One year ago, the Lake of the Woods community welcomed the world as host of the World Ploughing Contest.  Contestants, judges, VIP’s, World Board Members, sponsors and spectators came together just outside of Baudette on the Arnesen farm to make history.  The World Ploughing Contest goes to a different country each year, hence, it won’t be back to the U.S. for a few decades.

As we look back on the event, one of the great memories was having the privilege of sharing this event and this area with viewers of the TV show Small Town, Big Deal.  Over a million viewers had the chance to take in the personalities, sights and sounds of the 2019 World Ploughing Contest.  The TV show Small Town, Big Deal  attended  and filmed this international event just outside of Baudette, MN in Lake of the Woods County.  With the World Ploughing Contest coming to the U.S. but once every 30 years, this national show thought enough of it to attend!

The area will be forever grateful for the many sponsors, volunteers and those who although didn’t receive credit or recognition, helped in any way.

The world ploughing episode started airing across the U.S. November, 2019 and is now available on YouTube.

All of this excitement taking place in a farm field just miles south of the Canadian border and a couple of miles south of Baudette, MN.  To compete in this event, competitors had to win their nationwide contest to represent their nation.  This contest is serious business.  In fact, more than half of the competitors shipped their tractors and ploughs across the world to be here.

Not as popular in the U.S. as other European countries, ploughing contests in other areas of the world draw huge crowds.  In the Republic of Ireland for instance, their annual nationwide contest draws 300,000 spectators.  This is not a typo, 300,000!

With that said, many Americans really didn’t know what a ploughing contest is all about.  For the 7,000 or so that attended, they were in for a treat.  For those who couldn’t make it, Small Town, Big Deal gives them a front row seat.

In addition to the actual contest, folks who attended enjoyed a daily parade of tractors, horse drawn carriages, demonstration of plowing with horses and mules, five live bands, antique tractors and plows, and a nice mix of food and merchandise vendors.

The producers of the show were also very interested in the other aspects of Baudette and the Lake of the Woods area that make it special.  One of those activities, of course, is walleye fishing.  The crew had the chance to jump on a Lake of the Woods charter boat and try their luck at walleye fishing.  From the sounds of it, there were some big ones that got away!

The two hosts of Small Town, Big Deal are Rodney Miller and Jann Carl.  Rodney Miller has a true passion for shining the spotlight on the amazing and inspiring things going on in our small towns and farm communities, and in 2005 he had an idea for a TV show to bring those stories to the world. And he went on to turn that idea into reality.

Small Town Big Deal originally aired on cable station RFD-TV, where it grew into one of that station’s most popularly rated programs. With its broadcast syndication in markets from New York and Atlanta to Philadelphia and Dallas, the show now reaches over three-fourths of the nation. It airs in the majority of U.S. major TV markets and on over 160 local stations.

Best known for her 14 years at “Entertainment Tonight”, Jann Carl has traded in the red carpets of Hollywood for the backroads of America. She’s now criss-crossing America on the nationally syndicated television show, Small Town Big Deal. “This is the show I’ve been looking for my entire career!” says Jann. Created by her co-host Rodney Miller, Small Town Big Deal shines a spotlight on the fascinating events, places and people from all across the United States.

Jann has built a distinguished career in television.  She began as a news reporter at WLS in Chicago.  Her next move was to Los Angeles, where she reported for KABC, and hosted KABC’s “Eye on L.A.” magazine show.  Her work in the market culminated in her selection to co-anchor “News At Ten” at KTLA; during her eight-year tenure she earned three Emmys for news coverage.

 

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Are you safe during this season? Are you concerned about your children’s education? Where would you live to enjoy one of the greatest school systems around? Lake of the Woods, Baudette, MN is the home to Lake of the Woods School. This is the one and only school in the county but is one of the finest physical facilities in all of northern MN. The campus itself houses pre-school through 12^th grade. Lake of the Woods School ranks among the top 10 in education in the state of Minnesota.

Features of this facility include a swimming pool, 3 gyms, walking track, weight room, shop and an adjacent state of the art ice hockey arena.  The commons area, where students have their lunches, is gigantic in size and the auditorium seats 400 people with comfortable seats and a stage to have any event whether concerts or speakers in the area.

