text: Please join us in congratulating this season's Pro Angler Winners for 2012:
  Small mouth Bass: Chase Neal 22”
  Northern Pike: Norman Cody 42”
  Walleye: Jeff Jones 28.75”
  Large Mouth Bass: Joe Barnes 22”
  Crappie: Brian Berle 15 1/8”
  Muskie: Nick Dardanes 54”
  IT'S OFFICIAL - THE MN FISHING OPENER DATE WILL STAY MAY 12, 2012
  CONGRATULATIONS TO THIS YEARS FISHING CONTEST WINNERS PICTURED BELOW!! Each year, the longest northern pike, small mouth bass, large mouth bass, walleye and crappie qualify for a complimentary fish replica from Pine Point Lodge. There is no entry fee into the contest. All fish must be successfully released. We've included honorable mentions in the Muskie, Lake Sturgeon, and Lake Trout categories as well.
  September sure finished our season off with a bang! See photos below. These fish are B-I-G. Fun, fishing and fun times!
  Also in September, Crane Lake hosted it's first walleye tournament ever on Saturday, the 24th. It was a catch and release tournament with walleye under 17" being the only fish eligible. Each boat could weigh in 4 walleyes and the winning team, who was staying at Pine Point Lodge, took first place and $1200! The link for the tournament results are at www.traceystournament.com For 2012, we are hosting the tournament on September 22.
  August was an awesome month! The weather was great and fishing was even better... these pics will give you something to smile about!
  July fishing at it's best! See photos below. The walleye fishing this summer is better than I've ever seen it! People continue to catch their limits. The pike/muskie fishermen are happy with their catches as well. Most using spinner and husky jerk baits. Bass have exploded on top water baits with the famous jitterbug taking the lead on the best results.
  Early spring sightings of wildlife
  June fishing continues to be equally as good as May! The walleyes seem to be everywhere! The are staying in the shallows being caught on leeches and jigs or with rappalas. Northern Pike have been predominant in the shallows just off the weed lines. Bass have been caught with poppers and other top water baits or tubes throughout the day. Here are a few fish photo highlights below:
  May, 2011 was some great fishing!! Here are a few of the wonderful fish caught and released!
  April 18, 2011
  Spring is trying to get here in the northland despite the 5” of snow we got yesterday.For those of you having difficulty seeing the web cam, your internet explorer may need updating.Do so by going to internet tools, click to allow pop ups, then close internet explorer, re-open, then try going to www.pinepointlodge.com and click on the web cam.You should get a pop up to install active X; this is the plug in that is needed to view the streaming web cam.Install/run it, your anti-virus may pop up to alert you. This should solve your problem, if not, go to internet tools, delete browsing history, and then retry the web cam.If this doesn’t work please email me email@example.com so I can further investigate.Once you have the web cam up, go back to internet tools and click to turn pop ups off.
  October 26, 2010
  THANK YOU to everyone who vacation with us at either at our boat in location, Pine Point Lodge & Resort, or at our drive to location at the Lakeview Motel or Lakeview House.Your business is greatly appreciated as it makes it possible for us to continue to provide you with your piece of paradise on earth.Yes, it is paradise to us and I would think that everyone else who has been here would think the same.
  Joan Filipowski, 21 3/4" Lage Mouth Bass
  Fishing was incredible this past season!If for some reason, you felt your fishing wasn’t at its best while you were here, take a moment to scroll through the online photo galleries.Reviewing these should reassure you that the fishing is typically really good.
  Congratulations are in order for the following 2010 season fish contest winners:
  Joan Filipowski, 21 ¾” Large Mouth Bass
  Jeff Smitley, 44” Northern Pike
  Jeff Smitley, 44" Northern Pike
  Jim Narish, 15" Crappie
  Jim Narish, 15” Crappie
  Bob Rourke, 21 ½” Small Mouth Bass
  Virgil Jorgenson, 31” Walleye
  These fine five fishermen and woman will receive a complimentary replica of their fish. We will look forward to handing them out when they get here.
  Bob Rourke, 21 1/2" Small Mouth Bass
  Virgil Jorgenson, 31" Walleye
  Gary Ward, 60" Lake Sturgeon
  Honorable mentions go to:
  Gary Ward, 60” LakeSturgeon
  Dana Lipscomb, 48” Muskie
  Dana Lipsomb, 48" Muskie
  WOW in just 2 fish,that’s over 100” of fish!!Now that’s worth talking about!Simply amazing!
  You need to get up here and get yourself some of this!We’ll look forward to meeting you, getting you familiarized with the lake, showing you the hot spots and then getting your photo added to our photo gallery.We have awesome, brand new boat rental equipment loaded with all the bells and whistles – even GPS. We are taking reservations for our 2011 season right now.Some weeks are getting pretty slim pickings already, so call soon!!1-800-628-4446 – Our best to you and yours, Jeff, Cathy, Casey and the Staff at Pine Point.
  Awesome Fall Colors - the photos taken below were on September 26th, 2010
  Brett Markley, 40" Northern Pike
  September 5, 2010
  Until recently, water temperatures were holding steady in the low 70’s, but a recent cold front has dropped temperatures to 66-68.Fish are responding with open mouths! Recent catches include a 21 3/4” largemouth bass, along with pike up to 38” length and numerous smallmouths in the 18-20” range. Small & largemouth bass are biting on spinner baits. Green/chartreuse, and blue/white with gold blades have been the best producers over the past 2 weeks. Rattle traps and bomber deep diving crank baits have also put bass in the net lately.Large northern are beginning to stack up in shallow bays adjacent to deep water. Reports of strikes and follows from huge fish have been the buzz lately. Anglers throwing large top waters lures are getting great action. The walleye bite is changing from crawlers to minnows as the water cools. Fish are being caught in 25-30 feet of water some in the 18' - 21' range as well.Crappies are suspended in deeper water in Crane Lake.The temps are dropping and a frost is predicted for tonight, but the fishing is heating up!
  Nightly bon fires all summer long!
