Lake of the Woods South Shore Fishing Report 5-1-2013

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5/1/2013

It’s PRIME TIME STURGEON TIME!
The sturgeon fishing has been incredible! Several nice sturgeon were boated the past few days especially monster size 50 inch plus! What a blast!  Sturgeon “keep one” season lasts until May 7. You can keep one within 45”-50” inclusive or over 75”. Licenses and sturgeon tags are available at the lodge. May 8-15 get in on one more week of catch and release before the season closes May 16.

Anchoring and working deep holes of the river bottom has worked best.  The best tackle to use is a 5/0 or 6/0 octopus or circle hook, a couple of ounces of weight and 2-4 crawlers.

Our 7th Annual Sturgeon tournament is this weekend!
The tournament is always a good time! Over $4500 in cash and prizes to be given away! Come on out and watch the boats from our docks, hear good fish stories and listen to the live entertainment. At this time, this year’s tournament is full but we are taking names for a waiting list in the event we receive last minute cancellations and we are now taking reservations for next year’s tournament, May 2 & 3 2014.

Don’t just take it from me, read what other recent guests are saying….
65 31.5 girth 115 lbs!! Great cabins great food and great people!!! You rock!!! Especially Jennifer !!! Thank you!!!!
65″ 31.5 girth 115 lbs!!  Great cabins great food and great people!!!  You rock!!!  Especially Jennifer!!! Thank you!!!! We will be back for sure, best fishing weekend of all time!
Don Gregerson

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We had the best success employing a run and gun approach giving each spot a ½ hour before moving. The heads of deep holes seemed to be holding the most fish but keep eyes on the electronics as fish are easily spotted. Our rigs consisted of large Water Gremlin Dipsey Swivel sinkers with 12” leaders tied to 5/0 circle hooks. 4- 6 night crawlers sprayed with Berkley Gulp Minnow spray was our bait of choice. Freshen scent often. When fish hit simply point the rod at them, lift tip, and reel in. Please handle these prehistoric giants with care!
Water Gremlin Pro Staffer Garett Svir

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Thanks for your support of Wounded Warrior Guide Service! Our stay was great! You guys are AWESOME! Here is Brandon and Darius with one of the fish from our two day trip! These guys had a great time!
Jake Flaa

Bill & Jyothi

As usual, we had a great stay at Sportman’s plus few nice fish! Can anyone think of a lake that gives you a better chance to catch an so many different kinds of trophies?
Bill & Jyothi

Steven Wintemute
Had a great time fishing at Sportsmans Lodge sturgeon fishing at its finest! Great food, great accommodations, great people and of course GREAT fishing
Steven Wintemute
Hooked Magazine

Limits & Seasons
Sturgeon “keep one” season is open through May 7 within size limits of 45”-50” or over 75”. One sturgeon per angler per year.  May 8-15 is catch and release season. May 16-June 30 is closed. July 1-Sept 30 is keep one sturgeon.
Pike season never closes. You can keep 3 only 1 over 40”.  All pike between 30”-40” must be released.
Walleye season opens May 11. Limit of walleye is 4. Walleye/Sauger limit is 6, no more than 4 can be walleye. Only 1 walleye over 28” and all walleye between 19.5”-28” must be released.

Catch the spring action! Lodging as low as $39 midweek and $43 weekend per person plus tax. We have it all! Docking, Restaurant, Bar, Entertainment, Indoor Pool, Guided Trips and more!

Pike
The pike bite is heating up. Anglers have been finding some nice ones in Four Mile Bay the past few days.

Let us Guide you to the action!
Guided sturgeon and pike trips are now available. Walleye trips available starting May 11.  Let our professional guides guide you to the action. No equipment or experience required. Click here for more information.