Education has had its extremes during this COVID-19 season. However, Lake of the Woods Board of Education along with Superintendent Nelson and our new HS Principal, Mary Merchant, and other staff members have worked tirelessly to see that Education is not neglected but instead is enhanced and safely executed this year. Lake of the Woods Sporting Events will take an adjustment this season as well as the football and volleyball seasons have been moved to the spring season with only Cross Country competing this fall.  They are in compliance with regulations set by the Minnesota State High School League.

Baudette, MN is a great small town with around 1,100 people in residence. Lake of the Woods County numbers about 4,000 residents and SAFETY is a great reason to live in this north country. Many folks come up to vacation and enjoy the great fishing and hunting available year around and decide that this is where they want to relocate. “Get Hooked for Life” is a great slogan adopted by our city fathers encouraging many folks to live here showing all kinds of features of the area and even employment opportunities.

As a service to many in the area who are wondering what Education at Lake of the Woods Schools will look like this fall, I have included some of the newest information from a letter recently written by our HS Principal.

“Lake of the Woods School is making plans for implementing in-person learning for elementary students (K-6) and hybrid Learning high school students (7-12). In general, we will be operating elementary and high school classrooms to meet the 50% occupancy and 6 foot social distancing. Elementary students will be in-person everyday Monday through Friday. High School students will be attending in-person two days per week and working remotely two days.”

“The School Board has approved the method which our school year will begin. Students in grades 7-12 will have 50% of students in the building at a time. Group A students (last name beginning A-K and by households) attend in person Monday and Wednesday. Group B students (last name beginning L-Z and by households) attend in person Tuesday and Thursday. Students will have assigned seats for every class. Friday is a day for teachers to work with students (small groups in person, Google Meet or Zoom Meetings).

Students will be encouraged to eat outside as weather permits. Students will all be asked to carry all items for the day in a backpack or school bag. Lockers will not be used until needed for winter coats. Students are encouraged to use their own personal computer if they have access to one. If not, a device will be provided upon request. Students will be asked to use water bottles as the water fountains are no longer in use. Touchless water refill stations are available to fill water bottles. Teachers will collect data weekly from students to provide a support for student success with Scenario 2. The school day has been shortened and will run from 8:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.

Check In – When students are not in the building, they will have to check in with their first hour teacher. This is for all 7-12 students including Fridays. Student schedules are open on Synergy. Students please check your schedule and if you need any changes please send me an email so we can make changes prior to September 8 th . 7 th Grade Orientation will take place on Wednesday, September 2 nd . Students whose last name begins with A-K report to the gym at 5:30 p.m. with a parent, no siblings. Students whose last name begins with L-Z report to the gym at 6:15 p.m. with a parent, no siblings.”

Education, Safety, Jobs, Recreation of all kinds are all great incentives to visit Lake of the Woods and also consider making it your permanent home.

For more information contact: www.lakeofthewoodsmn.com

 

It’s that time of the year with water temps in the high 70’s and low 80’s that some anglers prefer to do what the charter boats do, put their walleyes in a cooler full of ice.  And it’s also the time of year crawler harnesses on Lake of the Woods absolutely shine.  Learning a few nuances of pulling spinners for walleyes, also called crawler harnesses or simply snelled spinners with a crawler, minnow or leech can have big advantages.  The bottom line, summer walleyes can’t resist crawler harnesses.

Spinners for summer walleyes really kicks into gear as the water begins to warm up.  Normally when water starts to hit the mid 50’s, it is time to start considering drifting or trolling with spinners.  This pattern can be effective all the way into the fall.

This video was not filmed this year but it has some good info about pulling crawler harnesses that is pertinent all of the time.  Check it out.

First off, a crawler harness and snelled spinner are basically the same thing.  When you are not using a night crawler, we don’t call is a crawler harness anymore, thus it’s a snelled spinner.  Semantics out of the way, these set ups are effective for summer walleyes.

Why are spinners for walleyes so effective?  A lot of reasons, the flash of the blade.  The different color combinations of the beads and blades.  The vibration of the spinner is sensed by the walleyes lateral line much like that of the prey they feed.  You can put crawlers, minnows, leeches and plastics on a harness.

My go to set up is a two ounce bottom bouncer with a harness between 4-6′ long.  It is conducive to use a longer snell in clearer waters, thus on Lake of the Woods, I normally go about 5′ or so as the water is stained.  In a nutshell, the key with this presentation is to slowly be pulling this through the water column where the fish are so the blade is spinning and a desirable speed the walleyes want that given day.

