Author Archives: Sportsman's Lodges

Opener is right around the corner!

by

Temperatures are up and the fishing is heating up too!  With water temps scratching 50 degrees, pike are in full swing and aggressive.  Casting spoons and spinnerbaits in the tributaries and at any shallow weeds that may be beginning to grow is the best and most efficient way to target them.  Sturgeon have begun to spawn and are stacking up in rapids and fast flowing shallow water. Best areas to target these monsters is to concentrate on deep holes adjacent to these spawning areas.

Walleye Opener
With the walleye season beginning this weekend, great places to begin the season is just outside the Lighthouse Gap, the north side of Pine Island and Four Mile Bay.  A jig tipped with a shiner is always the best bet to kick the season off.  As far as colors to start with, chartreuse, pink and gold are great choices!

5-11w

 

Sturgeon fishing has been hot! 3 days left of the season until July. Get into the action!

1

22

3

4

5

6

Unreal! Two hours into these gals sturgeon careers they haul in a 68″ monster!

7

Take a Mom fishing
Mother’s Day is May 14.  Treat mom to some great fishing, relaxation and Mother’s Day Champagne Brunch at Sportsman’s next weekend.  She will love our cozy accommodations, indoor pool, hot tub, beautiful views, excellent fishing and delicious food.  Click here for our spring lodging and fishing packages and here to check out our Mother’s Day menu.

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.

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

by

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.

5-3w

Sportsman’s Lodge South Shore Lake of the Woods Fishing Report 5/3/2017

by

With air temperatures dropping in the low 30s we all knew the water temperatures were not far behind. Water temperatures dipped all the way to 40 degrees.  And with cooling water almost always means fishing slows, especially in the spring time! This does not mean there are not fish to be caught! As far as sturgeon, get in high percentage areas and camp.  With the water cooling those big dinos will be lethargic but they will bite if they are there.  When targeting pike, if you are casting work those baits as slow as possible.  Although it may take some more patience, dead baits under a float or on the bottom may be the better bet.  As far as location, creek mouths and any areas of slack water are great areas to target! Good luck and we will see you out there!

5-3w

Walleye Opener is only 10 days away! Do you have your reservations in?
SPRING FISHING SPECIALS ~ Two nights lodging in your choice of a lodge room or cabin and one day charter fishing aboard a 27’ boat with onboard restroom, experienced guide, use of poles, bait, tackle, assortment of pop/water and fish cleaning package starting at only $210 per person. Two Night/Two Day starting at $323 and Three Night/Three Day starting at $369.  Lodging, boat rental and dock slips also available. Click here to learn more and book your stay today 800-862-8602. *plus tax and based on double occupancy

The man, the myth, the legend is on the board with his new personal best sturgeon… 59.5″.. It was even tagged.. Great job Blue Olson. Great battle.
Guide Bryan “Beef” Sathre

blue

pike

Check out this nice 39.5 inch pike!

boats

Charter boats are ready for opener!

Take a Mom fishing
Mother’s Day is May 14.  Treat mom to some great fishing, relaxation and Mother’s Day Champagne Brunch at Sportsman’s next weekend.  She will love our cozy accommodations, indoor pool, hot tub, beautiful views, excellent fishing and delicious food.  Click here for our spring lodging and fishing packages and here to check out our Mother’s Day menu.
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.


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.

Cool beginning but the weekend looks sunny!

by

4-26w

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.

The ice is moving on out!

by

The ice is moving on out. We can now get from the Northwest Angle/Young’s Bay to the island. The main lake still has ice but it is melting fast. Click here or give us a call 800-772-8411 to book you summer stay.

Check out our spring deals here.

For summer packages click here.

Fishing Dates to Remember

Minnesota Fishing Dates…..

Walleye opens May 13

Northern Pike open all year

Muskie opens June 17 thru Nov 30.

Bass, Crappie & Perch open all year.

Ontario Fishing Dates…..

Walleye season opens May 20

Muskie opens June 17

Northern Pike, Bass, Crappie & Perch open all year

Get your reservations in early for the upcoming summer season, prime dates are filling up.

4-19

Sturgeon and pike fishing is heating up!

by

We have already seen some huge sturgeon and nice pike reeled in this year and this is only the beginning! Sturgeon seasons run through May 15 and pike season is open year round. The spring sturgeon catch and release season runs through April 23 and May 8-15. You can keep one sturgeon per calendar year April 24-May 7, between the size of 45”-50” inclusive or over 75” with a sturgeon tag.  Sturgeon tags can be purchased at the lodge for $5 or at any place that sells Minnesota fishing licenses.

4-19
Come and get in on the fun
Water temp is 45 degrees today.  Some of the best sturgeon fishing is just minutes away from our dock. Sturgeon like to hang out in deep holes of the river bottom. One of the best techniques to hook into one is to set up anchored just in a hole or outside of a hole using a 4/0 or 5/0 hook, 2-10 oz. no roll weight depending on the current for that day and tip it with a gob of minnows. The best places to find pike this time of year is in the bays. Throwing dare devils or jointed rapalas usually do well. Hundreds of bays along the river and lake are open now. Guided trips also available too. The lake continues to open up more every day. As soon as the cloud cover clears we will post a satellite picture on our facebook page, stay tuned.

Check out what others have caught this week!

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.

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 lodging/charter fishing packages starting at only $249 per person. Click here to choose your package. *plus tax and based on double occupancy

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.

