Photo: Taken with Capt. TJ – River Bend Resort
We have wrapped up another successful week on Lake of The Woods. Summer weather has held steady with temperatures ranging from the mid 70’s to upper 80’s. We did receive some much needed rain which seemed to turn up the fishing over this past weekend with many larger fish being boated.
Last week we reported that a summer pattern emerged using two primary tactics. Drifting spinner rigs with crawlers or leeches and trolling crankbaits. This same pattern has held true throughout this past week, and we are expecting it to continue over the course of the coming days. Most anglers have been targeting mud flats in 28 to 34 feet of water.
The mud flats have been producing fish of all sizes including many trophy walleye using the spinner rigs with leeches. The go-to blade colors have been gold, yellow, pink, orange, red or a combination of red and white. Because the fish can be found all over the basin, changing up to a night crawler on the spinner rig over a sandy bottom has proven the better bet in those areas.
The crankbait bite has been most successful just off Pine Island. The depth range has varied anywhere from 7 to 18 feet. Trolling shallow diving crankbaits at 2 – 3mph in colors of blue/silver, brown/orange or a solid color of gold or orange. In these areas it’s good to mimic the colors of what they are eating. Manly larger minnows and crawfish. Many anglers will target this area only on days with a south wind. It’s been my personal experience that this area will always produce fish. Many times, with a mixed bag of walleye, sauger and nice smallmouth bass.
If a mixed bag catch is what you would like to go for while visiting our area the Rainy River will not disappoint. Walleye will hang in holes and over breaks as well as in current breaks and on rock piles. Northern pike will be found along weed lines and current breaks. Smallmouth bass are simply not targeted on the Rainy and are plentiful. They can be found in the same areas just mentioned as well as in and around any kind of structure you can find such as boat docks and bridge pilings. Pitching jigs and walking them back to the boat is the best technique on the river. Use a brightly colored jig head like orange or yellow and tip it will a minnow. Either a frozen shiner or a live fathead will almost always produce. Plastics, a white Mr. Twister Tail, will produce pike and smallmouth seemingly immediately around any structure.
Don’t be afraid to shake it away from the crowd. Our call agents are waiting for your call and will assist you with booking your next trip to Lake of The Woods with River Bend Resort. If you are bringing your own boat, you can book your cabin online through our website and give us a call to reserve a dock space.
Until next week … Keep a Tight Line! Bugs & Fishes ≤º))~{
