Tag Archives: fishing resort

Sportsman’s Lodge Oak Island Fishing Report 5/3/2017

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Minnesota walleye opener is May 13.
We are gearing up to open up for the season next weekend. Do you have your reservations in?
Click here for more information about our spring packages.

Interested in working where you play? Or know someone looking for a summer job?
We are still looking for a few more people to join our team for the summer season or beyond.
Room & board included. This is a great job for someone who wants to save some money, not hassle with rent or a grocery bill, meet some great people, do some fishing and enjoy the island life!  Click here to learn more about the current available positions and apply today.

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Cool beginning but the weekend looks sunny!

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Last weekend we enjoyed some average spring weather but it has been a cool start to the week with some rain and snow showers.  Looks like it should shape up for the weekend. The water temperature is currently 41 degrees. Despite the weather, anglers are finding some nice sturgeon and pike.  Sturgeon anglers are finding them in several areas wherever a good hole in the river bottom can be found between Wheeler’s Point to Birchdale.  Size 4/0 or 5/0 circle hooks and a 3-8 ounce no roll sinker tipped with a gob of crawlers and a frozen shiner has been working well.  If you have trouble with the worms falling off, try a piece of a plastic grub at the end.  Anchored at deep river holes or crevices with a little current are best.  You can keep one sturgeon now within 45”-50” or over 75” through May 7 with a sturgeon tag (available at the lodge or anywhere MN fishing licenses are sold) and catch and release resumes May 8-15. Sturgeon are fun to catch and pretty tasty thrown in a smoker.

Captain Matt McClure 40 inch pike Captain Travis Madrazo  Captain Travis Madrazo with a nice pike!
 Captain Matt McClure 40 inch pike  Captain Travis Madrazo  Captain Travis Madrazo with a nice pike!

Northern Pike bite
Tributaries along the river and shallow bays are great places to find some huge pike right now.  Anchored and casting out a jig tipped with a shiner and bouncing off the bottom or casting out a jointed rapala has been working well.

Reeling in sturgeon of all sizes. Captain Travis Campbell

 

Reeling in sturgeon of all sizes. Captain Travis Campbell

11th Annual Sturgeon Tournament is May 5 & 6. The tournament is full this year but everyone is welcome to stop in and check out the action from our docks or in the bar. The tournament takes place right out in front of the lodge over a 1 mile stretch. Annually we see over 100 sturgeon caught over the two day tournament. Stop by for great fishing stories, food, drinks and entertainment Friday and Saturday evenings. The tournament runs from 8:30 to 4pm Friday and 8:30 to 3pm Saturday.

Walleye Opener is just around the corner
May 13 is walleye opener. Lodging starting at $46 per person and up to 20% off summer lodging/charter fishing packages. Click here to choose your package. *plus tax and based on double occupancy

Get on the fish with a Guided Trip
Whether you are looking for sturgeon, pike or walleye we have trips available this spring. Contact us for more information 800-862-8602.

Mother’s Day Brunch
Treat mom to some great fishing, relaxation and Mother’s Day Champagne Brunch at Sportsman’s May 14. From walleye, to salads to mimosas and more click here to check out the menu we have planned and make your reservations today.

Wheeler’s Point landing just a mile away from the lodge is open and the fish are biting!

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Six landings now open!  Wheelers, Timebermill ( Baudette), Vidas, Frontier, Birchdale and Pelland. We have water at our docks and the forecast looks warm for the week, perfect for spring fishing! Lodging and guided trips available now. Dock slips and boat rental available within a few days as soon as the shore ice is gone from the docks. Click here for a Rainy River boat landing map.

The bite has been great! Check out the pics of the week!

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Water temperature has been hovering between 36-38 degrees the past few days. Clarity is an excellent  4’-6’. Drifting with current in 12’-22’ using pink and gold ½-3/4 oz. jigs has been working well tipped with a rainbow or shiner minnow.  Anglers are reeling in lots of nice walleyes (50-100 fish days) 14”-30”+ and some lunker sturgeon. Sturgeon anglers have been anchored in or near river bed holes using 1-2 oz. no roll sinker, size 5 hook and a gob of minnows.

