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9/8/2010
Great time of year!
Fall one of the best times of the year to enjoy Lake of the Woods. We have thousands of acres of both land and water to explore. This area is truly
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26" Walleye
Jeremy Seng, Cavalier, ND
Sept 1, 2010 |
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23 inch walleye
Sept 1, 2010
Jami Seng, Cavalier, ND |
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Johnson Party lands some nice fish!
Aug 25, 2010
Pictured with Guide Eric (far right) |
heaven for fishing, hunting and outdoor enthusiasts. Fall is a great time to catch walleyes, pike and sturgeon in our area.
The beginning of this week the wind was a challenge, but today is much better and we hope we can start seeing some calmer days ahead. Due to the wind the south end of the lake is churned up so the best fishing has been 20-30 miles out in areas of Little Traverse. The best depth has still been around 30'-32' however the water temperature is starting to cool. Today we found it at 65 degrees; a few did say they found it as low as 62 degrees. Just last week it was in the 70's so if the weather keeps cooling it will start moving the good fishing in shallower and eventually into Four Mile Bay and the Rainy River for the annual shiner minnow chase. It will for sure happen the question is just exactly when. Keep a close eye on the weather and if you're not catching fish at the deeper depths it may time to try a little shallower.
Technique
The best technique and presentation has been trolling with shad raps this week. We still are seeing some good bait fishing but the shad raps have been out doing the live bait fishing at this time. Not sure what bait, poles, or tackle to buy? Leave the hassles to us, book a guided trip and we will have everything ready for you at no extra cost.
The Hunt is on!
Hunting seasons are just getting under way and it sounds like the early goose and bear numbers are looking good in our area. We will be hosting the Annual Ducks Unlimited Banquet this Saturday here at Sportsman's which is always a good time, nice prizes including guns, good meal and fellowship will all be had. For tickets contact Jay at 218-556-5001. Grouse season, whitetail deer archery, and small game will be starting next Saturday, Sept 18 and shortly after furbearer trapping, whitetail deer firearm, muzzleloader and much more. Click here for the complete season list. Click here for a link to maps for our public land trail map.
Fall Festivals, Fall Foliage, Indoor Pool…Sportsman's is a great place to relax
Sportsman's is a great vacation destination for not only the fishing and hunting enthusiast but also for those of you who want to just getaway. We have several fall festivals and events going on this fall in our area. We also have beautiful fall foliage, indoor pool and hot tub to enjoy, entertainment scheduled, delicious food, area hiking trails, golfing, state parks, campground and more. Don't let life pass you by, take some time to enjoy the important things in life by getting away from it all and enjoying our treasure of the north, Lake of the Woods.
Sept 3, 2010
Fall is in the air..Consistent fishing continues
The first few leaves are starting to fall and it is just starting to look a little like fall here in the northland. This year when I write this every week I start to feel like I am writing the same report every week. Excellent fishing, consistent fishing, 32' of water and great walleye fishing every week all summer long. This is exactly how the fishing has been and it just keeps surpassing our expectations. This year has been very consistent, one of the best years for walleye fishing and not much change in the presentation, depth or fishing spots. So many people wonder why? Many anglers are enjoying limits in day or less. Is it the lower fish limits for the past few years? Slot Limits? Less pressure? More sturgeon eating up the walleyes food to increase the walleye hunger for the bait of the anglers? Or combinations of these points? There is a lot to debate about, but one thing is for sure Lake of the Woods has always been a extraordinary fishery and even it a few rough fishing years due to it's size and structure it always has been one of the top lakes in the nation to give you the best odds of a great day of fishing. So if you are looking for a world class fishing trip, Lake of the Woods is the place to come.
The Weekly Fishing Scoop
The best areas to fish recently have been in the Graceton Beach and straight out from Lighthouse Gap or many areas of Little Traverse in 29'-33' of water. Spinners, jigs or trolling with shad raps have all been equally consistent. Minnows have been the best option for bait. It won't be long and the fishing will start to move in shallow and the annual race to the river, Emerald Shiner Run will be in full swing. Fall is a great time of year to enjoy some excellent walleye, sturgeon and pike fishing on Lake of the Woods and the Rainy River.
Hunting Report
Hunting seasons are just starting to get going. Bear Hunters are now out and early goose hunting starts Sept 4. If you are interested in a good hunt contact Eric 219-395-0030 from Quack Addicts Hunting. Eric has over 18,000 acres of wheat, barley, oat, soy bean, rye grass and blue grass fields at his disposal. Don't miss out!
8/26/2010
Trophy Walleyes…Good Eater Walleyes…we got them all.
The wind really kicked up early this week and some anglers went for calmer waters and had mediocre fishing and what do you do, some days on the water are like that. But fishing is always legendary on Lake of the Woods if you are up for a challenge and our guides always are and have the equipment to support it. A crew of anglers was ready to find some walleyes despite the wind and boy did they find fish! They caught and released a 32”, 31” and a 29”, several between 20” - 25” and also kept a nice limit of good eating 15”-18” fish to take. What a day! Lake of the Woods has over 950,000 acres to explore, thousands of reefs and good fishing holes. If you are looking for excellent walleye fishing this is the place to go, book one of our guided trips today are experienced guides are ready to get you on the fish!
The fishing has been best in LIttle Traverse in about thirty feet of water recently. The rock reefs also have been producing some nice action too. Bait fishing using spinners or jigs tipped with a minnow has worked well but if you are looking for some trophy fish your best bet right now is to troll with a shad rap.
Fall into walleyes…
Looks like we are headed into September already next week! Wow, where does the time go. Some of the most prized fishing months are soon upon us, September and October. Come on up and get in on some pole bending action as the weather starts to cool.
DNR Announces 2010 Hunting Seasons
We have several thousand acres of prime hunting land for the public to enjoy in our area. Grab your pals and enjoy hunting for goose, waterfowl, fox, grouse, deer, bear, and more. Click here to view the hunting dates.
Sportsman's 6th Annual Biker Rally is this weekend!
Bring your bike or just come out for the fun. We have a whole line up of events ready for you. Come enjoy summer's last bash! Check out the schedule of events and download your fun run map by clicking here.
8/18/2010
Wind is out…Sunny Skies are in!
The past week has been on the breezy side and put up a challenge to get to the prime fishing spot, but today is beautiful and the
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Captain Dave pulls in
a nice walleye |
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Fun Day on the Water |
weekend forecast looks good! Sunny Skies are in the forecast along with light wind and temperatures in the upper 70's and lower 80's. Enjoy the last few weeks of summer fun, plan your getaway today
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The good fishing has not really changed even with the wind. The wind just made it harder to get out and enjoy the day. Some of the best fishing has remained in the 30'-32' depth range, however don't count out the shallow depths. One guide caught a nice stringer of walleyes in 7' of water yesterday! Whether you enjoy bait fishing or trolling with shad raps either technique have both been very consistent lately. If you prefer bait fishing the best presentation has been hammered gold spinners tipped with a minnow. If you prefer shad raps the best color has been silver and white. The best locations have been around the Graceton Beach area, Garden Island and Little Oak Island.
Fall is around the corner
We are roughly 6 weeks out from the legendary “Emerald Shiner Run” which normally occurs in late September on the Rainy River and Four Mile Bay. This event normally brings in thousands of walleyes to the Rainy River as they chase the shiners upstream. Get your reservations in now and take advantage of $39 per person lodging. Good fishing, good food, indoor pool, hot tub and entertainment await you.
Minnesota Fall Hunting Seasons announced
Beltrami State Forest is just out our back door with over 67,000 acres of land along with one million acres of Lake of the Woods to explore. Come enjoy some great hunting for bear, small game, goose, grouse, waterfowl, whitetail deer, fox and much more. This is a hunter's paradise. If you are looking for a guided hunt, contact Eric from Quack Addicts for a goose or duck hunt. Contact Tony from Tony's Trophy Elk Hunts for elk or whitetail deer. For a 2011 bear hunt contact Gregg@sportsmanslodges.com For the complete list of Minnesota season dates, click here.
Biker Rally 2010
Our 6th annual Biker Rally is just around the corner, Aug 27 & 28. Come for the bikes, fishing, relaxing, games, entertainment and more. Start the Rally out with stops at area participating businesses for a chance to win CASH! Check out our list of events and Fun Run stops by clicking here www.bikerrally.sportsmanslodges.com
8/10/2010
Summer Fishing 2010: Limits for EVERYONE!
That pretty much sums up how fishing has been on Lake of the Woods the past 3 months. The fish are active, hungry and don't seem very finicky at
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27 inch Walleye
Way to go Girl!
Caught by Marta
Virgina, MN
July 2010 |
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Marta does it again!
Marta's #2 out of 4 walleyes she caught over
25 inches!
Family Fishing Fun
July 2010 |
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32", 12.5 lb Walleye
Josh Anderson
Fergus Falls, MN
Caught on a gold spinner
tipped with a crawler
8/6/2010 |
all. We honestly have not had one below average day of fishing this whole summer other than a few days that the weather gave us a challenge. It doesn't seem to matter what the weather does the good fishing remains constant. Check out these latest brag board pictures. Kids love fishing and this little gal, Marta had an awesome trip this past July; she caught 4 walleyes all over 25 inches herself! Wow! Way to go Marta. It is great to see kids get hooked on fishing.
Time to wet a line…
Take advantage of these hot days of summer and spend them on the water. The breeze is cool and the fishing is hot! Anglers have had the most success bait fishing around 28'-34' water along Long Point and Garden Island using hammered gold crawler harnesses tipped with a crawler or two or spinners with leeches. Anglers have also had success using artificial bait and trolling with shad raps in 32'-34' of water 15 miles north of Pine Island.
Fall is around the corner
We are roughly 7 weeks out from the legendary “Emerald Shiner Run” which normally occurs in late September on the Rainy River and Four Mile Bay. This event normally brings in thousands of walleyes to the Rainy River as they chase the shiners upstream. Get your reservations in now and take advantage of $39 per person lodging.
Biker Rally 2010
Our 6th annual Biker Rally is just around the corner, Aug 27 & 28. Come for the bikes, fishing, relaxing, games, entertainment and more. Check out our list of events by clicking here www.bikerrally.sportsmanslodges.com
8/4/2010
Big Fish! Right Now!July and August are the best times to catch BIG walleyes on Lake of the Woods. If you are looking to have some of the best big
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29.5 inch Walleye!
Caught by Tevin Anderson
Balsam Lake, WI
8-2-2010
Way to go!! |
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23 inch Walleye!
