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: January 15, 2025
here are the
Latest Lake of the Woods Fishing Reports
January 15, 2025 Fishing Report for Lake of the Woods
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January 5, 2025 Fishing Report for Lake of the Woods
Here’s the latest LOW Ice Fishing report.
Location: Day houses located 3.5-4 miles north of Pine Island
Fishing Conditions: Anglers are reporting good success on Lake of the Woods. The fishing depth ranges from 26 to 29 feet, providing various opportunities to catch a variety of species.
Lure Selection: Flashing and rattling lures have been particularly effective, getting the attention of fish. The best colors to use are gold, pink, white, blue, and wonderbread patterns.
Tactics: A combination of jigging rods paired with deadstick setups has been the most productive method, maximizing chances of attracting fish.
Overall, it’s a great time to be out on the lake, so grab your gear and enjoy the fishing! Happy angling!
^^^ Click to Watch the Video Report! ^^^
October 18, 2024 Fishing Report for Lake of the Woods
Hey there, anglers! Fall fishing on Lake of the Woods is in full swing, and it’s looking fantastic! With the water cooling down, the fish are getting more active, especially the walleyes and saugers on the south shore. You’ll want to drop your lines in about 20 to 27 feet of water, as the water temperature is hanging in the low to mid-50s.
For bait, live or frozen emerald shiners are your best bet while jigging. Just anchor your boat and start jigging from the side. You might catch a bunch of little guys, but hang tight—there are plenty of keepers and some bigger walleyes in the mix too!
When it comes to jig colors, go for gold, glow white, glow red, chartreuse, orange, or pink. A gold jig paired with any of those colors is usually a winning combo!
The Rainy River is also heating up, with more walleyes showing up each week. Early mornings and evenings are the best times to get in on the action. You can fish by jigging with shiners, pulling spinners, or even trolling crankbaits. Aim for depths around 15 to 25 feet for the best luck.
As we roll into cooler weather, sturgeon fishing is getting good too, and the “Catch and Release” sturgeon season is happening right now. You’ll also find crappies, pike, smallmouth bass, and more in the mix!
Don’t miss out on Four Mile Bay, either—walleyes are coming in from the lake, and spots around current and channel breaks are worth a try.
Located right where the Rainy River and Lake of the Woods meet, River Bend Resort is the perfect launching pad for all your fishing adventures, whether you’re heading out to the lake or exploring the river.
Happy fishing, everyone!
September 16, 2024 Fishing Report for Lake of the Woods
South End:
The walleye and sauger bite remains excellent, with anglers enjoying steady action as we transition into fall. Fish are being found at various depths, but the sweet spot is consistently around 18 to 29 feet.
Jigging action has intensified with the cooling waters, now at 64°F. Popular jig colors this week include gold, orange, chartreuse, and pink. Some anglers have reported impressive catches jigging with frozen emerald shiners.
Anglers are still successfully jigging on or near structures, while others are locating schools of walleyes and saugers over deep muddy and sand to mud transition areas. Utilizing sonar technology can be particularly effective in finding fish in these conditions.
Spinners and trolling crankbaits are also yielding great results, offering versatile strategies during this transitional phase. As the season progresses, jigging will become the primary technique. For those using spinners, colors like gold, pink, orange, glow red, and glow white have proven successful. Be sure to adjust your weights from 1.5-3 ounces to correspond with your drifting or trolling depth and speed.
When trolling crankbaits, anglers are landing nice walleyes with notable colors such as gold, chrome/blue, pink UV, firetiger, and chartreuse. Faster trolling speeds up to 3.5 mph are producing bigger fish.
An increasing number of walleyes are appearing along the south shore of Big Traverse Bay, indicating a shift towards fall patterns. Good numbers of fish are chasing shiners and moving closer to the shorelines. The bite is promising and building up nicely for the fall jigging season both on the lake and in the Rainy River.
Rainy River:
A variety of species continues to be caught in the Rainy River, thanks to a robust current flow that gives fall anglers optimism for a successful shiner and walleye run this year. Reports are already surfacing of nice walleyes being caught in the river.
Shiners have been spotted all the way up to Birchdale, setting the stage for an exciting fall on the river. Reports of walleyes being caught from the docks are getting out. As always, Mother Nature will ultimately decide the outcome.
Sturgeon fishing is picking up, adding to the excitement of this angling season. The final day for the summer sturgeon keep season is September 30th, but they can be caught and immediately released after that.
