Lake of the Woods Fishing Report
Regularly updated information on the current fishing conditions, including which fish species are biting and what types of bait or lures are most effective. Our fishing reports can provide insights on weather conditions, ice thickness (for ice fishing), and the best fishing spots on Lake of the Woods and the Rainy River fisheries.
- Last Update: June 10, 2026
Here are the
Latest Lake of the Woods Fishing Reports
Here’s your resource on what’s happening on Lake of the Woods and the Rainy River with the latest status on fishing, weather, and conditions.
Early June Fishing Report for Rainy River & Lake of the Woods
This fishing report from River Bend Resort provides an update on early June fishing conditions on the Rainy River and Lake of the Woods, highlighting current fish activity, effective techniques, and the locations where people are catching fish. It also previews a special guest interview with Sarah Green, the defending “Girls Gone Fishing” Ladies Tournament champion, about her winning strategy. This year’s annual women’s tournament event took place on June 6th.
Fishing Conditions and Trends
- Late spring caused cool water temperatures, keeping fish close to shore.
- Warmer weather has activated post-spawn fish, prompting movement into deeper waters.
- Fish are moving through a funnel past our docks into the lake.
Effective Fishing Techniques and Locations on LOW Right Now
- Depths of 20 to 32 feet are productive, especially near Lighthouse Gap, Pine Island, Morris Point Gap, Zippo Bay shoreline, Knight and Bridges, Gardens, Stoney, West Bar, and Northwest Hole.
- Vertical jigging with 3/8 and 1/4 ounce jigs using frozen shiners and plastic spotted tail shiners is effective.
- Best jig colors include gold, pink, chartreuse, orange gold, and green gold.
- Pulling leadcore with crankbaits (Rapalas) at 1 to 1.3 mph covers more ground.
- Spinner rigs with shiners are also productive early in the season.
- Fish sizes range from 12-15 inch walleyes and saugers to mid-20 inch slot fish.
Tournament Insight: Sarah Green shares a bit of her LOW fishing techniques and strategy for defending her Ladies Tournament title, aiming for a repeat w
Here's What Happened on the Rainy River this Last Spring
Rainy River Fishing Reports
As the ice melts and the water opens back up, Springtime Sturgeon Season on the Rainy River becomes our focus.
It’s a great time to catch trophy walleye and these legendary giants.
March 25, 2026 Fishing Report for Lake of the Woods
It’s all happening right now! The ice is melting away, revealing the stunning open waters of the Rainy River at Birchdale, Nelson’s Landing! This is the first of many landings along this incredible migration highway that we start watching as winter gives way to spring. Stay with us as we keep you updated on the progress of open water as it makes its way to the resort, where the Rainy River meets Lake of the Woods at this amazing, potent fish funnel!!
The walleye season on Four Mile Bay and the Rainy River is catch-and-release and goes through April 14th.
Lake Sturgeon Season:
- Catch-and-release: Through April 23rd
- Harvest season: April 24 – May 7, 2026 (1 per calendar year; fish must be 45″–50″ inclusive or over 75″; must be immediately tagged/endorsed and registered within 48 hours)
- Catch-and-release: May 8 – 15, 2026
- Closed: May 16 – June 30, 2026
- Harvest season: July 1 – Sept 30, 2026
- Catch-and-release: Oct 1, 2026 – April 23, 2027
Get ready for an unforgettable adventure! Charge those batteries, load your gear, and don’t wait another minute—book your stay at the Walleye Inn or River Bend Resort NOW!
It’s time to reel in some memories and catch that trophy walleye! The excitement is REAL, and this is the moment we’ve all been waiting for!
Here's What Happened During the Winter Ice Fishing Season
Lake of the Woods Ice Fishing Reports
March 11, 2026 Fishing Report for Lake of the Woods
WE HAVE EXCELLENT MARCH ICE CONDITIONS!
With nighttime temperatures remaining chilly and over three feet of ice in many spots, the ice fishing season at Lake of the Woods is thriving! This is fantastic news for anglers looking to squeeze in one last adventure or target those trophy pike. What stands out about Lake of the Woods is that while the walleye and pike season in most Minnesota inland waters is currently closed until the fishing opener, our border water with Canada remains open for fishing!