Released by Diana & Wyatt Hennum
Caught on a gold jig tipped with a minnow in
32' of water just outside of Pine Island
7-28-2010 |
fish catch and release action of the year, the time to head out on the water is NOW! Pump up your arms and grab a few friends and head out on the water for some memorable fishing fun. We are seeing several slot fish and larger caught daily right now.
Island Fish Fry
If your looking to catch a nice mess of good eating fish that is certainly not hard to come by right now too. Fishing continues to be very good and there is nothing better than enjoying authentic island fish fry midday during a day of fishing. Ask about booking a shore lunch when you book your next trip. Our guides prepare the fish and all of the fixings while you take in the beautiful scenery of the area. This is definately an experience you won't want to miss.
The Scoop
Walleye fishing either bait fishing with a hammered gold spinners or 3/8 oz gold or brightly colored jigs tipped with a minnow or trolling with shad raps have both brought in some nice fish. The best fishing has been around twenty-eight feet to thirty-five feet of water around north and south of Garden Island, Zippel Bay, Little Oak and Lighthouse Gap of Lake of the Woods.
Fall is around the corner
We are roughly 8 weeks out from the legendary “Emerald Shiner Run” which normally occurs in late September on the Rainy River and Four Mile Bay. This event normally brings in thousands of walleyes to the Rainy River as they chase the shiners upstream. Get your reservations in now and take advantage of $39 per person lodging.
Biker Rally 2010
Our 6th annual Biker Rally is just around the corner, Aug 27 & 28. Come for the bikes, fishing, relaxing, games, entertainment and more. Check out our list of events by clicking here www.bikerrally.sportsmanslodges.com
7/28/2010
It's a notable year on Lake of the Woods…Take it from a loooong time (46 years) guest of Sportsman's Lodge…
Dear Hennum family,
I have been traveling to Sportsman's for 46 years. Except for a couple of years for college and marriage, we have made the trek every year from the twin cities. We continue to with my children and parents. In the last five years, I have had to make the
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Wallschlaeger Family |
trip at least two times per year (Winter and Spring). Back in the day (pre 1980) we went to the Canadian side (Quick) and post restrictions we stay with the American flag. We have always fished with our party 1-5 boats, until a couple of years ago when I met Tim Mart during a wintertime fish dinner. He has been taking us fishing for a day or two of our trip. This year was particularly notable because we caught A LOT of BIG fish! Tim did a great job and we consider him a friend. My daughters (14 and 16) love to fish because Tim makes it a fun time. My Dad is slowing down a bit, so Tim and the staff got him a wheelchair. He had a Ball! My Mom caught one of the biggest fish of her long fishing career. Jeannie my wife not only got a great Tan, but caught fish too.
I am attaching the ‘board' picture from our trip and notice Marena's (youngest daughter) fish in the middle seems to be a bit longer than the others.
We hope to enjoy many more years in the cabins of Sportsmans lodge!
Steve Wallschlaeger
Sportsman's is a great place to enjoy with family and friends. Start your family tradition today and book a trip to Sportman's Lodges 800-862-8602.
The details….
The fishing remains good in really many areas in Big and Little Traverse on Lake of the Woods recently. The good fishing doesn't seem to be favoring any one spot, just the magic 30'- 32' water depth. Trolling with shad raps as well as jigging with 3/8 oz jigs or spinners have are both producing good results for anglers right now. The hot colored shad raps have been blue & silver and hot colored jigs have been pink and purple. Leeches & crawlers have been the best choice for live bait.
100% Walleye Limit Guarantee!
We are guaranteeing you will leave or eat your limit of walleyes if you fish on one of our guide boats for two days or better or we will pay you! Don't miss out, call 800-862-8602 for details and book your trip today!
Affordable Family Fun!
Check out our hot deals and take advantage of $45 in savings per person. Click here for details!
Excellent Fishing, Camping, Entertainment, Cabins, Pool, Lots of Things to do….at Sportsman's Lodges this summer all at affordable
7/21/2010
Now is the time!
Great weather…lots of walleyes…now is the time to escape to Lake of the Woods because these beautiful sunny days won't last forever. Trophy
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July 21, 2010
Joanne & Becky from St. Cloud show off their
30.1 inch (Joanne) & 31.50 inch(Becky)
walleyes they caught while fishing with
Guide Tony Beckel |
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Richards Party Successful Day of Fishing
July 21, 2010
Fished with Guides Kit & Tony |
sized walleyes and limits are not hard to come by AT ALL! Tailor your trip just the way you want it. Many are choosing to enjoy a no hassle, no equipment or experience required guided trip. Experience lots of walleye action and a shore lunch one day, a second day of walleye fishing to fish for a limit to take home and hunt for the trophy and a third plus days of northern pike fishing or head to our Sportsman's Oak Island Lodge for a day or two of muskie and/or northern pike fishing. At Sportsman's Lodge you tell us what you want out of your vacation and we will design a package for you.
What's been working…
Not much has changed from last week….the fish are not finicky they are just hungry! A banner year of fishing just keeps on. It doesn't seem to matter which of the three common Lake of the Woods techniques you use, it has been bringing in the fish as long as you are in the right spot. If you choose to go with a guide you don't need to worry or bring a thing they have it all ready to go and a plan in place. If you choose to head out on your own, pick your favorite presentation and technique and then bring in a back up plan just in case. The three most common techniques are: #1 – Use 3/8 oz gold, orange or pink jigs tipped with a minnow or leech or combination of both and lightly jig. #2 Use a hammered gold spinner and sinker tipped with a minnow or leech or a crawler harness tipped with a worm and lightly jig. Or #3 troll with a shad rap shiny in color weighted to the bottom. It has been reported that trolling has been the most successful for the big fish but for a nice cooler of good eaters choose from any technique. The best areas to try lure in some walleyes have been 28-32 feet outside of Lighthouse Gap, Morris Point, Long Point and areas around Garden Island. It is an angler's paradise on Lake of the Woods…nearly 1 million acres to explore!
100% Walleye Limit Guarantee!
We are guaranteeing you will leave or eat your limit of walleyes if you fish on one of our guide boats for two days or better or we will pay you! Don't miss out, call 800-862-8602 for details and book your trip today!
Affordable Family Fun!
Check out our hot deals and take advantage of $45 in savings per person. Click here for details!
Excellent Fishing, Camping, Entertainment, Cabins, Pool, Lots of Things to do….at Sportsman's Lodges this summer all at affordable
7/14/2010
It's Big Fish Time!
If you are looking for some arm bending action and plenty of good eater fish too, now is the time! Our charter boat guests have been catching and
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June 21, 2010
27.5 inch walleye released by
Beth Franzen from Lincoln, NE
Fishing with Guide Dan |
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31 inch walleye
Brenda Halland from Minneaplis, MN
July 13, 2010 |
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52 inch Lake Sturgeon
Captain Tim holding it for
guest Joyce Devine
7/4/2010 |
releasing fifteen to twenty slot fish (19.5 inches to 28 inches) per day! Captain Dave's boat also caught a 30 inch & a 31 inch walleye yesterday too. Captain Dan has brought in some nice ones recently and Captain Tim's boat caught a 52 inch sturgeon on the 4th of July. We are having a whole lot of fun at the Sportsman's Lodge and the guides are hot on the action!
Anglers have been having the most luck doing a little bit of jigging & spinner action along with trolling with shad raps for their best fishing action recently. Live bait anglers have been using a mix of minnows, leeches and crawlers using gold, orange or pink 3/8 oz jigs or hammered gold spinners. The artificial bait that has been working the best has been silver and white, and red rapalas. The best depth has been around 30-32 feet outside of Pine Island and Morris Point in the mud as well as Little Oak and Garden Island around some structure.
Lake Sturgeon season opens back up
Lake Sturgeon season opened back up July 1 and will continue to be open until Sept 30. During this time you can keep 1 per license year between 45”-50” inclusive or over 75” or just enjoy the catch, take a picture and let them go for more years of fun. These prehistoric monsters are known to fight you for up to an hour. Come fishing for a dinosaur today.
100% Walleye Limit Guarantee!
We are guaranteeing you will leave or eat your limit of walleyes if you fish on one of our guide boats for two days or better or we will pay you! Don't miss out, call 800-862-8602 for details and book your trip today!
Affordable Family Fun!
Check out our hot deals and take advantage of $45 in savings per person. Click here for details!
Excellent Fishing, Camping, Entertainment, Cabins, Pool, Lots of Things to do….at Sportsman's Lodges this summer all at affordable
7/7/2010
The Firecrackers are still popping at Sportsman's Lodge!
10lb, 9.5 lb, two 8lb and many, many nice walleyes have been landed this week at the Sportsman's Lodge! Check out some a sample of our weekly
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July 5, 2010
Randy's 10 lb walleye! |
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The New Bride, Mrs. Heather Pilkington
lands a 28 inch walleye this past weekend. |
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30 inch walleye
caught by Jim Hughes
7/5/2010 |
pictures and go to our
Facebook page for more! The 4th of July may be over but the fishing continues to POP! Trophy season is here and boy are we starting it off with a bang! July and August have consistently been known as the best months to catch a trophy walleye on Lake of the Woods…so pump up your arms and show us what you got.
Anglers have been enjoying good fishing in a few different depths but one of the most common has been 30'-32' of water just outside of Pine Island, Morris Point, and Zippel Bay. A few other areas that have been producing are areas around Garden Island and Little Oak Island. The best technique continues to be anchoring, using a brightly colored jig tipped with a leech and lightly jigging. Some anglers have been trolling with shad raps and seeing some decent results as well. This technique normally starts getting favored as the month moves on so don't count it out when you venture out.
100% Walleye Limit Guarantee!
We are guaranteeing you will leave or eat your limit of walleyes if you fish on one of our guide boats for two days or better or we will pay you! Don't miss out, call 800-862-8602 for details and book your trip today!
Affordable Family Fun!
Check out our hot deals and take advantage of $45 in savings per person. Click here for details!
Excellent Fishing, Camping, Entertainment, Cabins, Pool, Lots of Things to do….at Sportsman's Lodges this summer all at affordable
7/1/2010
Wild wind lately….but still lots of walleye action!
Man what a year! Nothing seems to affect these hungry walleyes this year. We have see rain and wind this past week which normally can dramatically
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June 24, 2010
Dillon pulls in a nice walleye....one
of many for the day while fishing with
Guide Dave McDougall |
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Guide Dave McDougall lands a nice one!
