PRESS RELEASE - NTC/MWC Walleye Tournaments Come to Mille Lacs Lake

For More Information Contact:

Dan Johnson: 651-237-0159; djohnson@namginc.com

MWC at 877-893-7947 or events@masterswalleyecircuit.com

Legendary Mille Lacs Lake Primed For
Cabela’s NTC/MWC Dual Tournaments

JANUARY 23, 2012—Minnetonka, MN—A high-stakes yet friendly competition of epic proportions is brewing on one of the world’s premier walleye factories. More than 600 anglers from across the U.S. are expected to compete for over $350,000 in cash and prizes when the Cabela’s National Team Championship and Cabela’s Masters Walleye Circuit visit Mille Lacs Lake out of Isle, Minnesota, May 31-June 2.

The tournaments will be run together, allowing two-person teams to participate in one event or fish both simultaneously. The Cabela’s NTC features 250 teams who qualified for the event by earning points at more than 50 sanctioned grassroots walleye clubs across the country. The Cabela’s MWC tournament is open to all two-person teams regardless of club or sponsor affiliation, with registration now open.

“Cabela’s is excited to be returning to where the NTC started in 2002,” said NTC tournament director Lara Herboldsheimer. “The tournament has grown from just a few qualifying clubs in the first year to over 60 clubs vying for the 250 spots. The fishing should be excellent and provide for a competitive weigh-in.”

All teams will compete the first two days, with the Cabela’s MWC side of the event concluding the second day. The top 25 NTC teams on Day Two will carry their weights into a third and final day of competition. Weigh-ins are set for Izaty’s Resort Days One and Two, and McQuoid’s Inn the final day.

Both events offer potential for big winnings. Last August, Wisconsin anglers Derek Navis and Korey Sprengel scored a huge double-victory at the NTC/MWC dual event on Bays de Noc, Michigan, when 275 teams from across the U.S. and Canada gathered to battle for more than $300,000 in cash and prizes. Navis and Sprengel’s winnings included a pair of Cabela’s 50^th anniversary-edition Ranger 619s rigged with Evinrude E-tec motors, plus more than $49,000 in cash and sponsor bonuses from Cabela’s, Ranger Boats, Lowrance Electronics, Berkley, U2/The Oxygenator and PRADCO Outdoor Brands for a total payday topping $180,000 in winnings.

And in June of 2010, 358 teams battled for more than $350,000 in cash and prizes when the dual event was held on Lake Winnebago at Oshkosh, Wisconsin. The massive, fun-filled event was also recognized by Guinness World Records as history’s largest fishing tournament. Given Mille Lacs’ great accommodations and walleye fishery, tournament officials expect a strong turnout this season as well.

Tournament host, Mille Lacs guide and competitive angler Kevin McQuoid expects teams to enjoy world-class walleye fishing throughout the event. “I’m excited about the prospects for a great bite and fantastic tournament,” he says. “The lake’s very healthy, with huge numbers of keeper-size walleyes, plus an abundance of trophy fish.”

McQuoid also expects teams to find fish across the 128,000-acre lake. “The fish will be spread everywhere, from shallow rocks and sand to deeper gravel and mud,” he explains. “And at the first of June, these fish are hungry. It’s typically a livebait bite with leeches or ’crawlers, but artificials do well, too, so anglers are going to be able to choose their favorite styles of fishing and really play to their strong suits.”

Indeed, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources area fisheries supervisor Rick Bruesewitz expects anglers to encounter a “large 2008 year-class” of 14- to 15-inch walleyes, plus plenty more in the larger size classes. A 5-fish team bag plus protective 18- to 28-inch slot limit means the key to placing high will be bringing the right mix of “unders” and “overs” to the scale each day.

Adding to the excitement, the tournaments will be filmed for television airing on NBC Sports and other national networks. Media coverage will also reach North American Fisherman magazine’s 3.2 million readers, 50,000 Facebook fans of the North American Fishing Club, and a host of other venues.

To further safeguard the fabled Mille Lacs fishery, both tournaments are catch-and-release events featuring weight deductions for non-releasable fish. Plus, the Cabela’s MWC will donate $15 per boat toward local walleye conservation projects. To date, the Circuit’s Walleye Conservation Fund has donated more than $300,000 in cash to conservation in areas where its tournaments are held. The Cabela’s MWC is also working with the Minnesota DNR on steps to prevent the spread of invasive species.

