Pike Season on Lake of the Woods gives anglers something to shoot for every season of the year. As the winter season starts coming to an end in this border region, anglers hit to the bays and start using tip-ups to catch fast fighting fish called the
Northern Pike. The mixture calls for the tip-up, a lawn chair, a bucket for your catch, sunshine, sunglasses and and enthusiasm for the catch.
Lake of the Woods is known as a trophy pike lake with many, many big pike over 40 inches caught each year. Right now as the ice is going out and the pike are beginning to stage for the spawn is a popular time for anglers to catch pike in their pre-spawn areas as the not only get congregated, but the feed bag is on.
Pike season on Lake of the Woods is open all year long. As mentioned, right now during the pre-spawn, ice fishing for huge pike is happening with good results. As the ice starts to move out, bays come into
play. Back bays of the Rainy River, 4 Mile Bay, Bostic Creek, Zippel Bay and shoreline areas with ditches along Muskeg Bay near the Rocky Point areas can be big pike magnets. One of the local resorts offers an Ice-Out Northern Pike Tournament where people from all around team up to catch these great fighters. Now Lake of the Woods is known for its walleye and there are anglers who don’t want to save the northerns, however, this writer knows first hand how great those cold water northerns can taste in that fry pan. Check out one of our recent blogs at www.lakeofthewoodsmn.com for tips from Target Walleye on using tip-ups for the catch.
During challenging times, it is nice to have a psychological outlet. Congrats on a beautiful pike. March is a month pike are putting the feedbag on for the upcoming spawn. They congregate adjacent to spawning areas. The pi
ke season on LOW does not close. Angler Ty Sjodin fished Lake of the Woods just days ago and caught this incredible Northern. He said “What A Tank!!…today I landed what may be the biggest pike I’ve ever caught!! In a time of C-19, social distancing and quarantine, I recommend taking a break and get up to Lake of the Woods and hook into a fish of a lifetime!!”
March in MN is the end of ice fishing for much of the state, especially when it comes to walleyes and pike. The season closes at the end of February and fish houses have to be off the ice early in March. The rules are different for Lake of the Woods as it is border water with Canada and benefits from extended seasons. Fish houses can remain overnight on the ice through March 31 and the walleye season remains open through April 14. That means March walleyes!
This extra month of March to enjoy ice fishing can provide some of the best ice fishing of the year. The days are longer, sun is stronger and the fish have the feedbag on for the upcoming spawn. It is fun to see flocks of geese making their way back up north to their nesting areas and seagulls starting to return and land on the ice around fish houses.
Having a few extra weeks of good ice fishing on the front end of the season and an extra month on the back end is one reason Lake of the Woods is a premier ice fishing destination. This special body of water provides some of the best ice fishing of the year for many guests including
March walleyes.
Check out ten reasons Lake of the Woods is such a good ice fishing destination…
1. Long ice fishing season. Resort ice fishing houses typically get on the ice in early December and remain out through the month of March.
2. Fish houses are allowed to be left overnight on the ice through March 31st on LOW as it is border water with Canada.
3. The walleye / sauger season is open through April 14th.
4. There are literally millions of walleyes and saugers
5. The water in LOW is stained, meaning the walleyes bite during the day
6. There are strong numbers of trophy walleyes in LOW
7. Pike season never ends
8. LOW is home to a big number of trophy pike over 40″ long
9. The resort community creates an infrastructure for ice fishing that allows for everyone to fish in comfort
10. In addition to walleyes and saugers, anglers will catch pike, jumbo perch, tulibees, eelpout, crappies and sturgeon through the ice
As a way to highlight March walleyes through the ice, Greg Jones of Midwest Outdoors TV and myself (Joe Henry) of Lake of the Woods Tourism recently had the chance to get out and do some fishing from one of the many resorts offering fish houses. The chance to catch nice walleyes and saugers from the comfort of a 70 degree fish house that is placed in good fishing areas, the holes are drilled and cleaned and all we had to do is step inside and fish.
The fishing was good like it normally is. We picked away at the walleyes and saugers throughout the day. It was a fun day with steady action and a variety fish caught, even a crayfish! That’s right, I actually caught a crayfish while Greg Jones at the same moment hooked into a nice sauger. Coincidence, I say not.
