Mysterious Rhinelander, Wis.

Local legend has it that the Hodag — a central figure in the 1896 Oneida County Fair — causes plenty of mischief in Rhinelander, including snatching fish off anglers’ lines.   ( John Bordsen/Chicago Tribune )

If you venture up to this neck of the woods, Mel’s Trading Post is a good jumping off point. This old-school sporting emporium in downtown Rhinelander sells plenty of gear and can set you up with the requisite out-of-state fishing license.   ( John Bordsen/Chicago Tribune )

Mystery writer and avid angler Victoria Houston is the author of the Loon Lake series. Her stories revolve around crime-fighting and casting fishing lines in a fictional town in Wisconsin’s Northwoods.   ( John Bordsen/Chicago Tribune )