This is the time of year conversations often make their way to ice fishing Lake of the Woods.  Planning an ice fishing trip provides anglers variables including when is the best time to go?  What is the right location?  What lodging best fits our group? Should we eat at the resort, cook our own meals or both?  Does a sleeper fish house sound like fun?  There are definitely choices.

Different areas to stay.  Whether you stay in the small northern MN town of Baudette, along the Rainy River, the south shore of the lake or up at the NW Angle, there are great ice fishing opportunities to be had.

Baudette, MN is located right on the Rainy River and a great place to stay, shop and dine.  This small town of about 1,200 is the largest town in Lake of the Woods County and has most everything you might need while traveling and ice fishing.  A newly renovated grocery store, Caribou Coffee, small coffee shops with homemade pastries, restaurants, bars, hardware, auto parts, gifts from the area, bait and fishing gear, it’s all in Baudette!

The resorts and outfitters on the Rainy River and south shore are targeting the big open expanses of Big Traverse Bay.  This is big ice, almost the size of a great lake about 25 miles by 25 miles.  The ice guides working the ice do a great job of maintaining ice roads, trails, moving fish houses to where the fish are, and ultimately ensuring you a nice experience.

Another great option is ice fishing up at the Northwest Angle.  The Angle is the northernmost point of the contiguous U.S. and is where the 14,552 islands of the lake begin.  There are islands, reefs and lots and lots of walleyes.

Lodging Options.  Lake of the Woods offers beautiful lodging opportunities.   Some are located on the water, some in the woods and others conveniently located amongst the action.  Cabins, lodge room, hotels and condos are all available.  Most have modern conveniences such as Wi-Fi, cable / satellite TV, etc.

The more adventurous might enjoy staying out on the ice in a sleeper fish house.  Sleepers are set up with beds, cooking stove, a warm heater and a variety of  other conveniences.  Imagine waking up and starting to fish right from your bed! 

Delicious northern MN cooking!  Good food and drink is an important part of a getaway for many.  Many resorts offer delicious meal plans and menu options for both eat in and take out.  Others have cooking facilities in the cabins for those who like to cook on their own.  Some guests do a little of both. 

Having a traditional Lake of the Woods fish fry is a must!  Whether you have your resort cook up your fresh catch or order walleye off of their menu, get ready to enjoy one of the premier eating fish in the world.  Walleye has a very mild flavor with delicious white flakes of meat.  Most enjoy it fried but there are many ways to prepare it such as broiled, grilled, blackened and more.

Stop In for a Cold One!  There are plenty of cute northwoods bars located around the area, most at resorts.  Slide in, warm up and enjoy your favorite beverage while taking in the natural beauty of the area.

Maybe you want to check out the famous Igloo Bar located on the ice.  Located a few miles out on the lake from Zippel Bay, this 1,00o square foot bar has a bar, partial hot food menu, two big screen TV’s and you can actually fish inside the bar!  Holes all set up with a rattle reel can be rented for a small fee.  Can you imagine the excitement when someone catches a fish! 

Full Service Ice Fishing.  When planning on ice fishing Lake of the Woods, you have the best of all the worlds. LOW resorts are known for there full-service ice fishing. By full-service we mean a delicious breakfast followed by anglers loading into heated resort ice transportation or simply driving their own vehicle on the resort ice road out to preheated fish houses.

Enjoy a nice day in a cozy fish house with your group catching fish and having a good time.  At the end of the day, the ice guides will pick you and your bucket of fish up and chauffeur you back to the resort just in time for happy hour. Once arriving back on land, the guides will clean your fish while you get cleaned up or go enjoy your favorite beverage.  In some cases, the resort will even cook up your fresh catch!

Full service ice fishing Lake of the Woods opens up this enjoyable and very social winter sport or activity up to just about everyone.  Families, girls trip, bachelor / bachelorette parties, company outings, multi-generational trips.  This list goes on.  It is fun to see the variety of people from all over the U.S. and in some cases, the world, enjoying The Walleye Capital of the World.

