Kay Hawley Angler

🎣 Calling All Women Anglers! 🎣

Get ready for an unforgettable experience at the Third Annual Grassy Narrows Lodge "Women's Week," happening from August 1-6, 2026. Nestled on the scenic Canadian side of Lake of the Woods, Grassy Narrows Lodge is surrounded by the breathtaking beauty of Ontario's wilderness.

Sign up today by contacting:
Maria Vandenbrand: 1-800-589-2214
Email: [email protected]

Website: Grassy Narrows Lodge

Don't miss this incredible opportunity to connect, learn, and create lasting memories with fellow women anglers.
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If you love Minnesota, you need to hear this! 🎶🌊

My friend Bill Webb wrote and recorded "I Love You Minnesota," and honestly, it captures everything we feel about this amazing state. Every lake, every season, every reason we're out on the water.

Give it a listen and share the love.

👉 https://youtu.be/1VbR-2eBjd0?feature=shared

William Webb 2026 I Love You Minnesota Suno 440 min

I've been thinking about some of my favorite summer moments ...the slow drift of clouds, the stillness on the lake, the quiet that shows up when you let yourself pause. The complete opposite of this bitter cold. 🥶🥶🥶 The lake has always been a teacher… reminding me to listen, reflect and trust the calm beneath the surface.

Here in Minnesota, there's a heaviness we are carrying. You can feel it in conversations, in the way people look out for one another in the quiet moments when the world feels unsettled. Maybe that's why these photo memories stand out today. They remind us that even in hard seasons, there's a steadiness in us that doesn't disappear. Sometimes we just need a moment of still water to remember it's there.

I'm grateful for those reflections on the lake and I'm quietly counting the days until we're back out there. 💕

Welcome to Kay Hawley Angler!

I’m Kay, and I love helping people feel confident on the water—whether you’re new to fishing or looking to sharpen your skills. From reading structure to using electronics and GPS mapping, I enjoy making fishing feel approachable and fun, especially when you’re learning a new lake.

I’m an educator at heart and passionate about sharing what I’ve learned, while also being a role model for women who love the outdoors.

Lund Boats captured a short video that reflects my fishing style and why mentoring on the water matters so much to me:
https://youtu.be/4wMMu-f4UQg

If you enjoy practical tips and encouragement, you’ll find them here.
👉 Hit Follow and come along.

Curious about Women’s Week at Grassy Narrows Lodge (Aug 1–6, 2026)? Feel free to message me anytime.

What a fun evening! The September 2025 Twin Cities Walleyes Unlimited meeting featured guest speaker Brad Juaire, Open Water Trolling Cinics. I’ve been fortunate to fish with Brad many times, and a few years ago we even co-hosted a Summer Trolling Clinic at Vermilion Dam on Lake Vermilion. I once wrote an article about Brad for the Minnesota Valley In-Fisherman club, and thought I’d share it again for those interested and to give you an idea of what it is like to spend some time in Brad's boat!

Fishing Mille Lacs with Brad Juaire

MVIF members Jack Naylor, Jerry Walerak, Mike Palmer, Kay Hawley, and son, Doug, experienced great weather, excellent fishing, and enjoyable camaraderie while fishing with Brad Juaire July 11 & 14, 2019 on Mille Lacs. Brad is renown for his "Open Water Trolling Clinics” http://www.openwatertrolling.com/ and has been a guest speaker at the MVIF Club a number of times.

Whether you are a novice, intermediate, or experienced fisherman you will learn a great deal by spending a day on the water with Brad. He is a MASTER teacher! During the clinic he sequentially covers a plethora of topics …. trolling rods, line counter reels, braid and lead core line, planer boards, rod holders, crank baits, depth control, crank bait profile, color, speed, trolling patterns, etc. When the clinic is over he shares a copy of his PowerPoint presentation that reviews all of the key points.

Between the two days we caught between 40-45 walleyes with the majority of them between 24-26 inches and also a 28 incher. We kept misplacing Jack’s pencil and paper so it was hard to keep track . One of the highlights on Thursday was a “threefir” followed soon after by a “twofir”! It was definite a “catchin” day!

Sunday was more hot and humid day. We drank a ton of water and cooled off with ice water from time to time. A highlight Sunday was Doug catching a tullibee on a Fire Tiger Scatter Rap #9 Tail Dancer. Brad ecstatically proclaimed, “I’ve been fishing Mille Lac for 20 years and caught thousands and thousands of walleye but I’ve NEVER caught a tullibee before!” We learned a great deal fishing with Brad. I think I am correct in saying that all of us caught our personal best walleye of the season with a fish between 24 and 28 inches. That ain’t bad!

Many of you have heard me sing Brad’s praises before but I’m starting to think maybe I should be cursing him! He has cost me SO MUCH money! I’ve become so addicted to his way of fishing that I keep buying stuff like Tekota 300LC and Tekota 500LC fishing reels, new trolling rods, and of course lures. You need lots of lures! You can never have enough! Bagley Deep Diving Shads, Rumble B’s, Flicker Minnows, Rapala Deep Tail Dancers, Scatter Rap Tail Dancers, Reef Runners, Free Divers, Deep Thundersticks. Oh well, I guess it doesn’t matter cause I intend to do more open water trolling! .