  Indian Pictographs on ancient glacier rock
  July and August have been awesome months for weather, along with some great fishing! Kids have had a wonderful time on the beach using the water trampoline, space mountain and the log rolling challenge. Our baby ducks are getting bigger. They bounce through the weeds eating the bugs and imitate mamma ducks every move. Our baby deer are adorable with their spotted fur coats. They are a daily appearance in the back yard by the power line clearing in the morning and then again in the evenings.
  Five of the 7 baby geese
  June 14, 2010
  Our first baby ducks were seen this morning!Finally!!There are six little ducklings.You should be able to watch them from our webcam.In addition, there has been a beaver swimming in each morning and evening to feed on the newly grown greens along the shoreline.Our seven baby geese have grown as well.The mother goose has been busy showing them how to dive under the water, preen their feathers, and flap their wings.It seems there is a new training program each day.
  Large snapping turtles have been seen on the grounds finding their perfect spot for laying eggs.The smaller painted turtles have also been digging and laying eggs.I wonder what today will bring.
  Bass fishing has been explosive!Throw any lure and catch all you want!The photo gallery has been growing each day.Take a moment and check it out.The weather has been great!I recall last year was a bit chilly.This year’s warmer weather has already made up for it time and again.
  We have a few last minute specials – so if you have the urge to get up here, don’t hesitate to call, 1-800-628-4446 or email to get the latest on the deals!
  We look forward to seeing you at the Point!
  Most people agree that this year’s fishing opener was the warmest weather ever – no rain, sleet or snow!
  Every day was absolutely gorgeous.Warm temperatures, low wind and fish biting! With water temps in the low to mid 60’s, most reports for walleyes were in the 20 – 35’ range compared to the 4’ -12’ range that we usually see for the fishing opener.Jigs tipped with minnows worked the best.Bass are being caught while casting into the shorelines with soft plastics.Big fat pike are being caught with suspending jerk and spinner baits.Crappies are everywhere this year.It’s been a great few days of fishing so far.Come on up and crank some in!
  September was an awesome month for weather, fishing and fun!Guests had the best time!Our season winning small mouth bass and northern pike were both caught in September.Many other huge fish were caught and released as well.If you weren’t here in September, you were missing it!Our season fishing contest winners are as follows:
  David Humblie, 30” Walleye
  Seth Johnson, 22” Large Mouth Bass
  John Mathisen, 42” Northern Pike
  Jeff Jones, 14 ½” Crappie
  Lon Hager, 21” Small Mouth Bass
  Congratulations on the nice fish. All fish were released and imagine how big they will be for next year!
  The girls and I are almost done with the 240 + loads of laundry and the guys have the boats pulled out, shrink wrapped, docks pulled around,and tons of other end of season tasks completed.We’ve had some snow flurries, but no snow cover has stayed yet.The crew has been out fishing, duck and goose hunting on their off time.No one wants to go home.
  We’re looking forward to our 2010 season where the season opens on May 15th, six days later than this year.It will be the weekend after Mother’s Day this year, so do not show up a week early on Mother’s Day weekend.(You know who you are!)Don’t miss out on the big fishing opener and other May and June dates!We have some openings right now, but they will fill in fast. July and August will be filling in around the first of the year.September usually fills in before some of the July and August dates, so let us know if you’re interested and we’ll get you in on the excitement!Take care and stay warm this winter!
  Saturday August 15,
  Finally a warm stretch of weather has arrived and has made for some great walleye fishing here on Crane Lake. Catches of 10-20 fish in just a half an hour were reported multiple times the last few days. The warmer water temperatures have also turned on the top water bite for smallmouth and largemouth bass in the early morning and late evening. As fall approaches the larger northern pike are becoming more aggressive and are starting to move up into the mouths of weedy bays adjacent to deep water. Try top water and large muskie baits to land these fascinating fish. Crappie fishing is still great right off the main dock at night! We can't wait to see you here at Pine Point Lodge!
  Shack with his winning 54" Muskie
  August 8, 2009
  HEADLINE NEWS:Congratulations to Aaron Busack, a.k.a. Shack, and Kyle Weber who ended up catching a 54" muskie at 1:30 p.m. in a recent fishing contest. As you may recall Kyle Weber and Jordan Gustman took 1st place last year in this same event with a 50” Muskie.As Kyle stated:This year we won the event by a 1/2 inch and there were 40 boats. With a slow morning and hours of casting without a strike, we headed to a secluded bay with a large cabbage bed. Within 15 minutes, Shack set the hook.It hit about 10' from the boat and was in the net within a few seconds as I wasn't going to let $2,000 swim away. It was the only fish we saw all day.We had the boat loaded up 2 hours early because there was no possible way to catch a bigger one! The boys walked away with a $2000 check, a replica of the winning fish and a priceless trophy. Nice job guys!! Kyle & Shack work at Pine Point Lodge and they'd be the guys to talk to about where and how to catch the fish!
  Sunday July 19th, 2009
  Midway through the 09 season Pine Point anglers continue to haul in the lunkers day after day. Just this morning a giant lake sturgeon was caught off the back dock on a jig tipped with a worm giving the angler who caught it the fight of his life. The young man battled the brute for quite a few minutes until the fish jumped straight out of the water next to the dock and was lost as the estimated 50” plus fish was attempted to be netted!
  Large numbers of pike have also been caught using jerk baits, spinner baits and large top water lures. Crappie fishing has also picked up especially off the main Pine Point dock using slip bobbers with small crappie minnows at night. These fish can even be caught using a fly rod right off our dock! Large walleyes have moved deep but keeper fish can still be caught on your favorite spots on reefs or weed lines adjacent to deep water. Evening trolling in the gorge has produced larger walleyes in the 18-25” range. Smallmouth bass can be caught in the morning working top water lures loud and soft plastics slow. Wildlife viewing has also been great here at Pine Point Lodge!Waterfowl such as ducks, loons and mergansers can be commonly seen tending to their young. Loon chicks riding atop their mothers back for protection have been abundant. More secretive birds such as pied-billed and red-necked grebes have been sighted in the more secluded grasses bays. Eagles and osprey have also been abundant commonly seen searching for food for their young.Moose tracks were found on the bug creek trail and a black bear was filmed swimming across Sandpoint Lake! Check out our wildlife link to view the video. Join us to our trip to the bear sanctuary during your upcoming visit! We hope to see you here soon! From Pine Point Lodge happy fishing!
