Lake of The Woods Ice Fishing Report

River Bend Resort Lake of The Woods Fishing Report March 10, 2022. The weather is keeping things frozen here up north. Which means conditions are still perfectly safe to fish all the way through and to the end of March. 

Lake of The Woods is the only water in Minnesota that can enjoy this extended season that we call “Late Ice”. Fish houses will be allowed on the ice overnight until the 31st of March. Keep in mind that walleye and sauger will remain open until April 14th. And if you want to come up and target those big pike, they never close. We have accommodations available and can get you pointed in the proper direction.

First of all, the largest question we are getting lately is “how’s your ice holding up there?” Well, believe it or not, we are still drilling through forty-six inches (46”) of ice. Some of the thickest ice we have seen at this time of year for quite some time. 

Stands to reason when you see the exact proper amount of snow Mother Nature handed us this season. This snow acts as an insulator keeping the ice right where she’s at. If there is any melting happening around the lake, it’s only topical and refreezes at night. And speaking of that, we are not talking about much – not where our fleet is located anyway. She’s holding steady and staying tight. 

In comparison, last year at this exact time our ice season was over. It was on March 13th & 14th of last year that all ice houses were removed from the big lake. In addition, by March 18th, last year the Rainy River opened to Birchdale. Just seven days past that we had open water in front of River Bend Resort. And by April 1, 2021, the River was free flowing.

That was last year! Don’t expect that this year. By all indications, calculations, weather report review, keen studies, general awareness, and after speaking with a few old salty dogs from the area – some are saying with conviction, that we will be lucky to see open water by the end of April first week of May. And that is music to our ears and to the ears of anyone who understands just how phenomenal late ice fishing truly is. 

A mixed bag catch continues. Walleye, sauger, crappies, jumbo perch, tullibee, and northern pike are all finding their way to the sunny side of the ice. The action will just continue to get better and better with each passing day leading us into the spawn. The spawn will happen once the river opens and is free flowing.  

Currently, the best fishing has been 18 – 23 feet of water. Rocky bottom is being reported as best. However, the deeper spots of 28 – 33 over mud are still producing – just not as fast but with more being caught throughout the day. 

Jig with rattle baits and don’t be afraid to be aggressive. Attracting fish is key here, as well as nailing down a reactionary strike. Understanding that Lake of The Woods is stained water, keep to the colors known to work. Gold, hammer gold, any glow colors (red is best – but green and orange is too), orange, and orange/white, silver/blue. 

For your dead stick, a simple hook and live minnow will do the trick. Use a strike indicator or a bobber if you notice that the fish bite is light. Also, jig it every so often. Sometimes just lifting it will induce a nice walleye to strike.

As always, trust your electronics. Follow those lines where you see the larger fish cruising. Don’t be afraid to fish as much of the water column possible. And keep an eye out for the big fat line that will surely be a nice pike or trophy walleye.

Ice fishing will continue through the month of March. All houses must be off the ice March 31, 2022. Walleye and sauger season will remain open until the 14th of April. There is plenty of great and safe ice and a bounty of fish yet to be caught. 

River Bend Resort is offering a very generous mid-week and weekend sale on our Lake of The Woods Ice Fishing Packages at the Resort. When you book a mid-week ice package you will receive 20% off posted rates. When you book a weekend ice package you will receive 15% off posted rates. We also are now offering lodging only at the Resort.  

Book your ice fishing trip now! Don’t wait! River Bend Resort can set you up easily with just one call. We offer a variety of ice fishing packages that will suit any level of ice fishing experience and will fit any budget. You can find our offerings as well as pricing by clicking this link.

In addition, we do offer online booking for those who wish to do so. Please keep in mind that if you should experience any difficulty with our online system, we are a simple phone call away from getting you set up and fishing with us on beautiful Lake of The Woods. 

Until next week … Keep a Tight Line! Bugs & Fishes ≤º))~{

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