Author Archives: Sportsman's Lodges

We are off and running!

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The season has started and anglers are reeling in some nice fish!  Gold and pink have been hot jig choices tipped with a minnow. Electronics help! Find bottom, give your rod a crank up about 4-6 inches and do some jigging.  One rod dead sticking with a bobber is not a bad idea either. Best depth has been between 16’-26’. The guides are ready to take you out! Contact us to book your winter trip 800-772-8411.

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Ice Conditions
Currently we have 13-17 inches of ice in the areas we fish and travel. Weather is below zero this week so we are making more ice quickly! If you decide to venture out on your own, we urge you to check with local resorts or guides before doing so as the ice never freezes equally in all areas of the lake and conditions change.

Ice Road
The ice road is plowed out to the lodge now. A nice wide lane out to the north side of the island and one pass so far in from the north side to the lodge.   We expect the road to widen all the way to the lodge today or tomorrow.

Trail Conditions
The lake trail from Wheeler’s Point to Oak Island is marked and is being traveled on.  15-17 inches of ice is reported on the trail.  Grooming will hopefully start tomorrow from Wheeler’s Point to Oak Island and from Wheeler’s Point to Warroad next week based on conditions. Due to how the lake froze this year, there are lots of ice chunks sticking up. Crews have been working to make the trail itself smoother but off the trail it is very rough. The trail also has lots of turns in it right now so we encourage you to use caution and stay on the trail. The land trails are being groomed and are shaping up. For more information about the trails click here or contact: Lake of the Woods Drifters and the Northwest Angle Edge Riders.

We are making ice and the fishing has been good! Check out these pictures!

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What’s working?
Gold, yellow & pink, yellow, white/pink & gold, glow in the dark and pink jigs tipped with a minnow have all been working well.  Best depths have been in 16’-28’ of water.  A mix of dead sticking and jigging is the best approach. Electronics help most anglers catch rates. We are seeing a mix of walleyes and saugers come through the holes.  With the changing weather don’t be afraid to change up your approach for the best results.  Ride out to the fish houses is about 20 minutes right now.

12-28

Ice Conditions
Currently we have 13-18 inches of ice and more in some areas where we fish and travel right now. It has been a cool week here; we are building more ice by the minute!  Our ice fishing trips all include transportation to and from the fish house; we do not maintain a plowed road.  If you venture out on your own, Adrian’s Resort and Morris Point Resort have public ice roads near us. Check with them for the latest conditions. Be sure to stay on marked roads and trails.  The lake froze pretty rough this year and the entire lake never freezes equally so use caution and check local conditions before going out. Be safe and let’s have some fun this winter!

Share your pictures with us!
We love seeing your pictures of fishing and having fun at Sportsman’s. Tag us, email us, text us 218-395-0042 anytime!

Trail Conditions
The lake trail from Wheeler’s Point to Oak Island is marked and is being traveled on.  15-17 inches of ice is reported on the trail.  Grooming will hopefully start tomorrow from Wheeler’s Point to Oak Island and from Wheeler’s Point to Warroad next week based on conditions. Due to how the lake froze this year, there are lots of ice chunks sticking up. Crews have been working to make the trail itself smoother but off the trail it is very rough. The trail also has lots of turns in it right now so we encourage you to use caution and stay on the trail. The land trails are being groomed and are shaping up. For more information about the trails click here or contact: Lake of the Woods Drifters and the Northwest Angle Edge Riders.

Join us for New Year’s Eve!
Dinner specials, live band, champagne and a whole lot of fun! Click here for more information. Reservations suggested 800-862-8602 or email [email protected]

Come see us this winter!
We have weekends open in February and March and midweek options most weeks throughout the season. Lodging and ice fishing packages starting at only $215 per person! Contact us today to start planning your winter getaway.

We have 8-14 inches of ice!

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We have 8-14 inches of ice in the areas we fish and travel. The staff is gearing up and we will be open Dec 26th for the season!  If you haven’t made plans to visit us this winter, give us a call 800-862-8602 or click here to email us.

