Morel Mushroom Soup

morel mushroom

Spring at Lake of the Woods features many sweet new things. The morel mushroom shows up and many people are busy looking to harvest this delicacy for a taste treat. Wash them and fry them lightly in butter and eat them that way or try them in this recipe.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound fresh morel or other mushrooms, sliced
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 4 cups milk mushroom
  • 3 teaspoons chicken bouillon granules
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon pepper

Directions

  1. Sprinkle mushrooms with lemon juice. In a saucepan, saute the mushrooms and onion in butter until tender. Sprinkle with flour; stir well. Gradually add milk, bouillon, thyme, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil; boil and stir for 2 minutes. Reduce heat; simmer for 10-15 minutes.

Notes: Wikipedia: When foraging for morels, one must be absolutely sure of identification. There are many look-alikes often referred to as “false morels“, most notably Gyromitra. These also include members of the most closely related genus, Verpa,[3] which are highly poisonous. Other mushrooms can also be mistaken for morels, including some species of stinkhorns, or Phallaceae, which have a similarly shaped cap but a distinctive foul odor. It is important to take care when harvesting and identifying mushrooms, particularly morels.

The key morphological features distinguishing false morels from true morels are as follows:

  • Gyromitra species often have a “wrinkled” or “cerebral” (brain-like) appearance to the cap due to multiple wrinkles and folds, rather than the honeycomb appearance of true morels due to ridges and pits.
  • The caps of morels come in a range of colors including white, grey, black, brown, and yellow. Gyromitra esculenta has a cap that is usually reddish-brown in colour, but sometimes also chestnut, purplish-brown, or dark brown.
  • True morels are always hollow when sliced lengthwise, whereas Gyromitra species are typically chambered in longitudinal sections, while Verpa species contain a cottony substance inside their stem. The easiest way to distinguish Verpa species from Morchella species is to slice them longitudinally[7,8].
  • The caps of Verpa species (V. bohemica, V. conica and others) are attached to the stem only at the apex (top of the cap), unlike true morels which have caps that are attached to the stem at, or near the base of the cap.

Fishing Report 5.26.2025

walleye fishing lake of the woods mn

On the South Shore…  The jig bite continues to be on fire this week on Lake of the Woods! Anglers are finding walleyes and saugers in a variety of depths across the south shore. Depending on the forage they’re following, some fish are being found in as shallow as 8 feet of water and others out to 31 feet. The mid-range depths of 23 to 28 feet have been especially productive.

The lake offers a mix of bottom types and structure, and walleyes are showing up on all of it, relating to different forage opportunities. Sand, mud, and rock are all holding fish right now.  Anglers are catching fish in shallower water relating to sand, deeper mud flats, and rocky structure in depths ranging from 6 to 29 feet.

The go-to method continues to be anchoring up or spot locking and jigging a minnow.  A 3/8 to 1/2 ounce jig tipped with a frozen emerald shiner has been very effective.  As always, bright colors are key in the stained waters of LOW—gold, chartreuse, pink, orange, and glow, or a combination of these colors are all producing.

If you’re fishing with a group, it helps to mix up colors and types of minnows to figure out what the fish prefer that day. Frozen emerald shiners are the top bait, but lively fatheads and rainbows are also catching plenty of fish.

Some bonus pike continue to be caught, including by unsuspecting walleye anglers. While many pike have moved into the main lake, there are still some fish lingering in the shallows. If you enjoy chasing big northern pike, now is a great time. fishing

Anglers are reminded that the combined walleye and sauger limit on the Minnesota side of Lake of the Woods is 6 fish, with up to 4 being walleyes. All fish between 19.5 and 28 inches must be released. One walleye over 28 inches can be kept per day.

On the Rainy River…  The Rainy River continues to give up some nice walleyes. With water temps climbing and the current still moving, a 3/4 ounce jig tipped with a frozen emerald shiner is working great.

Most anglers are vertically jigging in deeper holes or just off the main channel. Four Mile Bay has produced some solid bites, especially when fishing the edges of the channel and slowing things down.

Some anglers are switching things up and using spinner rigs tipped with crawlers or trolling shallow diving crankbaits. Both methods allow you to cover water and find active fish. 

