One of the best times to visit Lake of the Woods is in September and October as the area makes the transformation from summer to fall. Not only is it beautiful to witness firsthand, it’s a tremendous time to walleye fish. I feel very blessed to be a part of the experience up here in “God’s Counry” as the miraculous transformation takes place.
Lake of the Woods in the fall is a jigging angler’s paradise with tons of chunky walleye eagerly biting. This past week I was out with a few of our guests, and let me tell you, the bite is on! We will be jigging on Lake of the Woods and the Rainy River until we get ice in either late November or early December this year. So buckle up, and get ready.
The shiner run on the Rainy River is a well-known phenomenon that triggers this fantastic bite. The walleye follow the shiners, otherwise known as their breakfast/lunch/dinner, up into the river. Because there are so many shiners in the lake, the entire process takes time and savvy anglers can work both the river and the lake to maximize their catch. Right now, the walleye are staging in what we call the “mud bowl” in 28 to 32 feet of water near the vicinity of Lighthouse Gap and Zipple Bay. All it takes to boat a bunch of walleye is an anchor, jigs and frozen shiners.
There are just as many ways to jig as there are walleye but there are a few tips and tricks I’ve picked up over the years that you’ll want to keep in mind. The best bait this time of year, hands down, is a frozen shiner. I like to tip the on a 3/8 ounce jig in a wide variety of colors. What color you might ask? Anything works as long as it has a hint of gold on it. About 90 percent of my fall walleye fishing success comes off of gold-tipped jigs with the pink and gold combination being my favorite. The best place to work that jig and shiner tends to be about three to six inches off he bottom. You can do whatever you want, but that’s where we always find the walleye and, as my father always said, “It is what it is.”
Once I’m on my location, anchored up, with my jig and shiner down, I like to bounce it off the bottom a few times just to ring that dinner bell. I’ll hold my jig off the bottom a few inches for about 30 seconds, all the while jigging it. Then, I’ll spend around 30 seconds holding the position o the jig between three-inches to two-fet off the bottom.
On windy days, which are common in the fall, jigging can be a challenge. The walleye are still out there no matter how much the “walleye chop” is bouncing you around and jigging is still the best way to go. When you are jigging, you don’t want to move very far so make sure you have a good spike anchor with at least 100 feet of rope to guarantee that you’ll hold your position. In the past, I’d jig in all conditions except when it’s flat calm and the crankbait fires up. This year, the jig bite seems to be the best no matter what the conditions dish out.
Fishing on Lake of the Woods this season has been a walleye fisherman’s dream come true. Many anglers have made Lake of the Woods their permanent vacation spot for all seasons. This has helped many resorts, and the community in a whole. For that, we thank everyone who has visited us this summer. Come find out why so many have made Lake of the Woods their “permanent summer vacation spot.” Experience paradise without a passport on beautiful Lake of the Woods, the Walleye Capitol of the World.
In conclusion, I want to state this fact, like anything in life that’s great, it takes practice to make it perfect. So you’re going to have to get out there and do your homework. I’ve asked a million questions, but nothing has taught me more than just going out there and pushing the envelope for myself. Happy fishing and God Bless! Wigwam Resort