Walleyes, Muskies, Smallmouth Bass and Northern Pike take your pick or try them all!

August 7, 2013 by Sportsman's Lodges

Now is a great time of year for walleyes, muskies, smallmouth bass or northern pike fishing near Oak Island Minnesota and the Northwest Angle of Lake of the Woods. The muskies and northern pike have really been hitting on spoons and buck tails, the bass on shad raps and the walleyes are hot on gold spinner or orange and pink 3/8 oz jigs tipped with a minnow.

The best locations for walleyes have been either south of Oak Island in 20’-25’ of water or areas around Tug Channel and Falcon Island around points and in depths between 10’ – 20’. We have recently seen mainly nice good eater size walleyes between 14”-18” caught a few slot fish 19.5”-28” but overall nice size fish for a delicious walleye shore lunch. As for muskie, northerns and smallies…areas on the south side of Oak Island, around Skeet, and the west side of Falcon Island are all good places to try.

Monster Crappie Guide Joe Cooper

Guide Joe Cooper NW Angle Area pictures courtesy of Steve Worrall

A look ahead…
Fall foliage, hunting seasons, and excellent walleye, crappie fishing will soon be upon us. Make your reservations now and fall into walleyes with our great fall rates!

Fishing has been excellent!

August 7, 2013 by Sportsman's Lodges

I have received so many pictures this past week they are overflowing onto our Facebook page for you to view. Check them out and keep sending us your pictures! We truly enjoy seeing them and having you share your experience with us. Thanks to everyone who has shared theirs with us.

A mix of bait and trolling with crank baits have been producing great results. Fish seem to be starting to change to early fall characteristics. It has been unseasonably cool the past few weeks with temperatures in the upper 60’s and lower 70’s during the day and cooling down to 50’s in the evening. Trolling with crank baits in the mud 30’-32’ outside Zippel Bay area and drifting while bait fishing over shallow sand bottom in 5-10mph winds has produced good results. Rock reef bait fishing has been tougher the past week. Lots of big walleyes have been found, especially 23”+.

Summer may be winding down, but the fishing continues!
Lake of the Woods and the Rainy River are legendary fisheries in the fall. Catch the walleye excitement right up to freeze up. (Usually early November) Enjoy great fall rates including lodging as low as $39 per person per night and lodging and Minnesota charter fishing packages through October starting at just $188 per person for 2 nights and 1 day. You won’t want to miss it! Click here for more information or here to reserve online. *Rates based on double occupancy plus tax.

Amy Kirkpatrick 28.5 inch walleye Captain Mike

Grant 32 inch Leiseth Group Captain Dave

It’s a double! Paul Carlson Captain JP Nice!

50% off Fall Camping if you book by August 15!
Book your 2 nights or better camping stay for available dates of Sept 2-Oct 16 or Oct 20-31 by Aug 15 and get 50% off our regular rate! Enjoy dining, bar, weekend entertainment, gift shop, indoor pool, hot tub, game room and more. Dock slips, boat rental, guided fishing trips, conference center and more available too.

Good Fishing

August 2, 2013 by Sportsman's Lodges

The best areas to find some good fishing have been around Johnston Passage, Skeet and Little Oak Island in a few different depths, 10’-12’, 18’-22’ and 29’-33’. Jigging with a 3/8 oz jig tipped with a minnow has been working best for walleyes.

Muskies
Several areas around Falcon Island have been phenomenal for some good muskie fishing. The guides have some awesome spots that have been producing consistently. Double cowgirls and Danny Bait lures have been working the best.

No passport needed…
Take advantage of our boat passenger service from our Sportsman’s Rainy River location and head to the island. You will stay in Minnesota the whole time and enjoy great views to boot. Click here for more information.

Fall is just around the corner
Get into the Fall action!

Summer Loving – Sparkling waters, blue skies, good fishing and great memories. Does it get any better than this?

August 2, 2013 by Sportsman's Lodges

Check out some of the recent pictures of the fun we have been having!
We always love to see your pictures. If you have recently fished on Lake of the Woods, please send your pictures to [email protected] and you might see your picture in the next fishing report!

Tim Stewart 31 inch walleye, released

6 yr old Wyatt reels in a nice walleye

Monster Sturgeon!
When you’re fishing for walleyes on Lake of the Woods, sometimes you just never know what you might reel up! Check out this monster sturgeon that 16 year old Steven Lasser from Roseville caught on a gold spinner and a night crawler while targeting walleyes aboard a Minnesota charter fishing boat when staying at Sportsman’s. After over an hour’s struggle he got it in the boat for a picture before releasing it. It was a heck of fight. The sturgeon measured 60 inches long. They were not able to weigh it before releasing it, but according to DNR sizing charts, they figured it weighed in at approximately 67 lbs. What a trip to remember!

You never know what you might reel up when you’re fishing for walleyes! 16 year old catches 67 lb 60 inch sturgeon!!

The Scoop
Best walleye bite has been found trolling with crank baits this week in 30’-32’ of water in areas around Garden and Knight Islands. Nice 14”-22” and 27”-30” walleyes have been found. Some anglers are also having some luck drifting using hammered gold spinners and crawlers on reefs in 18’-25’ of water.

100% Walleye Limit Guarantee!
We are guaranteeing you will leave or eat your limit of walleyes if you fish on one of our guide boats for two days or better or we will pay you $10 per fish short! Don’t miss out, click here to book your trip today.

Affordable Family Fun!
Get in on our 20/20 Special and take advantage of up to $40 in savings per person on select dates when your stay includes a 2 night/2 day fishing package or better Aug 18-31.

