Sportsman’s Lodge Rainy River Location
Lodging starting at only $40* per person per night March 14-May 26.
Up to 20% off Summer Lodging & Charter Fishing packages May 14-26.
Click here for more information.
Click here to book online or call 800-862-8602.
*plus tax and based on double occupancy
26 inch walleye caught by Todd Labine 3-14-2016. Guided by Shane.
27.75 inch walleye caught and released by Andy Labine. Guided by Shane. Nice catch!
Sturgeon are biting too!
Crews worked hard this morning to clean out the shore ice at Birchdale Landing (26 miles east of Baudette). The ramp is ready to go! Only snow and salt remain on the ramp. Time for River fishing!!! Open water runs all the way to Frontier landing right now (16 miles east of Baudette)
We have guided outfitter trips available! Time to get your fish on!
Walleye season is open until April 14. Sturgeon catch and release season is open now through April 23, keep one season is open April 24-May 7 and northern pike season is open year round.
Click here for directions and information.http://sportsmanslodges.com/…/7…/Rainy_River_Access_Map1.pdf
Hot Lodging Deals!
Lodging as low as $40 per person per night plus tax now through May 26. (based on double occupancy) Book your trip today 800-862-8602
19th Annual Mardi Gras Party is this Saturday!
Join us for entertainment, great specials, beads, beads, beads, FREE Hurricanes 8pm-9pm, stay and play packages and a whole lot of fun!
Another ice fishing season is in the books! Thanks for another short but great season! We are now looking forward to spring river fishing. The Rainy River is now open 28 miles east of us about 2 miles east of Frontier Landing (16 miles aeast of Baudette). Birchdale/Nelson Park landing 26 miles east of Baudette is open now for boats to push over the shore ice. Take advantage of our spring rates starting at only $40*per person per night. We also offer guided river trips, boat rentals and dock slip rentals . *Rate plus tax and based on double occupancy. Bar and food available daily! Click here for more information
3/9/2016
Ice Fishing Update
Right now we still have 15-25 inches of ice and plan to fish through this weekend in our day houses. The bite has been improving this week. Anglers have had the best luck in depths outside of Pine Island in 21’-33’ using bright colored small lures and jigs tipped with a minnow. Jigging aggressively 3-6 inches of bottom has been the best approach. Electronics really help pin point the fish. If you do not have one, we suggest trying one, we do have rentals available but be sure to call ahead to reserve, they go fast. We currently have openings every day this week except Saturday. Give us a call to make one last trip 800-862-8602!
Check out some the latest catches!
Ashley is on the left with a nice 18 inch walleye she caught this past weekend, guided by Beef and Jim Fuschetto is on the right with his 25 inch walleye he caught and released.
River Soft Water Fishing Update
It’s that time of year! To many, it seems strange for ice fishing and boat fishing to be going on at the same time, but this is very common in our area due to the difference in the lake and river conditions. This year it is certainly starting much sooner than normal but nonetheless, it appears spring is showing up early this year. 40 miles to our east, the Rainy River is starting to open up. There is open water 10 miles east of Birchdale landing right now. Birchdale is a small town east of Baudette. Due to the current in the river, this body of water opens before Lake of the Woods. As of right now we anticipate the Birchdale landing to be open after this weekend. We are now booking guided boat trips aboard an 18’-20’ boat equipped with a guide, poles, bait and fish cleaning. Hook into a mighty walleye, a monster lake sturgeon (the dinosaurs of the lake) or an aggressive northern pike!
Walleye fishing is open on the Rainy River and Lake of the Woods until April 14, closing for a short time and then re-opening May 14. Lake sturgeon season is catch and release now through April 23, keep one within size limits April 24-May 7 and catch and release again May 8-15. Northern pike season is open year round. Spring is one of the best times of year to get into an aggressive bite! Take advantage of the early spring and get into some fun fishing action! Book your trip today 800-862-8602.
