Every year at this time, we put the spotlight on the jewels of Paul Bunyan Country. This time the spotlight is on Leech Lake and we get all the details with Walker Area Fisheries Large Lake Specialist Carl Pederson.

Joe Czapiewski has been charged with elevating the BIG SHOW to conclude the Knights Of Columbus Walleye Classic. He's in the with the details on all the new stuff at Sanford Center. Huge prizes for spectators including $100 every 15 minutes, a Weber Genesis Grill, Milwaukee Tools and much more. Plus a bigger check for the Grand Champions, more prizes for Raffle ticket holders and much more. June 8th is going to be HUGE.

Steve Scepaniak of Predator Guide Service discusses another great weekend of fishing on Mille Lacs and Christina Regas previews this year's Take A Kid Fishing event coming June 5th. And in between those two fishing conversations, Lori Barrow, a Private Lands Forester with the Minnesota DNR, discusses ways to enhance your privated wooded areas and ways the DNR can cost share.

Dan Fuller & Pat McSharry won the Knights Of Columbus Walleye Classic last year, so we check in to see if they're ready to go this year. We also talk about Dan's guide business, his love of fishing and how things have played out the first couple weeks of the walleye season. We also grill him with a Fast Five.

Gary Newell was a beloved angler and Eagle Club member, so it's only appropriate that the Eagles Tourney is now the Gary Newell Memorial Tournament. And it's poetic justice that his son Mark and grandson Matt took home the championship trophy. We'll hear from them on today's show

The end of the hardwater season saw a huge amount of fish taken off Red. And Red Lake was one of the most productive lakes of opening weekend, although it wasn't record breaking. We always do a spring series of spotlights on the jewels of Paul Bunyan Country and Red seems to be the right gem to start with. Large Lake Specialist Tony Kennedy discusses the health of Red Lake, the complexities of managing it and we even discuss a few other species we might see in there.

Steve Scepaniak checks in with a recap of opening weekend on Mille Lacs. He also discusses the bass bite, panfish and northerns. And yes, we need to preview the upcoming Muskie opener too. Plus, we check in with Jim Wolters in the Fergus Falls Area Fisheries Office for our latest Lake of the Week.

Leech Lake Guide Extraordinaire Chuck Hasse is back to recap how the Opener was on Leech. He also updates the first few days of Week 1 and what we can expect in the first few weeks of the season. We also discuss forward facing sonar...and what he doesn't like about it...the incredible bass population and a Fast Five, of course.

Randy Klasen of the Bemidji Area Guide Service recaps Walleye Opener 2024. The bite was great and the sizes awesome on Big Winni. We also discuss other area lakes, what to expect the next few weeks, tournament time and there's a Fast Five too.

Opening Weekend has come and gone Carl Adams of Timberline Sports in Blackduck checks in. He has the details on a very solid opening on Red Lake, Lake of the Woods, Blackduck and other points north. Plus we hear about spring turkey hunting and there's a Fast Five, too.

Theresa Ebbenga joins Kev to talk about everything...and we mean everything...outdoors. Fish, game, non-game, water, minerals, forests, parks, trails...we drill down on all of it on today's show. In addition, Theresa gives her perspective on the efforts by the Red Lake Nation to annex the east end of Upper Red.

It's opening fishing! This year there's been a month to be on the water and Jason Durham has taken advantage of it. We discuss what he's seen, what he's caught, how the walleye bite is looking in the Park Rapids area, and as always, a ton of other stuff. Plus, a not very Fast (but fascinating) Five.

Nobody is more ready for the Walleye opener than Bro! Of course, he's already been panfishing for a month. We talk early season panfish, early season walleye, his thoughts on how things look for opening weekend, new toys he loves, his concerns and of course a Fast Five.

Northwest Regional Fisheries Manager Marc Bacigalupi joined Kev to discuss all things fisheries prior to the 2024 opener. He covers all the big waters, the concerns and the successes.

Brady Laudon of Brady Laudon's Guide Service has been toolin' around Paul Bunyan Country lakes catching sunnies and crappies and trying out his new live scope system. He's ready for some walleye and previews the opener. Plus we get updated on Visit Bemidji and run through a Fast Five, too.

Will Pappenfus is coming off an amazing rookie season on the National Walleye Tour and 2024 got off to a great start, too. He has all the details of April walleye angling on Lake Erie. Plus, he previews the 2024 Minnesota opener and there's a Fast Five too.

A big change to the Knights Of Columbus Walleye Classic this June. Tourney Director Phil Hodapp has all the details on the new venue, more payback and more prizes for everyone. Plus, Steve Scepaniak talks Mille Lacs as we get ready for the opener and Edie Evarts of the Bemidji Area Fisheries Office has our Lake(s) of the Week.

The Minnesota DNR is teaming up with the Fond du Lac Band and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation to expand elk and elk hunting opportunities to northeastern Minnesota. The DNR's Elk Coordinator Kelsie LeSharr, Northwest Regional Wildlife Manager Blane Klemek, Fond du Lac Wild Life Biologist Mike Schrage and Minnesota Regional Director of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Pat McMullen all discuss the project.

Joel Nelson of Joel Nelson Outdoors checks in. He's got a new gig with OnX Fish, has helped put together an awesome documentary, has done a little fishing...but hasn't been turkey hunting yet. We discuss it all on the latest PBCO Podcast.

John Hoyer is a 3 time (and 2 time defending) National Walleye Tour Champion and he's picking up where he left off last year. We hear about his win in the opening NWT event of the season on Lake Erie. Plus, we talk all kinds of other walleye fishing stuff, a little hunting, and of course a Fast Five. Check it out!

Dick Beardsley loves fishing in South Dakota. So with the ice out early over there, he was reeling in walleyes while waiting for the Minnesota opener. We get the story, plus preview Minnesota fishing and much more

Bruce Jean is back, live (well recorded) from his boat during the famous Rainy River Run. We get an on site view of this year's amazing Rainy Run, along with Bruce's unvarnished take on the new Mille Lacs walleye limit. Plus the Bruce Jean Bad Dad Fishing Joke and another epic Fast Five.

Blane Klemek was instrumental in bringing turkeys to Paul Bunyan Country. So the Northwest Regional Wildlife Manager is always excited to discuss spring turkey hunting, populations and all other turkey type things. Plus we recap deer hunting, update the CWD situation and talk a little elk too.

Can you believe Mandy Uhrich has never gotten a turkey in Minnesota? Neither can she! We talk the joys and frustrations of turkey hunts, recap what there was of an ice season, including some eelpout, preview the softwater season and knock down another Fast Five.

Matt Breuer loves turkey hunting! So he is ready to go. We preview the Minnesota opener, Matt's quest to slay a turkey in every state, preview edible season and talk a little eelpout.