Ice fishing takes place on Lake of the Woods based on Mother Nature, but the month of March is that bonus month that is just special. Longer days, hungry fish and the last chance to hit the ice until next December! To explore resorts, hotels, sleeper fish houses and full service ice fishing around the lake, check out our lodging page at www.LakeoftheWoodsMN.com/Lodging.
Being a northern MN destination, often times, like this year, great snowmobiling goes on through the month of March. For many, ending in February is just too soon for an already short season. Lake of the Woods is rich with hundreds of miles of trails and two snowmobile clubs who do an excellent job at grooming and keeping the trails up. Maybe you will decide to sled the south shore, hitting the many forests, igloo bar on the ice or jump from resort to resort. Perhaps you are looking to explore the 42 mile trail across the lake up to the NW Angle. The Angle also has a wonderful trail system through some of the most beautiful county around along with a number of resorts, restaurants and bars.
A couple of years back, I had the privilege of sledding both the south shore and trekking across Lake of the Woods up to the Angle. It was one of those trips that was easy yet unforgettable. Here is that memory…
I have talked about it for years. Actually taking a snowmobile trip on Lake of the Woods and having ice fishing as second fiddle. This kind of behavior isn’t in my nature as I love catching walleyes and saugers through the ice. On this trip, however, it was planned months ago and there was no turning back. The plan: To snowmobile the south end of the lake and then sled up to the NW Angle and experience the trails in that neck of the woods. We had one day of ice fishing planned to avoid any kind of “shakes” or “teary eyes” for some of us.
I was joined by the host of Prairie Sportsman, Bret Amundson and our good friend and avid outdoorsman Jamie Dietman. On day one, we arrived at Sportsman’s Lodge on the Rainy River. It could have been any resort on the river or south shore but Sportsman’s also has Sportsman’s Oak Island up at the NW Angle and Gregg Hennum, owner of the resort also grooms the trails on the river and across the lake to the Angle, thus on this trip, it made good sense.
We started out hooking up with the groomer of the land trails for the Lake of the Woods Drifters Snowmobile Club, Todd Barnes. Todd knows the woods and trails like the back of his hand and is a wonderful host. Todd met us at Sportsman’s and we took our Polaris sleds right on to the frozen Rainy River. The trail is nicely groomed and staked all the way from the mouth of the river where we started to Baudette.
The ride was late in the afternoon and about 2/3 of the locals fish houses on the river were occupied, telling us there was a decent evening bite on the river. We found out later in the trip there indeed was.
We snowmobiled around the international bridge that goes from Baudette to Canada and into Baudette Bay near the famous Willie Walleye statue and then continued up Baudette Bay under the Hwy 11 bridge on to the land trails. There were well groomed, smooth and well marked. A beautiful sunset led us into the woods.
We made our way through the woods over to Zippel Bay State Park and had a brief stop at the Igloo Bar on the ice. Always a festive time. We then continued with a short drive back to Sportsman’s to hit the hay until our morning trek north to the Angle.
After a good breakfast, we fired up the sleds and made our way north. A beautiful 42 mile ride on an unseasonably warm January day. We stopped along the way to fly the drone and get footage of the enormity of the lake, fish houses and everything Big Traverse Bay is made up of. Very impressive footage.
As we made our way over Garden Island that marks the start of the NW Angle, we stopped and checked out the shelter on the east end of the island. This shelter is used for boaters or snowmobilers in the event of inclement weather. Our next stop, Sportsman’s Oak Island.
We dropped our pull behind sled with our clothes and fishing gear at the resort and snowmobiled over to Sunset Lodge for a quick lunch. The next stop, checking out the Northern Most Point of the Contiguous United States buoy at Young’s Bay Resort. After a few pics, we were off to the only one room school in the state of MN, Angle Inlet School. There we met the President of the NW Angle Edge Rider’s Snowmobile Club, Richard Allen McKeever.
Richard Allen led us on a great adventure up to the end of the actual inlet of the NW Angle and into the wooded trails. The scenery was breathtaking with a layer of fresh snow blanketing the pines. Trails were smooth, marked well and we literally did not see another sled in an afternoon of snowmobiling.