For a Rainy River Boat Access Map and directions click here
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| Wowser! check out this monster pulled from the Rainy River by Dave Winters. 56 inch sturgeon, released. | ||||||
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| Ice Road The ice road from Young’s Bay to Oak Island is open and in good shape.Snow & Trail Report The lake trails are in decent condition and groomed. Take a ride to Oak Island this weekend for the Annual Northwest Angle Edge Rider’s Snowmobile Rally! Use caution at the pressure ridges when the temperature fluctuates. Land trails are pretty beat up and could use more snow. |
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Catching Walleyes & Making Memories
Boy is it nice to see the sun out longer. Days are getting longer and the fish are getting more active. Mix of walleye and sauger has been reeled in this week. Check out some of the catches here and on our Facebook page.
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What is working?
Small presentations, gold and pink are working well. Successful anglers have been using anything from a gold ¼ oz. jig to a Northland Tackle Macho Minnow, Buckshot Rattle Spoon and Forage Minnow tipped with a minnow. The best depth has been in deep areas of Big Traverse 26’-35’. Electronics help. Combination of jigging and dead sticking is a good approach to start your day out and see what works best for you. For jigging set your rig 4-6 inches off bottom. The weather forecast is calling for highs in the 20’s and 30’s this week and the possibility of snow showers over the weekend.
Ice Conditions
Currently we have 15-25 inches of ice in the areas we fish and travel. Not all areas of the lake are the same. Check with local resorts and bait shops for the latest conditions.
We travel a groomed private trail to our houses but here is the latest information from a couple of the local ice roads.
Adrian’s Road at Four Mile Bay 12 miles N of Baudette
Allowing ½ ton trucks with wheel houses up to 21’. ¾ ton trucks without wheel houses.
Morris Point Road at Morris Point 15 miles north of Baudette Allowing ½ ton trucks with up to 16’ wheeled houses. Up to 20’ houses may go out on skids. ¾ ton trucks with portables only.
We received an inch of snow this week. We could use more but the lake trails are pretty good. The lake trails from Sportsman’s Lodge to Warroad, Sportsman’s Lodge to Sportsman’s Oak Island lodge at Oak Island and now the trail on the Rainy River from Sportsman’s Lodge to Baudette are being groomed regularly and in decent condition. Follow the black stakes. Take caution at the pressure ridges as they will change when the weather warms up. Trail maps are available at the lodge or at local businesses. For the latest conditions for the land trails click here for the Baudette area or here for the NW Angle and Oak Island area.
Walleye season open until April 14 & Fish Houses until March 31
Here on Lake of the Woods we have an extended season. Walleye season is open until April 14 closing for a short while and re-opening May 14. Fish houses can be out overnight until March 31. Only 43 days left of the season! Lodging & Ice Fishing Packages starting at only $193* per person. (*plus tax and based on double occupancy)
Late Season Special
25% off ice fishing day houses March 20-31 Sportsman’s Rainy River location. Call 800-862-8602 or online here.
Jigs, Plain Hooks & Buckshots
¼ oz. jigs, plain hooks and Buckshot lures have been working the best tipped with a minnow. Walleyes are being found deep 24’-30’ around reefs. Anglers are finding most walleyes in the 12”-17” size range with an occasional larger walleye. A few pike, perch and tullibee are also nibbling. Electronics are key. The best approach is if something isn’t working, try something different. A different lure, a full minnow, a part of a minnow, more jigging, less jigging. The guides suggest starting out your day with one pole jigging and one dead sticking and make adjustments as the day goes on. Weather today is -8 below, supposed to warm up to 22 above. The rest of the week looks warmer with highs in the high 20’s and low 30’s and a chance of snow over the weekend.
Ice Conditions
Currently we have 14-18 inches of ice in the areas we fish and travel.
Ice Road from Young’s Bay to Oak Island
The road is plowed nice and wide and is in good shape! Come on out!
Trail Conditions
The lake trails from Sportsman’s Lodge to Sportsman’s Oak Island lodge are marked with black stakes and are being groomed regularly. Trails are in decent condition. We received an inch and a half of snow this week. Forecast is saying we could get some more snow later this week. We could use some more snow but lake conditions are decent. Use caution at the pressure ridges. They are all passable but do change when the weather changes. Trail maps are available at the lodge or at local businesses. For the latest conditions on the land trails click here for the Baudette area or here for the NW Angle and Oak Island area.
