By Dick Herfindahl, Woods and Water

Brrrrr!

That&8217;s about all that needs to be said about the weather.

I talked to my brother-in-law Lynn who lives in Nome Alaska and he said that he can&8217;t remember the last time he&8217;d seen as much snow as they&8217;ve been getting lately. On Tuesday he called and said they were in the middle of a blizzard with winds gusting to 56 miles an hour and were a steady 36-48.

Now that&8217;s winter!

When I was growing up I was always wanting to go outside no matter what the weather. It always seemed that there was something neat about bundling up and heading outside in the worst of winter weather. Long Johns, a scarf to cover the face and mouth and choppers were what we wore. I don&8217;t think my mom would have ever let me go out in any dangerous weather but as a kid I always thought of myself as an adventurer and invincible.

Being invincible sometimes came with a pretty stiff price. Fingers and toes that were so cold that heating them up by the heat register only brought the worst kind of pain as they slowly warmed up. Along with the stinging toes and fingers came the colds. I spent my share of nights with a strip of flannel blanket that was saturated with Vicks Vapor rub pinned around my neck. This seemed to help keep the nose unplugged and if you pulled the covers over your head you could breath in the fumes.

Craving the outdoors adventure had always been part of my growing up experience. The thought of a bigger adventure being just around the corner has always fueled my imagination. This is still what keeps the kid in me active.

My brother-in-law Lynn sent home some CDs that he had made of this past year&8217;s adventures in Alaska. In August he had come home to pick up a plane he had bought in Iowa and fly it back to Nome. Amy, friend of he and his wife came with him to be the navigator. She has her own helicopter business in Nome and has flown from the States to Alaska numerous times.

They flew from Albert Lea to North Dakota then to Montana before heading north across Canada. All their stops were at airports in smaller towns along the way. He videotaped a lot of the flight and just seeing that sprawling wilderness with the lakes and streams almost gave me goose bumps. The video was outstanding and it gave me a great appreciation of the vast wilderness that we have to the north of us. The beauty of the mountains, sprawling forests, deep valleys and lakes was more beautiful than I could ever imagine.

Watching this video which was shot at a lower altitude than a normal flight seemed to give it a personal touch. It almost makes you feel like you are right there. I can&8217;t wait to see the fishing one that was shot when my son Brian and his friends were up there this summer. That will be a sure quick-fix for the dreaded &8220;cabin fever.&8221;

Speaking of fishing, the village in the channel is still there but there are more and more houses popping up all over Albert Lea Lake this year. With the number of fish houses on the lake increasing every year it is a sign that the channel isn&8217;t the only place you will find fish. This lake is already a good fishery and will only get better if the water clarity ever starts to improve.

Here are a few reports from around the state:

BRAINERD/NISSWA &045; Quick-strike rigs tipped with shiner minnows or sucker minnows are producing northern pike in 14 to 26 feet at Gull Lake and North Long Lake. Walleyes remain active during the evening hours at Gull, North Long, and Pelican lakes in 18 to 28 feet. Crappie action remains strong with glow jigs and rosy red minnows in 18 to 26 feet on most lakes.

MANKATO &045; There&8217;s an evening walleye bite on Lake Hanska in six to 10 feet. Baker&8217;s Bay on Lake Washington is a safe bet for panfish in 10 to 12 feet of water. Work the weedlines of Lake Francis with setlines and sucker minnows for northern pike. A few walleyes have been caught on jigging Rapalas between Second and Third points on Washington in 20 to 22 feet.

GRAND RAPIDS &045; The humps of Bowstring Lake are producing walleyes and crappies during low-light periods. Work the 10- to 12-foot weedlines of Lake Wabana for northern pike. Big Splithand and Little Ball Club lakes are providing sporadic crappie action during the evening hours. Caribou Lake is kicking out rainbow trout in 25 feet, as is Taylor Lake in 10 to 30 feet. The majority of trout are hitting waxworms or Power Bait on small jigs.

FARIBAULT &045; Northern pike have been very active in 10 to 12 feet or they&8217;re suspended over 20 feet on French Lake and Roberds Lake. You&8217;ll also find crappies suspended over 20 feet on French with Hunt Lake also providing steady panfish action in 15 feet. Jigging spoons are triggering walleyes during the day in 16 to 20 feet and during low-light periods in eight to 12 feet on Shields Lake.

FAIRMONT &045; Hall Lake continues to produce numbers of crappies in 20 to 25 feet. Eating-sized walleyes remain active in 20 feet at Hall and in 10 to 12 feet on Cedar Lake and Round Lake. Northern pike and bluegills have been tough to find.

ELY &045; The trout season opened with good numbers of lake trout being caught at Burntside Lake. Other trout reports indicate a good rainbow bite at Miners Lake, brook trout on Mound Lake, and plenty of splake off Tofte Lake. Numbers of big northern pike are being caught on most lakes, while Shagawa Lake continues to produce walleyes and jumbo perch.

Until next time, stay warm and enjoy the outdoors whenever you can. Be sure to keep the troops that are away from their families in your thoughts and prayers. They are the reason we enjoy all the freedoms that we have.