On the south end…Â Â An excellent walleye and sauger bite continues across the lake.
The deep mud is holding big numbers of fish. 30 – 35 feet of water is the norm right now for depth.
Anglers are catching fish using many different techniques. Pulling spinners, trolling crankbaits and jigging are all producing fish.
A two hook crawler harness with a spinner blade colored in gold, gold / pink, pink, orange, glow red, glow white, or a combo of these colors. Use a 2 – 3 ounce weight to get it down. Heavier in deeper water and in breezy conditions.
Trolling crankbaits continues to catch good numbers of fish as well. When walleyes spread out over the miles and miles of mud over Big Traverse Bay, covering water is a good strategy.
Rock reefs, or the areas adjacent to the rock, are holding some nice walleyes and saugers. With miles and miles of open mud basin, areas of structure can be a magnet.
Many anglers will jig on top of the rocks. Jigging has been successful over mud where there are numbers of fish.
Female Angler with Muskie
Anglers fishing tournaments are utilizing forward facing sonar and are sharp shooting big walleyes in all parts of the water column throughout Big Traverse Bay. The recent winners of the AIM Pro Walleye Minnesota Championship tournament put up 5 walleyes for over 50 lbs. This is the second tournament in a row that saw over a 10 lb per walleye average. These fish were caught, photographed and released.
On the Rainy River…  A variety of species of fish continue being caught on the river. There is still some decent current which has drawn extra fish into the river.
Sturgeon anglers are reporting good summer action. Anchored up soaking some crawlers or frozen emerald shiners (or both) is the name of the game.
There were some good reports from the river this week for walleyes and some nice sized fish as well. Reports of quite a few shiners in the river already. Shiners will often attract walleyes. Jigging, trolling spinners / crawlers or trolling crankbaits are all producing fish.
Up at the NW Angle… Excellent walleye fishing continues. Some fish are on the structure while others are hanging out over flats. Different forage in different areas these predators are focused on.
Mud from 15 – 30′ such as east of Little Oak Island, near Four Blocks or north of Garden Island have been producing walleyes. When fish are sliding out to mud flats, spinners and crawlers which cover water work well, as do trolling crankbaits.
In this part of the lake, it is often a mixed bag including walleyes and saugers, perch, crappies, pike, bass and even muskies.
Lodging, full service fishing packages, small boat guide trips, and charter trips are available at www.LakeoftheWoodsMN.com/Lodging.
On the south end…  There is some excellent walleye fishing taking place right now with some huge walleyes being caught. The dog days are some of the best days on Lake of the Woods.
The deep mud bite is in 28 – 35 feet of water. Anglers are catching good numbers of fish on the mud using mainly two different techniques, spinners and crankbaits.
Most anglers are getting their walleyes with spinners and crawlers. Â A two hook crawler harness with a spinner blade colored in gold, gold / pink, pink, orange, glow red, glow white, or a combo of these colors.
Drift or troll at 1 – 1.25 mph with a 2 – 3 ounce weight or bottom bouncer and two hook harness with a crawler. A 3 ounce bouncer is very helpful in depths over 30 feet.
Trolling crankbaits continues to catch a lot of fish as well. With so many walleyes spread out over the miles and miles of mud over Big Traverse Bay, covering water is a good strategy.
Some walleyes are also hanging out on, or adjacent to, rock reefs. With miles and miles of open mud basin, areas of structure can be a magnet.
Anglers utilizing forward facing sonar are sharp shooting big walleyes in all parts of the water column throughout Big Traverse Bay. The recent winners of the David A. Andersen Warrior Boats tournament put up 5 walleyes for 55.76 lbs.
On the Rainy River…Â Â A variety of species of fish continue being caught on the river.
Sturgeon anglers are reporting consistent summer action. Anchored up in a hole of the river or the sloping bank from the hole to a flat and soak some crawlers or frozen emerald shiners (or both).