What that looks like is drifting or trolling your set up with a desirable 45 degree angle.  When I am trolling in my boat, my goal is 1.25 mph.  You don’t want the harness way behind the boat like when you are trolling with a crankbait.  You want that 45 degree angle and have total control.

Keep the sinker just off the bottom, not dragging the bottom, but rather touch the bottom once in a while to know you are down there and lift just off so you avoid snags and other debris.

When a walleye grabs it, it loads up like a wet sock.  Normally they don’t hammer it.  Simply lower you rod tip back at the same speed of the boat so the walleye doesn’t feel anything change for two seconds and swing the rod with a mild hookset. 

When using a crawler, I suggest a two hook harness and pinch off the crawler once hooked on the harness so only about 3-4″ of tail hangs off of the back hook.  This will avoid missing walleyes that grab the back of the rig.

This set up covers water.  It can be used from shallow to deep.  It will catch everything that swims.  And for the folks who go fishing with you less experienced, is a relatively easy way to get walleyes hooked up.

There are many good brands of snelled spinners or crawler harnesses you can purchase with length, fluorocarbon line and quick change clevices.  Some anglers like to tie their own crawler harnesses as well which allows creativity in the bead pattern, length of snell, etc.

Give spinners for summer walleyes a try this year, you might be surprised how many more fish end up in your boat!

 

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There is a tradition many anglers in the north country look forward to.  Each fall, there is a run of emerald shiners up the Rainy River that flows into Lake of the Woods.  The shiners are headed upstream, driven by biology but we are not exactly sure why.  The DNR Fisheries office in Baudette point out fish will not expend energy for any reason, so they are after something.  Possibly it is a good food source, possibly a different temperature of water.  Whatever the reason, they typically move upstream in the fall and it can lead to some hot and heavy walleye action.  With this tradition, plan for some epic fall fishing on the Rainy River and all around Lake of the Woods.

Every year is different.  Based on weather, flow of the river, how much daylight remains throughout the day, etc.  Some years the shiners run so thick it looks like you could walk on them at times.  This is when you hear splashing fish busting up through the schools of minnows.  Other years, the run of shiners is more tamed down.  Either way, there are walleyes that come out of the lake and enter the river and this leads to some great fall fishing.

 

There are a number of methods to catch these walleyes, but the most common is a jig and minnow.  Anchoring up on the edge of some structure and vertically jigging while watching the migration of a variety of waterfowl is a great day to spend a fall day.  Some anglers use fatheads or rainbows.  Others prefer a live emerald shiner if available.  The second choice for anglers wanting to match the run is a frozen shiner.

This is the time of the year local bait dealers are busy working to net these shiners supplying ice anglers with a supply of frozen shiners through March.

Some anglers have learned how effective trolling in this cold water can be.  I was anchored and jigging on one fall day and had the chance to have some chit chat with a passing troller.  They were in a big Ranger boat that had Iowa tags on it.  Kiddingly I said, “You can’t troll for walleyes this time of year, the water is too cold!”  My reply with a smile, “Tell the three walleyes over 28″ and the many others we caught today that.”  Obviously, walleyes still chase and eat minnows in the fall and crankbaits are still effective.

From the mouth of the Rainy River near many of the resorts up river through Baudette all the way over to Birchdale to the east, there can be great fall fishing.  There is about 42 miles of very navigable Rainy River.  This provides anglers with many great opportunities.  Some walleyes will be moving upstream using current breaks, holes and rocks as they migrate upstream.  Others will be staged feeding heavily in areas where the emerald shiners are hanging out.  There is lots of water to fish and many techniques to catch fall walleyes.

If you haven’t been up, fishing is very good on the lake as well as the river.  Many areas offer extremely good fishing.  Charter boats at the south end resorts and guides up at the NW Angle offer anglers not only an experience but a very high success rate for good catches of walleyes and other species of fish.

If you have your own boat, the Rainy River is small water compared to the lake.  Even on a windy day, there are opportunities to get out of the wind and find fish.

Now is a good time to start planning a trip.  Grab some loved ones or friends and experience a beautiful time of the year and some of the best fishing of the year.  Plan for some epic fall fishing on the Rainy River!

