Tag Archives: lake of the woods

Lake of the Woods South Shore Fishing Report

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Fishing Report 04-09-14

River Open Update – It’s Time for Spring Fishing
Are you ready? Because spring fishing has officially begun! After a warm and sunny week, the river opened up several miles, and is now open to the Birchdale landing and beyond. Sportsman’s Lodge guide, Dave, fished near Birchdale on Tuesday afternoon, and reeled in a ton of fish ranging from eating sized to wall hangers, and lots of slot sized fish in between! Outfitter trips are now available for the rest of the spring season. Give us a call to book yours!

A fair amount of ice is still covering most of the lake, but a string of warm days has certainly knocked out some of that ice. Ice conditions continue to change on a daily basis, be sure to give us a call before you head up for your trip!

High temperatures will be creep into the 40’s throughout most of the next 10 days, and may even inch into the 60’s on one occasion.

. Click here for a full weather report for the Lake of the Woods and Rainy River area.

Come reel in the excitement!
Don’t forget, spring is great for sturgeon fishing! The sturgeon season is catch and release through April 23, and opens up to keep one (within size limits) April 24-May 7! Walleye season remains open until April 14 (reopens May 10) and pike season never closes!

Visit our website to download the area boat landing map.

We are open!
Lodging and food is available at Sportsman’s Lodge Rainy River location! Guided Outfitter trips will be available as soon as we get rid of a some more ice. Forecast is warming up. It shouldn’t be long! Lodging as low as $40 per person per night. (plus tax based on double occupancy) Give us a call to book your spring trip 800-862-8062

Oak Island Lake of the Woods Fishing Report

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Big shoutout to the Bryan “Beef” Sathre group that visited us at Oak Island this weekend! Thanks for sharing your photos!

To book your winter or summer Oak Island adventure, call us at 800-772-8411!

Kevin Workman with his 26” walleye!

    

Ever wonder what it’s like to fish in a winter storm?

Sportsman’s Oak Island Lodge
Sportsman’s Oak Island Lodge is now closed for the winter season. Sportsman’s Lodge Rainy River location is open and will remain open through the ice breakup season.  Thank you for a great season! Give us a call to make your spring, summer and fall trip plans. We open May 9.

Lake of the Woods South Shore Fishing Report

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So many fish, only a few more days!
To sum up fishing; lot’s of eating-sized walleye. Fishermen have been reeling in a lot of fish throughout the last week. Some of the fish have flirted with with lengths near the slot limit, but most have been good eating fish.Sportsman’s Lodge guides have been helping guests find fish in water depths ranging from 18’ to 26’ about 5 miles from the lodge. Shallow water has been consistently producing fish in the early and late hours of the day, while deeper water has been successful during the afternoon hours.

Minnows and fatheads remain the popular bait, while buckshot lures in pink and gold have been the tackle of choice.

Trail Conditions
Public trails continue to be groomed as much as state and local club funding allows. The river trail from the resort area to Baudette had its last grooming on Saturday, and is in good condition. The trail from Wheelers to Warroad is in fair condition, and lake trail from Wheelers Point to Oak Island was recently groomed. Many resorts help maintain the trails or use their own private trails. Local groomers and riders have reported excellent riding conditions throughout the area.

Ice Conditions
We are still sitting on plenty of ice. Guides are consistently reporting 46” to 48” of ice in areas we travel and fish.

Only 5 days left to rent fish houses!
Sportsman’s Lodge Rainy River location still has houses open until March 31! Give us a call to book your stay 800-862-8602!

End of the Season Mardi Gras Party is this Saturday, March 29!
Join us for the best party of the year!
Fishing, Beads, Entertainment, Contests and a whole lot of fun! Check out our Mardi Gras weekend stay and play packages.

Sturgeon! Pike! Walleye! Make plans for April & May soft water fishing!
Excellent sturgeon, walleye and pike fishing is on its way!
Walleye season is open until April 14, reopening May 10
Pike season never closes
Sturgeon season is catch and release through April 23. Keep one (within size limits) April 24-May 7, catch and release again May 8-15.

Get your reservations in today.

Oak Island Lake of the Woods Fishing Report

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Daylight Savings Saved the Evening Bite

The switch to daylight savings time came just in time for the fisherman at Oak Island. The evening bite has picked up just as we rolled our clocks forward, and has given fisherman a productive final hour of fishing.

