Ice fishing for walleye at Lake of the Woods, MN

[CPace]

Wonderful trip to Lake of the Woods, again this year! 8th trip for myself and finally talked my oldest son into joining!  Great 3 days and 3 nights out on the lake!!  11 "slots", The largest at 27 inches,  numerous 14-17's walleyes and saugers, a couple of nice sized eel pout, and 1 hummer of a "football" perch, along with a couple of white fish to boot!  A little slow in the AM's, and the first afternoon there was just spent finding the "secret", but over all, a splendid trip!  Went with a well known Outfitter who has been great about putting us on the fish, narry a wasted minute! 

Sorry to say, I spoke with a fellow ice fisherman, who's name I didn't get, nor his phone number, but did find out he and his 2 fish'n partners were from Duluth MN.  He took the time to come over to our shack and chat for a spell.  they had been there for a day and a half, without much to show for it.  He was rather surprised at the size of the lures we were using, (not much bigger than what one would use for crappie), and didn't have any of them, so offered a few of them I had extra, and hope they had a little better luck!  So if you are from Duluth, Spoke to 3 guys from the Des Moines, IA area on Feb 27th, Lake of the Woods MN, give me a shout!   Hope the fish'n got a little better for you guys! We had a blast! Enjoyed talking with you, and sorry for not getting your contact info!! 

[Whopper Stopper]

Sounds like you had a very nice trip. LOTW is a fantastic place to spend some time. A very nice gesture offering up some tackle to a fellow fisherman  

Mind me asking where you went out of ?

            WS

[CPace]

Baudette, MN  We use Ballard's most of the time.  They've gone up a little in price, but we've found that you usually get what you pay for!  Oh, and no, I don't mind your ask'n!! 

[CPace]

Sounds like you had a very nice trip. LOTW is a fantastic place to spend some time. A verynice gesture offering up some tackle to a fellow fisherman  

Mind me asking where you went out of?

            WS

Sorry, didn't answer that right, we went with Ballard's at Baudette, MN!!

[toofuss]

Cpace you should participate in the Iowa board. A lot of good guys like yourself out here

[PRICE COUNTY STRIKE ZONE]

I just got back from LOW last week.We rented a sleeper from Sportsmans. Cought quite a few eyes and tubilee. I tried every night for eel pout and didnt get a bite after dark. I was really looking forward to catchin one of those. Never heard of them until we planned the trip.

[CPace]

Cpace you should participate in the Iowa board. A lot of good guys like yourself out here

I do go onto the Iowa sight from time to time!  Your right, there are a lot of good tips, stories and information from others that appreciate the sport of ice fishing, just as much as I do, and are a great source of knowledge, to help make everyone's fishing experience a little better!  a salute to all who fish the hard water (and the soft!)!!!!

[CPace]

I just got back from LOW last week.We rented a sleeper from Sportsmans. Cought quite a few eyes and tubilee. I tried every night for eel pout and didnt get a bite after dark. I was really looking forward to catchin one of those. Never heard of them until we planned the trip.

Not sure if it is always this way, but everytime I have caught an eel pout, including the one my son caught, it was in the early morning, just after sunrise!  Not sure if that's just as luck would have it, or if they really are more active at that time! They put up a pretty good fight, with lots of rolling and "surging", not much for lengthy runs.   As for getting bites after dark on LOW, can't say we have ever had a bite after the sun went down! (at least during the ice fishing season)  Sportsmans is another very dedicated, and helpful Resort that is good about putting patrons on the fish!!  We used them one time and were very satisfied!

[nws6373]

PCSZ, I'm heading to LOW this Sunday. We're staying at the Sportsman on Oak Island. Was very glad to hear about their service for you. It's our first time with them. Were you fishing from the mainland or up at OAK?

[PRICE COUNTY STRIKE ZONE]

The one i was at is right on the Rainey River about 12 miles north of Baudette. I think they have a couple locations. We rented a sleeper and they took us out about 7 miles. Hope you have good luck. I heard the fishing gets better and better the closer to spring you get. Keep us posted on how you do.

[PRICE COUNTY STRIKE ZONE]

PCSZ, I'm heading to LOW this Sunday. We're staying at the Sportsman on Oak Island. Was very glad to hear about their service for you. It's our first time with them. Were you fishing from the mainland or up at OAK?

I started a board in this section (genral chit chat)  called Lake of the Woods pics you should check out so you can see what you have to look forward to.

[nws6373]

Just checked it out, awesome! Hopefully we can get some slot fish and a few for the frying pan. I'll definitely post how we did. Thanks for posting the pics.

