Enjoy The Top
Lake of the Woods
Fishing Resort
Flexibile options for all anglers
Build your own private fishing experience
or select from one of our packages!
Our simple a-la-carte pricing allows flexible packages for the open water season and package deals make the ice fishing season a great time to come up.
No matter where you stay, you can fish at River Bend Resort all-year round.
Choose from our budget-friendly Walleye Inn Motel or our famous Resort to create the package that works best for you and your crew.
Come Experience the Best
Open Water Fishing
On Lake of the Woods & the Rainy River
Charter Fishing & Guide Services
Show Up and Fish
Our charter experience differs significantly from the typical boat experience on smaller lakes in Minnesota. Opting for a larger boat charter on Lake of the Woods provides anglers with the opportunity to explore the vast expanse of the lake comfortably, reaching distant fishing spots that may be impractical with smaller vessels.
Our US Coast Guard-certified captains are great guides who know the hot spots, and our charter boats come equipped with advanced navigation and fish-finding technology, enhancing the overall fishing experience. In contrast, smaller lakes typically necessitate smaller boats, limiting the range of exploration.
While smaller lakes may offer a more intimate and peaceful setting, the larger boat charter on Lake of the Woods opens up possibilities for a more extensive and diverse fishing adventure.
Lake of the Woods Private Charter Fishing
Build your own
fishing adventure
Big Boat Charter
- 27 Foot Boat
- Accommodates 1-6 People
- 1/2 Day 4.5 Hours/Full Day 9 Hours
$750
1/2 Day
$1,050
Full Day
Small Boat Charter
- 18'+ Sportfishing Vessel
- Accommodates 1-3 People
- Full Day Only
$750
Full or Half Day
Bring Your Own Boat
- Dock Your Own Boat Here
- Slip Rental Fee is Per Day
$20
Slip Rental
All Lake of the Woods Charter Fishing pricing includes: Bait, Rod & Reel, Tackle, and Fish Cleaning.
We keep it simple with a one price guarantee. We do NOT add a fuel surcharge.
Add-On Options:
Meal Plan – $55/person per day
Rainy River
Sturgeon Season
Looking for a unique fishing experience catching large lake sturgeon? We’ve created a comprehensive guide on sturgeon fishing on the Rainy River.
Species & Season
types of fish in Lake of the Woods & Rainy River
The walleye is the most sought-after species in Minnesota. Its thick, white fillets, handsome shape and coloring, and elusive nature make it the ultimate prize among anglers. Each year, anglers in Minnesota keep roughly 3.5 million walleyes totaling 4 million pounds. The average walleye caught and kept is about 14 inches long and weighs slightly more than 1 pound. The walleye is named for its pearlescent eye, which is caused by a reflective layer of pigment, that helps it see and feed at night or in murky water.
The sauger, sometimes called the “sand pike,” is a relative of the walleye. Sauger have a more limited distribution than walleyes, and they don’t grow as large. Sauger are long and thin, with dark backs, brassy sides, dark spots, and a pale belly. They have a forked tail with a pale streak on the bottom edge.
Walleye and sauger look similar, but you can tell them apart by looking at two distinct differences. The tip of the lower part of the tail is white on a walleye, but not on a sauger. Also, the sauger has spots on the dorsal (top) fin and the walleye doesn’t.
This voracious predator is one of the easiest fish to catch because it so willingly bites lures or bait. What’s more, northerns produce chunky white fillets that many anglers say taste as good as walleyes. Most northerns caught by fishing run 2 to 3 pounds, though trophies over 20 pounds are caught each year.
The quickest way to tell a northern pike from a muskie is to note that the northern has light markings on a dark body background, while muskies generally have dark markings on a light background. A foolproof method is to count the pores on the underside of the jaw: the northern has five or fewer; the muskie has six or more.
The muskellunge (muskie) is one of the largest and most elusive species to swim in Minnesota. A muskie will eat fish and sometimes ducklings and even small muskrats. It waits in weed beds and then lunges forward, clamping its large, tooth-lined jaws onto the prey. The muskie then gulps down the stunned or dead victim head first.
Muskies are light colored and usually have dark bars running up and down their long bodies. Muskies are silver, light green, or light brown.
Lake Sturgeon, sometimes called a living dinosaur of the fish world, are a remnant of an ancient and primitive group of fish that have cartilaginous skeletons and bony plates on their skin also known as scutes.
