Tag Archives: Minnesota Fishing Report

25 Minutes to Good Fishing!

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25 Minutes to Good Fishing!

Weekly South Shore Fishing Report

2/12/2014

The bite has been good, like last week small jigs ¼ oz. gold and glow in the dark tipped with a half minnow or minnow head is the key to success. Vexilar/Fish Finders are also another key component. It is a light bite so do some jigging and once you get the feel for it, you are golden.  Just 25 minute ride to our houses right now. The fish house is warm and cozy, bait and jig sticks are ready. The best bite has been in 28’-32’ of water.

Tom caught and released this 28 inch walleye

Tom caught and released this 28 inch walleye

Shaun Stumo caught this 27 inch walleye

Shaun Stumo caught this 27 inch walleye

Bruce Oistad with 25 inch walleye

Bruce Oistad with 25 inch walleye

Sounds like we are going to start warming up from our frigid temps! We are ready! It is time to start the slide into the last part of our season. Warmer weather and more sun usually equal a better bite! Fish house rentals available until March 31. Give us a call to join in the fun 800-862-8602 or book online.

Ice Conditions
Currently we have 30-36 inches of ice in the areas we fish and travel right now. Lots of ice to get us through late March!

Snow & Trail  Report
The trails are in good shape.  We are forecasted to get a couple of inches of snow this week.  The trails continue to be groomed 1-2 times a week. Click here for specific trail conditions.

Sportsman’s Oak Island Lodge Fishing Report 1/24/2014

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Decent bite this week 28 feet of water jigging with a chubby darter or buckshot tipped with a minnow has been successful this week.  Average size walleyes have been 17-19 inches. Get into the action. We have fish house rentals available until late March. Give us a call 800-772-8411 or reserve online.

Ice Conditions
Currently we have 35 inches of ice in the areas we fish and travel.

Trail Conditions are good in the area.
The wind and snow we are getting today will make them drifted but the groomers will be out again soon.

Ice Road from Young’s Bay to Oak Island
The ice road is good. It is nice and wide so even on the windy days it is still open. Come on out.

27 inch walleye
Tom Schaber caught and released this lunker.  27 inch walleye caught on a stop sign lure.
27.5 inch walleye
Tony Edwards from Omaha, NE reeled in and released this big 27.5 inch walleye in fish house #19 in 27 feet water on glow with red dot jig.

 

Don’t let winter pass you by!  

Book your winter ice fishing package today 800-772-8411!

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!

 

NW Angle/Oak Island and Lake of the Woods Fishing Report

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NW Angle/Oak Island and Lake of the Woods Fishing Report

1/15/2014

Midseason Bite: The best depth this week has been in 26’ of water. More walleyes than saugers have been found with the average size between 16”-19”.  A few northern pike and perch have also been caught this week.  Jigging with a chubby darters and buck shots have been the best tackle.  Vexilars are a great idea to bring along or rent, we notice an increase in fishing success using them.

 

Trail Conditions: The lake and land trails continue to be groomed 1-2 times a week. Get out and enjoy the trails today!  For more information about specific trails click here.

Plowed Road Young’s Bay to Oak Island: Great condition! Take a cruise out!

Tim caught and released a 25.5 inch walleye on a stop sign lure near Oak Island
Tim also caught a 35 inch northern pike near Oak Island

 

Don’t let winter pass you by! Book your winter ice fishing package today 800-772-8411!
 

Sportsman’s Lodge South Shore Fishing Report

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Sportsman’s Lodge South Shore Fishing Report

1/15/2014 Afternoon bite has been best lately. We saw a dip in the fishing success over last weekend but now that the weather has evened out, the bite is getting better by the day.  The best fishing has been in 24-30 feet of water. Lots of suspended fish are being found and tend to be the slot and larger sized walleyes.  Bring or rent a vexilar to have the most success at catching these walleyes.  Mid-season is upon us and that usually means more saugers.  We are seeing a nice amount along with slot walleyes.  Check out all of the big fish on our Facebook page.  The best tackle has been pink stop signs and glow jigs.  Some anglers are swearing by the minnow head and others the full minnow.Ice Conditions: Currently we have 28-30 inches of ice in the areas we fish and travel.

Trail Conditions: The lake and land trails continue to be groomed 1-2 times a week. Get out and enjoy the trails today!  For more information about specific trails click here. Fish House Rentals available until March 31! The weather stays cooler in the northland and remember, the state law allows us to have our houses on the lake until March 31. Give us a call to book your winter getaway 800-862-8602! Like us on Facebook to view more big fish pictures.

