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2020 Lake of the Woods Fishing Reports & Info


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My boys and I were up to Arnesens  Saturday thru Monday, we fishsed bottom bouncers and spinners on Saturday our first three fish were a 23" 24" and a 21" and very fat. we caught a lot on North Arnesen and then moved to 16 mile. Sunday we downrigged in 32' and caught a lot of fish Mike caught a 38" northern and I caught a 35" one.perch colered shad rap was good. Good Luck to everyone and be careful

 

 

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  • 3 weeks later...

Just back from a couple days on the lake. Pleasant, light winds made running nice. THe south shore is like a ghost town. Yesterday, I ran from the washout to Sandy shores without seeing a boat. Didn't find anything so ran north as I had done the day before. Still some fish on the humps but not all of them and not all the fish you find are biters, but most are overs. Big bellies on the big girls now. Hardly any boats. Most of the charters are still running north of Garden. The fuel bill for the resort this year must be the highest ever. A few boats scattered downrigging in the basin. Water temp was 65 yesterday morning and got real green when the wind quit. Oh yeah...........a crappie each day too.

Sure miss the "old days" when there were frequent posters. Where did everybody go?

 

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We fished Thursday afternoon, Fri, and Sat.  Fishing overall was good, a 5 on a 1 to 10 range.  We had fish dinner twice and came back with our full walleye/sauger limit.  Thurs fished the reefs facing the basin, hoping to find some moving in.  Fri, the storms delayed us a bit, we got poured on twice on the lake, fished Swift back towards Lambertsons.  Sat the fog slowed us down.  The fog was unbelievably thick.  Started off on Archie's for a couple hours, up to the southshore of the angle, then out to the basin for some long-lining.  

We marked a lot of fish.  Never found the honey hole.  Heading back up in a day or two for a long Labor Day WE.   

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Nice report, keep catch t hem and are trying different methods.enjoy your posts Will see you up there

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  • 2 weeks later...

Fished LaborDay weekend.  The weather cooperated, and so did the fish.  We downrigged in 32-34 FOW in the vicinity of other boats (approx. 6 mi out), and did well each day.  Our biggest was a 25incher, but we did lose a couple others that were hanging deep.  We heard a youngster caught a 42" Northern at Cyrus, but not sure if it was from the bay or on the main lake.

Overall another great trip on LOW!

Bob

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Over Labor Day WE we found fish in and around some reefs, but not others.  This past weekend, the fish where not found in the same spots.  On Friday, they were found in 10 to 12 ft along shore and in 14 to 15 ft along another shore on Saturday.  It seems we spend 6 hours looking for them and the last two hours catching once we find them.  Maybe my luck with change this weekend and we can hit them on the head with our bait early and be in by lunch time.  

The perch mixed in are showing they are feeding on crayfish.  The walleye and sauger we are catching seem to be feeding on larvae.  Some fisherman are saying their fish are feeding on minnows and shiners.  

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  • 3 weeks later...

Fished in 30 ft. in front north of Pine Island on Saturday 10/3. Water temp. was in the neighborhood of 54 degrees. I marked a lot of fish and caught a lot of walleyes and saugers (a couple of the nicest saugers I've ever caught on the lake).  I was trolling an orange/gold #6 Salmo Hornet at about around 2 mph using a snapweight to get it down to 30 ft..  I troll cranks on the lake a lot and this is the first time I've never even had to switch cranks because I had constant action all day on one particular crank bait.  I'm usually constantly switching cranks to different colors, actions and profiles all day to improve the bite but yesterday there was no need.  It was probably the best trolling bite I've had on the lake all year.

Edited by kfk
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Awesome report kfk!  We fished both Friday evening and Saturday morning until 2:30.  Friday evening we caught enough fish on the lake to have a great meal at the resort Friday night.  Saturday morning brought pretty chilly temps so we waited just a bit to get out.  When we finally did hit the lake, with a fairly stiff east/southeast wind, the lake was pretty rough (even on the east side), and the wind was pretty raw.  We really struggled to get into active fish in less then 21 feet of water.  Just like kfk, we marked a lot of fish, but few were interested in feeding.

I wanted to get out to deeper water in the worst way, but really questioned how we'd do in a 17 foot boat a couple miles off shore, so we opted to stay in a bit closer, and as it turns out that was a mistake.  We caught very few fish outside the Lighthouse Gap in shallower water.  We moved into the river and caught a few more, but nothing to sing praises about.  When we were pulling out we talked to several groups who did really well in 30+ feet.  We should've tried it, but I know it would've been tough in a smaller boat.

There are some shiners moving into the river, and I suspect there are walleyes moving in with them, but I don't think it's really gang-busters yet.  It's starting.  With the wind blowing steadily out of the east/southeast for most of last week I think when the wind finally swings back around to the north/northwest, west, or even southwest, I believe the fish are going to respond accordingly.

We tried vertical jigging in the lake, in the river, and also dragged spinners in the lake with both crawlers and minnows.  All techniques produced a few fish, but it was slow for us.  I'll be back up on Friday and Saturday this coming week and will report back again on how we do.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Was up just out of long point in 23/25 feet of water vertical jigging, wind was strong out of the west northwest but we were able to get 12 keeper walleyes 2 sauger. Fish seemed to be right on bottom. 