Walleye & Musky Fishing Continue to be Very Good

July 26, 2013 by Sportsman's Lodges

July 26, 2013

Walleyes are biting good on hammered gold and red spinners tipped with a chub just off the reefs near Little Oak, Four Blocks and the west side of Falcon Island in 18’-25’ of water. The muskies continue to be very aggressive in the bays using cow girls and danny baits.

Fall Fishing
It won’t be long and we will be smack dab in the middle of fall. Do you have your reservations in yet?

41.5 inch Muskie Lynne Kinney North Liberty and guide Joe Cooper

Late Summer Lunkers

July 26, 2013 by Sportsman's Lodges

July 26, 2013

Late July and August on the south shore of Lake of the Woods is known for its lunker walleyes and that is just what has been going on! The fishing has been good. Several slot fish and larger as well some nice 14”-18” walleyes for shore lunch or to take home too. Trolling with crank baits using controlled depth methods just off the rock reefs in 28′-32′ and in the mud in 30′-34′ have been working very well. Red and white crank baits have been hot the past few days. Areas around Knight & Bridges have been good spots. Drifting and bait fishing with crawlers or leeches in 29’-31’has brought in some nice ones too. If you like the thrill of reeling in a 20+ inch walleye now is the time! We have some openings left in August. Give us a call to book your last minute summer trip!

Dianne Streiff 28 inches red shad rap released Captain Dave

100% Walleye Guarantee
Our guarantee to you continues to the end of our season, Oct 31, 2013! Book a 2 day fishing trip on one of our charter boats and we guarantee you will leave with or eat your limit of walleyes or we will pay you $10 per fish short!

Kelly Haberling Miller, SD 28 inch walleye Guided by Captain Dave

50% off Camping this Fall
Take advantage of our 50% off camping site offer when you book a two night or better stay for dates of Sept 2-Oct 16 or Oct 20-31 by Aug 15. Don’t delay this offer only lasts until Aug 15!

80’s Party & Labor Day Special
This Labor Day Weekend we will be holding our 2nd Annual 80’s party! Throw your Zubaz in your tackle box, feather your hair and get ready for a whole lot of fun! Specials, Entertainment, Games, Costume Contest and much more planned. Check out our website for more information by clicking here. We will also be offering a stay 3 nights, get the 4th night free special that weekend as well. Give us a call today 800-862-8602 to book your lodging reservations.

Walleye Fishing Remains Steady on the North End

July 19, 2013 by Sportsman's Lodges

Walleye fishing remains steady on the rocks along the north end of the Big Traverse. Nice walleyes have been located in 8’ to 11’ of water on top of shallow rock piles and rocky windblown shoreline areas. Deeper rock structure also has its share of nice walleyes, most of the active fish have been located on the top of rock.

Pulling spinners over the top of the shallow rock with crawlers and leeches has been very productive. A wide variety of colors have been working, gold and orange are good starters. A jig and minnow is a good alternative in 1/4 to 3/8 ounce, vertically jigged over top of the rock structure. Gold, orange, and chartreuse are always good.

Great Multi-Species Action in the Islands!

July 19, 2013 by Sportsman's Lodges

Walleye fishing has remained steady in the Angle, good numbers of quality fish are being caught on rock piles that top out in the 22’ to 26’ range. Smallmouth and musky fishing has remained good as well, shallow rock and weed-covered bays have been holding good numbers of both. Perch are slowly showing up on some of the deeper rock structure, they have been hard to come by in good numbers early this summer but are now being caught with some consistency.

Jig a minnow, leech, or bit of a crawler for walleyes and perch. Try a 3/8 0z for the deeper rock piles and as small as 1/8 0z for the shallower structure and perch. Color usually varies but gold, chartreuse, and orange are good starters. Give a bobby bait style lure a shot for musky fishing, a suick for starters. Plastic worms and spinner baits pitched along shallow rip rap and rock covered shoreline areas for smallmouth.

Lake of the Woods Oak Island & Northwest Angle Fishing & Outdoor Report 7/8/13

July 8, 2013 by Sportsman's Lodges

Summer rolls on!

Deep rock piles topping out in the 22’ to 24’ range have been holding good numbers of walleyes. Musky and northern fishing has been good as well, the later spring seems to have had an effect on earlier activity but the warmer temperatures and stable weather has made for good fishing. The weed beds are filling rapidly and are holding good numbers of eating size pike and a few big musky, the top end northern seem to be holding over deeper rock structure.

Jig and a minnow or spinner harnesses and crawlers have been good if you’re looking for walleye. Reed runners or spinner baits in the thick weed cover for the toothy critters and deep diving crank baits either cast or trolled over deeper rock structure.

Lake of the Woods South Shore Fishing & Outdoor Report 7/8/13

July 8, 2013 by Sportsman's Lodges

Summer rolls on!

Nice weather patterns have stuck around the area producing nice warm summer days and hot fishing! The fishing has remained steady and so have the patterns, deep rock structure still seems to hold a majority of the fish and fishing pressure. On overcast or windy days these fish are moving shallow to feed, shallow shorelines or rock piles adjacent to the deep structure. Crayfish and minnows of various sorts abound in the shallow rock and sand and the walleyes look for low light conditions to put the sneak on. We can’t forget about the mud though, nice walleyes still cruise the main basin.

Spinners and crawlers have been really good this past week, hammered gold and pink blades are hot right now but keep changing colors because the fish do. Drifting shallow windswept gravel and sand flats or shallow rock piles are a good option. 3/8 ounce rattle jig in the “wonder bread” color is hot right now, minnow and leeches are good options to start with but you can also use pieces of crawler or gulp as well.

Luke Rankin 29 inch walleye