July 4th, Baudette’s Celebration, has been a feature of renown throughout Minnesota. It brags, and rightfully, so of the finest fireworks presentation of the whole
state. This small locality of just over 1,000 people has weathered every type of storm this past season as COVID-19 came on the scene. As with most of the state, restaurants, businesses and especially resorts have pressed on with great endurance to stay open and keep the business expectations alive. Lake of the Woods County is the home of more than 50 resorts and they continue to work diligently to provide a great experience for families to come and enjoy the northland.
Baudette’s July 4th Celebration was canceled at first but a sincere group of residents pressed forward on keeping the famous fireworks presentation alive. There will not be a parade this year as traditionally happens, however, other events have been planned.
On Friday July 3, there will be a Fish Fry sponsored by the LOW Women of Today. It will be held at the Baudette Moose Lodge from 5:30-7:30 and a suggested donation of $15.00 will include walleye with potatoes, buns, beans and dessert. All orders will be served in to-go containers and seating will be outdoors, weather permitting and Covid-19 precautions in place.
Baudette’s July 4th Celebration also includes a dedication of the new Veterans Memorial located at Timbermill Park on Hwy 11 East of town. At 2:00 p.m., July 4th the United States Flag will be raised at Willie Walleye Park by the Baudette Ceremonial Squad and then they will march to the park.
Timbermill Park
A great many people put a lot of hard work on raising funds to create this marvelous display. The display has granite monuments commemorating each branch of the United States Military, a donor wall, flag poles and paver bricks that honor or memorialize area service men and women and even the centerpiece of the memorial, a large statue, have been set in place. The dedication will take place at 4 p.m. on Independence Day and will include the raising of the United States flag, a 21-gun salute by the Baudette Ceremonial Squad, a short speech and the unveiling of the centerpiece statue. The public is encouraged to attend this fine event.
Now for the good news. Baudette’s July 4th Most Spectacular Fireworks Display of Northern Minnesota will take place over the Baudette Bay at Willie Walleye Park!!! The display will start at approximately 10:15. If you haven’t had the opportunity to sit on the hill and view this display, you really have missed a great opportunity. It’s the place to be because the setting over the water with the lights above are enough to draw great cheers from the onlookers. Contact: www.baudettelwcchamber.com for schedules.
LOW County Fair plans to proceed this summer a well. With many county fairs being cancelled, LOW County is proud
to offer great entertainment from Wednesday, July 17-19. This year’s fair will look a bit different than other years. There will not be displays or a carnival but there will be food and merchandise vendors, and free stage entertainment spread out over the midway area. There are three grandstand events still on the schedule The Big Air ATV Show is schedule for 7 p.m. on Friday, July 17. The Oval Car Races are set for 1 p.m. on Saturday, July 18th and the Demolition Derby at 1 p.m. on Sunday, July 18th. All COVIC -19 precautions will be in place. For more information contact: https://www.facebook.com/lowcountyfair/
If there is a gamefish in Lake of the Woods that receives very little respect, it is the smallies that inhabit the waters in good numbers, more formally known as the smallmouth bass. These hard fighting fish that rip drag and burst out the water without notice are in big numbers throughout the Rainy River, Big Traverse Bay and of course, the NW Angle and islands area of LOW.
Where do smallmouth bass live in this diverse body of water? First, let’s talk the Rainy River. With over 40 miles of navigable and fishable water from the mouth of the Rainy River up to about the Birchdale access (and even further if you know how to navigate the Manitou Rapids by boat), bass are prevalent in many spots. Rocky areas, bridges, bays, current seams and tributaries to the river are great places to start.
Smallmouth bass offer some great shore fishing opportunities. Try the Clementson Rapids, where the Rapid River dumps into the Rainy River and the Franz Jevne access, which are both east of Baudette.
In addition to the river, Four Mile Bay is a huge area with edges of the river channel, rock, reeds and areas off of the main river current that is home to a lot of forage for big bass. Locals have known for years the good numbers of bass in the big bay.
The main basin called Big Traverse Bay holds good numbers of bass. Target rock reefs and island areas. Most of the bass are caught in depths less than 20′. There are a lot of smallmouth bass caught on Lake of the Woods accidentally by walleye anglers. The majority of these fish are hanging around structure, typically rocky areas. The numbers are great and many of them turn into footballs, I mean really big bass.
