Spend a Winter Working Where Others Vacation: Employment at Lake of the Woods Resorts
Now hiring for the 2025–26 ice season!

When most people think of winter, they picture shoveling sidewalks and scraping windshields. Up at Lake of the Woods, winter looks very different. Picture a sunrise over a frozen island chain, heated fish  houses lined up on a vast white lake, snow machines buzzing, and smiling guests reeling in walleyes through the ice. Every winter, tens of thousands of visitors travel from across the country—and even overseas—to experience world-class ice fishing and true North Country hospitality. Behind that great experience are hard-working people. This year, that could be you.

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Why Look for Employment in a Winter Up North?

Lake of the Woods isn’t just another seasonal job stop. It’s a tight-knit hospitality and outdoor community spread across the Rainy River, the South Shore of Lake of the Woods, and the remote, beautiful Northwest Angle (the northernmost point in the lower 48). Guests remember the fish, but they come back for the people—the guides, cooks, cleaners, front desk hosts, and drivers who make their trips easy, fun, and comfortable.

If you enjoy the outdoors, like helping people, or want to try something new for a season, this is a chance to build memories, skills, and friendships that last long after the ice melts.

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Seasonal & Full-Time Employment Roles Available

Resorts, hotels, outfitters, and restaurants across the region are now hiring for winter. Openings exist for both indoor and outdoor work, entry-level through leadership. Common roles include:

On-Ice & Outdoor Crew

• Ice Guides / Fishing Guides
• Bombardier & Track Vehicle Drivers
• Plowed Road Crew / Ice Road Maintenance
• Mechanics & Small Engine Techs
• General Maintenance / Utility Crew

Guest Experience & Hospitality

• Housekeeping & Cabin Turnover Teams
• Front Desk / Check-In Hosts
• Office & Reservations Staff
• Group Travel Coordinators
• Managers & Assistant Managers

Food & Beverage Employment

• Cooks (line, prep, breakfast, fry)
• Servers
• Bartenders
• Dish / Kitchen Support

Tourism & Events Support

• Marketing Assistants
• Sales Coordinators
• Trade Show Representatives
• Social Media / Content Helpers (great for students!)

If you have people skills, can show up on time, and want to learn, there’s almost certainly a place of employment for you.

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What Guests See…Because of You

Visitors often arrive tired from a long drive. Then the magic happens:

• A friendly greeting at the front desk.
• Warm, clean cabins or hotel rooms ready to go.
• A hot meal, maybe shore lunch or that famous fresh walleye fish fry.
• A heated ride out to the fish house—bombardier, track van, or plowed ice road.
• Prepped fish houses: holes drilled and cleaned, propane full, snow banked, thermostat set at 70°, lines ready.
• Helpful advice: “Drop your line to bottom, reel up a crank, and jig slow.”

All of that takes teamwork. Mechanics keep the rigs running. Maintenance gets the houses ready. Housekeeping keeps cabins spotless. Cooks and bartenders fuel the fun. Guides get guests on fish. When everything clicks, the guest has the trip of a lifetime—and you helped make it happen.

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Housing? In Many Cases—Yes

Some resorts have employee housing on site or nearby. Others can connect you with short-term rentals, shared staff cabins, or local leads. If housing is important, ask early when you inquire. Many seasonal workers return each year and room with friends they met the season before!

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Who Thrives Up Here?

People who love:

• Meeting new folks every day.
• Working hard, then fishing hard.
• Snow, ice, and big skies.
• Storytelling at the bar after shift.
• Learning new outdoor skills (you’ll pick up a lot).

Retirees, college students on break, tradespeople between projects, teachers on seasonal schedules, and career hospitality pros have all found their way north—and many keep coming back.

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What to Ask When Looking for Employment

When contacting a resort, hotel, or restaurant, ask:

1. Which positions are open? Indoor vs. outdoor? Full vs. part-time?
2. Season dates? (Most heavy ice season runs Dec–March, though some start earlier.)
3. Housing options?
4. Typical weekly hours?
5. Employee fishing perks or discounts? (Many places offer staff days on the ice!)

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Ready to Explore Employment Opportunities?

You can apply directly with your favorite property (each resort hires its own team), or start by reaching out for help matching your skills to openings across the region.

Contact:
Joe Henry, Executive Director
Lake of the Woods Tourism
joe.henry@LakeoftheWoodsMN.com

Don’t wait—winter hiring ramps up quickly, and the best roles fill early.

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Come for a Season. Stay for the Stories.

Whether you guide on the ice, flip walleye fillets in the kitchen, or welcome guests after a long snow road ride, you’ll be part of something special. Winter on Lake of the Woods isn’t just a job—it’s an adventure. Come help us give visitors the trip they’ll talk about for years.

Join the team. Make memories. Experience the North.

For More Information see our website at: www.lakeofthewoodsmn.com

Click on the Lodging tab to view over 50+ resorts in 3 strategic areas of the lake.

See also our facebook page at: www.facebook.com/lakeofthewoodmn