For a fun change of pace, try casting crankbaits, swim jigs, or spinnerbaits along the shoreline, around docks, or into the bays. You’ll catch walleyes, smallmouth bass, pike, and maybe even a surprise or two.

The sturgeon season is currently closed but will reopen on July 1st. From July 1 through September 30, anglers with a sturgeon tag can harvest one sturgeon per calendar year, either 45–50 inches or over 75 inches.

Up at the Northwest Angle…  Excellent fishing continues up at the Northwest Angle. Walleyes are being found in 12–18 feet of water, particularly off of shoreline structure, points, and shallow reefs. The jig and minnow bite remains strong, with most anglers anchoring up and working rock or sand transitions.

In addition to jigging, trolling crankbaits along shallow shoreline structure in 6 to 9 feet of water has been productive and will most definitely produce a mixed bag. Focus on “fishy” spots such as points and rock rubble areas.  Trolling cranks allows anglers to cover water and find active fish feeding on the move.

As always, anglers are catching a mix of species at the Angle, in addition to walleyes and saugers,  jumbo perch, northern pike, and smallmouth bass are in good numbers.  

The muskie opener is right around the corner—June 21st for both Minnesota and Ontario’s Zone 5. With good water conditions and lots of bait in the system, it’s shaping up to be another strong season.

With so many fish being caught and great weather ahead, now is a great time to book a trip to Lake of the Woods. Whether you’re fishing with friends, family, or going solo, you’ll find great action and beautiful scenery.

For more information on resorts, guides, charters, and trip planning, visit:  LakeoftheWoodsMN.com

Northwest Angle The Best of the Best

Northwest Angle map

The Northwest Angle is the Best of the Best and can be found at the northernmost point of the contiguous United States. Known by locals as northwest angle “The Angle”, it is home of some of the best fishing on Lake of the Woods. The Northwest Angle is a unique location as it forms the chimney at the very top of Minnesota. This was a surveyor’s mistake years and years ago, so the “Angle” which is part of Lake of the Woods County is only accessed by land by first driving through Canada. The “Angle is located on the northwest angle northern side of Lake of the Woods, or when viewing a map, the “chimney”. The area is 596.3 miles, 473.2 miles of that is water. It is also the northern most point of the contiguous 48 states. The Angle is in coexistence with Angle Township and Lake of the Woods County, surrounded by Manitoba and Ontario.

Angle Inlet is the town located at the Angle and features a post office, one room school house, golf course, church and multiple resorts. Their next door neighbors are resorts and residents on the Flag Island and Oak Island which is another great destination. Summer or winter, visitors are more than welcome to experience these incredible locations and the lifestyle that they offer.

Many hands, volunteers, business owners and local people have all joined forces to create this extremely exciting location for great numbers of people to enjoy. There is no other location that can compare with the offerings of this area. Stop at Jerry’s Restaurant for a first class lunch before taking off on snowmobile or out to your fish house during winter months. The warmth of the café and the warmth of the people will keep in your memory for years to come.

The Northwest Angle, the northernmost point of the contiguous United States,  is where the 14,552 islands begin.  It is also known to anglers as some of the best fishing in North America.  With that being said, there is so much more to this area most don’t know and certainly will ever discover, until now.  Welcome Lighthouse Boat and Snowmobile Tours.

Retired Polaris Engineer and acclaimed northwest angle explorer Joe Laurin has started providing informative and explorative tours of the northern portion of Lake of the Woods.  By northern portion, basically Garden Island north throughout the NW Angle and amongst the entire islands region of the Ontario portion of the lake all the way to Kenora.

You might remember Laurin as the creator of the Lake of the Woods Exploring App.  This app was released a few years ago and is a way for guests to do self exploration tours.  It lists waypoints and explanations of a variety of unseen attractions such as waterfalls, interior lakes, abandoned gold mines, WWII prisoner of war camps, Cheerio , Fort St. Charles, pictographs and petroglyphs.  Now that Laurin has his Coast Guard license, all of these options and more are now available as a tour.

