I just stumbled upon this thread. I used to go fishing several times a year with my dad. We'd head to Lake Winnibigoshish in north central MN every May for the Walleye opener with my uncle, a few cousins and family friends. We drove in 2 huge campers Friday morning and came back Monday afternoon. Those were some fun times. My parents would take us to a lake every summer usually in July or August. We'd normally go to Round Lake just north of Brainerd, but sometimes we'd go elsewhere. There's nothing better than sitting in a boat on the water with a light breeze and sunny skies. It's relaxing and well worth it even if the fish don't bite.
I lived in Park Rapids for eight months a few years ago and I would go fishing every day before work. I never kept that many of the fish I caught. It was just about the relaxation. Here's a picture from the last time I went fishing two years ago.