Birchdale Landing is open! **County came out and plowed the landing but an ice shelf still remains. It is deeper on the east side of the landing than west as of late afternoon. Could all be gone within a few hours or could take a little longer. Small boats are being pushed out. Open water is 4 miles to the east of Frontier Landing this afternoon and lots of black ice within 2 miles. Won’t be long! The parking lots are nice and plowed at Birchdale, Frontier, and Vidas Landings, ready to go.
Merry Christmas from the Sportsman’s Crew! We wish you all a safe and happy holiday season and look forward to seeing you soon.
We are now 11 days into our ice fishing season. The season is kicking off well. Day houses started on the 11th and sleepers last weekend. We currently have 11-18 inches of ice in the areas we fish and travel and guests have been catching nice fish. On the ice, we just have an inch or so of snow. As for hot tackle, gold, glow red, glow green, and bigger baits to get the fish worked off the bottom such as Rippin’ Raps are working the best. Bait of choice is chubs or shiner minnows. The best approach for a successful day of fishing is to jig with one rod and dead stick with the other until you find what works best for you. Anglers have been sorting small walleyes and saugers for keepers with a few big guns in the mix as well as an occasional sturgeon and pike. The best depth has been 18’-23’. We now have rods/reels available to use in our rental houses. Contact the front desk to check them out.
Trail Update
The trail from the south shore to Oak Island was marked last Friday. The trail from the south shore to Warroad is being marked today and the trail from Warroad to the island was marked last week. We have a light base of snow with some drifting, areas of bare ice. Could use more snow. For more information on the trails check out the Drifter’s Snowmobile Club and Northwest Angle Edge Riders Club pages.
Going out on your own?
All of our rentals include transportation to and from the fish house. If you are looking to venture out on your own, there are several ice roads in the area you can choose from that other resorts and outfitters maintain and offer for a fee to use. We encourage you to check with them on their ice conditions before venturing out and stay on the marked areas only. The lake never freezes equally and they have the most up-to-date information on conditions in their area.
Join us for our New Year’s Eve Party
Dec 31 Dinner and drink specials, party favors, live entertainment by the classic rock band, Cold Shot, and a champagne toast at midnight. Give us a call to make your dinner reservations at 800-862-8602.
Sportsman’s Oak Island Lodge
The houses are out and we are ready to open up for our winter season! The lodge opens at noon on the 26th. We currently have 12 inches of ice, 3 inches of snow on the lake, and 5-6 inches on land in the areas we fish and travel. What to stock your tackle box with? Gold and glow-in-the-dark 3/8 oz jigs and small spoons are always popular early-season tipped with a chub or shiner minnow. We look forward to seeing you soon!
Transportation The Lake of the Woods Passenger Service will start making trips across the lake from Sportsman’s Lodge to the islands after Christmas and Lake Country Air is also taking reservations now for flights throughout the winter too. The ice road is plowed out a few miles fromYoung’s Bay now with plans to plow to the island soon. We should have another update on the ice road today. Check back on our website here for updates.
Driving to the Northwest Angle Americans who are fully vaccinated and have a 72 hour negative covid test are welcome to come across the border now. Download and fill out the ArriveCAN app and fill out the information to cross. For more information click here.
Trail Update
The trail from the south shore to Oak Island was marked last Friday. The trail from the south shore to Warroad is being marked today and the trail from Warroad to the island was marked last week. We have a light base of snow with some drifting, areas of bare ice. Could use more snow. For more information on the trails check out the Drifter’s Snowmobile Club and Northwest Angle Edge Riders Club pages.
Join us for New Year’s Eve Dinner We are planning food and drinks specials! Give us a call to make your reservation at 800-772-8411.
Check out the aerial footage of Lake of the Woods from the Rainy River, Pine Island to Garden Island during Friday, December 10th’s ice check flight we captured. Looking pretty good overall. Please remember if you are venturing out on your own, the ice does not freeze evenly and some areas are never safe. Go out through a resort or reputable outfitter and always stay on the marked trails. Stay safe!
The ice has been coming along over the last few weeks and we are ready to kick off another season! We start our season in our day houses at our Rainy River location followed by sleepers next as soon as we get a few more inches of ice (usually a week or so) and our Oak Island locations just after Christmas.
Sportsman’s Lodge Rainy River Location
We currently have 10 inches of ice and a few inches or less of snow, in the areas we fish and travel. There are lots of areas on the ice with no snow right now. Be sure to pack some ice cleats or boots with a good tread if you are heading up this week. We start our season using light jeeps and passenger trailers. Our bombardiers will come out once we have more ice and snow.
Going out on your own?
All of our rentals include transportation to and from the fish house. If you are looking to venture out on your own, there are several ice roads in the area you can choose from that other resorts and outfitters maintain and offer for a fee to use. We STRONGLY ENCOURAGE you to check with them on their ice conditions before venturing out and stay on the marked areas only. The lake never freezes equally and they have the most up-to-date information on conditions in their area.