  A male loon displays a defensive dance in order to lure predators away from its nest
  20 1/4" Small Mouth Bass
  Our 2009 season if off to great start!Many, many walleyes in the 24”+ size while the small mouth bass fishermen have been enjoying the splash of 17” + smallies.Our season leading walleye is 28” while small mouth bass is 21”.Northern pike have made their presence in the over 32” range with our biggest being 38”.An impressive 14” crappie is the season leader at this time and it was caught off our famous crappie dock.Few muskies are being sited along with a few Lake Surgeon.No one has been able to land a Lake Sturgeon at this time as most are caught by accident while fishing with light walleye tackle.For example, one fisherman thought he was snagged and was snapping the line trying to get his line out when all of a sudden, an enormous Lake Sturgeon torpedoed to the surface and jumped out of the water, twisted, splashed, and the chased began!Back and forth, up stream, down stream.Each time the fish would be about one foot from the surface, down it would dive.The fisherman had it up to the boat 8 different times and finally had an opportunity to net the 60” plus fish. It’s head 12” wide!His buddy, with the big muskie net in hand, and the scoop for the fish taking place, the pectoral fins hitting the side of the net, the fish will not fit in the net!Trying to grab the fish by the tail proved helpless as the monster shook its head one last time, breaking the swivel, and it was gone!The one hour and 45 minute chase ended with the only thing left to say was, “the big one got away”.It was the most extreme fight ever!Maybe it’s the 50 degree water temp and normal lake water levels that are making the fish bite like crazy.
  Two deer resting on the lawn today in front of the Oak cottage.
  April 16, 2009
  We began flying the hovercraft on April 14, 2009.Jeff and Casey leave here each morning at 6:35 a.m. to catch the bus and Jeff's flys her back home at 4 p.m.Check out the webcam at that time to see them fly by. The deer are usually grazing about then, too.With the only open water being from where the gorge is flowing in, we have a large amount of waterfowl right out the south side, where the webcam is generally pointed.
  We are expected to be in the 60 + degree mark today.However, it looks like my prediction for ice off this year for April 19th is a bit early.No worries, it won't be much longer after that.For those of you interested in watching the water levels, here is a web site that helps us know what is going on -www.lwcb.ca. On our return from the Easter holiday, we were surprised to find 4 mysterious eggs in the boathouse.Hmmm.Was the Easter bunny hiding eggs again this year?As it turns out, they are turkey eggs.Our two turkeys that we have raised since last May are laying eggs.We have six eggs so far.According to our research, it looks like they may lay up to 100 eggs each.
  The opening of fishing is right around the corner on May 9th.We're looking forward to seeing everyone! If you're looking for a vacation up north, give us a call, 1-800-628-4446, or email, firstname.lastname@example.org, we do have some availability left through out the summer and fall with several weeks already full.We look forward to hearing from you. ~
  Jeff & Cathy
  This winter has brought us great snow cover and some very chilly weather.In December we had new record snow fall at 41”.Below temperature readings have been recorded for December as well as January which will help reduce, possibly eliminate, our mosquito population for summer!February has been above average for temperatures and a little below average on snow fall. As you can see, Jeff and Casey, with a little help from our two turkeys, established the layout for this year's skating rink. More photos below.
  Timberwolves are being seen more frequently this winter.We had a pack of 8 travel on the south shore line from Pine Point.Another group of 4 did a walk by in our bay, which would be just on the outside of the rink, and around by the rock light on the east side.They were about 250’ from our home viewing window.
  On our way home from tap dance classes the other night, we had two full sized moose standing on the road ahead of us.This was a short distance from our parking area.The two moose stood there for a few seconds and then walked across the road in front of us and then slowly stepped over the large snow bank without difficulty, and disappeared in the thick forest. No camera along! I had my cellphone, but with the excitement of seeing the moose, the camera setting seemed to be hidden. Next time!
  In January, forty five moose were sighted in Voyageurs National Park.Cows with their calves were spotted.Greater numbers of bull moose were seen as they have not yet dropped their antlers.Deep snow has little or no affect on moose as they have 4’ of ground clearance to travel without difficulty.During windy, colder temperatures moose will often remain under dense conifer cover within our forests.
  Moose seek cooler temperatures on hot summer days.The best viewing areas are the dense, low swampy areas in the early morning and late evenings as they are feeding.
  When making your plans for this summer, don’t forget to include your camera!
  December 14, 2008
  Winter is here in the northland. Beginning this year, we moved from our boat in resort to our Lakeview House on the Gold Coast Rd in Crane Lake to wait for the lake to freeze over. With Casey in Kindergarten this year, it is easier than trying to fly her across in the hovercraft at 6:30 a.m. each morning and then to pick her up at 4 p.m. each day. In any case, on Monday December 8th, the ice was safe enough and we moved back to Pine Point from the Lakeview House. Now, each morning, Jeff shuttles Casey across via snowmobile to meet the school bus. On Friday December 12th, it was a chilly -27 degrees. Today, a little snowy! See the photos on the right. We're forecast to get up to 16". You can see by looking at the flags on our point that the visibility is very low, we cannot see Bayliss Island or across the lake to the mainland. The deer are even getting covered with snow. Not to worry, we have our shovels ready.
  Our first snow fall hit us on October 27, 2008. It was an early morning snow and the Pine Point Pet's were out and about playing in it. There was about an inch and it has since melted.
  Lovey, Junior and Turkey Lurkey
  Elvis and Macaroni
  Thank you to all who have helped make our 2008 season a success! Many, many thanks to all fishermen, women and children who stayed with us and congratulations to those who caught and released your fish.Your digital photos have made a wonderful photo gallery.
