Lake Of The Woods MN Fishing & Ice Report | 12.31.2018

[LakeofthewoodsMN]

On the main basin

Good numbers of walleyes and saugers being caught of all sizes.  Jig one line, deadstick second.  Most anglers focused in 25-31' of water.  During the morning and evenings, shallow water bite in 13-18'.  Electronics very helpful with some larger fish suspended.  Every resort ice road is different but pickups and wheelhouses of varying sizes allowed on various ice roads.  Gold, glow red, yellow and orange hot colors.  Ice ranges from 12-20" where resorts are fishing.  Snowmobile trails on lake staked from south shore up to NW angle.  Please stay on marked trails, don't go off on your own and exercise safety precautions as ice conditions vary.

On the Rainy River

Stretches of the river and bay ice unsafe with heavier than normal current.  Some walleye action in Four Mile Bay early and late in the day.  Most river fishing currently being done by locals who know ice.

The NW Angle

Ice road is open from Young's Bay to Flag Island, no further as of yet.  Snowmobile trails from south shore across the lake to Angle are marked and are open.  Stay on the trail for safety!  Excellent fishing with good numbers of walleyes being caught.  Most fish coming from 18-24'.  Crappies being caught on Ontario side.  Work through resorts and stay on staked resort ice trails.

 

[Parmer]

Fished out of zippel last 2 days. Fishing was slow. 31 fish yesterday. 5 keeper's. Lots of small sauger. 29 ft of water.  Fishing was slower today. 2 keeper's. Lots of of small sauger. Biggest walleye was 21 inches. I talked to people at the Igloo who didn't catch anything all day. I also heard the fishing was good until last Thursday than it slowed. Lots of houses out of zippel. Good luck. 

[kfk]

My wife and I fished off of Long Point Resort's road yesterday(Jan.1) in around 28 ft. and took home a combination walleyes and saugers (12 fish total), but nothing of size to speak of and mostly saugers.  We caught lots of small fish with many, very small saugers and some very small walleyes that were in the 2018 year class. The sauger spawn this spring must have been quite successful.

We only fished for 4 1/2 hours but marked very many fish (very few suspended) and had constant action.  White and gold #4 Rippin Raps and a #5 orange and gold Jigging Rap worked the best for us.  We caught some on dead rods, but the vast majority were caught on rods that were jigged.  

I measured the ice where we were set up and it measured somewhere around 24".

Edited January 2, 2019 by kfk