Walleyes, Sturgeon, Pike….lots of fishing going on!

by

Hey everyone, it has been a good week of fishing here on the Rainy River and Lake of the Woods. The spring season brings lots of changes and successful anglers know that too well. Being ready to change up your location, tackle, bait and approach when the weather, fish patterns, water temp and clarity make a change, is all instrumental in getting more walleyes in your net.  Currently the river is clearing up, 1-2 feet clarity today and the water temp has warmed up to 45 degrees.  Anchored, using gold jigs tipped with a shiner and Northland Tackle’s gold thumpers have been working well. Depths in the river and lake between 11’-18’ have been good. The lake is open to about a mile and half past Pine Island right now. As the ice melt continues be sure to watch the wind and ice chunks. There is over 40 miles of fishable waters outside our front door right now. Areas from Birchdale all the way out to the lake so even when conditions change, there are miles of good fishing holes to enjoy. Walleye season is open through tomorrow and re opens May 13. The lodge will be closed Easter Sunday but lodging in our cabins and villas are available that day.

0F3021DD-A315-4D3A-9010-2ADCA6AA6CB8

We are honored to have, Pro Angling Team, Brian “Bro” and Heather Brosdahl, Infisherman Angler, Matt Straw and Sam and Matt from Northland Tackle join us this week. Click here to check out their Lake of the Woods spring experience!

Guide Eric's Best's dad Doc reeled in this huge strugeon today. Measuring 63 inches.

Guide Eric’s Best’s dad Doc reeled in this huge strugeon today. Measuring 63 inches.


Awesome Sturgeon Bite
We have seen a lot of nice 40”-70” sturgeon reeled in this year already. It really has been incredible start to the spring sturgeon season.  The other cool thing is these dinosaurs seem to bite no matter what the water clarity is like, so always a great option to try in any condition.  Deep holes in the river using a 4/0 or 5/0 hook, a good weight 3-10 ounces depending on the day and current and a gob of minnows works well. Spring season continues through May 15. For more information about the seasons and limits click here.

Spring Pike Fishing
Lake of the Woods is home to one of the largest populations of trophy sized pike and March – May is one of the best times to reel them in.  Anchoring at the mouth of the river using frozen ciscos has been working well.

Kids love fishing! What a fun day! Guided by Captain Wes

Kids love fishing! What a fun day! Guided by Captain Wes

Thomsen Group Guide Wes

Two hours of non stop action with Captain Wes

Two hours of non stop action with Captain Wes

Thomsen Group Guide Wes pic 2 Thomsen Group Wes Harder Guide

No hassles, just good fishing!
Guides available for walleye, sturgeon and pike! No boat to worry about, no tackle or bait to buy, no hassles, just great fishing! Give us a call to book your trip 800-862-8602!

Watch the water temperature rise on the Rainy River, click here.

Spring Specials
Lodging starting at $42 per person per night, guided trips and up to 20% off summer lodging and charter fishing packages. Click here to learn more!  *plus tax and based on double occupancy

Record Breaking Catch & Release Sturgeon

by

When you are fishing for walleye and you reel in a record breaking sturgeon!!

What an experience!
When three friends, Taylor Schroeder, Tyler Hill and Paul David from Virginia, MN area set out March 30, 2017 on the Rainy River to get into some walleyes, they had no idea what was going to be in store for the that day.

Check out Taylor’s story……Two friends and I set out to catch some walleyes last Thursday morning. We started the day with a nice 25″ fish, but then the fishing slowed, so we decided to move. We anchored in a new spot and soon after I hooked into a sturgeon. The sturgeon decided to bolt down river. I had to put a little pressure on my drag to make sure I had line left to fish with for the rest of the day. Of course, that resulted in my line breaking. I retied, and started fishing again.

Meanwhile, my friends, Tyler Hill and Paul David, started to catch some walleyes. I then felt weight again, so I set the hook, another sturgeon. This time, we pulled up anchor and went for a ride. Having only six pound test and a medium light rod, I didn’t know how long the fight would last. I assumed it would end with me tying on another jig. That was not the case!  It ended up taking around an hour of boat work and drifting to eventually get the fish off the bottom. When we first saw the fish, it became clear we had a BIG one. After wrestling with it at boat side, we found it impossible to lift the fish out of the water by hand, so we grabbed some rope and lassoed the tail. It took two of us to get the fish up and into the boat. When the chaos was somewhat over, we looked at the fish and noticed that it had two of my jigs stuck in its mouth. It was the same sturgeon that broke me off half an hour earlier!

Taylor Schroeder 69 inch sturgeon

After a few pictures and a good measurement, which required all three of us to accomplish, we released the fish. It was about an hour later, when my curiosity caused me to look up the state record (catch & release). I couldn’t believe it when I saw the numbers. Our fish topped the current record by an inch and a half. Unfortunately, we lacked one of the pictures required for it to be considered as a state record fish.  One picture away from a state record, will probably haunt me for a while but in reality, we were just fortunate to have experienced it. In the end, it’s a story of what could have been, but an amazing story nonetheless.

Taylor Schroeder 69 inch sturgeon March 2017
What a catch! 69 inch sturgeon caught on medium light rod, 6lb test, pink and white jig tipped with a rainbow minnow by Taylor Schroeder and assisted by Tyler Hill and Paul David.

Sturgeon season catch and release season is open on Lake of the Woods Oct 1 through April 23 and May 8-15. You can harvest one 45″-50″ inclusive or over 75″ May 8-15 and July 1-Sept 30 with a sturgeon tag purchased from the DNR.