29.5 inch walleye June 24, 2010 |
affect the fishing but not this year! One of our guides actually found walleyes in nine to twelve feet of water yesterday! That is normally unheard of for this time of year. It is great to have such a healthy lake; it sure has been producing lots of fun!
They guides are on the fish
The best fishing seems to be moving north this week in comparison to recent the past month, fifteen to twenty miles out from Pine Island in 26'-32' feet of water has been the talk. However, on some of these wild windy days we have seen some decent fishing in close too, like I said nine to twelve feet of water in areas around Zippel Bay and Long Point, yesterday. The best tackle has been a mixture of gold spinners and gold, orange and pink jigs tipped with a leech. Most people continue to anchor but it won't be long and we will be doing some trolling for those trophy walleyes as we move into two of the best trophy fishing months of the year, July and August. You can still get plenty of good eater walleyes in those months but statistics show and even the DNR has said you have a one in ten chance to catch a ten pound walleye on Lake of the Woods in those months.
100% Walleye Limit Guarantee!
We are guaranteeing you will leave or eat your limit of walleyes if you fish on one of our charter boats for two days or better or we will pay you! Don't miss out, call 800-862-8602 for details and book your trip today!
It's an Old Fashion 4th of July in Baudette
When it comes to the 4th of July, Baudette does it big! Two days full of fun, parades, kid's games, vendors, entertainment, street dance, one of the best fireworks display within 300 miles over Willie the Walleye hill, community wide garage sales and much more. Sportsman's has some last minute camping and lodging still available so if your looking for some fun, give us a call today 800-862-802. For a complete schedule of 4th of July events click here.
Hot Deals! Hot Deals!
Check out our hot deals and take advantage of $45 in savings per person. Click here for details!
Excellent Fishing, Camping, Entertainment, Cabins, Pool, Lots of Things to do….at Sportsman's Lodges this summer all at affordable rates.
6/23/2010
We are called the Walleye Capital of the World for a reason!
The walleye fishing just keeps on surpassing our expectations! Lots of exciting stories, full coolers of fish, hundreds of catch and
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June 21, 2010
Great Day of Fishing! |
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Gentleman all the way from South Africa
snags a nice walleye!
29 inch Walleye
June 16, 2010 |
release occurrences and more than average number of “locals” fishing every day!! If we have a record number of “local” people fishing, you know fishing is good. This year I have heard many, many stories of people that don't usually step into a boat in 2-3 years sometimes making time to get out fishing because it has been so good. Another common conversation around the guides table has been the record number of slot sized walleyes being caught (19.5-28 inches) they have actually had days recently that they have had to work at getting eating sized fish because the majority of fish caught are too big to keep. Now that is a fun day of fishing and a great sign of our lakes good health.
100% Walleye Limit Guarantee!
We are guaranteeing you will leave or eat your limit of walleyes if you fish on one of our charter boats for two days or better or we will pay you! Don't miss out, call 800-862-8602 for details and book your trip today!
The Scoop
The fishing remains best in same spots as the past few weeks. Anglers continue to have above normal catch rates. The best depth remains in the thirty to thirty-three feet of water range just outside of Pine Island, Morris Point Gap and areas around Long Point. The best bait has been leeches and some swearing by the minnow/leech combination. The best tackle continues to be any 3/8 oz bright colored jig, a consistent favorite is always gold. A few anglers are having luck with a hammered gold spinner too, so best to pack a little of each or pack nothing at all and let our guides have it all ready for you when you fish on one of our charter boats. They are always equipped with the best bait, tackle and techniques, ho hassle fishing we like to call it. The technique continues to be anchoring, finding a good school of fish and staying on top of them. The reefs are starting to get looked at and tested but as for now the best bet continues to be in the same spots we have been going to in the past few weeks.
Hot Deals! Hot Deals!
Check out our hot deals and take advantage of $45 in savings per person. Click here for details!
Excellent Fishing, Camping, Entertainment, Cabins, Pool, Lots of Things to do….at Sportsman's Lodges this summer all at affordable rates.
6/16/2010
100+ Fish Days!
The walleye line pulling action just doesn't miss a beat! We have walleyes and saugers practically jumping in the boat, it has been awesome! This past week our guide boats caught and released more than two hundred walleyes in the slot limit (19.5-28.0
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Seven year old Gracie proudly holding her
27.5 inch (approx 8lb) walleye with her
dad, Sportsman's Guide Justin Johnson.
Gracie caught this beauty on a chartreuse
spinner tipped with a minnow in 31' of water
June 13. This fish was released. |
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WOW! What a walleye! Dan Balken
from Montevideo is pictured with his
12lb monster! Dan caught this whopper
while fishing with Guide Justin Johnson on
June 12 using a hammered gold spinner tipped
with a leech and a crawler. |
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Our guests have nothing but love for
walleyes at Sportsman's Lodges! |
inches, 3-8lb)! INCREDIBLE and that is not all! Everyone has been eating or leaving with their limit and anglers also enjoyed releasing 50+ more per boat. This summer has been nothing short of outstanding for walleye fishing right from the open date in May and we don't think we will see any drastic changes in the near future. Don't believe us? We are putting our money where are mouth is and this summer we have brought back the 100% Walleye Limit Guarantee! We are guaranteeing you will leave or eat your limit of walleyes if you fish on one of our charter boats for two days or better or we will pay you! Don't miss out, call 800-862-8602 for details and book your trip today!
The Scoop
The best fishing spots have been short jaunt out into 29'-32' of water just outside of Pine Island. Anchoring or trolling when the wind is light and jigging with 3/8 oz gold, orange or pink jigs tipped with a shiner or chub minnow continues to be the best technique. Anglers are having some luck with leeches but the minnow is still the best choice.
Fish, Eat & Be Merry
With fishing so good enjoy a meal of your fresh catch on our classic island shore lunch is a must! Take a break from all of the action midday and stop on a nearby island where your guide will prepare your morning catch along with all the fixings. There is nothing better than fresh fish and breathtaking scenery. Ask about our “shore lunch” option when you book your guided trip today. OR Enjoy a your catch fried up after a day out on the lake in the Sandbar or try it in our Riverside Dining Room 5 different ways including broiled lemon pepper, garlic, Cajun and of course our very own famous deep fried breading.
Excellent Fishing, Camping, Entertainment, Cabins, Pool, Lots of Things to do….at Sportsman's Lodges this summer all at affordable rates.
6/10/2010
Steady, Consistent Fishing Continues……
What a year! Even with the rain and wind this week, the walleye bite hasn't wavered a bit! We experienced above average fishing last summer and this year is proving to be just the same! We are having a blast! There seems to be a little bit of everything going on to keep all walleye anglers happy. Lots of nice fourteen to eighteen inch good eating fish, many, many slot walleyes between nineteen and a half to twenty-eight inches being caught and released, plenty of bait stealers to keep you on top of your game along with a few trophy size over twenty eight inches showing up too. Lots of action and lots of fun! Keep in mind if you are looking to catch a trophy the best time to come is July & August. You will catch plenty of smaller walleyes too but your chances of landing a lunker typically are greater during these months. We see several trophies caught year after year, some kept for wall hangers and many released. Statistics show that if you fish Lake of the Woods in July and August you have a 1 in 10 chance to catch one of these whoppers! Check out this recent catch pictured below, Bob Thiede from Motley, MN with his recent trophy, a 30 inch walleye.
The scoop
The fish are biting now! Get here now! If you are looking to get in on some action the bite continues to be in the twenty eight to thirty-two feet of water range just outside of Pine Island and Lighthouse Gap. Pink, Orange and Gold 3/8 oz jigs tipped with a shiner or chub minnow seem to be working best. A few anglers have been testing the leeches and worms which normally start to be a hot item to have in your arsenal this time of year. Anchoring the boat and jigging have been the best techniques to have a successful fishing day.
No hassle affordable fishing trips available…
No experience or equipment required just pure fun! Charter trips that include the guide, boat, use of poles, bait, tackle, assortment of pop and water, onboard bathroom and fish cleaning are available starting at just $115 per person. No minimum number of people required to book. We also have 2 nights lodging, 1 day fishing packages starting at just $205 per person too. Give us a call today and one of our experienced guides will get you on the fish!
100% Walleye Limit Guarantee
Yes, you heard it right! We are putting our money where our mouth is. If you fish on our charter boats for at least two full days we guarantee you will leave with or eat your limit of walleyes or we will pay you $10 per walleye short! Now with affordable rates and this guarantee…if your looking for a fun fishing trip this is it! Call today to book yours…prime dates are booking up 800-862-8602.
RV Camping now available
Check out our new RV Campground! Electricity, Sewer, Cable TV, central water all available. Site fees only $25-$30 and no charge for extra people! Enjoy entertainment, restaurants, charter trips, docking, boat rental, indoor pool, and playground all within walking distance and in the heart of the resort area.
6/2/2010
Excellent Fishing kicks off the Summer
It's a beautiful day today on Lake of the Woods, lots of sun and blue skies! The fishing continues to be incredible. The lake is healthy and the fish are active is the buzz around the area. Our guides have been hot on the walleye trail. Even with the two rain downpours last week the fishing consistency really hasn't changed much at all. All weekend we heard story after story of limits of walleyes being caught and released. We thought last summer was one of the best years of fishing we have ever had and now I am beginning to think this year maybe fighting for that title.
A few tips….
Fishing continues to be good in the twenty-eight to thirty-two feet of water range just outside of Pine Island, Lighthouse Gap, Zippel Bay, Long Point and Graceton Beach. The hot tackle continues to be the brightly colored jigs or gold spinners tipped with a minnow. Although minnows have been working quite well and there is no sense in changing something that is working, you may want to throw in a few worms, leeches and worm harnesses in the boat just in case. As we move into June, worms and leeches tend to be a favorite meal among the walleyes.
Hassle Free Fishing…
Looking to take the hassle out of your fishing adventure and get the most out of your vacation time? Take a guided trip today. We all know how precious our time is and why waste your time working on the motor, finding the right fishing spot and setting up rods when for just $115 per person per day you can enjoy a relaxing day on the water pulling in walleyes. We include an experienced guide, use of poles, bait, tackle, assortment of pop and water and even clean your fish for you. Your guide can also cook you a delicious island shore lunch midday if you choose for a minimal fee all while you are basking in the sun and enjoying your hard earned days off. Check out our fishing packages starting at just $205 per person which include your day of fishing and two nights lodging. We have affordable kids packages available too, so get everyone together and make your reservations today.