  Our 2008 season ended with the following fish contest winners and they will be presented with a replica of their trophy fish upon their return to Pine Point:
  45” Northern Pike, Congratulations to Aaron Martynuik
  29” Walleye Congratualtions to Jeff Poole
  21.75” Large Mouth Bass Congratulations to Mike Van Baren
  22.25” Small Mouth Bass Congratulations to Clarence Vernon
  14” Crappie Congratulations to Matt Snyder
  Other notable entries from other species were a 51” Muskie released by Bob Jakubien; 28” Lake Trout release by Al Aardsma; 11.5” Perch released by Jon Corso; 26.5” Red Horse Sucker released by Brian Hemingway.
  We are in the process of completing some fall project before the snow flies!Decks, roofs and ongoing yard maintenance are underway.A new pontoon boat and premium fishing boats have been ordered as well.Our crew has left for the fall/winter season and we are looking forward to having a couple of them return for our 2009 season.
  Compared to last year at this time, our 2009 reservations are booking up faster and some weeks have limited availability already, so call us as soon as you can!Keep in mind that if you make a reservation right now until December 1, 2008, you can use the 2008 rates for your 2009 reservation.Choose from our one and two room motel rooms or our 2 bedroom rental home on Gold Coast Road, or enjoy the solitude of our boat in location with nine housekeeping cottages and rooms available.Any of the accommodations offer new boat and motor packages or a pontoon boat to be included for exploring the only water based National Park in the U.S.
  We’re looking forward to hearing from you!
  Jeff, Cathy & Casey
  We are off to a great 2008 fishing season!!Our photo gallery is proof.Click here http://www.pinept.com/2008photogallery.html to see our current fishing gallery photos or click here http://www.pinept.com/fishingvideo.html to watch some great fishing videos.In either case, you’ll want to get up here and make your own memories.We still have some vacancies for our 2008 season and are taking reservations for 2009.Call now with your inquiries and dates for your vacation with us and we’ll have our camera and video ready and waiting.Don’t miss out!See you soon!
  Opening of fishing, May 10, 2008
  May 10, 2008 fishing on Crane Lake
  Jeff and Jordan flew up to the Gorge on April 22, 2008 to check out the progress of the ice off conditions.
  The photo album below will show the progress of our ice out for 2008. Photos will be added so you can watch the changes. The first day recorded is April 15, 2008. Think spring! Thanks!
  April 12, 2008
  Well, it was another snow storm instead of rain...
  April 8, 2008
  April 6, 2008
  Just as we were beginning our spring projects, can you believe that we received over 2 feet of snow on April 6th?? It was nearly impossible to even snowmobile. Hmmmm. We'll have to switch gears for some inside projects for the next few days. The weather man states more precipitation by the weekend, but will not disclose if it will be rain or snow! We'll keep you posted. One good thing is that the lake levels will be good.
  How deep was the snow?
  It’s a beautiful sunny day at Pine Point.However, it is a bit misleading as the early morning temperatures were -29.It was our 5th straight day of -25 or colder for overnight temperatures.Not to fret, we’re in for a warm spell.Starting today it will be warming up to 10 above and continue to warm to approximately 20 above in the next few days.With these cold temperatures we can assure you that the mosquito population will be at an all time low this next summer. We are having an average year for snow, finally!We have about 30” of snow on the ground with a total of around 45” -50” thus far.
  Jeff has finished a skating rink for the kids and families in the area to use – it is 65’ X 100’ and well lit for night time use.It is located on the south side of the peninsula
  Plenty of snow!
  65' X 100' skating rink
  Our 2008 season is filling up quicker than other years.Anyone interested in getting a reservation in should call soon.In addition, new for 2008, our Lakeview Motel and Lake Home will be in full operation.There are 3 motel rooms and the 2 bedroom lake home back in downtown Crane Lake.For those of you who have been here before, but missed us last year, this is our new boat launch, loading and pick up point as well.We have two private docks, the best boat launch in Crane Lake, and plenty of parking for your vehicle and boat trailer if needed.We look forward to hearing from you.Please contact us to check on availability, or ask any questions you may have, or just to say hi.
  October 10, 2007
  THANK YOU TO EVERYONE who stayed with us the past season.We had a great year of fun and many new fish stories to be heard!Here is how this seasons fishing contest ended up:
  Northern Pike 43 1/2" , Dee Finch, San Antonio TX Muskie, 48" Marty Walk, Columbia Heights, MN Lake Sturgeon 52 3/4", Marty Walk, Columbia Heights, MN Walleye, 30", Don Streeter, Waconia, MN Small Mouth Bass 20 1/2", Rick Aardsma, Tinley Park, IL Large Mouth Bass, 22", John Aardsma, Oak Forest, IL Lake Trout 25" Dan Musta, Columbia Heights, MN Crappie, 14 1/8" Dan Musta, Columbia Heights, MN Congratulations to these fishermen and others who took part in our weekly & seasonal contest.Don?t forget to check out these fish and more on our online 2007 photo gallery on our home page.
  July 28, 2007
  Hello from the Point! Yes, it is an awesome fish! We are at the half way mark for our season already!The days are getting a little shorter with nightfall landing at around 9:30 pm.We’ve had another outstanding year of great fishing, fun and relaxation!If you haven’t planned a summer vacation yet, there is still time!We actually have a couple of last minute specials on hand and if you’re able to get away, we have the following weekly openings due to cancellations from August 4 -11; August 18 – 25; and August 25 – Sept. 1.September is almost full, so if you’re waiting on the late season bite, you better call soon.We can be reached at 1-800-628-4446.
  In other news, our motel and lake home in CraneLake, at our new landing, are now in operation.Check out the photos on our home page under the accommodations button, click on lake home and/or motel rooms to check them out.
  Thanks for visiting our site and let us know if you need to get to the Point!
  Opening week of fishing was great!Here are some highlights:Walleyes – 30”, 27”, 25”, 28 ¼”; Northern – 40”, 30”, 36”, 37”; Crappies – 14 1/8”, 13.5”, 12 ¾”, 12 ½”, 13”;Small mouth bass – 20 ¼”, 19 1/2”, 19 1/2”, 19 ¼”, 19”, 18”, 19 1/2”;Largemouth – one 22” reported at this time;other fish released at the boat include 52 ¾” and 41 ¾” Lake Sturgeons.Go to our 2007 photo gallery to view the photos on these fish and many others.