 

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Autumn is close at hand at Lake of the Woods and is an awesome season.  Colors start to appear in the forest areas and the cool breezes arrive. Fishing is still the number one sport at Lake of the Woods, however, the avid sportsman keeps abreast on all the great hunting features of Lake of the Woods as well.

Harvest is also beautiful with wheat being harvested, sunflowers hanging their heads waiting for the machines to gather them in rye grass shipped off and soybeans and corn waiting also for the cool weather for their fruits to ripen.

Autumn also brings a harvest to seed potato harvest. Lake of the Woods County has been known for its great production of this crop. The county actually has a quarantine over any other potatoes being brought into the area that might affect its quality product.  Another interesting feature of the area is that we are the biggest producer of grass seed that is shipped all over the country for growing the beautiful turf on golf courses. One never knows all the wonderful attributes of an area until you explore all the resources.

As Autumn arrives, sportsmen from everywhere ready themselves for  other hunting experiences Waterfowl hunting. Waterfowl hunting kicks off in early September and remains open until late October. Hunters come to Lake of the Woods, the Rainy River, NW Angle and surrounding fields for some of the best waterfowl hunting in North America. If this is your first time, we recommend contacting one of our outfitters or resorts in getting a “lay of the land” and helping to ensure a successful and enjoyable hunt.  Hunters enjoy a nice variety of puddle ducks, divers, and Canada geese.

Autumn Grouse and Small game hunting. The hunting season for small game including three species of grouse, rabbits and squirrels.  Ruffed grouse are the most common of the three species and are all over the area.  They are prevalent, delicious to eat and live amongst the hundreds of thousands of acres of public hunting woods around the area.

Spruce grouse tend to frequent more of the pine forests and are a very dark meat.  Sharp Tailed Grouse tend to frequent more agriculture land and although , but in isolated pockets. Here’s a great video showing the opportunities in Lake of the Woods County! The ruffed grouse are the holy grail of the forest in Northern MN! A blast to hunt and boy are they prevalent! Get your shotguns ready and start practicing because trying to hit a ruffed grouse after a flush can be one of the most challenging but rewarding birds to hunt. And they taste pretty good too!

Autumn Bear hunting. Lake of the Woods area is known for it’s abundance of black bears. Many of our resorts/outfitters offer full service accommodations. MN hunters need to apply for a permit ahead of the hunt.  In Ontario, bear tags can be purchased over the counter.

Autumn Deer hunting. In MN, bow hunters can get a jump-start on the deer hunting season as early as mid-September. For those with firearms, the season begins the first part of November. Muzzleloaders have a brief window of opportunity at the end of November – but hurry, because the entire muzzleloader season is finished by mid-December.

Some deer hunters enjoy the thrill of staying at one of our NW Angle resorts and hunting the thousands of islands within the Ontario portion of Lake of the Woods.  Some trophy bucks are taken each year from islands both large and small in size.  Contact one of our NW Angle Resorts for more info.

Public Land open for hunting! If you’re looking for public hunting land, Lake of the Woods offers literally thousands of acres of state land, nearly all of which is open and available for hunting.  Some popular areas to begin are Beltrami Island State Forest, Red Lake Wildlife Management Area, Pine Island State Forest and Lake of the Woods State Forest are just a few places to begin.

Not sure where to hunt? Take advantage of one of the many hunter walking trails maintained by the Minnesota DNR. Check this out and more information by downloading the official Minnesota Hunting and Trapping Regulations Handbook on the Minnesota DNR website. http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/regulations/hunting/index.html

 

It’s the northernmost point of the Contiguous United States.  It is where the 14,552 islands of the lake begin.  It is surrounded on three sides by Canada.  It is Minnesota’s Northwest Angle.  This area is special all of the time, but fall up at the NW Angle is definitely one to add to your list, it’s spectacular.

Sometimes reading about something from the eyes of someone who lives it every single day is enlightening.  Such is the case in remembering a short update from a past fall up at the Northwest Angle from Deb Butler.  Some might remember Butler as the person who ran Islander Passenger Service amongst the islands before stepping into another chapter of life.  Others know her as a fun conversationalist with a wealth of knowledge.  Some know Deb as a friend and neighbor.  Here is a recent passage from Butler… enjoy!

It’s Sept and fall is in the air. Jeans and sweatshirts are what’s in the laundry now. A little welcome rain last night and a great light show but, seriously, we could do without all the wind!