Up at the NW Angle is where the 14,552 islands of the lake begin. Literally every island has habitat attractive to smallies. Rocky points, scattered boulders and bays are good areas to begin your focus. There is over 65,000 miles of shoreline on Lake of the Woods, most of it holding bass.
There are many ways to catch smallmouth bass, but one technique that is effective in covering water until you find a good pod of fish is pitching crankbaits to shore. On a recent trip in which we casted island shorelines with shallow diving cranks, two of us ended up with just less than a hundred fish. About 20 of those were pike, walleyes and muskies. The rest, bass.
Other techniques are certainly accustomed to bass anglers. Buzz baits, poppers, spinner baits, and tube jigs. For the skilled bass angler, this is a very short list!
Interestingly enough, another walleye technique that produces good numbers of bass, and not intentionally, is trolling with crawler harnesses. A bottom bouncer combined with a snelled spinner and night crawler is a nice search technique that catches almost everything, including smallies.
If you enjoy bass and want to have thousands of world class smallmouth bass spots to yourself, give Lake of the Woods and the Rainy River a try. Just because walleyes get all of the attention doesn’t mean that is the only fish living in these productive waters!
There is a very good population of big walleyes in Lake of the Woods and they are a blast to catch. Because of the slot limit set up for sustainability of the walleyes in the lake stating all walleyes between 19.5 – 28 inches must be released, there is a lot of releasing going on. Whether it is walleyes or other species of fish, big fish or little fish, if your intent is to release them, it’s important to better understand the steps that can be taken leading to the fishes best chance of survival. Planning for and understanding how to take good care of these fish and releasing them in a timely manner greatly increases their chance of survival.
Right off the bat, fish survival will be better in shallower depths of water and when water temps are colder. Keep this in mind. For instance, if you have a good walleye bite going in 36 feet of water in August, the mortality rate will be higher on release fish vs releasing those fish in 20′ of water or in colder water. Consider catching a few and moving on to shallower depths.
The technique we use to catch fish also helps determine survival. For instance, catching a fish on a jig typically means the fish is hooked in the mouth as you set the hook right away upon feeling the bite. When using a live bait rig in which you have to let the fish “take it” for a bit, the chances of a fish getting the hook deep is higher. When a fish has a hook that is deep, actually snipping the line off is the fishes best chance of survival vs doing surgery and ripping the hook out, regardless of how careful you are.
There are a number of tips to increase the odds of a fish surviving when releasing it. A main tip is plan ahead. Have your needle nose pliers, jaw spreader, measuring board and camera all ready to go to save time. The quicker you can land the fish, take the fish out of the net, remove the hook, possible snap a couple of pictures and release the fish back into the water, the better.
It is important to understand how to properly hold a fish not only for properly releasing it but also to minimize cuts and getting stuck. Small fish are less of a challenge than large fish. Anglers will learn fairly quickly how to grab a perch or white bass and not get cut up by the sharp gill plates. Sunfish anglers know the technique of smoothing back the top spiny fin. And for those parts in which catfish and bullheads are popular, understanding how to navigate your hand around the two side and one top fins that have barbed spines in them is important.
On Lake of the Woods, the majority of releasing involves walleyes. One way to hold a walleye is by the hard cartilage area in their gill area. Make sure you hold them by the tough cartilage that makes up their gill structure in their head area but do not actually touch the red gills in which they pull oxygen from the water to breathe. Keep your fingers on the outside of their actual gills. Their actual gills are red and should not be touched or grabbed. Take two or three fingers and slide them along the outside of the gill area up into the tough cartilage of the walleye. When using this technique on fish over 10 lbs, try and support their body weight by placing your second hand under their belly and holding them horizontally vs vertically.
Bass and crappies are typically held in the mouth as they don’t have sharp teeth and their mouths are inviting as they are big and easy to grab.
Pike and muskies are typically held within the hard cartilage of the gill area with one hand with the other hand supporting the body weight of the fish horizontally if it is a big fish. In the old days, it was common for anglers to hold pike by the eyes. This is frowned upon as it will blind the fish.