Walleyes and saugers are open for fishing through April 14th in most areas of Lake of the Woods. In Four Mile Bay and Rainy River, the walleye and sauger catch and release policy is in effect from March 1 to April 14. Pike fishing is open year-round, so feel free to fish for pike anytime! Perch, crappies, eelpout, and tullibees are also available for catch. For Lake Sturgeon, catch and release is allowed until April 23rd. The harvest season runs from April 24 to May 7 (1 fish per calendar year, measuring between 45”-50” inclusive or over 75”. Fish must be tagged and registered within 48 hours). Catch and release resumes from May 8 to 15, with the season closing from May 16 to June 30, 2026.
Fishing Tips include using a live minnow setup by positioning it 6 inches to a foot off the bottom to entice fish in a more neutral mood. Rattle baits such as the Rapala Rippin Rap are yielding impressive catches, so consider trying the pink UV Firetiger or gold variants. Jigging spoons with a minnow head are also effective. If fish are being finicky, slow your jigging cadence or downsize your presentation. For deadsticking, a small jig or a plain hook with a live minnow 6 inches off the bottom remains a reliable tactic that continues to produce.
BIG PIKE ACTIVE – PRIME TIME IS HEATING UP! Anglers targeting world-class pike are already experiencing great action with tip-ups and quick strike rigs. Traditionally, using live suckers or good dead bait will get those flags flying. Log Cabin Bait and Liquor and Outdoors Again are stocked up with the Pike bait you need. March is a crucial month for pursuing large pike as they engage in feeding activities leading up to their spawning season. With thick ice expected to last and cold temperatures in the forecast, now is the perfect time to chase trophy pike. Contact us today to book your lodging for access. Remember, pike season never closes on Lake of the Woods!
IMPORTANT REMINDERS FOR MARCH ANGLERS include obtaining your new fishing license starting March 1st if you plan to fish in Minnesota. When fishing the Rainy River or Four Mile Bay, walleyes and saugers must be catch and release only through April 14th. There’s still plenty of season left, and abundant opportunities await! Reach out to a Lake of the Woods resort to book your trip in one of their many heated fish houses, perfectly positioned over schools of walleyes and saugers. Enjoy a comfortable fishing experience while the resorts handle the logistics.
February 17, 2026 Fishing Report for Lake of the Woods
Lake of the Woods ice fishing continues to fire on all cylinders with outstanding conditions across the South Shore and Rainy River. Ice conditions this winter have been exceptional.
We Have An Extended Season On Lake Of The Woods…And There Is Plenty of Time Left!
We drilled and measured 36” of ice as of this report on the lake side where we have our ice houses, and here’s the beauty of Lake of the Woods—we enjoy an extended ice fishing season that gives anglers more time on the ice than most Minnesota lakes. Fish houses can remain out overnight through March 31st, walleye and sauger fishing runs through April 14th, and pike season is open year-round.
There’s still plenty of season ahead, and plenty of opportunity to get out ice fishing. Jump in one of our heated day houses or sleeper houses positioned strategically on the potent migration funnel where schools of walleyes and saugers move through each day. You’ll be fishing in comfort while we do all the work.
The South Shore continues to deliver consistent fishing. The ice road adapts and extends as needed, keeping our guests on active fish throughout the season. Most fishing activity remains concentrated in 28 to 32 feet of water, where our day houses and sleepers are seeing great action and quality catches day after day.
Anglers are steadily picking away at walleyes, saugers, jumbo perch, pike, tullibees, an occasional crappie, and eelpout. This is Lake of the Woods doing what it does best: providing variety and opportunity.
Know Your Walleye / Sauger Limits
The walleye and sauger limit on Lake of the Woods is a combined total of 6 fish per day, with no more than 4 being walleyes. All walleyes measuring 19.5 inches to 28.0 inches must be released immediately. Anglers may keep one walleye over 28.0 inches per day.