Walleye anglers are finding walleyes on flats, in holes, current breaks and over rocky areas. Jigging, trolling spinners / crawlers or trolling crankbaits are all producing fish.
Up at the NW Angle… Excellent walleye fishing continues. Points, sunken islands, saddles, and neck down areas with current are just a few ideas.
Deep mud such as east of Little Oak Island or north of Garden Island have been producing walleyes. When fish are sliding out to mud flats, spinners and crawlers which cover water work well, as do trolling crankbaits.
Muskie anglers are finding fish, but report it has not been what they call a normal year. Fish are being found in a variety of areas.
45 inch Tiger Muskie
A mixed bag includes walleyes and saugers, perch, crappies, pike, bass and even muskies.
Lodging, full service fishing packages, small boat guide trips, and charter trips are available at www.LakeoftheWoodsMN.com/Lodging.
On the south end…  The great walleye bite continues. Big numbers of walleyes and saugers are staged over deep mud, a common and consistent late summer pattern on Lake of the Woods.
The deep mud bite is in 28 – 35 feet of water. Anglers are catching good numbers of fish on the mud using mainly two different techniques.
Most anglers are using spinners and crawlers. Â A two hook crawler harness with a spinner blade colored in gold, gold / pink, pink, orange, glow red, glow white, or a combo of these colors.
Drift or troll at 1 – 1.25 mph with a 2 – 3 ounce weight or bottom bouncer, a 2 hook crawler harness and a juicy crawler. This presentation covers water, puts your offering in front of numbers of fish and a combo of the flash, vibration and scent of the crawler are hard to pass by for a walleye or sauger.
Trolling crankbaits is catching a lot of fish as well. With so many walleyes spread out over the miles and miles of mud over Big Traverse Bay, covering water is a good strategy. Strategically placing your lure in front of thousands of walleyes is effective. The chess game is what speed, what shape, what wobble, rattle or no rattle, in front of them or above them.
Common crankbait colors are gold, blue / chrome, firetiger, pink UV firetiger, chartreuse and orange.
Big Muskie
Anchoring up over schools of walleyes and saugers jigging with a frozen emerald shiner is still catching fish. Often, anchoring or spot locking with a jig around rocks or structure works well. When there are walleyes concentrated over mud, jigging can be effective there as well.
On the Rainy River… The slow summer flow of water on the Rainy River continues is great for fishing. A variety of species are being caught on the river.
Sturgeon anglers are reporting good summer fishing. Set up in a hole of the river or the sloping bank from the hole to a flat and soak some crawlers or frozen emerald shiners (or both).
A flat no roll sinker, sturgeon rig (18 inches of 60 lb test with a circle hook) with a glob of crawlers or combo of crawlers and shiners are catching fish. Evenings have been especially good. Many enjoy the peace and relaxation of the river in the summer.
Walleye anglers are trolling spinners / crawlers or crankbaits upstream covering water. If you find a school of walleyes, anchoring or spot locking with a jig and minnow will be effective.
Smallmouth bass can be found near the rocky areas, current breaks, bridges with associated rip rap are all go to areas.
Up at the NW Angle… Walleye fishing continues to be consistent. Some fish are on structure. Points, sunken islands, saddles, and neck down areas with current are just a few ideas. With 14,552 islands, there is a lot of structure!
Other fish are sliding out to mud flats. Here, pulling spinners and crawlers to cover water works well. Lots of ways to get it done.
A mixed bag is common in the northern portion of the lake. In addition to walleyes and saugers, perch, crappies, pike, bass and even muskies are consistently caught while targeting walleyes.
Lodging, full service fishing packages, small boat guide trips, and charter trips are available at www.LakeoftheWoodsMN.com/Lodging.
On the south end…  The Dog Days of summer are a popular time on Lake of the Woods. Walleyes can be tough on bodies of water with significant weed growth and millions of emerging perch and other baitfish. This is when LOW shines.
Huge schools of walleyes and saugers are set up over the deep mud in 28 – 35 feet of water. Anglers are catching good numbers of fish using a few different techniques.
