Walleye Fishing on Leech Lake

Last month, Hubby and I took a road trip up to Walker, Minnesota with the intention of going fishing.

The city of Walker sits on Leech Lake, a massive lake in northern Minnesota. The fishing here was supposed to be amazing. Our goal was to catch walleye.

Hubby likes to fish and as a Minnesota girl, I grew up fishing. I even know how to fillet a fish!

It's been years, though, since I've either fished or filleted a fish. And truthfully, I'm not so sure I could stomach cleaning a fish anymore.

So. Did we go fishing? Did we catch anything? Did I reconnect with my fishing roots enough to warrant the purchase of this pink "Mrs. Walleye" fishing pole?

You'll have to read my story on GoNomad to find out. Here it is:

Finding My Inner Fisherwoman

Or read my blog posts from our trip there:

Leech Lake Blog Posts

My Very First Lady Slipper

Even though I was born and raised in Minnesota, I'd never ever seen the state flower, a lady slipper, in person.

I'd only seen pictures or sketches of it in text books or on postcards.

Well, after my road trip to northern Minnesota, to the Walker-Leech Lake area, I can now say I've seen not one, not two, not three, but many many lady slippers growing in the wild.

Northern Minnesota Eagle Count

During our time in northern Minnesota around the Leech Lake area, we've spied four bald eagles:

Two sitting in tree tops.

One flying over the lake. We watched it swoop down and carry off a fish without even getting its feathers wet.

And this one, which was chillin' on the side of a road dining on some road kill.

Paul Bunyan in Akeley, Minnesota

Self portraits don't always line up exactly as they should. This one is no exception.

I didn't erase it, though, as I find it quite funny. And yes, the Paul Bunyan statue looming above us really is that big.

And that scary. Boy is he ugly!

Paul Bunyan, if you're not familiar with the character, is a legendary (and mythological) lumberjack.

We found this Paul Bunyan in Akeley, Minnesota, which is just down the road from Walker, where we've been staying during our north woods vacation.

According to the local signs, Akeley is where Paul Bunyan was born. There's even a Paul Bunyan museum here. Sadly, it was closed on our trek through town. Darn it!

This is just one of several Paul Bunyan statues in this neck of the woods.

It never would have occurred to me to write a story about Paul Bunyan, but now that I'm up here, surrounded by the man, I'm trying to figure out the perfect angle.

Walking Across the Mississippi River

The scenery in Minnesota's Itasca State Park is amazing.

Even though it's June, the air temp was chilly up here in northern Minnesota. That didn't keep the crowds (including us) from coming to visit this famous state park, though.

There are 150 lakes inside its borders, not to mention the headwaters of the Mississippi River.

That's right. In case you forgot, or just never knew, the Mighty Mississippi starts in Minnesota and that me walking across it's very very beginning!

Rising Moon Over Leech Lake

We road tripped it up to Walker, Minnesota, about a three-and-a-half hour drive from the Twin Cities.

We settled into our room in the main lodge at Haiwatha Beach Resort.

Our second story room looks directly over Steamboat Bay on Leech Lake and after dinner, Hubby and I were completely happy to relax with some books and the view.