In a small saucepan, bring the first eight ingredients to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, until vegetables are crisp-tender, stirring occasionally.
Place fish in a greased 13×9-in. baking dish. Pour vegetable mixture over the fish. Cover and bake at 350° for 15-20 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork.
On the south end… There is some excellent walleye fishing taking place right now with some huge walleyes being caught. The dog days are some of the best days on Lake of the Woods.
The deep mud bite is in 28 – 35 feet of water. Anglers are catching good numbers of fish on the mud using mainly two different techniques, spinners and crankbaits.
Most anglers are getting their walleyes with spinners and crawlers. A two hook crawler harness with a spinner blade colored in gold, gold / pink, pink, orange, glow red, glow white, or a combo of these colors.
Drift or troll at 1 – 1.25 mph with a 2 – 3 ounce weight or bottom bouncer and two hook harness with a crawler. A 3 ounce bouncer is very helpful in depths over 30 feet.
Trolling crankbaits continues to catch a lot of fish as well. With so many walleyes spread out over the miles and miles of mud over Big Traverse Bay, covering water is a good strategy.
Some walleyes are also hanging out on, or adjacent to, rock reefs. With miles and miles of open mud basin, areas of structure can be a magnet.
Anglers utilizing forward facing sonar are sharp shooting big walleyes in all parts of the water column throughout Big Traverse Bay. The recent winners of the David A. Andersen Warrior Boats tournament put up 5 walleyes for 55.76 lbs.
On the Rainy River… A variety of species of fish continue being caught on the river.
Sturgeon anglers are reporting consistent summer action. Anchored up in a hole of the river or the sloping bank from the hole to a flat and soak some crawlers or frozen emerald shiners (or both).
Walleye anglers are finding walleyes on flats, in holes, current breaks and over rocky areas. Jigging, trolling spinners / crawlers or trolling crankbaits are all producing fish.
Up at the NW Angle… Excellent walleye fishing continues. Points, sunken islands, saddles, and neck down areas with current are just a few ideas.
Deep mud such as east of Little Oak Island or north of Garden Island have been producing walleyes. When fish are sliding out to mud flats, spinners and crawlers which cover water work well, as do trolling crankbaits.
Muskie anglers are finding fish, but report it has not been what they call a normal year. Fish are being found in a variety of areas.
45 inch Tiger Muskie
A mixed bag includes walleyes and saugers, perch, crappies, pike, bass and even muskies.
Lodging, full service fishing packages, small boat guide trips, and charter trips are available at www.LakeoftheWoodsMN.com/Lodging.
Fall is in the air and Fall Hunting is coming very very soon. As children get ready to head back to school, hunters are cleaning guns, collecting ammo and getting their bows out to be ready for the next hunting season.
Many avid sportsmen have already been visiting the area to land those great walleyes in Lake of the Woods. However, aside from fishing, the area is known for its great fall hunting possibilities.
Grouse hunting season runs from September 14th-January 1, 2025! With hundreds of thousands of acres of public land even the most avid grouse hunter will never run out of land to hunt. There is an area just to the west of Baudette,Beltrami Island State Forest has thousands and thousands of acres of land, dirt roads, ATV trails and walking trails which is very good grouse habitat. There is so much habitat and such a variety of habitat that grouse have everything they want and need to flourish.
Whether you own a dog or not, grouse hunting success can be had by all. Getting off the trail is key to getting more flushes in this area. Not many hunters will go break brush so many of the birds go unseen and don’t flush. Remember, even while grouse hunting, hunters must wear orange for their safety. Please check into the MN DNR site to learn about licenses and tips for fall hunting.
grouse blind
It seems criteria very important for grouse hunters looking to bag some “chickens of the northwoods”. There is an area just to the west of Baudette that has both. Beltrami Island State Forest is an area with thousands of acres of land, dirt roads, ATV trails and walking trails which is very good grouse habitat. There is some much habitat and such a variety of habitat that grouse have everything they want and need to flourish. That means success for would be grouse hunters.
Getting out with some friends in the forest during a grouse hunting season typically does not disappoint. Most hunters shoot mainly ruffed grouse with a couple of spruce grouse thrown in. With such a beautiful area, hunting is a success from just the sheer beauty and getting out into the woods.
The area offers 3 different types of grouse along with snipe. The Ruffed Grouse is by far the most popular and to most hunters, tastes the best. Some say it is the best eating game bird out there, but of course that is personal opinion.