This Is What’s Working the Best
The classic one-two punch continues to be the go-to approach: run an active jigging rod to draw fish in and trigger strikes, paired with a deadstick with a live minnow set 6 inches to a foot off bottom for fish in a more neutral mood.
Jigging with the River Bend custom 1/4 or 3/8 oz jigging spoon tipped with a minnow head is the goto. Still working great is the Dirty Bomb. Flashing Red or Pink with lure colors of Gold, glow red, orange and pink are hot colors.
For the deadstick, the Dirty Bomb blinking light lure with a red light combined with a dropper and live minnow has been consistent. Also our River Bend custom painted gold and white moon jigs and live minnow a foot off of the bottom is tough to beat.
Want In On The Big Pike Action?
Anglers who are passionate about targeting world-class pike are already experiencing promising results on tip-ups and quick-strike rigs. Traditionally, live suckers or an effective dead bait have been the key to attracting these elusive fish. March emerges as a crucial month for pike fishing, as they become more active and begin preparing for the upcoming spawning season. It seems that some pike are already showing signs of activity!
Fishing The Rainy River– Focus on the Golden Hours!
While most ice fishing activity takes place on the main lake, the Rainy River continues to offer anglers an opportunity to catch some exceptional fish. To maximize your chances of success, it’s essential to target the “golden hours” – the first few hours of daylight and the last few hours before dark.
For those seeking catch-and-release opportunities, sturgeon on the Rainy River are a popular target. The sturgeon catch-and-release season runs through April 23rd, after which the harvest season resumes. Be sure to use extra caution due to the presence of currents. We drilled and found a thickness of 14.5 inches right out from our docks.
^^^ Click to Watch the Video Report! ^^^
December 23rd, 2025 Fishing Report For Lake of the Woods
Exciting Start to Ice Fishing Season at Lake of the Woods!
Welcome to an extraordinary ice fishing season at River Bend Resort on beautiful Lake of the Woods, Minnesota! Our ice fishing season has kicked off with strong early ice, good travel conditions, and outstanding fishing reports right from our doorstep on the South Shore and Rainy River. Our cozy Day Houses are out, and guests are reveling in some of the finest early ice fishing experiences in the Midwest.
Ice conditions along the South Shore are progressing magnificently. While ice thickness varies, the resort road we operate on, are now allowing ½-ton pickups not pulling any trailers out. Weight limits differ among roads, so we strongly recommend checking with us for the most up-to-date travel advice before heading out. We update on our facebook page when road restrictions change. So be sure to follow us to stay updated.
Fishing is excellent, offering a delightful mix of Walleyes, Saugers, Jumbo perch, Eelpout, the occasional Northern Pike, and multiple surprise sturgeon. Most catches are coming from depths of 23 to 28 feet.
Lake of the Woods is a vast and dynamic body of water. Our dedicated Ice Team is out daily, checking ice conditions, maintaining our ice road and trails, and ensuring the safest routes to our Day Houses. We highly recommend traveling through our resort rather than striking out on your own.
We encourage our guests to use the classic Lake of the Woods one-two punch for the best results:
Jigging Line: Use small to medium jigging spoons tipped with a minnow head or tail, Rippin’ Raps, and Jig and minnow combinations. Light-up lures are also proving highly effective.
Deadstick or Bobber Line: A simple hook or small ice jig with a live minnow set 6 inches to 2 feet off the bottom is working wonders.
Best colors for success have been Gold, Pink, Glow red, Glow white, and Firetiger are the top performers.
We can’t wait to see you at River Bend Resort, where the fishing is as exciting as the winter scenery. Tight lines and see you soon on the ice!
November 28, 2025 Ice Report for Lake of the Woods & Rainy River
We have ice formation happening on the Rainy River, and it’s a great sign that the river will remain locked up frozen moving forward. That means we’ll be getting on the ice soon!
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^^^ Click to Watch the Video Report! ^^^
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Our fishing resort on the Minnesota side of Lake of the Woods offers an incredible opportunity to come up and catch a variety of walleye and other trophy fish. We’d love to have you up!