🌅 Hawk Lake Lodge – August 2025 🌅
What a week it was at the Technology Summit with Jason Halfen, The Technological Angler, on beautiful Hawk Lake Lodge! From sunrises worth waking up for to the call of loons echoing across the water, this trip was as much about nature as it was about technology.

Early in the week, I had my share of boat drama—a trolling motor that wouldn’t stow, a trolling remote that wouldn’t pair—but with Jason's expertise, a little patience, and a sense of humor, the fish and the lake still delivered.

Key takeaways from the Summit:�🎣 MegaLive is truly a game-changer—seeing fish in real time changes everything.�🎣 Side imaging isn’t just about fish—it’s about finding shadows and structure.�🎣 Boat control is everything. Without my trusty Minn Kota features like Spot-Lock and Follow the Contour, I realized just how much I’ve come to rely on them.�🎣 Casting cadence with jigging raps and blade baits is an art I’m still chasing.

The week wasn’t only about the fishing. It was about people—Rod & Tricia, Adam, Jim, Travis, Ben, Kevin, Greg, Mark—and even a surprise visit from Lars and his dad. Sharing shore lunch at Picnic Island (crispy walleye, potatoes, onions—perfection!) reminded me how food, friendship, and fishing always find their way together.
And Hawk Lake Lodge? Absolutely five-star. Ted, Virginia, Martina, and the whole staff made sure every detail was exceptional.

I'm home now with new knowledge, new friendships, and a renewed appreciation for the balance of nature and technology. Fishing new water, learning new tools, and catching big fish—it doesn’t get much better.
Until next time, Hawk Lake. 💙🇨🇦🐟

August 2025
🎣 Hawk Lake Adventures – Day Two: Big Fish, Boat Surprises, and a Sunrise Worth Waking For

I’m two days into the Technology Summit on gorgeous Hawk Lake, and I’m still blown away. Jason Halfen—The Technological Angler—is leading the sessions, and Ted and Virginia run this place with absolute precision. Every detail is dialed in.

Yesterday, I spent a half-day with guide Breden, exploring the lake’s structure and dialing in catching strategies. Hawk Lake is deep—really deep—and it rewarded me with a 24-inch walleye and an 18-inch smallmouth bass. That smallie? A nonstop head-banger. I swear my arms are still sore.

The people here are as much a highlight as the fishing. I first met Rod and Tricia in the Kenora bait shop, swapped notes, and then ran into them again at breakfast before the drive in. Everyone here lives and breathes fishing—it’s contagious.

Of course, there’s no trip without a little boat drama. Day one, I launched and… nothing. Couldn’t get past a slow putt-putt. Jason hopped in, pushed a hidden spot on the throttle, and boom—full power. Yesterday, the trolling motor wouldn’t pair with the remote, so I ran it from my Helix graph. It worked fine, but I still need to figure out how to Spot-Lock without the remote—my most-used feature.

The first night kicked off with Jason’s session on side imaging—clear, practical, and packed with “aha” moments. Dinner from head chef Martina was outstanding, but we barely finished before the skies unleashed a massive downpour. Suddenly, everyone was sprinting to their boats to tie things down and stash rods. With the evening fishing plans scrapped, I was in bed by 8:30 PM. This morning, I was up at 5:00, watching the sunrise over the water and preparing for whatever Hawk Lake throws at me next. This is going to be a spectacular week! 🤩

🎣✨ Just wrapped up an unforgettable Second Annual Women’s Week at Grassy Narrows LodgeGrassy Narrows Lodge (July 19–24, 2025)!

Nestled on the Canadian side of Lake of the Woods, the lodge was the perfect backdrop for 5 nights and 4 days of learning, laughter, and outstanding fishing. Each day began in the classroom—diving into lake navigation tools like Navionics, One Boat Captain, and Active Captain—followed by focused sessions on the FLP method: Fish, Location, Presentation.

Then it was off to the water! Each participant rotated through 2-hour sessions in my boat—4 hours total—setting goals, building skills, and growing in confidence. Whether they were seasoned anglers or new to the sport, every woman left stronger, smarter, and more connected.

🏆 Bragging rights plaques went to Beverly Keller, Vicki Jung, and Janel Pagel for some truly memorable catches!

Jessica Ceigielski captured the spirit of the week beautifully:

“I’ve been to Canada well over 15 times—this experience has been one of a lifetime. While I didn’t catch the most or the biggest fish, I definitely learned the most and built the most confidence. The encouragement and support from the staff and all the women in camp was phenomenal… every woman should have the opportunity to spend a week with friends they choose—and those they meet by chance. Thanks for a quintessential week!”

❤️ Already excited for next year. Thinking of joining us? Don’t wait—Women’s Week is something truly special.

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