We’re in that nice stretch of late fall on Lake of the Woods. Water temps along the south shore are around 44 degrees now and slowly making their way down. The walleyes are still cooperating, and this is a beautiful time to be on the water before the open-water season wraps up.

Big Traverse Bay (South Shore)

Strong schools of walleyes and saugers are staged in various areas across the south shore of Lake of the Woods. There are a lot of fish around right now, and that’s a great sign heading into winter on Lake of the Woods.  Most popular depth is 15 – 25 feet.

Most anglers are anchored up or spot locked and vertical jigging with a minnow.  Frozen emerald shiners, fatheads and rainbows are all working.  Bring lots of bait as fishing has been good and many smaller fish are mixed in with the eaters.

Some good colors this week include gold, gold / pink, orange / chartreuse, pink, glow white and gold.

All those fish are setting things up very nicely for early ice fishing in December. Mother Nature is always in control, but traditionally the resort houses start getting out around December 10th, and the fishing is usually excellent in the stretch before the Christmas holiday. It’s a great time to grab some reservations for mid-December and get ready.

Rainy River

There are some good reports coming off the Rainy River. More shiners have moved in, and that typically means more walleyes have moved in as well. Honestly, there aren’t a ton of anglers out right now, which is common as we get close to the Minnesota gun deer opener. Ironically, some absolute beasts get caught during deer season, and this year the forecast actually looks favorable for fishing, with temps from the 30s in the morning up to the 50s in the afternoon. For those of you who tag out opening weekend, there’s a great week of fishing weather ahead.

The go-to technique is vertical jigging. Some anglers are sharp-shooting fish with forward-facing sonar, while others are trolling crankbaits. There are walleyes in the river and lots of good ways to target them.

A few anglers are targeting sturgeon, and they are also getting good reports.  The cooler water and shorter days typically turn on the bite.

NW Angle

Walleye fishing continues to be very strong up at the Angle, and things are looking good for the upcoming ice fishing season as well.

There’s lots of muskie activity too, and most anglers are reporting good results. Some are casting key areas like points and neckdowns with current, while others are trolling crankbaits and spinners with success. It’s a fun time to chase a giant before the water locks up.

Before You Go

This is a week of unseasonably nice fall weather at the Lake of the Woods area, so if you have the chance to jump in a boat and do a little jigging, take it. It’s a beautiful time to be on the river and the lake. It’s also a good time to book for the upcoming ice season.

To plan your trip, check out our website at LakeoftheWoodsMN.com.

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