On our way back to Sportsman’s where we were staying, we stopped off at Flag Island Resort for a quick soda and hello. After our adventure for the day, we were tired and hungry. We headed back to Sportsman’s, enjoyed dinner and hit the hay.
The last full day of our trip was ice fishing. We were treated to a bomber ride out to a heated fish house. Even though the day was below zero, the fish didn’t disappoint as we caught walleyes, saugers, a jumbo perch and an eelpout. Plenty of fish for our evening fish fry, which was delicious.
The next day was travel day. We packed up and snowmobiled back south to our initial starting point. We took extra care on the ride home as the temp was -25 degrees. The Polaris sleds were most excellent and got us home safely. We had four of us and took necessary precautions to make sure everyone was safe, warm, etc. These temps are nothing to mess around with.
Snowmobiling on and around Lake of the Woods. Hundreds of miles of groomed staked trails. Two snowmobile clubs passionate about the trails. Scenery that will knock your socks off. Very few riders. If you enjoy snowmobiling, you may want to add this one to your list!
The stunning international waters of Lake of the Woods and the Rainy River is known as the Walleye Capital of the World™.
It provides some of the best fishing in the world and anglers flock here year-round in search of that elusive record catch. The fishery is really broken up into three different areas, the Rainy River, Big Traverse Bay (the big open water basin) and the Northwest Angle
Lake of the Woods, the Walleye Capital of the World™ is shared between Minnesota and Canada. The Rainy River, which
meanders between Rainy Lake and Lake of the Woods, forms a natural boundary between the US and Canada. The slow moving Rainy River feeds the big lake. 40 miles of navigable water is teaming with walleyes, pike, smallmouth bass and lake sturgeon. Resorts line the mouth of the river and look across to Canada.
The middles section is known as Big Traverse Bay. Charter boats, catering to groups up to 6 anglers, line the docks at local resorts. Everything is provided, just step aboard and catch fish. Licensed charter captains take groups out targeting walleyes. With years of experience and by networking with other
captains on the water, the days are typically very successful reeling in good numbers of fish.
The third section of Lake of the Woods is the Northwest Angle. This area is the northernmost point of the Continental US and is where the 14,552 islands of the lake begin. Basically you are fishing amongst islands, eagles, bears, deer and some of the most beautiful scenery in North
America. Some resorts are rustic with log cabins in the woods all the way up to full service resorts with high speed internet and all of the amenities of home.
Visitors enjoy good fishing all year long. In the winter, the Walleye Capital of the World™ holds ice fishermen in toasty houses, while spring heralds a fishing frenzy for pre-spawn walleyes near Franz Jevne State Park. Remember that ice houses in this border area are able to stay on the ice overnight until March 31st. Minnesota’s Lake of the Woods, the Walleye Capital of the World™ is an angler’s paradise no matter what season you come to visit.
For more information on lodging, fishing and other activities at Lake of the Woods, go to www.lakeofthewoodsMN.com
There are a lot of incredible outdoor opportunities to take advantage of around the Lake of the Woods area. Many of these get overshadowed because of the world class walleye fishing. Known as The Walleye Capital of the World, people come from all over the world to fish these walleye rich waters. What gets missed often times is the opportunity for a good ole cast and blast, Lake of the Woods style.
Many people think of Lake of the Woods as trees, rock islands, northern MN wilderness. Yep, we have that. But what many don’t always have the chance to see are the over 40,000 acres of agricultural land Lake of the Woods County has. Crops vary as this is the north county and a different growing season than many are used to but many of the crops are excellent food sources for waterfowl, specifically, Canada Geese.
Recently, a group of outdoor media and representatives from outdoor companies came together up at Lake of the Woods for a cast and blast. The group setting this up was AGLOW, or the Association of Great Lakes Outdoor Writers. The Association of Great Lakes Outdoor Writers (AGLOW) is a dynamic organization of writers, editors, publishers, and many other media professionals. As individual communicators, they educate and in- form the masses through the written and spoken word. With that being said, this is the perfect venue for like minded folks who love the outdoors to get together.