There are so many gems in the Northwest Angle many visitors don’t even realize exist.  Through his app, and now his tours, Laurin is enabling others to get a deeper dive into the many special and unique wonders this area possesses. northwest angle

Some may come for a series of exploration tours in one of the most beautiful regions in North America.  Others may add a day of exploring to their traditional fishing trip.

There are a few pre-set tours as well as an option for creating a custom tour.

  1.  Essentials.  Northernmost Point Buoy, Fort Saint Charles, Cheerio Beach, Massacre Island, Flag Island Lighthouse Home Tour.
  2. The Loop.  Pinnacle Rock and waterfalls.  History includes 1930’s cars, Schoolhouse Point, French Portage Church and an old cemetery.  Experience the rope swing!  Discover and explore pictographs and petroglyphs, beautiful interior lake portages and abandoned gold mines.
  3. Custom.  Search for clues on the lake from past stories and legends.  Travel by boat 40+ miles through thousands of islands and unforgettable beauty to Kenora, Ontario.  Eat, drink, shop and explore!

northwest angle Imagine taking an extra day and traveling to Kenora via boat amongst the thousands of islands.  That in itself would be an incredible adventure.  Once to the public docks in Kenora, guests will be able to explore up and down the quaint streets of Kenora amongst the many small shops, restaurants, taverns and brewery.  When the day is over, sit back and relax enjoying the beauty and wildlife on the ride home or possibly stop at a couple of good fishing spots just to test the waters.

The tour boat is 22′ long for comfort and it has an enclosed cabin for inclement weather.  It can take up to six passengers.  Tours are offered via half day or full day excursions.

Another open water option offered is Jet-Ski tours.  For those who enjoy traversing on a Jet-Ski or wet bike, this is a fun option.  Guests must bring their own Jet-Ski and follow along the guided tour.

The Northwest Angle is a special place with so much to see.  There is no doubt that most visit this area for the world class fishing amongst breathtaking beauty.  With that being said, there is so much more this area offers.  The wildlife and birding alone would make this destination stand out, let alone the many things to see throughout the islands area as well.  If you are interested in setting up a tour, contact Lighthouse Boat and Snowmobile Tours at flagislandlighthouse@outlook.com  or call: 763-350-4700.

Lake of the Woods Passenger Service has also started a great service as it transports people across the big body of water from the south shore of Big Traverse up to the NW Angle and/or the Islands. What a great service this is also for those who might not be able to travel through Canada without passports or would just like to save time or just travel the beautiful waters of Lake of the Woods. This service can be found at www.lowpassenger.com northwest angle or by calling: 218-395-0414 to make arrangements. I’ve been told they would also be able to take you on tours of the upper north and islands as well. What great options!!!

May I also say here that the hospitality at the Northwest Angle is incredible and the resort owners outdo themselves in offering you the best places to stay for your vacation experience. Think about visiting this great location for your next travel experience.

For more information contact www.lakeofthewoodsmn.com or for lodging: www.lakeofthewoodsm/lodging

See our facebook page at: www.facebook.com/lakeofthewoodsmn

Beer Battered Fish

fish recipe

Ingredients

Oil for deep-fat frying

1 cup all-purpose flour

1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon paprika fish

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 cup very cold beer or nonalcoholic beer

1 large egg, lightly beaten

4 fillets (6 ounces each)

Optional: Tartar sauce and lemon wedges

Directions

  1. In an electric skillet or deep fryer, heat oil to 375°. In a shallow bowl, combine flour, baking powder and seasonings. Stir in beer and egg until smooth. Dip fillets in batter; allow excess to drip off.
  2. Fry fish in hot oil in batches until golden brown, 2-3 minutes on each side. Drain on paper towels. If desired, serve with tartar sauce and lemon wedges.

Do I have to use beer in beer-battered fish?

Beer adds flavor and richness to the batter. And the alcohol burns away during the cooking

process. But if you prefer, you don’t have to use beer in this beer-battered fish

recipe. Nonalcoholic beer or even sparkling water do the trick here.

How do I get batter to stick to fish?

Excess moisture causes the batter to run off, so the secret here is to pat your fish fillets dry before

dipping them in the batter.

What can I serve with fried fish?

Serve beer-battered fish with plenty of lemon wedges and tartar sauce for dipping.