  April 6, 2007 Along with about 8-10” of snow cover that we received on April 3, we woke to a chilly -2 degrees this morning.Vehicles are still traveling across the ice.As many returning guests, may recall, our ice did not go off until just before the arrival of the fishing opener in 1996, our first season here.As late as the ice off was that year, I do remember the fishing was fabulous.That’s the silver lining in this lingering winter that we are having.
  Winter was more on the mild side this year.We only had about 8” of snow on the ground for most of the winter and had the bulk of our snow get here starting March 1st.The lack of snow all winter made it tough on several people by having their water and sewer lines freeze up.Ours survived! On March 20, 2007 we woke to a frosty 14 degrees BELOW zero!Yikes!That’s cold!To top it off, we received 5” of snow the day before.Four days later, March 24, we had day time temperatures in the 50’s.Winter or Spring?We still have over two feet of ice on the lake as of March 25.Not to worry, Chuckie, our resident wood chuck, along with the chipmunks, have awoken from their winter slumber.This is always a sign that spring is on its way and to start in on our spring projects.The spring projects include pouring a new, wider boat ramp and extending it deeper into the water.In addition, there will be an office set up on our new property on the mainland.We’re looking forward t seeing everyone soon.
  Current conditions March 25, 2007 10:30 a.m. 48.6 degrees
  It’s not too often that the lake freezes in December.Generally it is frozen over in November.Some people are traveling to Bayliss Island via snowmobiles.However, the National Park advises no lake travel through Sand Point, Namakan, Kabetogama or Rainy Lakes.However, we are still flying the hovercraft.We like to have a good solid 8” of blue ice before taking the sleds across.In any case, we had a chilling temp of 25 below, yes, below zero with the wind chill the other day.I’m sure most of you are warmer than us!Not to complain, sub tundra has a good ring to it…In any case, we wish everyone a safe and happy holiday season and a wonderful new year.Life is short, enjoy each and every minute! December 12, 2006
  Thank you to everyone who stayed with us in 2006! We never would be able to move forward without you! A sincere thank you! On our continuing effort to improve our service for you, we have recently purchased our own parking area on the mainland. It is great! This will enable you to back up to our dock and practically off load right onto our boat. There is a nice deep boat launch there as well along with two bumpered docks. We are located in the same vicinity and would be before you get to the end of the road. Our access is about one block past the bridge right when you get into Crane Lake. Parking is available on the right or left side of the road. We have a sign there. Good news or bad....cell service has been implemented in Crane Lake for the following users: Cell One, Team Mobile and Cingular. Users of Verizon, Sprint, and others do not have service at this time. It is expected that all services will work in the near future. As a reminder, we do have wireless internet access here at Pine Point at no extra cost. In addition, if you haven't reserved anything for 2007, please contact us soon. We have been taking several reservations already and some weeks are limited or full. Remember to book by December 1 to capitalize on the savings by using our 2006 rates for 2007. Here are the final results from our catch and release fishing contest for our 2006 season. Congratulations to all our entries and thank you for practicing catch and release! Big fish were common this year! Many guests stated it was the best fishing they have ever had in Crane Lake - these guests have been coming here for years! Our pike category had several entries over 40”. We started the season off with the largest fish being caught on May 18th. It was an impressive 48” caught by Clint Mariucci. Many other 40” pike were caught from that time on until the end of the season. In fact, Jordan Gustman landed an enormous 45” pike, released on September 25th. Marty Walk caught his winning walleye on May 15th which weighed in at 10.23 lb; Bobby Rourke caught his small mouth bass on May 15th as well. It weighed 5.32 lbs; Shelly Rourke(Bobby’s mom) caught the biggest crappie on August 11th which weighed 1.71 lbs and was 14 ¼”; Eric Wood landed his 20 ¾” , 6.93 lbs largemouth on September 3rd; John Lee’s 9 ½” bluegill was the largest of the season weighing in at .81 lbs on September 10th; our muskie category had several entries this year. The largest was caught and released on May 24th – it was 51” in length and the girth was 21 ½” by Dan Bass! You can see all of these released fish on our web site under the photo gallery. Let us know if you have any questions or would like to check on availability for 2007. We'll keep in touch. Please drop us a line and let us know how you are. Thanks again, Cathy & Jeff Erickson 1-800-628-4446 Cathy & Jeff Erickson ce - Wednesday, October 18, 2006 at 09:20:07 (EDT)
  Summer has been going by fast this year! Lots of great fishing and stories to be heard! The best one we heard last week was about the small mouth bass biting like piranhas! Yes, fishing has been great this year! As far as our catch and release fishing contest, here is the latest update: our crappie category has a 14 ¼”, 1.71lb slab on the leader board; meanwhile, our largemouth bass category was recently beat with a 20 ¾”, 6.93 lb bass, it’s a beauty; our bluegill category holds a 9 ½”, .81lb as the leader; other than that, the other fish categories remain unchallenged at this time. They are as follows: Small mouth bass – 5.32 lbs; Northern – 48”, 26.50 lb; Muskie – 51”, 37.4 lb with a 21” girth; Walleye – 27 ½”, 10.23 lb in addition to a 29 ½” released at the boat. As far as wildlife, two cute little baby fawns, along with their mother, have been visiting on a daily basis. Along with them, we have our three bunnies that will eat out of your hand. Surprisingly, they like the peanuts that we feed the chipmunks! Several ducks have been dotted along the shoreline and the drakes are beginning to be recognized with their vivid green heads. Fall colors are becoming more apparent each day. The bright reds and gold’s are beautiful against the dark, green pines reflecting in the water along the shoreline. Anyone choosing to enjoy the colors should plan a trip soon. With the cooler evenings, those who stay up later have been witness to the spectacular northern lights (and a little frost!) We’re looking forward to a warm week ahead. Hope to see you up here before our season ends on October 1. We do have an opening for the week of September 23 -30. Call us if you’re interested, 1-800-628-4446. Cathy & Jeff Erickson ce - Tuesday, September 12, 2006 at 09:42:31 (EDT)
