When looking for a vacation experience, travel to the area of Minnesota to where the largest fresh water lake next to the Great Lakes in the contiguous United States is.  It is the northern-most spot in the United States. We also have the privilege of being  located on the border of Canada and the United States with a border crossing right in town. That town we’re mentioning is Baudette, MN.  It’s one of the finest destinations you could ever visit, but how do you get to Lake of the Woods?

Most people travel to this area by automobile with good roads and scenery that is beautiful.  As you travel north in the state of Minnesota, you will be crossing a large portion of land that is the biggest bog area in the contiguous United States also. There you will not find billboards galore, but instead you will find great natural forest areas with giant pines and cedars and fields of peat moss.

Let’s look at distances to get to Lake of the Woods. We are 126 miles from Winnipeg, MN, Canada; 211 miles from Duluth, MN; 232 miles from Fargo, ND; 308 miles from Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN; 476 miles from Sioux Falls, SD; 608 miles from Milwaukee, WI; and 680 miles from Chicago, IL.  Driving these distances are great adventures but also take time. When traveling to the Northwest Angle, be sure to have proper documentation such as passport, passport card or enhanced driver’s license.

We are fortunate in this area to have access to Commercial airports in close proximity of Baudette.  International Falls Airport is 70 miles East of Baudette and has daily flights to and from MSP using Delta airlines. Rental car companies are available there. For more info call 218.283.4461 or at www.internationalfallsairport.com. Bemidji is 102 miles south of

Baudette and also has daily flights to and from MSP using Delta Airlines at Bemidji Regional Airport. For more info here call 218.444.2638 or www.bemidjiairport.org. Rental cars available. Grand Forks International  Airport is 178 miles to the west of Baudette and also has flights using Delta and Allegiant Airlines. Information can be obtained at 701.795.6981 or at www.glkairport.com.

Before you arrive, be sure you have obtained lodging using our webpage at www.lakeofthewoodsmn.com/lodging.  Make your travel plans now to explore this great area.

Click here for Lodging info around Lake of the Woods.

 

Snowmobile trails are in excellent shape throughout Lake of the Woods.  The area boasts hundreds of miles of groomed and staked trails.  Some of the most beautiful

scenery available awaits sledders with very little snowmobile traffic.  Trails extend both through the forests as well as over the lake up to the NW Angle.

The lake trail connecting the south shore to the NW Angle is a groomed and staked trail.  It not only provides snowmobilers a beautiful ride of about 42 mi

les north but access to some very good ice fishing spots not fished by anglers on the south shore of the lake.

The land trails both on the south end of the lake as well as up at the Angle are second to none.  Most comment about the good shape the trails are in, lack of snowmobile traffic and beautiful scenery.

Snowmobile maps are available at Lake of the Woods Tourism in Baudette and other resorts and area businesses.  Maps are also available online.

 

 

The Lake of the Woods Drifters Snowmobile Club out of Baudette grooms trails on the south end of Lake of the Woods where the famous Northern Connection Trail travels through the forests along Highway 11 and south. This includes travel through the city of Baudette.  The club is actively grooming and marking hundreds of miles of trails through forested areas and on Lake of the Woods.

Their website and  Facebook page is a great source of up to date info and a place to inquire about info. 

 

 

The snowmobile club up at the Northwest Angle and islands is the Northwest Angle Edge Riders Snowmobile Club.  It grooms trails at the Northwest Angle, south to Warroad and also most trails on Lake of the Woods. They have a wonderful website as well as Facebook page for a variety of info and current trail reports.

There is additional info about snowmobiling the Lake of the Woods area on the Lake of the Woods Tourism website.  Stop in to Lake of the Woods Tourism to obtain both snowmobile maps before you ride, a visitor guide and info about the area.  Need a list of lodging around Lake of the Woods, we can assist with that as well.  Have fun and be safe by checking with locals resorts for ice conditions before you go.

 

Click here to learn more about snowmobiling the Lake of the Woods Area.

Click here for Lodging info around Lake of the Woods.

It’s a fishing tournament dreams are made of.  The MN Tournament Trail once again hosted the MTT walleye championship on Lake of the Woods September 12 and 13.  This is a tournament anglers have to qualify for by either fishing at least 4 one day tournaments and a two day tournament or finish in the top 75 for the overall regular season points to qualify.  The grand prize was a Skeeter WX1910 boat package powered by a 200 Yamaha Outboard and the competition amongst this talented group of walleye anglers was friendly but fierce.