Founded in 1984, the Cabela’s MWC is the oldest team tournament circuit in the walleye world. It has a rich history of intense competition on top destinations, plus youth outreach and a lasting legacy of conservation. Open to diehard anglers from all walks of life, the 2012 Cabela’s MWC trail includes nine qualifiers spread across six states in the Walleye Belt from Colorado to Ohio. Teams showcase their skills—and sponsor products—at world-class venues such as the Detroit, Illinois, Mississippi and St. Mary’s rivers, plus Lake Erie, Mille Lacs, Winnebago, Oahe and more.

Cabela’s, the World’s Foremost Outfitter for hunting, fishing and outdoor gear, is looking forward to its 11th season as title sponsor of the MWC. Official sponsors include: Berkley Gulp!, Ranger Boats, Mercury Marine, MotorGuide, Lowrance, NBC Sports Television Network and the North American Fishing Club. Associate Sponsors include: Berkley Trilene, Okuma Fishing Tackle, O2 Marine Technologies, Ryjus, Reflections, Worldwide Marine Insurance, The Walleye Federation and RPM Outdoor Sports.

Registration opened Jan. 9 for all 2012 Cabela’s MWC qualifying tournaments. For more information, call (877) 893-7947, email events@masterswalleyecircuit.com, or visit www.masterswalleyecircuit.com.

Safety Tips For the Ice Angler

Winter recreational sports are popular activities here in the Midwest.  With these activities come some safety precautions to follow, especially when ice over water is involved.  Ice can be very dangerous and people can be injured or killed when it is not respected.

It's important to remember that ice on ponds, lakes and rivers can be affected by many things.  The strength and thickness of the ice should be known before any acitvities take place on it.

To determine what activities can safely take place, a rough rule of thumb is given in the chart below.  The below chart is for basic reference only and is not an absolute in all areas since many factors can effect ice conditions.

Inches*     Activities
3                Walking
4                Fishing
5                Snowmobiling
8-12           Driving a vehicle
*Inches of new, clear ice
Note: River ice is usually 15 percent weaker than pond or lake ice.

Ice safety points you should consider to include are:
#1.  New ice is usually stronger than old ice.  As ice ages, the bond between the crystals decays making it more dangerous and weaker even if melting has not occurred.
#2.  Wind speeds influence ice formation.  Light winds speed up the formation.  Strong winds force water up from beneath the ice and can decay the edges of the ice.
#3.  Snow can insulate good ice and keep it strong.  It can also insulate it to keep it from freezing.  When ice is covered by snow, great precautions need to be taken to determine ice thickness before starting any snow activity.  Snow can also hide cracked, weak and open water areas.
#4.  Slush is a danger sign.  It indicates that ice is no longer freezing from the bottom and indicates weak or deteriorated ice.

Always remember that ice can change with the surrounding climate conditions.  Temperature, precipitation (such as snow, sleet, rain), wind speed, ice age, water depth and water quality are all factors that affect ice strength and thickness.

Never check ice or try to rescue a victim of ice failure alone if at all possible, because you could go from the rescuer to victim very quickly with no other help around.

Precautions need to be taken to assure the ice is safe for your winter recreational activities.  Always check the ice before going out on it.  Be aware that ice thickness and strength can vary from location to location.  By following these safety procedures listed, you can bundle up, be safe, and enjoy the many winter activities in that our great outdoors has to offer.

So now that the winter season is upon us, use extra care upon going out on that ice.

By Mike Cyze from Midwest Outdoors

Note:  The Mille Lacs area resorts and ice fishing businesses take great care in checking ice conditions on a daily basis.  Take the extra time to stop in and talk with them and get information about the ice conditions, any spots to stay clear of, etc., they are they to help you out but always check for yourself.  Be Smart Be Safe.

Is Your Boat Ready for Winter Storage?

Boats need pre-winter maintenace in preparation for the extreme cold just around the corner.  However readers experience a wide range of  winter temperatures, from Michigan and Wisconin to the north and southern Illinois and Kentucky to the south.

Regardless of their winter differences, anglers in the north and mid-south need to take steps to weatherize their engines and electronics.  Here are some tips to ensure your boating gear is in good working order next spring.  Tailor these tips to the severity of your winter.

Hopefully most boaters have drained and refilled their outboard's lower units already; owners of four-stroke motors have changed the engine oil and filter, and sprayed anti-fog oil in the cylinders.  And any fuel left in the tank has been treated with an Ethanol stabilzer like Marine Sta-bil.

