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In This Issue
THE FISHING CORNER
WALKING ON WATER
AROUND THE BASE
IMPORTANT LINKS AND UPDATES
THE FISHING CORNER

Die Hard!

Believe it or not, I'm still thinking about fishing yet this fall! Call me a die hard but sometimes when opportunity knocks  you have to answer the door. While it's currently 18 degrees outside, it may get into the 40's this weekend...so...

To quote a good friend..."you can't run from them!"
Pushing the limits on the open water fishing season isn't new to me either, as another good friend, Don Beans, will attest. This is Don on November 15th, two years ago!


While the boat is covered and on the trailer, there's still gas in the tank and juice in the battery...it wouldn't take much to....

Dave


We'd love to share your picture through our newsletter...fishing or otherwise. Just e-mail in a small format.

Thanks!








Upcoming
Dates
to
Remember
This winter's permit lottery for certain Boundary Waters permit will be on the 21st of January with the application period beginning on December 19th.

These permits include all Moose Lake and Fall Lake permits, canoe or motor, day use and overnight.

All other Boundary Waters permits become available on January 30th (first come first serve).

Quetico Park permits will still be available 5 months in advance by phone or on-line.

see links to the right for permit reservation or information.


Sportshows 


Kansas City
Jan. 10-13

Nashville
Jan. 10-13

Cincinnati
Jan. 18-27

Chicago
Jan. 23-27

Madison
Mar. 8-10
 
Customer Nights

Indianapolis
Jan. 14

Cincinnati
Jan. 22

Chicago (Park Ridge)
Jan. 28

Milwaukee
Jan. 29

Stay tuned for times and locations.

We hope you can join us at one of these events this winter. We'd love to see you and talk about the Canoe Country.











Williams and Hall Newsletter
What's Going On in the North Woods.  
    This news letter is designed to help keep you current on the issues of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area and Quetico Provincial Park, to give you information on Williams and Hall Outfitters, and to share some of our knowledge and love of the outdoors and the wilderness around us.  We hope you enjoy these articles and share them with your friends.

 

 
Walking on Water


No! I'm not talking about that kind of "Walking on Water". I'm talking about the less than divine ability folks up north have to travel the Boundary Waters on foot for about 5 months every year.

During our canoe season, a lot of guests ask if our lakes freeze over in the winter. Well in an average winter, lakes of the Boundary Waters will freeze to a thickness of between 16 and 24 inches! To put that into perspective, the Minnesota DNR considers 8-12 inches of good ice to be strong enough to support a car or small pickup truck. Now that's just a guideline and there is definitely good ice and not so good ice. Good ice is the clear stuff... like the blocks of ice you can buy for your cooler. The value of your car may also be a factor when determining "good ice".

See:
  The "frozen" time of the year offers a neat and different perspective of the Boundary Waters whether on foot, via cross country skis or pulled on a sled by a dog team
team of dogs. The frozen lakes also open up countless new travel options for wildlife. We see many different kinds of wildlife...including timber wolves, traveling the frozen lakes. Think about this, on average our walking speed is about the same as what we canoe. When canoeing, we encourage folks to watch the shoreline for birds and animals but when walking the lakes, there are other things to watch for...fishing lures! You'd be surprised how many lures are hanging in trees along the shore, that don't get retrieved.

Once in a great while, we'll have ice up with no snow. This creates a short period of time with "ice skating quality" ice. Though I've never done it, some folks have actually skated all the way from Fall Lake, up to Basswood and  back down to Moose Lake! More often than not however, we'll get snow right away, when the lakes freeze. 

Now since we don't live in Antarctica or on a glacier, we too will tire of all that ice, which makes the sound of waves on the shore and blue water a much anticipated sight after a long winter. For Moose Lake, the average "ice out" usually happens at the end of April but it's pretty interesting the range of ice out dates we've had since dates have been recorded (over 150 years).

Statewide Ice Out Dates Back to 1843 (a neat interactive map)

So, this winter, if you haven't had an opportunity, get out on a safe frozen Boundary Waters lake or one in your area, for a new and different perspective on a familiar place.
 
To all our canoeing friends...safe traveling...whether by water or on ice!

 

Dave

Around the Base
Well it's that time again when we welcome the hearty soles that help keep us company through the cold winter months of our off season. There's a neat sort of connection we have with our feathered friends that makes the time in the office and at home a little more enjoyable with the constant flurry...no pun intended...of activity at the feeders.  

Closing Up

Our fall routine includes pulling in the floating docks, covering the doors and windows of the store and outfitting (to save some heat) shutting down and disconnecting the plumbing and to repaint the floor.
 

Seems like a long time from now, but before we know it, the time will come to get those docks back out!

Dave
Important
Links and Updates

Quetico Park- The Ontario MNR has now made fishing licenses available on-line! To purchase Ontario fishing licenses you can click on the following link: http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/en/Business/LetsFish/2ColumnSubPage/STDPROD_091032.html/

Purchasing Ontario fishing licenses on-line proved to be an easy alternative to attemtping a purchase at Prairie Portage this summer. We'll continue to advise Quetico fishermen and women to purchase on-line for next year.

Ontario Parks permits (including Quetico Park) will continue to be available on-line for the 2013 season: https://reservations.ontarioparks.com/Quetico/Backcountry?Map

Boundary Waters- While Minnesota fishing licenses are still available here at Williams and Hall, they can also be purchased on-line at: https://jc.activeoutdoorsolutions.com/mn_customer/app/goHome.do

As in the past few years, Boundary Waters permits are also available on-line at: http://www.recreation.gov/unifSearchResults.do?topTabIndex=Search

Lake One to Insula Lake closures and campsite information:

Closures: http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5365815.pdf

Campsites: http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5366273.pdf

Copy and paste any of the links above to your browser if the link doesn't work.

Remember...We're happy to secure your camping permits at no extra charge!

  bwca       Ontario Parks


Canadian trips...don't forget your CanPass (Remote Area Border Crossing Pass) http://www.williamsandhall.com/ftpgetfile.php?id=19

To Make Your Reservation On-Line:


Thanks for taking time to join us and we would like to wish You and Your Family a Happy and Safe Thanksgiving!

Sincerely,

Charlene, Blayne & Dave 

PO Box 358 Ely, MN 55731
(800) 322-5837
[email protected]

Canoe Trip Specialists
Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness / Quetico Park Outfitter
Williams and Hall Wilderness Guides and Outfitters
Located on Moose Lake in Ely, Minnesota