Catch of the Day
Don't miss out on savings of up to $45 per person on fishing packages this summer. Check out our hot deals here for more information and call us today at 800-862-8602 to reserve your package today.
5/26/2010
Rain, Wind…back to Blue Skies!
A storm whipped thru Lake of the Woods early this week pouring down a sizeable two to four inches of rain in our area. The good thing is it helped our below average water level and it was short lived. By Tuesday afternoon we were back to sunny skies. Today it is a nice sunny day, sixty-eight degrees, winds around fourteen miles per hour or a little walleye chop we call it. The forecast is telling us it will only get better as we continue thru the holiday weekend, so pack your bags and head our way! The storm shook things up a bit, but the fishing remains unchanged, from it's very good status we have been enjoying the past few weeks. We may see a bit of a slow down for a few days as the run off pushes into the river and lake, but that usually only takes a few days to clear back up and since we are two to three weeks ahead of the normal early summer fishing pattern, the best fishing is in the lake rather than the river which doesn't get as murky so it is very possible fishing will hardly be affected at all.
The Scoop
The best bite has been in twenty-six to thirty-one fee of water outside Pine Island near Light House Gap and Graceton Beach. There have been some anglers that have also had decent luck in Four Mile Bay early in the day in just six to eight feet of water. The best tackle has been 3/8 oz red, yellow or orange jigs tipped with a chub or shiner minnow. There is some that have also been doing equally well with gold spinners tipped with a minnow of choice too.
Let the camping begin!
The power is ready, the new picnic tables are built and the fire rings are almost set. Sportsman's is now offering ten new RV sites at their Rainy River location starting Friday! Five will have electric, five will be primitive and the rates are very reasonable, we don't charge for extra people!! Just the site itself! Enjoy swimming in our pool, restaurants, entertainment, fishing trips, boat rental and more! And check this out; we will have cable TV available at the electric sites starting June 10!
5/19/2010
Excellent Weather & Excellent Fishing!
Wow! What a phenomenal opening fishing week! Great weather and exceptional fishing! It just doesn't get any better than this! It
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Yours Truly, Jacki LaValla, Baudette, MN
reels in and releases a
22.5 inch, 4.5 lb Walleye!
May 16, 2010
Caught with a bright yellow 3/8oz jig tipped
with a minnow
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Even the boss got out fishing!
Gregg Hennum pictured with the 1st
fish for the boat for theday caught by
his son Garrett, 5 years old
May 16, 2010 |
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Oh the stories they will tell..
Note the 3 year old in the back
found his favorite spot to be
playing with the minnows and fish! |
feels like summer has come early and we are loving it. The walleyes and sauger fishing catch rate is well above average right now. I went out just for 3 hours the other night with myself, 4 adults and 3 kids under 6 years old and we caught 35 fish, one 22.5 inch walleye and kept 16. Even amongst all of the excitement of the three kids we caught fish and had a blast! Memories were definately made; the kids can't stop talking about it. Everyone on the boat including the kids caught fish, lots of nibblers and plenty of good eater size.
The Scoop
To be quite honest it seems like many different spots are working right now, the fish love the weather, the population is strong and they are hungry. The best depth is 21-29 feet of water in the sand just outside of Pine Island, Zippel Bay or Morris Point area. The water temperature is currently at 62 degrees which is quite a bit warmer than normal so the fish are moving deep earlier than normal years. We normally fish in the 18-20 range this time of year. The best tackle has been 3/8 oz gold/pink, bright orange, gold, bright yellow. The best bait has been chubs or emerald shiners.
Weather forecast looks good..
It looks like the warm weather, light wind and beautiful weather is going to continue. There is a slight chance of rain Sunday but otherwise the national weather service is forecasting excellent weather. Start your summer early and head to the lake!
Book now…the good fishing word is out..rooms are going fast!
The next two weekends are getting booked up just a few rooms and cabins left. Give us a call soon to book your trip. Enjoy no hassle full service day of fishing for just $115 per day or 2 nights lodging and 1 day charter fishing starting at only $205 per person plus tax. We have reasonably priced kids rates too. We include it all! Poles, bait, tackle, fish cleaning, assorted pop and water beverages and a whole lot of fun. We will even cook you a delicious fresh fish shore lunch midday or pack a sack lunch for you if you would like for a minimal charge. Call now 866-533-8998.
Morel Mushroom Hunters
More and more mushrooms have started to pop up, but the prime season is soon coming to an end. Come on up and explore the state parks and thousands of acres of public land for these yummy treats.
5/15/2010
Best Walleye Fishing Opener in Years!
Seventy-five degrees, light wind and lots of walleyes! Anglers enjoyed a beautiful day on Lake of the Woods today. Fishing was
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30 inch, 10 lb Walleye Opener Walleye!
Cody Bandemer, from Brighton, CO
May 15, 2010
Caught with a pink/gold 3/8oz jig tipped
with a minnow
Caught & Released
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60 inch Sturgeon, caught & released
Jason Swartz, Hudson, CO
May 14, 2010
Caught on a large hook, slip weight and gob
of worms |
in close just five miles away from the Sportsman's Lodge in fifteen to twenty-five feet of water and an overall consistent all day bite. The best tackle choice was gold/bright yellow, pink or orange colored jigs tipped with a minnow. There were a few brief lulls in the day but overall a “good day of fishing”.
Check out these photos. Cody Bandemer from Brighton, CO pulled in a huge 30 inch walleye today while fishing on one of our Charter boats with a gold/pink 3/8 oz jig tipped with a minnow! Now that is a good opening day of fishing! Cody had a blast catching this beautiful walleye and then later released it. Cody's buddy Jason from Hudson, CO also had excellent luck, Jason pulled in a 60 inch sturgeon yesterday, May 14 just east of Baudette on the Rainy River with a large hook, slip weight and worms. Jason also released his fish as well. Sturgeon fishing is now closed until July, but walleyes are just beginning. Cody and Jason also caught an eelpout, many saugers and a sucker while fishing the past few days. The weather forecast looks nice for the week; come on up the fishing is just starting to heat up!
5/12/2010
Time to get your fish on! Walleye Opener 2010!!
This Saturday, May 15 marks the annual spring walleye fishing opener. The anticipation of the big day has been mounting and in
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A little taste of what
Walleye Opener could bring you.
Baily Toering, Castlewood, SD
pictured with his
11.5 lb 31.5 inch walleye he caught
this spring April 10, 2010
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It's rod bending time!
Photo courtesy of
www.lakestatefishing.com |
just two days it will be here, do you have your reservations in? No boat, no problem! We have hassle free guided trips available and all the equipment too. Lake of the Woods is the home to 950,000 acres and millions, yes millions of walleyes and several other species. The weather forecast is looking like mostly sunny with highs in the upper sixties and seventies! PERFECT! Now is a great time to head to the lake.
The Outlook…
I would bet this will be one of the best openers in years. We have had an extremely early ice out, little run off and above normal temperatures 49-52 degree average which means the spawning is one to two weeks ahead of schedule. The walleyes will probably be more active than in normal years and found more so in the lake than on the Rainy River. We anticipate seeing anglers reeling in plenty of good eater fish along with a few trophies too, as Lake of the Woods is one of the best lakes to pull in a trophy size walleye in the state. One of the other predominant species in Lake of the Woods is the Sauger which is very similar by look and taste to the walleye. Based on lake studies, the sauger population is at a record high, many are still considered to be in the “bait stealer” class but still plenty of good sized fourteen to eighteen inch fish as well. Lots of fishing action is on the horizon. Stay tuned for all the big day highlights with an updated fishing report Saturday evening.
Take a Kid Fishing
Put down the video games and grab a fishing pole. Teach a kid to fish today and make some memories that will last a lifetime. Remember Minnesota resident kids fifteen and younger do not need a license and they can still take a limit of fish home! Nonresident kids also do not need a license to fish as long as their parent or guardian is licensed and if their parent or guardian has a family license they can take their own limit too! Sportsman's offers special kids packages that won't break your bank. Check them out online on our summer rates page at www.sportsmanslodges.com Sportsman's is a proud annual sponsor and host to the Lake of the Woods Annual Take a Kid Fishing Day Event, this year the date is June 23, 2010. For more information about this year's event long on to www.lowtakeakidfishing.com
Don't count out the Pike
With walleye opener is in the spotlight; don't count out the northern pike fishing! Did you know Lake of the Woods is known to be one of the best lakes to catch a trophy size northern pike and also has one of the best populations of this elusive fish? The best part is this season is a continuous season so you can enjoy catching this beast all year long. Pike fishing can really give you a fun experience, casting spoons and shad raps out into weedy bays and shoreline is sure to pull in some of these feisty fish. You will find this fish hiding in shallow bays six to ten feet in depth early in the summer and then move out to deeper waters ten to twenty feet as the water temperature warms throughout the summer. Right now anglers have been having the best luck in ten to fifteen feet of water.
Attention all Morel Mushroom Hunters
The mushrooms are really starting to pop out now in the Lake of the Woods area. The season doesn't last long, probably only a few weeks left. Get your mushroom eyes out and come enjoy the hunt. We have thousands of acres of state parks and public forests for you to explore. There is nothing better than a morel feast. These mushrooms are absolutely scrumptious rolled in an egg and milk bath, dusted in flour, and fried in butter with a sprinkle of salt. Yum!
Birds, Berries and Wildlife
Northern Minnesota is known for its miles of beautiful scenery and wilderness. Come see what we have to offer. If you enjoy the outdoors you won't be disappointed. Hundreds of different birds are showing up every day from their winter trip. The wild asparagus is now out and the blueberries and raspberries plants are starting to show up which will be ready in for picking in July. Wildlife…we got it, bear, deer, fox, raccoons, porcupine, and squirrels to name just a few. If you come to the north woods your chances of leaving without seeing one of these animals is slim to none. Come enjoy nature's beauty.
5/5/2010
Only days left of extraordinary sturgeon fishing!
A sixty inch sturgeon was caught and released in front of our docks just a few days ago including over one hundred other nice size sturgeons caught during last weekends successful 4th annual Sportsman's Sturgeon Tournament. If that is not enough to entice you to come wet a line, many reports are coming in that the bite is equally good 4 miles west of town near the Anchor Bay Trailer Park and near Birchdale too. The best bait has been a gob of worms on a decent size hook weighted down with about 3-4 ounces of sinkers.
