River Bend Resort Lake of The Woods Fishing Report March 9, 2023. The weather is keeping things frozen here up north. Which means conditions are still perfectly safe to fish.
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?” Well, believe it or not, we are still drilling through 28” of ice.
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.
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 ice fishing until the end of March. But we may see open water, on the Rainy River at least, as early as the end of the first week of April.
Again, the best of both worlds if you ask me. Hit the ice on the big water for part of the day and then head to the river for trophy hog walleye fishing. Perfect!
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.
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 trip now! Don’t wait! River Bend Resort can set you up easily with just one call. Online booking is also an option for those who wish to do so.
A variety of ice fishing packages are available that will suit any level of ice fishing experience and will fit any budget. You can find all this information by clicking this link.
Until next week … Keep a Tight Line! Bugs & Fishes ≤º))~{
