In Spring 1993, 21 year old college student Kevin McQuoid bought Jack’s Twin Bay Resort and renamed it Mac’s Twin Bay Resort. At the time, the resort had only 60 private fish house customers and required many renovations. He is still grateful for the operational help his mom and dad gave him when he started out. Five years later, Kevin began dating Karen Bannick who would later become his wife. Karen had been a fishhouse customer at the resort for a few years and enjoyed fishing with her family at Twin Bay. They’ve enjoy working and fishing together while raising their three children.
Today, Mac’s has 34 rental fish houses, and caretakes 180 private fish houses in the winter season. “In the winter, we move our rental fish houses often to follow the fish”, Kevin explains. “Customers appreciate that our team is always ready to help them out. We move their houses, block them up and bank them with snow as they request. Many of them enjoy calling up the day before they come and having us go in and drill their holes and turn on their heat”.
In the summer, there are 55 fishhouses that customers also use for summer camping as well as a 50 boat marina and small RV park. There is always a wait list for the camping spots. Currently Mac’s Twin Bay Resort leases the bar and restaurant to Amanda Brandt, who operates “Da Boathouse in Da Bay, featuring Chef Lincoln Anderson. It’s a great venue with a delicious menu far removed from the typical “bar food” often featured in the area.
Since summer spaces are for the whole season and the restaurant is taken care of, Kevin has the opportunity to fish two national walleye circuits, including the National Walleye Tour and the Masters Walleye Circuit. He has found great success as a professional tournament angler, winning 3 pro/am tournaments, and he and Karen won the coveted titles of “Husband and Wife Team of the Year” twice and “Division Team of the Year” once. He’s now fishing with his 16 year old son, Eric. They’ve had a few top 10’s already and are looking for their first win this summer. He adds that he “started fishing tournaments with my dad, winning our very first one”!
Mac’s Twin Bay has been a premier destination on Lake Mille Lacs for 24 years. Their attention to customer service is what Kevin feels sets them apart and why the resort always has a summer waiting list. It’s a small, family business that prides itself on beautiful accommodations and grounds. The staff is seasonal, with 3 in the winter office and several others handling maintenance and operations during the year. They still have openings for 2017 fish house rentals – deluxe sleepers, day houses and spear houses. For 2017 summer, they do have some openings in the marina. For more information about Mac’s Twin Bay Resort, see their web site at: www.macstwinbay.com