Most anglers are using spinners and crawlers.  A two hook crawler harness with a spinner blade colored in gold, gold / pink, pink, orange, glow red, glow white, or a combo of these colors working well.
Crawler harness tip. Pinch off the long tail off the back of your crawler to just 2 or 3 inches off the back hook. This adds scent but most importantly and catches more walleyes. Walleyes will still hit the presentation and when they grab the crawler, they will have the last hook in their mouth.
Trolling crankbaits is extremely effective. With so many walleyes spread out over the miles and miles of mud over Big Traverse Bay, covering water and putting your lure in front of thousands of walleyes works well also.
Some anglers are still catching their walleyes anchoring up over schools of walleyes and saugers jigging with a frozen emerald shiner.
Various rock reefs that come out of the mud in areas of the lake are also holding some fish. Some days, fish are on top. This time of year, the transition from rock to mud is a go to spot.
On the Rainy River… The flow of water on the Rainy River continues to decrease as do river levels. Clarity is good as is the fishing.
Sturgeon anglers continue to report good summer dinosaur fishing. This fish with strong prehistoric roots are being caught soaking crawlers and shiners. A no roll sinker, sturgeon rig (18 inches of 60 lb test with a circle hook) with a glob of crawlers or combo of crawlers and shiners are catching fish. Fish can be caught all day, but evenings and even after dark has been especially good.
Walleye anglers are covering water trolling spinners / crawlers or crankbaits upstream covering water. If you find a school of walleyes, anchoring or spot locking with a jig and minnow will be effective.
Smallmouth bass on the Rainy River do not receive the attention they deserve with the walleyes and sturgeon, but bass are up and down the river. Rocky areas, current breaks, bridges with associated rip rap are all go to areas.
Up at the NW Angle… The walleye fishing is strong in this area. A 3/8 ounce jig with a minnow or plastic is effective with so much structure. Some guides use jigs in these parts all year long.
muskie
This time of year, fish start relating to sunken islands and even areas of mud just off the rocks. In this case, drifting or trolling crawler harnesses and trolling crankbaits covers water and is catching nice fish.
There are fish being found in various depths in 15-33′. This is a big range, but consider the many different forage walleyes capitalize on. In addition, fluctuations in cold fronts and water temps will push fish to different areas.
Walleye anglers in these parts also catch perch, crappies, pike, bass and even muskies while targeting walleyes.
Lodging, full service fishing packages, small boat guide trips, and charter trips are available at www.LakeoftheWoodsMN.com/Lodging.
On the south end…  Summer fishing patterns are producing good numbers of walleyes and saugers. The deep mud is holding a lot of fish, which is a typical scenario this time of year.
Two main techniques are catching the majority of fish.Â
1. Pulling spinners.  A two or three hook crawler harness, a juicy nightcrawler and a gold, chartreuse, pink, orange, glow red, glow white, or combo of these colors spinner blade colors working well.
Team the spinner up with a 2 ounce, or if fishing 30+ feet of water, even a 3 ounce bouncer to maintain a 45 degree angle is effective.
2. Trolling crankbaits. With so many walleyes spread out over the miles and miles of mud over Big Traverse Bay, covering water and putting your lure in front of thousands of walleyes works well also.
Charters that troll normally use downriggers. Other ways to get lures down to deeper depths are lead core line, snap weights or even a 4 ounce bottom bouncer with a 6′ leader and shallow diving
Some are still anchoring up over schools of walleyes and jigging with a frozen emerald shiner with success. Lots of ways to get it done.
Most popular depths on the mud are 28′-34′ of water over the mud basin.
On the Rainy River…Â The flow of water on the Rainy River has decreased and some good fishing taking place.
Sturgeon anglers are catching. Fish of all sizes with some good action.
Walleye anglers are pulling spinners or crankbaits upstream to cover water, or, if fishing isolated spots, using a jig and minnow.
