The Northwest Angle

If you know what a walleye is – and you’d like to catch a few – then the Northwest Angle is the place to go. If you’ve no idea what a walleye is – and furthermore don’t really care – then the trip still has plenty to offer you.

It’s not just that you can stay in a pretty incredible log cabin, although that in itself has its attractions, you will also be taking an unusual trip. If you’re going to Angle Inlet from the USA, you’ll be travelling through Canada to get there – and yet Angle Inlet, part of the Northwest Angle, is in the USA – in Minnesota.

Yes, it’s confusing – until you see the map below. See that solid white line? That’s the border between the USA and Canada.

Just to the left of that lower right angle is a town called Warroad. Imagine that you were driving from there to the Northwest
Angle – clearly marked on the map above. As you can see, you’d have to drive through Canada – and therefore border posts – to get there.

Instead of going in a straight line, the border between Canada and the US state of Minnesota bulges upwards. And it’s all because of a mistake on the map, many years ago, back in the eighteenth century.

Now, about those log cabins.

Right up on the northern edge of the Northwest Angle is a place called Angle Inlet and in 1917 a man called Jake moved to the area. He started up the first post office there and in 1945 he and his wife started up a fishing resort. It’s been in the family ever since and is now run by his grandson.

For generations, the family has been fishing the waters and helping visitors to enjoy the area too. Guests can stay in one of the rusticly furnished cabins

Rather than repeating what’s said on Jakes Northwest Angle website, I suggest you go and take a look. If you’ll be travelling with a non-fishing partner, take a look at this page to find out what additional activities are available locally.

And good luck with those walleye!