Lake of the Woods Fishing Report

[lakeofthewoodsmn]

Ice continues to be good with 24-34 inches in most areas.  As always, use a resort or outfitter road for safety as they are monitored.  Bite varies daily but good catch rate most days. Fish are aggressive following lures up and down the water column. Electronics helpful as some walleyes are suspended.  Jigging spoon tipped with minnow head or tail and a dead stick with a plain hook or small ice jig and minnow are doing good.  Key depth  26-33 ft.  Best colors glow pink/red. Northern pike are staging near spawning areas and are very active with fish over 40" caught daily.

The Rainy River  is open from Birchdale to the east with shore ice present.  Some  anglers have already started pushing boats over the ice. Warm weather should get the ice moving again this week as it stalled out last week. Daily open water progress on Rainy River at http://lakeofthewoodsmn.com/rainy-river/

Up at the NW Angle, ice conditions are still good with 20-24 inches of solid ice in non-current areas. On the Minnesota side, walleye fishing is hot between 20-30 feet. Black and gold have been the hot colors.  Jumbo perch have turned on this past week with many 14 inchers.  In Ontario the crappie bite continues to be hot, typically using small plastics.  Remember to shift to another species after you have your limit of crappies as these fish have a high mortality rate over 25' of water. Work through resorts and give them a call before you head up as ice conditions change rapidly this time of year. Fish houses can stay on ice through March, walleyes/saugers through April 14th.  Pike and crappies open all year for LOW MN.