Category Archives: Weekly South Shore Fishing Report

Walleye & Sturgeon bite are picking up! 4-6-2015

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The walleye bite is picking up and the ice is on the way out! Walleye season is open until April 14 and re-opens May 9 here on Lake of the Woods and the Rainy River. Good reports coming in from the weekend of many slot fish being caught with keepers mixed in. This weekend, 1/4 ounce jigs tipped with frozen shiners or rainbows produced well. Bryan “Beef” Sathre and Evan Smith two of our guides here ventured Saturday and found some nice eyes in the 22″-25″ class. The ice is out up to Wheeler’s Point and a channel is open in Four Mile Bay. The Wheeler’s Point public access just a mile away from us at this point only has 6 feet of shore ice in front and will be gone soon. Timbermill Park in Baudette, Vidas Landing, Frontier and Birchdale landings all east of Baudette are open as well.
Evan Smith spring walleye released Wheelers Point 4-4-2015

 Bryan Beef Sathre nice walleye releasedSturgeon are being caught by both those targeting them and the accidental one caught while walleye fishing. The best approach for sturgeon is sturgeon rigs, 18″ heavy leader material paired with a 5/0 circle hook. Teamed up with a 4 oz no roll sinker, a nightcrawler and a frozen shiner and you are in business. Find a deep hole in the river and anchor up. Sturgeon catch and release is open until April 23, keep one season is open April 23-May 7 within size limits, we go back to catch and release May 8-15 and the season closes for a short time May 16-June 30.

Nielsen GroupNielsen Group pic 3Nielsen Sturgeon 5

 

 

 

More bays will be opening up this week. We expect the spring northern pike bite to be strong! Time to get the boat out, lots of soft water fishing opportunities have begun!

Spring Lodging Specials Lodging starting at only $40 per person per night plus tax based on double occupancy April 1-May 20! Guided Outfitter trips and boat slips are available too. Weekends are filling up, get your reservations in now 800-862-8602 or click here.

Summer is just around the corner Excellent fishing, lodging, camping, indoor pool, entertainment, new villas, and outdoor activities. Just a few things Sportsman’s offers for your next summer vacation. Click here and make plans today.

The fish are biting! 64 inch sturgeon and nice walleyes!

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Check out some of the fish caught yesterday!

Spring soft water fishing is heating up!

'64 inch Sturgeon caught and released Kotrba Group 4-1-2015 Guided by Dave Winters'

64 inch Sturgeon, released. Kotrba Group guided by Dave Winters 4-1-2015

'Dave Winters slot walleye. Caught and released 4-1-2015.'

Nice Slot Walleye Dave Winters 4-1-2015

'Kotrba Group nice slot walleye caught and released 4-1-2015'

Another nice slot walleye Kotrba Group guided by Dave Winters 4-1-2015

Lodging starting at only $40 per person per night plus tax. Guided trips available! Click here

 

Rainy River Open Water & Fishing Report March 30, 2015

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3/30/2015 

Sportsman’s Lodge Open Water & Fishing Report

Rainy River Report
Birchdale and Frontier landings are open. Boats are being pushed off Vidas landing (8 miles east of Baudette), still 10 feet shore ice. Ice should be gone in a day or two. Open water is reported west of Clementson now and we expect it to be to Baudette by the end of the week.  The weather forecast looks much warmer this week. We should make some good progress opening the river up! Nice sturgeon and walleyes are being caught. Bite is picking up by the day and the warmer weather should help too!  Best approach for walleyes right now is a 3/8-1/2 oz. gold or chartreuse jig tipped with a minnow. Sturgeon, #5 hook, 1-2 oz. weight and a gob of night crawlers has been working best in deep crevices of the river bottom. For pike, casting buck tails and assorted flashy spoons work well in weed beds and open bays.

For a map of the boat landings on the Rainy River, click here.

Season Open Dates: Walleye until April 14, re-opening May 9 Sturgeon now through April 23, catch & release. April 24-May 7 keep one within size limits. May 8-15 catch and release. May 16-June 30 closed. Northern Pike never closes.

River Fishing March 29 2015

Hot Deal! Spring Lodging Rates as low as $40* per person per night!
*plus tax and based on double occupancy. Click here.

