Tag Archives: Walleye Fishing

Dipping below freezing

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Let’s cool things down and make some ice!  The forecast is looking more promising. History has told us it doesn’t take long for the weather to change and for ice to build.  Stay tuned to reports here and on our Facebook page and gets your reservations now for the best selection of dates.  Many weekends are filling up fast!

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No Equipment Required!
Ready to go ice fishing but don’t have the equipment? No problem! We supply the fish house warm and ready with your holes drilled. Jig sticks, assortment of jigs and bait is waiting for you. Hungry for lunch? We can deliver that too and clean your fish. So what are you waiting for? Give us a call to book your winter ice fishing trip today 800-862-8602 or contact us online.

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FREE ICE FISHING TRIP!
Who wants a free ice fishing trip? Click here to enter  our contest now for a chance to win a day of ice fishing for you and 3 friends! Contest ends soon!

The bite is on in the Rainy River!

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The best action for nice 15+ inch walleye is around Wheeler’s Point, Wabanica Church, and Clementson as well as areas on the lake just outside Pine Island and around the Morris Point Washout area. Water temperature is 51 degrees. The best depth is approximately 13-18 feet, but fish are being caught anywhere from 12 – 24 feet of water. Jigging with a 1 oz. jig tipped with a shiner minnow using colors gold, pink, white and glow in the dark. Guides available!

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Pike a plenty!
Check out these whoppers caught by a group this week guided by Captain Travis Madrazo. Crankbait and large dead bait is working well.

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Aggressive Sturgeon action
24 Sturgeon in two days including a double, 41 inch and 55 inch! That was the report from a group that was here and fished with Captain Travis Madrazo this week. Deep pockets in the river are holding the sturgeon. (This group also caught 42 walleyes and 26 northerns!   ) Fall fishing is hot! Book your guided fall trip today! 800-862-8602

Dock Cam
Our dock cam is back up and working! Check it out!

Winter Specials
Get in on the early bird deals! 25% off Ice Fishing & Double Reward Points. These specials won’t last long!
Click here for more information.

Openings available this weekend! Kids 17 and under stay free!
Kids 17 and under stay free with 2 adults in lodge rooms. Indoor pool, live entertainment, restaurant, game room and incredible fishing! Escape to the lake! 800-862-8602

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Sportsman’s Oak Island Lodge Fishing Report October 12, 2016

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Reeling in fish
The bite in the islands this week has been great! Lots of nice walleyes, saugers, crappies, pike, bass and muskies have been reeled in.  Jigging with a minnow in 10’-15’ and 22’-26’ has been good for walleyes and saugers around shore lines.  Soldier’s Point and McPherson Island have been notable hot spots.  Crappies have been found in 24’-30’ using smaller jigs with a minnow in areas with structure but we have also seen plenty caught were the walleyes are targeted too.  Bass, pike and muskie fishing has been best trolling using spinner or jerk baits around points and areas with current.  Casting around rocks has been successful too.

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Few days left
Just a few more days left of our fall season. Sportsman’s Oak Island Lodge and Eagle Ridge’s season is winding down. The last day for lodging reservations is Saturday, Oct 15 and the restaurant and bar’s last day will be Oct 16. Thanks for another great season!  We are taking reservations for winter and next summer. We look forward to starting our winter season mid-December. Book your stay today for an ice fishing adventure!  Sportsman’s Lodge Rainy River location remains open year round so if you are looking for a great place to visit after this weekend and get into more fall fishing action, give them a call 800-862-8602 or click here.

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Here they come! River fishing is heating up!

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We have seen a real big change this week in the movement of the walleye schools.  We are seeing more walleyes in shallower, in Four Mile Bay, Lighthouse Gap and the Rainy River.  The shiners are pushing through and the walleyes are chasing!  Anglers have found a really hot bite this past week in 16’-24’ using bright colored 3/8 oz-1/2 oz. jigs tipped with a shiner minnow.   Many boats reported a very aggressive bite and anglers have been enjoying hours of catch and release action or a limit in just a few hours. The water temperature has dropped 7 degrees this week, currently at 53 degrees.

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One of the nice fall walleyes caught recently. 23 inch walleye caught and released by Joy

One of the nice fall walleyes caught recently. 23 inch walleye caught and released by Joy

 

More than just walleyes
A good northern pike, smallmouth bass, lake sturgeon and perch bite have also been a hot topic this week.  Pike and bass are in good supply in the river and bays in cabbage weeds adjacent to rock structure. Jerk or spinner baits or a jig and a minnow starting out in 10’-12’ and working deeper have been the best approach.  Lake sturgeon are roaming in the deep pockets of the river and bays where there is current. A 4/0 hook, 2 oz. no roll sinker and a gob of worms topped off with a minnow or two is working well. Right now lake sturgeon is catch and release through April 23.  Mixed into where the walleyes have been found, a large amount of sweet jumbo perch have as well. Lots of fishing action! We have lodging and docking available through freeze up and guided trips and boat rentals available through October.

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Crappies! A few of our guides went out the other day and brought in a nice bunch!

 

Halloween Party is Oct 29!
Throw your costume in the tackle box and join us for our annual Halloween party 7pm-1am. $200 Cash prize for best costume, free witch’s brew 7pm-8pm, $3 shots, $2 can beer, entertainment and much more! Lodging specials starting at $45 per person per night! Click here
*plus tax and based on double occupancy

Ice fishing season is less than 2 months away!
We offer no equipment required, hassle free ice fishing trips.
Check out our Sportsman’s Lodge & Sleeper House packages here.
For our island locations on Oak Island, Sportsman’s Oak Island Lodge and Sportsman’s Eagle Ridge click here.

