Tag Archives: lake of the woods ice conditions

Sportsman’s Oak Island Lodge Ice Update 11/24/2018

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We are building ice!
We are finding 5-8” in most areas we fish and travel but still waiting on a few areas to heal up. We have a great start and the forecast looks favorable. Check back soon for updates!

For reservations contact us at 800-772-8411 or click here. 

Our sister resort, Sportsman’s Lodge on the south shore will begin their season Friday, Nov 30.
For their ice report, click here.

 

Sportsman’s Lodge Fishing, Trail & Ice Report 12-23-2016

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12/23/2016

Fishing continues to be great! Lots of action!
A mix of good eaters and 24”+ walleyes has been caught this week. An early morning and late afternoon bite in 17’-23’ has been best using 3/8 oz. gold jig with a white tip, chubby darters, red frosty spoons and glow buckshot rattle spoons tipped with a minnow or minnow head jigging 6-8 inches off bottom. The ride is just 20 minutes to our fish houses!

29 inch walleye caught and released by Ryan Winter

29 inch walleye caught and released by Ryan Winter

Ice Conditions
12-16 inches of ice in the areas we fish and travel with a 3-5 inch snow cover.

Trail Report
The trail from Four Mile Bay (Wheeler’s Point) to Oak Island and from Four Mile Bay to Warroad are both now marked. The trails have 11-14 inches of ice and 3-5 inch snow cover. The trails are marked with black stakes.Trails will start to be maintained using a drag next week and the groomer as soon as we get 24 inches of ice.

Our ice report is for the areas we travel and fish. Our houses are on a private groomed trail. If you are venturing out on your own, we encourage you to check with the outfitter or resort that maintains the road for the most up to date conditions and stay on the road as conditions differ in different areas of the lake.

Public Ice Road
Adrian’s public ice road at the Four Mile Bay access near Wheeler’s Point is currently reporting 13 inches of ice on Four Mile Bay and 10-14 inches on the lake. They are allowing mid-size SUV’s, mini vans and cars. Four wheelers and UTV’s are allowed to pull wheel houses out up to 17’ long. No ½ ton trucks. The road is marked 1.5 miles past Pine Island.

Johnson group making memories

Johnson group making memories

Look what this young angler reeled in!

Look what this young angler reeled in!

New Year’s Eve Party
Join us for our annual New Year’s Eve Party! Entertainment, food and drink specials, champagne toast, party favors and a whole lot of fun! Make your dinner reservations now 800-862-8602.

forecast-12-23-2016

Sportsman’s is now on SnapChat!
Add us: sportmanslodge

Sportsman's Lodges Snapchat

Ice! Ice! Ice! We are making progress! Lake of the Woods

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Ice! Ice! Ice! We are making progress!
Lake of the Woods, MN

12/8/2016

Ice Update
We are making progress! Bobbie’s Bay the bay that is in front of our Sportsman’s Oak Island location on Oak Island near the Northwest Angle of Minnesota iced over yesterday and today we have some ice on Four Mile Bay.   Four Mile Bay is the bay near Wheeler’s Point that we use to access the lake in the winter time.  The channel in the bay still has open water but this is progress and we like progress! The wind is supposed to die down tonight and below zero temperatures are in the forecast for the weekend. No safe is yet, but we like what we see!  We are moving in the right direction. Get your reservations in!

Bobbie's Bay in front of Sportsman's Oak Island Lodge  Lake of the Woods www.oakislandlodge.com 12-8-2016

Bobbie’s Bay in front of Sportsman’s Oak Island Lodge
Lake of the Woods
www.oakislandlodge.com 12-8-2016

Four Mile Bay Lake of the Woods near Wheeler's Point.   Ice Forming 12-8-2016

Four Mile Bay Lake of the Woods near Wheeler’s Point.
Ice Forming 12-8-2016

 

The lake has sealed up!

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The lake has sealed up!

It’s almost time.. These photos are from Saturday, Dec 19 at 11 a.m. Lake of the Woods is locked up and solid ice.  Won’t be long till we are rocking at Sportsman’s Lodge.There is very little snow as of now on the ice, ice season on the big pond is fast approaching Last minute prepping and soon we will be ice fishing. As of now we are tentatively looking at day houses Dec 26th and sleeper houses on the 29th.. With Oak Island hopefully be ready on the 26th…. Bombers, fish houses, and guides are ready… Book now at Sportsman’s Lodge. 800-862-8602. Looking forward to an awesome year! 

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Current Ice Conditions

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11/25/2015

 

Happy Thanksgiving!
From our homes to yours, the staff at Sportsman’s Lodges wishes you and your family a Happy Thanksgiving!