Fish on  your Own.  Anglers with collapsible or wheeled fish houses can gain access to ice roads by paying an ice road access fee.  Resorts and outfitters with ice roads do an exceptional job of maintaining roads for safety.  Coming in for dinner each night is a breeze and gives you a nice break from being on the ice.  Many appreciate the chance to compare notes with other anglers.  It’s part of the adventure.

With over 60 lodging facilities around the lake, ice fishing Lake of the Woods is all about choices.  Certain times during the winter months can be difficult to find lodging, but not impossible. Calling around to different resorts is one option.  Another great option is using the Lodging Availability Finder. Simply enter contact info, dates, what part of the lake you prefer to stay and any details or preference and hit the submit button.  Your request is automatically dispatched to the resorts, hotels and sleeper fish house businesses in the area you requested.

There are so many different options when it comes to ice fishing Lake of the Woods. Asking questions and doing some research will definitely help you find exactly the winter getaway you want no matter what you are looking for.

 

Click Here to Access Lake of the Woods lodging options

Click Here to return to the Lake of the Woods Tourism website

Click Here to access the Lodging Availability Finder

The tackle industry is competitive.  In today’s world, having a small tackle manufacturing company certainly is not the norm.  With that being said, there is a company just north of Baudette off of Hwy 172 that has focused on a niche of designing fishing tackle for Lake of the Woods and the Rainy River.  Tom’s Tackle manufacturers, distributes and sells a variety of tackle that is geared to the stained waters of the watershed and certainly Lake of the Woods walleyes.

When you chat with anglers who have spent time in these parts, many of them realize and have learned to save at least a portion of their tackle budget until they get up to Lake of the Woods as there are lures,  jigs and other fishing tackle here you just can’t find in other parts of the state.  Shapes, sizes, colors and styles that absolutely are proven to catch fish on LOW but are effective on other bodies of water as well.

If you notice, the colors are geared towards stained water like Lake of the Woods, the Rainy River and other waters in the north country.  Some of the lures have rattles that can be effective calling in walleyes.  Walleyes have a lateral line that senses vibrations and often times will assist them in finding prey in the dark waters.  Other lures simply have the right size, color or action to them.  Some common names you may have heard of are pink charmer, stop sign, rock n roll jig and jig o bit.

If you follow Lake of the Woods and the Rainy River and October fishing, you have probably heard this is a very interesting fall!  There has been a very good run of big shiners up the Rainy River.  That is a good thing, right?  Well it is, but if there is so much bait, that also makes it more difficult to catch walleyes who literally have a buffet under their noses all day and night long.

The Rainy River is way down and the flow is slow.  Normally, more water running in the fall is thought to be a key ingredient to a hot river bite.  The thought is the walleyes in the lake can sense the river water and it pulls them in for the shiners.  When it’s all said and done, everyone has thoughts but only Mother Nature really knows.

What we can share for certain is what has been happening.  Earlier in October, the reports on the river were very mixed, we believe because of all of the bait.  Some caught great, others struggled.  This past week, we have heard some excellent reports from the river.  What has changed?  Again, time to check in with Mother Nature!

We can say that October fishing, around Halloween, there has traditionally been a good bite on the river.  Unless something changes, things are shaping up nicely to follow suit.  Some good reports east of Baudette as well.  Move around until you find them.

There has been some very good October fishing reports from the lake all along.  Areas in front of the Lighthouse Gap, Morris Point Gap and Zippel Bay are putting out some very nice walleyes.  In some cases, there might be some sorting that takes place, but overall, some good fishing.

The majority of the walleyes being caught these days is jig fishing with a jig and minnow.  There are a number of nuances when it comes to jigs and minnows and each angler has their favorites.  It is good to have a number of tools in your jigging tool belt when it comes to jigging .  One thing is for sure, October is a month to get your jigging fix.

Color.  Lake of the Woods is stained water.  Consequently, there are some go to colors that work quite consistently.  Gold is one color that absolutely shines and is a staple color in anglers fishing this system.  As many long time LOW anglers will tell you, use any color on LOW as long as it’s gold.  In some cases, the gold is combined with other colors such as glow red, glow, pink or orange.