The fish have been a bit slow to bite, but haven’t been picky on what they are biting on.

If you’re planning on fishing this week, let your inner scientist come out, and experiment with a variety of jigs and bait. 22’ to 26’ of water continues to be where the most catchable fish have been staying, and has produced a number of nice-sized walleyes measuring between 15” and 18” as well as some saugers, perch and northern pike.

Trail Conditions

Public trails continue to be groomed as much as state and local club funding allows. The lake trail is in fair condition from the south end to Knight Island, and in great condition from Knight Island all the way to Oak Island. Many resorts help maintain the trails or use their own private trails. Local groomers and riders have reported excellent riding conditions throughout the area.

The warmer daytime temperatures have made for nice riding conditions throughout the area.Take a ride up to Sportsman’s Oak Island Lodge before we close for the season!

Ice Conditions

We currently have between 46 and 48 inches of ice in the areas that we travel and fish.

Ice Road

The ice road from Young’s Bay to Oak Island continues to be maintained. Due to warmer weather conditions, some slush has developed on and around the road, however, there is still a substantial amount of ice along the trail and it is safe for travel.

Fish House Rentals available until late March

Fish House Rentals available until March 22 at Sportsman’s Oak Island Lodge and Eagle Ridge locations. Sportsman’s Lodge will have rentals available until March 31.  Give us a call to book your late season stay! 800-772-8411

Dreaming of warmer weather? Us too!

Summer is less than 100 days away, and we’ve been dreaming of reeling in some monster walleyes in the northern Minnesota sun! Give us a call or visit our website to book your summer trip, and start your own countdown today!

Lake of the Woods South Shore Fishing Report

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Steady Bite, Not Much Fight!

Guides and anglers have reported a steady bite throughout the day. This bite has been producing a steady stream of small, eating sized walleyes and a few walleyes just over the slot limit. Minnows and fatheads remain the popular bait, while buckshot lures in pink and gold have been the tackle of choice.

The best bite has moved just a bit shallower to depths ranging from 20’ to 28’ of water about 6 miles out.

The ever changing weather conditions are making each day’s luck a little different. Visit http://goo.gl/YQvksl for a full local weather report.

Trail Conditions

Public trails continue to be groomed as much as state and local club funding allows. Both the Warroad and river trails (resort area to Baudette) have been groomed and are in great shape. The lake trail is in fair condition from the south end to Knight Island, and in great condition from Knight Island all the way to Oak Island. Many resorts help maintain the trails or use their own private trails. Local groomers and riders have reported excellent riding conditions throughout the area.

Ice Conditions

We are still sitting on plenty of ice. We are consistently seeing 46” to 48” of ice in areas we travel and fish.

See what it’s like to drill through all that ice here! Auger extensions required!

Cabin, lodge room and fish house rentals available through March 31!

Fishing has been hot, and we still have three weeks left! Give us a call to book your trip today! 800-862-8602

Mark your calendar for Mardi Gras, March 29!

Fishing, Beads, Entertainment, Contests and a whole lot of fun! Check out our Mardi Gras weekend stay and play packages.

Spring into some fantastic fishing

Whether you are looking for sturgeon, walleye or pike, Sportsman’s Lodge has your ticket to the area’s best spring bite.

Get your reservations in today.

Dreaming of warmer weather? Us too!

Summer is less than 100 days away, and we’ve been dreaming of reeling in some monster walleyes in the northern Minnesota sun! Give us a call or visit our website to book your summer trip, and start your own countdown today!

Lake of the Woods South Shore Fishing Report 3-12-14

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Warmer, more spring-like weather has finally rolled in!
Both anglers and snowmobilers have been enjoying the reprieve from sub-zero temperatures and have been taking advantage of the 30 and 40 degree highs. Evening lows have been consistently dipping below freezing, and it looks like that will continue into the next few weeks.

Andy Carlson caught and released this 27.5” walleye on Saturday, March 8.

Andy Carlson caught and released this 27.5” walleye on Saturday, March 8.

Visit http://goo.gl/YQvksl for a full local weather report.

Despite the weather changes, the fishing remains productive. Sportsman’s Lodge guides report “seeing a lot more quality walleye throughout the past week, especially in the afternoon”. Minnows and fatheads remain the popular bait, while buckshot lures in flashy and bright colors have been the tackle of choice.