Trolling motor batteries require attention to keep the electrolyte from freezing and damaging the plates.  Non maintenance-free batteries should be filled with distilled water and onboard chargers plugged in to maintain their charge.

The cranking battery needs TLC also, ensure the electrolyte level is okay and if it isn't part of the onboard charging system, install an inexpensive automatic onboard charger dedicated to the cranking battery.

According to the Trojan Battery Company a battery at 40 percent charge will freeze at 16 degrees F, while a fully charged battery won't freeze until -92 degrees F.  What most boaters don't realize is, a battery loses its charge sitting in a boat or basement doing nothing, hence the value of onboard charging.

ProMariner ProSport 1.5 Battery Charge Maintainer, selling for under $40, will keep a cranking battery full charged.  See it a Bass Pro Shops or www.basspro.com.

Other boat items to check are life jackets, fire extinguishers, raingear, and accessories like pliers and landing nets.

Life jackets are easy to inspect for wear and lost buoyancy which can lessen the total weight it can float.  Check for lively foam by pressing your hand onto the foam area; if it doesn't spring back quickly, chances are the foam has lost some buoyancy and the jacket should be replaced.  For inflatable life jackets, follow the manufacturer's recommended procedure to ensure the device is in good working order and the CO2 cartridges are withing expiration dates.

Boat fire extinguishers usually have a gauge to measure their pressure.  If it's low our out of date, replace it; they are less expensive than a new boat.  Area marine dealers should have a selection of appropriate extinguishers.

Unlike "rubber" raingear of the past, today's high-tech fabric suits are nearly impossible to repair, especially if they are lined with insulation.  Replace anything that leaks badly enought to be uncomfortable.

Check the landing net for broken or rotten cords.  To save a few dollars, just replace the net.  Try a rubber net; the almost never tangle in a lure's hooks.  If the handle is broken or loose, check out Frabill's slection at www.frabill.com.

Lubricate depth finder connectors and rusty pliers with a quality dielectric CorrosionX.

Inspect lures by checking the hooks and split rings.  Replace rusty or damaged hooks and partly open split ring with new ones.  Try Red Daiichi treble hooks because they seem to catch more fish.  Split ring pliers will make the job much easier.

Check each fishing rod for damaged guide windings.  Apply color preserver or rod varnish to protect windings that are beginning to fray.  Replace badly damaged windings.

Rotate a cotton swab inside each line guide.  If any cotton pulls off or snags, it means the guide is worn or broken.  Have an experienced rod repairman replace broken or loose guides.

Frequently used reels should be disassembled and cleaned at least once a year.  Follow the manufacturer's directions for disassembly, cleaning, lubrication and reassembly.  Maintenance on spinning and baitcast reels is rather complex, requiring experienced anglers or repair technicians.

Remove the old line, paying attention to which direction it was wound on the spool.  Disassemble the reel as much as you feel comfortable with, and clean the parts.

Place a drop or two of oil on small moving parts and rotating shafts.  Apply a film of grease on the gears, fasten new line to the spool, and reassemble the reel.

Two excellent high-tech reel lubricants are Quantum's Hot Sauce and ReelX by Corrosion Technologies.  After lubing the reel, spool new line according to the directions in its box.

After the real is cleaned and oiled, spool it with new line.  Spinning and spincast reels need soft, limp lines like Bass Pro Shops Excel or Berkley's Trilene XL.

Level wind or baitcast reels can be spooled with a much wider selection of lines, just remember to buy quality line from a reputable manufacturer.

Good winter maintenance to your boat and motor will increase your odds of a pleasant fishing experience in 2012. 

by Darrell Taylor reprinted from Midwest Outdoors

A Spooktacular Halloween in the Mille Lacs Area

With Halloween arriving this coming weekend, there are events and parties for all ages in the Mille Lacs Lake area to scream about.

For the Kids:

• The Cities of Isle, Wahkon and Onamia invite all the little ghouls and goblins to dress up and come downtown to Trick-or-Treat from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm on Monday, October 31st.  Look for the Orange posters with the pumpkin in the windows of participating stores.

