Tag Archives: Fishing Report

Days are getting longer! Bring on March fishing!

February 28, 2018 by Sportsman's Lodges

Check out the pictures of the week!

March sunshine usually means more fishing action and with 40-50 inches of ice, we should have a solid month left of ice fishing! Anglers are finding walleyes and saugers in 18′-32′ using Glo Shots, green and yellow Buckshots, bubble gum spoons, gold and orange jigs and pink hooks tipped with a chub minnow. Some anglers having success with a minnow head, some with a full minnow and some prefer 2! Have some fun, try some new tactics. Despite the stained waters of Lake of the Woods, many guests have had good luck using underwater cameras this year. If you have one, bring it along! Vexilars/Fish Finders are popular amongst Lake of the Wood’s anglers too and we do usually see a higher catch rate with those anglers who use them. Vexilar rentals are available at the lodge but be sure to call ahead, they go fast.

Mix of dead sticking and vertical jigging is the best approach. When jigging, usually reeling up a 3-4 inches and jigging is a good approach. If that isn’t working for you, try hug bottom and jig. You never know what might get you hooked on dinner!

Walleye season is open until April 14 on Lake of the Woods and we have ice fishing trips available until March 31. Come see us! Lodging and fishing packages starting at only $215 per person.

*Plus tax and based on double occupancy.

Ice Conditions
We have 40-50 inches of ice in the areas we fish and travel at this time. Yes! You read that right, 4+ feet. You should see the augers the guides have been using! We run a groomed trail. There are a number of plowed roads in the area, if you decide to venture out on your own, as always be sure to stay on marked trails and roads and check with local resorts before going out. Remember, the entire lake never freezes equally.

Trail Report
Trails are groomed and staked. For more information check out these links:
Northwest Angle Lake of the Woods
South Shore Lake of the Woods
Lake of the Woods Trail Information

21st Annual Mardi Gras Party is March 24
Visit us for great fishing and a whole lot of fun! Entertainment, beads, free hurricanes, food and drink specials, lip sync and costume contest win $100 CASH and much more. Click here to check out all of the fun we have planned and book your stay and play package today!

Sportsman’s Oak Island Lodge – 2/28/2018

February 28, 2018 by Sportsman's Lodges

Check out the pictures of the week!

Afternoons have been the most favorable lately for catching walleyes and saugers. The best bite has been in 26′-31′ right now using Buckshots, Glo Shot spoons, yellow and gold jigs tipped with a chub minnow. Mix of vertical jigging and dead sticking has been the best approach. Got an underwater camera? Bring it along and have some fun.

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

Trail Report
Grooming continues! For more information about the trails click on these links:
Northwest Angle Lake of the Woods
South Shore Lake of the Woods
Lake of the Woods Trail Information

Ice Road from Young’s Bay to Oak Island
The road is in good shape. Follow the signs and take a ride. It is about 10 miles out.

Spring is just around the corner.
It is never too early to start planning your spring trip! Come visit the islands this spring and get into some hot soft water action. Spring lodging specials available May 11-25! Contact us today.

Ice Fishing is Going Strong!

February 22, 2018 by Sportsman's Lodges

Check out the pictures of the week!

The Bite
Mix of vertical jigging and dead sticking in 17’-31’ using Buckshots, Glo Shots, green, gold and yellow jigs and orange and green glow spoons tipped with a chub minnow have been bringing in some fish. Few nice fish suspended 3’-12’ off bottom too. Mix of walleyes, saugers, northern pike, tullibee and jumbo perch coming up through the holes. We have had lots of weather fluctuations again this week. It looks like the forecast for the week ahead is going to stabilize. That should help the bite! We consistently see Vexilars or Fish Finders of your choice help catch rate. Rentals are available if you would like to try one, be sure to call ahead to reserve.

Walleye season is open until April 14 on Lake of the Woods. We plan to have our day houses out until March 31. You still have time!