Open season dates
Walleye now through April 14, reopening May 13
Pike season open all year. With more bays opening up the soft water bite is really going to get good. Ice anglers the past few weeks have been killing it!

Sturgeon catch and release open now through April 23, keep one within size limits season is April 24-May 7 and catch and release again May 8-15 before the season closes for a short time May
-June 30.

Spring Specials
$99 Lodge Rooms & 20% off cabins/villas now through the end of March.
Lodging starting at $42 per person per night April 1 –May 24 and up to 20% off lodging/charter packages May 12-May 24. Click here to book now or give us a call 800-862-8602!
*plus tax and based on double occupancy

Hungry? Thirsty?
Food & drinks available 7 days a week.
Click here for our current hours.

Sportsman’s Lodge Oak Island Fishing Report – 3/21/2017

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Our ice fishing season has ended  for the year but we are already gearing up for spring.  Our spring specials start in early May and run through May 25 including lodging starting at $60 per person per night and 10% off summer packages.  If you are looking to get into a boat in April be sure to check out our sister resort, Sportsman’s Lodge. The Rainy River is opening up and the walleye, pike and sturgeon bite is on fire! For reservations for Sportsman’s Oak Island Lodge and Sportsman’s Eagle Ridge click here or call 800-772-8411. For Sportsman’s Lodge click here or call 800-862-8602.

Bring on the cold!

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It looks like the brief winter warm up is finally going to end after today and boy are we excited!  Enough of the warm weather, what was Mother Nature thinking we still have a month of ice fishing left! LOL!

Currently we have 23-27 inches of ice in the areas we travel and fish. We have made some changes to where we are accessing the lake and have been playing in some sloppy conditions the past few days but other than that we are still fishing, checking ice often keeping safety #1 and looking at the forecast we plan to keep fishing until late March.

If you are looking to venture out on your own we can’t stress enough to please work through resorts and outfitters. Check conditions before going out and stay on the trail.  The conditions are not the same over the entire lake and now with very little snow left on the lake many people may think they can go anywhere.  That is not the case.  That is not the case even in the coldest of winters and the winters when we have 4’ of ice.  On a good note once we start to cool down we should build ice quicker without the snow.  So stay safe and come join us for some great late season fishing!

Fishing Action
Gold and pink spoons jigging or dead sticking with a plain hook tipped with a minnow has been working the best in 26-32’.  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. Still seeing some suspended fish in various depths from a foot off bottom to 15 feet.  Bite has 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 is to try some different techniques and talk with your guide for the best approach for the day. March usually considered an active month for fishing. Come visit us!

Check out what some of the guests have been reeling in this week!

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Winter pike
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Trail Report
Due to the warm weather we recently been having most of our snow has melted. Trails are marked and groomers will fire back up as soon we get another shot of snow!

NW Angle/Oak Island Lake of the Woods, MN Fishing, Trail & Ice Report 1-18-2017

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Steady Bite
The guides at Oak Island report a steady bite of mostly walleyes,  few saugers, perch and northern pike. Nice 14” walleyes, few large ones and plenty of small ones to keep you reeling arm in shape. A good indication the lake is healthy!  A gold, glow in the dark or pink 3/8 or smaller jig or buck shot lure tipped with a minnow or minnow head is working the best in 20’26’ of water. Best technique is to dead stick with one rod and jig with the other.  Really pounding the bottom 4-8 inches off bottom has been successful.  Morning and evening is best but some houses have been reporting a steady bite all day too.  Don’t let winter pass you by. Give us a call to get a winter trip in. We are open for ice fishing until late March 800-772-8411.

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Ice Conditions
Currently we have 20 inches of ice in the areas we travel and fish.

Trail Report
We have a couple feet of snow on the trail and they are in great shape.  Trails are marked and groomed. Click here for more information for the Northwest Angle & Oak Island area. Click here for the Baudette area.

Ice Road
The ice road is open. Take the 9 mile drive out from Young’s Bay to the lodge. Signs are posted.