It’s Freezing Season!
The freezing season is in progress. Late last week small bays froze over including the Baudette Bay in Baudette and parts of Young’s Bay at the Northwest Angle near our Oak Island location. The forecast for the week ahead is calling for lows in the teens. We expect to see the bays continue to make ice and the big lake continue to cool down. Now all we need is the wind to keep calm and subzero temperatures and we will start to make some serious ice. It is crazy how fast the season can change. Once we get below zero we can make an inch or two a day! When we get 10-12 inches of safe ice, we are ready to roll! Stay tuned for updates. At this point an early December start date is in our sights.

Bays are making ice!
Bays are making ice!
Baudette Bay
Baudette Bay

Gift Cards Available
Looking for a great gift idea for the angler on your list? We have gift cards available. Always the right color, size and price! Click here to purchase online now.

Ice Fishing Packages starting at $166!
Sportsman’s Lodge Rainy River Location
Hook this Hot Deal before it is gone!
1 night lodging in a room or cabin and 1 day ice fishing including the fish house warm and ready just off a quiet groomed trail, transportation to and from the fish house, use of jig sticks, jigs, bait and tackle.

Saturday, December 26, Wednesday, December 30 and Saturday, January 2

  • $166 per person
  • With breakfast, lunch and dinner $215

Wednesday, January 6 and Thursday, January 14

  • $142 per person
  • With breakfast, lunch and dinner $190

Rates quoted are price per person plus tax, based on double occupancy at the Sportsman’s Lodge Rainy River location. Upgrade to our new villas for an additional $18 per person. Click here to book now or call us at 800-862-8602!

Thanksgiving Day Office Hours
Our office will be closed on Thanksgiving Day. We will re-open Friday at 8am.

Current Ice Conditions

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Weather is cooling down!
We are starting to see the temperature dip. Snow and lows in the teens is in the forecast today and for the rest of the week! We are ready to get this water cooled down and make some ice. Current water temperature is 37 degrees.  Fall projects are in full swing and we are doing our ice dance! Who is with us?

Once we get the our first blast of cold air we just need zero degrees or colder for 10 days and we will have 10-12 inches of safe ice to start our season.  It doesn’t take long once we start freezing.  Get your reservations in now. Many dates are filling up fast!

ice-slIce Fishing season is soon here!

Stay tuned for updates. We are looking to another fun year!

For reservations click here to book now or call us at
Baudette/Rainy River Location: 800-862-8602
Oak Island & Eagle Ridge Location 800-772-8411

Who wants a FREE ICE FISHING TRIP this year?  Click here to enter for your chance to win!

Lake of the Woods Current Ice Conditions Report

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11/11/2015

 

Happy Veteran’s Day!
Thank you to all the great men and women who have served! Our hats are off to you!

Ice Fishing starts in less than a month
The stage is starting to be set for the 2015-2016 ice fishing season! Water temperature is on the decline, air temperature is in the 30’s and 40’s and snow is in the forecast. We are busy working on fall projects an tuning up equipment. It has been a beautiful fall but we are ready for ice fishing! It is amazing how fast it can turn. Once we get the blast of cold air we just need zero degrees or colder for 10 days and we will have 10-12 inches of safe ice to start our season. Get your reservations in now. Many dates are filling up fast!

Shannon Blomquist
Who is ready for some ice fishing fun?


Stay tuned for updates. We are looking forward to another fun year!

For reservations click here to book now or call us at
Baudette/Rainy River Location: 800-862-8602
Oak Island & Eagle Ridge Location: 800-772-8411

 

 

Lake of the Woods Ice Conditions & Fishing Report

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3/11/2015

Is spring coming early or are we just being teased?
Like much of the state we have received some warm weather this week too. What does this mean for ice fishing?  Safety first!  At this point we have only lost snow. We still have 33 inches of ice on the river, 38 inches on Four Mile Bay and nearly 4 feet on the lake. The forecast is calling for highs in the forties through the weekend and lows in the upper twenties/lower thirties. Mostly overcast skies (this helps!). Next week’s forecast cools down with highs in the thirties and lows in the lower twenties. We see no problem fishing through this weekend and possibly next week. It all depends on how much sun and warm temperatures we get through this weekend.   We check ice conditions daily and will keep you updated! Daily reports can be found on our Facebook page here.

