fishing reports 2020 Lake of the Woods Fishing Reports & Info

[srj]

Nice report Hoey. Had a fair day today. The water is staying crazy cold....48 on the Canada side and 45 up north but in U.S. waters. A decent bite up north but deep-28 - 31 feet. Nice fish including some jumbo saugers. A bit odd...the fish wanted a little movement. Sloe boat movement worked better than anchored. Even a obviously lost crappie! Forecast is not looking great for Memorial weekend, Hope the wind isn't a big factor.

Good luck

[Sunset Lodge]

Up here in the Northwest Angle lines are tight and fish are biting! Water temps are warmer in the shallows at 50-52 degrees to upper 40’s in the main lake.

Recent weather was not great but the fishing was. Some of the best action has been within a few miles of the lodge. Walleyes have been found anywhere from 3 to 30ft. 22-30ft with a jig and minnow is best during daylight hours. 

Multiple trophy walleye were caught this week including a couple 28’s and one 31 inch.  The bite off of the dock late evening is really heating up and will produce limits.

Come up soon to take advantage of great spring fishing! 

 

Sunset Lodge

[ifishwalleye]

I went out after the wind died down. Caught 23 with a mix of eyes and saugers.  12 to 15”   With no slots. Fished 12 to 27’. 

[DJ_Slick]

Saturday 5/25 we caught fish early while the wind was blowing and the drizzle was passing in about 21 FOW near Zippel.  One slot fish, a few nice keepers, a few more small keepers, lots of dinks and misses.  One was about as big as the shiner it was caught on.  Dozens around 10-11".  The future looks bright after these little guys grow up.  Once the wind died, the fishing slowed dramatically.  Moved around the south shore in the afternoon, but had little luck anywhere.  Spent late afternoon off Pine Island in 16', got enough sporadic catches to fill out for the day.  On a day that was supposed to be cloudy with steady winds, got sunburnt in the afternoon with hardly a breath of wind...

[Sunset Lodge]

Hello from Sunset Lodge!

Water temps in the Northwest Angle are varying between 55 degrees and 59 in shallower areas.

In Minnesota, the bite has been very good. Big fish have been caught trolling crank baits in less than 15 feet of water. Keeper size walleye are being found in 18-22 feet with orange and parakeet jigs and a minnow being the most preferred combo. We saw multiple fish over 28 inches this week!

The fish in Canada have been smacking pink and white, and parakeet jigs tipped with a shiner or minnow in 22-26 feet of water.  Aggressiveness has picked up with the rising temperatures. Anglers are reporting a good number of multi specie catches including crappie, perch, walleye, sauger, bass and pike.

Open water season is just getting started and will only improve! 

We hope to see you soon!
Sunset Lodge

[Hoey]

The best bite of the year has to be occurring now and I'm not able to be there.  In 10 days I will be fishing again, Father's Day WE, can't wait.  This will be followed by high school friends WE.  And I just might spend 10 days straight at the cabin, rather than traveling home and returning a couple days later....

 

It has been about 10 days since we last fished, Memorial WE.  I spent 5 days at the cabin and two traveling.  Wind and rain held us back some during this trip.  We did quite a bit of scouting and looking around for fish, generally away from other boats.  When we did find them, the bite was good, fish where healthy, and we'd be done within a couple hours or so.  No real secrets, plated gold, painted yellow, green, gumball jigs and fat heads, working them vertically.  Shallows and mid-depth areas and structure were holding some fish that were not taking the baits.  The winds were mostly from the east.  Most success was deeper edges off the reefs, later in the day.  

 

Got my list of supplies updated and putting together a list of to-do's for 4 days.  The spinner bait bite is just around the corner.  

[Hoey]

Updated NOAA/NWS - WInd and Wave Forecast - Website Link - https://www.weather.gov/fgf/lake_fcst_low

 

[Ten point]

We caught 19 slot fish today biggest 27 1/2 several in the 23 to 24 inch size. All we're caught on leeches and crawlers and hammered gold spinners.Plus we had a limit of nice fish for 2 guys.

 

[ifishwalleye]

How deep were you finding them?

[Ten point]

,We caught 19 slot fish today biggest 27 1/2 several in the 23 to 24 inch size. All we're caught on leeches and crawlers and hammered gold spinners.Plus we had a limit of nice fish for 2 guys.