The sturgeon harvest season continues thru Friday and then you can enjoy catch and release action May 8-15. The weather has been cool and wet this past week but it looks like we are going to crawl back into a warmer weather pattern starting tomorrow with a slight set back on Friday but then a bounce back up as we head into the weekend with highs in the fifties and partly sunny skies. It looks like the rain will subside for awhile with just a forty percent chance on Friday and then clear skies after that.
Northern Pike…
We have seen some nice pike come in lately from Four Mile and Zippel Bay between fifteen to thirty-five inches in length. A red and white or shiny silver color spoon have been the best tackle choices and depth has been between in weedy bays in eight to fifteen feet of water.
Walleye season is approaching!
Walleye season opens May 15! Get your friends together and book a trip. We are anticipating the walleye bite to be above average. The walleyes will probably be found in the lake more so than the normal locations in the Rainy River due to the higher than normal water temperature. The water level has gone up a few inches or so this week due to the rain fall but still is at least a foot and a half below normal. The water clarity remains very good. Ask about our pay for fishing get free lodging special! Can't beat that!
Attention All Morel Mushroom Hunters!
The mushrooms are starting to show up in the areas around Lake of the Woods. Come on up and get in on the hunt! They won't last long.
May 1, 2010
The 4th Annual Catch & Release Sturgeon Tournament at Sportsman's Lodge ended with another successful turnout once again. Fishing for these prehistoric monsters has really become popular on the Rainy River in the past few years. It was a full tournament with 50 boats and 128 people participating. The DNR permit allowed 50 boats and a 1.2 mile radius of water right out in front of Sportsman's Lodge to Wheeler's Point. The two day event started with a rules meeting on Thursday, fishing all day Friday and Saturday and and an award banquet on Saturday night to wrap it all up. Entertainment, food, drinks and lodging were all enjoyed by participants at the Sportsman's Lodge just north of Baudette, MN.
Over a hundred sturgeons were caught and released in this small area during the two day event. The tournament entry fee was just $65 per person which also included a prime rib banquet dinner. Cash and gifts totaling over $4,500 were given out during the two days. The longest two sturgeons of each day received $1,450 each in cash, 2nd place $620 each in cash, 3rd place received a custom fishing rod, Gifts were awarded for the longest eelpout, bullhead, sucker, best boat and a “Bone Head” award was also awarded to the participant with the least finesse.
Day 2 Winners & Other Classes
1st – Dustin Hoen from Young America, MN with a 60.5 inch Sturgeon
2nd /3rd– Was a three way tie with a 59 inch Sturgeon
Dustin Hoen again from Young America, MN
Bill Gunderson from Nashwauk, MN
Rob Ritter from Grand Rapids, MN
The prize money for 2nd place was split three ways and a the Custom Rod was won by a draw.
Longest Eelpout –Mike Verdeja, St Paul, MN with a 15 inch
Longest Bullhead – Todd Powassin, Warroad, MN with a 12.5 inch
Longest Sucker Paul Thompson, Hallock, MN with a 21.25 inch
Best Boat was “The Rutherfords” from Bovey & Pengilly, MN with their “Duck Blind Boat”
Bone Head Award went to Steve “Beaver” Omdahl from East Grand Forks, MN who maybe would have a sturgeon in the running but he forgot his NET!! Ouch! Better luck next time.
We look forward to next year April 29 & 30, 2011. If you thinking about trying your luck, it is a good idea to get your reservation in now as the tournament only has 50 boat entries available and this year was a full tournament! Call Sportsman's Lodge for more information at 800-862-8602 or log on to www.sportsmanslodges.com to book your stay. Sturgeon season harvest one within size limits goes thru May 7 and you can catch and release May 8-15 and then it takes a rest until July, spring tends to be the best time of year so come on up and try your luck before the season is gone for another year!!
April 30, 2010
Official Day 1 Sturgeon Tournament Results
1st place $1,450 cash - Scott Steinbring from Warroad, MN 57.5 inch Sturgeon
2nd place $620 cash Todd Powassin from Warroad, MN 57.25 inch Sturgeon held by Clyde Tournament Official
3rd place Custom Rod Rick Semon from Bemidji, MN 54 inch Sturgeon
Other Species
Leaders end of Day 2...winner announced end of Day 2 Prize Pack
Biggest Bullhead....none
Biggest Eelpout - Mike Verdeja from St.Paul, MN 15 inch
Biggest Sucker - Scott Steinberg from Warroad, MN 21 inch
April 30,2010
It's Tournament Time!
The 4th annual Sturgeon Tournament is underway...2 hours into the first day we have Scott Stene leading the way with a 57.25 inch sturgeon, second is a 52 inch by Randy Shoen and 3rd is a 50 inch by Dennis Klein. The tournament is full but we still have some rooms and cabins available! Come on up and join in the action! Sturgeon season is open thru May 15! Don't miss out. The Rainy River has been producing the most sturgeon action from right out in front of Sportsman's Lodge (click here for our live dock cam) all the way to Birchdale, thousands of places to wet a line and try your luck. Watch our facebook page for up to the minute results by clicking here. The current weather is 50 degrees, light rain and wind at 8 mph from the east. Looks like we are going to see this same weather thru Monday and then back to sunny skies on Tuesday.
Northern Pike...
The pike bite has been good but challenging. The normal spots this time of year are not producing since the water level is a few feet low than in normal years and the water temperature is warmer than normal years, currently between 56-60 degrees. But they are out there you just gotta check deeper bays, the best depth has been between 13'-18'. Four Mile Bay, Zippel Bay and several bays from the Rainy River to Baudette have been your best bets. This is a continuous season so book your reservations for May, this is a great time of year for some fantastic pike fishing.
April 21, 2010
Pump up your arms the Sturgeon are hungry!
We have seen a lot of good action from the sturgeon anglers this week. Ten to twenty fish per boat per day have been the normal landing rates and the weather has been cooperating nicely. The water temperature is right around a fifty-two degree average and spikes of up to fifty-five degrees midday the past few days. A big thank you goes out to the crew from LakeStateFishing.com for coming last weekend. Sounds like you had a great time. We look forward to seeing you again next year.
The weather has been absolutely beautiful for this time of year. We have seen and it looks like we will continue to see highs in the seventies and lows in the mid thirties with variable wind thru next week. The best locations to land these monsters have been right out in front of the Sportsman's Lodge in the Rainy River, Four Mile Bay and The Lighthouse Gap just minutes away from our doorstep. The best depth has been between twelve to twenty feet in depth. A large hook, gob of worms and a three ounce weight is sure to land you some of these hungry monsters. We are looking forward to our 4th Annual Sturgeon Tournament coming up April 30 & May 1. We have just a few entries left, give us a call today to book yours.
The Pike have started to get active…
We continue to see more and more pike being caught lately. The best depth has been in the shallow areas of most bays in the area between eight to fifteen feet in depth. The best tackle has been red and white spinner baits. The average size has been between twenty to thirty inches in length with a few reports of some forty to forty-five inches in length. These frisky fish sure like to give an angler a challenge.
Enjoy some Outdoor activities…
The nice weather has started to bring people out to enjoy some outdoor activities or at least the thought that we will get to enjoy them soon. Canoeing and kayaking is a favorite spring and fall pastime near the Lake of the Woods area, the Rapid River and Winter Road River are both popular routes. Maps are available at the local tourism bureau. Enjoy beautiful landscapes and watch many of earth's creatures while you paddle your way. Morel Mushrooms will soon start popping up and many birding areas are in full song. Check out our website for more outdoor activities to enjoy in the wonderful northland by clicking here.
4/15/2010
Walleye season is now closed but still lots of fishing going on…
The walleye season has come to a close for about a month's time, reopening May 15. The past two weeks we had phenaonmal
fishing with several people boasting about their 100 fish catch and release days. Most of the walleyes that were caught were over twenty-five inches in length and a five to twelve pound average weight. The weather warmed up fast which made the ice and snow leave quickly and the walleyes race to the river sooner than a normal year. The spring walleye season is known to be a catch and release frenzy and this year was nothing short of exceptional. We look forward to May opener as the stage is getting set for another good year of world famous walleye fishing. The water levels are currently a few feet below normal right now which is good for the walleye hatch to produce above normal results.
The prehistoric Lake Sturgeon fishing happens now!
Check out the pictures from the "Hooked Magazine's Weekend Warriors"
http://www.hookedmagazine.ca/ that were here this past week. Incredible fishing and photos. Thanks for coming guys!
Last week we really started to see the sturgeon fishing leap into action, several parties shared stories of ten to twenty sturgeon caught in a day. This fishing action will only get better as the next 30 days roll on. It looks like today will be the biggest challenge of the next few weeks due to the wind rather gusty but after that the forecast calls for the wind to start laying down and highs in the upper fifties and sixties and lows in the thirties for the weekend. The forecast is even calling for seventy degrees on Monday!
The current water temperature is around forty-five to forty-nine degrees which is warming up nicely to entice the sturgeon from the lake into the Rainy River. Sturgeon fishing doesn't take too much technique, mainly anchor in the river along the upper part of a trough, grab a heavy pole, a bucket full of worms, three ounce weights and a good size hook and you are set to snag one of these monsters. Enjoy catch and release action now thru April 23 and May 8-15, harvest one 45-50 inches inclusive or over 75 inches April 24 – May 7, don't forget to buy a sturgeon tag, licenses are available at the lodge. The best sturgeon spots have literally been right out our front door in front of the Sportsman's Lodge all the way to Birchdale in fifteen to twenty-five feet of water recently.
Northern Pike
More northern fishing has started since the lake ice has disappeared making it easier to get to many well know pike bays like Zippel Bay, Four Mile Bay and the many bays inlets along the Rainy River. The pike have been found in mainly in the thirteen to eighteen feet of water range lately. This is a continuous season so you can enjoy all year long, you just need a Minnesota fishing license. The limit is three, only one over 40” and all between 30”-40” must be released. Come up and try your luck, these fish always put up good fight.
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April 7, 2010
Walleyes….
WOW! Incredible fishing is happening right now! Many reports of fifty to a hundred fish per boat have been coming in daily. Most
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30" Walleye, released
Jeff Newgard Fargo, ND
April 5, 2010 |
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26" Walleye, released
Chris Hennum
Fargo, ND
April 5, 2010 |
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April 5, 2010
Lake Satellite Picture |
fish are ranging in size of twenty inches plus, a great size for some excellent catch and release heart pounding action and plenty of good eaters too. Many different areas of the river have been successful lately, areas near Sportsman's Lodge, Wabanica Church, Clementson and Frontier. The water temperature is approximately forty-two to forty-four degrees at this time and getting warmer by the day. The best depths have been between twenty-two to twenty-eight feet and 3/8 oz pink, gold and green jigs have been the most successful tipped with a chub or rainbow. The weather is favoring the fishing to continue, highs in the upper fifties and lower sixties are in the forecast and winds of six to ten miles per hour. Grab your fishing buddies and come on up, walleye season is only open until April 14.