Anglers have been consistently reeling in walleyes measuring between 16” and 18”, and have seen their fair share of both slot (19.5”-28”) and trophy sized walleye. In addition, both the sauger and northern pike bite has been productive, including a 7-year-old guest catching and releasing a nearly 40” northern pike.

The best bite has been found in about 22 to 29 feet of water about 8 miles out.

This nearly 40” northern pike was caught and released on Saturday, March 8.

This nearly 40” northern pike was caught and released on Saturday, March 8.

Public trails continue to be groomed as much as state and local club funding allows. Many resorts help maintain the trails or use their own private trails. Local groomers and riders have reported beautiful riding conditions throughout the area.

Ice Conditions
We currently have between 46 and 48 inches of ice in the areas that we travel and fish.

Rentals Available
There are still three weeks remaining in this years’ ice fishing season! To book your trip, call us at 800-862-8602.

End of the Season Mardi Gras Party is March 29
Fishing, Beads, Entertainment, Contests and a whole lot of fun! Check out our Mardi Gras weekend stay and play packages.

Spring Fishing is Just Around the Corner!
Excellent sturgeon, walleye and pike fishing will soon be here.
Get your reservations in today.

January 24 Fishing Report from Sportsman’s Lodge

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Minnesota Fishing Report from Sportsman’s Lodge
January 24, 2014

 

Mid-Season Point
Snowy day today here in the northland. A light snow is falling upon us. Reports say we may get an inch or two.
Good bite this Year

Here we are creeping up to the mid-season point.  It has been a great bite this year. Lots of action, quite a few saugers, lots of big walleyes 19 inches plus in size and plenty 14 inch-19 inch as well to enjoy a good meal or bring home.  This past week we are also seeing quite a few tulibee/whitefish biting on the walleye tackle.  Whitefish are great tasting fish smoked. There is no limit on whitefish and the season never closes. Right now the best bite for walleye and sauger has been in 26’-32’ of water.   Glow in the dark and gold jigs and stop sign lures tipped with a minnow have been hot.  Dropping  the hook about 6 inches off the bottom has been best although anglers using vexilars have found quite a few suspended walleyes too 3,4 up to 7 feet off bottom too.  As far as jigging vs dead sticking, we suggest start out jigging with one pole and dead sticking with the other and see what works best for you that day.Still lots of time to enjoy ice fishing!
We have rental houses available until late March. Most of Minnesota’s lakes close earlier, but here on Lake of the Woods it stays colder and the ice stays longer.  Give us a call 800-862-8602 or reserve online your ice fishing vacation today. To find out about our hot deals, subscribe to our email list and be sure to check the box for “hot deals”.

Celebrate the Big Game with us! The Sandbar has drink and food specials and 6 flat screens ready for you! Stop in.

Ice Conditions
 Currently  we have 32+ inches of ice in the areas we fish and travel.  If you head out on your own, we suggest staying on the trail and checking with local guides before you venture out. Even with 32+ inches of ice in most areas, there are always caution areas that are never good to travel on. Safety first!

 

Trail Conditions
Trails continue to be groomed 1-2 times a week. Get out and take a ride today!

Like us on Facebook to view more big fish pictures.

28.5 inch walleye
28.5 inch walleye caught by Nick. Fun father son weekend. It was his first fishing trip. Caught and released in house #17 on a gold macho minnow. Way to go buddy!
23 inch walleye
Chad Veer reeled in and released a nice 23 inch walleye.  Nice one!
19 inch walleye
Hunter reeled this nice 19 inch walleye on a gold angel eye. Nice catch!

 

Latest Ice Conditions

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Lake of the Woods Current Ice Conditions Report

Sportsman’s Lodge Baudette, MN www.sportsmanslodges.com 800-862-8602
11/27/2013
Ice Fishing season 2013-2014 kickoff is in our very near future!
Check out these pictures. What a view yesterday.  The ice crew found 4-7 inches of ice on Four Mile Bay and 4-6 inches on the lake just outside of Pine Island. In the northern areas near Oak Island and the Northwest Angle, 2-4 inches is reported.  We were hoping to get an airplane up and check to see if there are any areas of open water in any parts in the middle of the lake today, but were unable to, due to the snowfall.  We plan to do so as soon as the weather clears. Please keep in mind we only report ice conditions in the areas we travel and fish. The entire lake does not freeze equally. If you plan to venture out, make sure you know where you are going.  Safety first!
Next week is looking good
As soon as we get 10-12 inches of ice in the areas we travel and fish, we start the season.  If the forecast stays cold we should have no problem starting our season on the south end at Sportsman’s Lodge Rainy River location by Dec 6 or 7 and at our Oak Island locations a week or so later once we have time to get a real good ice base over the areas between the islands where there is more current.   The crew plans to head out again Monday to check on how much progress we made over the weekend. Stay tuned! It won’t be long!
Walleye forecast
Big walleyes with a chance of saugers are in the forecast.  The first few inches of ice have frozen clear and smooth. Perfect for an great early season bite!
For reservations and more information contact us today 800-862-8602 www.sportsmanslodges.com
From the Sportsman’s family to your family, Happy Thanksgiving! 

