Tag Archives: Minnesota Fishing Report

Oak Island Lake of the Woods Fishing Report

June 20, 2014 by Sportsman's Lodges

06/19/2014

The walleyes are biting!
It has been a rainy past few weeks but it sounds like we are going to start drying out now and get back to sun and fun! Despite the rains, the fishing has been good. Drifting with gold or bright orange jigs tipped with a frozen shiner or live chub has been doing best.

Areas with a good bite have been Little Oak Island and Tug Channel in 20-30 feet of water.

Sweet Summertime!
The sounds of the water, the beautiful scenery and the incredible walleye, pike, bass and muskie fishing awaits you. Book your summer trip today www.oakislandlodge.com 800-772-8411

Fishing remains good despite high water.
Sportsman’s Oak Island Lodge has wet docks but we continue to make changes to keep docking safe and available. If you are traveling from the east, there are some road closures near International Falls. Check out 511mn.org for the most up to date information.

Lake of the Woods South Shore Fishing Report

June 20, 2014 by Sportsman's Lodges

6/19/2014

Summer is here! Get out on the water and catch yourself some Walleye!
Fishing continues to do well despite the wet weather that continues to hang on. Anywhere North is the place to be especially around the sandbars. Crawlers, leeches or minnows on hammered gold spinners seem to be what’s catching their attention. If you’re still wanting to jig fish, there’s still a decent bite happening with jigs, particularly pink or chartreuse, with frozen shiners in depths of 25’-30’ just outside Pine Island and Morris Point Gap. Try one of our charter trips, experienced guide, boat with onboard restroom, use of poles, bait, tackle, assortment of pop and water and fish cleaning provided. No hassles, no experience or equipment required. Sit back, take in the views and reel in the fish. After a day of fishing enjoy your fish fried up for a tasty appetizer in the Sandbar.

Carter with his bait…a pickle …and his 19 inch walleye.

Fishing remains good despite high water.
At this time our docks are very wet but we have made changes to keep our boats safe and are loading and unloading guests on to the charters at one central floating dock system. Dock slip rentals are not available at this time at our Sportsman’s Lodge Rainy River location but all other services are available. It is business as usual. If you are traveling from the east, their are some road closures near International Falls. Check out 511.org for the most up to date information. Sportsman’s Oak Island Lodge has wet docks but we continue to make changes to keep docking safe and available.

After a day on the lake stop by for a cold one & great food.

Daily specials including TWO Happy Hours, new menu, new 3rd Street Craft Beer, Weekend Entertainment and more! www.mysportsmans.com

Learn about our specials, fishing tips and more on Facebook.
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Lake of the Woods South Shore Fishing Report

June 5, 2014 by Sportsman's Lodges

Fishing Report – 6/5/14

Sportsman’s Lodge

Dr. Suess must have been thinking about Lake of the Woods when he wrote, “One fish, two fish, red fish, blue fish.” Because anglers have been reeling in and releasing that, and more, including; big fish, small fish, walleye, sauger, northern and even a few sturgeon this week.

The fish have been roaming the lake this week. Anglers and guides have reported productive fishing near Long Point and Zippel Bay, in 4-Mile Bay, near Morris Point and Lighthouse Gaps, in front of Pine Island and further north near Knight’s Island. Drop an anchor and jig in 6’ to 16’ of water with gold, pink or orange tackle tipped with frozen shiners.

Brad Keitel from Oxford, LA had a great trip with Captain Dave! He caught and released two trophy sized walleyes! This one measured in at 28”!

Brad’s second walleye was the winner of the weekend! It measured in at 29.5”!

A Miami, FL resident caught and released the biggest fish of the week! Paul Driscoll reeled in this 29.75” walleye with Captain Dave!

Cecile Ropas traveled all the way from Lubbock, TX to fish with Captain Dave! He helped her with her catch-of-a-lifetime, 27” walleye!

In between helping his guests catch and release monsters, Captain Dave managed to catch and release this 28.5” walleye!

Favorable weather is expected to continue throughout the next 10-days, with highs ranging from the mid-60s to high-70s. Overnight lows should continue to dip down into the 40s and 50s throughout the next few weeks. If you’re planning a trip, be sure to pack your rain gear, just in case. Click here for a look at the complete 10-Day Forecast.

No hassles, great fishing and no equipment required!

Schedule your charter fishing trip today. You will enjoy the relaxed fishing. We will do the work. You just need to show up and fish! Full Day trips available include an experienced guide, use of poles and tackle, bait and fish cleaning. Boat leaves at 8am and cruises back to the dock by 5pm. Groups of 1-6 per boat welcome. Check out our daily and package options here and book your trip today! The walleyes are waiting!