Open Water & Fishing Report from Sportsman’s Lodge 4-22-2013

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4/22/2013
We have open water in front of our docks! A channel of open water opened up in front of the lodge yesterday!  We expect it to be wide open by the end of today or tomorrow and Four Mile Bay to be open by the weekend. Bring on the sturgeon and pike fishing! It is prime time!
view from oru docks 4-22-2013

Sturgeon Bite Check out some of the recent action!

Steven Wintemute
Steven Wintemute from Hooked Magazine reels
in a monster sturgeon!

Ryan Knutson
Ryan Knutson from Hooked Magazine
reels in a nice sturgeon.

Nikki Breuer 57 inch
What a fish! Nikki Breuer reeled in a 57 inch beauty!

The sturgeon bite is heating up! Anglers reported reeling in good numbers of sturgeon this past weekend and they expect it to be a real good bite through the season.  Several 30-40 inch sturgeons as well as some monster 50”plus were found.  Areas near Baudette Bay, Baudette Airport and near Wabanica Bay were good. Once the river opens up completely in front of the lodge and Four Mile Bay we expect those areas to be hot as well.  These dinosaurs are usually found in the deepest hole you can find.  Use 2-3 oz sinkers, 5/0 or 6/0 circle or octopus hook and a gob of crawlers.  Anchor above the hold and work it. Test the bottom, mid and upper rim of the hole. It may be quiet at first, but once you hook into one, get ready for a fight!
The water clarity continues to be good, water level low and current slow.  Sturgeon season is catch and release through tomorrow, April 23. April 24-May 7 you can keep one with a sturgeon tag, within 45”-50” or over 75”. These fish are excellent smoked.  Sturgeon tags are available for purchase at the lodge.  May 8 you have another chance for catch and release before the spring season closes May 16. Sturgeon season then remains closed until July 1.

Our 7th Annual Sturgeon Tournament is May 3 & 4. Stay tuned for coverage next week on our Facebook page. To get into next year’s tournament call 800-862-8602 to reserve your space today.

Pike Bite
A few pike have been found in the river. Most of the larger pike are still staging just outside the tributaries. We expect to see them start moving into the bays, river and creek as soon as we see a few days of temperatures in the 40’s and 50’s. Possibly by the weekend!  We suggest anchoring  at the mouth of the river, creek or stream and use dead suckers or frozen ciscos.  Lake of the Woods currently has a very healthy population of trophy size pike right now, so your odds are good!  The limit is 3, only 1 over 40” and all pike between 30”-40” must be released.

Get on the bite!
Guided Outfitter trips available!  Head out with one of our knowledgeable guides watching the fish patterns daily. Boat holds up to 4 passengers plus the guide. All day trips only $400 for the day. Poles, bait and tackle included. Call 800-862-8602 to schedule yours today.

Boat Ramps
The nearest boat ramp to us as of this morning is Timbermill Park Ramp just 1 mile east of Baudette off Hwy 11. We expect Wheeler’s Point Ramp to be open by the weekend. For a map of all river ramps, click  here.

Walleye Opener is just around the corner!
 Less than 19 days and walleye fishing will be here again!  Get your reservations in! We expect with the late spring spawn the bite will be good!

Lodging, Restaurant, Bar, Specials, Camping, Indoor Pool ~ We have it all! Sportsman’s is your spring fishing headquarters.

Latest fishing report and river opening information 4/18/2013

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4/18/2013

Still cool but the Rainy River continues to open! The weather continues to be cool, but forecast says we getting closer to start a warming trend. Forecast says we could see 40’s by this weekend and 50 by next week. Not exactly 70, but we will take it!  The Rainy River is wide open within 7 miles from us as of this morning and pockets of open water within 5 miles. We are expecting to see open water in front of our docks by late this weekend.  At this time 4 boat ramps to are open.  Franz Jevne, Nelson Park, Frontier, and Vidas.  Timbermill still has some shore ice left as of this morning.   Click here for a map of ramp locations.