Smallmouth bass tend to relate to rocky areas and areas with structure. Tube jigs, small crankbaits and bladed jigs with a plastic trailer getting the bronzebacks.
Up at the NW Angle… The walleye fishing continues to be consistent. Jigging with a 3/8 ounce jig and minnow or plastic, drifting or trolling crawler harnesses and trolling crankbaits all catching fish.
There are fish being found in various depths, with the most common ranges being 15-20′ or 27-33′.
A mixed bag on this part of the lake with perch, crappies, pike, and bass common.
Muskie anglers getting after it amongst the 14,552 islands and reporting some good fish.
Good availability this time of year. Book some memories!
Lodging, complete fishing packages, small boat guide trips, and charter trips are available at www.LakeoftheWoodsMN.com/Lodging.
On the south end… Â Summer fishing is going great with solid numbers of walleyes and saugers being caught, and consequently as is tradition in these parts, plenty of fresh fish frys.
Deep summer patterns are holding true, but with that being said, things are always changing. The fish are definitely stacked on the expansive mud flats of Big Traverse Bay. The parts of the fishing equation that change are bug hatches, pressure systems, wind direction, and even the walleye’s mood at times.
Some days you mark fish and action is consistent. Other days, the fish you mark are stubborn. That is when you need to mix it up. Changing areas if there is a bug hatch and the walleyes on the graph won’t eat, changing techniques from jigging to pulling spinners to trolling crankbaits.
If you are fishing with a guide, between a good understanding of the lake and being networked with other guides, they normally figure it out and get fish.
Be observant, be flexible. Someone is always catching fish on LOW.
One consistent technique right now is drifting or trolling crawler harnesses. Use a two ounce bottom bouncer and a crawler harness with a gold, gold/pink, gold/orange, chartreuse or combo of these colors spinner and a crawler.
A second technique catching good numbers of walleyes is trolling crankbaits over the mud basin. To get crankbaits down to schools of fish normally in that 28 – 32′ range, lead core line, snap weights, downriggers and even a 4 ounce bottom bouncer with 6′ mono or fluorocarbon leader with shallow diving crankbait will work well.
Some anglers are still anchoring up over schools of walleyes and jigging with a frozen emerald shiner with success. Lots of ways to get it done.
Most popular depths on the mud are 30′-36′ of water over the mud basin. Some anglers reported success in that 12-17′ range over rocks and rubble areas this week as well.
On the Rainy River… The flow of water on the Rainy River continues to decrease and this past week was very good fishing.
Sturgeon anglers are reporting some nice fish caught this week. Fish of all sizes, from small to huge, and everything in between.
Sturgeon anglers are also catching some nice walleyes while soaking nightcrawlers and frozen emerald shiners. There are definitely fish to be had. Most walleye anglers are pulling spinners or crankbaits upstream to cover water, or, if fishing isolated spots, using a jig and minnow.
Father and Son with sturgeon
Smallmouth bass anglers are working areas with rock and bridges using tube jigs, small crankbaits and bladed jigs with a plastic trailer.
Up at the NW Angle… The walleye fishing continues to be excellent. There are three techniques getting it done. Jigging with a 3/8 ounce jig and minnow or plastic. Drifting or trolling crawler harnesses. And finally, trolling crankbaits.
There are fish being found in various depths, with the most common ranges being 15-20′ or 27-33′.
This time of the year, it is common for walleyes to slide off of structure over deep mud. Electronics are certainly helpful in finding numbers of fish.
Trophy size pike over 40 inches continue to be caught. Most anglers aren’t targeting them, but fishing for either muskies or walleyes. Pike are in good numbers.
Good muskie reports again this week throughout the islands area of the lake.
Most resorts have availability this time of year. Summer is going fast, get that last summer trip in and make some memories.
Lodging, complete fishing packages, small boat guide trips, and charter trips are available at www.LakeoftheWoodsMN.com/Lodging.
