Author Archives: Sportsman's Lodges

Oak Island Ice Conditions & Fishing Report

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3/5/2015

Get in on the late season action!
The best action has been between 8am-10am and 2pm-5pm this week. Anglers are reeling in a 50/50 walleye and sauger mix along with a few perch. The white gemini tipped with a minnow has been the hot tackle this week in 22’-26’ of water on hard bottom. Combination of a little jigging but mostly dead sticking has worked well.

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

Trail & Road Conditions
Snowmobile trails are in good shape. Ice road from Young’s Bay to Oak Island is in good shape too.

Snowmobile Rally is this weekend!
Come on out for the day, Saturday March 7 and join the Northwest Angle Edge Riders and us for this fun annual event. Events, prizes, enter for a chance to win a Polaris Ranger, food and fun! For more information click here.

Sportsman’s Oak Island Lodge last day of ice fishing will be March 21 and the last day of the lodge will be open will be March 22. Sportsman’s Lodge Rainy River location will continue to ice fish until March 31 and the lodge will remain open through ice out.

Fish Houses can be out on Lake of the Woods until March 31

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Unlike many lakes in Minnesota. On Lake of the Woods you can have fish houses out until March 31. Most lakes in Minnesota you have to remove them by Feb 28.  Not only are permanent shelters allowed to be out until March 31 but the more important thing is the ice is usually very stable until then as well. Right now we have over 3 feet of ice in the areas we travel and fish and making more daily. It is not uncommon for us to have 4 feet by mid March. 

Ice Fishing Packages Available Until Late
March at all 3 Locations at Sportsman’s Lodge
27 inch walleye Brooke Hanson 1-15-2015

More sun = active fishing!

Starting at $193 per person for 2 nights lodging and 1 day ice fishing (fish house heated and ready to go, transportation to and from the fish house, use of jig sticks, jigs, bait and fish cleaning)
*plus tax based on double occupancy, rainy river location midweek
Book your late season trip today.

Sportsman’s 18th Annual Mardi Gras Party is March 28!

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Join in the fun!
Entertainment
Drink and Food Specials
Crowning of the king and queen – he and she who have the most beads wins!
FREE Hurricanes 8pm-9pm
Beads, Beads and more beads!
Get valuable coupons if you lodge with us!
$5 Cover Charge – free for lodging guests
Good Times
Click here for more information and to reserve your lodging
http://sportsmanslodges.com/index.php?cID=310
Mardi Gras Masks

 

 

Lake of the Woods South Shore Ice Conditions & Fishing Report

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02/25/2015


Reeling in the fish!
It has been a decent week of fishing here on Lake of the Woods. Anglers are catching more walleyes than saugers in a variety of sizes. Best depth has been 25’-32’ of water right now. We have some houses located right outside Pine Island a short 15 minute ride and some farther north on the reefs about a 45 minute ride.  We scatter the houses to find the best fishing for you! That is our goal! Popular tackle has been macho minnows, gold and chartreuse jigs tipped with a minnow. Vexilar users tend to do better than those who do not use them.  Rentals are available at the front desk.  Weather forecast is calling for a cool start to our week below zero and single digits but the weekend looks warmer in the twenties above zero.

26 inch walleye released
sleeper house


Fish Houses available until March 31!
We can have our fish houses out until March 31 mother nature willing and at this point with over 38 inches of ice, it is looking pretty promising! Give us a call 800-862-8602 to make your late season hard water trip.

22 inch walleye released
Sleeper house


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

Trail Conditions
The trail conditions have really improved the past week. We received a little more snow and the groomers are out. Snowmobilers are smiling! Take a ride!

18th Annual Mardi Gras Party March 28!
Come for the fishing and stay for the party! Entertainment, drink and food specials, free hurricanes 8pm-9pm, crowning of the king and queen, beads, beads and more beads! Always a good time! Don’t forget your costume!

Oak Island Ice Conditions & Fishing Report

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02/25/2015

Cool temps, hot fishing!
A great morning and late afternoon bite has been what anglers are after this week. Chartreuse macho minnow tipped with a live minnow has been popular. Quite a few saugers, some nice walleyes, a few perch and northern pike have been the catch of the day. Most of the fish this week were in the 12”-18” range and caught in 20’-27’ of water.