Ice Conditions
We have 40+ inches of ice in the areas we fish and travel at this time. If you decide to venture out on your own, as always be sure to stay on marked trails and roads and check with local resorts before going out. The entire lake never freezes equally. Stay safe and have fun!

Trail Report
Trails are groomed and staked. For more information check out these links.
South Shore Lake of the Woods
Northwest Angle Lake of the Woods
Lake of the Woods Trail Information

21^st Annual Mardi Gras Party is March 24
Visit us for great fishing and a whole lot of fun! Entertainment, beads, free hurricanes, food and drink specials, lip sync and costume contest win $100 CASH and much more. Click here to check out all of the fun we have planned and book your stay and play package today!

Starting to Pick Up

February 7, 2018 by Sportsman's Lodges

The bite has started to pick up in the islands this week. Guests have been getting some nice fish with the good old jig stick, pink, glow or gold jig tipped with a minnow head or full minnow in 26’-29’. Vexilars are certainly helping too. Change it up! The best technique can vary day by day. Try some light vertical jigging, hard jigging and dead sticking and make sure your hooks are sharp! That favorite jig may have brought you previous luck, but it may also have dulled, so always a good thing to double check. The days are getting longer, come enjoy some winter fun with us!

Ice Conditions
We have 29”-34” of ice in the areas we fish and travel. Looking good to bring us right through late March! Come see us!

Trail Report
For more information about the trails click on these links:
Northwest Angle Lake of the Woods
South Shore Lake of the Woods
Lake of the Woods Trail Information

“We had another excellent trip up at Oak Island”

February 2, 2018 by Sportsman's Lodges

We had another excellent trip up at Oak Island on Jan. 25-28, 2018. Wack and all the guys took great care of us, getting on the fish and cleaning them for us. We sure appreciate their hard work. The meals at the Lodge were fabulous as always.

Each of us caught some nice note-worthy fish.

Group: Kusilek
Name: Mike DeMarce
Fish: 22.5” Walleye
Date: 1/27/2018

Group: Kusilek
Name: Mark Stenseth
Fish: 20” Walleye
Date: 1/27/2018

Group: Kusilek
Name: Chad Young
Fish: 18.5” Walleye
Date: 1/27/2018

Group: Kusilek
Name: John Balk
Fish: 13.5” Perch
Date: 1/26/2018

Group: Kusilek
Name: Jim Kusilek
Fish: 13” Perch
Date: 1/26/2018

We hope to make it back up again next year, and look forward to seeing you all then.

Thanks.
Kusilek Group

Going Deep

January 24, 2018 by Sportsman's Lodges

Fish are on the move. Guides are busy moving and grooving to 25’-29’ of water. Gold and pink jigs and buck-shot rattling spoons tipped with a minnow have been good tackle along with a plain hook this week. A combo of dead sticking and jigging is the best approach. Electronics definitely help! Bring your own or call ahead to reserve. Mix of walleyes, saugers and an occasional pike or perch have been coming up the holes this week.

Ice Conditions
24-30 inches of ice in the areas we fish and travel. Walleyes season is open until April 14 on Lake of the Woods. Looking good for ice fishing right through late March. March trips are available!

Trails
Grooming away! Groomers caution riders to stay on the trails especially this year with how rough the lake froze; there are a lot of ice chunks sticking up off the trail. Click below for the latest conditions and more information about the Lake of the Woods area trails.
South Shore Lake of the Woods
Northwest Angle Lake of the Woods
Lake of the Woods Trail Information

Ice Road
The ice road from Young’s Bay to the lodge is in good shape! Come on out!

Winter, Spring, Summer or Fall we have a fishing adventure for you!
Check out our packages for every season and make plans to escape to Oak Island this year.

Fishing for walleyes and BAM! A Monster Sturgeon!