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Bite Forecast
We expect it to be pretty good! Usually early season is good and the bite on the south end has been great! Gold and pink jigs tipped with a minnow are always good bets to start out with and don’t forget or rent electronics. They seem to really help catch rates.  We have a few available, always good to call ahead to reserve, they go fast.  Let’s go fishing!

Snowmobile Trails
Snowmobile trail across the lake from Four Mile Bay to Oak Island has been marked however no grooming yet.   There are a lot of chunks of ice this year sticking up so crews are busy working on smoothing that out and making sure the trail is safe.  We also need a few more inches of ice and snow before it will be safe to groom. We have anywhere from a few inches of snow to 2-3’ drifts on the lake along with a few bare spots, land trails have 5-12 inches of snow.  If you do venture out, be sure to stay on the trails as ice conditions vary. Land trails are in good shape and are being groomed.  For more information about the trails click here or contact: Lake of the Woods Drifters and the Northwest Angle Edge Riders.

Fishing has been excellent!

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The first week of fishing has been great! Lots of fish coming up through the holes, big ones, little ones and plenty of good eaters.  Check out these pictures!!!!

12-19

What’s hot
Some anglers said it didn’t matter what they put down the hole, they had plenty to reel in. Some anglers swore by pink, gold, glow in the dark jigs, buckshots or spoons tipped with a minnow. Most anglers with electronics seem to do better than those without.  A mix of dead sticking and jigging is the best approach.  The best bite has been in 16’-26’ of water right now.

Ice Conditions
Currently we have 10-16 inches of ice in the areas we fish and travel. It looks like we are in for a cold blast for the next few weeks which will be great to build us up some more!  This report is based on the areas we fish and travel. All of our fishing trips include transportation to and from the fish house.  We do not maintain a plowed road. If you are looking to go out on your own, please keep in mind, conditions vary and the entire lake, river and bays certainly don’t all freeze equally so please check current conditions before heading out. Adrian’s Resort and Morris Point both maintain ice roads near us. Contact them for the latest conditions.

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Snowmobile Trails
The snowmobile trail across the lake from Four Mile Bay to Oak Island has been marked however, no grooming yet.   There are a lot of chunks of ice this year sticking up so crews are busy working on smoothing that out and making sure the trail is safe.  We also need a few more inches of ice and snow before it will be safe to groom. It shouldn’t be too long.  We have anywhere from a few inches of snow to 2-3’ drifts on the lake along with a few bare spots, land trails have 5-12 inches of snow.   If you do venture out, be sure to stay on the trails as ice conditions vary. Land trails are in decent shape and are being groomed.  For more information about the trails click here or contact: Lake of the Woods Drifters and the Northwest Angle Edge Riders.

Gaining some ice….

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It's almost time to start ice fishing! Sportsman's Oak Island Lodge

It’s almost time to start ice fishing! Sportsman’s Oak Island Lodge

The ice is coming along, we are not quite ready for too much travel but it won’t be long, 5-8 inches of ice is reported in most areas we travel right now. Another week and we should be able to get the supplies out to the island. We plan on starting our season soon! Give us a call 800-772-8411 or click here to reserve your stay.

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The season has started and the fish are biting!

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Check out these pics of some of the anglers who enjoyed some good fishing so far.  Pink, gold and glow in the dark jigs and spoons tipped with a minnow have been hot tickets.  The water clarity is good and the walleyes are hungry. A great bite in shallow 12’-18’right now. The minnow man is happy, the minnows are going quickly! Always a sign of good fishing when you stop by a fish house and the say, the fishing is great, we need more minnows!  We still have openings before Christmas, come wet a line.  The sleeper fish houses are on the move.  Their first day is Thursday. Our Sportsman’s Oak Island lodge will be opening in a week or so.

The Stangland Group reeled in some nice fish!

The Stangland Group reeled in some nice fish!

Fish on! Vigeland Group reeled in some nice walleyes Sunday. They said the hot tackle was anything gold or pink.