Tonight’s sunset at the Point brought an ominous ‘woof’ from the woods that had us scurrying to the cabin before sunset. The bears are on the move and looking to bulk up before winter. If you, a screen door, screen window or other flimsy barrier are between them and something that smells like food, they’re going to prevail. Fact. If they want to open it and can hook a single claw in it, they can. Fact. Their sense of smell is phenomenal. The best defense is a good offense… do not have garbage bags outside – a bag of garbage or cans (beer, pop) smells like food, as does a grill or a deep fryer or a container of used oil. Shut doors and windows at night. Play a radio in unoccupied buildings or when you’re gone for any length of time. Keep in mind that bears think it’s theirs unless you convince them otherwise. Noise is a very good deterrent.

Anytime up at the NW Angle is special.  Fall is really something.  The muskies put the feed bag on and many catch them trolling this time of year.

More anglers are coming up solely to target big black crappies.  These fish get schooled up and they are big, often averaging 12 inches and larger.  It’s fun to get into a school of crappies with the changing foliage and migration happening around you.

Walleye fishing remains excellent and most have no problems finding limits for a fish fry.

Duck hunters also show up this time of year with visions of blue bills buzzing between the islands.  This is a cast and blast mecca.  Imagine shooting a mixed bag of diver ducks while hunkered down amongst boulders on a point of an island.  After the hunt, many go back and grab breakfast and head out fishing.  What a day for an outdoorsy person.

Yes, it’s fall on The Walleye Capital of the World.  Don’t let the tagline fool you, there is a lot more to offer than just walleyes!

Currently, the U.S. / Canada border is closed.  Consequently, the way folks are traveling to the Angle is across the lake as they can stay in MN waters.  For some, the 40 mile trip with the right boat and experience is no big deal.  For others, hiring a passenger service or working through your favorite NW Angle resort for options is the safest way to go.  Either way, fall up at the Angle…  It’s something special!

 

The Northwest Angle

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The Rainy River is a success story.  It acts as the international border between the U.S. and Canada all the way from Rainy Lake where it empties out all of the way to Lake of the Woods, a lake in which it feeds 70 + miles downstream.  This beautiful river is known to most for it’s world class fishing opportunities.  Walleyes running up from the lake in the spring and fall.  Massive Lake Sturgeon which have made a huge recovery over the years.  Perhaps none of this would have been possible without the many changes that took place to clean up the river.

The below article is a re-print from the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and highlights the success story of the Rainy River.

 

In an era of flashy quick fixes, the Rainy River is a story of how slow and steady wins the race. Once one of the most polluted rivers in the state, the Rainy River now boasts “good to excellent” water quality.

Back in the 1950s, the Rainy River was so choked with industrial wood waste and raw sewage, one had to dig several feet to hit water. Now the Rainy River supports drinking water, fishing, tourism, and recreation.

The solution

Reading a new report by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) on the health of the river, another idiom comes to mind: “Many hands make light work.” This story of recovery came via efforts of many agencies and environmental legislation in both Canada and the United States. For more than 50 years, the two countries have collaborated to restore and protect water quality.

“The Rainy River is a vital economic and cultural bond between the United States and Canada,” says MPCA commissioner Laura Bishop. “With all partners working together — including federal, state, and local governments, Tribal Nations, industry, and environmental advocates — we have moved the river from near total destruction to one of the most treasured fishing spots in North America that is also integral to the health of economies on both sides of the border.”

Though it would take several decades to turn the Rainy River around, two pieces of legislation set the river in the right direction: Canada’s Environmental Protection Act in 1971 and the United States’ Clean Water Act in 1972. In addition, the International Joint Commission established the International Rainy River Water Pollution Board to assist the two countries to address pollution in the Rainy River. By the early 1980s, pollutants had dropped dramatically on both sides of the border.

“The improvements that we have seen in the Rainy River demonstrate what can be accomplished when our two countries collaborate, in this instance by working together in the International Joint Commission’s International Rainy-Lake of the Woods Watershed Board, to achieve shared objectives,” said Ariel Delouya, Consul General of Canada in Minneapolis.

The Rainy River is now considered a world-class fishery, and one of the top five places in the U.S. to catch a 10-pound walleye or a four-foot or larger sturgeon. Other aquatic life, such as insects that provide food for fish and birds, are also doing well.

