Lake of the Woods Fishing Report
2008 Opener - A Little Chilly, Snow Showers In AM - Limits Of Walleyes By 2:00pm!
Opener Pictures! You Have Got To Be Tough To Fish Lake of the Woods On Opener!
May 7, 2008
Sturgeon Tournament and Pre-Season Report
The 2008 2nd Annual North Star Sturgeon Tournament is now history. The 61 people that entered the tournament braved the elements of this unusually chilly May and came out with some great fish! The angler with the longest fish each day took the daily prize of $1050. The Friday winner was Terry Rutherford, Calumet, MN with a 59 inch sturgeon and Saturday's winner was Zach Stenson, EGF, MN with a 61 incher. A total of 27 fish over 45 inches were caught and measured and many smaller ones were immediately released. The fishing was limited by the DNR to the area of the
The 2009 Minnesota Fishing Opener is coming up this weekend and there is much speculation on the condition of the lake for this event. As of today, ice is still present on
April 30, 2008
The snow is melting from our last big snowfall we received this past weekend. Four Mile Bay is open to Pine Island and the ice on the main lake is starting to show signs of finally melting. The winds we have had have helped to open the lake and guests are starting to venture to the big water to test the waters. However, the Rainy River is the place to be!! Sportsman’s employees have heard many reports of trophy size walleye and sturgeon being caught and released! We had a few guests brave the wind, cold, and snow this past weekend to try their hand at sturgeon with much success.
Our 2nd Annual Sturgeon Tournament begins tomorrow with the rules and registration meeting at 7:30 p.m. in our Downstairs Dining Room. Then, Friday, May 2nd will be the beginning of a fun filled competition of who can catch the mighty sturgeon!! The tournament will conclude on Saturday, May 3rd with one more day of fishing and a prime rib awards banquet at 6:00 p.m. Cash prizes will be awarded each day for the longest fish, along with many more chances to win prizes throughout the tournament.
We still have openings available for the tournament that include lodging and tournament packages! Call our front desk staff today to register for this event! 800-862-8602
For those looking at getting out before walleye opener, Sportsman’s Lodge is offering guided spring sturgeon fishing on the Rainy River for the cost of $325 per day for up to four people in our 20’ Alaskan Lund. This cost includes guide, poles, bait, tackle, and any fish cleaning!
Only 10 days until Walleye Opener 2008 and our staff is raring and ready to go! The lodge and launches are receiving the finishing touches for summer and will be open for business by opener! The weather and fishing is looking good for May 10th!
April 16, 2008
Walleye season has closed and spring is officially here with rain this morning and forecasts of temperatures in the mid 50's to 60's. The ice is starting to blacken and deteriorate quickly with open water almost in sight. Out in front of the lodge the river is starting to let loose and water is visible in many spots. The Rainy River is completely open about a mile away from the lodge and out on the bay by Wheeler's Point about one-quarter mile away. By the end of the week (or with this rain hours) we should be seeing boat traffic out in front of the lodge!!
Sportsman's Lodge staff is starting to gear up for opening of sturgeon fishing on April 24. The season will be open until May 7 and people are starting to make reservations for our guided spring sturgeon fishing on the Rainy River. The guides are excited to get the 20' Alaskan Lund out on the open water and catch some real monsters. The cost is $325 per day for up to four people. This includes transportation to open water, guide, poles, bait, tackle, and fish cleaning!
For those who just can't wait until the sturgeon opener, Northern Pike and Bass fishing is still an option and a great way to get out and enjoy the beautiful weather!
Only 24 days until Walleye Opener 2008!!!
April 8, 2008
Spring is here and the snow is gone, but people are still traveling north to catch the last ice. Ice conditions have deteriorated slightly, but we still have approximately 30 inches of good ice and people are using ATV's or snowmobiles for lake travel. For those up in the area looking for a hot bite to eat in the morning or after a hard day of fishing Sportsman's has breakfast available at 6:30 a.m. and the Sandbar open at 4 p.m. Stop by, take a break, relax, and enjoy!!!
The Rainy River has changed little since the last report. The river is open to Frontier (about 34 miles from Sportsman's by truck) allowing people to push their boats across shoreline ice to open water. Birchdale public access is plowed out and open to big boats. Fishing has been excellent with people catching 100 plus walleye a day. There have also been many reports of trophy size walleye caught! The weather forecast for the week is calling for warm weather, so as the ice on the river continues to break-up, we will keep you posted as to when there is open water at Vidas Landing! Reports say open water right now is about three miles away from the landing!