Walleye The walleye season has now closed .  Walleye will re-open May 11. Now is the time to make plans for walleye opener! Ask us about our lodging & fishing package spring specials 800-862-8602!

Sturgeon The dinosaurs are moving around! The excitement is building! The lake sturgeon is Minnesota’s biggest fish. It can weigh more than an adult human. The Lake sturgeon can generally range from 10 to 50 pounds and 20 to 70 inches long. But sturgeon may grow to more than 300 pounds and 8 feet long.   Lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens) are descendants of a prehistoric fish, and look much the same as fossils from the Upper Cretaceous Period 100 million years ago, when dinosaurs roamed the earth. They can live for 150 years or more.  We usually see several in the 30-70 inch range caught every year many just a hop, skip and a jump from the lodge.  Currently, the best sturgeon bite has been found near Clementson Rapids in the river.  They are being found deepest area, anchor just above the hole.  Dead sticking with a circle hook or octopus style hook size 5/0 or 6/0 works best with 2-3 ounces of weight and 2-3 crawlers for bait.  The current is slow, water level is low and water clarity is good.  Come on out and try your luck! Catch and release season is now through April 23. Keep one (within size limits) April 24-May 7 and then back to catch and release again May 8-15. Sturgeon season is closed May 16-June 30. Spring is hands down one of the best times of year to hook into one of these incredible fish.

Pike The large female pike have been found on the lake right now staging just outside the tributaries. Smaller males have been found in the river at this time.  As soon as the creeks open up and we get a warm stretch we expect to see more females move to the river and shallow creeks. We could possibly start to see that transition next week if the forecast holds true.  Dead or live suckers have been working well.
Click here for Spring Rates & Packages.

Fishing, Ice & Snow Report 12/18/2012 Lake of the Woods, MN

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12/18/2012

The Latest…….
The season is in full swing!  The bite started off last week real active and hot. The last few days have been a little slower but anglers are still getting some nice fish. The guides report a mix of walleyes and saugers being caught   Nice sized walleyes 15”-19” along with a few slot fish (19.5”-28”). They report the saugers are active, several nice quality size along with a fair amount of smaller ones that keep you busy.  The best time of day has varied.  Some of our houses are doing best in the morning and evening and some are finding the most action in the afternoon.  We are finding the best action in 19′-25′.  Pink and gold jigs or just a plain hook with split shots tipped with a chub has worked well.  Jigging is the best technique.

Check out some of the fish pictures from the past few days.  We have some openings this weekend if you are looking to make a quick trip before the holiday!  Give us a call 800-862-8602 or submit your reservation online here.

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Nice 29 inch walleye caught and
released by Keith Kackman
12-15-2012 Caught on a
blue/sliver jigging spoon
with minnow head.		 Ice Fishing is here! Jeremy Manguson with his nice walleye!
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 Danny reels in a nice 25 inch walleye!  42 inch sturgeon!  Scott Erickson with a few from his day.
Scott reported he had aggressive
all day action.

Ice Conditions
We currently have ten to fourteen inches of ice in the areas we travel and fish at this time on Four Mile Bay and just outside Pine Island. It takes about a half hour to get out to the fish houses from the lodge at this time.  The temperature has been holding around the twenties during the day and single digits and teens at night, adding more ice daily.  It sounds like we are going to dip below zero later this week for a four day stretch which should really help add some inches.  If you are looking to venture out on your own, as far as we know the Adrian’s road access at Four Mile Bay and Morris Point access at Morris Point are still only allowing ATV’s and snowmobiles at this time. Please check with local guides and resorts before venturing out as the entire lake does not freeze equally.

Snow Conditions
We are getting a light snow right now as a type this but it doesn’t sound like we are supposed to get too much today or within the next week.  Current snowfall is around 5-7 inches in the area. The only lake trails open at this time are the ones maintained by local resorts. The land and lake trails maintained by the snowmobile club are not.  The club reports the land trails are in need of some more snow. They like to see 12 inches before they start grooming.  The lake trail from Baudette to OakIslandwill hopefully be staked this weekend and the trail from Wheeler’s Point to Warroad on Thursday if all goes well and the ice is found to be safe in those areas.  For more information click here. 