From 18 to 26 feet

[Ten point]

Some of our slot fish came out of 28 & 29 feet

[curt quesnell]

Here is the latest from Lake of the Woods......Man it is good out there when the wind isnt blowing too hard.    Enjoy

 

https://youtu.be/woTEaW9OEO0

[Ten point]

Fished yesterday and today yesterday 12 slot fish with a 29-28-26 1/2 several around 23&24 a limit for of nice fish. Today 11 slot fish 28-27 1/2-27-26 all fish today we're released all reef's held some fish some we're better than others

[LakeofthewoodsMN]

On the south end...  Summer limits of walleyes and saugers with mixed in big fish.  Plenty of fish to eat and take home.  Most walleyes coming from 24-32'.  Various techniques working as water warms including anchored up and jigging, drifting with spinners and pulling crankbaits.  Resorts finding fish all over lake.  From Pine Island to Knight and Bridges Islands, north of Garden Island, Zippel Bay, and Long Point.  Some walleyes found shallow when wind is right or bait prevalent.  Gold, pink, glow and orange good starting points.    

On the Rainy River...  River offering mixed bag, nice options.  Walleyes and saugers being caught in go to areas such as holes, current breaks and sand riffs.  Trolling shad raps a good technique to find fish.  Smallmouth bass relating to rocks, bridges.  Pike in and adjacent to bays and current breaks with spinner baits a good choice, especially around weeds.  Sturgeon season opens July 1st for the catch season again.

Up at the NW Angle...  Walleye fishing strong on both sides of the border.  Anglers in MN finding walleyes in 18-26' with various shallow bites popping up.  Spinners with minnow or crawler heating up.  In Ontario, walleyes in 22 - 26' with most anglers jigging with minnows.  Parakeet, pink and white and orange strong colors.  Lot of fish.  Saugers, pike, perch and bass also in the mix.  Muskies open June 15th in both MN and LOW Ontario.  

[srj]

Looks like most guys have gone to Facebook....too bad, miss the "old" days.

Interesting how the bite changes in early summer. A week ago last Thursday, there were a good bunch of boats fishing the Knight shoal and a few on the humps. Also still quite a bunch around Bridges island but more were west of Bridges out in the mud. This last Tuesday/Wednesday there was nobody around Knight or Bridges but a mega pack west and north  of the Bridges humps out in the mud. I came up with 82 boats on Wednesday, but I could be off by 10 or 15 either way. It appeared all the charter boats were out there both days. Wednesday, it was flat calm on the north side of the lake and I think the bite was off as boats started leaving fairly often. And it was buggy. Fishing on the rocks was pretty good, good enough to not try the mud. Water temp was high fifties in the morning both days. Cold. Weird year, east winds, north winds, not very warm.

Gotta love this lake!

Pretty good fishing at various depths along  the south shore too. From the gap to long point. Shiner should be happening soon in the shallows.

Good luck

[Hoey]

I spent the past 11 days at my cabin, fished 8 of those days and got some projects completed.  Fished Father's Day weekend with my FIL, 2-BILs, and my son, then High School friends this past weekend.  Both groups went home with limits with plenty of fish to eat during our stay. 

 

Yes the bite was tough.  We moved around a lot and did what the weather allowed.  No real patterns, depths, colors, baits, or presentations.  Just put in time looking for them.  I'd say the bite was OK/good, a 5 out of a possible 10.  Some days slot fish were the rule.  My biggest was 29.5.  Some of the fish are already very fat, while others seemed to be on the slimmer side yet.  

 

One day both the Coast Guard and the CO where working an area we were fishing.  Seemed like the CO found issues with 2 out of every 3 boats checked.  The CG seemed to find issues with 1 out of every 4 or so - ended their day escorting a charter boat back to the Rainy direction.  Sounded like they were working the NW Angle this past week.  We were ready, but did not get checked.  

 

I will be up with my wife the week of the 4th, arriving Monday or Tuesday and heading back on Saturday to avoid the traffic.  

[srj]

Nice report as usual, Hoey.

We are fishing Wed and Thurs. Sounds like it will be ugly hot coming up. Hopefully, the fish will finally get into their summer patterns.

[going4it]

Any tips on smallies up there? First time coming up. 

[Hoey]

14 hours ago, going4it said:

Any tips on smallies up there? First time coming up.

I do not target smallies, but I do run across them when fishing shallow, rocky areas, typically along the shore and back in the small bays.  The ones we have caught were nice and strong, running from 19 to 21 inches.  Good Luck.

