The Books are Here!

Over the last couple of weeks we have been receiving our book orders for the store one box at a time. This year we have brought back the favorites, stocked up on the popular, and brought in the up-in-coming.

Here are our top picks!

For Fishing...

The New Boundary Waters and Quetico Fishing Guide

Micheal Furtman did a great job at updating his 1984 fishing guide to include all of the new information to be shared, including fishing information on the Quetico. This is the best and most comprehensive writing you will find on the fishing in this area.

For Wildlife...

Wildflowers of the Boundary Waters

This was a hard choice as it could go in so many different directions. The books about plants and animals in the Boundary Waters are numerous... Anyways, this is a new book that we just got in this year. The photos are gorgeous and the text is engaging. If you ever wondered about all those flowers that you've seen on the trail, here is finally a way for you to learn about them.

For Food...

Taste of the Gunflint Trail

This book is writen by the women of the Gunflint Trail. They got together to pass down their very best local recipies. You can't beat those time-tested, hearty meals of the area. And to put a cherry on top of an already great book, our very own Deb Mark is featured on a few pages.

If you're interested in hearing more check out our website at http://www.seagulloutfitters.com/reading.htm

And don't forget we do mail order. Hope you get a chance to read some of these great books...

Danielle

With Great Weather, Comes Great Fishing

With the beautiful weather, it is evident that it is the first day of summer today! The rain has finally held back for a few days and allowed the sun to shine through! With the gorgeous weather, many people are booking upcoming trips and the off the road crowd has increased as well.




The cabins have been consistently full all season and are reporting back to us with a great word on fishing in both Seagull Lake and Saganaga Lake. Customers entering into the Boundary Waters and Quetico have also reported back with good word and great pictures.

With all the rain we've had, it has definitely stirred up the bug population. The bugs haven't been too bad thus far in the season but with the beautiful weather they might start appearing more!

Cabins are still available for the Grand Opening of the new Chik Wauk Museum and Nature Center! Book now before your opportunity to be one of the first to view the museum slips away!

Katelyn

Chik Wauk Museum Grand Opening

The Grand Opening of the new Chik Wauk Museum and Nature Center is arriving rapidly!

The Gunflint Trail Historical Society will house a museum, to open on July 4th in 2010. The doors are opening at 11AM. The Chik-Wauk Museum will tell the story of the people of the Gunflint Trail. On the grounds surrounding the museum, there will be interpretive trails, wildflower displays and bird watching opportunities.

The museum will include many historical artifacts, photos and stories of the Voyageurs, Native Americans, miners, and local residents.

Seagull Outfitters is offering great package deals for cabins of opening weekend!

Please check out our Chik Wauk page on our website! These available cabins will be filling up fast!

http://www.seagulloutfitters.com/chik_wauk_museum.htm

Another great reason to head up to the end of the Gunflint Trail! Please be in touch if you are interested in the Grand Opening! Chik Wauk should be a great Museum and Historical Center, don't miss your opportunity to be one of the first to view it!

Katelyn

There is More to Seagull Than Just Fishing

A cabin of ours, Davene Wolfe, who is still currently here with her husband, has had quite the trip here already and she just arrived on Saturday. She wanted to share the following:

"We arrived Saturday noon for our 6th visit to Seagull Outfitters on the Gunflint Trail. The fishing on Seagull Lake is outstanding. It is now Monday noon and the fish count stand at:

-1 Walleye
-1 Lake Trout
-11 Northern Pike
-50 Small Mouth Bass

However, I am not a fisherperson. I am the bow of the boat watcher for rocks, the net/hook untangler and the ballast. Least you think that I am hopelessly bored, these are the things that I'm observed since Satuday noon, sine I was not fishing.

Bird watching was especially busy, 2 Adult Mallards, 13 Ducklings, 12 Adult Loons, 2 Chicks, 1 Adult Eagle, 2 Eaglets, 1 Immature Eagle, 1 Golden Eye, Canada Geese, 1 Blue Jay, Gulls, 3 Red Bellied Woodpeckers, 1 Pileated Woodpecker, Purple Finches, Warblers ( I can't identify them very well), many more that I could not get my binoculars on or did not recognize. The bird watching at Seagull is Limitless.