For the Family:

• The Haunted Hanger in Isle is not for the Faint of Heart.  Located 1 mile north of Isle on Highway 47 at the Isle Airport.  It will be open Friday and Saturday, October 28 & 29 from 7:00 pm to 9:30 pm and Monday, October 31st from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm.  The cost is $3 for kids 12 and under and $6 for adults and kids 13 and over.  Admittance will be reduced by $1 with a non-perishable food item donation to the food shelf.  Young children and the week at heart should come early before things get too scary.  Sponsored by the Isle Lions.  Each "room" in the maze has a theme. There are halls between each room and the characters can move around in from place to place.  They know the layout of the hanger, but to the uninitiated, it is impossible to find your way around - come enjoy the fun in this spooky, scary maze! 
• Green Lantern located 10 miles west of Garrison on Highway 18 is hosting a costume party for all ages on October 29th, kids activities 3-6pm, booya(witches brew), spooky music outside, hay ride, red(blood) beer, and an evening DJ. 
• Light of the Cross Church in Garrison hosts Trunk or Treat, Fun for All Ages, October 31st at Dusk.
• Paul Bunyan Land located 6 miles east of Brainerd on Highway 18 hosts the areas largest haunted attraction. Take your choice from three nightmares.  The Haunted Corn Maze, Murder Manor and the new for 2011...Terror Town.  All three are open from 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm every Friday and Saturday through October 29th.  Admission to each attraction is just $8 or save by buying all 3 for $20.

For the Adults:

Many area bar/restaurants will be hosting Halloween parties with costume contests, music, prizes and fun.

• Buzzie's at Mac's Twin Bay Resort 3 miles north of Isle off Highway 47 - Costume Contest judging at 11:00 pm. Appetizers at Midnight.
• Nitti's Hunters Point Resort approximately 9 miles north of Isle on Highway 47 - Costume Party with 1st, 2nd & 3rd place prizes.
• Toucan's at Fishermen's Wharf Resort - Costume Contest judging at 11:30 pm with Cash Prizes for top 3 places, Food and Drink specials throughout the night.
• Muggs on Main Street in Wahkon - Costume Contest judging at 10:00 pm, food & drink specials.
• Isle Municipal Liquor Store on Main Street in Isle - Costume Contest judging at 11:30 pm, Live Entertainment starting at 8:30 pm, Pumpkin Carving Contest judging at 8:00 pm.
• MSA on Big Point Drive 6 miles north of Isle - prizes for Costumes, Karaoke.
• Bay View Bar & Grill on Cove Bay - Costume Contest judging at Midnight, win BayView $$ for 1st, 2nd & 3rd place.
• Many other establishments will have parties, stop in at some or visit them all!

Come celebrate your Halloween in the Mille Lacs area
We'll Scare the Yell Out of You!

Honest Photo Tips for Sportsmen

We know you're lying.  And you've got the pictures to prove it.

For as long as there have been cameras, fake pictures have been the sportsman's best friend.  Caught a fish that isn't exactly a trophy?  Bring out the camera.  Got a buck whose antlers aren't big enough?  Just point and shoot.  The obvious trick, of course, is to put the camera lens very close to the little trophy while you remain in the distant background, smiling proudly.  The object in the foreground will always look huge.  And everybody will believe you.

OK, nobody believes you.  And those staged photos look, well, completely staged.  But honesty would not appear to be the goal in this age of increasingly modified photos.  As leaders in the field, outdoorsmen originated the art of exaggeration, and staged photos likely will remain the sportsman's best friend for as long as there are cameras.

But for the tiny fraction of hunters and fishermen who actually prefer an honestly good photograph worth framing, here are a few tips that can help you create better photos of you and your legitimate prize.

1.  THINK BACKGROUND SCENERY

Imagine the photo you're about to take without the subject:  Would you take a picture of an empty garage or a grimy bed of a pickup?  Know that a fisherman holding a fish out at the lake looks much better than a fisherman holding a fish in a messy kitchen.  A hunter with a deer in the woods always looks better than a hunter with a deer in the bed of a pickup.  As a habit, bring your camera along with you and take pictures while you're still out in nature.

2.  RESIST THE DEPTH-PERCEPTION GIMMICK
Do not position the deer, fish, turkey or whatever it is you're photographing too close to the lens.  The fact is, meaningless distortion of scale actually creates a pointless image in which the size of the "trophy" remains completely unknown.  For honest "trophy" pictures that are truly memorable, focus on taking a well-composed photo.  If you demand proof that your 15-inch crappie really was 15 inches, go ahead and lay a ruler next to the fish.  It'll be just another one of those boring ruler pictures-so also take a better shot while holding the fish.