Popular sides for fried fish include potato pancakes, rye bread and coleslaw. And, of course, don’t

forget fries for a classic fish and chips combo.

Fishing Report 5.20.2025

fishing on lake of the woods mn

On the South Shore…  A good week of walleye fishing despite some fluctuating weather systems rolling through.  Walleyes were found in 8 – 31 feet of water.  

A nice mix of walleyes and saugers this week with the tradition of fish frys enjoyed around the lake and up and down the river.  

Once again this week, the go to method was a jig and a minnow over the side of the boat while anchored up or spot locked.  Bright colors were the best.  Gold, orange, chartreuse, pink and glow white, or a combination of these colors often with some gold has been working well.  fishing

Minnows have been working the best on a jig.  Frozen emerald shiners are a preferred bait by many, but fatheads and rainbows catch a lot of walleyes as well.

Anglers are catching some nice pike, with many of them being caught by walleye anglers jigging.  There are plenty of pike to be had for those who like to target them.  Some fish are still in the shallows.  Larger fish have slid into the lake.

The walleye and sauger limit on LOW is a combined limit of walleyes and saugers of 6, with up to 4 being walleyes.  The protected slot is 19.5″ – 28.0″, those fish must be released.  Anglers can keep one walleye over 28 inches per day.  

On the Rainy River…  Some very good walleye reports on the Rainy River again this week. Some fish are still left over from the spawn and other fish remain in the river throughout the year.

Most anglers are fishing with a jig and minnow vertically jigging.  With the current, a 3/4 ounce jig vertically jigged is working out well.  

Good walleye reports from Four Mile Bay.  Get off of the edge of the channel and jig with a minnow. fishing  

Sturgeon fishing is closed and will re-open again July 1st.  From July 1 through September 30, anglers can harvest one sturgeon 45-50 inches or over 75 inches if they have a sturgeon tag.  One sturgeon per angler per calendar year.  Summer is a great time to fish the river.

Up at the Northwest Angle…  Good reports for walleyes this week despite various pressure systems moving through.  Walleyes are hanging out on shoreline structure such as points, weed edges and neckdown areas.  

A jig and a minnow is the goto presentation.  Multispecies action for many anglers with jumbo perch, pike, and smallmouth bass in the mix.

The muskie opener in MN and Ontario Zone 5 is June 21st for both areas.

For fishing reports, resort info, fishing guides, charter boats and trip ideas, visit LakeoftheWoodsMN.com.

2025 Girls Gone Fishing Tournament Coming Up

2025 Girls Gone Fishing Poster

Girls Gone Fishing 2025 River Bend’s 12th Annual “Girls Gone Fishing” Event

Hear Ye, Hear Ye! Lovely Ladies of Lake of the Woods in the Minnesota Kingdom once again announce the tournament we call Girls Gone Fishing!

Girls Gone Fishing Once again River Bend Resort is the hosting this fantastic Tournament on June 7th.

“These ladies take fun to the extreme with costumes, decorated boats, and participate in quite a few other activities… All in the name of women having fun inside of a little friendly competition that has grown to pay out fairly big prizes!” says Brandi Johnson, Tournament Organizer & River Bend Resort Owner.

An idea of getting all the girls together for Girls Gone fishing fun and competition, has remained just that. However, over the past several years it has grown into the event not to miss. “River Bend’s Girls Gone Fishing” is not only a fishing tournament. It is a “Costume Contest”. It is a “Best Guide” competition. It is a “Best Decorated Boat” extravaganza!! It is the event of ALL events this side of the Mississippi and this far north of the lower 48!!

Lake of the Woods is known as the Walleye Capital of the World™ and is one of the healthiest fisheries around. Check out the MN DNR website to find out about limits and licenses. This time of year the waters of the big lake are so fresh and that makes eating those walleyes extra special. Bring your catch to the kitchen staff and they will cook up a fine meal to be remembered as one of your best feasts ever. Girls Gone Fishing

Some ladies fish on their own.  Most decide to allow their male counterparts to guide them.  It’s okay to let the guys in on some of the fun after all.

One great option some Girls Gone Fishing take advantage of is to hire a guide or a charter boat and fish two or even three teams of 2 ladies per boat.  Talk about fun!  Everything is provided, rods, reels, tackle, licensed charter captain, etc.  And these guides know where the fish are!