Looking ahead

The MPCA report cites the need to continue to protect sensitive headwaters lakes and streams, to ensure spawning for multiple game species. Protections are needed from future development and land use changes. For the report and supporting images, visit the Rainy River pages.

The Rainy River report is the fourth in a series on big river systems in Minnesota. Previous reports have focused on the Upper Mississippi, Minnesota, and Red rivers. The MPCA is now working on its assessment of the St. Croix River.

 

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Winter? Rushing it? August Dog Days? Yes, but Winter is right around the corner. The standard joke in northern MN is that we have two seasons.

Winter is coming and Winter is here!! Lake of the Woods, which is the Walleye Capital of the World and a world class fishery has had a great summer even through tough times in the country. The fish, however, don’t know the country has had tough times.

Fish are biting throughout the lake in deeper waters and also in shallower depths. Smallies, or eaters are in abundance and trophy walleyes have been showing up all over. Summer fishing is the greatest as anglers of all ages enjoy the shimmering waters of Lake of the Woods. Soon, however, those shimmering waters start cooling down and currents slow and before you know it you’ll see a skim of ice forming on the bays, the big lake and the river. Then, Winter is on!!!

Currently harvest is going full scale with wheat being harvested, wild rice being harvested, soy beans ready to ripen and the beautiful fields of sunflowers have also been prepared for harvest. People of the north enjoy all four seasons watching the harvest and preparing for hunting seasons. Resorts have been plenty busy, but are already looking ahead to the winter season.

The Winter season is an excellent time to fish. It’s not too early to book your ice fishing trip now. The books are open but fish houses have been being prepared all season long as they are painted, cleaned and made ready for Winter anglers to arrive.

Planning your next ice fishing trip should be a breeze. Picture waking up in the morning, getting some grub, then hoping into a heated snow bomber which brings you to your fish house which is already heated. Then proceed to catch fish all day long. It doesn’t get any better than that.

For anglers, the diversity of fish is unbelievable along with areas of the lake. The main basin or Big Traverse Bay is home to hundreds of thousands of walleyes and saugers who roam the entire bay. Then we have the Northwest Angle where our 14,552 islands begin and many other species of fish. With so many options where do you start.

Where we like people to start is our Hot Deals Page. Here you can check current or future promotions for our resorts and lodges. We update the hot deals page often and will post new deals as they show up. There are deals for everyone. Deals for only lodging are on there, for fishing only, for a fishing and lodging package, you name it! There are many new Winter deals so go check it out!

If you are set on a specific resort and they are not listed you can also find our lodging page here!

Farmers Markets have become popular throughout the United States as people are more and more concerned about buying fresh foods for their families. Growers throughout the countryside either grow these fine foods for their families and their winter supply of food, or they grow foods because they love to watch things grow and produce.  As a person who doesn’t garden, it’s always refreshing to see local produce being available to buy.

The Farmers Market at Lake of the Woods is located at the local Hardware Hank parking lot at 804 West Main St., Baudette, MN (Hwy 11 West).

The store owners have plenty of space both for parking and lawn where displays are set up. The owners are very generous to provide this area and the location is perfect as the site is very visible to all who travel that road.

The Farmers Market was started about 10 years ago by local citizens who had an abundance of produce. The side benefit of sharing their produce was putting a little revenue in their pockets. Since that time they have organized the Market with the help of organizations as Minnesota Grown and Fresh Start Markets. Consult these organizations for more locations to pick up fresh produce during your travel times.

The Farmers Market at Baudette features foods that are homegrown homemade and  home raised.. Many handcrafted and other specialty items are also available. This small town of Baudette is friendly to visit and is located near the Lake of the Woods with boating, fishing, bike trails and much more. The Farmers Market is handicapped accessible and is open from June to September on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.  Weather doesn’t seem to be an issue because these vendors are serious about selling their products. Rain, wind or even colder temps don’t seem to dampen their efforts.

Each vendor has unique wares to offer. You will find baked goods, cheese, arts and crafts, flowers, eggs, herbs, honey, jams, meats, plants, coffee, fruits, homemade rugs, jewelry, Tupperware, and an awesome display of wooden benches, beds, picnic tables and many other smaller items.  There is no lack of talent in this area and the vendors are willing to go to the extra work of transporting their wares to the selling location to share those talents with the public.

Attend a Farmers Market in your area to support the community and local vendors and small businesses. Each has their own unique taste and style. There is a National Farmers Market Directory available at https://nnfmd.org for your convenience and interest.