Please note: The Lodge will be closed Christmas Eve & Christmas Day. Happy Holidays Everyone!

New Year’s Party
Live Musical Entertainment by Melody Best Band, exclusive one night only dinner menu with several selections to choose from including prime rib, king crab, steaks, walleye and more (and sandwiches and appetizers in the bar too). Party Favors, Champagne Toast, Dancing and a whole lot of fun is being planned!  At this time our lodging is full on New Year’s Eve but we still have openings for ice fishing and lodging on New Year’s Day and dinner reservations in the Riverside Dining Room on New Year’s Eve.  Call 800-862-8602 for reservations or join us in the Sandbar anytime, no reservations required. Ring in 2013 with us!

Ice Conditions Update 11-26-2012

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11/26/2012

Good Morning Ice Fishing Fans!
We have the first signs of ice on the lake! Last night we dipped down to -4 with a wind chill of -15.  The week ahead is calling for lows in the single digits and highs in the teens and twenties. We are making ice!  At this point based on what we know we could be out fishing with 12 inches of safe ice by as early as Dec 8. Stay tuned for our next update at the end of the week!  If you are planning on venturing out on your own, we are in no way advising anyone to go out yet. This is our first signs of some decent ice, which is probably merely an inch or less.  This time of year the conditions can change quickly. No sense it rushing it, it will be here before we know it! Stay safe and start polishing off your fishing rods ice time is soon here!

Fire
In the early morning hours of Thanksgiving Day some of our vehicles and trailer we use for early ice were lost in a fire. The cause is yet to be determined at this point.  This of course was very disheartening to us but we were thankful no one was hurt. We want all of our guests to know that this WILL NOT delay our ice fishing season. Our phenomenal staff, friends and neighbors have pulled together and we plan to start the year as planned as soon as we have safe ice.

Check out some of the pictures of the start of the ice formations taken this morning. We hope to get a satellite picture this afternoon of the lake. So be sure to log on to our Facebook page or website later today.

Front of Lodge Four Mile Bay (place where we
access the lake early in the year)
Four Mile Bay (place where we
access the lake early in the year)		 Graceton Beach
A south shore view of Lake of the Woods

11/26/2012

Good Morning from Oak Island!
We dipped down to zero last night and the bay in front of the lodge closed up and we have a layer of ice as far as we can see. The weather forecast looks cool in the week ahead. We are looking forward to some good ice making weather! We usually start about a week later than the Sportsman’s Lodge location, so around the 15th is in our sights at this point. Stay tuned for more updates to come!

November 19, 2012

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Greetings from Sportsman’s Lodges! 

We are busy getting things ready for the ice fishing season.  The main lodge near Baudette is getting a mini face lift. New carpet in all of the hallways, a few cabins and 11 lodge rooms. Our suites are getting re-done. 30 Flat Panel TV’s are being installed in all of the lodge rooms. Some lodge rooms are getting new doors. Fish houses and track vehicles are getting tuned up.  We look forward to sharing our new updates with you soon!

Ice? 
The small bays are holding a thin sheet of ice. We are looking for some cold temperatures. Sounds like it should start cooling off in a few days.  We typically start our season by Dec 10 with 12 inches of ice in the areas we travel and fish. 

Winter reservations are coming in quick this year. So if you haven’t made your plans yet, give us a call soon to get the best availability 800-862-8602.

Stay tuned here, on our Facebook page, Twitter and Fishing Report page for all of the latest from Sportsman’s Lodges!

Ran across this picture today. Thought it was a good reminder to all of us with all of the hustle and bustle of the holidays starting. Don’t forget to make some time for yourself!

Until next time…Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!
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