Fish on! Vigeland Group reeled in some nice walleyes Sunday. They said the hot tackle was anything gold or pink.

Ice Conditions
Current ice conditions in the areas we fish and travel are 9-11 inches on the Four Mile Bay and 11-13 inches on the lake. We have gained a few inches the past few days. Weather forecast looks great. It looks like it is shaping up for a normal northern Minnesota winter. Please keep in mind our ice report is only for the areas we fish and travel.  Ice conditions vary, if you venture out on your own, be sure to check with local resorts and bait shops for current conditions. For public ice roads conditions, two roads nearby us we suggest are Adrian’s Resort or Morris Point Resort. Contact them for the latest conditions.

Ice Fishing Season is here!

Ice Fishing Season is here!

Snow Report
We have anywhere from an inch of snow to 2’ drifts on the lake. The area snowmobile clubs are busy grooming trails on land and lake trail marking and grooming will begin soon. For more information about the trails click here or contact: Lake of the Woods Drifters and the Northwest Angle Edge Riders.

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Make a trip before Christmas!
Openings available, click here to contact us or give us a call for a quote 800-862-8602.

Sportsman’s Gift Cards make great Christmas gifts!
Always the right color, size and price. Purchase yours online by Dec 18.

Ice is coming along in the islands!

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We are finding anywhere from 5-7 inches of ice in most areas, some a little less and some with a few more. All in all it is coming along well. We have anywhere from 1 to 6 inches of snow on the ice and ground.  The forecast looks good! We plan to start our season in a few weeks. Give us a call 800-772-8411 or email us to make your winter reservations. Trips available December through March.

It’s almost time!

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The guides went out and checked conditions today in the areas we fish and travel. They found 7-9 inches on Four Mile Bay and 8-11 inches on the lake where we fish.  However, they did find some areas with less than that on the lake especially to the west. We have anywhere from ½ to 4 inches of snow on the lake and 1-7 inches on the bays.  That being said we are going to wait for a few more days until we can build a few more inches before we start.  Our first day in our day houses will be Sunday, Dec 10.  Our sleepers are hoping to start the 14th and Oak Island location in a few weeks.   If you are looking to go out on your own, we strongly encourage you to check with local resorts and bait shops who maintain public roads before heading out.   It is a huge lake and the ice never freezes equally.  No travel is advised on the Rainy River.  This report is only based on the areas we travel and fish.  For current conditions on public roads, we suggest checking with Adrian’s Resort and Morris Point Resort who both maintain roads in the area.  Stay safe and let’s have some fun!

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What is the best approach for early season?
A good old ¼ oz. jig or spoon colored gold, glow in the dark or orange jig tipped with a minnow or shiner is a good one to start in shallow 12’-18’. Gold is always a Lake of the Wood’s favorite.  Early season usually starts out aggressive. Stay tuned for updates and be sure to send us or tag us in your pics!

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Make a trip before Christmas!
Openings available, click here to contact us or give us a call for a quote 800-862-8602.

Sportsman’s Gift Cards make great Christmas gifts!
Always the right color, size and price. Purchase yours online by Dec 18.

Hey Ice Fishing Fans!

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ice update

The weather forecast looks great and we expect to start our ice fishing season soon. We are unable to get out on the lake right now to check the ice due to wind conditions and poor visibility. It sounds like the wind is going to settle down tonight and we should be able to get out tomorrow to see how things are coming along. We will post a report tomorrow as soon as we can! Stay tuned! We have trips available December through March. Make plans to join us for some winter fun today.

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11/27 Ice Report – Oak Island

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We have made some progress but based on the forecast for the week ahead, the progress will probably slow up. 3-7 inches of ice between Young’s Bay and Oak Island has been found but some bad areas yet. Not safe for traveling or fishing yet.
It is still early and we need to let Mother Nature do some more work before we venture out and start the season. Stay tuned for updates and get your reservations in. An average winter season runs mid December through late March in the islands.