Other strong colors when jig fishing are pink, orange, chartreuse and glow.  Glow is an interesting choice in colors as it really shows up nicely in stained water.  The other caveat is the different colors of glow that are available now.  Glow red, glow pink, etc.  Glow is also a nice complimentary color that is added to other colors.

There are also jigs now that have many different edges, almost like a disco ball.  These jigs reflect light differently and some anglers swear by them. 

Shape and noise.  Some jigs have different shapes.  Most are round but there are other shapes that can be attractive to walleyes.  In current, thinner molded jigs can cut the current allowing a different action and allow a lighter jig to be used.

Some jigs have extra noise attractants on them.  In some cases it’s a rattle, in other cases a propeller or spinner.  It is amazing how, in some cases, a little bit of noise can make such a difference.

Hooking the minnow.  Most anglers who jig simply hook the minnow through the lips when jig fishing.  This technique is effective unless the walleyes are short biting. Many of the charters on LOW have their customers hook the frozen shiners through the mid body.  Basically, place the hook of the jig through the mouth and out of the gill of the shiner, push it all the way up to the lead head and then hook the minnow through the mid section.  In the stained water, the walleyes are less finicky about the presentation and this allows for a better percentage of successful hooksets.

Add a Stinger Hook.  Stinger hooks can make the difference between a great day of jig fishing and just an OK day of jig fishing.  A stinger hook is a small treble hook on a short piece of fishing line attached to your jig.  The purpose of the stinger is to get a hook in the tail area of your minnow if the walleyes are short biting and you are missing bites.  It has amazed me over the years first off how delicate a nice walleye can bite.  Secondly, how such a small stinger hook can stick a bit walleye and keep it buttoned up to the net.

October fishing and using a jig can be an easy way to fish, certainly effective and relaxing.  At the same time, there are ways to get this technique to be more productive.  Thinking about the nuances and understanding how to use them can up the ante on your walleye jigging performance.

 

To learn more about October fishing and Lake of the Woods, check out the Lake of the Woods Tourism website.

To find a guide, charter boat or lodging, check out our lodging page.

In today’s busy world, when a window of opportunity to buzz up to Lake of the Woods opens up, you need to jump on it.  There are some weekends or holidays that availability perhaps at your favorite resort can be a tough one.  One option is to make a few calls.  There is another option to find availability during the busiest of times.  This year, try the lodging availability finder.  This handy tool is found on the Lake of the Woods Tourism website under the lodging tab is a quick and easy way to check with multiple resorts, hotels, sleeper fish houses and guided fishing with one click of a mouse.

With almost 60 different lodging facilities at Lake of the Woods, in most cases, there are places to stay.  Perhaps you don’t know of them and have never stayed there before, but this can be part of the fun, embracing the variety of lodging in the area.

When you are looking to book lodging at Lake of the Woods and don’t feel like calling around or it is last minute, try the lodging availability finder.  Simply enter in your contact information, what part of the lake or river you want to stay, how many people and dates; and special comments.  Your request is emailed to all the lodging facilities in the geographic region you choose.  Resorts will respond back to your email with availability.

What a great way to get MULTIPLE answers and find openings with ease! Save Time with the “Lodging Availability Finder” on our website.

If you come back and want to us the finder here is how you do it:

1.  Go to the Lodging Availability Request page of the Lake of the Woods Tourism website.

 

2.  Fill out and send!  Enter contact info, arrival and departure dates, how many people and check the box indicating what portion of Lake of the Woods county you would like to stay.   Also indicate if you have any special requests or other comments and hit the submit button.  Your request is automatically emailed to the resorts, hotels and sleeper fish house businesses that are applicable in the area you have chosen to stay.

If you prefer to contact a few specific resorts, we also have our lodging page.  This page is full of information.  In addition to a complete list of lodging opportunities, learn what amenities are available and what might fit your group the best.

There are many ways to access lodging up at Lake of the Woods.  Whether you are looking for something in Baudette, perhaps the Rainy River, south shore or Northwest Angle, all of the choices are in one place, the Lake of the Woods Tourism website.   Have a chance at a spur of the moment getaway to walleye country, give the lodging availability finder a shot.  It will save you time and often will provide options even on busy weekends.