On the south end…  Summer fishing is prime time right now up at Lake of the Woods. Good numbers of walleyes being caught. A nice variety of sizes, which bodes well for the fishery. Small fish, eaters, slot fish which must be released (19.5 – 28.0 inches) and trophy walleyes over 28 inches all in the mix.
The mud is holding big numbers of fish and two main fishing techniques are being used to get it done.
The first technique is drifting or trolling crawler harnesses. Using a two ounce bottom bouncer and a two snelled spinner will do the trick. Best spinner colors have been gold, gold/pink, orange/chartreuse.
Huge Pike
Making sure your weight is near the bottom, but not dragging the bottom is key. Try to maintain a 45 degree angle and make sure the spinner is spinning, normally 1.0 – 1.3 mph. Walleyes will load up, almost feeling like you are dragging a wet sock. A good feeling!
The second technique catching good numbers of walleyes is trolling crankbaits over the mud basin. To get crankbaits down to schools of fish normally in that 28 – 32′ range, lead core line, snap weights, downriggers and even a 4 ounce bottom bouncer with 6′ mono or fluorocarbon leader with shallow diving crankbait will work well.
Most popular depths on the mud are 30′-36′ of water over the mud basin. Not every walleye in the lake is focusing on the same forage base. There has also been success in that 12-20′ range over sand and even shallower along shore.
Reefs can be their own ecosystem and can always hold fish. Fish can be on top, sides, on the rock to mud transition or even adjacent to reef out in the mud. Go fishing, watch electronics.
On the Rainy River… With drier weather, the flow of water is decreasing on the Rainy River. Water clarity has improved and so has fishing.
Most are targeting the edges of the main current where water is slower moving. Points, bridges, underwater structure, docks and bends in the river can all change current flow, creating good spots for fish to live.
Jigs, spinners and crankbaits are all catching fish. There are 42 miles of navigable Rainy River with literally thousands of fun spots to fish.
The sturgeon season is open. Some nice fish were caught this week. Anchor up on a hole or adjacent to a hole in the river and soak some nightcrawlers. Local tackle shops have flat no roll sinkers and sturgeon rigs.
There is a big population of smallmouth bass in the Rainy River. Although they don’t receive much attention due to walleyes, they are abundant.
Up at the NW Angle… Great walleye fishing is the rule of thumb using three techniques, jigging, trolling spinners and trolling crankbaits.
Reports of walleyes sliding deeper off of structure. If fishing a “spot on a spot”, jigging is the preferred method. If fish are spread out or you are searching a flat, spinners and crankbaits will cover more water and walleyes are normally cooperative.
Some big pike caught again this week. These predators are often hanging around schools of walleyes and saugers, but rocky points, bays and sunken islands are great spots as well.
Muskie anglers continue reporting good success fishing a variety of structure amongst the islands.
Lodging, complete fishing packages, small boat guide trips, and charter trips are available at www.LakeoftheWoodsMN.com/Lodging.
On the south end…  The summertime bite is in full swing on LOW! Three main techniques are getting it done and lots of fish are being caught. The three fishing techniques being used are drifting or trolling crawler harnesses, trolling crankbaits and jigging.
Most popular depths are 24 – 35′ of water. When fishing structure, fish can be holding on top of the reef, on the edges or in the transition areas from the rock to mud. Watching your electronics and fishing the various areas will help find the walleyes.
The second area holding good numbers of fish is the deep mud. Various schools of walleyes, as is the norm this time of year, are roaming around over the basin focusing on a variety of forage. Emerald shiners, tullibees, bug hatches, blood worms, and perch minnows are just a few.
Those jigging basically mark fish on their electronics, anchor up or spot lock and jig. Emerald shiners and leeches on the jigs have both been successful this week.
Pulling spinners with a crawler and trolling crankbaits are techniques that are catching good numbers of fish. These tactics cover water and get more reaction bites. Gold / glow white, glow and pink, orange, chartreuse, or a combo of these colors are a great place to start.