Lake sturgeon, well, these can be huge fish. Consequently, it is important not to hold these fish vertically. They are so heavy, internal organs and tissue can actually tear from their weight. Remember, in nature, these fish swim and live horizontally in water. Holding them vertically can simply be too much weight for their internal organs to handle.
It is also important to not hold sturgeon by the cartilage in their gills if they are too big. It can actually be best to have one hand on their tale as it is firm and easy to grab with the other hand supporting the body weight of the fish under its belly and holding it horizontally. If the fish is really big, it will take two people to cradle the fish! If you don’t need to bring the fish in the boat, some anglers will pop the hook out while the fish is in the water next to the boat or even in a net if using a net large enough to hold a big sturgeon.
Really try not to drop fish or touch touch their eyes. Dropping a fish can lead to obvious damage. Touching their eyes can make them blind. When releasing a fish, it is also important to try not to remove the slime from a fishes sides. This is a protective coating against harmful parasites, etc to the fish. As many of you know, a couple of fish with a lot of slime is a pike or a muskie. Pike often carry the nickname, “slimer”, and for good reason.
When releasing the fish in the water, use more of a side by side motion vs forward and back to get water into it’s gills. Forward and back can actually drown a fish. Support the fish upright and slowly go back and forth until the fish makes the effort to swim on their own. If the fish is tired out from a long fight and the process of being out of the water, it may take a few minutes. Have patience, the fishes life depends upon it.
Outdoor adventures while riding ATVs and Biking intrigue visitors who want to experience the vast wilderness trails of Lake of the Woods. During the summer and fall months.
Beltrami State Forest and the Bankton roads south of Williams and Roosevelt offer 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.
ATV and Biking enthusiasts will be happy to know there are over 1,400 miles of ATV trails and accessible roads within the greater Beltrami area and Carp Pit, a northern MN recreation area favored by ATV riders that features picnic tables and space for camping.
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 has 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.
Off highway vehicles can be driven on all state forest trails that are not designated as off limits for environmental or safety reasons. For more information and trail maps check out our ATV PAGE or the MN DNR website
Biking has become a great new adventure for many people these days. While there are no mountains near Lake of the Woods “an.d even small hills are scarce” the area does offer several routes for mountain biking. People often tell me that they
experience a greater sense of smell and sight while leaving the car behind and taking to the road and forest areas using these other methods of travel. The forest areas at Lake of the Woods are the first place early settlers homesteaded. Beautiful white pines have stood the test of time as they oversee that beautiful area. While there be sure to take a break and climb the Faunce tower itself and gaze at the beauty of the area from a bird’s eye view
Mountain Biking Trails
The forest roads surrounding the Faunce State Forest Campground, about 13 miles south of Williams, offer several loop routes up to about 30 miles in length. Potential users of these roads should be aware that forestry is a major industry in this area, and logging trucks frequently use these roads during the week, so weekends may be a better choice than week days. Also, there are several hunter walking trails in the area that are open to non-motorized vehicle use. Fat tire bikes allow anglers or hunters to travel long distances where foot travel is difficult to reach.
Have you ever given a thought to biking on ice? Yes, the new fat tires are even able to do that. Bring your bike to Lake of the Woods and enjoy that unique experience
and try some ice fishing while you’re here. Adventures while riding ATVs and Biking only adds to your entire experience while visiting visiting this great Northland!!
Each summer, thousands of anglers, families, and friends enjoy fishing Lake of the Woods. Along with the traditional fish frys that are part of the trip, guests like to bring fish home as well. The MN DNR has certain “Do’s and Don’ts” pertaining to properly packaging fish. It is important to understand how to package fish for the trip home.
With opportunity comes responsibility. It us up to us as anglers to know and understand the rules of the MN DNR who manages natural resources in the state. We thought it might be helpful to shed some light on what the rules are regarding cleaning, cooking and possessing fish while up at Lake of the Woods.
Over the years, one learns when discussing rules of any type to mention a disclaimer that our intent is to help with understanding and ultimately, it is your responsibility to know right from wrong. The fish possession rules are not difficult, but one needs to be educated before hitting the water. Resorts are a great resource for additional questions.
Individuals may not possess fillets in their boats or day/sleeper houses unless they are in immediate preparation of a meal or unless a licensed fish packer has filleted and packaged them to be consumed while their guests are on the lake and the fish packer is present with you and carcasses are available for inspection. Any filleting for transport should be done on shore or at the resort just prior to individuals traveling. For those who really like to dig into state law on how to package fish, click here for the link.
