Goin' to the Lake: Amelia and Erin head to Cameron-Chetek area in Wisconsin
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Our next Goin' to the Lake begins Wednesday with Amelia Santaniello and Erin Hassanzadeh visiting the Cameron-Chetek area of Wisconsin.
Chetek is a great small town just two hours from the Twin Cities. It has about 2,300 year-round residents, but packs in a lot more during these summer months.
RELATED: Frank Vascellaro, Chris Shaffer and Shayla Reaves visited Glenwood
Downtown is filled with fun, family-owned shops and restaurants that cater to the visiting crowd. When you picture a thriving lakeside getaway in northern Minnesota or western Wisconsin: A town like this is likely what you picture. And it's called the City of Lakes for good reason.
Look for their special stories Wednesday and Thursday right here on WCCO. They have all kinds of fun activities planned for us.
Follow updates below.
Cameron-Chetek recap!
Fishing with Bimbo
Despite this week's heat, summer is a great time to enjoy all that the great outdoors have to offer. And that, of course, includes fishing.
On Wednesday, Amelia and Erin introduced you to Bimbo Gifford and his Bimbo Skunk lures. Last night, they got the chance to go out fishing with him.
Observe their efforts below!
Cruising the chain of lakes
Amelia and Erin kicked off their afternoon inside the bar at Buck 'n Beams Social House and Campground. That's both for heat and the potential for severe weather in Cameron.
They've had a great couple days in Cameron and Chetek. As you've seen, most of it was on the water, including a little pontoon cruise earlier today. The good folks at Lake Country Marina taught them everything there is to know about a Chetek chain of lakes boat day.
Hope and Anchor helps the team kick off the day
Erin Hassanzadeh and Amelia Santaniello are spending Thursday beating the heat in Cameron, Wisconsin. Our whole crew is being careful to stay as cool as possible.
They've spent a lot of time on the water the last couple of days, and on Thursday got a chance to start the day at a great coffee shop called Hope and Anchor.
"What could possibly go wrong?"
We heard that Lake Chetek has great fishing. So Amelia Santaniello and Erin Hassanzadeh are putting it to the test! With a good guide and great scenery, what could possibly go wrong?
Stay tuned!
A cheese curd cheers!
Update from Chetek!
Paddleboard Party on Lake Chetek
Another big attraction: Hydroflites Waterski Show
There are so many things to see and do on the Chetek chain of six lakes. One of the most popular is the weekly Chetek Hydroflites Waterski show. Amelia and Erin were lucky enough to catch a practice Tuesday night.
Just watching the practice is fun, with everything from jumps to ballet to a giant pyramid on the water.
The Hydroflites are 100% funded by sponsors, member dues, and donations.
The shows on Sunday nights at 6 p.m. are free, but you should arrive early, because the preshow starts at 5.
The story behind Bimbo Skunk fishing lures
One of the things many of us love about Minnesota and western Wisconsin is the opportunity to get out in nature. That includes fishing. Amelia and Erin found a longtime Cameron resident who invented his own, very successful fishing lure.
In the basement of the quiet, corner home with a beautiful garden in Cameron, Wisconsin is the humble headquarters of a fishing lure you'll want in your tackle box. A lure with beginnings nearly five decades ago.
"I got a fly-tying kit when I was 16 years old, and I started tying flies," Bimbo Gifford said. "Well, eventually I grew up, had kids, and my daughter -- she was only 4 years old -- couldn't cast a fly rod. So I started tying them on a jighead."
It was a fly with a stripe down the middle -- like a skunk. It started catching fish, lots of them. Soon enough people started noticing.
"And then a guide got ahold of it and it out-caught his lures seven-to-one," Gifford said. "I started selling to more sports shops then. I did not have a website or nothing, and people started calling me."
His son eventually helped him set up a website. The product is named after its inventor, who has gone by the name "Bimbo" since he was wee-high, thanks to a Jim Reaves song.
Whatever the name, the fish are biting, and the customers keep coming. Meaning Gifford and a few family helpers are always busy.
"I always wonder how many millions have been caught on my lure," Gifford said.
Gifford spent years in construction and retired last April as Cameron's assistant fire chief, so this is quite the side gig. He says he can do about 35 lures per hour.
One of Chetek's quiet spots: Buck 'n Beams campgrounds
The chain of six lakes is the big draw here in Chetek, but it's not the only getaway you can enjoy. Tucked amongst the shady pines just south of Cameron, Wisconsin is a quiet campground -- Buck 'n Beams.
Greg Symbal and Chip Bell bought the place a couple of years ago. Chip still works remotely in the Twin Cities. Greg has given up corporate life.
"This spring I said goodbye and moved into the bar and campground life full time. And it's been great, no looking back," he said.
The draw is peace and quiet. The campground has 30 sites, from simple weekend spots to fancy all-summer setups. And if you're not into camping, stop by for dinner and a drink.
Buck 'n Beams has Trivia Tuesday, live music Friday nights, and weddings, graduations, and other celebrations all year long.
The owners told Amelia and Erin they're right next to an ATV trail, so they get a lot of visitors spending time on the trails around Chetek.
You can book online for anywhere from a night to a few months.