 

Click Here to return back to the Lake of the Woods Tourism Website

Click Here for Lodging Options around Lake of the Woods

Click Here for the Lodging Availability Finder Tool

This year’s predictions for ice fishing Lake of the Woods are most excellent.  Driven by a healthy population of walleyes and saugers, ice anglers are chomping at the bit to get on the ice.  Ice safety first has to be the message and constantly in the forefront of any ice fishing adventure.  As we approach a new ice season, there are some ideas that overall will lead to safer experience up at Lake of the Woods.  Here are just a few things to keep in mind when thinking ice safety.

1.  Work through a resort or outfitter.  It sure is nice to be able to head out ice fishing via an ice road, snowmobile or resort ice transportation.  In many cases, people don’t realize all of the behind the scenes work that takes place to make sure visitors are safe.  Ice workers are constantly monitoring the ice thickness and ice conditions.  Ice roads are driven each morning.  If there are problem areas that can occur in the ice, the resort either adds bridges or re-routes for safety.   Resort ice workers are constantly monitoring, plowing and repairing ice and considering ice safety for their guests.  Staying on the trail is your best bet.  If you decide to venture out on your own, be sure to know the ice conditions first.
2. Be Prepared:  Ice picks.  They aren’t expensive and if the unthinkable would ever happen, could save your life or if someone else if you would toss them to someone else in distress.  When people have fallen through the ice, one of the challenges is getting out of the water.  The ice is wet and slippery.  Picks allow someone to dig in and get a grip when pulling themselves out.  Please, invest in a pair this week.  If they don’t benefit you, perhaps someone else.
3. Markings. When following a marked trail on the ice, double flags mean caution ahead, such as a big ice chunk, crack to avoid, etc. On snowmobile trails you might actually see a caution sign. Trails in good condition are marked with single stakes or flags. If you are ever in doubt, feel free to ask.
4. Who to contact in the event of an emergency.  If you ever experience a situation in which you or someone else is in need of help, your first call should be 911.  This call is routed to professionals who have an entire list of agencies and resorts for that matter who may be able to help.  Resorts often times are right in the middle of assisting with emergencies, medial or otherwise.  With this being said, your first call should be 911.
5. Be Prepared:  cell phone. When you venture out on the ice, it is a good idea to have your cell phone charged up.  Some people will actually carry the small portable battery packs that can plug into most cell phones for a good charge.  Remember if you are out of cell range, a text can sometimes get through.
6. Be Prepared:  Clothing.  A good rule of thumb is to be over prepared.  If you are venturing out on a snowmobile, in your car or even with a resort, having warm clothing, a hat and gloves can be crucial in the event of a breakdown, snow storm or other situation that can occur.  The boy scout motto, “Always be prepared”.
7. Be Prepared:  Vehicle.  Whether you are traveling up to Lake of the Woods or headed out on the lake, it is a good idea to have your gas tank above a half a tank.  This will help with extreme freezing temps and if you would happen to run off of the road while driving. Other good items to have are a tow strap, jumper cables, and a shovel.
8. Be Prepared:  Snowmobile.  In general, it is a good idea to keep you sled tuned up and in good working condition.  Have plenty of fuel, an extra belt (know how to change it), have safety materials in the storage compartment.  Some people will carry a rope along for a rescue situation or even a tow.  Some anglers who use sleds invest in a Nebulus.  In the event you sled goes through the ice, this device is attached to your machine and has a pull cord which inflates a raft.  This raft can save you and keep your machine from going to the bottom of the lake or river.
9. Be Prepared:  GPS.  A GPS whether in your car or a handheld version can be handy.  I like to turn it on when leaving shore so I create a plot line from shore to where I am headed on the ice.  In the event of a whiteout, you will be able to follow your plot line back which will help to stay on the ice road or trail you came out of and obviously get you safely home.  If conditions are extreme and you are in a fish house with ample heat, it is a good idea to stay put until the weather clears.  Contact a resort or someone to communicate your whereabouts and game plan.  In some cases, resorts may be able to assist.
10. Don’t take chances.  There is always someone who is the first one to walk out, take out an ATV or drive a vehicle.  Let the resorts who are trained, who are on the ice daily and have years of experience guide you in what can be used and what is too heavy for the ice conditions.