In a fish house or preparation for shore lunch.
State Rule 6262.0100 Subp. 5. (D)
Subp. 5. Possession of fish while on state waters.
While on or fishing in state waters with size restrictions that differ from statewide regulations (which includes Lake of the Woods), including experimental waters, special management waters, boundary waters, or any other waters with size restrictions, all fish for which the different size restrictions apply must be undressed and measurable when in a person’s possession, regardless of where taken, except under the following conditions:
(1) when a watercraft is docked or moored to shore or when on the ice and a person is in the act of preparing and using the fish for a meal; or
(2) when a person is on an experimental or special management water and the fish were lawfully taken, have been packaged and labeled by a licensed fish packer, are to be prepared for a meal while on the ice or shore of that water body, and do not otherwise exceed the statewide possession limits.
When fish are consumed under subitem (1), the angler must maintain the carcass of a fish with size limits in such a way that the carcass may be readily unpacked, unwrapped, and separated so that the carcass may be examined, measured, and counted to ensure compliance with size restrictions for that day, as defined under Minnesota Statutes, section 645.45.
In a nutshell…
Lake of the Woods has a slot limit on walleyes and pike. For walleyes, all fish between 19.5 inches and 28.0 inches must be released. Anglers are allowed a combined limit of six walleyes / saugers, with up to four of the six being walleyes. One walleye is allowed over 28 inches. For pike, the daily limit is three fish. The slot in which you must release fish is 30 – 40 inches long. Anglers can keep pike under 30 inches or one over 40 inches per day. In MN, the possession limit is equivalent of one day’s limit, consequently, anglers will enjoy a fish fry or two while up.
2. If you are staying with a resort who has a fish packing license, the resort is allowed to clean and package fish without keeping them whole and without skin identification. They will take care of what you need for traveling home with your filleted catch.
3. When you clean fish on the water for a shore lunch (or in a fish house if ice fishing), you must keep the carcasses until the next day. This allows a DNR Conservation Officer to count and properly measure fish.
Many folks enjoy having fish to bring home the day of departure. Remember, saugers must be left intact with head, tail and fins for proper identification. If a sauger isn’t properly cleaned for the trip home, it counts as a walleye.
As it says in the MN DNR Regulations on how to package fish…
How Do I Prepare Fish I have Caught for Transport?
-You must package and transport fish in a way that they can be readily unwrapped, separated, identified and counted.
-A fish may not be cut up into more than two filets.
-If you are transporting muskellunge, catfish, splake, or brook, brown or rainbow trout, you must transport them with the head and tail intact so the fish can be measured.
-Bullhead, sunfish and crappie may be filleted without leaving a patch of skin.
-Fillets from all other species must have a one inch square patch of skin with scales intact from a portion of the body other than the belly.
-Sauger without head and tail intact will be counted as walleye unless they are packaged by a licensed fish packer.
If you have further questions on regulations for cleaning fish and how to package fish, contact your resort, outfitter or the MN DNR.
Catching a bunch of fish, enjoying fish frys, and bringing some fish home is part of a fishing vacation for many. This tradition has taken place for generations and folks still enjoy it to this day. With that being said, it is important to understand how to properly package fish for the trip home.
For many, a classic jig and a minnow is the go to presentation for summer walleyes on Lake of the Woods. It could be argued that the jig and minnow has caught more walleyes out of the big lake than any other presentation. It still is the go to and super effective. However, there can be some very good arguments made in learning the 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 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!
Outdoor fun at Lake of the Woods includes exploring for the Stunning Birds found around Lake of the Woods. This area is recognized statewide as bird watcher’s paradise. Almost 300 species of birds next here and can be seen and heard in any season of the year. Pine to Prairie Birding Trail is a unique partnership between
the NW Minnesota communities of Detroit Lakes, Fergus Falls, Pelican Rapids, Roseau, Thief River Falls, & Warroad. Bird-watching has become a national obsession and is one of the country’s fastest growing hobbies
A very unique way to observe the stunning birds around Lake of the Woods is by boat. Along shorelines you will find Canadian Geese, Tundra Swans, Great Blue Herons, Mallards and Common Loons. Double-crested Cormorants, and four species of
gulls and terns can be found on the many islands that dot the lake.
