Author Archives: Sportsman's Lodges

River Update 4-6-2022

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Vidas Landing

Open water is 3 miles west of Clementson and within a little over 3 miles of Baudette today. Boats are now being launched at Vidas, Frontier, and Birchdale landings. Next up is Timbermill, then Wheeler’s Point. The parking lot at Timbermill is plowed out.

15 more miles to go and we will have water at our docks. 😀 Mother Nature is throwing us some sleet and snow yesterday and today. Hope to see the sun by Friday. ☀️ Lodging is available and our restaurant and bar will be open this weekend. Book your trip www.sportsmanslodges.com 800-862-8602

Sportsman’s Lodge River Update 4-3-2022

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Took a drive east again today. Birchdale is open to all boats now. Here are some pics of Frontier Landing. Water is flowing past Frontier to the west about a mile or so. Still lots of ice at Frontier today but it is currently 40 degrees and 40’s are forecasted all week. Should see quite a bit of progress this week. After Frontier opens, Vidas Landing will be next followed by Timbermill in Baudette and Wheeler’s Point out by the lodge.

Lodging is available starting at $99* a night for 2 people. Give us a call to make your spring reservations at 800-862-8602. *plus tax

Sportsman’s Lodge River Update 4-1-2022

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Birchdale Landing is open!
**County came out and plowed the landing but an ice shelf still remains. It is deeper on the east side of the landing than west as of late afternoon. Could all be gone within a few hours or could take a little longer. Small boats are being pushed out.
Open water is 4 miles to the east of Frontier Landing this afternoon and lots of black ice within 2 miles. Won’t be long!
The parking lots are nice and plowed at Birchdale, Frontier, and Vidas Landings, ready to go.

CLICK HERE FOR A MAP OF THE PUBLIC LANDINGS

Sportsman’s Lodges River Update 3-30-2022

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Good Morning from the Rainy River!
A quick river opening update from Birchdale at Nelson Park. Still locked up this morning. 

Nelson Park is 28 miles east of Baudette and 40 miles east of Sportsman’s Lodge

Open water is just east of Birchdale.

Franz Jevne State Park 2 miles east of Birchdale

We received a coating of snow overnight. Forecasted to get a few inches today. Current temp is 29 degrees, high of 37 today. Warmer weather is supposed to be coming this week.

Stay tuned for more updates.

Sportsman’s Lodges River Update 3-28-2022

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Rainy River

The Rainy River is open just west of Franz Jevne State Park now. Franz Jevne is 2 miles east of Birchdale. 

Nelson Landing at Birchdale is still frozen solid but the open water is moving along despite the cool temps.

The river has opened up 12 miles in the past 5 days. 

Temps are forecasted to stay cool again this week but the wind is supposed to kick up. That could chew some ice up.  Stay tuned for more updates.

Spring Specials
Lodging starts at only $99 a night for two people from April 1 – to May 25. Guided trips are available through early May and charter trips start May 14. Check out all the options at www.sportsmanslodges.com and give us a call to book your trip at 800-862-8602.

Oak Island

Still lots of ice at Oak Island and in the islands but it won’t be long. Give us a call to book your May trip at 800-772-8411 www.oakislandlodge.com and ask about our spring discounts. 

Sportsman’s Lodges River Update 3-23-2022

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Sportsman’s Lodge Rainy River

Happy Spring!

The crew has been busy putting away the winter equipment and working on docks this week. Last fall we pulled out many docks to replace with new ones. We hope to have them all finished by the time there is water in front of the lodge or shortly after. Check out the progress.

Rainy River Update
The river is open to the Indus area now. It opened 14-15 miles this past week. Coming along! Indus is 50 miles upriver from the lodge and 12 miles away from the Birchdale boat access ramp. Stay tuned for more updates.

The walleye season here runs through April 14. Sturgeon catch and release are going on now through April 23. April 24-May 7 you can harvest a sturgeon, (be sure to get a tag with your license) within size limits and then one more week of catch and release May 8-15 before the season closes until July. Walleye will close after April 14 and re-open on May 14 for the year. Pike season never closes and Lake of the Woods is home to thousands of trophies. 