  Summer is in full swing and we’ve seen the best fishing ever! The slot limit for the walleyes appears to be working very well. Numerous reports of 14”-16” walleye are being caught on a daily basis. Lindy rigs or jigs tipped with leeches or night crawlers have been most widely used for successful slot walleye fishing. Monster pike have been caught on suicks and other large top water baits. Our guests have been catching several between 35 to 40”. In addition, top water baits in the early morning and evening are producing large numbers of 18 – 21” small mouth bass. During the middle of the day, soft plastics and deep diving crank baits are working best. If you would like any further information, feel free to contact us. Cathy & Jeff Erickson ce - Thursday, July 06, 2006 at 09:49:26 (EDT)
  Hi, Everyone! Well, this year’s fishing opener has a few exciting highlights as usual! Where to start….we had several slot walleyes being caught right off the docks, and many reports of walleyes over 19” plus many nice, nice crappies; a 4 hour fight with a lake sturgeon by one guest who saw it three times and it was 7’ long! He was not able to get a photo, but other witnesses saw it too. Besides that excitement, we had a 42 1/2” pike released out on the lake, the photo is awesome, along with a massive 45 ½” muskie. Lake trout are being caught are still in shallow water. Our catch and release program is obviously working. Thanks in advance to all who participate. Here are the current stats in our catch and release contest: the largest walleye is a 10.23 lb, 27 ½” lunker; the small mouth bass is an impressive 5.32 lb, 19” beauty; and a slab 14”, 1.69 lb, crappie is on the board. There have been a lot of large mouth bass caught and released out on the lake in the 4 lb range, so we expect to see some entries brought in by the end of the week. Here are a few other fish weighed in: WALLEYES – 6.73 lb, 25”; 6.05 lb, 25 ½”; 4.37 lb, 23 ¾”; 5.63lb 25 ½”. SMALL MOUTH – 5.06 lb, 20”; 5.10 lb, 19 1/4”; 4.07 lb 18 ½”; 3.87 lb 18 ½”; CRAPPIES - 1.56lb, 13 ¾”; 1.30 lb, 13”; 1.40 lb 12 1/2". It looks like a great start to the contest. Those of you coming up will have your work cut out for you. Can’t wait to see everyone! The water temperature is 58 degrees and lake levels are normal. Cathy & Jeff Erickson CE - Wednesday, May 17, 2006 at 12:10:43 (EDT)
  On Friday, April 14th, Jeff and a couple of his buddies were able to take a boat up into Sand Point Lake. So, that means the ice is officially out! The water levels are high and it looks like a fantastic opener is in store! Cathy & Jeff Erickson ce - Sunday, April 16, 2006 at 09:52:52 (EDT)
  The 2006 fishing opener is fast approaching! We’re looking forward to seeing everyone again and having another busy season. The lake is still frozen but not for much longer. Ice out is typically around the 20th, and will probably go out within the next week. The loons, ducks, eagles, osprey will be gathering by the gorge as more open water appears. Some of you may remember Brandon who worked for us last summer; he is giving the FLW fishing tour a try this winter/spring. He fished in Rogers, AR, recently. He will continue to pursue his life long dream of being a professional fisherman instead of working at Pine Point Lodge this summer. Jordan will be returning to Pine Point around the middle of April to help Jeff. Some projects that will keep the boys busy will include putting siding on the lodge, a couple new roofs, rigging six new boats and moving new electric ranges into the cottages. The rest of our staff will be starting on May 1st to get the cottages and grounds ready for our 11th season. See you soon! Jeff & Cathy Erickson ce - Tuesday, April 11, 2006 at 22:45:05 (EDT)
  Our 2005 season seems to have come and gone so quickly this year. Time flies when you’re having fun! Actually it’s all the wonderful, fun, guests that have made our resort what it is today. We truly thank each and every one of you for allowing us to provide you the service and vacation that you have all worked so hard for and deserve. Our annual fishing contest is officially over and many of you are patiently waiting for the results. Here they are. However, before we get started, congratulations to all our contest entries and other fishermen who make our fishing gallery look so great! Here are your winners: Andrew Fitzhenry won the walleye division with a 30”, 10.75 lb beautiful walleye which he caught on May 20, 2005; Tom Gross released his 20”, 5.87 lb large mouth bass on September 5, 2005, for the win in that category; our small mouth bass angler is no stranger to the lake, and is darn near a household name here at Pine Point, that would be Roger Koopman who took top honors with his 20”, 5.34 lb bass caught on May 20, 2005; Go, Jolene! Jolene Herrmann’s crappie weighed in at 1.89 lb and measured 14 ½” to win the crappie category. She caught it on May 29, 2005. Our largest northern pike was caught at the tail end of the season by Jeff Hager, aka CSA Hunter. It was 17.88lb and 39 ½” long. Congratulations! Honorable mentions in other fish categories go to the following: Bluegill, Rob Geary with a 1.05 lb 11 ¼” whopper on July 21, 2005; with some extra help on the 4th of July, Jim Lamz reeled in his historic Lake Sturgeon of 51 ½”, tipping the at scale over 30lbs; May 16th, 2005, Nick Frederick released a 27” Lake trout and last, but not least, lets not forget the 49” muskie with the 24” girth that Dave Baker latched onto. Wow!! All these fish and more have been released, captured on film and are on display online in our 2005 fishing gallery. Take a peek and when you come up to Pine Point, you, too, can be part of the fishing gallery. For reservations, our 2005 rates will be good until December15th. A few weeks have filled up for 2006 already. If you need information or would like to make a reservation, feel free to contact us at any time – 1-800-628-4446, or email@example.com. We look forward to talking to you soon! Cathy & Jeff Erickson CE - Sunday, October 09, 2005 at 09:15:40 (EDT)