27.5 inch walleye
27.5 inch walleye caught and released by Zach on a gold jig
24 inch walleye
24 inch walleye caught by a member of the Mike Scheel group in one of our sleeper shacks. (released)
25 and 24 inch walleye
Joe Hannan reeled in and released a nice 25 and 24 inch walleye. Joe is pictured here with the 25.

Lots of Big Walleyes

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Lots of Big Walleyes

We have been seeing a large amount of slot walleyes in the 24”-26” range this week. So pump up your arms!

Anglers are still getting some nice eater sizes too, but definitely lots of big ones to catch and release.  The best bite has been in 24-27 feet of water. The water is clear for Lake of the Woods standards. Anglers also finding several suspended walleyes 3-4 feet off bottom so bring the vexilar!

Ice Conditions
Currently we have 20-22 inches of ice in the areas we fish and travel.

Trail Conditions
Groomer was out today grooming the trails around the Northwest Angle. A fresh grooming will be done today from Wheeler’s Point to Oak Island, Wheeler’s Point to Warroad and the following day from Wheeler’s Point to Baudette. Most lake trails are groomed 1-2 times a week based on conditions and traffic.

Plowed road from Young’s Bay to Oak Island.
Road is in great shape! Take a ride out!

Don’t let winter pass you by! Give us a call to book your winter getaway! 800-772-8411 or request online at www.oakislandlodge.com.

Lots of Action

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Lots of Fishing Action at Sportsman’s Lodges

Lots of sauger and walleye slot fish action.  We are catching lots of suspended fish 3, 4, even 7 feet off the bottom. A vexilar/fish finder is very helpful in increasing your success rate. The best approach is to jig one pole and dead stick with the other, see what works best for that day and take it from there. The best bite has been in 24-31 feet of water. Deeper houses are catching more saugers and a 10am-3pm bite. The shallower houses are seeing a good morning and evening run and more walleyes. The best jig colors have been glow, pink/gold and gold, orange/gold in 1/4 oz. size. Jigs tipped with a chub minnow or shiner minnow has been the most successful bait option. We still have some openings this winter. Give us a call to get in on the excitement! We can have our fish houses out until March 31. Only have time for a quick trip? We have some specials on select dates for 1 night/1 day packages. Give us a call 800-862-8602 or request your reservation online.

25 inch caught on a pink and gold lure by Shelly Bush of Fargo, ND

25 inch caught on a pink and gold lure by Shelly Bush of Fargo, ND

27 inch (2nd 27 inch) walleye Doug and Dan Loos

27 inch (2nd 27 inch) walleye Doug and Dan Loos

Chad Benson, Litchfield, MN light green glow jig 27.5 inches

Chad Benson, Litchfield, MN light green glow jig 27.5 inches

John Bush with 22 inch walleye caught with pink and white tear jig

John Bush with 22 inch walleye caught with pink and white tear jig

Ice Conditions
Currently we have 21-25 inches of ice in the areas we fish and travel. Lake Safety Tip –If you venture out on your own, consult local guides before going out. The entire lake does not freeze equally.

Trail Conditions
The trails are in good condition. A fresh grooming will be done today from Wheeler’s Point to Oak Island, Wheeler’s Point to Warroad and the following day from Wheeler’s Point to Baudette. These lake trails are groomed 1-2 times a week based on conditions and traffic. Land trails continue to be groomed as needed. Click here for more information. As always watch for caution areas especially on the lake trails with the dramatic temperature change coming up. Sounds like the weather this weekend is going to be great! Get out and enjoy the trails!

Nice size walleyes!

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Nice size walleyes at Sportman’s Lodges!

70% Walleyes, 30% Sauger mix in ‘21-25’. Walleyes have been real nice size, 17”-19”. A few nice perch and pike have been found too.  The bite was real active on Saturday, slowed a bit with the fierce cold front that has been moving through, but anglers have still catching some nice fish. Good runs reported between 8am-10:30am and 2:30pm-5:00pm.  Pink 3/8 oz jigs tipped with a minnow has been the hot lure.

Ice Conditions
17-20 inches of ice in the areas we travel and fish right now. All of our houses are just off our groomed snowmobile trail.