Spring Specials
Lodging starts at only $99 a night for two people from April 1 – to May 25. Guided trips are available through early May and charter trips start May 14. Check out all the options at www.sportsmanslodges.com and give us a call to book your trip at 800-862-8602.

Sportsman’s Oak Island Lodge

The thaw has begun! Check out our website soon for updates. www.oakislandlodge.com and give us a call to book your next trip at 800-772-8411.

Sportsman’s Lodges Fishing & Ice Report 3-18-2022

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Walleye caught at Sportsman's Lodge

Warmer Week
It looks like Mother Nature is loosening her grip on winter. We have had nice sunny days here this week which has been great but the long-range forecast tells us it is time to hang up our ice fishing rods for the year. We have decided our last day of ice fishing will be Sunday, March 20. It is time to put away the winter gear and start shining up the boats. Spring is in the air. It has been another great winter season. Thank you to all our loyal guests and followers. We enjoyed seeing you, chatting with you, and serving you.

The Bite
The current bite this week in 16’-25’ in the mud. Mainly walleyes and saugers are being caught, eater and throwback sizes. An occasional trophy walleye and a pike are also coming up the holes. Bright orange, gold, and pink have been hot colors, 3/8 oz or less for jigs and spoons tipped with a minnow. A mix of jigging and dead sticking is the way to go. A plain hook tipped with a partial minnow is a good tactic for the dead stick. We still have over 3’ of ice and snow. Melting is going on but we have a long way to go.

Spring Fishing
Up next, the river bite. River fishing on the Rainy River is a blast. The walleye season here runs through April 14. Sturgeon catch and release are going on now through April 23. April 24-May 7 you can harvest a sturgeon, (be sure to get a tag with your license) within size limits and then one more week of catch and release May 8-15 before the season closes until July. Walleye will close after April 14 and re-open on May 14 for the year. Pike season never closes and Lake of the Woods is home to thousands of trophies. A fun way to spend a few days. Right now the river is open 64 miles east of the lodge. If we continue to get warm temps and especially rain, it can get chewed up pretty quick. Stay tuned for updates starting next week.

Time to book your spring and summer trips
Dates are starting to fill. Check out all the options at www.sportsmanslodges.com Lodging starting at only $99 a night for two people April 1 – May 25. Guided trips are available through early May and charter trips start May 14.

Sportsman’s Oak Island Lodge

Heigh-Ho Heigh-Ho a Fishing we will go
For another weekend that is, before we take a brief spring pause. Our restaurant and bar will be open until 9 am Sunday. We have had a great winter and lots of fun seeing and serving you. We are looking forward to seeing everyone again in May. If you haven’t made your reservations for summer yet, give us a call at 800-772-8411 or find us online at www.oakislanlodge.com. Our office will be open through the breakup season.


The last few days the sun has been melting some measurable snow. The fishing has been pretty good. A mix of walleyes and saugers, mostly walleye have been caught. Macho minnows, Rippin Raps, and 3/8 oz jigs have been hot tackle in colors of orange, yellow, gold, and glow in the dark. Minnows are the bait of choice. The trails are still open. Lots of snow. Midday gets a little soft. Good luck fishing!

Sportsman’s Lodges Fishing & Ice Report 3-9-2022

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Rainy River

Woke up to below zero.
Winter is still here. 5 below here this morning. We are making ice! Ice fishing will continue through late March it appears. Openings available, we will have our houses out through the end of March.

What an Adventure
The Lane Group visited us recently and reeled this mighty nice 39 inch northern pike. This feisty pike gave them quite a fight and a good fishing story to tell too!

“Before being pulled up it managed to circle around and tangle 7-8 lines, hook itself on all four lures and pull 3 rods under the water. After measuring and releasing the fish I tried to get the lines untangled and realized some of the line was coming out of the hole that we pulled the fish through. I grabbed that line and gently pulled. I was able to retrieve all 3 rods that the fish pulled under!”

