It’s mid-July, and the fishing action on Lake of the Woods is nothing short of spectacular. From the Rainy River into Big Traverse Bay up to the NW Angle, anglers ...more are making memories every day. And if you need proof of just how incredible this fishery is, look no further than the Minnesota Tournament Trail (MTT) results this past week. MN Tournament Trail Recap... Lake of the Woods recently hosted two back-to-back, one-day catch and release tournaments on July 10th and 11th. The MTT uses Fish Donkey, a fishing tournament hosting platform that features Catch Photo Video Release technology. This means fish are quickly measured, photographed, and released back into the lake to fight another day. The stats from these tournaments are simply jaw-dropping. -45 teams competed, measuring approximately 450 fish each day! -On day one alone, there were 9 walleyes over 30 inches recorded. -Day two topped that with an incredible 16 walleyes over 30 inches. It’s yet another testament to why Lake of the Woods is proudly known as the Walleye Capital of the World. On the South Shore... Fishing remains excellent along the south end of Lake of the Woods. Interestingly, the jig bite is still going strong, even though by this time of year most anglers typically switch over to pulling spinners with crawlers or trolling crankbaits. This season, all three techniques are producing fish. Jigging: The classic jig and frozen emerald shiner combo continues to catch nice walleyes. Hot jig colors have been orange, yellow, gold, gold/chartreuse, and orange/yellow. Spinners: Pulling spinners with crawlers is really picking up steam. Gold paired with red, pink, or orange on the blades is a solid bet right now. Trolling around 1.0 to 1.25 mph is a good starting point. Crankbaits: Trolling crankbaits is also delivering nice catches. In the stained waters of LOW, colors like gold, firetiger, pink UV firetiger, chartreuse, and chrome/blue are hard to beat. Walleyes are taking advantage of various forage opportunities, hence, can be found in many areas and depths. The go to depths are 25 - 35 feet. On the Rainy River... The Rainy River continues to be a relaxing and productive option for anglers. Right now, the sturgeon keep season is open, and some anglers are enjoying the beautiful summer days soaking crawlers for these prehistoric giants. Of course, walleyes and saugers are still in the river too, often hanging out in deeper holes or near current breaks. Plus, don’t forget about the strong population of smallmouth bass and pike in the river — they’re often overlooked but provide some awesome rod-bending action. Up at the Northwest Angle... Fishing remains strong at the NW Angle with its variety of structure, scenery and wildlife amongst the 14,552 islands in this part of the lake. Walleyes: Many anglers are still jigging with minnows or plastics along the edges of structure, in neck-down areas with some current, and off rocky points. Sunken islands surrounded by open mud are also holding good numbers of walleyes. Drifting or trolling these areas with a bottom bouncer and spinner tipped with a crawler or imitation crawler has been super effective. Muskies: The muskie bite is picking up as the water warms. Good numbers of fish are being reported, with many caught right at the boat on the figure 8. Gold and bronze blades have been hot colors for those throwing big bucktails. Multispecies action is common with pike, smallmouth bass and jumbo perch in the mix. Why Lake of the Woods Shines All Summer. When other walleye lakes across the Midwest start to slow down this time of year because of heavy weed growth, too many young-of-the-year perch or bluegills competing for attention, and boat traffic, Lake of the Woods just keeps pumping out fish. It’s no wonder anglers travel from all over the country to experience this world-class fishery. Whether you’re after eater-sized walleyes for a fish fry or a trophy to photograph and release, Lake of the Woods has it all.