Spruce Grouse
The second type of grouse is the spruce grouse. As a rule, ruffed grouse and spruce grouse roam the same type of habitat. Spruce grouse prefer more of the coniferous forest or pine trees. The meat is darker than a rough grouse and some consider it a stronger or “piney” taste. There are a few in the north country who enjoy a good spruce grouse.
The third variety of grouse around Lake of the Woods is the sharp tailed grouse. Sharpies primarily hang out in more agricultural settings, hence, are a bit more challenging to target as private land is best. It is also helpful to have an idea where the sharpies are living as there
are tens of thousands of acres of farmland across the Lake of the Woods region.
As The Walleye Capital of the World, Lake of the Woods is known for its fishing. Consequently, grouse hunting does not garner the attention. Many, however, have discovered an area off the radar that is absolutely a hunting gem. There is a huge amount of quality public hunting land, lots of birds and fewer hunters.
We’ve focused on one aspect of fall hunting here, but remember, that Duck and Goose hunting happens in the fall and then come the very popular white-tail deer season. More will be coming at a later date on safety during these seasons.
The ability to go smack a limit of walleyes and enjoy ruffed grouse fall hunting in the same area, the same day is enough to get sportsmen and sportswoman blood pumping. Fall Hunting is a neat time up at Lake of the Woods. A combo of great fishing and hunting speaks highly of the wonderful natural resources in this neck of the woods. Grab your shotgun and head north to hunt grouse at Lake of the Woods.
Combine 1 cup flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. In another bowl, combine egg, water and 1/3 cup lemon juice; stir into dry ingredients until smooth.
Place remaining 1/3 cup lemon juice and remaining 1/2 cup flour in separate shallow bowls. Dip fillets in lemon juice, then flour, then coat with egg mixture.
In a large skillet, heat 1 in. oil over medium-high heat. Fry fillets until golden brown and fish flakes easily with a fork, 2-3 minutes on each side. Drain on paper towels. If desired, serve with lemon wedges.
Lemon-Batter Fish Tips
How do you get batter to stick to fish?
Battered fish is made through a dipping process called dredging, which alternates between wet and dry ingredients. In this recipe, the fish is first dipped in lemon juice, then a flour mixture and finally coated in egg. These three steps provide layers for the batter to properly adhere to the fish, protect the fish from the hot oil and and seals in moisture.
On the south end… The great walleye bite continues. Big numbers of walleyes and saugers are staged over deep mud, a common and consistent late summer pattern on Lake of the Woods.
The deep mud bite is in 28 – 35 feet of water. Anglers are catching good numbers of fish on the mud using mainly two different techniques.
Most anglers are using spinners and crawlers. A two hook crawler harness with a spinner blade colored in gold, gold / pink, pink, orange, glow red, glow white, or a combo of these colors.
Drift or troll at 1 – 1.25 mph with a 2 – 3 ounce weight or bottom bouncer, a 2 hook crawler harness and a juicy crawler. This presentation covers water, puts your offering in front of numbers of fish and a combo of the flash, vibration and scent of the crawler are hard to pass by for a walleye or sauger.
Trolling crankbaits is catching a lot of fish as well. With so many walleyes spread out over the miles and miles of mud over Big Traverse Bay, covering water is a good strategy. Strategically placing your lure in front of thousands of walleyes is effective. The chess game is what speed, what shape, what wobble, rattle or no rattle, in front of them or above them.
Common crankbait colors are gold, blue / chrome, firetiger, pink UV firetiger, chartreuse and orange.
Big Muskie
Anchoring up over schools of walleyes and saugers jigging with a frozen emerald shiner is still catching fish. Often, anchoring or spot locking with a jig around rocks or structure works well. When there are walleyes concentrated over mud, jigging can be effective there as well.
On the Rainy River… The slow summer flow of water on the Rainy River continues is great for fishing. A variety of species are being caught on the river.
Sturgeon anglers are reporting good summer fishing. Set up in a hole of the river or the sloping bank from the hole to a flat and soak some crawlers or frozen emerald shiners (or both).
A flat no roll sinker, sturgeon rig (18 inches of 60 lb test with a circle hook) with a glob of crawlers or combo of crawlers and shiners are catching fish. Evenings have been especially good. Many enjoy the peace and relaxation of the river in the summer.
Walleye anglers are trolling spinners / crawlers or crankbaits upstream covering water. If you find a school of walleyes, anchoring or spot locking with a jig and minnow will be effective.
Smallmouth bass can be found near the rocky areas, current breaks, bridges with associated rip rap are all go to areas.