As you live in Baudette/Lake of the Woods, please come shop at this local gathering which also is a great place to meet and visit with friends….all the while social distancing, of course. For those who might be traveling through the area, please see our website at www.lakeofthewoodsmn.com/lodging for great places to stay with beautiful landscapes to see and some of the best fishing around.

It’s “Dog Days” on Lake of the Woods,  a time in the heart of the summer when the ecosytem is in full force.  On many bodies of water, it is darn tough to catch a walleye right now.  Between huge blooms of weeds combined with the baitfish, perch, panfish and young of the year baitfish all perfect sizes for a walleye to eat, walleyes can be finicky and hard to get to.  On LOW however, this is a time that shines for catching walleyes trolling or drifting with crawler harnesses on the deep mud and around reefs.

There are different techniques that shine different parts of the year.  In colder water, earlier summer and the fall, the jig and minnow is a go to.  It has caught more walleyes out of the big lake than any other presentation.  Right now, however, the walleyes are more spread out and covering water along with a bit of speed is advantageous.

Trolling crankbaits during the dog days of summer is also a very effective technique in catching walleyes.  You can cover water with a variety of size, shapes, wobbles, rattles, etc.

There can, however, some very good arguments made in learning the nuances of pulling spinners for dog days walleyes, also called crawler harnesses or simply snelled spinners with a crawler, minnow or leech.  The technique can have big advantages.  Harnesses:

-Are easier to use on and around structure

-Provide strong vibration which is picked up by a walleye’s lateral line

-Are easy to alter by changing blades on a quick change clevis

-Provide the action and smell of live bait

-Are effective for both neutral and active walleyes

-And very simply, summer walleyes can’t resist them.

Spinners for summer walleyes really kicks into gear as the water begins to warm up.  Normally when water starts to hit the mid 50’s, it is time to start considering drifting or trolling with spinners.  Currently the dog days water temps on Lake of the Woods are in the high 70’s and even some days reaching the low 80’s.

This video was not filmed this year but it has some good info about pulling crawler harnesses that is pertinent all of the time.  Check it out.

First off, a crawler harness and snelled spinner are basically the same thing.  When you are not using a night crawler, we don’t call is a crawler harness anymore, thus it’s a snelled spinner.  Semantics out of the way, these set ups are effective for summer walleyes.

Why are spinners for walleyes so effective for dog days walleyes?  A lot of reasons, the flash of the blade.  The different color combinations of the beads and blades.  The vibration of the spinner is sensed by the walleyes lateral line much like that of the prey they feed.  You can put crawlers, minnows, leeches and plastics on a harness.

My go to set up is a two ounce bottom bouncer with a harness between 4-6′ long.  It is conducive to use a longer snell in clearer waters, thus on Lake of the Woods, I normally go about 5′ or so as the water is stained.  In a nutshell, the key with this presentation is to slowly be pulling this through the water column where the fish are so the blade is spinning and a desirable speed the walleyes want that given day.

What that looks like is drifting or trolling your set up with a desirable 45 degree angle.  When I am trolling in my boat, my goal is 1.25 mph.  You don’t want the harness way behind the boat like when you are trolling with a crankbait.  You want that 45 degree angle and have total control.

Keep the sinker just off the bottom, not dragging the bottom, but rather touch the bottom once in a while to know you are down there and lift just off so you avoid snags and other debris.

When a walleye grabs it, it loads up like a wet sock.  Normally they don’t hammer it.  Simply lower you rod tip back at the same speed of the boat so the walleye doesn’t feel anything change for two seconds and swing the rod with a mild hookset. 

When using a crawler, I suggest a two hook harness and pinch off the crawler once hooked on the harness so only about 3-4″ of tail hangs off of the back hook.  This will avoid missing walleyes that grab the back of the rig.

This set up covers water.  It can be used from shallow to deep.  It will catch everything that swims.  And for the folks who go fishing with you less experienced, is a relatively easy way to get walleyes hooked up.

There are many good brands of snelled spinners or crawler harnesses you can purchase with length, fluorocarbon line and quick change clevices.  Some anglers like to tie their own crawler harnesses as well which allows creativity in the bead pattern, length of snell, etc.

Give spinners for summer walleyes a try this year, you might be surprised how many more fish end up in your boat!

 

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