Also, it's the perfect time to enjoy the spring weather out on the river!!! We are offering guided spring walleye and sturgeon fishing on the Rainy River in our new 20' Alaskan Lund boat. The cost is $325 per day for up to four people. This includes transportation to open water, guide, poles, bait, tackle, and fish cleaning! Call and make your reservation today. 800-862-8602
April 5, 2008
Ice fishing is still going strong. The ice conditions are starting to deteriorate slightly and our guides have decided to no longer offer guided ice fishing. Even though we are not offering this service, we are still have many lodge openings available for those wanting to fish last ice. Many of our guests report large numbers of fish being caught and some big pigs being released!
The Rainy River in now open to Frontier (about 34 miles from Sportman's by truck) allowing people to push their boats across some ice to open water. Birchdale public access is plowed out and open to big boats. Fishing has been excellent in the open water and people are not only pulling in big walleyes, but sturgeon as well. As a reminder we are offering guided spring walleye and sturgeon fishing on the Rainy River in our new 20' Alaskan Lund boat. The cost is $325 per day for up to four people. This includes transportation to open water, guide, poles, bait, tackle, and fish cleaning! Call and make your reservation today. 800-862-8602
April 2, 2008
13 Days Left for Walleye Fishing!!!
Lake of the Woods ice fishing is still in full swing at Sportsman's Lodge. Ice conditions are excellent and guides are reporting 45 inches of good ice! Guests are taking advantage of these unexpected conditions and going with our guides out on the ice and catching lots of take home fish, along with a few picture takers!
We will be offering guided ice fishing as long as the ice allows us. People are taking advantage of the discounted rates and venturing out on the lake to take home their fair share of walleye and sauger.
With the Rainy River open to Birchdale, starting today, April 2 to May 9 Sportsman's Lodge is offering guided spring walleye and sturgeon fishing on the Rainy River. The cost is $325 per day for up to four people. This includes transportation to open water, guide, poles, bait, tackle, and fish cleaning! Call and make your reservation today. 800-862-8602
March 26, 2008
Sportsman's has been seeing no loss of ice on Lake of the Woods. Guides measured the ice thickness this week and reported approximately 46 inches. Temperatures continue to fall to near single digits at night and we are looking at good ice conditions well into April. All fisherman, don't forget that the walleye season is open on the south end of Lake of the Woods until April 14.
The Sportsman's ice fishing houses will be removed on March 31, but snowmobiling out to prime fishing areas under a warming sun, makes for a great adventure.
Walleye, sauger and perch are all providing super action as the fish are just starting to think of heading towards the Rainy River. Guests are enjoying the best fishing of an excellent ice angling season, right now. Limits are common, and some real lunkers are being caught and released.
Reef fishing is the best right now, especially in the Knight Island area. Jig and minnow is the preferred bait, with a variety of jig colors working (gold, red glow, and chartreuse are favorites).
Don't miss the chance to get in on the best fishing of the season, and we'll keep you updated on the Rainy River openings, as well as ice conditions.
March 21, 2008
The ice fishing fun of 2008 is winding down! However, the 46 plus inches of ice on the
The
The Oak Island area has been producing more perch on the sandy bottom in 22 feet of water for those enthusiast, while the rocky bottom and reefs have been had some really nice walleye action. The quality of fish is excellent, many slot fish, but some good keepers too for the bucket. The green jigs have finally proved themselves to be worthy as they are the lure of choice for the walleyes right now.
The Oak Island Snow Rally last weekend was a rousing success with hundreds of sleds, 20 or more Polar Plungers, radar run action and lots of socializing! The trail is still open from Baudette, although soft in spots.
Don’t miss the chance to get in on the best fishing of the season and watch this site for updates on the River openings. Also check out the webcams for both the Rainy and
March 20, 2008
Spring has set in on Lake of the Woods. However, the ice isn’t melting just yet and temperatures are still dipping into the teens at night. We still have approximately 48 inches of ice in most places on the lake. The plan is to continue to fish at the Rainy River location until March 31, when we have to remove houses. But, walleye fishing will still be open until April 15. Fishing has started to pick-up slightly with the heat wave, and the “hogs” are starting a feeding frenzy. We have had many guests catch walleyes in the slot and a few pull in some big lunkers.
The houses are averaging 15-20 keepers a day. Most of our houses are sitting in about 30 feet of water. Frozen shiners have been the bait of choice for the walleye. Gold and pink buckshot jigs or glow jigs have been yielding a nice 14 to 15 inch average for walleye and sauger. There has also been a mix of larger keepers as well.
Other species are still being caught and the guests really enjoy the change in action, especially the kids!
March 5, 2008
Winter is still in full control on
The houses are producing about 10 -12 keepers per day while dipping into 33 feet of water. Fishermen are doing what they can to find new and inventive ways to entice them to their area and once they get the action going they can plan on some good fishing.