^^^ Click to Watch the Video Report! ^^^
August 23, 2024 Fishing Report for Lake of the Woods
Hey folks! The fishing scene on the south end is really popping right now, especially for walleye! Those big ones are definitely on the bite during these dog days of summer at Lake of the Woods. If you’re fishing in that deep mud, aim for 28 to 35 feet. Anglers are having great luck using spinners and crankbaits to reel in some nice catches. Most people are snagging walleyes with spinners and crawlers. A solid go-to is a two-hook crawler harness paired with a spinner blade in colors like gold, gold/pink, pink, orange, glow red, or glow white. Just drift or troll at about 1 to 1.25 mph, using a 2 to 3-ounce weight or bottom bouncer with that crawler setup. If you’re deeper than 30 feet, a 3-ounce bouncer can really help you out. Trolling crankbaits is also racking up some good fish! Since those walleyes are spread out over the mud in Big Traverse Bay, covering more ground is the way to go. You’ll also find some walleyes chilling near rock reefs. With all that open mud, those structures can really draw fish in. If you have forward-facing sonar, you’re in luck! Anglers are nailing big walleyes throughout all levels of the water in Big Traverse Bay. By the way, the recent winners of the David A. Andersen Warrior Boats tournament caught five walleyes that weighed in at 55.76 lbs. Not too shabby!
Now, over on the Rainy River, there’s plenty going on! Sturgeon fishing is pretty steady this summer. Just anchor in a good spot or on a sloping bank and soak some crawlers or frozen emerald shiners (or both!) to get in on the action. Walleye anglers are hitting it big on flats, in holes, around current breaks, and over rocky areas. You can jig, troll with spinners and crawlers, or use crankbaits to land some fish.
Happy fishing, everyone! 🎣 —
^^^ Click to Watch the Video Report! ^^^
July 31st, 2024 Fishing Report for Lake of the Woods.
Hey there, fishing pals! Here’s the latest scoop from the south end of the river at River Bend Resort!
We’re seeing some solid summer fishing action with walleyes and saugers putting up a good fight. These fish are hanging out in the deep mud, a classic spot for this time of year.
We’ve got two hot techniques reeling in the most fish:
Spinning Success: Using a two or three hook crawler harness with a fat nightcrawler paired with a flashy spinner blade in gold, chartreuse, pink, orange, glow red, glow white, or a mix of these colors. Don’t forget to team it up with a 2-ounce bouncer (go for 3 ounces in 30+ feet of water) to keep that 45-degree angle for maximum effectiveness.
Trolling Thrills: Trolling crankbaits is another winner for hooking those walleyes. With so many of them scattered across Big Traverse Bay, covering more ground and getting your lure in front of these fishy targets is a smart move. Charters that troll often use downriggers, but you can also dive deep with lead core line, snap weights, or a 4-ounce bottom bouncer with a 6-foot leader and a shallow diving crankbait.
If anchoring and jigging is more your style, then go for it! Some anglers are dropping anchor over walleye schools and jigging with frozen emerald shiners to reel in those beauties. There’s no one right way to do it!
Most action on the mud is happening in the 28-34 feet range over the mud basin.
Now, onto the Rainy River… The water flow has slowed down, and the fishing is looking good! Sturgeon anglers are having a blast, catching fish of all sizes with plenty of action.
For walleye enthusiasts, spinning or trolling upstream is the way to go. Cover that water! If you’re targeting isolated spots, a jig and minnow combo might just do the trick.
Looking for some smallmouth bass fun? Head to rocky areas and spots with structure. Tube jigs, small crankbaits, and bladed jigs with a plastic trailer are reeling in those bronzebacks. Fish on!
July 12, 2024 Fishing Report For Lake of the Woods
Current Fishing Conditions
Lake of the Woods is experiencing excellent fishing conditions at the moment. The shorelines in 12-18 ft of water, from Pine Island to Long Point, are teeming with active fish. The surface temperature of the water is a warm 76 degrees, making the fish highly active and eager to feed.
Deep Water Bite
Additionally, there is a thriving deep-water bite in 34-36 ft of water, particularly from Long Point straight east to the US/Canadian Border, and up to Garden Island. This triangle of deep water is holding a significant number of big walleyes, as well as great-sized walleye and sauger.
Recommended Fishing Methods
The most successful methods for fishing in these conditions have been drifting spinners with two-hook crawler harnesses, equipped with one-and-a-half to two-ounce weights. Another effective technique is running lead core or using downriggers to deploy crankbaits deep into the water, moving them at speeds of 2-3 miles per hour.
Overall, the fishing opportunities at Lake of the Woods are abundant and promising, especially along the shorelines and in the deeper waters. Anglers are encouraged to make the most of these ideal conditions and techniques to reel in some impressive catches.
^^^ Click to Watch the Video Report! ^^^
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 catch trophy walleye and these legendary giants.
March 11, 2024 - Rainy River Update: Ice & Open Water Report
Paul and Brandi head to the river in Baudette to provide a report on the open water. View the video for more information.
Excited to come up for some spring sturgeon fishing? Click the link below to learn more in our guide.
Here's What Happened During the Winter Ice Fishing Season
Lake of the Woods Ice 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.
March 3, 2004 - Lake of the Woods Ice Season Wrap-Up
More information is coming soon. Stay tuned!
Northern Minnesota
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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!
