue
BWCA Fishing Guide
Day Pack Sale
Army worms on march?
Friends in the Boundary Waters
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"These backpacks have the best support system of any day pack I've ever used, making them the perfect choice for canoe trips, the daily commute or school."

Steve Piragis

 

 

 

Ivar Revel Pack

Dimensions:

19 x 12.5 x 8.5 in.
Capacity: 2000 cu. in.

40% OFF

List Price:     $95.00 

Your Price:     $57.00

CLICK HERE   

 

 

Ivar Urban Pack

Dimensions:

18 x 12 x 8 in.
Capacity: 1720 cu in.

40% OFF

List Price:     $90.00 

Your Price:     $54.00

 CLICK HERE 

 

 

 

Ivar Zug Pack

Dimensions:

16 x 12 x 6.5 in.
Capacity: 1460 cu. in.

40% OFF

List Price:     $85.00 

Your Price:     $51.00

CLICK HERE 

 

 

 

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Click the link above and you'll find a graph of our energy production and consumption here at Piragis in Ely.

Piragis is Solar Powered 

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