Tag Archives: sturgeon fishing minnesota

Sportsman’s Lodges 2020 Sturgeon Tournament

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Thank you to all the tournament participants, sponsors, and staff,
and congratulations to the winners!

2020 Winners (May Tournament rescheduled to October due to COVID.)

Day 1

1st – Alex Peterson 55″ X 20″    $605 Cash

2nd – Jason Kennedy 50 1/4″ X 18 1/2″    $260 Cash

3rd – Mayson 47″ X 18 3/4″    Custom Rod

Day 2

1st – Terry Gronseth 55 7/8″ X 20 1/2″    $605 Cash

2nd – Dylan Koyranta 28 1/2″ X 12 1/2″    $260 Cash

3rd – Bill Luukonen 28″ X 13″    Custom Rod

Eelpout – Aaron Jackson 24″ X 13″
Bullhead – None
Sucker – None

Facebook Picture Contest – Deric Erickson

Kids Division – Dannica E. 31 1/4″ X 11 1/2″

Silent Auction ~ Thank you participants for raising $535 for the Lake of the Woods Take a Kid Fishing Program!

Sportsman’s Lodge Lake of the Woods Sturgeon Tournament & Walleye Opener Report 2016

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Sportsman’s Lodge Lake of the Woods Sturgeon Tournament & Walleye Opener Report 2016

The 10th Annual Sturgeon Tournament is in the books & Walleye Opener is this weekend!
What a year! Over 200 sturgeons were caught over the two day, 50 boat tournament including an unofficial state record sturgeon! The two day tournament started Friday, May 5 running 8:30am – 4pm and Saturday 8:30am – 3:00pm. The weather was warm and a little breezy but the wind was in our favor keeping the river nice and calm.   The tournament is a catch and release tournament spanning over 1.2 miles just in front of the lodge on the Rainy River and just around Wheeler’s Point. Check out this hog! The recorded largest sturgeon on record with the Minnesota Department of Natural resources is 70 inches in length and 26.5 inch girth. On day one of the tournament this 70.5 inch length and 28 inch girth whopper was caught by Joe Anderson and his boat mates. What a catch!

Joe Anderson 70.5 inch, 28 inch girth lake sturgeon caught on the Rainy River Lake of the Woods, MN at Sportsman's Lodge 5-6-2016

Joe Anderson 70.5 inch, 28 inch girth lake sturgeon caught on the Rainy River Lake of the Woods, MN at Sportsman’s Lodge 5-6-2016

Musical entertainment, lots of fish stories and a banquet rounded out the festivities on Saturday. Thanks to all the participants it was another great year. We are looking forward to 2017. May 5 & 6. The tournament is already full but you can always contact us to be added to the waiting list or just come up and give sturgeon fishing a try. It is a lot of fun!

Check out some of the action and for more action click here. Congratulations to all the Winners!

Lake Sturgeon Lake Sturgeon Fishing for Sturgeon

10th Annual Sportsman’s Sturgeon Classic Tournament Results
Day 1 1st Place and the unofficial Minnesota record sturgeon 70.5 inch length, 28 inch girth Joe Anderson from Murphy Lake, MN – $2,150 cash plus $500 bonus for the record breaker. Day 1 2nd Place 64.75 inch length, 25.5 inch girth Mike Denuccie from Nashwauk, MN – $925 cash
Day 1 3rd Place 64 inch length, 26 inch girth Joe Lorenzen from Felden, MN – Sturgeon Rod
Day 2 1st Place 63.5 inch length, 23 inch girth Dave Clement from East Grand Forks, MN – $2,150 cash
Day 2 2nd Place 62 inch length, 22.5 inch girth Mark Sage from Grand Forks, ND – $925 cash
Day 2 3rd Place 59.5 inch length, 21.5 inch girth Brandon Lunski Grand Forks, ND – Sturgeon Rod

Other Prizes over Two Days Longest Eelpout 19.5 inch Danielle Denny from Blufton, MN – Prize Pack
Longest Bullhead 12.5 inch Joe Lorenzen from Felden, MN – Prize Pack
Longest Sucker 24.5 inch Jill Strom from Eveleth, MN – Prize Pack
Powder Puff 58 inch length, 23.75 inch girth Cindy Hunter from Grand Forks, ND – Prize Pack
Kid Division – Largest Sturgeon caught by a kid 29 inch length, 12 inch girth Prize Pack
Best Boat – Zach Omdahl – PowrTran Kicker Steering

Over $7,000 worth of cash and prizes were awarded.   Thank you to the contestants, staff and sponsors for making this such a successful event. Bryan “Beef” Sathre, Icatchandrelease.com, Rapala, Northland Tackle, Fish Addiction TV, 13 Fishing, Glacier Fish Houses, Lake of the Woods Tourism, St Croix Rods, SpeedyWorms.com, PowrTran, Fibertech, Dak Shack and Airwave Pedestal Seats.