A big thank you to all of the resorts, ice workers, various agencies around Lake of the Woods including the police departments, fire fighters, local sheriff departments, the MN Highway Patrol, Coast Guard, Border Patrol, U. S. Customs, Canada Border Services Agency, MN DNR, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, Valley Med Flight and anyone else who helps with ice safety and has ever assisted or is willing to assist in an emergency situation.

This quick video will give you an idea of near white out conditions and how the wind can whip up on the ice of Lake of the Woods and why it is so very important to be prepared, have the right equipment and have a plan of action while on the ice.  Being prepared for this is part of ice safety prep.

This year is expected to be an excellent year of ice fishing.  Let’s think ice safety first, walleyes second!

 

Click Here to return to Lake of the Woods Tourism

Click Here for a list of Lake of the Woods Area Resorts and Ice Fishing Outfitters

Lake of the Woods County isn’t just a great place to fish, hunt and enjoy the great outdoors, it’s an excellent place to find good employment and do business. Not only is there a steady flow of visitors, there is a thriving local economy that boasts an educated workforce, world-class technology and an abundance of resources for those interested in opening, relocating or expanding a business. This area is a dream getaway.  Lake of the Woods employment opportunities abound.

People visit Lake of the Woods County and Baudette for the stunning international waters and the breathtaking scenery of Northern Minnesota. Lake of the Woods offers four seasons of world-class fishing, a hunter’s paradise and a vast array of outdoor recreation.  Winter is actually the busiest season at Lake of the Woods.  The world class ice fishing, consistent ice conditions, daytime bite, millions of walleyes and saugers, and great resort community cater to anglers from many regions

Employment Opportunities!  Have you ever thought about working in an area you love to vacation?  There are a variety of opportunities and many have taken the step to work where they play.  Imagine fishing, hunting and simply living in an area people travel across the country to get to!

Quality healthcare and education.  People stay in Lake of the Woods County because of the community. We take pride in our outstanding healthcare and nationally-recognized education with Lake of the Woods Schools ranking very high in Minnesota schools. There are positive things happening in town, such as the new Lake of the Woods International Arena that is now open and a new international bridge to Canada being put in place.

The City of Baudette is the county seat.  Whether looking to raise a family, grow your company or just looking for a change in scenery, for many, Lake of the Woods offers a better way of life.

As the winter months get closer many of the resorts will be looking for good people to take advantage of excellent Lake of the Woods employment opportunities. Again, winter fishing on LOW is known to be some of the best in the world. Look no further than Here for many of the employment vacancies!

Right now there are openings and various area employers would love to meet with you. Visit www.gethookedforlife.com for more valuable information and also www.lakeofthewoodsmn.com.  Another good option is to look at the Lake of the Woods Tourism Lodging page.  Many of the resorts and hotels are hiring for a variety of positions, email them or give them a call.

 

 

Click here for the Lake of the Woods Tourism website.

Click here to view Lake of the Woods Lodging options.

If you follow Lake of the Woods and the Rainy River, have probably heard the fall bite is on!  The majority of the walleyes being caught these days is jig fishing with a jig and minnow.  There are a number of nuances when it comes to jigs and minnows and each angler has their favorites.  It is good to have a number of tools in your jigging tool belt when it comes to jigging .  One thing is for sure, October is a month to get your jigging fix.

Color.  Lake of the Woods is stained water.  Consequently, there are some go to colors that work quite consistently.  Gold is one color that absolutely shines and is a staple color in anglers fishing this system.  As many long time LOW anglers will tell you, use any color on LOW as long as it’s gold.  In some cases, the gold is combined with other colors such as glow red, glow, pink or orange.

Other strong colors when jig fishing are pink, orange, chartreuse and glow.  Glow is an interesting choice in colors as it really shows up nicely in stained water.  The other caveat is the different colors of glow that are available now.  Glow red, glow pink, etc.  Glow is also a nice complimentary color that is added to other colors.