The entire event was captured by Prairie Sportsman TV and host Bret Amundson. The segment is titled Northern MN Cast and Blast and really tells a nice story about the fall opportunities in these parts that go much further than catching a bunch of walleyes. On this trip, in addition to catching walleyes, the group had the chance to do layout blind hunting for geese.
Imagine all of the waters, backwaters and rivers of and around Lake of the Woods. Combine that with thousands of acres of agricultural land (food) and this area is not only a flyway but a spot where geese will hold for a while.
The entire experience of getting up at dark thirty to get out to a field to set decoys. Watching experienced waterfowl hunters instruct how to set the spread based on the wind. Understanding based on where we were hunting how to best conceal 5 or 6 hunters in a flat field. Knowing how to talk with the geese with a goose call. When to talk loud, when to be soft, when to go crazy, when to be silent. This scenario taking place was the culmination of hundreds, perhaps thousands of hours in the field. The result of hunts that saw no shooting to quick limits and everything in between.
On this given week, the hunting was about as good as it could get. Limits were taken each morning in short order. The memories of the geese locked up on the decoys, the various chatter amongst the flock and the camaraderie of like minded, outdoor loving enthusiasts will last a lifetime.
Lake of the Woods Tourism is displaying at two different sportsman’s shows across the Dakotas. This is a great opportunity to learn more about the area, resorts and of course, the various kinds of fishing the go along with it.
This Weekend, Red River Valley Sportsman’s Show in Fargo! It’s sportshow season in the Dakotas and this time of the year, anglers are excited to talk Lake of the Woods fishing. Perfect timing to be talking Lake of the Woods at this weekend’s Red River Valley Sportsmen’s show that starts Thursday and runs through Sunday at the Fargodome in Fargo, ND. Once again, we will be holding down booth #166 and look forward to seeing everyone.
Next Weekend, Sioux Empire Sportsman’s Show in Sioux Falls! Outdoor minded folks from the Dakotas and the surrounding region love Lake of the Woods. Once again, we will have our normal location in the main exhibit hall, booth #87. Swing by and say hello!
Dive Deeper! One of the great advantages of a sportshow is spending some time with experts from a destination to have the opportunity to learn, ask questions and ultimately make the best choice for your group. A group of guys headed up to fish for four days might be a very different looking trip than a husband / wife getaway or family vacation.
Joe Henry with Lake of the Woods Tourism will be at the Lake of the Woods Tourism booth all weekend both in Fargo and Sioux Falls happy to share info and answer questions.
Seminars! Sportshows are such a great place to learn more about fishing, hunting and the great outdoors. In Fargo and Sioux Falls, check out hunting expert Todd Amenrud discuss top strategies for whitetail deer hunting. If you are an angler, watch tournament champion Korey Sprengel discuss spring pitching techniques for walleyes and understanding what you are fishing.
Visitor Guides. While at the show, stop by and pick up our new Lake of the Woods Tourism visitor guide. Enter to win a 3 night / 2 day fishing trip courtesy of the Walleye Inn. This is a great time to learn more about the lake, resorts, activities, etc taking place this year around Lake of the Woods.
There is a lot to talk about in the upcoming months at Lake of the Woods.
–Upcoming Rainy River Walleye Fishing. Is there open water on the river now? Where should we fish? What should we use? How long does walleye season last? What accesses are on the Rainy River?
–Sturgeon Fishing. How long does the season last?What kind of setup should I use? What is a sturgeon rig? What part of the river do sturgeon live? What is slot during keep season?
–Resorts, Hotels, Outfitters and Guides. Where should I stay based on our group and what we want to do? Where can I find a list of resorts with amenity chart? Are there deals? What resorts offer full service guides? What kind of boats are used on different parts of the lake?
If you are in the Fargo area this weekend or Sioux Falls next weekend, stop by and say hello!
Known for its zillions of walleyes, Lake of the Woods has also become a world-class pike fishing destination — especially during the Mar/Apr late-ice period. The border waters’ special regulations mean these fish can be targeted all the way through ice-out.
Mammoth pike will stage for the upcoming spawn in shallow bays all along the south shore and are ready to pop tip-up flags. Believe it or not, 40-inchers are hardly considered “big ones” when the bite is on!