3.  GET CLOSER
True, shoving a fish right in front of the camera looks about as realistic as a fun-house mirror.  But, when taking people pictures, don't forget to get close enough to show the details you want to see.  When photographing people holding a limit of ducks or a stringer of crappie, as a rule, take one or two steps closer to the subjects.  Otherwise, the people and their trophies might look like distant strangers in a field.

4.  THINK ABOUT LIGHTING, AND WHETHER USING A FLASH WILL HELP-EVEN IN DAYLIGHT
"Lighting is everything" is the photographer's golden rule.  Bad lighting can be the ruin of otherwise well-composed shots (as an example, hold a flashlight under your chin to see how lighting changes everything.)  Don't assume daylight is always your friend.  Harsh shadows and severe contrast in sunlight can turn a smiling face beneath a baseball cap into an opaque shadow nobody will recognize.  Using what's known as a "fill flash" can balance the exposure in daylight.

5.  CLEAN UP
Take a moment to make your trophy look nice and fresh.  A smooth, glistening walleye looks better than a walleye covered in grass and dirt.  A deer with a closed mouth looks better than a deer that has its tongue dangling over the edge of the tailgate.

6.  TAKE A FEW SHOTS FROM DIFFERENT ANGLES
Why rush through your photo session if the goal is to produce a nice photograph you can send to your envious hunting and fishing pals?  Many sportsmen point and shoot a camera as if they were swinging a shotgun at rockt-fast doves.  Click.  They're done.  Although great shots sometimes happen through sheer luck, investing a couple of minutes extra to compose a better show will increase the odds of producing a good photo that honestly shows off your trophy.

7.  FINALLY, KNOW ANY CAMERA CAN TAKE GOOD PHOTOGRAPHS
The old expression goes:  "It's a poor musician who blames his instrument."  Likewise, buying an expensive camera thinking you're going to take better pictures is like buying an expensive car because you think it will make you drive better.  The best photos are made by photographers, not cameras.

By Joe McFarland reprinted from Midwest Outdoors

Test Your Walleye IQ

Testing your fish IQ can be fun, informative and useful when it comes to outsmarting your favorite species.  The more you know, the better informed you'll be when you're trying to track down a trophy or a meal.

We're reminded of Joe Friday on Dragnet, if you're old enough to remember that early television classic.  "Just the facts, ma'am."

Where and when do walleye spawn?
Regardless of the body of water that walleye inhabit, they spawn in temperatures around 42 to 54 degrees in shallow water on gravel or hard bottom.  They need flowing water to provide oxygen to the eggs and to keep silt from smothering them.  There is a theory that walleye evolved within river systems.  When available, they will return to rivers and creeks to spawn.  They will also spawn on rocky, mid-lake humps.

How many eggs does a mature female walleye lay?
This was a recent question put to us and we had to look up the answer ourselves.  Female walleye lay approximately 50,000 to 60,000 eggs per kilogram, or 2.2 pounds, of body weight.  Do the math.  A 5-pound fish can lay 300,000 eggs!  A 10-pound fish can produce over half a million.

Walleye are broadcast spawners.  Parents abandon their offspring and provide no protection for the young, which are born into a harsh eat-or-be-eaten world.  Of the eggs laid, only about 5 to 20 percent actually hatch.  Only one of every 10,000 of those will survive.  It's easy to see why releasing those pre-spawn females is important.

What is the walleye's preferred temperature range?
Walleye have a reputation for liking cool water.  We suspect that's based on the spawning temperature.  But scientists say walleye like 60 to 70 degrees, and some say they're most active at 73 degrees.  It's a key bit of information to know since water temperature is the single most important determining factor on where walleye will be.

Remember this motto from our friend, walleye pro Jason Przekurat: "North, south, outside, in."  This means that walleye are active on the north side of the lakes first where the water warms first.  They then spread to the south around the rim.  As water continues to warm, they head towards deeper water and mid-lake structures when available.  As fall approaches, the migration is reversed.


So how good are their eyes really?
Walleye have eyes more light sensitive than humans.  This explains why they're most active in twilight or after dark when they see well but their prey can't.  It also explains why walleye can be found very deep or in cover, such as weeds, or on the windy side of a lake, or on a reef where waves cut light penetration.  Yellow perch, which are closely related to walleye, lack the same eye construction, so they are often a walleye's preferred meal.

