Lake of the Woods Fishing Report, August 17th, 2023
Our Lake of the Woods fishing charters is your premier destination for securing “eater” walleyes, wide-ranging under the 19.5 inches mark. While adhering to the LOW’s protective slot limit of 19.5″ – 28.0″, where release is mandatory, anglers are granted a collective quota of six walleyes and saugers, with walleyes constituting up to 4 of the total. Anglers have the choice of keeping a walleye exceeding 28 inches, or opt for a few memorable photos and a graphite mount before releasing their prize.
Spinner drifting with a two-hook harness and a crawler continues to yield satisfactory results, with gold, gold/red and gold/pink being the favored shades. Opting to troll crankbaits around rock piles or over the deep mud has led to catches of admirable size. Frequent rotation of different crankbait variations like shapes, sizes, wobbles, rattles and colors proves effective in zoning into the walleyes preference and achieving optimal fishing outcome.
Smallmouth Bass have been abundant despite the periodic bug hatches, a common occurrence during summer that adds to the interesting challenge of fishing.
Rainy River echoes this positivity with commendable catches of walleyes. Fish are clustered in Four Mile Bay as well as diverse spots along the river. Here, jigging, trolling spinners and trolling crankbaits proved to be effective strategies. The sporadic dispersion of walleyes makes trolling an effective strategy to navigate small schools of fish.
Along with remarkable catches of walleyes, we’ve noted significant numbers of small “eater-sized” as well as larger pike in both main river and secluded bay areas. Fishing with spinnerbaits, inline spinners, and bladed jigs with plastic has proven to yield diverse catch, including walleyes, saugers, smallmouth bass, pike, and even sizeable crappies!
Experience the thrill of catching magnificent sturgeons, which have been frequently spotted leaping out of the water. Join us on our Lake of the Woods fishing charters for a day packed with adventure and excitement.
