2/14/2019
Sportsman’s Lodge Ice, Fishing & Trail Report
Moving and Grooving
The guides have been doing a lot of fish house shuffling this week. They have been working hard chasing down the best bite. Check out the pictures of the week! If you have stayed with us recently and have a picture to share, we always love to see your pics. Text them to 218-395-0042 or email [email protected].
Tips & Techniques
Dead sticking with a plain hook, gold, pink, pink and white, green and white, glow jigs and spoons, Tom’s tackle’s charmers and the smaller tungsten jigs tipped with a live minnow have been the most successful. If that doesn’t give you success, jig with the other line using the same colored jigs and spoons as mentioned above. Sometimes even a little smacking on the bottom and teasing up the water column will get those finicky fish to take a chomp. For the best results, watch the electronics and try some different techniques. We have houses spread out from 22’-32’ of water in various spots about 20-30 min ride out just off a nice groomed trail. Overall some anglers doing better than others depending on the day, hour, weather, depth, approach and Mother Nature. Electronics users seem to do better than those without.
Don’t forget to watch for suspended fish and jig up to lure them in. The fish coming up the ice holes have been mainly made up of walleyes and saugers for the pan or throwback with an occasional slot walleye (19.5”-28”) or larger. Best tip if you are not getting the fish to bite, change it up! Try some different techniques, tackle and talk with your guide for the tips of the day. Sunny March days are just around the corner and ice fishing continues at Sportsman’s through late March, winter walleye season is open until April 14.
Ice Report
30-32 inches of ice in the areas we fish and travel and plenty of snow. The auger extensions are on!
Trail Report
Lots of snow! Regular grooming continues. Come ride some of the most untouched and best trails in the state. For more information about the trails, check out the south shore, Baudette area club information here. For more information about the trails on the northern side of the U.S. side of the lake around the Northwest Angle and Sportsman’s Oak Island Lodge and Sportsman’s Eagle Ridge, click here.
Regulation Changes March 1
Reminder ~ Walleye fishing regulations are changing starting Friday, March 1, on Lake of the Woods and the Rainy River, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. The new regulations on Lake of the Woods will begin March 1. The new winter regulations will match the current summer regulations, reducing the aggregate walleye and sauger limit from eight to six, with no more than four walleye. The protected slot limit remains the same requires anglers to immediately release any walleye between 19.5 and 28 inches, with only one fish over 28 inches allowed in possession.
On the Rainy River and in Four Mile Bay, (Where we fish in the spring, summer and fall. At Sportsman’s we do not have any ice houses in this area in the winter.) a catch-and-release season only will now be in effect March 1 to April 14 instead of the current Rainy River spring season regulation allows anglers to keep two walleye or sauger, and requires the immediate release of walleye 19.5 inches in length or larger.
Great Midweek Rates
Starting at just $229* per person for 2 nights lodging and a day of full service ice fishing including the fish house, transportation to and from the fish house, use of jig sticks, jigs, bait and fish cleaning Sunday – Thursday stays. Tell us when you want to come and we will tailor a package just for you. We have great kid’s rates too! Kids 17 and under always stay free in lodge rooms with 2 adults. Looking for a weekend trip? March openings available. Check us out.
(*Plus tax and based on double occupancy.)
2/14/2019
Sportsman’s Oak Island Lodge
The Latest Bite
The bite has been spotty this week but the guides continue to shuffle house deeper in the mud around the 30’ mark. Anglers continue to catch most walleyes and saugers just a few inches off bottom but a few suspended too, some nice ones for the pan, a few trophies as well as plenty of little guys. It is not uncommon to reel in a perch or a northern pike too. Plain hooks, macho minnows, golds, pinks and glows tipped with a minnow have been catching most. Mix of jigging and dead sticking is the best approach and electronics help. Sometimes even a little smacking your jig on the bottom helps gets the attention of those finicky fish watching your line.
Ice Conditions
20-28 inches of ice in the areas we fish and travel and plenty of snow.
Trail Report
Lots of snow! Regular grooming continues. Come ride some of the most untouched and best trails in the state. For more information about the trails around the area, click here. For more information about the trails along the south shore of Lake of the Woods near the Baudette area, check out the Lake of the Wood’s Drifters Club information here.
Ice Road from Young’s Bay to the Island
The ice road is in good shape and continues to be plowed as needed.
Enjoy Spring Break on the Lake
Ice fishing trips available through late March. Click here to learn more.