 

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I was up on Thursday to Saturday. Had to fish the river on Thursday due to the wind and only saw a few small fish caught. Wasn't very nice on the river either so we left early. They also pulled the docks out. Friday and Saturday fished out of long point. Moved around several times before we found some fish. Caught 2 limits on Friday and replaced the ones we ate on Saturday. Fished 28-30 FOW

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  • 1 month later...
  • 5 weeks later...

First time in my life I fished 7 consecutive days, 12/25 to 01/03.  Caught plenty of keepers and small ones, but did not keep many keepers.  Fished shallow rocks to deep mud.  Spent time on Cooker's, 12-mile, and area off Twin Islands.  Fished with 4 high school buds the last 3 days.  We did enjoy two full meals of fish and headed home with a full walleye limit, a few short of our sauger limit, along with a nice bunch of perch.  It was interesting that the ice thickness, snow depth, and temps were just about perfect.  

On Monday we found that the fish preferred a full minnow, hooked in the back on our jigging spoons.  That was odd.  

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Fished off of Morris point 1-1,2,3.  Morning bite was best till about 10 am.  16-20 ft.  Caught fish on the deadstick and jigging.  Shiner head on jig and live one on the stick.  Gold/pink Gem-n-eye worked best.  Got 3 slots (22-26-27) a few keepers eyes but mostly sauger.  There must be a bazillion little 8-10'' fish in the lake.  9 inches ice wherever we went.

Edited by slammer
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great reports glad to hear ice is getting thicker.I have not been up yet but will go out of Zippel bay Hoey glad you got out and caught  some fish will see you up there sometime.

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The forecast looks down-right cold for the later part of the weekend and into early next week.  I am glad I have a company, year-end party to attend this weekend.  I am planning to be up the following weekend though.  

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Was out for a few days this past weekend on the East side close to the border. 4 of us caught around 100 fish, mostly 9-13" sauger, few jumbos, 3 eel pouts, and only 3 walleye. Biggest we caught was 16.5"

Had enough for a meal and plenty of sauger to bring home. Ice was 10" thick where we were in 29 feet of water. 

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  • 3 weeks later...

Guys,

 

I am heading up Friday morning for a weekend of fishing. Its been like three years since my last trip. What Tackle should a guy bring? Pink Charmers, Hot tamale, Buck shots. Colors and styles of jigs and spoons would be helpful!

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Start with your normal lures that you mentioned and adjust from there. LOTW colors are usually pretty consistent year to year. I will note that I have been have some good luck with orange this winter.

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I had pretty good look on an 1/8 oz. red glow buckshot and a red glow rattln flyer. May have to downsize your presentation at times.

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Thanks Guys. Has anyone been getting any Tullibee out of Arnesens this season? would like to get a few for the smoker.

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We rented a day house out of Ken Mar Ke to fish Friday and Saturday of this week.  They provide the bait, which I'm assuming is fatheads.  Is it worth it to pick up some shiners as well?

 

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I would most definitely want to upgrade minnow's.  At the very least I would want a bag of frozen shiners for tipping jigs and spoons. I normally just use the head.

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Can't speak for the Tullies out of Arneson's, but we were in 32 FOW off Pine, and they just about drove us nuts. They would come through all over the water column, and when you get one they are really nice, 18/20". I suspect if you targeted them, with the right tackle and bait, you could get a mess in a hurry.

Good luck !

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On ‎1‎/‎27‎/‎2016 at 8:35 AM, busse3775 said:

I had pretty good look on an 1/8 oz. red glow buckshot and a red glow rattln flyer. May have to downsize your presentation at times.

I still have those lures in packages from last year's trip. I've always gotten my biggest 'eyes on a white glow bubblegum jig, or red hook with a bead. Finding out simpler is better some trips. Going up the 11th, I'll report when I get back. Good luck!

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  • 2 weeks later...

Ice fishing was up and down this past week with the ever changing weather. Most houses were able to catch enough fish for a fish fry. The key is to really work those fish.  Electronics help.  Fishing each fish hard will put more in the bucket.  A tough day for card players using two dead sticks not paying attention.  Some ice roads are letting half-ton pick-ups pulling 20’ houses on the lake. 3/4 ton pick-ups are being let out with portables. Contact your resort for more specific information. Ice averages 15-19”. Fishing in 26-35’. Some houses in 10-19’ producing a few walleyes in the morning. Lots of saugers with a few slot walleyes mixed in. Glow orange and pink continues to be best. Jigging line should have a jig that makes a noise or rattles tipped with a full minnow or just the head.  Plain hook or small jig on dead stick with a live minnow.

The Rainy River is iced over and being fished in spots but mainly by locals who know the ice. Evening bite in 16’ will producing a few fish. Sturgeon and eelpout mixed in with walleye. For safety, work through resorts.  Safety first.  Most anglers fishing the lake.

Up at the NW Angle, fishing is steady. Ice is 20-22” where resorts fish on the Minnesota side with about 8" of snow and 16” on the Ontario side. Guides are finding different species all over. Finding walleyes on or near reefs around 26’ and saugers in the mud around 32’. Jumbo perch, monster pike, and a few eelpout in the mix. Large crappies are being caught around the 33’ mark with guides on the Ontario side. 

mess-o-walleye.jpg

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