Happy Easter!
The lodge will be closed Easter Sunday but lodging will remain open that day. Give us a call to book your stay 800-862-8602 or reserve online here. Guided Trips & Boat Rentals available! Check out our options and reserve yours today.

Two Boat Ramps are open!

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3/26/2015

Two boat ramps are open to access the Rainy River! Both landings are located just off Hwy 11 east of Baudette. Frontier Landing is 17 miles and Birchdale is 26 from Baudette. The next landing to open is Vidas, located 6 miles east of Baudette. Open water is within 7 miles of Vidas right now.  Spring is here! Click here to view and download a map of the ramps.

Forecast 3-26-2015

Lodging now available for as low as $40 per person per night! *plus tax based on double occupancy. Guided Outfitter Trips also available! Click here for more information. Click here to Book now or call 800-862-8602.

Lake of the Woods South Shore Ice Conditions & Rainy River Open Water Report

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3/23/2015

Ice & Open Water Update Today is our last day of ice fishing for the season. Thanks to everyone who visited us this winter. It was another great season!  On Lake of the Woods there is still 25-35 inches of ice in many places. If you wish to venture out on your own there is still some time but we suggest checking with local resorts and bait shops before going out as conditions can change daily.  Four Wheelers and ATV’s only are suggested. Direct lake access such as Morris Point and Graceton Beach are best to use, the bays are starting to show deterioration

The Loos Boys end the season with a bang! Over 77 fish caught!
   

The river is open!
Birchdale Landing 3-23-2015

Time to switch to open water!  The Birchdale boat ramp is open (26 miles east of Baudette) and the river is open with in one mile of Frontier ramp (17 miles east of Baudette) this morning. We anticipate the Frontier ramp to be open within a few days. For a map of all of the ramps in the area, click here. Fishing is starting to take off. Many walleyes in the 19”25 inch range. Water temperature is currently 35 degrees, the run-off is minimal and water levels continue to drop.

Who’s Ready?

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Walleyes! Sturgeon! Pike! Walleye season is open until April 14, Sturgeon season catch and release through April 23. Keep one within size limits April 24-May 7, catch and release May 8-15. Closed May 16-June 30.  The limits for walleye are different on Four Mile Bay and the Rainy River through April. Be sure to check that and pick up a sturgeon tag anywhere that sells fishing licenses.

Spring lodging rates start Tuesday, March 24! Lodging as low as $40* per person per night. *plus tax and based on double occupancy Guided Outfitter trips are available too! Guided Outfitter trips are the best way to go when you want to get into some great action!  Click here

Lake of the Woods Ice Conditions & Fishing Report

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03/18/2015

Lake ice is still safe. We plan to fish at least another week.
We will be using the Graceton Beach access directly on the lake this week. No more travel is advised on the river and by the weekend we will be traveling out of Graceton Beach instead of Four Mile Bay. Safety first! The Adrian’s road access is closed today and yesterday to heal. The plan is to open back up on Thursday. Contact Adrian’s Resort for the latest information.  Forecast looks much cooler this week. Highs in the thirties and lows in the lower twenties. Nice freezing weather at night. Our last day of ice fishing will beTuesday, March 24. We have house rentals open every day except Saturday right now. Lodging available any day.

Ed Plucker
Nice Walleye!

 

Fishing Report
Fishing has been hit or miss. Mix of walleyes, saugers and a few perch and northern pike. Jigging using pink, gold or plain hooks tipped with a minnow has worked the best in array of depths, 17’-22’ and 26’-32’. Tip – Try one rod hugged close to bottom and the other a few inches off bottom and see what works best for you.

Nathan Schlangen
Nice walleye and perch!
18 inch walleye caught on a rattlin flyer spoon
13.5 inch perch caught on a buck shot spoon

 

Venturing out on your own?
Check with local guides and bait shops before going out. Ice conditions can change daily this time of year.

Ready for open water fishing?
35 miles away from us, water is now flowing at Birchdale. It won’t be long and the landing will be open! Walleye season is open until April 14 here, pike season never closes and sturgeon season is catch and release through April 23, keep 1 within size limits April 24-May 7 and catch and release again May 8-15.  Guided trips and lodging as low as $40* per person per night available! *plus tax based on double occupancy Click here!