Big-fish junkie Andy Walls has been specifically targeting these toothy critters for years, so we tracked him down to get his scoop on putting these freaks topside:
Andy: “You can keep the gear pretty simple when running tip-ups, but make sure to beef things up for those larger-than-average Lake of the Woods gators.”
GEAR
> “Make sure tip-ups are spinning smooth and that they have fresh 50-lb Sufix Performance Tip-Up Ice Braid. From there a quick-strike rig tied right to the tip-up line, and a 1/4-oz weight fixed above the leader to keep the bait in the strike zone.
“Larger ‘Y yolk’ quick-strike rigs present both live and dead bait really well. They have a solid hook-up ratio with one treble fixed just before the head of the minnow and one rigged right before the tail.”
> “I’ve had the most success using 50-lb wire down to two #2 VMC Hybrid Trebles. However, there’s lots of rigging options out there…recommend using any legal option you’re most confident in.
> “Lake of The Woods has a 30-40″ protective slot, so fish between 30″ and 40” need to be quickly released back into the water. I’ve found that packing a kit — that we bring with to every flag — helps this process immensely.
> “In the kit: We keep extra rigs, sinkers, pliers, jaw spreaders, hook cutters, measuring tapes, fish grippers, a hole scoop, and a camera.
> “Being able to quickly take care of the fish after you land it and get it back in the water will help ensure a healthy release. Also allows us to get accurate measurements and a quick photo before we let them go.”
Photos by Vanilla Weekend Photography and Design
LOCATION
> “Lake of The Woods northern pike can be caught literally almost anywhere on the lake, but there’s a large concentration of fish that really never leave the south shore.
> “Some of my best success early on in the season is in the 8-12′ range. Look for subtle structure changes like: a slightly quicker depth change, funnel, or ridge the fish may be following. Changes in the bottom content — like a rock or gravel patch — will usually provide even better action.
“As the days start running longer and temperatures begin to inch up, pike will start to migrate in closer to the shorelines. By late March or early April, we’re typically setting lines in less than 5′.
> “The later in the year it gets, begin concentrating your efforts closer to — or directly out in front of — main spawning areas where runoff is the highest…draws fish in.”
> “Spread lines out to cover as much water as possible — I like walking at least 25-35 steps between holes. The more areas you can eliminate (or find) quickly gets you more bites in a day. Once you settle into an area with fish, they seem to let you know pretty quickly.
> “Not getting bit? Try moving north/south (shallower or deeper) first…when you find the right depth those flags will pop.
> “If I’m getting activity but not getting fish…AKA “false flags”…I’ll make smaller moves east/west or play with my bait (size, type, depth set, etc). Even if it’s the minnow tripping a flag, it’s likely because a pike spooked it and didn’t eat. Dead bait seems to be better when getting a lot of those false flags.”
SETTING BAITS
> “You’re allowed 2 lines each…makes it a little faster to see what’s working! Mix up the depths you set your baits down — covering the entire water column keeps the fish ho
nest. I’ve caught them setting lines just inches below the ice all the way to laying baits right on the bottom.
> “Arming your spread with a mixture of live and dead baits will allow you to quickly figure out what the pike want that day. Alewife, smelt, herring, numerous sizes of live suckers, or even large shiners work well.
> “Pay close attention to which flags are going off: If dead baits are getting more bites…switch more lines over to dead bait. If more flags are going off on a certain side of the spread…start shifting the entire spread in that direction. Can turn a good day into a great day!”
WHEN TO SET THE HOOK
> “Some people like to wait and let the fish eat, but I’ll grab the flag as quick as I get to it and set the hook while they’re running…not stopped. My theory is that anytime the fish is moving, they likely have a good grip on the head or tail of the bait…both have hooks.
> “When they’re not moving, they’re adjusting the bait in their mouth…so you’ll miss half the fish that grab it.
> “Also seem to get much better hooksets when the fish is running — doesn’t take nearly as much force for the hook to penetrate since the fish is already pulling the other way.”
[BONUS: YOU’D BE SURPRISED HOW MANY BIG WALLEYES YOU CAN RUN INTO TOO!]