Dynasty DJ will be taking your requests in the Sandbar this Friday and Saturday night. For the full entertainment schedule, click here.

Oak Island Lake of the Woods Fishing Report

May 29, 2014 by Sportsman's Lodges

Sportsman’s Oak Island Lodge

The ice is gone, and the fishing is great! The combination of great fishing, beautiful weather, and a long weekend set us up for the perfect kickoff to summer.

Anglers fishing the lake didn’t have to travel too far to find fish. Slot and trophy sized fish were found swimming in shallow water amongst the islands in the Northwest Angle. Anchored jigging with chartreuse, pink, white/pink combo and gold tackle tipped with a frozen shiner or live fathead produced some of the largest fish of the week. One party caught and released a trio of trophy-sized walleye ranging from 27” to 30”. However, walleye isn’t the only species being caught. Anglers have reeled in sizeable perch and pike throughout the last week.

Summer is here!

We still have openings. Give us a call to book your Oak Island adventure, 800-772-8411

Lake of the Woods South Shore Fishing Report

May 29, 2014 by Sportsman's Lodges

The last week has been perfect, and we don’t expect it to end anytime soon. The combination of great fishing, beautiful weather, and a long weekend set us up for the perfect kickoff to summer.

Anglers fishing the lake didn’t have to travel too far to find fish. Slot and trophy sized fish were found swimming in 6 to 14 feet of water in Four Mile Bay, the Lighthouse Gap and the Morris Point Gap. Anchored jigging with chartreuse, pink, white/pink combo and gold tackle tipped with a frozen shiner or live fathead produced some of the largest fish of the week. We expect the excellent fishing on the lake to continue as the water warms and the fish continue to move from the river to the lake.

River fishing has also offered anglers an excellent fishing experience. Like the lake, shallow, anchored jigging is the most productive method of fishing. The current on the river is pretty strong right now, so pack some extra weight for jigging. Gold, chartreuse and pink spinners are the tackle of choice.

Captain Darryl can still catch ‘em! Check out this 28.5” walleye he reeled in this week!

Rae Ellen Cloke traveled all the way from Louisiana for a few days of fishing on Lake of the Woods. She caught and released this 38” pike with Captain Dave!

We hit 80 degrees for the first time this season on Saturday, and expect the warm weather to continue. Click here for the full, 10-Day Forecast.

No hassles, great fishing and no equipment required!

Dynasty DJ will be taking your requests in the Sandbar this Friday and Saturday night. For the full entertainment schedule, click here.

Lake of the Woods South Shore Fishing Report

May 21, 2014 by Sportsman's Lodges

Wednesday, 5/21/14

Sportsman’s Lodge South Shore Fishing Report

The weather has been heating up, but the fishing is hotter. We can hardly keep up with the big fish that are being caught and released every day!

If you’re looking for fish, you won’t have to look too hard. Anglers have been venturing out to 4-Mile Bay, the Lighthouse Gap and Morris Point Gap to depths between 4 and 17 feet to find their share of walleyes and the occasional sauger. Anchored jigging with gold, pink, pink and white, and white glowing tackle tipped with a minnow or frozen shiner is the preferred method in both the lake and the river. River fishing has been great in areas downstream with a decent amount of current. Sizeable walleyes, northerns and saugers have been pulled in on docks lining the river. If you do want to venture off the docks, fish have been biting in water depths between 6 and 12 feet.

David Trumbl landed this 28.5” walleye with Captain Darryl!	Greg Halleland made the trip from Minneapolis, MN to reel in his catch-of-a-lifetime, a 29.5” walleye! (Released) Greg and his friends were guided by Captain Dave.
Jim Krueger from Kasson, MN caught and released this 29.5” walleye with Captain Dave!	This 27.5” walleye was caught by Brad from Lakeville! Captain Dave guided him to this monster!
Louis told us he had an awesome day fishing, and even reeled in this 26.5” walleye with Captain Darryl!

Check out more pictures on our Facebook page!

Beautiful Weekend Ahead! Memorial Day weekend is shaping up to be the perfect start to summer! Click here for the latest forecast!

New Villas are great for family vacations

Beautiful new lodging units are ready for you!

Deals! Deals! Deals!

Only a few days left of our spring specials!

Lodging starting at $40 per person per night at Sportsman’s Lodge for dates through May 22.

We have great rates on lodging and charter fishing packages too! Give us a call 800-862-8602.