Guys are allowed to guide, but cannot fish.  They can certainly help take fish off of the hook and bait hooks, which makes it nice for some of the ladies who don’t fish all that often.

Girls Gone Fishing Ladies love to dress up and decorate and this has shown itself to be true in past years of the tournament.  Themes in the past have seen pirates, Kentucky Derby entrees, rock stars and many more. These ladies know how to celebrate and also know how to fish!!! Then they know how to enjoy some of the best eating anywhere as they feast on River Bend’s Saturday Night Fish Fry and then dance away to live music.

Each team consists of two people and pay $250 Per Team: Entry fee includes meal, door prize tickets, and tournament shirt. There will be a rules meeting on Friday, June 6th at 7:00 p.m. at River Bend.

Prizes throughout the weekend include: the best-dressed medieval team, best-decorated boat, best-dressed guide, top guide, and more.

Registration can be picked up at River Bend Resort, The Walleye Inn, or filled out electronically on River Bend’s website at www.riverbendresort.com or download the application and mailed it in with your entry fee.

This is the 2025 Itinerary:

Friday, June 6th

5-7pm:   Registration

7-7:15pm:   Welcome/Rules Meeting

8pm-Midnight:   Music & Bonfire

Saturday, June 7th

8-8:55am:   Boat Inspections River Bend Docks

8:55am:   National Anthem

9am:   Boats Released & Girls Gone Fishing Tournament Begins!

4pm:   Boats Must Be At (or in sight of) River Bend Docks

4-5pm:   Weigh-Ins

5pm:   Group Picture in Tourney Shirts (Hill Side in Front of Cabin 4)

5:15-6pm:   Break to Change Into Costume (Medieval Times Theme)

6-8pm:   Fish Fry (Bring your ticket to the bar to get it stamped)

7:30pm:   Awards & Raffle 

8:30-1am:   DJ

Ladies….sign up now for one of the greatest events of the season on Lake of the Woods.

Girls Gone Fishing Be sure to check out the Lake of the Woods website at: www.lakeofthewoodsmn.com

For additional lodging click on the Lodging tab.

See our FaceBook page at: www.facebook.com/lakeofthewoodsmn

Also see RiverBend’s FaceBook page at: www.facebook.com/riverbendresortlow

Air Fryer Fish and Chips

fish recipe

Air-fryer fish fillets are just as crispy as the deep-fried version. The cornflake breading creates a delightfully light and crispy exterior, while the fish stays nice and moist inside.

How to Cook Fish in the Air Fryer

You don’t need a deep fryer to fry fish anymore, thanks to the air fryer. This tabletop convection oven is as effective as hot oil for crisping fish fillets. Once you know how to air-fry fish, you may never do it any other way!

If you’re starting with frozen fish, the first step is to thaw the fish. Whether you’re using fresh or frozen fish, pat the fish dry to help the coating adhere. Then, dip the fish into flour, egg, and cornflakes. This three-step breading helps the crushed cornflakes stick to the fish as it cooks. From there, transfer the fish to a preheated air fryer, and cook until it becomes nice and crispy. Flip the fish halfway through to ensure it browns evenly on both sides. fish

Ingredients for Air-Fryer Fish

  • Fish fillets: You can use any great-tasting fish for this recipe. Of course, we recommend Lake of the Woods Walleyes. Leave the fillets in large pieces to streamline the breading process. Fewer pieces mean fewer steps! However, you can cut the fish into strips for a traditional fish and chips presentation.
  • Flour: The flour creates a dry coating for the fish, giving the egg something to stick to. It’s the first part of the three-step breading that creates crispy air-fryer fish.
  • Egg: Egg is the glue that adheres the cornflakes to the fish. If you’d prefer to avoid eggs, swap in 1/4 cup of heavy cream or buttermilk. Or, keep things dairy-free and make a slurry using equal parts flour and water.
  • Cornflakes: These toasted flakes are naturally crispy, ensuring the air-fryer fish turns out crunchy on the outside. You’ll want to choose the original flavor for its mild, lightly sweet character. Using sweetened cornflakes would be weird with fish (especially the berry flavors).
  • Potatoes: If you want fries (or, “chips”) with your fried fish, you can cook them in the air fryer, too. The best type of potatoes for fries have a high starch content. The top options are Idaho or Russet potatoes, but all-purpose Yukon Gold potatoes also work well for frying.