Walleye also see shades of color, mostly yellow, green and orange.  They are rumored to be blind to colors like blue.  But remember, water clarity and depth affect the actual color they can see, so what they react to best will vary with conditions from day to day.  We've seen situations when blue can be the preferred color over everything else.

Do walleye rely on sight?
No way.  They have extremely well developed lateral lines and sensors which permit them to sense prey many feet away.  They can actually single out a baitfish swimming erratically from the rest of the school.  They can feed 50 feet down in murky water.

Walleye eat mostly other fish, right?
The answer to that is yes, and no.  Walleye are opportunistic, which means that they will eat what's available.  Walleye start off by eating plankton during their early days, shift to insects, and later to other fish.  Even adult fish eat insects when they are handy.  Shiners, perch and other small fish can be the primary forage depending on the body of water and the time of year.

Are rainstorms a good thing when it comes to walleye fishing success?
Again, yes and no. Cloud cover and wind favor active feeding because of reduced light penetration and low pressure which frees fish of all kinds to be more active.  But scientists believe walleye are especially sensitive to lightening and thunder, which can turn them off.  Stable weather is often good because walleye will turn to predictable feeding patterns and stay in the same locations for awhile.

Does moon phase matter?
The answer to that question depends on who is asked.  We couldn't find a scientific study on the topic but when fishermen are asked, they all seem to have an opinion.  The conclusion is...Just as many big walleye are caught during each moon phase-new, first quarter, full and last quarter.

What tactics are best to catch walleye?
Thousands of articles and books are written about this topic.  It can be confusing.  But there is an easy way to think about this.  Ask yourself but one question: what technique will show a lure to the most walleye in the least time?  That is the name of the game after all.  The more walleye that see your live bait or lure, the higher the odds are that one will take what you are offering.  Are the fish stacked on a mid-lake hump in a small area?  Then target them with jigs, a Lindy Rig, or a slip bobber.  Are they spread over a huge area like you'll find in spots like Lake Erie's Western Basin?  Then troll lures or spinners.  Start at the upper end of the trolling speed right for what bait you are using and slow down if you have to.  With crankbaits, your speed should be about 1.5 mph up to 2.8 mph.  Spinners work best down from 0.8 mph up to 1.7 mph.

Did you "ace" the course?  A good grade translates to you having a better chance to put walleye in your boat.

By Ted Takasaki and Scott Richardson courtesy of Midwest Outdoors

Mille Lacs Resort named to "The Official Best of Minnesota 2011" List

Official Best Of is proud to be featuring Minnesota’s top attractions on The Official Best Of Minnesota 2011. The Official Best of Minnesota will be on CBS WCCO, at 12:00 PM on Saturday Sunday 31^st, 2011, as well as on Discovery at 3:30AM Central, 4:30AM Eastern & Pacific, & 5:30AM Mountain Time on August 8^nd, 2011 and on the popular OfficialBestOf.com travel website.

Awarded as The Official Best this year are:

The Van Dusen Mansion– Best Wedding Venue – Minneapolis

Mestad’s – Best Bridal Shop – Rochester

U.S. Hockey Hall Of Fame – Best Sports Museum – Eveleth

Twin Cities Food Tours – Best City Tour – Minneapolis

Crescent Moon Bakery – Best Pizza – Minneapolis

Reiki – Day Spa – Warroad

Nacho Mama’s – Best Mexican Restaurant – Stillwater

City of Red Wing – Best Historic Town – Red Wing

Fitzgerald Theater – Best Historic Theatre – Saint Paul

Hubbell House – Best Landmark Restaurant – Mantorville

Izatzy’s Resort – Best Golf And Yacht Club – Onamia

Each state production showcases outstanding "best" attractions in a variety of categories located throughout each state. A research staff studies online travel sites, state tourism information, CVB resources and other sources to determine whether an attraction merits the "Official Best" reputability. One distinction that sets Official Best Of apart from many other travel sites is that it doesn't accept advertising on either its television programs or its website. The selection of attractions is entirely by merit, and lesser known but worthy attractions are given the same attention as famous ones.

As with each state production, The Official Best of Minnesota for 2011 will offer a great resource for those planning a vacation, day trip or outing for residents within the State of Minnesota as well as out-of-town visitors. Official Best Of is currently working its way through all fifty states. Visit www.OfficialBestOf.com for more information.