  The fall fishing is in full swing. Northern pike are biting furiously on both top water and buck tails. Numerous pike in the 30” to 40” range have been caught and released at the boats. Small mouth bass seem to be hitting soft plastics during the day in the lay downs in the water. The morning and evening top water bite is still on fire. Bass are leaning more towards minnow type top water baits. Walleye are in the 20’ range. A jig and minnow are the baits of choice. Crappies, however, are deeper from 26’ – 30’ right on the bottom. Slip bobber rigs or three way drop shots are used with the most success. The baby fawns still have their spots but are getting bigger and fattening up for the cold winter ahead. The bunnies are full grown and have adapted to life out here on the rock. We expect to see some new baby bunnies soon. Fall colors have begun in areas around the lake. We have limited availability during this years fall color season. Call if you’re interested in coming up to enjoy the changing season and fantastic fall fishing. Northern lights have been on display these past few nights. Dancing and flashing are the adjectives that come to mind. With the clear evening skies, our morning temperatures have been in the 40’s and we will soon look for our first signs of frost in the weeks to come. Take care –happy fishing and hunting to all. Cathy & Jeff Erickson ce - Sunday, September 04, 2005 at 17:29:43 (EDT)
  We’re happy to report that the fishing continues to be on fire here at Pine Point. Nice weather and warming water temperatures have been key factors. The water surface temperature is 70 degrees. Many reports of walleyes in the 23 – 28” range and stringers of the slot sized, eating walleyes. Jigs with a minnow or lindy rigs tipped with a leech have been working equally well. Bass have been explosive on top water, mainly Poppers or Spooks. Northern pike have been hitting on suspending jerk baits and top water baits. Crappie fishing has been the best we’ve seen it in years. Several slab crappies in the 12” – 14” range. A few muskies have been reported as caught released out on the lake. The largest being in the 50” class!! Twin baby fawns were spotted along the shoreline with their mother yesterday. Most deer are shedding their winter coats and have started their summer phase which is a brighter brownish orange color. Our first baby ducklings were swimming the shoreline on June 3rd. Loons have been busy nesting. The humming birds are back in full force. We’re busy filling their feeders every other day! Casey has four pet bunnies this year. They love eating the clover in the yard. We’ve seen one wild bunny running around the yard from time to time. What a wonderful time to be in the northland. We hope you can make it up soon! Cathy & Jeff Erickson ce - Sunday, June 05, 2005 at 08:18:41 (EDT)
  Pine Point Lodge had a great fishing opener! The season leader board has taken shape and has set the mark for those of you coming up. Here are the results thus far: Small mouth bass 5.34 lb 20” ; Large mouth bass 4.59 lb 20”; Crappie 1.71 lb 13 ½”; Northern 17.16 lb 42”; Walleye 10.75 lb 30”. In addition, we had a nice photo taken of a 49” Muskie that was released out on the lake. The water temperature is 56 degrees. Most walleyes have been caught in 12’ of water. Jigs tipped with a minnow along with some lindy rig set ups have been most successful. Bass and pike have been biting on jerk baits while crappie fishing success has been best right off our back dock using a jig and minnow. Cathy & Jeff Erickson CE - Monday, May 23, 2005 at 08:31:22 (EDT)
  The ice went out on April 15th this year. It was the fasted ice off we’ve ever seen. We were snowmobiling on one Friday morning and then boating the following Friday afternoon! We kick off our season this weekend and have been really looking forward to seeing everyone again! We’ll keep you posted on the fishing results as they are brought in. The water temperature is about 55 degrees and the water level is excellent. Good luck fishing and have a great day! Cathy & Jeff Erickson ce - Saturday, May 14, 2005 at 08:03:10 (EDT)
  This past winter was uneventful, lots of snow and cold temperatures! Thank goodness spring is here. On Tuesday April 5th some people were still driving vehicles across. By Friday afternoon, the Vermilion River cut its way through and we now have open water in front of the resort, but the rest of the lake is still frozen. On Friday morning, Jeff took his last snowmobile ride across the lake. He had to haul the new carpet across for the lodge. By the afternoon on the 8th, we began flying our hovercraft. With the open water out front, every bit of wildlife you can think of has either flew in, swam in, or walked in. They obviously have been waiting for spring as well. Our spring projects are coming along fine and staff will start showing up towards the end of the month. Our new rental boats are here and we look forward to getting them launched and over here as soon as the ice goes. I had originally predicted ice off for April 25th, but with the warmer temperatures and wind, I’m guessing by the weekend we’ll be able to get across the lake by boat. We may not get to our landing, but definitely, without a doubt, to the other shoreline. Think Spring!! We’re looking forward to seeing everyone this year. We still have a few openings for 2005, so call if you’re interested in coming up! Cathy & Jeff Erickson ce - Monday, April 11, 2005 at 09:33:20 (EDT)
  How has the winter been treating everyone? We've nearly froze to death a few times. In case you missed the national news reports throughout the month of January, either Crane Lake or neighboring towns within a 100 mile radius were the coldest spots in the nation many days throughout the month. I believe the coldest day without the wind chill was -54!! However, much to our delight, we’ve nearly beat an all time record for the most snowfall throughout the month of January as well. As a result, a beautiful winter wonderland! We watch our deer come across the lake everyday. Unless they stay on the snowmobile path that Jeff made for them, the snow is up to their bellies! It is very difficult for them to move. We still have one bunny around; the little grey one, Thumper. He's here from time to time and the deer like him. They will share the food with him and lick him on the back or head from time to time. I continue to try to get a photo of them, but haven't been successful yet! We've purchased all the new pots and pans for the cottages. I've had a set in the house that I've been using just to make sure they are durable, hassle free and non stick. They are great! Jeff has been staying in shape this winter as he's had to shovel the snow off all the roofs. Casey is enjoying going to ECFE and has begun swimming orientation in Orr. She’ll be two in July and we know she’ll want to be in the water most of the summer. Jeff has nicknamed her Otter. She is always playing in any water. My glass of drinking water seems to be her favorite. We still have cottage openings for our 2005 season. Feel free to call us for any inquires you may have. We can be reached at 1-800-628-4446. Enjoy the winter! Warm regards, Cathy & Jeff Erickson ce - Tuesday, February 08, 2005 at 15:07:41 (EST)