On a 45 minute stroll around the Seagull Outfitters Camp, I saw more that a dozen species of wildflowers, Spring Beauties, Anemones, Fleabane, Devil's Paint Brush, Bluebead Lilly, Bird's Foot, Columbine, Wild Rose, Buttercups, Marsh Marigolds, Purple Peas, Meadow Rue, and others that I did not know.



I am always looking for native wildlife and so far I've seen 13 Turtles, 2 Ground Squirrels, 3 Chipmunks, 1 Beaver, 1 Snake, 1 Frog, and 1 Luna Moth. Isn't that great?

Lastly I am an avid reader of Minnesota's great mystery writers, historical non-fiction and cookbooks---Bumbleberry pie anyone?

Aside from the great fishing, outstanding equipment, accommodations and natural beauty, the best part of Seagull is returning home from the last fishing run of the evening to the snug and cozy cabin, watching the vermillion/crimson sunset reflected on the water and being sung to sleep by the loons' chitter and calls.

I am not a fisherperson but I love Seagull!"

Thank you Davene for a great blog! Hopefully she is able to add to that list throughout the rest of the week! Hopefully if you aren't the fishing type you can find a different passion for being up here such as this!

Katelyn

Time For A Peaceful Getaway

There is nothing better than walking down to the lake each morning to see a peaceful mirror reflection of the trees and rocks surrounding the bay. With the weather and the fish both cooperating, there is nothing better. There has also been a little black bear grazing the grasses around Seagull, just yesterday we were able to snap this picture of him eating some grass by the bunkhouse!

The warm weather is unusual at this time in May. The Seagull Lake water tempature has hit about 65 degrees! Something almost unheard of for this time of the year!

Many staff have been out swimming and fishing every night! Quite the adventurous crew, staying out until about 11PM each night fishing. The fish are biting though, so I can't blame them! Fishing has been unusual this year, the walleye, which are usually spawning in 8-12' of water and currently deep in the lakes! They are roaming around 35-50'! Many people have been making great catches trolling with Lindy Rigs, as well as the ever so simple slip bobber. Below was a walleye a cabin customer caught on Seagull just a few days ago!

Hope all is well elsewhere and that you can't wait to make your way up to the North Shore!

Katelyn

Fishing Opener

The day we have all been waiting for has arrived! This weekend we've had quite a few groups out on the water all day working on catching dinner. The staff went out early in the morning to try their luck for a hour or two before work. The first day started out a litle slow but things are picking up and we are seeing the fish come in.

And to make it even better, with Opener came the beautiful weather. It has been sunny and warm here ever since and the forcast says that its going to stick aound for a while. The fire ban was also lifted thanks to the day of rain that we had before Opener. What perfect timing for all thoes who started their trips this week.

Gunflint Green Up

The Gunflint Green Up was a success! A few staff, shown to the right, were thinning out the woody vegetation that had been growing around the little pine trees. By removing the woody vegetation, the little pines will be able to receive more sunshine and have their surrounding competition eliminated.


As the Gunflint Green Up festivities began Friday afternoon, so did the chilly weather! Though the light snowfall didn't cause a loss of interest in many, it was still very shocking to see snow as we arose! We received no snow on the Gunflint in March or April, but suddenly in May! Hopefully that was the last snowfall of the year, and according to the weather these past few days, I have a good feeling about that! It has been sunny and warm up here! Perfect for heading out onto the lake for an early paddle!

If you are lucky on that paddle, many moose have been on the move! A few staffers went out for a boat ride Saturday night and returned to a moose grazing the grounds in front of the store. They were able to sit and watch the moose for 15 minutes before leaving it to its peace.

Two of our paddlers embarked on the first journey of the year into Quetico just the other day! With fishing opener coming up this weekend, many parties will be on their way into the Great Lakes of the Minnesota Boundary Waters! Hopefully you are one of them, if not, we're taking reservations! Please call, we'd be happy to help you!

Katelyn