On the Rainy River… With recent rains, the river is flowing with a strong current. Focus fishing efforts in areas on the edge of current or in slack water.
For walleyes, a jig and minnow is effective when fishing small, isolated spots. Trolling spinners and crankbaits against the current will produce a mixed bag of fish. Shoreline breaks, slack water areas, the backside of a hump or even along docks are good places to start.
Trophy Walleye
The sturgeon “keep” season opened July 1st. You can catch and release sturgeon with a normal MN fishing license. If you want to keep a sturgeon, you must purchase a sturgeon tag for $5. Anglers are allowed one sturgeon per calendar year between 45 – 50 inches or over 75 inches.
Up at the NW Angle… Fishing remains excellent. Lots of walleyes being caught, along with a mixed bag for many.
Some walleyes are starting to gravitate towards sunken islands. Some fish are out over deep mud. Others are in areas such as points, neck down areas and weed edges. Lots of walleyes focusing on a variety of different forage.
Jigging on structure and over fish you mark has been effective. When fish are a bit spread out, pulling spinners with crawlers or trolling crankbaits is catching a lot of fish.
In this portion of the lake with thousands of islands, expect to catch walleyes, saugers, pike, jumbo perch, crappies, smallmouth bass and muskies.
Muskie anglers are reporting good success with many nice fish caught and released.
Lodging, fishing packages, small boat guide trips, charter trips and summer trips are available at www.LakeoftheWoodsMN.com/Lodging.
On the south end…  This week was a great week of walleye fishing on Lake of the Woods. In addition, saugers, jumbo perch, some monster pike and an occasional crappie in the mix!
There are three fishing techniques being used to score Lake of the Woods gold (walleyes). First, drifting or slow trolling crawler harnesses. In a nutshell, using about a 2 ounce weight and a 3-4 foot harness with a spinner, two hooks and a crawler.
A tip for crawler harnesses, hook the dark part or head of the crawler on the front hook. Try to keep the crawler straight between the two hooks. Try to leave a few inches of crawler off of your last hook and pinch off the rest. The walleyes and saugers will still hit it, but you will create more hookups.
The second presentation is a jig and minnow or frozen emerald shiner. Basically locate fish out on the mud or on structure, anchor up and jig. If you are amongst fish, they will find you.
The third way walleyes are being caught, and some may be surprised about, is trolling crankbaits. Some have put on the trolling gear when the walleyes weren’t as cooperative or when the fish are spread out. Lots of success catching good numbers of walleyes and good sized fish.
Family with Big Pike at the Islands
Lots of fish out over deep mud or deep structure. The deep mud is holding a lot of walleyes in 21′ – 27′. Electronics will help you mark fish.
There is another shallow water bite still taking place anywhere from 5 – 17′. Much of the shallow bite has to do with feeding opportunities on various minnow spawns, crawfish and hatches. Not every walleye is targeting the same prey. Lots of opportunities. .
Gold, orange, chartreuse, glow and pink, or a combo of these colors, are a great place to start.
Anglers can keep a combined limit of 6 walleyes and saugers. Up to 4 can be walleyes. All walleyes 19.5 – 28.0 inches must be released. One fish over 28 inches may be kept. The possession limit in MN is one day’s possession. If you catch a limit, eat some fish and freeze a couple, make sure to count your remaining fish left over for your possession.
On the Rainy River… With some rain in the area, the river was flowing with a strong current and some debris this past week. Debris has slowed considerably and water clarity is starting to improve.
Water clarity is important for walleyes, saugers, pike and smallmouth bass. Sturgeon are much more dialed into scent to find their next meal, consequently, when the sturgeon season opens again on July 1st for the keep season, things should be good.
The fishing happening on the river is focused in areas just out of the current. Most fish will hang just off, able to grab a passing meal but not having to expend too much energy. Current can be good as it focuses fish in areas.
