On the South Shore…  It’s mid-July, and the summer walleye patterns on Lake of the Woods are in full effect — and the fishing has been excellent!

As expected this time of year, most anglers are now pulling spinners with crawlers or trolling crankbaits, two proven techniques that are putting good numbers of walleyes and saugers in the boat. Reports are strong, with lots of anglers catching limits of eaters and also encountering plenty of “slot fish.” Slot fish are walleyes between 19.5 and 28.0 inches that must be released to protect the fishery — and many of these are big, healthy, and exciting to catch. Snap a quick photo and release them so they can help produce more walleyes in the future.

Fish are being caught in a range of depths, but 25 to 35 feet over the deep mud basin of Big Traverse Bay has been especially productive.

Best Spinner Colors:  Gold, gold/orange, gold/pink, and gold/glow red have been consistent producers. Troll spinners around 1.0 – 1.25 mph for best results.

Best Crankbait Colors:  In LOW’s stained water, classic colors are hard to beat — gold, firetiger, pink UV firetiger, chartreuse, and chrome/blue are all catching fish.

While jigging typically slows down by now, some anglers are still jigging with frozen emerald shiners and having success. This season has been unique in that all three techniques—jigging, spinner rigs, and cranks—are still getting the job done!

On the Rainy River…  The Rainy River remains a great option, and also a nice backup on windy days or for those who prefer a quiet stretch of water to kick back and relax.

A mixed bag of fish is common here. The sturgeon “keep” season is currently open and runs through September. Anglers can keep one sturgeon between 45–50 inches or one over 75 inches per calendar year (with a tag). Many are soaking crawlers and/or frozen emerald shiners on the bottom to target these giants.

While targeting sturgeon, it’s not unusual to catch walleyes, saugers, suckers, or even a surprise smallmouth or pike. Deeper holes and current breaks are key locations to find fish on the river.

Up at the Northwest Angle…  Fishing continues to be very strong at the Northwest Angle, Minnesota’s northernmost point and one of the most scenic parts of the lake.

Walleyes are being found in a variety of spots, from structure to open mud flats. Some anglers are still jigging with minnows or plastics near points, sunken islands, and neck-down areas where water moves. Others are trolling or drifting with bottom bouncers and crawler harnesses to cover ground, especially on the edges of flats or where mud transitions to rock.

As a bonus, many anglers are enjoying catching a variety of species in this part of the lake, including smallmouth bass, jumbo perch, northern pike, and crappies.

The muskie bite is also heating up with warmer water temps. Anglers are reporting good action, especially on figure-8s at the boat. Gold and bronze blades on bucktails have been effective. Please handle these fish with care and release them quickly.

Why Fish Lake of the Woods in July and August?  While other lakes slow down in the dog days of summer due to thickening weeds, a ton of bait and lots of boats, Lake of the Woods keeps producing. With stained water and a daytime bite, millions of walleyes and saugers, cool depths, and miles of fish-holding water, this fishery stays hot all summer long.

Visit LakeoftheWoodsMN.com for everything you need to plan your next fishing adventure, including resorts, charter guides, boat rentals, and fishing reports.

The bite is on — come make some memories!