Trail Conditions
Lake Trails
Fresh trail grooming will be done this week on the trails from Wheeler’s Point to Sportsman’s Oak Island Lodge and Wheeler’s Point to Warroad. As always, watch for the caution areas.

Ice Road
Ice road from Young’s Bay to the island is in good shape.

Happy New Year! From the Sportsman’s family to yours, we wish you a healthy and happy 2014.

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Catching holding strong! It has been a great December for walleye and sauger fishing in our neck of the woods. A very active bite and many big fish and big catch days.  The best bite right now has been in 23’-28’ jigging with gold or pink jig, stop sign or #32 macho minnow tipped with a whole minnow or some anglers are swearing by just the minnow head.  Drop your line to about 6 inches off bottom and bring along or rent a vexilar for the best experience.  Vexilar rentals are available at the lodge, but are in high demand so be sure to call ahead to reserve.  Try jigging with one pole and dead stick with the other to see what technique works best for you.

Ice Conditions
Current ice depth in the areas we travel and fish is 20-23 inches. Our houses are situated just off of our groomed snowmobile trail.

Jaedin Johnson 8 years old caught this 27.5 on a shiner and a pink jig

Landen Johnson 4 years old caught another keeper on a gold jig dead sticking! He loves ice fishing!

25 inch walleye Travis Herber and Alex Williamson They also caught some nice eaters few 22 inch and 26 inch walleye. What a trip!

Trail Conditions
Lake Trails
Fresh trail grooming will be done this week on the trails from Wheeler’s Point to Sportsman’s Oak Island Lodge and Wheeler’s Point to Warroad. As always, watch for the caution areas.
Land Trails
Continue to be groomed and are in decent condition.  Click here for more details.

Don’t let winter pass you by! You still have time to make your winter ice fishing reservation. We ice fish until March 31.  www.sportsmanslodges.com 800-862-8602

The bite continues to be very active!

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Lake of the Woods South Shore Current Ice Conditions & Fishing Report    Sportsman’s Lodge Baudette, MN www.sportsmanslodges.com 800-862-8602
12/27/2013

Happy Holidays Everyone!

23’-26 feet of water jigging with a gold 3/8 oz jig, gold buck shot or red stop sign lure tipped with a minnow has been working well. Vexilar users have the edge, so be sure to bring yours along or rent one at the front desk. They are in high demand, call 800-862-8602 to reserve. Check out this report and pictures from a recent guest:

These fish were caught on a trip to the Sportsman Lodge stay Dec. 16th thru the 20th. Both fish were caught in house #41 on the 19th of Dec. The 30 1/2 incher was caught by Tom Kubik from Cresco, Iowa around 11 am. The 28 1/2 incher was caught by Scott Butikofer from Cresco, Iowa also within 2 hours of Tom’s trophy. Both fish were returned back to the water so more people could enjoy the fish of a lifetime. We already booked our trip for next year!!!!!!!!!!!! In those 3 days of fishing we caught 180 walleyes and saugers we landed. Not to say the fish that got off. What a trip, best fishing in the winter we ever had. Our guide was Troy and he took excellent care of us. We will request him on next year’s trip also.

Scott Butikofer
Tom Kubik Cresco IA 30.5 inch walleye, released.  Nice one Tom! 
Scott Butikofer
Scott Butikofer from Cresco IA 28.5 inch walleye, released Nice walleye!  

Ice Conditions Currently we have 18-21 inches of ice in the areas we fish and travel. We are building more every day!

Trail Report Lake Trails We currently have 12-15 inches of snow on the lake. The trails are in fair condition.  The plan is to start grooming early next week from Wheeler’s Point to Oak Island for sure.  Ice checks from Wheeler’s Point to Warroad and Wheeler’s Point to Baudette will be done over the weekend to determine when grooming can start on those trails. Everything is staked and has sufficient ice for snowmobiles; we are just waiting on a few more inches of ice for the groomer.  Like always, watch for caution areas especially during days like today when the temperature fluctuates a wide range. Land Trails Most of the trails are groomed. Get out and take a ride today! http://www.lowdrifters.org/trail_condition.htm

Four Mile Bay Ice Road Report The ice road out of Four Mile Bay near Wheeler’s Point is open to full size vehicles and fish houses up to 21’. Currently there is 14”-15” of ice just off the trail and 18”+ on the trail.

Get out and enjoy the winter! Give us a call today to reserve your winter ice fishing vacation 800-862-8602 or online at www.sportsmanslodges.com