Lake of the Woods Tourism received two prestigious awards at the 2020 Explore Minnesota Conference in Alexandria, MN this week.
The first of the two state awards was in the category New Event of the Year presented for the 2019 World Ploughing Contest. Competitors and guests from 28 countries converged on the Lake of the Woods area and Baudette, MN. This international event travels to a different country each year and won’t be back to the U.S. for another 30 years. Lake of the Woods landed it and nearby Baudette, MN was the focus of the Ploughing World for an entire year.
Lake of the Woods reached an agricultural demographic through a non-fishing venue and exposure to the Lake of the Woods area was the goal.
The event was featured in multiple segments through the media, including outlets from the nearby Midwest to those in distant international markets. Capturing media, both big and small through print, digital, social, TV and radio outlets was the focus.
Judges commented that they took notice of this once in a lifetime international event which welcomed 7,000 attendees and garnered international attention to the Lake of the Woods area for a non-fishing activity.
The second award was presented to Lake of the Woods Tourism for a Niche Targeting Campaign. On January 3rd, 2019, Lake of the Woods Tourism joined Devils Lake, ND Tourism for a marketing / PR faceoff event called Walleye Wars. The purpose of this event was to draw awareness and provide education about ice fishing in both markets.
The ice fishing event was introduced with a Facebook Live video broadcast from the 2019 St. Paul Ice Fishing Show.
Every hour from the fish house, both teams featured a different guest from the community on Facebook Live and discussed aspects of the area along with current fishing results.
Results were astonishing. Earned media earned across the U.S. was 16 million. Social media reach was 500,000. Facebook Live video views were 240,000.
Judges were excited they partnered with a competitor for mutual benefit. Positioning the event as a faceoff for ultimate ice fishing bragging rights guaranteed an earned media payoff and the PR results for this event were amazing. It received regional coverage as well as pickups from USA Today, The Washington Times and The San Francisco Chronicle.
“We certainly appreciate being recognized with these two prestigious awards by Explore MN Tourism,” explained Joe Henry, Executive Director of Lake of the Woods Tourism. “There are a lot of people who contribute to our successes and we appreciate each and every one of them. Willie Walleye will be proud!”
Is it summer yet? Lots of snow, lots of ice, but summer is calling. Lake of the Woods, the City of Baudette, and the Chamber of Commerce sponsor some Great Summer Events at Lake of the Woods. The first weekend of June is the Annual Willie Walleye Days in the town.
Willie is our 10,000 pound walleye icon sitting overlooking the Baudette Bay, at Baudette, MN, the Walleye Capital of the World. The county fair board has overseen this event that includes food booths, 5K run, vendors of many kinds, special meals,
rodeo and usually an evening dance. Often time you will have racing events happening at the grandstand. Yes, the Lake of the Woods County Fairgrounds is the sight for all these wonderful happenings. Come and bring your wares to sell, or come and enjoy a great time celebrating yet another birthday of Willie Walleye. Don’t forget to have your picture taken with this giant fish.
July 4th in Baudette is another of the Great Summer Events at Lake of the Woods with one of the finest celebrations around. Families and reunions galore are held during this holiday because it provides great entertainment in the
downtown area. A Kiddie Parade, Main Parade, food vendors, entertainment, bouncy houses for the kids are just a few of the many attractions drawing thousands to this little town. An outside street dance is always a hit as well as beer gardens, arm wrestling contests and games for the children. The final attraction of the day is a display of fireworks over Baudette Bay that has the reputation as being one of the best in the state. The hillside – home of Willie Walleye- is the seating for thousands of people as they await this great display. The Fourth of July Committee is to be commended at the great job it does each year.
Another Great Summer Event will be held on July 15-18 for this year’s Lake of the Woods County Fair.
This event is inviting with food booths, 4-H displays, area wares being
displayed and sold, horse shows, entertainment, races, demolition derby, horticulture show and much else. At the center of the grounds is a pavilion with a giant stage hosting talent from all ages entertaining the crowds and also offering a place of shade, rest and places to eat the food offered on the grounds. Don’t forget the Midway with rides for all ages. A historical building is on the grounds offering history of the area and the DNR mans a great log cabin and gives gifts to each person who stops by gaining information about the area.