[ifishwalleye]

I’m heading up this weekend and looking for a fresh report 

 

Thanks!

[srj]

Hot bite in the mud at 32" on the east side Wednesday. Also a few on the rocks but not the number of fish on the rocks that I would expect this time of year. Mayfly larva seems to be the food of choice based on the amount of ugly brown stuff on the carpet. It was the first time this year I have seen the basin fish up off the bottom a ways and they were really banging the jigs. I thought leadcore would work really well on those fish but they thought otherwise.

Thursday we found a few fish on the rocks up north but again not big numbers. Hardly anyone fishing Knight/Bridges humps but a fair sized pack west a ways in the mud. Also hardly saw any fish off the bottom in the mud but they were still willing biters. A bit of a strange year. Still think the hot spell now here and the mayfly hatch will change things a bunch.

Good luck.

[LakeofthewoodsMN]

On the south end...  Walleye fishing is excellent.  Healthy mix of eaters (under 19.5"), slots (19.5 - 28") and overs (28"+).  Jigging with frozen shiners or leeches super effective.  Drifting spinners with crawlers also producing nice walleyes.  Main depths are still 29-32'.  Gold mixed with orange, pink or chartreuse strong color choices.  Some walleyes coming on crankbaits.

 

On the Rainy River...  Sturgeon keep season July 1st - Sep 30.  1 per calendar year 45-50" or over 75".  Positive reports from sturgeon anglers.  Walleyes relating to holes in river, current seams.  Smallies in rocky areas, weed beds and bridges.  Pike on edge of weed beds.  42 miles of navigable river.

 

Up at the NW Angle...  Walleye fishing remains excellent.  Mayfly hatch nearing end.  Drifting spinners west of Little Oak producing combo of eaters and slots.  Jigging and pulling spinners on and around reefs in 13-20' and around islands producing walleyes in Ontario.  Smallmouth bass being taken on cranks and spinnerbaits over rocks.  Big muskies caught and released this week.

[Hoey]

Just getting back from our Independence Day week at the cabin.  We traveled on Tuesday and found the traffic to be manageable.  Passing Millie Lacs, it was odd that the lake was blanketed by a cloud that looked smokey, more brown than white, but the air did not smell smoky. 

 

Worked on cabin projects everyday and got out fishing just about everyday, even if it was only for 3 or 4 hours.  Weather was awesome.  On Friday morning we woke up to a smoke cloud.  It smelled smokey.  At first thought there was a nearby fire only to hear that wild fires north of Kenora, up by Red Lake, Ontario were the source.  So interesting sun-sets.  This one from Saturday.

This one from Sunday after the smoke started clearing out.

 

For fishing, we found fish in a variety of locations including the south and north shores, active fish seemed to be along long sandy bottom breaks, 14 to 19 feet.  Found some nice ones on top of reefs jigging as well as along sloping sides of the reefs with crawlers and spinners.  Some folks we talked to had a tough bite, while others we doing quite well, such as Fiskyknut.  

 

We traveled back on Monday to avoid the traffic and that was a good choice.  Next trip in a couple of weeks.  

 

[slammer]

We fished over the 4th also. Thurs/Fri/Sat.  Tried down rigging Thurs but couldn’t get anything going.  Pulled spinners/crawlers around long point and did pretty good. Found fish in 18-20 ft and also out in 30.  No big ones but steady action.  Friday went north to garden.  Fished the southern tip of  starren shoal with jigs/shiner.  Morning bite was fantastic for about 2 1/2 hours in 32 ft. 7 slots in that time and good keepers in the 15-17 range.  Action stopped about 11 so we went back to spinners and trolled the East side of starren almost to shore till we got to about 12 ft.  Caught fish in all depths from 30 up to 12.  Bigger fish were deeper.  Sat was a repeat of Fri except not as many slots.  The smoke was weird because you couldn’t see anything.  You had to be within a mile or so to see land or boats.

[Hoey]

A quick update seems to be in order.  Over the past month I have fished 6 days or so on 3 trips.  Finding fish that are biting has been the key, remember the fish have tails, and they use them and they do not eat everyday.  Some days near reefs, others out in the middle mud, and others along shore breaks.  Some days there are high percentage of slots and others with barely any.  Along the shore breaks there is a nice mix of perch to be caught as well and they are still kicking out crayfish that are molting. 