The Lake of the Woods area is one of only three places in Minnesota that the American White Pelican will nest. Clementson Rapids, 6 miles east of Baudette, is one of the finest displays of beauty and lures great numbers of these fine birds in its waters. Many visitors stop and watch as the stunning birds swim up current to catch those fish that have just come down the rapids.
Pine and Curry Islands host the endangered Piping Plover and have been designated a state Scientific and Natural Area.
Visitors are still invited to stop on the island to walk the beautiful sandy beach and watch these tiny birds scurry across the land.
Migrating Waterfowl migrate in the spring and fall months. This list includes Lesser and Greater Scaup, Ring-necked Ducks, Teal, American Widgeon, Pintails, and mergansers. Some will stay and nest in the surrounding wetlands and WMA’s (Wildlife Management Area’s) near the lake. Included in the birds of prey list are the Bald Eagle, Osprey, Northern Harrier, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Red Tailed Hawk, American Kestrel, Merlin, Peregrine Falcon, and Turkey Vulture. The sight of a Great Gray or Snowy Owl, Sandhill Crane, or crow-sized Pileated Woodpecker is a thrill for any bird lover.
The most beautiful and stunning bird is the American Bald Eagle. They have claimed Lake of the Woods as their home where they stay all year round. You are often able to see their gigantic nests high in the treetops while driving down the road. It is a special treat to view this stunning bird sitting alongside the roadways feasting on an unfortunate animal that has been killed by a car. It’s another amazing experience to come along side of that bird as he takes flight and spreads his wings right in front of you.
Spring’s ambassador is the Red Wing Blackbird, followed by sparrows, warblers, robins, vireos, orioles, finches, grosbeaks and humming birds. Their activities and songs continue into late fall. Dropping temperatures bring northern birds such as Junco and Snow Bunting as short term guests. Check out www.birding-minnesota.com or check out the MNDNR birding lists!
For more information about the Lake of the Woods area and lodging opportunities, check out our website at www.lakeofthewoodsmn.com/lodging.
If you have not fished Lake of the Woods during the open water seasons, it can be intimidating. There are so many different areas to fish, a wide variety of resorts and hotels to stay at around the lake as well as the sheer size of the fishery. Like any new body of water, the first time is the most difficult, but after that first time, it is so much easier. If you have never been to The Walleye Capital of the World or perhaps only ice fished it, open water is an incredible experience. Check out these ideas for anglers new to Lake of the Woods.
The first time, make like easy. Anglers fishing Lake of the Woods are lucky because there are a number of great options for fishing on a charter boat or with a guide. Especially the first time to the big water, some anglers who own their own boats even find it helpful to jump on-board a charter or with a guide the first time out to get a lay of the land. When you step aboard, nearly everything is provided. Rods, reels, tackle, bait, expertise in navigation and getting you on fish. This make life easy as all you need to do is dress for the weather, bring sunglasses and a camera to record the adventure.
A guide or charter boat makes it so nice. Jump into a vehicle with a few others and drive up. You can focus on each other rather than the weather, navigation and fish.
On the south end… Charter boats for the most part are on the south end of the lake fishing the Rainy River and Big Traverse Bay which is the big water of Lake of the Woods. When I say big water, I am talking about 25 miles north south by about 20 miles east west. If Lake of the Woods was a great lake, it would be the sixth largest. This can be intimidating and certainly requires a healthy respect.
The thing about the basin is it is loaded with millions of walleyes and saugers. The basin also boasts a strong population of big trophy walleyes as there is a good number of tulibees in the big water. Walleyes will focus on tulibees when they reach that 25 inch mark and these fish enable walleyes to get bigger faster.
Charter boat captains do a good job of sharing info with one another about fish movements, where there are active fish and other variables ultimately leading to a successful trip. Most trips produce walleyes, it’s just a matter of how many and how big.
The basin reaches a maximum depth of about 36 feet deep. This makes the entire body of water fair game for fishing. This is one great big aquarium of life and a big part of Lake of the Woods.