Jigging with a minnow is effective when you are on fish. Otherwise, pulling spinners and trolling crankbaits along shoreline breaks against the current in 6 – 12′ of water is producing a mixed bag of walleyes, saugers, pike, smallmouth bass and an occasional crappie.
Up at the NW Angle…Â Fishing for a variety of species has been excellent and is in full summer swing up at the Angle.
For those fishing out of the NW Angle, both the Minnesota and Ontario waters of Lake of the Woods are producing a number of nice walleyes. Many fish have slid off onto deeper structure. With that said, there are so many areas of forage on LOW, walleyes will be in numerous spots, some shallow and some deeper, taking advantage of opportunities. Lots of fish to be had, just go fishing.
Jigging structure has been effective. When fish are a bit spread out, pulling spinners with crawlers or trolling crankbaits is catching a lot of fish.
In this part of the lake, expect to catch walleyes, saugers, pike, jumbo perch, crappies, pike and smallmouth bass.
Muskie anglers are after it and reporting good numbers, and in true LOW style, some big fish over the 50 inch mark. Summer patterns are starting to take hold, but fish are holding in a variety of areas still.
Lodging, fishing packages, small boat guide trips, charter trips and summer trips are available at www.LakeoftheWoodsMN.com/Lodging.
On the south end…  The walleyes are biting! A great week of fishing with a combination of jigging and pulling spinners the go to methods.
Most walleye fishing is taking place between 21 – 24′ of water. When you locate fish on your electronics, either anchor up and jig or simply drift with spinners and crawlers (or troll if there is no wind) through the schools.
When jigging, gold combined with a bright color such as glow white, pink, orange or chartreuse is a hard combo to beat. Use a fathead minnow, rainbow or a frozen emerald shiner.
When hooking the minnow, it is helpful to hook the minnow through the mouth and out the gills, pushing the minnow all the way up the hook to the jig head. Re-hook the minnow as far back as possible. This will catch the short biting fish.
 Use a two ounce bottom bouncer with a two or three hook snelled spinner and a nightcrawler. Some good blade colors are gold or gold combined with gold, orange, glow red or pink.
As happens most years in June, another good walleye bite fired up in various areas of the south shore in 5 – 10 feet of water. Oftentimes, minnows spawning pulls in hungry walleyes creating some excellent fishing.
Some big walleyes over 30 inches being caught, along with the eaters, smalls and slot fish between 19.5 – 28 inches that must be released.
Anglers can keep a combined limit of 6 walleyes and saugers. Up to 4 can be walleyes. All walleyes 19.5 – 28.0 inches must be released. One fish over 28 inches may be kept.
On the Rainy River… The river is flowing with a strong current. Consequently, fish are being found in areas just out of the current.
Jigging with a minnow is effective when you are on fish. Otherwise, pulling spinners and trolling crankbaits along shoreline breaks against the current in 6 – 12′ of water is producing a mixed bag of walleyes, saugers, pike, smallmouth bass and an occasional crappie.
The Lake Sturgeon season opens July 1st.
Trophy Walleye Caught on Charter
The river is a great summer option with 42 miles of navigable river and many nice boat ramps.
Up at the NW Angle… The fish are snapping up at the Angle. Another great week of fishing amongst the 14,552 islands in these parts.
Minnesota waters are producing nice walleyes. Some fish being found off of deeper structure. Some nice opportunities are shallow based on forage, hatches, minnows spawning, etc.
Pulling spinners with shiners or crawlers has been effective. When you are on “a spot on a spot”, jigging is the best technique.
Trolling crankbaits is working well and is a nice way to cover water and put your lure in front of a lot of fish.
In addition to walleyes, saugers, pike, jumbo perch, crappies, pike and smallmouth bass are also in the mix.
Muskie anglers caught some nice fish this past week. No specific pattern as the cold spring has fish still settling into summer. The lake boasts a healthy population of fish, many in excess of 50 inches.
Lodging, fishing packages, small boat guide trips, charter trips and summer trips are available at www.LakeoftheWoodsMN.com/Lodging.
