April is a Confusing Time for Anglers
Some might say anglers are a confused bunch. They might really say that this week up at Lake of the Woods. April is a confusing time for anglers.
Up on the lake, ice fishing continues to take place for those who aren’t too confused by ice fishing in April. With lit
erally 4′ of ice on the lake and in some spots more, ice fishing is in full swing for those who want to be out. The question for ice anglers who want to get that last shot of walleyes through the ice, should I come up as the walleye season run through Saturday, April 14th? Perhaps the plan could be to fish to dark on Saturday and wake up to a nice breakfast and have a relaxing drive home.
The other option is to maximize your time up on LOW ice and fish pike Sunday. Pike continue to ramp up. With longer days, some water moving through the system, anglers are finding some big pike on live suckers, ciscoes or hot dogs, the cheaper the better!
For anglers fishing the big walleyes on the Rainy River, same scenario. What to do Sunday? The solution, target sturgeon. The sturgeon catch and release season is in full swing. Many big sturgeon have already been boated this spring and sturgeon activity is increasing. Throw your bigger tackle in the truck and anchor up in one of the many holes on the Rainy River and relax on a brisk spring day.
The weather looks dry, a little nippy, but dry. Nobody said this time of the year is for the faint of heart. Anglers fishing this time of year are hearty men and women who have a passion for the outdoors. Like one angler who happened to be out last week in single digit temps said on Facebook, “The last two days were one of the craziest trips fishing with the temps and ice on the river. I would do it all over again as I caught a personal best.” That is the reward, a chance at a fish of a lifetime. Something out of the ordinary. Traditions of spring fishing on the Rainy River.
We do not offer any type of therapy for this confusing time around Lake of the Woods. What we do hope for you is that by getting out fishing, either on the ice or open water, it will provide you some, as we call it in these parts, “cheap psychology”. Be safe and have fun!