Sportsman’s Oak Island Lodge & Eagle Ridge
Making ice!
We are finding 6-9 inches in the areas we have been traveling so far in the islands up north. We haven’t ventured south of the island yet. Gregg took a plane ride today to check things out and he reports the lake looks like it froze pretty good overall considering the wind we battled within the early days of ice making. Rough ice here and there. He didn’t see much snow on the lake at all which will help in the ice-making process. He and a crew plan to start venturing out further next week to start the ice checks for the trail that runs from the south shore to Oak Island. Stay tuned for more information. If all goes well, the trail could be marked in a week for snowmobiles.
Warm Week Is this the last warm blast? We have had highs in the upper 60’s and 70’s this week. Sounds like a cool down is coming starting Sunday.
Hit and miss bite this week but yesterday it picked up. Water temp has pushed up to lower 60’s. Anchored and jigging a chub or shiner or drifting pulling spinners with a crawler or chub has been luring in the walleyes. 9’-15’ and 22’-28’ outside of Pine Island and Zippel Bay. Gold, yellow and orange have been popular colors.
Fall Sturgeon Tournament Openings October 30 & 31 Limited space! Sign up for this fun event! Our normally scheduled spring tournament is coming up this fall October 30 & 31. We had rescheduled this year’s tournament due to COVID. Cash prizes! Check out the details online and give us a call 800-862-8602 to sign up.
Oak Island
The Bite Jigging a gold, orange or glow in the dark jig tipped with a minnow in 10’-14’ and 21’-27’ on or around structure and shorelines has been good for walleyes. The landscape with the leaves turning is absolutely beautiful right now.
Check out our Great Fall Rates through mid October Click here or call 800-772-8411.
Fall Patterns The week started out up and down but the bite is getting better and we are seeing more shiners in the river. Fall patterns are taking shape. The current water temp has decreased and is in the upper 50’s.
Walleyes are starting to move into shallower depths and to the river. Some of the best techniques to getting a nice stringer of walleyes have been anchored using a jig tipped with a chub or shiner or drifting with a spinner tipped with a minnow or crawler along shorelines 11’-16’ and out deeper in the mud in 22’-28’. Gold, glow in the dark and orange have been popular colors.
Josh 28.5″ walleye caught on jig/shiner. Guide Captain Landon
Dick 28 3/4″ walleye. Guide Captain Mike Marquart
Mike Lanier 22″ walleye. Guide Captain Mike Cline
Mike Lanier with a young sturgeon. Guide Captain Mike Cline
Looking for more species to fish?
Sturgeon Sturgeon are being reeled in in the deep holes of the bays and river bottom using a 4/0 hook, few ounce no roll sinker, a gob of crawlers, and topped with a shiner.
Pike & Smallmouth Bass Give jerk baits a try when fishing for pike in the fall in cabbage weeds adjacent to rock structure. Pike often hang out on the fringe of cabbage weeds. Start at 10’-12’ and work to deeper water off reefs and points using a spinnerbait or a jig and a minnow.
Great Fall Rates Up to 20% off summer lodging and charter packages and lodging starting at just $89 a night for two people now through Oct 31, 2020. Give us a call 800-862-8602 or email us for a rate quote and availability. *Plus tax
Fall Sturgeon Tournament Openings October 30 & 31 Cash prizes! Always a fun event! Check out the details online and give us a call 800-862-8602 to sign up.
Oak Island
Jigging Similar to the south end of the lake, jigs and spinners are working right now. Jigging getting better by the day. A gold or orange jig tipped with a minnow or hammered gold spinner tipped with a minnow or crawler in 10’-15’ and 21’-27’ on or around structure and shorelines. Crappies are hitting on small jigs on structure 15’-30’. Muskies and pike are hot after the topwater baits in the weedy bays.
Check out our Great Fall Rates. Openings are available! Click here or call 800-772-8411.
Leaves are starting to Change Pulling spinners and trolling with cranks continue to work the best for walleyes. Some anglers finding fish in 12’-16’ and others in deeper waters 28’-36’. Pink, silver, and gold for colors. The leaves are starting to change, fall is just around the corner and so is the shiner run. Once the shiners start run the river, we know it won’t take long for the walleyes to follow.
Anglers fishing the river are reeling in some nice sturgeon. Anchored in a deep hole or along the incline above the deep hole has been good. A sturgeon rig tipped with a gob of crawlers works well. Lots of species and miles of water to explore. Charter trips available through late October. Give us a call 800-862-8602.
Trolling Trolling in 24’-28’ using spinners with a minnow, crawler harness or crankbaits in the mud and around structure has been working for walleyes. Gold, red, pink, and yellow tackle have been good options.
Nice pike and muskies have been reeled in. Several 30”+ pike right off the dock. Muskies have been hitting on topwater baits and blades in weedy bays and rock points. Pike mainly in deep water with rocks using spinnerbaits. Crappies are hungry using small jigs and a minnow 10’-30’ on structure.