Other species are being pulled in as well with white fish, tulibees, and perch showing up, which are all good eating especially when smoked.
The picture that comes with this report has a good story. It shows a father and his son with a great 30.5 inch walleye they pulled in from one of our houses. They got so excited when the bobber went down and the drag kept slipping that they accidentally lost their two game boys down the hole! Dad says that this is getting to be an expensive trip, because now he not only has to replace two game boys, but has a fish to mount too!
The excitement, memories and stories will stay with them for a lifetime – which is priceless!
February 28, 2008
Temperatures have started to make the climb to double digits above zero, making it much more enjoyable for late February fishing. Walleye and sauger are continuing to get more aggressive and the bite has picked up quite a bit since last week. Walleye are beginning to dominate the scene, with many smaller fish caught throughout the day. There have also been numerous reports from our guides that big fish from 23 to 27 inches have been caught and released. We also had three lucky guests catch walleye over 28 inches. Mixing in with the walleye and sauger are many jumbo perch ranging from 11 to 15 inches.
We are fishing in 26 to 32 feet of water and the best color jigs are gold, pink glow, and plain hook. We recently moved a few houses out to the rock piles. These houses have been producing some fish, but are not reporting the same numbers like the rest of our houses.
The snowmobile trails continue to be groomed and are in excellent riding condition. Many of those sledding that have stopped in report a fast and smooth ride to the lodge!
February 20, 2008
Brutal cold continues to plague us even into February, but the walleyes and sauger keep coming in. The sauger continue to dominate the scene for the most part, but a few larger walleye are caught and released daily. Most houses are averaging 8-10 fish per day that are kept with more throwbacks throughout the day to keep everyone on their toes. The past few days have been a little slow with the extreme cold front and pressure changes, but warmer weather is on the way and the action should pick up with that change. We are fishing in 30-32 feet of water and the best color jigs seem to be pink, glow in the dark, chartreuse and gold. The bite continues to be light.
Last week a 30.5 inch walleye and a 42 inch northern were caught and released. A 26 inch walleye was also released today according to guide reports!
The picture shows a happy young man with a nice 9 pound walleye he pulled in from one of the sleeper houses a few days ago.
Extended forecasts are calling for highs in the 20's with a little dip to just below zero in the middle of the week, then back to the 20's.
February 13, 2008
The cold weather just keeps coming in!!! Fishermen are braving the cold weather to get out on the lake and catch the mighty walleye. The bite has been slow, but with some persistence anglers are finding their limits to take home.
This past weekend through the 30-40 mph winds and -30 below temperatures we had quite a few lucky guests win bragging rights by pulling up nice walleyes that were too big to keep. Best of all was a 30.5 inch walleye that weighed in at a massive 10 pounds. Pictures will be posted soon!
The Sleepers are just as productive with walleyes and saugers! Guests are getting more than their fair share of fish for supper and still taking some home.
The houses are sitting in approximately 30 to 34 feet of water and the guides continually search and move houses to new depths and areas that are productive.
The Big Traverse trail is being groomed again this week, as the weekend winds caused quite a havoc on the lake and trails. Snowmobilers will definitely find the freshly groomed trails much more enjoyable to ride!
February 6, 2008
The word of the day on the
The latest idea we heard is using a live minnow and or a split shot rattle jig to lure them into your space, then use very light tackle, such as a plain hook, red hook and tip it with a minnow head only!
You know what it comes down to – the fish are there, we just need to invent a better "fish trap" and that's the fun of it all! This time of year brings out the best fishermen, they try new ideas, pay close attention to the task at hand and come in with a bucket full of walleye and sauger, while their neighbors just a few yards away aren't so lucky.
The reports and pictures we are receiving show us that the walleyes continue to bite, but the sauger are a little more aggressive and they are great eating!
A report from our sleeper houses finds them photographing nice walleyes to send back down the whole – too big to keep! A report of a 40 inch burbot being released brought excitement with thoughts that it may have been close to a state record! We are still waiting for a picture!
We continue to fish in 30 feet of water near the current flow just 10 miles from the Wheeler's Point Gap at the mouth of the
The snow continues to fall although sparingly, and the groomer runs the route around the Lake including Wheeler's Point, Warroad, Stony Point, Oak Island, Garden Island and the trail back to Wheeler's Point. The entire route is approximately 120 miles and encircles all of
January 30, 2008
The January deep freeze took on one last surge right to the bitter end of the month. This has our ice at a depth of 30 inches which is more than enough to keep us fishing on ice through the end of March.