Here are some recent reports from anglers…..
Great day! Three guys, 89 fish! Awesome!
Incredible! Four guys, 82 fish and 14 of them were over 26”!
I have never had such good fishing! 100 fish, 11 over 27” and 21 sturgeon. Did best in the river compared to the gap.
Northern Pike
Some small pike have been caught recently in the area. The ice on the lake is really starting to rot so it should only be a week or so and you should be able to get out around the gap and to Zippel Bay and many other bays for some good pike fishing. This is a continuous season but spring tends to be on of the best times of year.
Lake Sturgeon
Reports of some nice sturgeon averaging in size between thirty to fifty inches are coming in. Anchor your boat at the right location and use a big hook at the end of your line tipped with worms is all you need to pull in some of these prehistoric monsters. Right now enjoy catch and release action and April 24 – May 7 you can harvest one between 45”-50” or over 75”, don't forget to purchase a sturgeon tag. May 8-15 is back to catch and release until July. These fish are phenomenal to catch and release or if you keep one, smoked sturgeon is scrumptious.
The best bait in town right now for all of your fishing needs is at Log Cabin Bait just a mile away from Sportsman's Lodge.
Ice on the lake is rotting fast
The weather has been unseasonably warm for this time of year.
No boat, No Problem
We have guided Alaskan trips available for April & May for walleye, sturgeon or northern pike fishing for only $325 for the boat up to 4 passengers plus the guide. Poles, bait, tackle and fish cleaning provided. Starting April 19 we will have charter boats ready for $89 per person per day or $500 for a group of 6 for sturgeon trips thru May 14. Starting May 14 we will start walleye fishing, take advantage of our May special, pay for 2 days charter fishing and get one night lodging free! Boat rentals and dock slips also available. With fishing so good and incredible lodging specials how could you go wrong? Give us a call today 800-862-8602, weekends are booking up.
4/5/2010
Spring walleyes are active now!
If your looking for some excellent walleye fishing the time is right now! The water temperature has increased to 40-42 degrees, the water clarity is stable and the walleyes have started to run the river on their way to spawn. The hot spots have been right in front of our door step, literally! Right in front of Sportsman's Lodge and up river just another mile have been hot spots right now. Anglers have been averaging 30-60 fish per day! Keep in mind the spring walleye regulations of only 2 can be kept per person and none over 19.5 inches from the Four Mile Bay or Rainy River.
Lake Sturgeon
Good reports on the lake sturgeon fishing, one boat this weekend landed 7 of these monsters ranging between 30 to 60 inches in length. Where? The Rainy River right in front of the lodge have been recent hot spots. Grab a big hook and some worms and you will have the time of your life. Catch and release until April 23 and then harvest 1 April 24 - May 7.
Northern Pike
Many bays along with Four Mile Bay are open at this time and we have heard lots of good reports of the pike starting to hit. Their is still ice on the lake so Zippel Bay a annual hot spot is hard to get to at this time however the forecast looks warm so stay tuned for more reports to come.
More reports to come in a few days...stay tuned. Get your spring reservations in now, weekends are starting to book up and we only have 20 boat entries left for the Sturgeon Tournament coming up April 30 & May 1. Give us a call today 800-862-8602.
3/29/2010
Ice Out Conditions
The ice is completely out in the Rainy River. Four Mile Bay the ice is 75% out. The lake still has quite a bit of ice however that is changing by the day especially with the fifty degree temps we have been experiencing lately. The gap between Four Mile Bay and Lake fo the Woods is open as well as about a half mile channel past that.
Fishing
Walleye fishing is getting better by the day. The water temperature is around thirty-seven to thirty-eight degrees and warming every day. We had a cold snap last week but the weather was in the mid fifties yesterday and the forecast calls for sixties this week so we should see the water rise quite rapidly if the forecast holds true, this will be exactly what we need to get the spawning season started. The clarity is good about fifteen to eighteen inches and the water level is staying stable. The snow has all been melted for about two weeks now so the run off is minimal. Reports are coming in with anywhere from five to forty walleyes caught per day.Dave Winters one of our guides had a great few days of fishing recently. Check out some pictures of his recent catches below. The best depths have been thirteen to fifteen feet and twenty-three to twenty-seven feet using brightly colored jigs tipped with a minnow. Walleye season open thru April 14 and reopens May 15.
Northern Pike fishing has been fairly good in the Four Mile Bay, we are anticipating many other bays along the river to open this week and Zippel Bay to open next week which will bring many more fishing opportunities. Pike season is open year round.
Sturgeon catch and release action has started in the river, it will be about a week until we really see the action really heat up, but we are starting to see some reports come in. Enjoy catch & release thru April 23 and May 8-15, harvest one April 24 - May 7 and July 1 - Sept 30 with a sturgeon tag.
Lodging Special
Come up and enjoy our $39 per person lodging special thru May 27.
Give us a call today 866-533-8998.
Dining & Bar are Open!
Breakfast - 7am - 10 am Sat & Sun
Mon - Fri by reservation only by 7pm the night before
Lunch & Dinner - Served in the Sandbar
Mon - Fri - 11am - 10 pm
Sat & Sun - 10 am - 10 pm
Bar
Mon - Fri 11 am - Close
Sat - 8am - Close
Sun - Noon - Close
Pool is closed for maintenance thru April 25. Come check out it's new face after the 25th!
Guided Alaskan Trips, Boat Rentals & Boat Slips
We have guided Lund Alaskan trips available right now thru May. The boat is a 20' boat and includes the guide, boat, poles, bait and fish cleaning. The cost is just $325 for the day and holds up to 4 people. We also have 16' boats with 25 hp motors for rent and boat slips at our dock as well. The charter boats will be available starting May 15.
3/24/2010
Ice Out Conditions
The ice is out completely in the Rainy River, 75% in Four Mile Bay and thru the Gap. There is open water about a hundred yards or so out from the Gap. The water temperature is around 38 degrees and the clarity has dramatically changed from 6 inches on Sunday to 18 inches today. There is no run off left and the only precipitation forecasted in the next 5 days is a 20% chance tomorrow. Wind is a bit gusty today 15-23 mph, it sounds like that is going to calm down in to half that for tomorrow. The weather forecast is cool for the next couple of days but starting Friday it is forecasted for highs in the 40's and early next week highs in the 50's. Bring on the warm weather! Most bays other than Four Mile Bay are still frozen at this time but starting to show signs of change on a daily basis. The Wheeler's Point landing has an 8'-10' opening to launch a boat, we should see some of the shore ice leave soon so the dock can be put in.
We have three great species to fish this time of year…come on up and give it a try!
Walleyes
The walleye fishing has been best in the Gap and Four Mile Bay of Lake of the Woods currently. The water temperature is not quite ideal but with highs starting to go back up by the end of the week that should really help start to increase the temperature to start to bring the walleyes off the lake and into the river for spawning. The best depth has been sporadic but usually trolling in bays and thru channels have produced the best results, some anglers saying 14'-16' and others reporting deeper in 26'-28'. The best presentation has been brightly colored 3/8 -1/2 oz jigs tipped with a minnow while using jigging.
Northern Pike
Ice out is usually one of the best time of year to catch these elusive fish. A few reports have come in that Four Mile Bay has produced some pike along the shoreline and weed beds. Just before the ice went bad the pike were really starting to hit. The Four Mile Bay opened from 25% to 75% within the last 24 hours so we look forward to the reports to just keep getting better as we go. The smaller bays and Zippel Bay should start opening within the next week too. The best place to find these fish are in waters less than 15' right now as we move into summer they will move deeper.
Lake Sturgeon
We have started to see the first reports come in of 2-4 caught and released per boat lately. (Remember it is catch & release season only until April 24, don't forget to get your sturgeon tag) The wind has been a bit of a challenge the past few days, but it sounds like that is going to lay down by tomorrow. The best places they have been found have been in the river 20'-25' in depth.
A few sturgeon tips and info…
The mighty prehistoric sturgeon fishing can go from zero excitement to 200 in 30 seconds! Anchoring in the upper end of a trough and using a decent size hook with 2-3 worms works best, patience, patience and then starting with a light bite you can hook'em and start the excitement. It is best to use a heavy but sensitive tipped rod. They may pull the boat and they like to roll especially when they get towards the surface, some large sturgeon can take up to an hour or better to bring up. Lake of the Woods has the largest population in the state. Lake Sturgeon can be found in the lake or river. DNR reports show 50% stay in the river all year and 50% move out to the lake but then come to spawn in April to the river. For spawning the ideal water temperature has to increase 10-15 degrees but there are still a good number of them in the river right now.
Lodging Special
Come up and enjoy our $39 per person lodging special thru May 27.
Give us a call today 866-533-8998.
Guided Alaskan Trips, Boat Rentals & Boat Slips
We have guided Lund Alaskan trips available right now thru May. The boat is a 20' boat and includes the guide, boat, poles, bait and fish cleaning. The cost is just $325 for the day and holds up to 4 people. We also have 16' boats with 25 hp motors for rent and boat slips at our dock as well. The charter boats will be available starting May 15.
Mardi Gras, Sportsman's Style
Come on over for some fishing and enjoy our hottest party of the year!
March 27, 8pm – 1am. Entertainment by The Undertakers, beads, contests, games,
drink specials, free hurricanes 8-9pm and much more. Click here for details http://www.mardigras.sportsmanslodges.com/
3/22/2010
Ice Out…
We have water shore to shore all the way to the lodge and a decent size channel of water thru Four Mile Bay to the Gap on the south shore of Lake of the Woods. The boat landing at Wheeler's Point access has a little shore ice, but there is an 8 foot area with no ice, so you could launch a boat if you wanted too right now. I would say that should too be gone by the middle of this week. The DNR will be putting in a dock as soon as the ice departs.
