Sportsman’s Lodge Good News! We are gaining ice. We are now finding 6.5-9 inches of ice in most areas we will fish and travel once our season starts but still have some areas we want to take a closer look at. We fought fog today so we will be doing more checks tomorrow once it clears. For snow, we have a dusting of snow on the lake and a couple of inches on the shore. Stay tuned for more information! We are excited to see the forecast is looking colder! Please remember not all areas of the lake have the same ice conditions. Always check with local resorts and outfitters before venturing out. We are looking forward to another fun season! Get your reservations in call 800-862-8602 or click here
Sportsman’s Oak Island Lodge We are gaining ice at the Northwest Angle too. In our travels between the mainland and Oak Island, we are now finding more areas with 5-7 inches compared to the 3-6 inches last week. Still, areas of less, and we haven’t ventured south yet but we are gaining! Snow, we have just a few inches and haven’t had any measurable precipitation within the last few weeks which we are very happy with at this time of year since it helps the ice making. Stay tuned for more updates! For reservations call 800-772-8411 or click here.
Cool temps! 20 days of ice fishing left, you still have time!
A decent bite this week. Catching a variety of walleyes, saugers, and few eelpouts. Anglers trying some different things if the bite isn’t hot for them are getting the best results like different lures, jigging speed, dead sticking, on bottom vs a few inches off the bottom, minnow head vs full minnow and using electronics like a Vexilar. The bite continues to be in 29’-34’ out about 45-55 minute ride from the lodge. Hot jigs have been 1/4 oz gold, pink or chartreuse or a plain hook tipped with a minnow. Come have some fun!
If the weather starts to warm up we will be moving our houses to stay away from the slush and to allow a longer season with safe ice. With the bombardiers and groomed trails, we have many areas to fish. Check out the pictures of the week and make plans to come wet a line.
This week depths in 22’-27’ around structure using plain hooks, gold jigs s and small spoons tipped with a minnow has been the best approach for catching walleyes and saugers. An occasional perch, tullibee, perch, pike, and eelpout too. A mix of vertical jigging and dead sticking has been the best approach and electronics help! We have 30-32 inches of ice.
Trails The trails are open. Click the links for the latest reports.
Walleyes, saugers, and a few perch, pike, eelpout and tullibee have been caught this week. Walleyes and saugers predominately but it’s March, which means a greater chance to catch a variety of species. The best bite continues to be 29’-34’ using a combination of dead sticking and jigging. Hot tackle has been plain hooks and jigs/small spoons colored green glo and pink tipped with a minnow.
We are still out about a 45-55 minute ride to the fish houses and have over 3’ of ice. The ice is in good shape and no slush. When the weather starts to warm up we will be moving our houses to stay away from the slush and to allow a longer season with safe ice. With the bombardiers and groomed trails, we have many areas fish. Check out the pictures of the week and make plans to come wet a line.
Glow in the dark is hot! Jigging glow in the dark jigs and small spoons have been hot this week tipped with a minnow. A mix of walleye, saugers, and a few perch and pike are being caught in 22’-30’ of water around structure. We have 30-32 inches of ice and plan to keep fishing through the 22nd here in the islands at this point.
Trails The trails are open. Click the links for the latest reports.
The best bite this week continues to be 29’-34’. A notable more aggressive noon – 2 pm bite has been going on the last few days. A mix of 3/4 sauger, 1/4 walleye, and a few tullibee.Stop sign lures or jigs with glitter, pink/gold or chartreuse/white tipped a minnow has been working. For the best catch rate, a little work can go a long way. It doesn’t hurt to switch up tackle, try one-rod dead sticking and jigging the other, use electronics and test right on bottom vs a few inches off the bottom to grab the attention of the fish as they are swimming by.Ice Conditions and Rally Weekend
We have over 3’ of ice and the snowmobile trails are in good shape. Trails are freshly groomed. The Annual Northwest Angle Edge Riders snowmobile rally is planned for this weekend hosted at our sister resort, Sportsman’s Oak Island Lodge on Oak Island at the Northwest Angle 40 miles north of Baudette. This event is always a great time! For more information about the event, click here.Visit us in March for a fun getaway. Click here to learn more
The Bite
20’-27’ on reefs and edges of reefs using pink, gold, red and white jigs tipped with a minnow has been working well. Anglers have been reeling in a nice bag of walleyes and saugers for supper along with an occasional trophy. We have 30 – 32 inches of ice where we fish and travel. Last chance openings available March 1-4, 15-22 and one 3 bedroom cabin 8-22.