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Cooling Off and Catching Fish

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Temperature dipped down to 37 degrees here this morning. Fall is here! Water temperature has dipped 5 degrees this week down to 64. We expect to start seeing some shiners show up in the river within the next week. Once the shiners start to run the walleyes are soon to follow and it makes for some great fall fishing on the Rainy River! Fall soft water fishing is typically really good right until freeze up.

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Good fishing this week!
Check out some of the pics from Captain Travis Madrazo this week! Guided charter (27’ boat holds up to 6 passengers plus guide) and guided outfitter trip (18’-20’ boat holds up to 4 passengers plus guide) are still available through late October. We have some great fall deals going on too! A mix of bait fishing using gold jigs and shiners and trolling with crank baits has been the best approach this week although the guides are starting to remove the downriggers and turning over to only bait fishing. Nice walleyes are being found along shore lines and on the reefs in varying depths along Pine Island, Long Point and Bridges.

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Sturgeon, Bass & Pike
The sturgeon bite has been really picking up this week in the Rainy River and Four Mile bay. A gob of worms on a 4/0 or 5/0 hook and 2 oz. no roll sinker works best. Deep holes in the river where current is found are hot spots for sturgeon. Throwing top water baits for smallmouth bass and northern pike in the bays has been the best approach to lure in these fish. We have a rental boat and guided trips available now through late October.

Ice fishing season is 82 days away!
We offer no equipment required, hassle free ice fishing trips.
Check out our Sportsman’s Lodge & Sleeper House packages here.
For our island locations on Oak Island, Sportsman’s Oak Island Lodge and Sportsman’s Eagle Ridge click here.

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Fall is here!

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The fish are biting, the weather is beautiful, the leaves are changing and the fall specials are hot!
Now is the time to get to the lake! Check out the forecast and a few of the pictures from the week. If you have a picture from a recent stay please share them with us!

Trolling with crank baits has been the most successful approach this week to reel in some walleyes but bait fishing with a gold jig or spinner tipped with a worm has produced some nice fish as well. Depths on the reefs around Garden Island and Bridges in 12’-16’ and 25’-30’ or in the mud outside of Pine Island and Zippel Bay in 25’-30’ have been best. The water is at 69 degrees this morning. The famous aggressive Rainy River fall bite is just a few weeks away! Get your reservations in!

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Syngenta Seeds group reeled in some nice fish this week with Captain Baihly

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A double! Great way to kick off fall fishing! 28.75 inch walleye caught by Marcus Mara from Worthington MN and 24.5 inch walleye caught by Mary Collins from Minneapolis MN. Guided by Captain Mike Marquardt.

 

Sturgeon, Pike, Smallmouth Bass
Fall is a great time to reel in these species. Anglers are starting to see the bite pick up in the river and bays. For sturgeon a 4/0 or 5/0 hook, 2 oz. no roll sinker and a gob of minnows is the best approach. Anchored in or near a hole in the river bed or channel is a good spot to find them. To lure in the bass and pike, throwing out top water baits in weedy bays with some rock structure is good approach. There are hundreds of spots along the Rainy River and bays along the south shore to fish these fish. Not sure how to do it or don’t have the equipment? No problem! We have guided trips available via our 18’and 20’ boats, great for groups up to 4 plus the guide. For more information about guided trips click here.

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Sportsman’s Oak Island Lodge Fishing Report August 23, 2016

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Walleyes….
We have seen nice eater size walleye between 14”-18” caught lately in 20’-26’ jigging with minnows along points and reefs. The best presentation has been gold or orange 3/8 oz jigs tipped with a minnow. The reefs around Tug Channel, Skeet and French Portage have good fishing holes. Water temperature is 73 degrees.

Muskies…Pike…and Smallmouth Bass
Top water baits like cow girls, jerk baits and mud puppies have been working well. Weedy bays 7’-15’ with some rock structure has been best.

Best Equipment for walleyes?
The guides favor St Croix, Fenwick, Gloomis or 13 Fishing rods combos, medium fast action 6’-7’. They like a 10lb braid line, 3/8 ounce jig or 1-1.5 ounce sinker/spinner combination.

Fall is just around the corner
Fall foliage, hunting seasons, and excellent walleye, crappie fishing will soon be upon us too. Make your reservations now and fall into walleyes with our great fall rates!

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Sportsman’s Oak Island Lodge Fishing Report August 10, 2016

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Structure & Mud
Areas with structure or mud have been hot spots this week. Little Oak Island and the southwest side of Falcon Island have been good in 25’-28’ and 17’-22’ of water using a 3/8 ounce gold, red or pink jig tipped with a minnow or leech. Water temperature is currently a warm 76 degrees.

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Muskies, Pike & Bass
The muskies and pike have been real active. Top water baits, buck tails in bays of 7’-15’ with a fast tapering bottom. Working point to point.

Top 5 Reasons to book a charter fishing trip!

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Top 5 Reasons to book a charter fishing trip!

#1 Catch more fish!
#2 No equipment required!
#3 No experience needed!
#4 Your biggest task of the day is reeling in fish and enjoying the day!…
#5 Groups of 1+ welcome! Boats hold up to 6 passengers plus the guide. Bring a group of 6 or groups of less, we will get you on a boat with other guests to enjoy a fun filled day!

What are you waiting for? Give us a call 800-862-8602 or email us at [email protected] for a free quote or click here for more information.

 

Nate Nygard 30 inch 12.86lb walley. Guide, Baihly Hontvet

Nate Nygard 30 inch 12.86lb walley. Guide, Baihly Hontvet