NW Angle/Oak Island Lake of the Woods, MN Fishing, Trail & Ice Report 1-11-2017

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Great bite!
We are seeing lots of nice 15”-16” walleyes along with a few saugers. Jigging about a pop can length off bottom with gold, pink or macho minnow #29 in 22’-29’ of water has been the ticket tipped with a minnow. Anglers have also had success dead sticking.  We recommend trying a little of each and don’t forget your vexilar or reserve one from us. They really help your success!  Great fishing is only a few miles from the lodge. Choose our meal plan or order a lunch the night prior for a hot lunch delivered right to your house. It’s prime time ice fishing time! Give us a call to reserve your trip now through late March.

Ice Road from Young’s Bay to Oak Island
The ice road is in great shape and marked. Watch for our signs. Take the 9 mile venture out and come for a visit.

Snow & Trail Report
Currently we have 14-18 inches of snow in the area. The lake trails are being maintained weekly and the heavier groomers will be out as soon as we get more ice. The trail from Oak Island to Baudette is marked with black stakes.

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We ice fish until late March!
Make your reservations today 800-772-8411 www.oakislandlodge.com

Fall is here!

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The fish are biting, the weather is beautiful, the leaves are changing and the fall specials are hot!
Now is the time to get to the lake! Check out the forecast and a few of the pictures from the week. If you have a picture from a recent stay please share them with us!

Trolling with crank baits has been the most successful approach this week to reel in some walleyes but bait fishing with a gold jig or spinner tipped with a worm has produced some nice fish as well. Depths on the reefs around Garden Island and Bridges in 12’-16’ and 25’-30’ or in the mud outside of Pine Island and Zippel Bay in 25’-30’ have been best. The water is at 69 degrees this morning. The famous aggressive Rainy River fall bite is just a few weeks away! Get your reservations in!

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Syngenta Seeds group reeled in some nice fish this week with Captain Baihly

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A double! Great way to kick off fall fishing! 28.75 inch walleye caught by Marcus Mara from Worthington MN and 24.5 inch walleye caught by Mary Collins from Minneapolis MN. Guided by Captain Mike Marquardt.

 

Sturgeon, Pike, Smallmouth Bass
Fall is a great time to reel in these species. Anglers are starting to see the bite pick up in the river and bays. For sturgeon a 4/0 or 5/0 hook, 2 oz. no roll sinker and a gob of minnows is the best approach. Anchored in or near a hole in the river bed or channel is a good spot to find them. To lure in the bass and pike, throwing out top water baits in weedy bays with some rock structure is good approach. There are hundreds of spots along the Rainy River and bays along the south shore to fish these fish. Not sure how to do it or don’t have the equipment? No problem! We have guided trips available via our 18’and 20’ boats, great for groups up to 4 plus the guide. For more information about guided trips click here.

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August is a great month to bring kids!

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The weather is great, the fishing is great and no equipment is required. Any month is a good month to bring young anglers but August is one of the best. With a mix of bait fishing and trolling with crank bait methods working, anglers get a chance to have a pole in their hand and/or just reel in the fish using the trolling for crank baits method using down riggers. No equipment or experience is required. The charter holds up to 6 passengers plus the guide. It has an onboard restroom, fully equipped with poles, bait, tackle, assortment of water and pop, the guide will clean and deliver your fish to your room, box lunch or a shore lunch option available or bring your own. We will also fry up some of your fresh fish in the bar for free if you would like. For more information or a quote click here.

What a catch, Logan! 27 inch walleye! released

What a catch, Logan! 27 inch walleye! released

 

The Scoop
Fishing has been great! Anglers are reporting lots of nice walleyes between 16”-25”. Gold or pink spinners, 1-2 ounces of weight tipped with a leech or minnow has been working well for bait fishing in 24’-30’ outside of Zippel Bay. Trolling with crankbaits near Garden Island in 26’-32’ and in the northern reefs using white and silver has been good as well. The water temperature is currently a warm 77 degrees.

Don’t take it from me; hear the latest fishing report from these junior guides!


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Reel in some Hot Summer Deals
Email or call us today 800-862-8602!