They are slow-growing and late-maturing, and they only spawn intermittently. Females spawn once every 4-6 years and typically reach sexual maturity at 24-26 years old, when they are about 55 in. long. Males spawn every 2 to 3 years and typically reach sexual maturity at 8-17 years, when they are around 44 in. long.
With its slimy skin and tendency to wrap itself around your arm, the burbot is considered by many anglers to be the “ish” of fish. But this cousin to the saltwater cod, commonly known as eelpout, is a remarkable predator that is excellent to eat.
The burbot looks like a cross between an eel and a catfish. It has a long body with smooth skin and a single whisker under its chin.
Both the Cisco commonly called tullibee and Lake Whitefish are found in Lake of the Woods and other lakes in Minnesota. Ciscos are commonly caught by ice anglers, while Lake whitefish are occasionally caught. Both fish make tasty meals.
Many anglers have a difficult time telling the difference between the two. Whitefish has a snout that overhangs the lower jaw. The lower jaw of the Cisco extends up to or beyond the tip of snout.
The yellow perch is one of the most commonly caught fish in Minnesota. This smaller cousin of the walleye is good to eat and eagerly bites worms, but it often is so small that anglers throw them back into the water. Like sunfish and bluegills, perch are considered “panfish,” or fish commonly caught to be cooked in a frying pan and eaten.
Crappies bite readily and produce sweet-tasting fillets. There are actually two types of crappies: the black and the white. They are tough to tell apart. Both travel in schools and feed on small fish and aquatic insects. If you catch a crappie, it’s most likely a black crappie, which is the more widely distributed of the two species, occurring in most lakes throughout the state. The black crappie prefers deeper, cooler, clearer water than the white crappie does.
For additional information about area fish, seasons or limits please visit this page on the MN Department of Natural Resources website.
Lake of the Woods
Ice Fishing Information
Here's Your Invitation to Great Fishing All-Year Round
Come Experience
Lake of the Woods
FAQs on Lake of the Woods Fishing and Charter Services at River Bend Resort
Lake of the Woods offers a vast expanse of freshwater teeming with diverse fish species, making it a top fishing destination in Minnesota. It’s much larger than nearby lakes, and known as the Walleye Capital of the World.
Yes, we provide top-notch charter fishing services to ensure guests have a memorable angling experience.
Our US Coast Guard OUPV licensed captains have all the knowledge and experience to provide a successful day or days on the water.
While we provide most fishing gear, guests should bring personal items like sunglasses, sunscreen, and appropriate clothing.
Our charter captains are allowed to take up 6 people on each boat. Please contact us with specific numbers for more details.
Not at all! Our charter services cater to both beginners and seasoned anglers.
Our charters are set up to target mainly Walleye and sauger, but during the peak of Northern Pike and Sturgeon seasons, we have guides available that target these species specifically. Please call for their availability.
We offer a range of trip durations, from half-day 4.5 hr. excursions and full-day 8-9 hr. adventures. Check out our packages for more information.
Absolutely! Our charters provide a family-friendly experience. Kids love the thrill of catching fish in Lake of the Woods.
Yes, guests can keep their catch within the state’s regulations and limits. Our guides will assist in ensuring compliance.
Yes, we provide all the fresh and appropriate bait for the type of fish you’re targeting. All fishing and charter packages booked include bait.
Certainly! We can customize charter packages based on your preferences and needs. The limit of the number of people per boat is up 6 ppl. No more than 6 on each boat. This limit is set by the United States Coast Guard.
Yes, a Minnesota fishing license is required. We can guide you on obtaining one if needed.
Safety is our top priority. All charters are equipped with safety gear, and our captains are trained in safety procedures. We also follow the state and federal safety guidelines that are enforced and regulated by US Coast Guard.
Simply visit our website or contact our resort directly to book your charter fishing trip.
Some packages include food and refreshments from our Bar & Grill. Please check package details at the time of booking or inquire about adding them to your trip.
Yes, for those looking for an extended fishing adventure, we offer multi-day charter packages.
Certainly! All of our charter packages include fish cleaning in our daily rate.
River Bend Resort combines experienced guides, prime fishing locations, and top-tier amenities, ensuring an unparalleled fishing experience on Lake of the Woods. We handle everything for you so you and your group can simply show up and fish.