What an Adventure!

Walleye, saugers and a few pike, jumbo perch and eelpout have been nibbling at lines this week. Small spoons, jigs, and plain hooks have been working well tipped with a full or partial minnow. Depths between 17’-32’ have been best. Glow in the dark, pink, gold and orange have been popular colors. Walleye season runs through April 14. Fish houses can be out overnight until March 31 and we have over 3 feet of ice and snow.

Mark reeled in a nice 28 1/2 walleye

Mardi Gras Sportsman’s Style!
Join us for ice fishing and our last party of the season, March 26. 7 pm – 1 am in the Sandbar.

This annual event is always a great time. Beads, Drink Specials, Entertainment, and more. Be sure to dress up too and enjoy the fun! Must be 21 years or older to attend. Contact us to secure your lodging today at 800-862-8602.

Oak Island

Lots of Ice & Snow
Over 3’ feet of ice and snow around here. Weather continues to be cool, lots of good ice fishing left. Fishing has been good in 19’-26’ this week on and around reefs for walleye and sauger. Buckshots, jigs and small spoons have been working well tipped with a minnow. Orange, gold, pink and bright green have been hot colors.

One Last Blast
We have openings available in March. Our season runs through the weekend of March 20. After March 20, be sure to check out our sister resort, Sportsman’s Lodge in Baudette for ice fishing trips through late March. Give us a call at 800-772-8411.

Trails & Ice Road
The snowmobile trails are open and marked from Baudette, Warroad, and to the island and Northwest Angle. The ice road is in good shape from Young’s Bay at the Northwest Angle to the lodge. Take a cruise right to our front door.

Sportsman’s Lodges Fishing & Ice Report 3-3-2022

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Rainy River

Cool Weather – 3+ Weeks of Ice Fishing Days Left
With over 3 feet of ice, plenty of snow, and cold temperatures are in the forecast between negative 9 to 17 above, Mother Nature is giving us the green light to keep on ice fishing. It looks like we will continue to ice fish right through the end of the season, March 31 this year at this point. Give us at 800-862-8602 to call to book your trip!

Pink, White, Wonderbread, and gold jigs and small spoons as well as a plain hook have been good tackle options tipped with a minnow. The best depths have been between 19’-33’. Fish finders such as vexilars really help catch rates. We have rentals available if you would like to give one a try. They go fast, so be sure to call ahead to reserve.

Time to renew your fishing license
Minnesota Licenses expired Feb 28. Hop online or give the DNR a call 24 hours a day to renew yours.

Licenses are available 24 hours a day on the DNR website or by calling 888-665-4236.

Mardi Gras Sportsman’s Style!
Join us for ice fishing and our last party of the season, March 26. 7 pm – 1 am in the Sandbar.

This annual event is always a great time. Beads, Drink Specials, Entertainment, and more. Be sure to dress up too and enjoy the fun! Must be 21 years or older to attend. Contact us to secure your lodging today at 800-862-8602.

Oak Island

Walleyes, saugers, perch, pike, tulibee…..March Fishing is going on now
As the days get longer, the bite heats up for a variety of species. Anglers are catching a variety of species and sizes right now. 20’-27’ on and around reefs has been the sweet spot using orange, pink, gold, and bright green 3/8 oz jigs and small spoons tipped with a minnow. A mix of jigging and dead sticking is the way to go. We have openings available in March. Our season runs through the weekend of March 20. After March 20, be sure to check out our sister resort, Sportsman’s Lodge in Baudette for ice fishing trips through late March.

Ice & Snow
We currently have over 3’ feet of ice and 3-4’ of snow in the areas we fish and travel. Cold weather continues!

Trails & Ice Road
The snowmobile trails are open and marked from Baudette, Warroad, and to the island and Northwest Angle. The ice road is in good shape from Young’s Bay at the Northwest Angle to the lodge top. Take a cruise right to our front door.