Sturgeon catch and release season is open through May 15 and then re-opening July 1.

 

Walleye Opener is this Saturday May 14
Walleye Opener 2016
It’s that time of year again! Time to start reeling in the walleyes again! The river and the bay are full of fish and we think it is going to be a great opener. No boat, no equipment? No problem! We have charter trips available starting at just $112 per person per day including a full day trip aboard a 27’ Sport Craft, experienced guide, us of poles, bait, tackle, assortment of pop and water and fish cleaning. Lunch? Sure we can take care of that too! Ask about our shore lunch and box lunch options.

The bite
Shallow shorelines between 6’-20’ are going to be the best using a jig and a minnow or a jig and a spinner. Gold is always good as well as pink and orange in the stained Lake of the Woods waters. Drifting or trolling is going to work well. If pulling crankbaits is more your style that should produce some nice fish too. The current water temperature is 55 degrees and the current is normal.   Northern pike season is also open and Lake of the Woods has a huge population right now of trophy pike. Pitching dead ciscos with a bobber on a quick strike rig on bottom or just 6 inches off bottom are great ways to lure in these monsters along shorelines in weedy bays. Get your fishing buddies together and get ready for some fishing! Lodging starting at only $45* per person per night and guided trips are available. Call 800-862-8602 or book online here.

*plus tax and based on double occupancy Sportsman’s Rainy River location
rainy river weather 5-10-2016
Spring Specials through May 26!

Up to 20% off summer lodging and charter fishing packages May 13-May 26 and lodging packages starting at only $40 per person per night now through May 26.  It’s fishing time!

Lake of the Woods & Rainy River Fishing Report April 20, 2016

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Lake of the Woods & Rainy River
Fishing Report April 20, 2016

It’s Sturgeon & Pike time!

The sturgeon and pike fishing has been great!
The water temperature has warmed up 6 degrees this week.  Current temperature is at 46 degrees today and the weather is holding steady. Anglers are finding lots of sturgeon and pike to bite this week. Lodging and guided trips are still available. Click here or give us a call 800-862-8602.

Sturgeon Bite
Lots of nice 30”-65” sturgeon have been found in Four Mile Bay, areas within of the river near the lodge, Clementson and Birchdale. Size 3/0 or 4/0 circle hooks and a 3 ounce no roll sinker tipped with a gob of crawlers and a frozen shiner has been working well.  To keep the worms from sliding off a good tip is to use piece of a plastic grub at the end.  Anchored at deep river holes or crevices with a little current are best.  Catch and release is open now through April 23 and May 8-15. You can keep on within 45”-50” or over 75” April 24-May 7. They are a blast to reel in!

Northern Pike bite is heating up!
Tributaries along the river and Clementson Rapids are stacked with pike right now.  Anchored and casting out a jig tipped with a shiner and bouncing off the bottom and rocky areas has been producing some huge pike.

Ryan 48 inch sturgeon, released. Way to go Ryan!

Ryan 48 inch sturgeon, released. Way to go Ryan!

 

Mike reeled and released a 52 inch sturgeon! Nice one!

Mike reeled and released a 52 inch sturgeon! Nice one!

 

Now thats a whopper! 63 inch sturgeon caught and released by Michael Daly

Now-thats-a-whopper-63-inch-sturgeon-caught-and-released-by-Michael-Daly

Forecast for the Week

Forecast 4-20-2016

Walleye Opener is May 14

Up to 20% off summer lodging and charter fishing packages May 13-May 26 and lodging packages starting at only $40 per person per night now through May 26.  It’s fishing time!

Check out the fishing action on our Dock Cam!

Photo Contest!
Submit your summer photo from a trip to Sportsman’s, tell your friends to vote and you could win a free night lodging at Sportsman’s Lodge! Click here.