The Canadian border remains closed at this time but the Lake of the Woods Passenger Service is available to get you to the island. For fall and winter trips, give us a call 800-772-8411 or contact us online.
Combination of Techniques A combination of eaters, small fish, and nice trophies are being reeled in.
Pulling spinners with a minnow, crawler harnesses , and pulling crankbaits on a slow drift or troll continue to be the go-to methods in the deep mud 27’-36. Gold, glow, and anything shiny is popular tackle colors. Warm weather continues with highs in the 70’s and 80’s this week. Water temp is in the lower 70’s.
Fall is just around the corner Lodging starting at only $89* per night in lodge rooms and up to 20% off summer lodging and charter fishing packages Sept 8-Oct 31. Check out our packages and make plans to visit us 800-862-8602. *plus tax and based on 2 adults
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Sportsman’s Oak Island Lodge
Spinners, Cranks and & Jigs Rock reefs and points in 18’-30’ using red/white and gold 3/8 oz. jigs tipped with a minnow or a spinner with a nightcrawler has been a successful method for reeling in the walleyes. Pulling crankbaits in the deep mud is also a great method. Water temp is in the lower 70’s.
Muskies and Pike Working point to point in weedy bays with structure using topwater and jerk baits are luring in the muskie and pike.
Looks like it is going to be a nice week to be out in the boat. Bring on the walleyes! Drifting with gold and glow in the dark spinners and a few ounces of weight has been working well tipped with a leech or crawler. Water temperature is in the mid 60’s and warming up by the day. The best depth has been 25’-31’ outside of the Lighthouse Gap, Morris Point, and north. The walleyes are waiting.
4th of July is next week Come enjoy some lake time!
We have some openings available. Lodging, guided trips, lake tours, indoor pool, a nearby beach, and golf course. Dynasty DJ takes the stage July 3 & 4 and a fireworks display is planned in Baudette. Something for everyone, come have some fun.
Sportsman’s Oak Island Lodge
Walleye, Pike, Bass….lots of options
Gold, pink or orange jigs or spinners tipped with a minnow or crawler has been working well to lure in the walleyes along shorelines in 8’-14’ and 26’-28’ of water around structure and the sand. Water temperature is in the mid 60’s.
Pike & Smallmouth Bass Northern pike and bass have been found in shallow weedy bays. We have hundreds of bays just waiting for you. Successful anglers are using small spinners and spoons.
4th of July week openings available. Give us a call at 800-772-8411. Passenger service is available from Sportsman’s Lodge to the island. No border crossing required.
Sportsman’s Lodge Fishing Report South Shore Lake of the Woods
Lots of nice fish being caught! Check out the pictures of the week!
The guides have been finding some incredible fish this week. Lots of lunkers 25”+ and good eaters. It is always a blast to see so many smiling faces and memories being made. With everything going on in the world, a few days in the great outdoors can be just what a person needs. Water temp is warming up in the lower to mid 60’s now. Drifting with crawler harnesses or spinner with a leech in 24’-29’ has been hot spots. Some anglers continue to find luck anchored and jigging with a minnow in 13’-26’ on structure. Gold and orange have been hot colors. Come wet a line.
Father’s Day is June 21 and the 4th of July is just around the corner
We have gift cards and vacation packages available this summer. Purchase your gift card online and give us a call 800-862-8602 to book your summer trip.
Sportsman’s Oak Island Fishing Report Lake of the Woods NW Angle & Islands
Drifting Away
Drifting with spinners and a leech or crawler harness around structure in 13’-25’ has been pulling in some incredible walleyes. Gold, orange, and yellow have been hot colors. Lots of slots and healthy-sized eaters. Water temp is about 63 degrees. The bays and rocky points have been producing huge pike and quality sized smallmouth bass using spinnerbaits. Check out the 41” er caught this week in our pictures of the week.
Border Update
Unfortunately, we didn’t get the news we were hoping for but we do have options to still get you here to enjoy the islands! To help reduce the spread of Covid-19 the Canadian government decided to extend their border closure to recreational travel through July 21 this week. That means no access to the Northwest Angle by land from the United States or fishing on the Canadian side of the lake is allowed at this time. However, we do have options for you to enjoy the beautiful islands and catch some fish until then! Lake of the Woods Passenger service runs a service from Sportsman’s Lodge to our dock. They have been running since early May and have openings available for the summer. No border crossing required. They also have options for people who would like to follow them up with their boats. Once you get here, we have guided fishing, lodging, full restaurant and bar, gas, bait, incredible views, and hundreds of acres to fish. Another option is our Adventure packages which include lodging a few nights at Sportsman’s Lodge and a few nights at Sportsman’s Oak Island Lodge as well as fishing via a charter up to the island, around the island and back. Enjoy two locations in one trip. Give us a call for all the options, reservations, and any questions 800-772-8411.
Last-minute openings for this weekend! Give us a call, we have some hot specials! 800-772-8411