Bright Colors and A Minnow Showing Great Success

[LakeofthewoodsMN]

On the south end...  Anglers are experiencing some great fall fishing.  Some anglers are targeting key fall locations along the south shore over mud and sand, while others are fishing structure.  Most are jigging with emerald shiners or fatheads.  

As a rule, good colors have been gold, orange, chartreuse, pink and glow or a combo of these colors.  Hooking the minnow through the mouth and out the gill and sliding it up to the jig head and hooking it about half way back on the minnow will hook more fish.

One great thing about fall is a mixed bag.  Walleyes, saugers, pike, jumbo perch and an occasional crappie or sturgeon all in the mix.  Strong fishing reports between 15 - 25' of water.  

Rocky Point, Long Point area, Zippel Bay, Morris Point and Lighthouse Gap areas all producing.  Once you find the walleyes, they have normally been cooperative.  Good numbers of fish along the south shore.

Fish are staged nicely for ice fishing.  Mother Nature always dictates, but as a rule, resorts get day houses out around December 10th with spearing for pike on back bays taking place even earlier.  Resorts and outfitters will communicate ice conditions when the time comes.

The combined walleye / sauger limit on Lake of the Woods is a combination of 6 fish, with up to 4 of those fish being able to be walleyes.  All walleyes 19.5" - 28.0" must be released.  One walleye over 28.0" may be kept per day.

On the Rainy River...   A great week of fall walleye fishing.  Good fish were caught up and down the river, but a lot of good reports around Baudette.  

Some big walleyes were caught this week, which is traditional for this time of fall on the river.  

Jigging with frozen shiners has been producing nicely.  Some anglers are still trolling crankbaits which is producing nice fish.   

Boat ramps are open from Wheeler's Point to Baudette east to Birchdale. 

Up at the NW Angle...  Walleye fishing continues to be very consistent.  Jigging with a minnow has been the go to method.  Fish continue to show up in good numbers for anglers fishing both sides of the border.

Traditional structure such as points, rock islands, sunken islands, and neck down areas holding nice walleyes.

Big muskies are being caught and released by fall muskie anglers.  In addition to working key structure, this is the time of the year trolling shoreline structure produces nicely.

Resorts are preparing for the ice fishing season, which based on walleye and sauger populations, is looking positive.