Up at the NW Angle… Walleye fishing continues to be consistent. Some fish are on structure. Points, sunken islands, saddles, and neck down areas with current are just a few ideas. With 14,552 islands, there is a lot of structure!
Other fish are sliding out to mud flats. Here, pulling spinners and crawlers to cover water works well. Lots of ways to get it done.
A mixed bag is common in the northern portion of the lake. In addition to walleyes and saugers, perch, crappies, pike, bass and even muskies are consistently caught while targeting walleyes.
Lodging, full service fishing packages, small boat guide trips, and charter trips are available at www.LakeoftheWoodsMN.com/Lodging.
What to order for Paella
1) Ribs
2) Sausage, Pork Rope Sausage
3) Glass banana peppers
4) Variety of bell peppers
5) Jalapeno
6) Tomato’s
7) onions
8) Frozen corn
9) Frozen green beans
10) Garlic
11) Chicken stock
12) Paprika
13) Cummin
14) Turmeric
15) Saffron
16) Artichoke hearts
17) Shrimp
18) Walleye
19) Small grain rice (European rice)
20) Mix of canola and olive oil
How to Prep for Paella
1) First take out all the meat and fish and thaw out in big sink under
water it takes 2 hours
2) Cut vegetable put in white plastic container
3) Dump banana peppers and Sause into vegetable container
4) Dump artichoke hearts and water into vegetable container
5) Cut up ribs keep in its own plastic container this is used for broth
6) Cut up Robe Sausage, 2-3 inch pieces
7) Cut up fish make sure no bones
8) Open up shrimp bag rinse shrimp make sure no tails on shrimp
How to make the Broth for Paella
1) Put cut up ribs in spaghetti cooking bowl fill with water to bottom
handle dot
2) Bring water to boil with ribs in it and after 30 minutes drain water
3) Fill spaghetti bowl again and bring to boil with chicken stock after
30 minutes remove ribs
4) If you need to add more water to be at bottom dot of handle on bowl
do so now and let broth sit
How to make Paella
1) First set up the Paella pan on base Turn on heat with pan on top of
burner
2) Paur Canola/olive oil mix into bottom of paella pan it doesn’t need
to be a lot
3) Crush saffron in palm and put in to the cooking oil
4) Put 4 spoons of Garlic into cooking oil
WAIT/Cook 2 MINUTES
5) Add meat ribs and rope sausage
Wait/Cook 5 minutes
6) Season the Meat at least 2oz of Paprika it should be red
7) Small amounts of Turmeric and Cummin
Wait/Cook 15 minutes
8) Add Vegetables and stir
Wait/cook 20 minutes
9) Add Broth
10) Broth is done when you see the signs of evaporation around the edge
of pan
Wait/cook 20 minutes
11) Add 2 boxes of Rice
12) Turn heat down
Wait/cook 20 minutes
13) Place Walleye on top of Rice and Shrimp
14) Season half with Cajun seasoning and halfwith lemon pepper
15) Put tin foil over entire paella bowl
Wait/Cook 10 minutes
16) Turn the heat off
Wait / Cook 5 minutes DONE!!!
There’s nothing like fresh fish and nothing like eating those fresh fish at a shore lunch! Yes, Lake of the Woods is known for adventure and creativity in lots of things and that’s also true when dining on the beach of a remote island. Lake of the Woods is also known for its abundance of walleye and other great species of fish. That’s one of the reasons it is known as the Walleye Capital of the World™.
Prepared Catch at a Resort
Now you can go out fishing for a day and bring your fish back to your favorite resort and the guide will gladly clean your fish and deliver them to the chef of the day. He will then prepare that delightful catch and deliver it to your table with all the “fixins”. Totally enjoyable and totally delicious.
However, let me tell you a story. This writer has lived in the area for 40 years and one my favorite experiences is my very first shore lunch. There was a two-decker boat called the Leonard C. (RIP) It was amazing!! Huge double decker that had a bar on the first deck and riders on the top of the deck were thrilled as you sped through the beautiful waters heading for Pine Island.
Our captain landed the boat and threw open the front hatch. He threw out humungous frying pans and ice cream pails full of food. Then he and his boat mate set up two fires on the shore. When the fire was right, he set the fry pans on them and threw a pail full of a sliced potato and onion mix. The next pan was filled with baked beans. After emptying the potato pan, he wiped out the fry pan and threw in some oil and a pail full of bacon. While that was cooking, he was breading some of the biggest walleye fillets I have ever seen. He removed the bacon and started frying those walleyes to perfection!!!