There are also jigs now that have many different edges, almost like a disco ball.  These jigs reflect light differently and some anglers swear by them. 

Shape and noise.  Some jigs have different shapes.  Most are round but there are other shapes that can be attractive to walleyes.  In current, thinner molded jigs can cut the current allowing a different action and allow a lighter jig to be used.

Some jigs have extra noise attractants on them.  In some cases it’s a rattle, in other cases a propeller or spinner.  It is amazing how, in some cases, a little bit of noise can make such a difference.

Hooking the minnow.  Most anglers who jig simply hook the minnow through the lips when jig fishing.  This technique is effective unless the walleyes are short biting. Many of the charters on LOW have their customers hook the frozen shiners through the mid body.  Basically, place the hook of the jig through the mouth and out of the gill of the shiner, push it all the way up to the lead head and then hook the minnow through the mid section.  In the stained water, the walleyes are less finicky about the presentation and this allows for a better percentage of successful hooksets.

Add a Stinger Hook.  Stinger hooks can make the difference between a great day of jig fishing and just an OK day of jig fishing.  A stinger hook is a small treble hook on a short piece of fishing line attached to your jig.  The purpose of the stinger is to get a hook in the tail area of your minnow if the walleyes are short biting and you are missing bites.  It has amazed me over the years first off how delicate a nice walleye can bite.  Secondly, how such a small stinger hook can stick a bit walleye and keep it buttoned up to the net.

Jig fishing can be an easy way to fish, certainly effective and relaxing.  At the same time, there are ways to get this technique to be more productive.  Thinking about the nuances and understanding how to use them can up the ante on your walleye jigging performance.

 

To learn more about Lake of the Woods, check out the Lake of the Woods Tourism website.

To find a guide, charter boat or lodging, check out our lodging page.

It’s a fishing tournament dreams are made of.  The MN Tournament Trail once again hosted the MTT championship on Lake of the Woods September 17 and 18.  This is a tournament anglers have to qualify for by either fishing at least 4 one day tournaments and a two day tournament or finish in the top 75 for the overall regular season points to qualify.  The grand prize was a Skeeter WX1910 boat package powered by a 200 Yamaha SHO Outboard.  The competition amongst this talented group of walleye anglers was friendly but fierce.

The MTT followed the PRT format this year, otherwise know as the Photo Release Tournament.  This style of tournament allows anglers to catch fish, photograph them and then release them.  This allows credit for walleyes in the protected slot of 19.5 – 28″ which in traditional tournaments where fish are brought to the weigh ins, would not count as they cannot be kept.  Fish that would normally be released get measured, photographed and the anglers turn in their official tournament ruler (bump board), SD Card with the fish pics, and their score card at the end of the day for credit.

When the dust settled after two days of the MTT championship, the team of John Dickelman and Heather North took the championship honors with a two day total with 10 walleyes of 80.99 lbs.  Second place was Eric Nesius and Mike Christensen with a weight of 74.92 lbs.  Third place honors went to Jack and Carmen Bradach with a two day total of 74.75 lbs.

Check out the MN Tournament Trail final results here.

The MTT Championship is a tournament that dreams are made of.  For some, the tournament was a disappointment of not finishing as well as they would have liked.  For others, it is a memory burned into their fishing fiber for the rest of their lives.  For everyone, it is the competition against a super talented group of anglers who compete hard but overall have a strong mutual respect for each other and the passion they have in common.

The 2021 MN Tournament Trail tentative schedule is out.  All are welcome to compete, whether it is one tournament or fishing the circuit and having the chance to bring home a new Skeeter / Yamaha package.  Congratulations to the top teams.  Thank you to all.

 

To learn more about Lake of the Woods, check out the Lake of the Woods Tourism website.

To find a guide, charter boat or lodging, check out our lodging page.