24 inch walleye caught and released by a Garrett Rohwedder 25 inch walleye released caught on a red buckshot spoon in one of the sleeper houses

24 inch walleye
Caught & released by a member
of the Rohwedder group, caught on
a chartreuse swedish pimple

Garrett Rohwedder
25 inch walleye, released
Caught on a red buckshot spoon
in one of the sleeper houses
A good day! Pink was the hot color! Sent in by Travis Campbell
A good day! Pink was the hot color!
Sent in by Travis Campbell

 

How’s fishing?
We have a variety of houses in the mud and reefs in 25-32 feet of water. The ride out to the fish houses takes anywhere from 15-45 minutes.  If we had it our way, the shorter the ride the better however, the fish aren’t agreeing this year.  That’s fishing!  Our goal is to give you the best fishing experience possible so we go where the fish are.  A mix of walleyes, saugers, tulibees, a few perch and pike have been reeled in this week. Bright colored jigs orange, pink and gold have been working well tipped with a minnow. Buck shots have also done well. A little jigging and using a vexilar helps your fishing success!

Walleye fishing open until April 14, re-opening May 9. Limit change on the Rainy River and Four Mile Bay March 1-April 14. Pike season never closes and sturgeon fishing is catch and release now through April 23, keep one within size limits April 24-May 7 and catch and release again May 8-15.

Trail Report
Grooming has ended for the year. Trails are being maintained by local resorts with drags. Use caution around the pressure ridges. Pressure ridges pull apart and push together when the temperature warms and cools.

River Fishing
Won’t be long and we will be back in the boats. The river is open 58 miles east of the resort right now. The first landing near us that will open will be at Birchdale, 38 miles away. When? Good question? My guess is 10-14 days at this point. Lots of factors come in to play of course, stay tuned!  Lodging rates as low as $40 per person per night (plus tax based on double occ) April 1-May 20! Get your reservations in now!

Oak Island Ice Conditions & Fishing Report

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3/11/2015


Fish On!
Warm weather has been in the area, but we are still freezing at night and the 10 day forecast is calling for much of the same. We have lost some snow but ice is good, no loss. As long as we don’t get a stretch of nights not freezing we see no problem continuing to ice fish through our season. Here at Oak Island we will be for ice fishing through March 21 and the lodge open through March 22. The main lodge near Baudette does not close during ice out.

Anglers have been reeling in 30% walleyes, 60% saugers and the balance in perch and northern pike. The catching success has increased over the past week.  Depths ranging from 17’-27’ have been doing the best. As far as big fish, a few nice 38” and 41” pike have been caught as well as some nice walleyes in the 22”-27” range. A good run from 8am-10am and 2pm-5pm have been the most aggressive times of the day.  Gold jigs tipped with a minnow are the hot ticket and keeping your jig really tight to bottom.

Grant

Grant with one of his nice walleyes he caught!
Way to go Grant!
Sportsman’s Oak Island Lodge

 

Ice Conditions
38+ inches of ice in the areas we travel and fish.

Ice Road from Young’s Bay to Oak Island
Open and in good shape.  This could change based on the weather conditions so please call before coming out.

Trail Report
Trails are in fair condition. A little slushy depending on the daily temperature.

Summer is just around the corner!
Get your reservations in now! 800-772-8411 or click here.

Lake of the Woods Ice Conditions & Fishing Report

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3/5/2015

Last month of ice fishing
Here we are in the last month of the season. More sun, warmer days and active walleyes are what we have in our sights. It will be a fun month of fishing!  Currently we have houses scattered anywhere from 25’-31’ in the mud and on the reefs, 5 to 18 miles away.  The action has been hit and misses. Some days the catching is real good and the others a little less, all in all the fishing is good. Vexilar/Fish Finder users tend to have the best success. The good old gold jig, chartreuse jig and spoons with some shine to them tipped with a minnow are doing the best right now. Vertical jigging a few inches off bottom is a good approach. We are seeing a 75% sauger, 25% walleye mix this week. The walleyes are nice size and many 20” plus.

Ice Conditions
We have 38 inches plus of ice right now in the areas we travel and fish. Nice week of weather in the forecast. Highs in the teens early in the week and 30’s by the weekend. Lows in the single digits to keep our ice nice and safe.

Trail Conditions
Trails are in the best shape they have been in all winter. Grooming continues weekly and as needed.

Late season openings
We still have openings in March. Come on up and get your fish on! www.sportsmanslodges.com 800-862-8602

Sturgeon, Pike & Walleye Soft water Fishing Anyone?
April is just around the corner and that means excellent river and bay fishing. Walleye season is open until April 14, reopening May 9. Pike season never closes and sturgeon season is open until May 15. Spring fishing is action packed! You won’t want to miss it! Lodging, Guided Trips, Boat Slips, Boat Rental, Restaurant, Indoor Pool, Camping available. Lodging as low as $40 per person per night! *plus tax based on double occupancy.