Lake of the Woods South Shore Fishing Report

May 15, 2014 by Sportsman's Lodges

Sportsman’s Lodge Fishing Report

For the first time in years, fishermen enjoyed beautiful weather for last weekend’s fishing opener! Oh yeah, the fish were biting too! Boats packed the river and 4-Mile Bay in search of walleye, sturgeon and northern. One outdoorsman estimated seeing over 300 boats in the bay alone.

No one in search of walleye has left the lake empty handed since the opener. Fishermen reeled in walleyes of all sizes throughout the day with frozen shiners topping gold and bright colored tackle. You won’t have to go far to find good fishing. Our guides have had the most luck just a few miles from the lodge.

Sturgeon season has now moved on to catch-and-release, but fishermen have still managed to boat a number of sizeable sturgeon along the river.

If you’re planning a trip for the weekend, you’ll want to make sure your tackle box is filled with bright tackle and some weights. The current in the river remains strong, which makes for some murky water.

Check out some pictures from this weekend’s spectacular opening!

Sam Scalzo, 31” Walleye	Captain Keith’s guests caught and released lots of nice walleyes!
Doug Herold from Omaha, NE caught and released this 28.5” walleye with the help of Captain Dave!	Captain Dave wrangled this sturgeon with the sharp netting skills of Chuck!

New docks!

We have added 9 additional dock slips including a day/short term parking slip. All of the new slips have electricity and now reach the entire waterfront length of our property. To rent a nightly slip give us a call 800-862-8602 for availability or email us at [email protected]

New Villas are great for family vacations

Beautiful new lodging units are ready for you!

Deals! Deals! Deals!

Take advantage of our spring rates through May 22.

Lodging starting at $40 per person per night at Sportsman’s Lodge and $58 at Sportsman’s Oak Island Lodge.

We have great rates on lodging and charter fishing packages too! Give us a call 800-862-8602

Lake of the Woods South Shore Fishing Report

April 29, 2014 by Sportsman's Lodges

Sportsman’s Lodge
It’s sturgeon season, and it’s already been one for the record books! Two 100”+ sturgeon have already been caught and released along the Rainy River in the last few weeks! The sturgeon have been on the move, but remain easy to find, which is perfect for our annual sturgeon tournament this weekend. Most of the biggest sturgeon have been found lingering around the deeper depths along the river, and are biting on circle hooks tipped with crawlers and frozen shiners.

Sturgeon Tournament This Weekend
Our 8th annual sturgeon tournament takes place right in front of the lodge this weekend! Stay up to date with the happenings and photos on our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages! If you’re fishing in the tournament, be sure to tag us in your photos using #SportsmansSturgeon14.

Make a Date
Don’t forget when each season opens and closes! Here’s a little list for your reference!
Sturgeon: Keep one (within size limits) from now through May 7, and then catch and release again May 8 – 15.
Walleye: Opens for the season on May 10
Northern Pike: Open year round

Spring Lodging Special
Starting at only $40 per person per night through May 22 at Sportsman’s Lodge Rainy River location. Give us a call to book your trip 800-862-8602 or request online.
*Plus tax, based on double occupancy.

Guided Fishing
Prefer to let us find the fish and bring the gear? Our guided outfitter trips are great for spring and fall fishing. Enjoy great river fishing in one of our 18′ or 20′ boats equipped with poles, bait, tackle, experienced guide, assortment of pop and water and fish cleaning. $450 for an all day trip for the boat. Boat holds up to 4 passengers plus the guide.

Our New Villas are great for summer vacations!
Have you checked out our beautiful new villas yet? They are brand new and spacious 1-5 bedroom lodging units great for groups of 1-17. Log furniture, fireplaces, beautiful river views, open floor plans and more. Check them out today and make plans to book your summer vacation at Sportsman’s.

Mom’s & Fishing
Treat mom to a fishing weekend or maybe a relaxing and quiet weekend in a cabin while you go fishing on Walleye Opener and treat her to our delicious Mother’s Day Champagne Brunch. You will love our vast selection of entrees, desserts, mimosas and more. Lodging starts at only $45 per person plus tax based on double occupancy. Walleye Opener is May 10 and Mother’s Day is May 11.

Lake of the Woods South Shore Fishing Report

April 23, 2014 by Sportsman's Lodges

Fishing Report 4/22

Spring fishing is rockin’! Just over two weeks into the spring fishing season, and we’ve already seen some of the most impressive spring fish ever! The river has produced a number of 64”+ sturgeon, and at least one over 100 lbs! We’ve also seen more than the average amount of trophy walleyes being reeled in and released. Prior to walleye season closing on April 14, a 31”+ walleye, and a few more 27-30” were caught and released along the Rainy River. Fishermen have also been after the elusive pike on the open river. Remember, pike season doesn’t close, so you have lot’s of time to reel yours in!

