Awesome Ice Fishing Anyone???

Have you ever been ice fishing? No? Well, let me introduce you to a fast-growing fishing event that has hundreds of people getting ready for an ice season.

Lake of the Woods is known as the Walleye Capital of the World™. Lake of the Woods is the largest inland freshwater lake in the contiguous U.S. next to the Great Lakes and is truly considered “big water” country. Even so, it doesn’t take long to get out on the ice where the action is waiting.

Fish caught in the winter typically consists of walleyes, saugers, northern pike, eelpout, jumbo perch and tulibee; which is good smoked. Up at the NW Angle, whitefish and crappies are abundant as well.

At the beginning of the season, usually around December 1, depending on the weather, there is a lot of action in the frozen bays and shoreline areas, with the majority of ice fishing kicking into full gear mid-December.  It is recommended to work through a resort or outfitter for safety.

As the ice fishing season gets in full swing around mid-December depending upon Mother Nature, resorts and outfitters mark ice roads and trails to the best fishing areas.  They set up fish houses, drill out the holes and turn the heater on, all ready for guests to step in and start fishing.

Resorts and outfitters do a nice job of following the fish throughout the winter.  Often times during the mid-winter, fish houses will be miles from shore in order to stay on fish and be productive.

The amazing thing on this big body of water is that a literal village appears as fish houses/sleeper fish houses/mobile ice houses arrive on the lake and set up shop. Local outfitters and their employees start testing the ice the minute it is frozen over measuring for the depth each day.

As soon as ice deems safe, you won’t be surprised to see anglers walking across that thin ice to drop a line in for that wonderful catch. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources puts out a great deal of information about ice safety and this card illustrates that very thing.

There are over 50 resorts, hotels, rentals and sleeper fish house outfitters in Lake of the Woods County. A wide range of winter services are offered. Visitors can have all the conveniences of home as they stay in a warm cabin, condo, motel, or sleeper fish house. Travel is available in heated track vehicles: van, bombardier (which seats 12); or by conventional trucks on plowed roads across the ice.

Resorts offer full-service accommodations.  From the traditional American Plan with lodging, full-service fishing and meals all included to simply renting a cabin or hotel room and using your own equipment, there are many options.

There are three strategic locations on Lake of the Woods. The Rainy River area consists of all the resorts along the river, the South Shore area includes the resorts that are along the actual lake, and the Northwest Angle and Islands. Ice Fishing at these areas truly offers a unique and satisfying winter experience. Each year more visitors return to the area as they hear by word-of-mouth from their friends or relatives about this productive fishing area.

Each outfitter has been busy preparing their houses already. Houses/sleepers are being painted inside and out, making sure lighting is working and that the furnaces are working efficiently to keep their clientele warm.

Transportation out onto the lake is not an issue. Before vehicle traffic is allowed, many resorts offer “light ice rigs” to transport our guests to their day houses (a hard sided heated fish house not offering bunks, thus smaller and lighter) in heated comfort. Some resorts offer heated transportation out to their fish houses in specialized ice transportation.  Others provide plowed ice roads so you can drive yourself.

Most ice roads sell an access pass and can give you additional details on the ice road and fish activity at that time.  Resort Facebook Pages or a quick call-up will help you better understand conditions and the many varying ice road reports. There are many roads available on the south shore of the lake so check out your options.

Resorts and outfitters on Lake of the Woods go to great efforts to provide ice roads.  Constant plowing, adjusting roads due to ice conditions, ice bridges, driving the ice roads early in the morning to check conditions and broken equipment due to the harsh conditions Lake of the Woods dishes out are all part of the routine to make ice roads safe and smooth as possible.

Other options for anglers to travel across the lake to the islands or to the Northwest Angle are Lake of the Woods Passenger Service at http://www.lowpassenger.com/  and also a flying service, https://flylca.com. Both services are excellent and even though the Canadian border is now open to travel, it would make your trip even more pleasant to use these services.

Join us at Lake of the Woods for your great fishing, yes, ice fishing adventures.

See our website at lakeofthewoodsmn.com and click on lodging to make a full reservation!!! Come north!!!