Up at the NW Angle… The other option is heading up to the NW Angle. Currently, due to COVID – 19, the U.S. Canada border is temporarily closed for non-essential travel which includes tourism. That means until the border is opened again, folks are traveling across Lake of the Woods via water.
Some use their own boats if their boat is large enough and they have a competent captain used to big water. Others use the transport service on the lake run through Sportsman’s Lodge which will shuttle you across to your favorite NW Angle resort.
When things get back to normal, most will travel up to the Angle by vehicle. When driving to the NW Angle, anglers must be knowledgeable about credentials to cross into Canada and back into the U.S. again when up to the Angle. A passport, passport card, enhanced driver’s license or combo of a government issued photo ID with a birth certificate are necessary. It is also important to note Canadian Customs looks at a DUI as a felony and you may want to check ahead before crossing the border if someone in your group has a DUI in their past.
The NW Angle is the northernmost point of the contiguous U.S., is where the 14,552 islands begin and boasts about 12 resorts, some on the mainland, some on islands. The fishing is excellent for multi-species and the scenery and wildlife are even better. Angle resorts have excellent guides that will fish in U.S. waters, Ontario waters or both, depending upon what you are targeting, etc. These guide typically run about a 20′ boat that can navigate to the best and most scenic fishing spots on both sides of the border. If you like fish, most guides to a noon shore lunch that will mess up any fish fry you have at home ever again because they are so delicious and fresh.
Bring your own boat… For anglers who own their own boat and enjoy the challenge of new water, Lake of the Woods has so many good options. Boat ramps are available on the Rainy River, south end of the lake and up at the Angle. Some are public and resorts also offer nice boat ramps with sheltered marinas for a nominal fee.
Do you homework. Check out Navionics or your graph in your boat prior to coming up. Get an idea of where you will be staying, launching and fishing. It is nice to have a gameplan. Resorts and bait shops can be great resources for local info.
Regarding where to stay, Lake of the Woods Tourism has a complete list of lodging options on all sides of the lake. There are Ma and Pa resorts to brand name hotels, small to large, self service where you make your own meals to full service with full restaurant and bar. Lots of options on where to stay. One thing you will find, whether you jump on a charter, in with a guide or fish on your own, prices up at Lake of the Woods are reasonable and have not caught up to the more cosmopolitan resort areas yet. That means more can enjoy The Walleye Capital of the World, perhaps for multiple trips!
To find out more about Lake of the Woods, check out the Lake of the Woods Tourism website, feel free to give us a call at 218-634-1174 or chat with a resort.
The open water season is excellent for fishing. So many anglers have never experienced the open water bite. Do yourself a fishing favor, come on up. You won’t regret it!
On a normal year, charter boats on Lake of the Woods start hitting the water at the end of April and beginning of May. Some start targeting sturgeon in the Rainy River. Others are splashed just before the MN Fishing Opener. Guests staying at resorts and hotels in the area enjoy the variety of dining options around the river and lake. This year was different due to COVID – 19 and restrictions issued by the Governor of Minnesota’s Executive Order.
As various areas begin to gravitate back to more normalcy, June 1st charter boats and restaurants opened for business and on June 10th, indoor dining at our many restaurants is available as well. This is very much a welcomed site for business owners and guests alike.
Charter boats are a staple around Lake of the Woods. They provide access and success for people wanting to catch walleyes on this famed body of water. There are many reasons people enjoy a charter boat…
–Worry free. The licensed charter captain runs the boat so all guests have to do is relax, enjoy the experience and catch fish. Navigation and figuring out what the walleyes are doing from day to day can be a challenge for inexperienced anglers. While on a charter, there are no worries.
–Success. Walleyes move from day to day. Weather conditions change, forage changes, their mood changes for some reasons known, some unknown. With that being said, charter captains are knowledgeable and work together to provide guests the best experience possible. Charter captains are professionals and know Lake of the Woods and what it takes to catch walleye better than anyone.
–Easy. When you step aboard, most everything is taken care of. Rods, reels, tackle, bait are all covered. Some resorts will provide lunch if you would like one. What do you need to bring? Sun protection, sunglasses, rain gear, and of course dress in layers as Minnesota weather can be chilly in the morning and downright hot in the afternoon.