The Rainy River has now opened up past our docks, into Four Mile Bay. All of the landings between Birchdale and the lodge are also open. This includes both Timber Mill landing (east side of Baudette) and the Wheelers Point landing. The water along the river is a little dirty, but it hasn’t seemed to have any kind of negative impact on fishing. The dam at Little Fork was released on Monday, and has certainly increased the current along the river.

Wheelers Point access is open and ready for the season!

The sun has been shining, and the river has been flowing in front of our docks!

Sturgeon season opens this Thursday, and fishing, river and weather conditions look to be great for the weekend! The keep 1 sturgeon season (within size limits) starts April 23 and goes through May 7, May 8-15 is catch and release. Don’t miss out the season closes May 16-June 30.

Click here for a live look from our docks on the Rainy River!

Lake of the Woods & Oak Island

There is still quite a bit of ice on the lake and around the islands. Fishermen have been heading out for ice fishing from Graceton Beach, and having some luck with tip ups. Ice conditions are changing daily, so before you make your ice fishing plans, make sure you have the most up-to-date ice conditions from the local tourism bureau (218-634-1174)

Weather

The weather this week will have a little bit of everything. From sunshine, to rain, snow and wind, every day will be a bit different. The only constant seems to be temps rising above freezing during the day and dipping down to the 20s in the evenings. Click here for a full 10-day forecast

Spring Lodging Special

Starting at only $40 per person per night through May 22 at Sportsman’s Lodge Rainy River location. Give us a call to book your trip 800-862-8602 or request online. *plus tax based on double occupancy.

Guided Fishing

Prefer to let us find the fish and bring the gear? Our guided outfitter trips are great for spring and fall fishing. Enjoy great river fishing in one of our 18′ or 20′ boats equipped with poles, bait, tackle, experienced guide, assortment of pop and water and fish cleaning. $450 for an all day trip for the boat. Boat holds up to 4 passengers plus the guide.

Our New Villas are great for summer vacations!

Have you checked out our beautiful new villas yet? They are brand new and spacious 1-5 bedroom lodging units great for groups of 1-17. Log furniture, fireplaces, beautiful river views, open floor plans and more. Check them out today and make plans to book your summer vacation at Sportsman’s.

Mom’s & Fishing

Treat mom to a fishing weekend or maybe a relaxing and quiet weekend in a cabin while you go fishing on Walleye Opener and treat her to our delicious Mother’s Day Champagne Brunch. You will love our vast selection of entrees, desserts, mimosas and more. Lodging starts at only $45 per person plus tax based on double occupancy. Walleye Opener is May 10 and Mother’s Day is May 11.

Lake of the Woods South Shore Fishing Report

April 18, 2014 by Sportsman's Lodges

Fishing Report 4/17

Walleye season may be closed (reopening May 10), but there are still plenty of fishing opportunities in the Lake of the Woods area! Pike season is open year-round, and has been presenting a steady bite of sizeable fish. If you’re looking to land a monster this season, start planning your trip NOW! Sturgeon season is now open for catch-and-release through April 23, and opens up for keeping one fish (within size limits) April 24 through May 7. Sturgeon catch and release continues May 8-15

We’ve been fishing on soft water for less than 10 days, and we’ve already seen more than the average amount of trophy-sized fish reeled in by our guides and guests.

River Conditions

TThe river has continued opening up, and has worked it’s way west every day. As of early this week, the river has opened to the Vidas landing, located approximately 6 miles east of Baudette. Watch our Facebook page for the latest on the river conditions.

Lake Conditions
Ice fishing enthusiasts have had quite the season. Fishermen are still accessing the frozen lake near Graceton Beach, and heading just a few miles out to find a good bite. This week’s cold weather has slowed the fast thawing that occurred last week. However, conditions change daily. For the most up-to-date lake ice and safety conditions, please contact the local tourism bureau.

Spring Lodging Special

Starting at only $40 per person per night through May 22 at Sportsman’s Lodge Rainy River location. Give us a call to book your trip 800-862-8602 or request online.

*plus tax based on double occupancy.

Our New Villas are great for summer vacations!

Mom’s & Fishing

Treat mom to a fishing weekend or maybe a relaxing and quiet weekend in a cabin while you go fishing on Walleye Opener and treat her to our deliciousMother’s Day Champagne Brunch. You will love our vast selection of entrees, desserts, mimosas and more. Lodging starts at only $45 per person plus tax based on double occupancy. Walleye Opener is May 10 and Mother’s Day is May 11.