Directions

Step 1: Cut the potatoes

Preheat the air fryer to 400°F.

If you’re making fries for a classic fish and chips dinner, peel the potatoes, and cut them lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Then, cut the pieces into 1/2-inch-thick sticks.

Step 2: Cook the fries

In a large bowl, toss the potatoes with olive oil, pepper and salt. Place the potatoes in a single layer in the air-fryer basket, working in batches if need be. Cook for 5 to 10 minutes, until just tender. Toss the potatoes to redistribute, and continue cooking until lightly browned and crisp, 5 to 10 minutes longer.

Remove the fries from the basket. Keep warm.

Step 3: Bread the fish

Meanwhile, in a shallow bowl, mix the all-purpose flour and pepper. In another shallow bowl, whisk a large egg with water. In a third bowl, toss the crushed cornflakes with Parmesan cheese and cayenne pepper.

Pat the fish dry with a paper towel, and sprinkle the fillets with salt. Working with one fillet at a time, dip the fish into the flour mixture. Turn to coat on both sides, and shake off any excess flour. Then, dip the fish into the egg mixture, and turn to coat. Finish in the cornflake mixture, patting the fish gently to help the cornflakes adhere.

Step 4: Air-fry the fish

Place the fish in a single layer in the air-fryer basket. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, turning halfway through cooking, until the fish is lightly browned and just beginning to flake easily when tested with a fork. Serve the fish with tartar sauce, if desired.

Test Kitchen Tip: Fish can overcook quickly, so watch it carefully! Cook times vary dramatically among brands of air fryers. Begin checking at the first time listed and adjust as needed. To avoid overcooking the fish, you may want to use a thermometer to see if the fish has reached food-safe cooking temperatures of 145°.

Fishing Report 5.13.2025

Ken Mar Ke Resort

On the South Shore…  An excellent MN Fishing Opener on the south shore of Lake of the Woods.  Some hot walleye action with most anglers finding walleyes and saugers.  Walleyes were found in many locations across the south shore in anywhere from 15 – 31 feet of water.  Kind of a big spread, but not every fish is targeting the same forage.  Good success from east to west.

fishing
Lake of the Woods Walleye

The go to method was a jig and a minnow over the side of the boat while anchored up or spot locked.  With the stained waters, brighter colors are normally best.  Gold, orange, chartreuse, pink and glow white, or a combination of these colors, normally works out well.

If you are fishing with others, it is helpful to start with different colors and even different minnows.  Some anglers stick with frozen emerald shiners, others might put on a lively fathead or rainbow.  Work together to get the walleyes dialed in.

Naturally, some big pike caught this weekend.  Some by anglers targeting pike, others by unsuspecting walleye anglers.

fishing
Big Pike

The walleye and sauger limit on LOW is a combined limit of walleyes and saugers of 6, with up to 4 being walleyes.  The protected slot is 19.5″ – 28.0″, those fish must be released.  Anglers can keep one walleye over 28 inches per day.  

On the Rainy River…  Great walleye reports on the Rainy River.  Plenty of nice fish are still in the river, both big fish, slots and eaters.   

Just like the lake, most anglers went with a jig and minnow vertically jigging.  Good reports from Four Mile Bay in addition to various stretches up river.

Sturgeon fishing continues through May 15th and the spring season has been excellent.  The sturgeon season will re-open again July 1st.  From July 1 through September 30, anglers can harvest one sturgeon 45-50 inches or over 75 inches if they have a sturgeon tag.  One sturgeon per angler per calendar year.  Summer on the river is a beautiful time to soak nightcrawlers!

Up at the Northwest Angle…  Great reports for the fishing opener from the Angle.  As expected, walleyes were found on shoreline structure such as points, weed edges and neckdown areas.  

With the many islands in this part of the lake, there is a ton of structure and so many spots to fish.  This time of the year, it is hard to beat a jig and a minnow which was the go to for most anglers 

Multispecies action is common up at the Angle with jumbo perch, pike, and smallmouth bass in the mix for walleye anglers.