Let me tell you….it was the most delicious meal I have ever eaten! Right on a sandy shore. Now this captain probably fed about 30 people and didn’t blink an eye. He wiped out the pans, put out the fire and very soon we were back on the boat for a ride back to the home resort. All smiling!!!
Now some things have changed over the years, but shore lunches remain as awesome as the first one I had. Some guides from the Northwest Angle cruise their launches up to a remote island and serve up a tasty meal somewhat the same way my first meal was served. Some, however, use propane now, but the menu is the same. Yum!
The Northwest Angle is approximately 40 miles from the south shore of Lake of the Woods and is the home to over 7 resorts. Beautiful waters surround the area and produce those fresh walleyes for the shore lunches. There are two islands up there also. Oak Island and Flag Island house some beautiful accommodations and also provide a great place for shore lunches.
Garden Island is a State Recreation Area totally
equipped with docks, picnic tables and restroom facilities. This is a favorite spot for guides to take their clientele for that great eating pleasure. Garden Island is about 30+ miles across the lake so that’s an adventure all its own. As the summer progresses fish move to cooler waters so this location becomes very popular late July and August. Our local forest ranger has seen to it that this location is a must-go for anglers.
It is TRUE that each guide has his/her own favorite batter recipe so you’ll have to try to snag it from them if possible.
Here’s a list of tips that guides use and you can too if you try your hand at a shore lunch.
-Make sure the grease is hot enough to make water bounce or to pop a popcorn kernel
-Have a breading that has been perfected with the right touch over many years
-After applying breading to the fish, place the filet into the hot great skin side down
-Some guides fry bacon in the grease to add flavor to it before frying the fish
-Add fresh onion to the fried potatoes
There are so many more nuances, but when this well thought out meal of fresh LOW walleyes, saugers, perch, crappies and sometimes even deboned pike are prepared in this manner, it creates an experience for your pallet not to forget.
When you book a guide trip or charter trip, make sure you know what the lunch plans are as some trips offer shore lunch and others bring lunches along to maximize fishing time.
When the goal of a fishing trip is memories, relaxation and delicious food, think about a traditional Lake of the Woods shore lunch.
On the south end… The Dog Days of summer are a popular time on Lake of the Woods. Walleyes can be tough on bodies of water with significant weed growth and millions of emerging perch and other baitfish. This is when LOW shines.
Huge schools of walleyes and saugers are set up over the deep mud in 28 – 35 feet of water. Anglers are catching good numbers of fish using a few different techniques.
Most anglers are using spinners and crawlers. A two hook crawler harness with a spinner blade colored in gold, gold / pink, pink, orange, glow red, glow white, or a combo of these colors working well.
Crawler harness tip. Pinch off the long tail off the back of your crawler to just 2 or 3 inches off the back hook. This adds scent but most importantly and catches more walleyes. Walleyes will still hit the presentation and when they grab the crawler, they will have the last hook in their mouth.
Trolling crankbaits is extremely effective. With so many walleyes spread out over the miles and miles of mud over Big Traverse Bay, covering water and putting your lure in front of thousands of walleyes works well also.
Some anglers are still catching their walleyes anchoring up over schools of walleyes and saugers jigging with a frozen emerald shiner.
Various rock reefs that come out of the mud in areas of the lake are also holding some fish. Some days, fish are on top. This time of year, the transition from rock to mud is a go to spot.
On the Rainy River… The flow of water on the Rainy River continues to decrease as do river levels. Clarity is good as is the fishing.
Sturgeon anglers continue to report good summer dinosaur fishing. This fish with strong prehistoric roots are being caught soaking crawlers and shiners. A no roll sinker, sturgeon rig (18 inches of 60 lb test with a circle hook) with a glob of crawlers or combo of crawlers and shiners are catching fish. Fish can be caught all day, but evenings and even after dark has been especially good.
Walleye anglers are covering water trolling spinners / crawlers or crankbaits upstream covering water. If you find a school of walleyes, anchoring or spot locking with a jig and minnow will be effective.
Smallmouth bass on the Rainy River do not receive the attention they deserve with the walleyes and sturgeon, but bass are up and down the river. Rocky areas, current breaks, bridges with associated rip rap are all go to areas.
Up at the NW Angle… The walleye fishing is strong in this area. A 3/8 ounce jig with a minnow or plastic is effective with so much structure. Some guides use jigs in these parts all year long.
muskie
This time of year, fish start relating to sunken islands and even areas of mud just off the rocks. In this case, drifting or trolling crawler harnesses and trolling crankbaits covers water and is catching nice fish.