January 24, 2018 by Sportsman's Lodges

Targeting walleyes and saugers is always our #1 priority in the winter, but Lake of the Woods is an incredible fishery and you just never know what might be looking for something to munch on. Lake of the Woods is home to not only walleyes and saugers but also northern pike, lake sturgeon, tullibee, perch, eelpout, muskie, bass, lake trout and crappies. Check out some of the pictures from the past week and two monster sturgeons! It is quite a rush to see a 45+ inch fish come through an ice fishing hole!

Bite
The weather continues to be mild and it looks like it will continue for at least through the weekend at this point. The bite has been fair the past week. Anglers have been having the most success jigging and dead sticking glow and gold colored jigs, small rippin raps, glo-shots and forage minnows tipped with a minnow. 8am-11am and 2pm-4pm have been some of the best times in a range of depths 16’-29’. The best depth has really been changing frequently. The guides are always moving houses and doing their best to stay on the best bite. If you have electronics, bring them along. We consistently see a lot of success with folks who use them. If you don’t have your own, give us a call ahead of time, we have a few vexilars available to rent.

Ice Conditions
We have a good base of ice of over two feet, 28-32 inches in the areas we fish and travel. Looking good for March ice fishing! Remember walleye season is open through April 14 on Lake of the Woods and we plan to keep our houses out until the end of March.

Trails
Grooming is in full swing. Groomers caution riders to stay on the trails especially this year with how rough the lake froze; there are a lot of ice chunks sticking up off the trail. Click below for the latest conditions and more information about the Lake of the Woods area trails.
South Shore Lake of the Woods
Northwest Angle Lake of the Woods
Lake of the Woods Trail Information

Join us for the BIG GAME and GREAT FISHING!
Feb 3-6 Trips available! Click here

Snuggle up with your Sweetie in February at Sportsman’s.
Two night lodging and fishing packages starting at just $215 per person. Can’t make it in February? Sportsman’s gift cards make great gifts! Click here to order yours.
Come see us! 800-862-8602 or [email protected]
*plus tax and based on double occupancy.

11/27 Ice Report – Oak Island

November 27, 2017 by Sportsman's Lodges

We have made some progress but based on the forecast for the week ahead, the progress will probably slow up. 3-7 inches of ice between Young’s Bay and Oak Island has been found but some bad areas yet. Not safe for traveling or fishing yet.

It is still early and we need to let Mother Nature do some more work before we venture out and start the season. Stay tuned for updates and get your reservations in. An average winter season runs mid December through late March in the islands.

Snow, ice….is ice fishing going to start early this year?

November 6, 2017 by Sportsman's Lodges

11/6/2017

Snow, ice….is ice fishing going to start early this year?
It has been a cool and snowy weekend here at Lake of the Woods. Cool temps have made the water temperature plummet and ice to start to form in bays. Saturday, 8-12 inches of snow fell, sure looks like December around here! Not enough ice had formed prior to getting the snow so no problems there. A few anglers are still out in boats and blaze orange is the color of choice for clothes around here this week. Hunters are out and about. Check back often for ice updates! If this keeps up, it could be an early start to the ice fishing season!

Current Bite
Fishing continues to be good. Anchored up, jigging using shiners in the Rainy River and Four Mile Bay/Light House Gap has produced some nice walleyes in 6’-26’ water. The DNR reports that the fish population looks good. We are looking forward to a good ice fishing season. The early season walleye bite usually starts out aggressive. Times to make winter reservations, weekends are starting to fill up!

Four Mile Bay 11-6-2017 Lake of the Woods, MN

Winter Road River MN

Wheeler’s Point Landing 11-5-2017

Sportsman’s Lodge 11-5-2017

8-12 Inches of Snow Baudette, MN 11-4-2017

Sportsman’s Lodges Oak Island Fishing Report – May 17, 2017

May 17, 2017 by Sportsman's Lodges

Island fish was great to start the year off! The walleyes were snappin’ and we even heard of a few big ones being caught. Gold, pink, yellow, and orange jigs tipped with a minnow all seemed to work very well! Rocky points and shorelines were holding good numbers of fish. The fish are in feed mode so get up here and let’s go fishing!

Bill and Jerry had some good luck this week!