Days are getting longer! Ice fish with us through March. It is a beautiful sunny day today, a nice time to be out on the lake. Unlike many lakes in Minnesota, Lake of the Woods is considered a US/Canada border water lake so our walleye season extends through April 14 and our houses can be out longer. We ice fish through March 31.
This week we have found the best fishing to be in 29’-34’ of water. Anglers have been catching a mix of walleyes and saugers along with a few jumbo perch. We have over 3’ of ice right now where we fish and travel. White, pink and gold jigs have been hot tipped with a minnow using the deadsticking and jigging techniques. Electronics help too!
A what? A muskie!
You just never know what might nibble at your line. One of our guests was fishing for walleye when a 53” muskie took a chomp on his bait! What a surprise that was! In the winter, muskie season is closed and we do not target them but sometimes the fish don’t realize that. This guy got hungry. This huge fish was released and another great fishing story was made.
The best walleye/sauger bite has been in 20’-25’ right now in the current using Buckshots, Glo Shot spoons, purple, gold and pink jigs tipped with a minnow. A mix of vertical jigging and dead sticking has been the best approach. We have 30”-32” of ice now in the areas we fish and travel. We should be good to go through March 22 here in the islands for some goooood ice fishing.
Nice eating size walleyes have been coming through the ice as well as several throwback size saugers, few nice size tullibee, sturgeon and pike this week. Guests have been having the best luck in 18’-28’ using pink, gold, green glo jigs, and lures tipped with a minnow or shiner. Some guests have had luck the best luck using a full minnow and others just a minnow head. Dead sticking one pole and jigging the other is working well. Electronics such as Vexilars help too. We have a few to rent at the lodge if you want to try one out. Be sure to call ahead to reserve, they go fast.
Ice & Snow We have 18-20 inches of ice in the areas we fish and travel right now. The forecast is calling for single digits and below zero temps next week. We received some snow last week but still just have 0-10 inches on the ice. Not nearly as much as the rest of the state. With cooler temps in the forecast, we should have 2 feet of ice in no time.
Snowmobile Trails Snowmobile trails are being groomed. The lake trails from Four Mile Bay on the south side of the lake to Oak Island and Graceton Beach (south side of the lake) to Warroad are groomed. Conditions are improving after the recent snowfall but important not to veer off the trail as the ice is quite rough and ice chunks are sticking up off the trail. No travel is advised on the Rainy River yet until conditions in the current areas improve.Check out the Lake of the Woods Drifters and Northwest Angle Edge Ridersfor more trail reports.
Sportsman’s Oak Island Lodge
Guide Wack says the action has been good in the islands. A mix of saugers, walleyes and a few pike, perch and muskies have been caught this week. Yes! Muskie! In the islands, we have fantastic muskie fishing in the summer but we usually don’t see too many caught in the winter. A big surprise to a few anglers this week. The best fishing has been in 23’-24’ on the rocks for walleyes and off the rocks for other species. Watermelon color, gold, and glo jigs especially those with some rattle and noise to them have been working the best this week. Some anglers are swearing by just the minnow head instead of the full minnow especially on lures with a treble hook.
Ice & Snow We have 16-18 inches of ice in the areas we fish and travel. 3-10 inches of snow.
Snowmobile Trails The trail from Four Mile Bay to Oak Island is in decent shape, getting better but it is important to stay on the trail. With not too much snow base yet, there are ice chunks off the trail.Check out the Lake of the Woods Drifters and Northwest Angle Edge Ridersfor more trail reports.
Ice Road from Young’s Bay to the Lodge Plowing and maintenance are in progress. It should be ready to go next week. Our signs will be up as soon as it is. For now, please give us a call and we will lead you out.
Some people fish a lifetime hoping to catch one of these monster walleyes. Ashton Nills caught two in one day on March 16, 2018 at Sportsman’s Lodge. A 27 inch and 28.5 inch walleyes. What a day! Awesome angling Ashton and excellent release. Thanks for visiting!
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.
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.
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!