  Seasons Greetings from the northland. Winter is among us! The other day it was -33 without the wind chill and there seems to be another Alberta clipper coming. The wildlife has been trying to keep warm as well. When the deer come in to feed, they are covered with frost. The lake froze up on November 28th which is a bit later than normal. We do have some snow cover, but compared to average, we’re about 15” behind. We only flew the hovercraft for a two week period of time this year. There is approximately 6” of ice on the lake, and undoubtedly, there will be more after the sub arctic temperatures pass through. Our 2005 brochure has been mailed out as of December 22, if you do not get one by the New Year, fill out our online request or give us a call and we’ll be happy to send you one. Within the next few days we will have an online PDF file in which you may view and print our brochure. Thanks for visiting our site. We look forward to hearing from you! Cathy & Jeff Erickson CE - Wednesday, December 22, 2004 at 08:53:40 (EST)
  Thank you to everyone who made our 2004 season another great year! There were a lot of fun memories, new friends and stories to tell. Below are our annual fish contest winners. Congratulations to them!! Mike Freeman, 6.13 lb, 21” small mouth bass; Joey Magner, 7.21 lb, 21 ½”, Large mouth bass; Johnny Aardsma, 10.43 lb, 28 ½” Walleye; Steve Schultz, 1.51 lb, 13 ¾”, Crappie; Brad Valentine, 14.98 lb, 39”, Northern Pike; Tom Schweska 52” Muskie; Jacob Hyde, 18 lb, 43”, Lake Sturgeon; and Rick Ouellette, 1.21 lb, 10 ¼”, Bluegill. It was another great year of fishing! Fall has been beautiful! It’s been nice for getting our fall projects done. Yesterday we had a good frost over night. Other than that, we’ve been lucky with warm days and overnight temps in the 40’s. All of our boats and motors have been pulled out. A new fleet of boats/motors have been ordered for next year. In addition, Jeff is currently working on adding extra dock slips at the main dock and Cathy is picking out new kitchenware for each of the cottages as well as a few new beds. Take care and as usual, we look forward to hearing from you! Cathy & Jeff Erickson ce - Thursday, October 28, 2004 at 11:56:35 (EDT)
  Fall fishing has really taken off! Small and large mouth bass are biting on both top water baits and soft plastics in the shallower waters. Walleyes have been biting in 15' - 20'of water with a lead head jig tipped with a crawler, leech or minnow. Crappies are in about 25' of water either on the bottom or suspended. Northern pike have really turned on with the cooler water temperatures. Spinner and buzz baits have been the most successful. Happy fishing! Cathy & Jeff Erickson CE - Saturday, September 18, 2004 at 13:37:10 (EDT)
  Excellent fishing continues at Pine Point! Walleyes are biting on the weed lines with night crawlers, or try fishing off the mid lake reefs in approximately 18’ of water with a jig and a minnow. Beware, the northern pike are ferocious! They have been attacking people’s walleyes when they are being reeled in! Therefore, they are in the deeper waters. We suggest deep diving baits to duplicate walleye action to provoke the norhtern pike to attack. Crappies are in 8’ or less of water. Fishing the last two hours of daylight into the evening hours with a minnow and a slip bobber set up has been working best. Small mouth bass fishing has been fabulous. Several in the 18” to 21” range! Early morning and late evenings have been awesome! Casting shorelines with crank baits seem to be effective during the daytime hours. Wildlife has been trotting in and out of camp. Happy fishing everyone! Cathy & Jeff Erickson ce - Saturday, July 10, 2004 at 11:31:39 (EDT)
  Fishing continues to be great at Pine Point Lodge & Resort! Everyone is having a wonderful time and we have some stories to tell. Just this morning we had a 55” lake sturgeon caught and released. At one point, the fish surfaced and jumped straight into the air in front of everyone! It’s amazing the fisherman was even able to land the fish since he was using only 8 lb test line. We had another family, a week ago, have someone in their boat catch a lake sturgeon. That one, too, jumped out of the water right before their eyes! One of the anglers captured the fish on film in mid air. We’re anxious to see that photo! In addition to the fishing, we had some excellent morel mushroom picking from May 16 until June 4. We’ve never seen such an abundant amount in this area! Along with that, the area water falls have been spectacular. A few of the areas to go to see them are: the Crane Lake Gorge, Dover Bay, Lilac Bay, Vermilion Falls, Loon Falls, Brown’s Bay, Rollick Creek, and Junction Bay. Some people tell us they saw a baby fawn on the shoreline paddling up Rollick Creek. They figured it had to be only hours old. What a day they had! In addition to seeing the fawn, they also saw a barred owl up in a tree. Towards the end of their trip, they marveled at the amazing waterfall pouring into the creek. A pair of pileated woodpeckers has been hanging around since early May. Does anyone remember us talking about our wood chuck? Well, he never ceases to amaze us. We had always called him, Chuckie. Well, little to our surprise, five little Chuckies are now running around! (We have changed his name to Charlotte.) Two moose were reported on two separate occasions along the Loon River recently. A pair of trumpeter swans made their annual migration through Crane Lake, stopping in our bay, in mid May. They are impossible to miss. They are huge!! We have seen as many as four at one time. A pair of otters has been seen sunbathing on the main dock – it looked like they were on vacation as well! It’s been an exciting spring for wildlife! Fishing tidbits: some walleyes are in shallow water somewhere between 4’ – 12’. A slip bobber tipped with a leech has been an excellent choice. In addition, a jig and a minnow in a little bit deeper water, 15’ -25’, have been reported as working well. Small mouth bass are spawning. Soft plastic thrown in shallow water and top water lures used for the first couple hours in the morning and last two hours in the evening have been generating the most success. The release of these spawning bass will help maintain and continue to improve our great fishery which in turn keeps your fishing satisfaction high. Northern pike have been present in most shallow, weedy bays. Spinner baits and orange jointed rapalas were the top lures of choice. Crappies are being caught 10’ or less with a slip bobber tipped with a minnow. The water temperature is 61 degrees. From Pine Point Lodge and Resort, safe traveling to all! We hope to see you at the Point sometime! Cathy & Jeff Erickson ce - Thursday, June 17, 2004 at 13:01:41 (EDT)
  A male loon is show displaying a defensive dance in attempt to lure preditors away from its nest