There are fish being found in various depths in 15-33′. This is a big range, but consider the many different forage walleyes capitalize on. In addition, fluctuations in cold fronts and water temps will push fish to different areas.
Walleye anglers in these parts also catch perch, crappies, pike, bass and even muskies while targeting walleyes.
Lodging, full service fishing packages, small boat guide trips, and charter trips are available at www.LakeoftheWoodsMN.com/Lodging.
The ATV enthusiast can be assured of great trails and beautiful sights as they travel the area at Lake of the Woods. This activity has become a growing sport for young and old alike. Lake of the Woods has a new website at www.lakeofthewoodsmn.com. When you go to that site, click on Outdoor Adventures and find info on ATVs, Biking, Motorcycling and the like. Click on Maps and Trails and you will find Historic Trails, Scenic Drives, The Bog Drive and the Forest Management Drive. You’ll find a vast amount of information to make you trip to Lake of the Woods so enjoyable.
Off-highway vehicles can be driven on all state forest trails that are not designated as off limits for environmental or safety reasons.
Lake of the Woods area literally has thousands of acres of prime ATV destinations, a variety of nice resorts and hotels and of course great places to eat and drink while on vacation.
Legislation effective August 1, 2005 allows a greater freedom for all-terrain vehicle riders choosing to ride in Minnesota state forests in our region. Off-highway vehicles can be driven on all state forest trails that are not designated as off limits for environmental or safety reasons.
Beltrami State Forest Area
Beltrami Island State Forest is just west of Baudette and spans an area of 66,903 acres. Pine Island State Forest is just east of Baudette and encompasses 878,040 acres. Northwest Angle State Forest in the north end of Lake of the Woods county has 144,412 acres to explore.
Faunce Tower
Many visitors come to experience the vast wilderness trails via ATV during the summer and fall months. Beltrami State Forest and the Bankton roads south of Williams and Roosevelt have hundreds of miles of trails, 238 to be exact; not to mention the great hunting that goes with it. Much of this trail system follows county roads, township roads, ditch banks and existing trails. Local people also know back roads that are accessible for travel even from the lake area.
Off highway vehicles can be driven on all state forest trails that are not designates as off limits for environmental or safety reasons. For more information and trail maps check out our ATV PAGE or theMN DNR website.
When looking at the Homesteader’s Trail, you’ll find remnants of a time past when pioneers were able to secure free land. At one time 0 fam4ilies lived along the present day Bankton Forest Road. They accessed the area on forest trails that followed sandy ridges. They also traveled by boat in the summer and on the ice in the winter.
The homesteaders’ livelihood was based on the resources of the area. They logged sawtimber and poles, worked in sawmills, trapped fur, and provided their own food by subsistence farming and hunting.
The community of Bankton had a post office, school, and a community hall. Most of the people that lived in the Bankton area relocated to other parts of Lake of the Woods county during the federal Resettlement Program of 1935.
The openings along the Bankton Forest Road are all vestiges of the farm fields left by the homesteaders. The location of the homesite is often marked with a willow tree or lilac bush planted by the settlers. Two cemeteries established by the homesteaders remain along the Bankton Forest Road. Records are a bit fuzzy, but at least 5 people are buried in each cemetery. The Hamilton Farm Cemetery is also referred to as the Germanson Cemetery in early township records. The Bankton Cemetery is called God’s Acre Cemetery in the obituary of one of the people buried there.
Informational signs along the Bankton Forest Road identify the two cemeteries and the location of a few of the homestead sites where evidence of buildings remain.
All of these trails and historic sites are beautiful to explore as you ride your ATV or bicycle. No mountains here, however, mountain bikes also use these trails as they tour these beautiful forest areas. So….come fishing to the Walleye Capital of the World and also bring your ATV or side by side to not only enjoy the pristine waters of Lake of the Woods but to also enjoy the lands surrounding the lake area. Choose your favorite resort and make reservations now among the 50+ resorts both on the south shore and also at the Northwest Angle.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk the milk, egg yolks and butter; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in blueberries.
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In a small bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form; fold into batter.
Bake in a preheated waffle iron according to manufacturer’s directions until golden brown.
Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine the blueberries, 1/4 cup orange juice and honey. Bring to a boil. Combine cornstarch and remaining orange juice until smooth; gradually stir into berry mixture. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Serve warm with waffles.
this area. Not many hunters will go break brush so many of the birds go unseen and don’t flush. Remember, even while grouse hunting, hunters must wear orange for their safety. Please check into the 