The houses are sitting at a depth range of 28 – 32 feet just outside of the gap and well within the range of the good current flow coming from the Rainy that the fish like so well.
One guest reported on a typical day just this past week. Three people in one house caught about 40 fish, mostly sauger with a few walleye mixed in. Most were in the 12-14 inch size range – the ones that fry up really nice – with some nice sauger in the 16 – 17 inch range. Action was continuous throughout the day with surges every 1/2 hour or so. They kept about 13 fish which is what most houses are averaging per day. The most productive colors of jigs seem to be pink and glo, gold and chartreuse. Rattle jigs, at least one per house, help to bring the fish in your direction.
Dave Winters, one of our guides, was doing some scouting and pulled in a 27" walleye on a gold jig. His other rod was sporting a buckshot rattlespoon and his portable house was right in the midst of our other houses.
The word for the week is try a rattle jig, and with a little jigging and some patience, you will win out over the walleyes!
Trails around the
The
Trails and ice conditions continue to improve and more snowmobile traffic is showing up as the weather warms. Snow is predicted for the next 5-7 days so February is shaping up to be a great month for both fishing and snowmobiling!
January 23, 2008
Hello Walleye Hunters! The fish per person average is running about 10-12 per day, which means that you will go home with your limit if you fish two days. Some are throw backs – either too big or too small, but there are lots of nice fish being kept and taken home. This past week has seen lots of action, but the bite has been very light. There are lots of small ones to keep fishermen busy, but the big ones are still out there as proven by Aaron Guthrie of Swanville, Mn brought in a 28.5 inch, 9.5 pound walleye on Saturday the 21st. (See attached picture) The Miller party from
The guides have moved out to the 29 -32 foot depth range and small gold, red glow and pink jigs with a chub minnow have been working the best. Best bite time is late afternoon and early evening, but there have been on and off action all day long. Fish are hanging close to the bottom and need to be coaxed a little!
Snowbear adventures out to the reefs are still available and can give more flexibility to your fishing prospects. The snowmobile trails on the Lake continue to be groomed and are a fast track to the
The
The snowmobile trails across the Lake from both Warroad and Baudette are now both groomed, so hop on your sled and go for an adventure tour of the
January 16, 2008
The houses are mainly hovering in the 26 – 33 feet of water range and the best color jigs have been gold, white, pink and chartreuse with plain red hooks also producing results.
The lake trails have a good base and are being groomed regularly now. We continue to get spurts of 1 -2 inches of snow every few days to keep the trails building for a great February! Big Traverse Trail is a great link to the
January 9, 2008
The words for the day are - deep water! The Big Traverse Guides have been busy scouting and moving all of our houses to deeper water for better results. The 30 – 34 foot range is producing a good all day bite with lots of small fish for action, keepers for the bucket and the occasional nice one for the picture books.
The best presentation has been chubby darters, gold, chartreuse, a plain red hook with split shot and red glow. Frozen shiners and live chub minnows are on the menu for the walleyes. The low pressure that moved through the area recently slowed the fishing somewhat, but this will only last as long as the front is going through. It is amazing how much the barometric pressure affects the fish!
The ice conditions remain good and we are now at an average of 20 inches overall. Some of the pressure ridges have been moving with the warmer weather, but have not presented a problem in our immediate area. Snowmobilers should be aware of this however.
Today we have the "snow globe effect". The snow has been coming down since early morning with the possibility of an inch or two. We are happy for a fresh coat to keep our trails in shape for the snowmobile traffic that has found this winter wonderland. Big Traverse Trail is open, staked and groomed. This trail runs 40 miles across the
Fishing from our Oak Island Lodge has been exceptionally good this year! Depths of 22-26 feet with a chartreuse jig brought a group from
January 2, 2008
We are just beginning a New Year on
Captain Snag and his crew of guides report having settled the houses in area of 24 – 28 feet of water with an average of 16 to 18 inches of ice. The best jig colors seem to be gold, pink, red glow and chubby darters. This is giving our guests a nice mix of walleye and sauger and limits of both are being caught daily. The jumbo perch are also beginning to show up to help fill up the buckets of fish. The walleyes being caught are all nice size ranging from 15 – 17 inches with several 10 pounders caught and released. The prevalence of the sturgeon that were showing up in the early part of December has slowed leaving the fishermen to pull in the desired walleye and sauger. The fishing has also settled into a scattered bite throughout the day also. The afternoon is generally more active, but fishermen have reported action all day long.
Sportsman's
The snow conditions are also excellent and we have lots of snowmobile enthusiasts stopping in and enjoying the trails. Trails in the area are partially groomed with a good base of about 10-12 inches and more snow predicted. The Lake trail has also been staked and groomed so travel to