Like any tournament, the MTT championship had MN DNR rules to follow and also the MN Tournament Trail rules to follow.  For this tournament, each team of two anglers were allowed six fish (walleyes and saugers) to the scales.  The minimum length per the tournament was 14″.  The slot limit on Lake of the Woods is 19.5 – 28″ which must be released immediately.  Anglers were allowed two “over” fish for the two day tournament.  An over fish is over 28″.  After day one, it was evident, big fish were a must to place well in this championship.

Day one saw strong south winds with cloud cover.  Anglers threw a number of presentations at walleyes all around the lake.  Jigging with frozen shiners, pulling spinners and crawlers, and pulling crankbaits were the most common methods.  Lake of the Woods held true as a trophy walleye fishery in this tournament.  Numerous teams caught one and in some cases two big walleyes on day one.  The majority of the big fish were caught in the basin pulling crankbaits.

Day two brought strong winds and big waves.  In true MTT style, anglers found walleyes and some big ones.

When the dust settled after two days of the MTT championship, the team of Gary Curtis and Sam Sletten took the championship honors with a two day total of 34.00 lbs.  Second place was Josh Grinde and Tony Kammeyer with a weight of 33.73 lbs.  Third place honors went to Bob Nitti and Bryan Dunaiski with a two day total of 33.55 lbs.

After the weigh in that took place at Border View Lodge, the final dinner and awards ceremony took place at River Bend Resort.  Great food and drink were shared capping off a great 2019 season.

The MTT Championship is a tournament that dreams are made of.  For some, the tournament was a disappointment of not finishing as well as they would have liked.  For others, it is a memory burned into their fishing fiber for the rest of their lives.  For everyone, it is the competition against a super talented group of anglers who compete hard but overall have a strong mutual respect for each other and the passion they have in common.

The 2020 MN Tournament Trail tentative schedule is out.  All are welcome to compete, whether it is one tournament or fishing the circuit and having the chance to bring home a new Skeeter / Yamaha package.  Congratulations to the top teams.  Thank you to all.

 

To learn more about Lake of the Woods, check out the Lake of the Woods Tourism website.

To find a guide, charter boat or lodging, check out our lodging page.

The Igloo Bar-an Ice Fishing Favorite on Lake of the Woods is placed and in full swing with the season. Ice fishing, snowmobiling and other winter activities keep the area in buzzing activity.  Most are ice anglers and snowmobilers looking to celebrate, escape the house, and have some fun during a season some would rather not deal with winter.  In these parts, winter is celebrated and welcomed.  Ice fishing is an absolute culture on Lake of the Woods.  Anglers from all ability levels and all walks of life come up to partake in some of the best ice fishing in the world.

Visitors to the Lake of the Woods area who come to ice fish arrive with many different expectations.  Whether you are a hard core angler, appreciate the social part of ice fishing or possibly somewhere in the middle, there is one spot that catches most anglers attention, the Igloo Bar.  Expectations when entering this famous structure on the ice are usually about having fun and now is the time!

With over 1,000 square feet, you can imagine this structure demands some thick ice, 15″ or more to be exact.  The Igloo Bar-an Ice Fishing Favorite is located on the frozen Lake of the Woods out in front of Zippel Bay.  It is transported out in two pieces and bolted together.  It is loaded with big screen TV’s, electric lights, running water, a bar, limited hot food menu, and heated portapoddies that look like little igloos.  The restrooms on the ice are heated for those who enjoy the little extras in life!  I asked Nick Painovich who owns Zippel Bay Resort along with his wife Deanna about the heated portapoddies.  “Some of the ladies were giving me a hard time about the cold toilet seats so I heated them.  Then, all of the guys started using the ladies restroom so I had to heat them both!”

I had mentioned to Painovich that things get pretty festive when someone catches a fish in the bar.  “You should see what happens when someone loses one,” he said with a smile.

There is a barrel with burning wood on the ice for those who enjoy a little heat while stepping out of the bar for some fresh air. It’s unlike anything else most have experienced.  For many, it is the perfect storm of enjoying the Minnesota winter.  Ice fishing in a bar, what else you one ask for?

All are welcome!  Regardless of what resort, hotel or sleeper fish house you stay at while up at Lake of the Woods, the Igloo Bar is open to the public.  There is an ice road well marked, plowed and maintained coming from Zippel Bay Resort if you are coming via truck or car.  If by snowmobile, a “spur” of the trail goes right to the bar from the Zippel Bay State Park trail as well as the trail on the lake.

The atmosphere is fun and festive and you are welcome to join in.