Rose Erdmann
23 inch walleye
glow in the dark tear dropped jig with a butter worm
Sportsmans Oak Island Lodge

 

Ice Conditions
36-38 inches of ice in the areas we fish and travel right now. Plenty to take us through late March!

Trail Conditions
The trail conditions have really improved the past week. We received a little more snow and the groomers are out. Take a ride!

Ice Road from Young’s Bay to Oak Island
Great shape! Take a cruise out!

Live Band at Sportsman’s Lodge Baudette, MN

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Live Band Mon-Sat 9pm-1am Feb 20-March 7.

Fireline is a popular three piece band from Bemidji, MN. They play a variety of country and rock.

Stop out to Sportsman’s Lodge to listen to great music. Sportsman’s serves delicious food and cold drinks daily.  For their current specials go to www.mysportsmans.com

Fireline 2

Looking for great fishing? Check out their full service year round fishing packages. www.sportsmanslodges.com

 

 

 

Lake of the Woods South Shore Ice Conditions & Fishing Report

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02/19/2015


Fishing Action….
Anglers have been enjoying some pretty good fishing action this week.  Jigging and using a vexilar using spoons, gold and glow in the dark jigs are working well tipped with a minnow or minnow head.  The best fishing have been found deep in the 25’-34’ range. Nice healthy sized walleyes 14”-18” and 25”-30” along with a mix of saugers and perch have been reeled in. Houses are scattered outside of Pine Island right now. The guides continue to move houses to get you the best fishing action. The ride out to the houses takes anywhere from 15 to 45 minutes depending on the house location. Weather forecast is calling for temps below zero for the week ahead and a possible up to an inch of snow on Friday.

Mike Sartori
25.5 inch walleye, released
 
Another nice catch!
30.5 inch walleye

 

Hook it up
Time to check those hooks.  As move towards the tail of the season, now is a good time to check through your favorite hooks you have been using over the winter to be sure they haven’t dulled. Another good tip is to do a little hook bending to increase your hooking power. Bending the hook out to give it an offset and up to increase the hook gap. This will increase your hooking power and help you to miss fewer fish.

A look ahead….March = More Sun, Less Snow & Active Walleyes!
Don’t forget we ice fish until March 31 on Lake of the Woods and March fishing usually is one of the best times of the year!  March has a track record of being an awesome month for walleyes.  Warmer temps and more sun really seem to rev up the fishing action.  We still have openings, so give us a call to get in on some late season hard water fishingbefore it ends!

Ice Conditions
We are currently maintaining 36”-38” of ice on the lake right now in the areas we travel andfish.  The weather forecast continues to look cool for optimum ice making.

Trail Report
Lake trails are in good shape. Land trails are hit or miss. Where is all of the snow?  The snowmobile trails continue to be groomed weekly and as needed.

Mardi Gras Party is March 28!
Join us for our end of the season bash. Enjoy entertainment, food and drink specials, lodging and fishing package deals, beads, beads and more beads.  Book your stay today!

Oak Island Ice Conditions & Fishing Report

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02/19/2015

The Fishing Scoop
The guides on the island report a nice mix of walleyes and saugers and good catch rates lately.   We are currently seeing the best results along some structure in depths between 20’-26’ of water just outside of Oak Island. The best presentation has been gold, pink and orange jigs tipped with a chub minnow. Jigging and feeling for the optimum time to set the hook is the trick!

Bob Anderson from Bloomington MN
39 inch northern pike caught and released this on his 67th birthday
Way to go Bob! What a nice birthday surprise!
Biggest fish he has ever caught.


Hot Lunch delivered to you
We may be on an island, but we don’t believe in “roughing it”. Ask how you can enjoy a hot lunch prepared and brought right to your fish house midday when you join us for your nextfishing trip.

The fun hasn’t stopped, it has really just begun! March is usually one of the best times for ice fishing! Warm weather, lots of sun and walleyes! Come on up! We are open until mid-March.

Ice Condition Report
We currently have 3 feet of ice, plenty of ice for lots of winter fun.

Snow & Trail Report
We received six inches of snow this week.  Lake trails from Baudette to Oak Island & ice road from Young’s Bay to Oak Island are in good shape.  Take a cruise out!