Fall is a very special time up at Lake of the Woods.  There is no doubt it is beautiful.  As the leaves are turning and the migration is taking place overhead, walleyes are active.  The walleyes are transitioning to their favorite fall areas and putting on the feed bag for the upcoming winter.  This all means some excellent fall fishing for anglers fishing both Lake of the Woods and the Rainy River.

South shore.  The south end of Lake of the Woods gets pretty loaded up with walleyes.  Walleyes begin to school up as they are following minnows.  Anglers find these tasty cold water fish close to shore relating to sand, mud, structure and current.  Most anglers will anchor up and simply jig a frozen emerald shiner over the side of the boat.  The walleyes and saugers are normally moving around and if you are in the area, they will find your offering.  This kind of fishing is not only relaxing, it is productive.

Schools of walleyes and saugers can extend for miles.  At times, it is not uncommon to see nets swinging all around you when the bite is on. 

Certainly jigging is by far the most popular technique, covering water trolling crankbaits is still effective.  Putting your lure in front of a lot of fish is normally productive.  At the same time, this is a good way to cover water to find active walleyes.  Some anglers will troll until they find larger schools of fish and then anchor up and jig them.  Lots of options in the fall.

NW Angle.  At the same time, a great bite is also taking place up at the NW Angle.  Walleyes are using points, the mouth of bays or neckdown areas between islands where current is created.  These three areas hold bait and that’s what the walleyes are after.  Again, much like other parts of the lake, jigging is the preferred method of catching nice walleyes this time of the year up at the Angle.

The Rainy River Tradition.  For those who enjoy fishing the river, each fall the Rainy River experiences a right of nature, a tradition of sorts for outdoors minded anglers who don’t mind fall fishing in chilly fall temperatures for the chance at a walleye of a lifetime.  The emerald shiners run up the Rainy River.

We really don’t know why they swim up river but some believe they are in search of food.  Others believe it is to toughen up for the upcoming winter.  While we are not certain on why the emeralds enter the river, we do know why the walleyes enter the river, to eat one of their favorite forage, the emerald shiners.  This natural pattern triggers that itch for many anglers leading to great memories and the Rainy River tradition.

This given day on the Rainy River really reminded me why anglers love fall fishing and the Rainy River tradition.  Check out this episode of Midwest Outdoors from the Rainy River.

Fishing the Rainy River.  The first thing to say is don’t sit all day in the same spot if you are not catching fish.  Move around and try and find fish.  Try up river, down river, deeper, shallower, different techniques.  Ask around, find out what the trends are.  This will lead to more success.

The thought is as the water cools into the low and mid 40’s and the larger emerald shiners will begin to run as will the larger walleyes. 

Some years, bait dealers have some live shiners for fall fishing, other years, just frozen.  These sleep deprived entrepreneurs work very hard and are often out all night in search of shiners.  Anglers love nothing more than having fresh live shiners to tip their jig with.  Most don’t realize the efforts bait dealers go through to actually catch them this time of year, checking nets and key shiner areas often three or more times throughout the night.

Typically, good numbers of walleyes with some big walleyes show up in the river.  This is what sustains the tradition.  Will the run continue all fall or stop and start up again?  Only Mother Nature knows, but anglers realize, there are normally shiners and walleyes in the river each and every fall.

Into October and then pushing into November, the days will get shorter and the water colder, things will start to shift.  Normally bigger fish will continue showing up for anglers more hard core for fall fishing and big fall walleyes.

Big walleyes during deer hunting.  It is common to hear about huge walleyes being caught during the weeks most are sitting in tree stands looking for venison or horns.  It is definitely a tough choice as the deer hunting season is short.

Most anglers are targeting walleyes jigging.  Typically a 3/8 or 1/2 ounce jig will give you control in the current of the Rainy River.  If water is really rolling, don’t be afraid to go to a 3/4 or even ounce.  It is important to maintain control and feel the jig occasionally bounce off of the bottom.  The walleyes don’t mind a larger jig.

Colors vary but you can’t go too wrong with colors like gold, orange, glow, pink, white, peacock or combinations of such.  Area resorts and bait shops have a good selection of heavier jigs in the good Lake of the Woods colors.  The local tackle company, Tom’s Tackle, has a wide selection of jigs that just work on these waters.