[swillerjig]

How much $ for a trip like that??

[PRICE COUNTY STRIKE ZONE]

Through Sportsman Lodge, we got to the sleeper shack noon on Saturday and they picked us up noon on Tuesday (3 days 3 nights) and the charge was $260 per person.

[CPace]

How much $ for a trip like that??

During the week, at Ballard's, 3 days and 3 nights, we paid $325.00 each.  They supply all the cookware, disposable utilsils, a 5 gal jug of water, and all bait needed.  Used the Sleep hut.

[PRICE COUNTY STRIKE ZONE]

Same thing at sportsmans. Bait, cooking and eating utensils, water, etc. I imagine they are all the same in the sleepers. I imagine Ballards office might be a little better.  Did anyone see the office at sportsmans for the sleepers? It's not sportsmans, but they are across the road and directly linked to sportsmans lodge. I guess whatever works. LOL.

[CPace]

Umm... Yup, your right there!  The time we used Sportsman's, the sleeper office was in an old trailer home, across the road!!  Still nice people and very helpful!!

[nws6373]

Well I've recuperated enough to give our report. Fished out of Sportsman's Oak Island. They don't have sleeper houses up there, so we stayed in a villa. Nice, clean, not a 4 star but definately not a Motel 6. Guide moved us after first day of not getting our limit. Got my limit next 2 days. My partner didn't, but he had 2 slot fish. Most fish were 14 to 17". Other 2 guys with us did about the same, plus 1 26" Pike and a large eelpout that found it's way back down the hole. We also caught 3 13" Perch. Fishing wasn't the greatest but better than we had last year. Some of the other guys fishing up there said they go this week every year and this was the poorest for them. That's fishing. I missed staying in a sleeper because you miss that early AM bite and PM bite, plus a nap. Would go back there, but next year we're fishing Lake Erie. 4 hour drive versus 14.

[CPace]

I know what you mean about the drive, but It's sad to think I can get twice the quality of fishing in 3 days up there, compared to the entire season here! (usually due to a lot shorter ice season here)  I usually have decent luck with bluegill and crappie here, but there's a lot of extral thrill to bringing a nice "slot" up through the hole!!

[DIRTBALL2]

That's a real decent thing you did CPace in sharing the tackle that worked for you with a fellow ice fisherman! To my way of thinking, that's the mark of a real sportsman! :clap:Now I would like to do a good deed for you in appreciation for what you did for another ice fisherman! Since I am lucky enough to live near LOW, in Warroad, I would like to offer any help I can give you on your next trip to LOW! For example, I could give you advance notice about which night they are having the topless show at the Wigwam! :roflmao:OK, so I am pulling your leg a little! Seriously, I could keep you up to date on ice condition's, where to watch out for the speed trap's, where the best bait shop is, and anything else you might want to know about this great area I live in. Nothing would please me more than to be able to be of some help to you! You know, old sinner's like me need to cast all the bread upon the water's that they can, eh? ;DDIRTBALL2

[CPace]

That's a real decent thing you did CPace in sharing the tackle that worked for you with a fellow ice fisherman! To my way of thinking, that's the mark of a real sportsman! :clap:Now I would like to do a good deed for you in appreciation for what you did for another ice fisherman! Since I am lucky enough to live near LOW, in Warroad, I would like to offer any help I can give you on your next trip to LOW! For example, I could give you advance notice about which night they are having the topless show at the Wigwam! :roflmao:OK, so I am pulling your leg a little! Seriously, I could keep you up to date on ice condition's, where to watch out for the speed trap's, where the best bait shop is, and anything else you might want to know about this great area I live in. Nothing would please me more than to be able to be of some help to you! You know, old sinner's like me need to cast all the bread upon the water's that they can, eh? ;DDIRTBALL2

Hey, you know what, some of that leg pull'n stuff sounds like fun!! Do the topless gals make "Shanty calls"?!?!?  LOL!!!  Seriously, the info would be much appreciated!!  We usually go by the "fishing reports from some of the lodges, but you sometimes just wonder if some of it isn't a little "puffed up" at times!  I will keep you in mind for our next yearly ice fish'n trip, and get in touch with you!  do you have an e-mail or just go through the message system on ice Shanty?  I have found that this site has the best people in the world! (but then, what else can we expect from those who fish the ice?!?)  I have found that in general, anyone out there who are hard water advocates, are the most helpful, trustworthy people I know!!  My wife still just thinks we are all just crazy, but i don't mind loosing my mind every winter!!  Keep you in mind, DIRTBALL2!!  Thanks for the offer!!!