LOW help

[kskoff]

I have a trip planned to Lake of the Woods Feb. 6-9th.  I do a lot of ice fishing for crappies and bluegills but have a very limited experience with walleye etc.  I was wondering if anyone could offer me some advice on what kind of jigs/spoons I should bring up there.  We plan on having a few tip ups set up with shiners as well. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks.

[mcsquinty]

I just got back from a solo 2 night, 2 day trip up there.  I got 16 fish on the ice, lost a few more.  Smallest were two 8" walleyes, most were 11-13", a few 16" and one 18".  One of the fish I lost at the hole was quite a bit bigger.  I didn't catch anything else.  I went through Adrians, but used my own shack.  Went 7.1 miles out from the island, but they were moving all their houses out another mile while I was there.  I only caught walleyes, and the people I talked to said panfish won't generally be found out there.  I did see a trout swim by just under the ice while I happened to be staring at my hole.  23" of ice in case you were wondering.

Ok, as far as bait.  They use emerald shiners up there, and they have them on hand.  Everyone up there sells lures.  They said this thing called a "show stopper" was good.  I got one on a "wingnut".  The most productive for me was a big flat gold/glow rainbow jig.  The kind that are a round flat head with a hook.  A white hook on a rattle reel was great.  Also, not sure what they are called, the little spoons that look like a swedish pimple with a chain below attached to a treble.  Found some up there with a spinner on it as well, that hooked a lot of them.  Everyone you talk to says white/red/pink/gold are the best colors up there.  You could get away with not bringing much and just spending $40 on new jigs they recommend and do well.  Most people recommended 6 or 8 pound line.  I caught some on 12lb braid.  One person said you could use rope and still catch them.  Oh yeah, I also used a small gold slender spoon with a tail-hooked minnow.  The fish would just annihilate that one.  Very hard strikes.

You definitely want a flasher.  Most resorts rent them, if you don't have one you might want to reserve one.  The fish would come in waves with periods of nothing.  Several fish were caught overnight on the rattle wheel, a sleeper shack might be a good idea for maximum success.  The shop in Baudette, Outdoors Again, was helpful and had a lot of gear. 

[exmpscooterb]

I fished out of Ballard's the first of the month. A lot of guys were pulling in some nice 19-25 inch Walleyes using stop signs. A buddy of mine was even catching them on Sonars(red). Red and gold seem the color up there. Stay away from Zippo bay. We didn't catch anything over there. Pine Island seems to be the place to go. Sportsmen's Lodge has some nice pics on Face Book of some real nice catches. If you can find their house go by them or where ever Ballard's have their house out.

[bizzum]

We were up there 2 weeks ago and had the single best day of walleye fishing I have ever had.  We caught nice fish all day; probably over 50 nice 15"+ fish, biggest being 23".  3 of us had a limit of walleye by noon plus some saugers and jumbo perch.  The hot lure was a perch colored/glow Northland buckshot rattle spoon in the smallest size you can get it.  Pretty much anything else that worked well was pink or glowed.  Stop at log cabin bait and tackle and they will point you to a few jigs as well.  Also, we used dead sticks rather than tip ups and had moderate success with a live fathead under the bobber.  Also, tipping with fathead heads rather then shiners seemed to keep the strikes coming.  We fished the first day off of Adrian's road out of my portable for a couple hours the first day and caught fish.  The next 2 days were out of Arnesen's rental houses and that is where we REALLY got on them.  Hope this helps and good luck!  The big pond is a BLAST!

[kskoff]

Thanks for the replies.  Good information.  I am very excited for the trip.  My productivity at work is going to be minimal this week. 

[nitro1]

Just came back from LOW.  Went out from Long Point.  2 days and 90+ fish in 31 fow.  The first day were mostly saugers, 12 to 15" and quite a few small eyes, this years hatch.  The second day though were mostly Walleyes, the biggest being 24 +. Also got a good sized pout( fun to catch ) and a tulipee that was suspended!  Very hot in  the early hours and really no afternoon bite!  Using gold castmasters and red glow buckshots.  Hope it picks up.  Have 2 more trips planned yet this winter from Iowa.  Love the LOW!! 

[gillcommander]

Going to Arnesens the first week of March...can't wait!!! Stocking up on Buckshots and Stop Signs right now!!!

 

[holdem]

bump... any new updates from guy who have been there in the past week or so?

thanks, Robb

[jmatile]

Heading up Thursday morning for the weekend. Going to bring our own shacks and wheelers. First time up there in the winter. I'll give a report when I get home. Like was stated before I'm just bringing minimal tackle and will buy the "HOT" stuff when I get up there.

[boxcar]

Anything pink/glow white and pink/gold is what my buddy was using up there a week ago.

[Justin147]

We just got back from there.  We had a great time and caught some nice fish.  Group of seven for a day and a half, caught about 10 slot fish (20-27").  We ate fish both nights at the cabin and we brought some fish home to eat as well.
We caught fish on a variety of lures, jigheads, spoons, and all of the other lures that have already been mentioned.  We were fishing in about 34 fow.
I'll be back.....

[blindluck]

unless you are getting guided, got a hot tip, need 3 feet of ice, or have extensive electronics to find yourself....theres no justification to drive all the way to the USborder to find walleyes in winter. the lakes 1,2,3,4,500+ miles to the south by far out produce.

[holdem]

unless you are getting guided, got a hot tip, need 3 feet of ice, or have extensive electronics to find yourself....theres no justification to drive all the way to the USborder to find walleyes in winter. the lakes 1,2,3,4,500+ miles to the south by far out produce.

Thanks for the brilliant insight...

[blindluck]

Thanks for the brilliant insight...

just saying why drive 600 miles one way?  on your way from Iowa you are passing hundreds of lakes that can outproduce it.

[kskoff]

We got back last Friday.  We did okay.  Cleaned 13-15 fish every day threw back at least that many.  Mostly saugers.  Caught a couple 19 inch eyes.  They were the biggest fish of the trip.  As stated before, pink, white and red were the colors of choice.  Smaller seemed to work better.  Most of my fish came from a pink and white 1/16 ounce frostee with a minnow head.  This may explain the smaller fish, but couldn't get any takers on the bigger spoons.  We marked a ton of fish as well.  A bare green hook with a shiner worked well on the tip ups for sauger and a few eyes too.  Even with the slower fishing I thought the drive up there was well worth it and I am looking forward to doing it again next year.

[Knoodles]

just saying why drive 600 miles one way?  on your way from Iowa you are passing hundreds of lakes that can outproduce it.

I would be curious to now which lakes will outproduce LOW?  I have gone up there for 10 years or so and have had some bad trips.  It is fishing and just because you drive along ways does not mean the fish will cooperate.  I never see lakes to the South on fishing shows, etc.  This tells me there are some VERY well kept secrets out there (which does not happen in fishing generally unless you have a private lake) or the fishing shows just dont go where the best fishing is. 

I am not saying you are wrong just looking for some proof is all.  Generally the lakes near civilization get heavy pressure.  LOW gets a lot of pressure but the shear size of lake helps with this.  Way too  much lake to feel a dent. 

[Hard Ice]

 X2 ...Where eles in minnesota can you catch
100 plus walleye/saguer a day ?
Mil lacs or upr cant even come close !

[gillcommander]

21 days...3 weeks...but whose counting! My girlfriend got her quarterly bonus check and added a fourth day to our trip. She has the fever now!!! Good times have come my way!

[Buck1985]

 ANGEL EYES AND HOLIE ANGELS! pink/white glow and gold colors. Gold chubby darter in smallest size. Those were my hot lures when I have gone up in the past