Don’t forget the Fresh Start Farmer’s Market held every Saturday starting at 9:00 a.m. with many vendors at the Hometown Hardware 804 Main Street West,Baudette. Also in between events, Lake of the Woods hosts many fishing tournaments and guided fishing by many fine resorts. Summer is exciting at Lake of the Woods.
Join us as we eagerly await summer and all it has to offer in this beautiful Lake of the Woods area.
Thank you to everyone who has stopped by the local grocery stores up north to pick up food for their fishing trip. Thank you for those who decided to purchase gasoline
or stop at the hardware store or bait store in Baudette rather than purchase those necessities at the big stores back home. Thank you for bringing home a gift or two for your spouse and children. Perhaps you grabbed a meal, some supplies or your favorite beverage. Whatever the case, small tourist areas like Lake of the Woods and the town of Baudette really rely on tourism to get them through the year. There are busy times and times that really don’t see much traffic. Every little bit a small business can muster is huge to their overall year in small town USA.
With many folks purchasing supplies back at home, local merchants so appreciate those who consciously make a decision to pick up some of their needed supplies in the north country. Thank you!
When you come up to Lake of the Woods this year, consider grabbing some of your supplies in Baudette or the surrounding area. This is small town USA with many small businesses who fight hard to stay around with an ever changing way people shop. As you can imagine, guests to our area are very important to a small town local economy. With a population of about 1,200 people, no stoplights and more deer than people, it is not a metropolis that has enough locals to support most businesses. Every time you make a decision to stop and shop, it goes a long ways and is so appreciated by the community.
Did you know Baudette has just about everything you need for a fishing trip. Certainly bait and tackle stores are both in Baudette, up at the lake and even resorts offer the hottest in lures, live bait and frozen shiners. In many cases, area shops offering tackle and lures are dialed in with what anglers who fish Lake of the Woods will need for success. Many times these shops have options not found in most parts of the ice belt. Certain shapes, actions and certainly colors. The area even has it’s own small tackle manufacturer, Tom’s Tackle, that creates tackle with Lake of the Woods walleyes in mind.
Hardware stores carry a big variety of goods to get you through an ice fishing trip. Whether something breaks or you simply need to pick up some supplies, there are two hardware stores in town to service you. These stores offer a wide selection of good and have a good idea over the years what is needed and in demand. This is small town USA and you can bet folks will do everything they can to help you out.
How about some Lake of the Woods gifts or clothing? Whether it is for you or someone back home you want to surprise, there are a number of local gift shops and resort gift shops you can get Lake of the Woods gifts, sweatshirts, boots, hats, etc. This is the Walleye Capital of the World, we even have the famous 40+ foot Willie Walleye statue to signify it!
Lake of the Woods Foods is the local grocery store in Baudette. It offers everything you need for your trip along with a delicious deli and baked goods. In addition, don’t forget about many of the bait shops, gas stations and convenience stores who also provide various food and drink supplies needed for some serious time on the ice.
The area also has a nice selection of liquor stores. Whether in town or up at the lake, jumping in to grab your favorite spirits is a cinch. In many cases, it is fun to see the different brands of beer or wine offered in these parts, being that we border Canada.
There are so many ways to ice fish Lake of the Woods. Some come and stay at the resorts and enjoy the full service of lodging, fishing and meals. Others bring up their own fish houses and are really quite self sufficient. Regardless on how you roll, please know how much the area appreciates you coming up to Lake of the Woods and frequenting area businesses. Without you, many of the local businesses would not exist. Thank you!
As we made our way over Garden Island that marks the start of the NW Angle, we stopped and checked out the shelter on the east end of the island. This shelter is used for boaters or snowmobilers in the event of inclement weather. Our next stop, 
Photos by Vanilla Weekend Photography and Design
Lake of the Woods Foods is the local grocery store in Baudette. It offers everything you need for your trip along with a delicious deli and baked goods. In addition, don’t forget about many of the bait shops, gas stations and convenience stores who also provide various food and drink supplies needed for some serious time on the ice.