Outside Pine Island 11-27-13
Smooth ice – Too bad I forgot my skates.  
No it is not water….it is ice.

Sweet Summertime ~ Lake of the Woods, MN

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6/12/2013

Aaaahhhh! The warmth of summer is finally upon us. The sparkling waters of the lake are dancing with delight today. Hope you can come visit us soon!

We have lots of activity going on at the lodge today.  The painters just finished painting the entire outside of the lodge.  It looks great with a fresh coat of new paint. We also added a brick accent along the dockside and roadside of the lodge along the lodge rooms. Fishing has been great! Lots of nice walleyes are being found this week. The guides are hot on the walleye trail. Check out more information in our fishing report section.

Our entertainment line-up is in full swing in the Sandbar.  Thunderfoot is entertaining now followed by musical entertainment, mostly live bands every weekend through September. The bands play 9pm-1am.  We also have pull tabs, daily drink and food specials and a great view of the Rainy River to watch the boats come in.  Guests have been enjoying the pool and hot tub this week too. The pool depth ranges from 3 feet to 9 feet. Lots of room to swim and relax. The gals in the gift shop just stocked some more souvenirs and clothing this morning. Stop on by for a hot piece of tackle, a walleye whistle, sunglasses, souvenirs and our new summer wear.

When you are in the area, be sure to check out Willie the Walleye, our two ton walleye statue along Hwy 11 in the middle of Baudette. Also enjoy in Baudette, souvenir shops, county museum, the views from the Baudette Bay, the weekly Saturday Farmer’s Market, a movie at the Grand Theater, a coffee at the Smiling Moon coffee shop and Timbermill Park.  Venture east six miles along Hwy 11 and check out the Clementson Rapids and then venture north on Hwy 172 12 miles and 5 miles west on County Rd 8 to Zippel Bay State Park.  Zippel Bay Park has a vast swimming beach and nature trails to enjoy.  Our area also has an 18 hole golf course, thousands of acres of water for boating, fishing and relaxing and much more. Check out all the fun things to do at Lake of the Woods here.

Lake of the Woods South Shore Fishing Report 5-29-13

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The water is on the rise!

This springs showers have helped raise the water levels in the rainy river and four mile bay area, which has been much needed due to last years dry conditions. Fishing is moving right along as well, walleyes are mostly done spawning and fish are scattering along shorelines and shallow rock reefs not far offshore. Most of the fishing action is taking place lakeside and little pressure on the river due to higher current levels and dirtier water.

Anglers have been successful at many different depths on the lake as of late.

Fish are being caught out in the mud in front of PineIsland anchored in 18’ to 30’ of water using jigs and minnows. Both frozen and live minnows, at times one will out fish another but try them both. Change up your jig colors to find the color they prefer gold and orange are good stand-by colors lately. Also shallow rock just off of shore is holding fish, pulling spinners with crawlers or minnows along the rock will work as well as crank baits.

Hungry? Thirsty? Check out our summer specials! 
www.mysportsmans.com

Escape to Sportsman’s this summer! 
Lodging, Camping, Guided Fishing Packages, Restaurant, Bar, Indoor Pool, Lake Tours, Conference Center, Dock Slips and much more! http://www.sportsmanslodges.com/

Bob Saunders Fargo, ND 29 1/2 inch Walleye caught while fishing with Capt. Flip on May 26.

Bob Saunders Fargo, ND 29 1/2 inch Walleye caught while fishing with Capt. Flip on May 26.

Nathan Olsen. 3 yrs old-18 inches. Capt. Dave.

Nathan Olsen. 3 yrs old-18 inches. Capt. Dave.