–Comfortable. Charter boats are typically 27 – 30 feet long and offer anglers lots of room to move around. The boats handle the lake well. This enables folks not quite as fit to fish in a smaller boat to have an enjoyable day of fishing on a boat that is. There is also an area to get out of the sun or elements out on the lake. There are also and a bathroom on board most vessels making life just a little bit easier.
The Restaurant scene around Lake of the Woods is diverse and delicious. Some settings are overlooking the Rainy River or Lake of the Woods. Others are in the woods and in the heart of nature.
Each place has it’s own feel. From cute, small places with that log cabin feel to larger dining options. Currently, outdoor dining on decks and patios are available. As time goes on, the indoor portions of restaurants and bars will be coming online. Menus offer visitors much variety.
Lake of the Woods is home to delicious homemade pizza and ice cream, fresh taco nights, fish frys, smoked wings and some more finer dining options such as steak, prime rib and seafood. Some may envision the northwoods as a place with not so many choices but in actuality, the choices are many.
Area businesses have gone to great lengths incorporating extensive cleaning procedures and protocols as safety precautions for charter boats and restaurants so guests can feel good about coming up.
Let’s not mince words, the COVID – 19 chapter of life has been tough for so many reasons. As restrictions start to get lifted on charter boats and restaurants and life begins to look a bit more normal, many are welcoming a Lake of the Woods fishing trip into their life with open arms.
One of the very common navigation routes used by anglers up at Lake of the Woods is traveling from the mouth of the Rainy River through Four Mile Bay to Lake of the Woods. It is important to be aware and use caution along this route. That means knowing and understanding a few basic principles of boating and navigation to navigate safely along this route.
First off, to navigate safely, there are a number of tools used in navigation that if used in unison, can greatly increase safety. Using just one tool is dangerous because if it fails or isn’t accurate, there is risk. Common navigation tools are…
-GPS. Using a GPS is very helpful to successfully navigate, especially with a chip in it that adds detail to the map. Please know navigation using a GPS can be off due to lost signal, map chips being
inaccurate and a myriad of other reasons. Overall, a GPS with the proper map chip that matches the body of water you are on is very helpful.
Another tip, make sure to zoom in enough to be able to see details but not too close that you cannot see on your map where your vessel is headed.
–Visual aids to navigation. These can be visual markers on the water or adjacent to the water aiding in navigation. Again, these are helpful but only one tool in navigation. Imagine if you use red and green buoys on the water as your sole source of navigation and a storm blew them away from the correct spot of placement. The results could result in an accident.
As a rule, when boating through red and green buoys, remember the saying, red right return. What this means is when you are navigating, you want the red buoy on your right side and the green buoy on your left side.
This is also helpful if there is only one color buoy in an area. Remember red right return, meaning if you are returning to harbor, the red needs to be on your right.
The rule is then reversed when headed out to the lake or away from port. When headed out, have the red buoys on your left, the green on your right.
When navigating, it is a good rule of thumb to use a number of tools. Navigational buoys are one good tool, but it has happened that buoys have changed position due to excessive wind, the anchor line breaking, etc. Other tools are your GPS, being aware of where other boats are and are not traveling and observing water conditions as they can change where there is shallow water or obstacles.
-Be aware and use common sense. There are many clues that if you are paying attention while boating, can tip you off to avoiding danger to navigate safely. In some cases, logs or other hazards can be floating in the water. Watching the waves breaking or a bird that looks like it is standing on the water are clues of an obstruction.
Pay attention to where other boats are safely navigating. It doesn’t necessarily mean they are in the right area, but again, it can be a good clue to assist in the overall assessment while navigating.
-Reduce your speed. Slower speeds allow boaters to have more time to assess situations and react if necessary. Be aware of your surroundings and navigate safely. It probably isn’t a good move to all of a sudden stop if you are on plane with a boat right behind you. Plan your route, use your tools and make good decisions.
Navigation on any body of water is about safety first. Knowing a few of the rules to navigation will help wherever you might be boating. Be safe on the water!
Give spinners for summer walleyes a try this year, you might be surprised how many more fish end up in your boat!
The thing about the basin is it is loaded with millions of walleyes and saugers. The basin also boasts a strong population of big trophy walleyes as there is a good number of tulibees in the big water. Walleyes will focus on tulibees when they reach that 25 inch mark and these fish enable walleyes to get bigger faster.
