Sensational Sturgeon on the Rainy River

sturgeon fishing lake of the woods, mn

The Sensation Sturgeon is Sensational Sturgeon a fish that is plentiful in the Rainy River, they eat a lot and are can be caught with consistency and the fish can grow in excess of 100 lbs which is fun! When the walleye bite isn’t at its prime, sturgeon fishing is a fun and exciting option.

In years past, the Laurel Indians on both the Canadian and US side of the border used to harvest these huge fish and use them for fuel for the winter. Lake of the Woods has pictures in it’s local Historical Society Museum of stacks and stacks of these Sensational Sturgeon up against a TeePee, ready to use.

This Sensational Sturgeon is a pre-historic fish that only has cartilage and not bones. Sturgeons are long-lived, late-maturing fishes with distinctive characteristics, such as a heterocercal caudal fin similar to those of sharks, and an elongated, spindle-like body that is smooth-skinned, scaleless, and armored with five lateral rows of bony plates called scutes. Several species can grow quite large, typically ranging 7–12 ft (2–3 1⁄2 m) in length.

They navigate their riverine habitats traveling just off the bottom with their barbels dragging along gravel, or murky substrate. Sturgeon are recognizable for their elongated bodies, flattened rostra, distinctive scutes and barbels, and elongated upper tail lobes. The skeletal support for the paired fins of ray-finned fish is inside the body wall, although the ray-like structures in the webbing of the fins can be seen externally.

aaron sturgeon
Sturgeon caught in the Rainy River at Clementson Rapids

Many sturgeons leap completely out of the water, usually making a loud splash which can be heard half a mile away on the surface and probably further under water. Why they do this is not known, but suggested functions include group communication to maintain group cohesion, catching airborne prey, courtship display, or to help shed eggs during spawning. Other plausible explanations include escape from predators, shedding parasites, or to gulp or expel air. Another explanation is that it “simply feels good”. There have been some incidents of leaping sturgeon even landing in boats,

Where do I start?  One option is to get a guide from a local resort.  This is an easy way to use heavy duty sturgeon gear you might not own, be introduced to the right set ups with sturgeon rigs and of course, have the opportunity to fish some of the best sturgeon hot spots on the river. sturgeon no roll sinker 5 oz

If you are going to use your own boat and tackle, some ideas.  Use strong rods, reels and line for these sensational sturgeon.  Muskie gear or your strongest freshwater gear is a good choice.  These fish fight hard and on walleye gear, the fight often times can last an hour.  Heavier gear will allow you to pull in the fish quicker, which puts less stress on the sturgeon and ultimately is better for releasing.

Basically, a no roll sinker combined with a sturgeon rig will get the job done on the tackle end.  A sturgeon rig is an 18″ snell with a 5/0 circle hook loaded with a combo of night crawlers and frozen emerald shiners. Some anglers also like to put rotten chicken or pork down as well. In short anything that emits a strong smell works great.   Fish this set up on the bottom much like you would fishing for carp or catfish. Be ready to have the fight of your life trying to land these fish. Some take up to 1 ½ hours to pull the fish in the boat depending on its size.

Where to fish for sturgeon.

Although sturgeon do roam the vast waters of Lake of the Woods and are often caught by unsuspecting walleye anglers, the best stretch of water to fish for sturgeon is at the mouth of the Rainy River called Four Mile Bay all the way up river to the falls near Birchdale. This is about a 40 mile stretch of ideal sturgeon habitat.
Anglers typically choose areas to anchor just upstream from a deep hole in the river. The idea is when the sturgeon decides to eat, it swims upstream from the deep hole to shallower water to feed. Sensational Sturgeon

Sturgeon Seasons.

There are two sturgeon seasons on Lake of the Woods and the Rainy River, a catch and release season and a harvest season in which you can keep one fish per calendar year.  The harvest season runs from April 24th – May 7th and July 1 – Sept. 30.  The catch and release season runs May 8th – May 15th and Oct. 1 – April 23rd.  This means from May 16 – June 30, no sturgeon fishing.  The rest of the year, you can fish for sturgeon.  See MN DNR Fishing Regulations for more info.

Sturgeon skins are used for many different purposes, one being, using it for the covering of canoes and small crafting items. Most anglers who catch sturgeon smoke the fish for eating and it provides a unique taste treat.

For more information contact: www.lakeofthewoodsmn.com/sturgeon-fishing

For lodging facilities contact: www.lakeofthewoodsmn.com/lodging

 

 

Master the Skill of Quickly and Effectively Releasing a Fish

Releasing walleye next to boat, Lake of the Woods MN
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.
Releasing a walleye, Lake of the Woods MN 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.
YouTube video
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.  Rainy River Sturgeon, Lake of the Woods, Jamie Dietman
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.
To find out more about fishing Lake of the Woods, check out www.LakeoftheWoodsMN.com
For a list of lodging options, check out www.LakeoftheWoodsMN.com/Lodging

Extraordinary Lodging Experiences at Lake of the Woods

Walleye Retreat

You will find extraordinary lodging experiences when you come to visit Lake of the Woods.  Most visitors come to Lake of the Woods for the incredible outdoor resort pic 1 activities.  Fishing is certainly at the top of the list but do not forget boating, relaxation, birding and wildlife viewing, golf, water sports, and more.  With such a variety of activities, we are fortunate to have a wide variety of resorts and hotels to meet resort pic 4 the varied needs of travelers.

From a small resort with cabins that a family or group can cook their own meals to more of a hotel setting to larger resorts with brand new cabins with all of the conveniences of home, Lake of the Woods has a little bit of everything. Extraordinary Lodging Experiences at Lake of the Woods

You are able to take a scenic drive through virgin forest areas, use ATV trails, see the state’s flower along roadsides, gaze at the rapids, watch the pelicans, look for deer and see how many eagles you can spot. Beautiful Lodging Experience to make you feel at home Nature always offers you great entertainment as well as exploring the great waters of Lake of the Woods.

The beach at Zippel Bay State Park offers a great place to collect shells and allow the kids to go swimming in safe and shallow depths of cool water. I am constantly amazed at the fine offerings of lodging options in this area.  You can rent smaller mom and pop cabins or stay in a resort with swimming pools and restaurants.

Hospitality is the very best feature of our resort community. As a local person, I must say that each resort owner is so open to have us visit their restaurant, or sit and have a beverage while watching the boats come in, or just enjoy a relaxing time sitting at their beach area. People that have visited our area are usually repeat visitors because they are greeted like family that comes time and again to continue forming relationships with proprietors and their staff.

The Lodging Page lodging page pic on the Lake of the Woods website is a good page to bookmark and keep handy the next time you are searching for a Lake of the Woods getaway! Go to www.lakeofthewoodsmn.com, click on lodging, and choose which area you would like to stay in. Our area is divided in three parts so that it’s easier for you to choose which part of the area you would like to stay. After you click on that area, you will find each resort listed with an introductory picture, the website for that resort and phone number.

Click on the resort of your choice and you will be able to see photos of rooms/cabins that are available, rates, location and a listing of all the amenities that that resort offers.  It’s a great way to shop!!!

If you are every having difficulties finding lodging or are booking last minute, try our Lodging Availability Request.  This is a quick way to send out an email to all of our resorts for your desired dates and get a quick reply on who has openings. Be sure to explore the compete website at www.lakeofthewoodsmn.com for interesting blog articles recipes, fishing reports and all the fabulous attributes of this northland location.