Soft water fishing…
The reports coming in have been ok nothing real spectacular yet, we are waiting on our water clarity to clear up a little before I think we will start to see some good reports come in. The water clarity doesn't have real far to go, the water is not muddy just dirty and we have no real measurable precipitation in the forecast, actually no precipitation after tomorrow and tonight and tomorrow their is just a 40%-60% chance of minimal snow or rain. We have no more snow left on the ground, so there is not much run off left to go. By Thursday we should see the water clarity change for the better quite rapidly. Our temperature forecast looks like highs in the 40's and lows in the twenties. We may have to see some higher temps to entice the walleyes into the river however the Gap would be an excellent place to try this week, which is just four miles away from Sportsman's Lodge.
Nice long spring season……
This is definitely early to have the river open like this and with the run off almost gone we could very well have a nice long spring fishing frenzy! Walleye season is open until April 14 and then northern pike and lake sturgeon thru mid May before the walleye season starts again May 15. You can catch and release sturgeon now thru April 23, harvest 1 April 24-May 7 and July 1-Sept 30 and catch and release May 8-15 and Oct 1-April 23. Keep in mind the River and Four Mile Bay do change walleye regulations to a limit of 2 as of March 1 thru April 14 and anything over 19.5 inches must be released.
More to come….
Watch for another updated report by Wednesday, March 24 unless something changes sooner! We have started our spring lodging special early; take advantage of $39 per person per night starting now thru May 27, based on double occupancy. Give us a call 800-862-8602 to reserve your room now, weekends are filling up.
Mardi Gras, Sportsman's Style
Come on over for some fishing and enjoy our hottest party of the year!
March 27, 8pm – 1am. Entertainment by The Undertakers, beads, contests, games,
drink specials, free hurricanes 8-9pm and much more. Click here for details http://www.mardigras.sportsmanslodges.com/
3/20/2010
Tomorrow, Sunday, March 21 will be our last day of ice fishing for the year. We are currently fishing out of Graceton Beach area (6 miles from the lodge) and have 24 inches of ice however looking at all factors involved, safety is #1 and we feel Sunday is the best day to end for the year. We look forward to an extended spring river fishing season. Walleye season is open until April 14 and we have excellent sturgeon and northern pike fishing in April & May. Walleye season opens back up May 15. Check out our spring lodging & package specials on our hot deals page. Thanks for a great winter season. Look for Wednesdays report to talk about the spring soft water fishing. The river is open to the lodge.
3/17/2010
We will start updating our report every few days now stay tuned here and on facebook for more information.
Ice Fishing Continues…..
We had a winter warm up the past few weeks, however it looks like after today we are going to cool down with highs in the 30's and lows in the twenties and even teens at night. As long as we keep freezing at night we will continue to ice fish and actually make ice since the snow cover has pretty much disappeared. Right now we have moved all of our houses west and are leaving out of the Graceton Beach & Morris Point areas. We have 30 inches of ice in that area. Please keep in mind there is no travel advised on the Rainy River and only four wheelers on the Four Mile Bay.
Fishing is goooooooooood!
Yes it is March Madness! The time when every year the fishing really starts to snap. We saw a nice 10lb walleye caught Saturday, lots of nice sized walleyes and plenty of action from our small sauger classes that we have seen all winter. This is a favorite time of year, locals call it the best time of year. We have moved in shallower to 24'-28' of water and have chased those hungry walleyes down. The best tackle has been a plain hook, gold jig and stop sign tipped with a minnow. Come on up…walleye season closes April 14.
The best of both worlds….
Yes this is the time of year when you start to see fish houses and boats in the same parking lot ready to go out fishing. Ice Fishing continues on the lake and 25 miles away the river has opened too. Right now Vidas landing east of Clementson (6 miles east of Baudette) is open. It's a fishing frenzy in the area right now. Reports are that the ice fishing has been much better than the river fishing however it won't be long and those giant walleyes, monster sturgeon and frisky northerns will be running the river. Get your rooms booked now, you don't want to be left out.
Trail Report
We have lost most of our snow and the trails are now closed.
Last Minute Rooms Available
Few Rooms left for the next two weekends! Give us a call they are going fast 866-533-8998.
Last Minute March Specials!
Come up in March on a Sun – Thurs stay and book a 2 night 2 day fishing package or better and receive $25 off your package (on the already lower midweek rates) and a free $20 voucher for food, beverages or gift shop items. Sportsman's Lodge Rainy River dates available are March 14-18, 21-25 & 28-31. Got 8 or more? We will double the vouchers!
Mardi Gras, Sportsman's Style
Come on over for some fishing and enjoy our hottest party of the year!
March 27, 8pm – 1am. Entertainment by The Undertakers, beads, contests, games,
drink specials, free hurricanes 8-9pm and much more. Click here for details.
3/10/2010
Let the good times roll…….
Wow! Where did the time go? It is nearly mid March! Only a few weeks left of ice fishing for the year. This past week we have seen a change in not only the weather, but the walleyes too. The walleyes are starting to become more active and the catch rate is rising, this is a sure sign that spring is just around the corner. The walleyes and saugers have started to move in to more shallow areas outside of Pine Island into 23'-29' of water. There has been a good mix of walleyes and saugers caught recently, the walleyes have been nice sizes between 14”-19” and the saugers have been in the 8”-12” range. Anglers using vexilars are still seeing an increase in the number they catch compared to the people who don't use them, however the fish are getting easier to find and not so finicky about taking the bait. The best tackle has been stop signs and glow jigs tipped with a minnow and the best technique has been dead sticking about 6 inches off the bottom.
Trophy Walleyes…
Trophy walleyes, you bet! Sunday, two 30+ inch walleyes were caught. These large walleyes weigh in the 8-12 lb range, put up a good fight and gave the anglers something to talk about for a lifetime.
Walleye season open until April 14
The ice fishing season may end soon, but that doesn't mean we stop fishing on Lake of the Woods. Walleye season presses on until April 14. The Rainy River can be excellent for soft water fishing as soon as the ice moves off. You can usually get about a week in around the Birchdale and Clementson areas in early April just before the season closes for a month. This is a perfect time to catch and release some huge trophy walleyes.
Northern Pike & Monster Sturgeon Fishing
The spring is an excellent time to fish northern pike and monster sturgeon. The end of April and May in the Rainy River and bays of Lake of the Woods provide a perfect feeding ground for these fish. If your looking for a good time there is nothing more fun than wrestling with one of these guys, it is not uncommon to snag a 50, 75, 100 lb sturgeon or 30 or 40 inch northern pike. Get your reservations in soon, weekends are filling up fast.
Ice Conditions
We have seen a lot of snow leave us this week with the temperatures in the 30's most of the week, however we have not lost any ice. We still have about 6-8 inches of snow covering our 32 inches of ice. The forecast looks colder for the end of the week which will actually probably make us ice since some of the insulation has melted. Due to the thaw it is a bit sloppy out on the lake, but plenty of ice.
Trail Conditions
The trails have lost quite a bit of snow this past week, still 6-8 inches of snow lay on the ground and ice, but the trails are pretty sloppy. We are looking forward to some cooler temps the end of this week to firm things up again for the groomers to do a run. The land trails are more beaten up than the lake trails with some grass spots showing.
3/3/2010
Here is the scoop…
We have seen hit or miss action this past week, some doing very well, some doing not so well. This is odd for this time of year;
usually it is excellent fishing all the way around. Hmmm, well all we can do is keep moving around and chasing those schools of fish to find some consistent action. The weather is getting warmer and the sun is shining brighter so the stage is set for some good march action, we are on it. Check out the pictures on the right of the recent anglers that have been on the "doing well" end of the action recently.
The normal spots such as the northern reefs which usually are always consistent are not this year or at least not yet, but the ice clarity is better than ever. We do have a more than average amount of snow this year, which may be keeping most of the sunlight out yet than in a “normal” year. Based on that theory, I would say the later part of the month could spark some good consistent fishing action with the snow melting away and the temperatures getting warmer. As for now the houses doing well will stay put and be ready for you and the others we will be doing the fish house shuffle. The scouts are out and in hot pursuit to find better fishing holes for you.
The best fishing right now has been in 28'-36' feet of water eight to fifteen miles outside of Pine Island. We have not seen the walleyes start to move to shallow quite yet like they start to do in the spring. The best presentation being used is the gold or glow in the dark jig or gem n eye (red) tipped with a minnow. Vexilars are flying off the shelves and are a key component in a higher success rate; we continue to see many suspended fish caught in depths between one foot to twenty feet off bottom. Vexilars are available at the lodge for rent if you would like to try one, be sure to call ahead to reserve yours.
Ice Conditions
We currently have good ice conditions. The current ice depth is around 32 inches in the areas we fish and travel.
Trail Report
Lots of nice snow, 28-36 inches still lays on the lake and inland trails.
Lake Trails
We have plenty of snow and the trails are being groomed. Get ready for our Sportsman's Oak Island Snowmobile Rally March 12 & 13. The trail is groomed, staked and marked from Warroad or Baudette right to Sportsman's. This is just an hour ride across the lake on a nice fast trail. Come on up!
Land Trails
The land trails are in great condition. If you ever have the chance to take the trail south of Baudette to Birchdale or Waskish, it is beautiful riding and great shelters too! Lake of the Woods trails are jewels of the north, well maintained and not much traffic. Come enjoy them before the season ends!
March brings you a Winter Walleye Special!
Come up in March on a Sun – Thurs stay and book a 2 night 2 day fishing package or better and receive $25 off your package (on the already lower midweek rates) and a free $20 voucher for food, beverages or gift shop items. Sportsman's Lodge Rainy River dates available are March 7-11, 14-18, 21-25 & 28-31. Oak Island dates March 14-18. Got a group of 8 or more? We will double the vouchers to $40 per person! Click here for details.
Mardi Gras, Sportsman's Style
Come on over for some fishing and enjoy our hottest party of the year!
March 27, 8pm – 1am. Entertainment by The Undertakers, beads, contests, games,
drink specials, free hurricanes 8-9pm and much more. Click here for details.
2/24/2010
Good Fishing
This week we saw some good fishing. We saw quite a few nice walleyes caught in the fifteen to twenty-five inch range. Many
anglers enjoyed lots of action and a nice limit to bring home. The most successful anglers with odds of three to one have been using a vexilar. We have really seen this device consistently increase the catch rate for anglers all winter long. We also continue to see several suspended fish, usually one to fifteen feet off bottom is common, but we also talked to some recent guests that caught some twenty-five feet off bottom!! Wow! Without a vexilar, we would never have known about these lurking walleyes. I know these devices can be expensive, but if you would like to give one a try, we do have some available for rent at the front desk for your convenience.