Stinger hooks.  I am a big believer in stinger hooks this time of year.  Hook a stinger up to the hook of your jig.  This 2″ line attached to a small treble hook can be the difference between a so-so day and a great day.  Hook the small treble just in front of the tail of the shiner.  It amazes me how big of fish can be taken on the small treble.

While fall fishing, work holes, current breaks or even flats.  Anchor up in a spot and wait for walleyes to move through or slowly motor up current and down current with a controlled drift.  Change colors of jigs until you find out which color is preferred that day.

One method of fall fishing on the Rainy River one shouldn’t overlook is trolling crankbaits.  This past week was a perfect example.  Although I stuck a big 30″ walleye on a jig and emerald shiner, we actually caught more walleyes trolling that given day.  In our case, on that day, we targeted 9′ of water and caught keepers and a 20″ and 26″ throwback.  We did hear of a couple of big fish taken trolling as well.

Leadcore line will allow you to troll the deeper holes in addition to the shallow stretches.  When fishing the shallow water, we simply long lined Rapala Shad Raps and Wally Divers.

If you aren’t an avid deer hunter or perhaps get your deer early, you may want to consider a trip to the river.  Dress warm, be safe and make some memories that only can be made late fall.

 

To learn more about Lake of the Woods, check out the Lake of the Woods Tourism website.

To find a guide, charter boat or lodging, check out the Lake of the Woods Tourism lodging page.

When you chat with anglers who fish the MTT (MN Tournament Trail) walleye tournament, there have been a lot of memories throughout the year.  But in many cases, the tournament has been on the radar screens of most is the championship that takes place at Lake of the Woods this week.  Thursday and Friday, September 17 – 18, some of the best anglers in the state will be competing for a new boat, prizes and of course, cash prizes.

This tournament is special for a number of reasons.  First off, anglers are fishing for the all new redesigned 2021 Skeeter WX1910 package powered by a 200 hp Yamaha SHO Outboard.  Secondly, this tournament will determine anglers of the year.  And finally, the best of the best will be fishing this tournament as teams have to qualify by placing in the top 75 for the year or by fishing four one day tournaments and one two day tournament.

Throughout the year, anglers competed on a variety of lakes and rivers in MN to qualify for the championship including the Lake Mille Lacs, Lake Winnibigoshish and Lake of the Woods.  Big Stone in early May was canceled due to COVID-19.

Like many things in life this year, tournament organizers had to adapt to this year’s new normal.  The tournament championship would normally be a traditional format in which anglers would bring their walleyes to the scales each of the two days for weigh ins.  This year due to COVID-19, the MTT went with the PRT format exclusively, or Photo Release Tournament.

This really changes the strategy.  In the past on Lake of the Woods, fish over 28 inches were always golden to the overall weight, but fish just under the slot limit that must be released of 19.5 – 28″ were also very valuable.  With the PRT format, even slot fish can be photographed, recorded and released.  This changes the fish targeted in many cases.

This format has become popular with many as fish are immediately released vs being in a livewell all day greatly reducing mortality.

The MTT is run by Mike and Renee Holt.  Mike Holt appreciates Lake of the Woods for the championship for a number of reasons.  “First off, anglers love the lake, it is good fishing and there is a variety of lodging.  If the lake is rough, there is about 40 miles of navigable water on the Rainy River to fish.  During mid September there are often quality walleyes to be found in the river.  Finally, regardless of how a team has done on the first day of the two day tournament, you are never out of it as there are monster walleyes in the system.  Two big fish on day two makes up for a tough day one.”

The tournament headquarters for this week’s tournament is Border View Lodge which is located right next to the Wheeler’s Point public access at the mouth of the Rainy River.  Watch either the MN Tournament Trail’s Facebook page or Lake of the Woods Tourism Facebook page for results each day.

Good luck to all MTT anglers who are competing in this week’s MTT Championship.  This is the time of the year when dreams come true!

 

 

 

 

To learn more about Lake of the Woods, check out the Lake of the Woods Tourism website.

To find a guide, charter boat or lodging, check out our lodging page.