Local Marinas and Bait Shops Busier Than Ever During Pandemic
DULUTH, Minn.– The combination of hot weather and the COVID-19 pandemic have a lot of people getting outside and on Lake Superior, rivers and streams. Including families from the middle of the country.
Management at Spirit Lake Marina and RV Park didn’t know what to expect coming into this season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But halfway through the summer they say this is one of the busiest summers they have ever seen.
After a slower first part of the summer, business has blown up at the West Duluth marina over the last few weeks.
Owner Charlie Stauduhar says the great weather and the push to get outside during the pandemic are two big reasons why. And he’s even had to turn boaters and campers away because he’s full.
“Our business has been busier this summer,” said Stauduhar. “Many aspects of my business have been much busier, including the rentals. And the marina and the RVs definitely everything has been busier than normal.”
Anthony Stewart and Tim Roberts were going to bring their families on a vacation to Europe. Due to the pandemic, the two decided to make their way up from Oklahoma to Lake Superior with their families instead to swim and fish.
They also said will be coming back again in the near future.
“It’s pretty nice area, we don’t know if we would have been able to check it out,” said Roberts. “This has changed our plans. It’s an area we may not have visited otherwise. It’s beautiful.”
It’s also been a busy summer over at marine general in Duluth. What started as a busy spring has led to one of the busiest seasons they have ever seen.
Owner Russ Francisco says his top sellers have been rods, reels, skis, tubes, and other popular lake items. The store has also been completely sold out of kayaks.
“Well remember the governor said ‘go fishing’ right? So all of the politicians told you to go fishing and that’s what people did,” said Francisco. “so they did whether they had lake homes or friends that had lake homes. Whether they just went to the local lake lakes and fish that’s what people did.”