 

I am not a down-rigger/long-liner unless i have to.  At this time of year we mostly troll at .8 to 1.0 mph, dependent upon the current, with spinners, 1.5 to 2 ounce bottom-bouncers, and full crawlers. 

 

We have had some success raising our lines for the high-flyers, those fish hovering off the bottom.  I had one nice mark, a high flyer up 7 feet, i raised my line up, felt the bite, began raising my rod tip more and cranking, but the fish was so strong, i was fully extended had little to no leverage and , it slammed my rod against the side of the boat and shook off.  It was easily a 30-plus incher. 

 

The next trip looks to be Labor Day weekend and the World Ploughing Contest near Baudette.  Here is a couple photos of our catches.

 

 

 

 

 

[srj]

Still a good bite on the rocks, just fewer humps having fish. Takes some searching to find a group. However, the fish still on the rocks are biters...and some big ones. I've been spending part of each day pulling cranks with lead core or flat lining and that is putting lots of fish in the boat also. I'm not seeing the huge schools in the mud anymore, just pods here and there but very fishable. Also catching some jigging. The water is amazingly cool still...below 70 every morning off the south shore. It has been a while since so many fish have been hanging within a few miles of the south shore. Boats are scattered over a huge area from around 28 feet and out. Sure nice not having to make long runs all the time. Fall fishing could be terrific this year with all the fish still on the south side. Forgot to mention the lack of algae blooms. Can't remember a year without major blooms by mid August.

Good luck

[DJ_Slick]

Labor Day weekend was sloooooow.  Drifting or trolling spinners, anchored and jigging, down riggers, it didn't seem to matter.  Lockjaw was in full effect, and heard many similar reports from all over the lake.  We tried everything from 5-34 feet, over sand, mud, and rocks.  Drifting spinners in the deep mud was most productive for us, but that isn't saying much.  Wife and I ended up with 5 eaters, one 29", and a half dozen dinks over two full days all over the lake.  It seems they must have loosened up though, as I heard of two 29's and more eaters caught on Monday after we left for home.

Marked tons of baitfish outside the gap in 27' (one cloud was so dense it tricked the depth finder to 14') but nothing underneath them would bite.  Most of the boats outside the gap were hanging around 30', but we never saw much action (and we had none).  Launches were scattered here, there, and everywhere.

Water temp was 65-ish both days.  Water coming through the gap was dirty, but you could get out of it into clean water without having to go too far.  Early goose season is open, and there were hunters on the lake side of Pine Island.

[Hoey]

DJ - We were seeing and hearing the same, but not experiencing the same.  We fished the shoreline breaks, worked to find those active and ended up with impressive catches.  Ended up with a meal and a traveling limit of 16 to 19 inchers with a few perch and sauger as well.  Yes - not a hot and heavy bite, but more slow and steady, not many doubles, but one every 15 to 20 minutes or so.  We fished for 4 hours on Friday along with a trip to the ploughing contest.  19 foot was the best.  Saturday we ended up targeting 21 to 24 foot and on Sunday, 17 foot.  The fish were fat and strong, and were full of perch minnows and larvae, not crayfish as they were a month ago.  Next trip in a couple of weeks.  

[Hoey]

Was out fishing this past weekend, Saturday and Sunday.  The fall bite is on.  Fish are stacking around the reefs and along shore line breaks.  Jigging with frozen shinners or fatheads is the method of choice. 

 

Saturday the weather was beautiful in the morning, we put in around 1030am and the clouds rolled in with some light rain.  We fished a lot of areas along the south shore, marked many fish, but they were not feeding.  Headed in around 230pm as we need to prep for the barn dance.  As soon we got back to the cabin, the skies cleared and it was a very nice evening.  

 

Sunday we got out late again and finally found fish in the last two hours in 8 to 12 feet along some shore structure, filled our limit of nice 16 to 19 inchers, and headed in around 4pm.  The weather was fabulous.  

 

Our next outing is in a couple of weeks to fill the winter water tank and other winter prep, and of course - hope we get some nicer weather as well for fishing.  

[srj]

Quiet place, this is...…...there are a lot of fish not far off the south shore. Sure hope that leads to a great fall bite and winter season. 26 - 28' was my best depth Sun/Mon with a jig and shiner. Nice fish too. At least when I was on the lake this summer, I never saw a water temp over 69 degrees. A first for me. No algae blooms either, although on Sunday when the wind stopped, there was a bit of algae coming to the surface but not a "bloom".

All in all, a much better summer on the south side.

Good luck