For those who enjoy smallmouth bass fishing, May and June can be lights out amongst the islands.  As walleyes get most of the attention, smallmouth get missed but are in big numbers.

The muskie opener in MN and Ontario Zone 5 is June 21st for both areas.

Lake of the Woods is full of walleyes, saugers, jumbo perch, pike, smallmouth bass, muskies and sturgeon.  Come on up and get in on the action!  For fishing reports, resort info, fishing guides and trip ideas, visit LakeoftheWoodsMN.com.

Fishing Report 5.6.2025

Potential state record sturgeon, 78.25 inches, in Sportsman's Lodge Annual Sturgeon Tournament

On the South Shore…  Great news for this weekend’s MN Fishing Opener as the ice has disappeared!   There could be a few chunks this time of year still floating around but the satellite view shows open water as do the webcams from around the lake.  What a great site to see.

A couple of tournaments this past weekend showed off some big fish from Lake of the Woods and Rainy River.  The Annual Zippel Bay Resort Pike Tournament took place with good numbers of pike registered.  A good number of pike tipped the tape at over 40 inches long. fishing

The annual Sportsman’s Lodge Sturgeon Tournament took place with the winning sturgeon, a 78.25 inch monster taking the top spot.  This, pending verification with the MN DNR, would be the new catch and release state record!

There are lots of fishing opportunities right now, but for most, the focus is all about the MN Fishing Opener on Saturday and walleyes!  

The outlook for walleye fishing is excellent.  It is going to be an epic opener and there is still plenty of lodging available.  Think about this…

-The fish will be close to shore.  
-The Rainy River and Four Mile Bay will still be holding fish
-It will be a jig bite
-A very strong population of walleyes and saugers in the lake
-Big females will be post spawn

On the May 10th opener, Lake of the Woods and the Rainy River enjoy a combined limit of walleyes and saugers of 6, with up to 4 being walleyes.  The protected slot is 19.5″ – 28.0″, those fish must be released.  Anglers can keep one walleye over 28 inches per day.  

On the Rainy River…  Sturgeon fishing is in full swing through May 15th and the bite has been excellent.  Anglers are catching good numbers of these prehistoric giants, and the Rainy River is one of the best places in North America to hook into one.  As mentioned, this past weekend, the potential state record sturgeon of 78.25 inches was caught.

fishing There are sturgeon throughout the entire river.  Four Mile Bay at the mouth of the river has been holding good numbers of nice fish.  Otherwise, most anglers are targeting holes up and down the river.

With the late ice out, there will be plenty of walleyes, and some big walleyes, in the river for the opener.  A jig and minnow will be the ticket for most.  Some may still use a jig and larger plastic as many do during the spring walleye season.  Whatever you decide to use, there will be some good action to be had.

Up at the Northwest Angle…  There is open water up at the Angle.  We have had some days in the 80’s as well as some wind and that really took care of the ice just in time.  

Traditionally, the fish will be near shore and on shoreline structure like points and neckdown areas.  With the many islands in this area, there is a lot of structure and a lot of spots to fish.  Just like the south end, it will be a jig bite this weekend for the walleyes.

Given the strong ice fishing season and healthy lake conditions, expectations for good walleye catches are good up at the Angle and across the lake.

Whether it is for the fishing opener or later in the summer, now is the time to book!  For fishing reports, resort info, and trip ideas, visit LakeoftheWoodsMN.com.

Lemon Batter Fish

fish

fish

Fishing is a popular recreational activity where we live, so folks are always looking for ways to prepare their catches. My husband ranks this as one of his favorite fish fry batters. —Jackie Hannahs, Cedar Springs, Michigan

Ingredients

  • 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon sugar
  • 1 large egg, lightly beaten
  • 2/3 cup water
  • 2/3 cup lemon juice, divided
  • 2 pounds perch or walleye fillets, cut into serving-sized pieces
  • Oil for frying
  • Lemon wedges, optional

Directions

  1. 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.
  2. 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.

Lime-Batter Fish: Can substitute lime juice for lemon juice.

Photo by Taste of Home