We are currently finding the best luck about 8-10 miles out of Pine Island on Lake of the Woods in the 28'-36' range. The best tackle has been gold and glow in the dark jigs, swedish pimples and buck shots. The mild weather did a dip the past few days to some below zero temps however it looks like starting tomorrow we will go back to the highs in the twenties and plenty of sunshine. The walleyes love mild weather! We are looking forward to an active end of the ice fishing season.
Reef Fishing
We have tried some houses up on the northern reefs for the past 2-3 weeks and still are not seeing real good results like the reefs are known for. For the near future, we plan to move some houses off the reefs to some better fishing spots that are producing until we see this change.
Ice Conditions
We currently have good ice conditions. The current ice depth is around 32 inches in the areas we fish and travel.
Trail Report
Lake Trails
We have plenty of snow and the trails are being groomed as I type this and are ready for another week. Get ready for our Sportsman's Oak Island Snowmobile Rally March 12 & 13. The trail is groomed, staked and marked from Warroad or Baudette right to Sportsman's. This is just an hour ride across the lake on a nice fast trail. Come on up!
Land Trails
The land trails are in great condition. If you ever have the chance to take the trail south of Baudette to Birchdale or Waskish, it is beautiful riding and great shelters too! Lake of the Woods trails are jewels of the north, well maintained and not much traffic. Come enjoy them before the season ends!
March brings you a Winter Walleye Special!
Come up in March on a Sun – Thurs stay and book a 2 night 2 day fishing package or better and receive $25 off your package (on the already lower midweek rates) and a free $20 voucher for food, beverages or gift shop items. Sportsman's Lodge Rainy River dates available are March 7-11, 14-18, 21-25 & 28-31. Oak Island dates March 14-18. Got a group of 8 or more? We will double the vouchers to $40 per person! http://www.sportsmanslodges.com/
2/17/2010
Past week......
The overall fishing has been fair. The fish haven't been exactly jumping thru the holes lately, but we are still seeing some nice pails of walleyes and saugers come in and quite a few stories and pictures of some walleyes twenty-four inch plus too. We are also seeing a lot more walleye than saugers being caught, which is unusual for this time of year.
Reef Fishing & Fish Houses on the move....
We have some houses about 8-10 miles outside of Pine Island and some on the reefs. The reefs are showing a fair bite but nothing fantastic yet like the reefs normally do the end of February and into March. It won't be long and the bite should really start to take off! Stay tuned! As for now we are in depths between 28'-36' and continue to move houses every few days to stay on the fish so we can give you the best fishing experience possible.
Fishing Tips
So what can improve your odds of catching a nice limit of walleyes and saugers? I would suggest gold, glow in the dark or anything real shiny for tackle, a vexilar and consistent jigging, some fish bite lighter than others so you got to be ready. If you don't have a vexilar, we do rent them for just $20 a day. Don't forget to watch for those suspended fish on your vexilar and reel up and see if you can get them to bite, suspended fish are pretty common in January and February on Lake of the Woods anywhere from six inches to fifteen feet off bottom.
Evening fish
Lake of the woods due to it's murky colored water doesn't normally produce very good fishing after dark however Sunday, February 14 it produced two very nice walleyes, Doug Dobson caught his 28.25 inch walleye at 9:45pm on a plain red hook and Laine Schmitz caught a 24” walleye at 11:30pm on a green and glow jig while staying in one of our Sleeper houses. Earlier that day Kyle Dobson caught a 25.5" walleye in the same houseon a red and glow forage minnow. All three of these nice fish were caught six inches to one foot off the bottom of the lake. Lake of the Woods is quite a lake and is big enough to always keep you guessing so next time you are staying in a sleeper house it may not be a bad idea to try the late night bite, you just never know what you might get.
Ice Conditions
We currently have good ice conditions. The current ice depth is around 32 inches in the areas we fish and travel. Our weather has been warming up into the teens and twenties during the day and single digits and below zero temps at night, perfect weather for good ice making. We plan to fish right to the end of the winter season, March 31 at this point.
Trail Report
Lake Trails
Excellent trail conditions this year. The weather and more than normal snow fall has really made the trails better than an average this year. Come enjoy it, we only have about a month and a half left. The trails from Baudette to Warroad and Baudette to Oak Island are being groomed today and tomorrow.
Land Trails
The groomers have been out all week getting the trails into optimum condition for the weekend in Lake of the Woods County.
March brings you a Winter Walleye Special!
Come up in March on a Sun – Thurs stay and book a 2 night 2 day fishing package or better and receive $25 off your package (on the already lower midweek rates) and a free $20 voucher for food, beverages or gift shop items. Sportsman's Lodge Rainy River dates available are March 7-11, 14-18, 21-25 & 28-31. Oak Island dates March 14-18. Got a group of 8 or more? We will double the vouchers to $40 per person!
2/10/2010
A vexilar is the key…
The nice keeper walleyes and saugers have been a little finicky lately. Those with vexilars have been out fishing the non vexilar
fishing people 2-1. We are still seeing some suspended fish 5, 10 even 15 feet off the bottom, so a vexilar defiantly helps out to find these fish. Don't have a vexilar? No worries we rent them at the lodge, give us a call to book yours ahead of time. We continue to see a nice mix of walleyes and saugers.
The best tackle seems to be the gold jig, anything that glows and buckshots. The reef houses up north have done okay, but we are still waiting for the bite to really get hot. Once the reef fishing really takes off it usually goes right thru the end of March so we will continue to move more houses that way as February moves along. The best depth outside of Pine Island on Lake of the Woods is between 34'-36' right now and up on the reefs 28'-36'. The weather as been steadily getting colder the past 3-4 days, we saw a big dip to -25 this morning however it doesn't look like the cold temperatures are going to hold on very long. Friday starts a warming trend of highs in the upper teens and twenties. The warm up and steady temps should help the fishing.
Unusual Catch
Jon Anderson from Eden Prairie caught a 26 inch whitefish staying in one of our sleeper houses lately. These fish are not normally caught at this end of the lake but more so up in the northern parts of the Ontario section so this was a surprising catch.
A huge sturgeon…
A 66 inch sturgeon weighing approximately 75 lbs and 35 years of age was recently caught on the lake. Check out this monster sturgeon Josh Beckel, from Baudette, MN submitted to us. Josh is 6'6” tall and as you can see the sturgeon goes right to his neck! Wow! What a catch. Josh was fishing for walleyes when he snagged into this sturgeon. The sturgeon was immediately safely released after the picture was taken.
Ice Conditions
We have gained an inch or so of ice this past week. We currently have about 30”-32” of ice covering the areas we travel and fish.
Trail Report
Lake Trails
The trails from Baudette to Warroad and Baudette to Oak Island are in excellent conditions. We just received another couple of inches of snow this past Sunday and the groomers are out today and tomorrow. It is definitely nice to see a little more sun than we have been used to and you gotta love the later sunset time, it really makes for a nice long day to enjoy the trails.
Land Trails
After the fresh blanket of snow the trails are back into excellent condition. The groomers are out and the trails are waiting for you.
March brings you a Winter Walleye Special!
Come up in March on a Sun – Thurs stay and book a 2 night 2 day fishing package or better and receive $25 off your package (on the already lower midweek rates) and a free $20 voucher for food, beverages or gift shop items. Sportsman's Lodge Rainy River dates available are March 7-11, 14-18, 21-25 & 28-31. Oak Island dates March 14-18. Got a group of 8 or more? We will double the vouchers to $40 per person!
2/3/2010
The bite…
The past week we have seen average fishing. Monday was actually an above average day, hungry fish, perfect spot or excellent
fisherman? Who knows? Maybe a combination of everything. Some houses better than others, consistent jigging and a vexilar continue to help your odds. Some anglers have said they are still getting a good suspended bite six to fifteen feet off bottom where others have said they found most of the fish right on bottom. The best tip would be to try a little of both, don't have a vexilar in your arsenal? No problem, we rent them at the lodge give us a call to book yours. The best depth recently for a nice pail of walleyes and saugers has been between 33'-36' of water, on the north side of Pine Island. The hot tackle, one guest yesterday boasted about the glow buckshot, available in our gift shop if you would like to try it out.
Lots of action…strong sauger class and slot size walleye class this year
Anglers continue to have plenty of action. Lake of the Woods has one of the highest sauger counts that we have seen in years, actually double the long-term average and you can tell if you have been out fishing, they are around. These fish are mainly from the 2006-2008 hatchings and range in size between 8”-14”, some good enough for eating, some are best to be released but plenty to keep you busy throughout the day. Another real strong class this year is the 2001 walleye hatching which is between 19 ½” to 28”. Check out the pictures from Troy, Mike and Matt from this week showing off their 23, 23 ½ and 25 inch walleyes. These fish are defiantly fun to catch and release weighing in between four to eight pounds. One may think that doesn't leave much for good eaters, keep in mind these classes of fish are defiantly at a higher than normal range, but the good eater classes between 2002-2005 are still in good shape and we continue to see many nice pails of fish pass thru on a daily basis. This just means there is more competition for your tasty minnow. Lake of the Woods is in great shape for many years to come. We are reminded that fishing is defiantly a sport, some days you get lucky, some days you need just the right equipment and technique and some days you don't. All in all it is fun to get out, enjoy some fresh air and enjoy the company of good friends.
Reef fishing…
The guides recently moved some houses to the northern reefs the past days to keep all the options open. We plan to start fishing some of those houses this weekend. Our goal is to keep you on the fish where ever they maybe. Stay tuned for a report after the weekend.
Ice Conditions
We continue to have 30 inches of ice in the areas that we fish and travel. If you venture on your own be sure to stay on the trails or roads to avoid the bad ice areas.
Trail Report
Lake Trails
The trails are in perfect condition! The new snow we got a few weeks ago along with cold temperatures and a good grooming have really packed the snow down nice. Our groomer is out grooming the trail from Sportsman's to Warroad today and will be grooming from Sportsman's to Oak Island tomorrow. It sounds like the weather is going to be in the twenties and teens over the weekend, great for sledding!
Land Trails
Just like the lake trails, we have a real nice snow base coupled with cool temperatures that have the trails in great shape.
Superbowl Weekend Special
Book a lodge room for Saturday night and get Sunday night for ½ price! Valid for lodge room stays at the Sportsman's Lodge Rainy River location Feb 6 & 7. Book your getaway today 866-533-8998.
Click Here to view our pictures from past big catches!
Click here to check out Sportsman's Lodge Spring, Summer and Fall Fishing video at Youtube.
Click Here to contact us online for more information about the fishing report or call us today at (866) 533-8998
