Lake of the Woods (2)

Published: Nov 1, 2018Updated: Aug 15, 2026

Species

Walleye

Season

Summer (Current)

34 Fishing Reports

167 Followers

Overview
Current Conditions
Fishing Reports (34)
Techniques

Lake of the Woods (2) Overview

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Top Techniques Reported for Walleye + Summer

Live Bait Rigs
3
Trolling Deep (20'+)
3
Deep Diving Crankbaits (13'+)
1
Medium Diving Crankbaits (7'-12')
1
Vertical Jigging Deep (20'+)
1

Total Fishing Reports

Top Species Reported for Summer

Walleye9 Reports
Smallmouth Bass1 Report

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Fishing Reports

34 Reports on Lake of the Woods (2)

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Joe Henry
Blue Ambassador
8/4/26
- Species
  Walleye
- Season
  Summer
- Technique
  Vertical Jigging 20'+
- Structure
  Open Water/Basin
- Forage
  Minnows
- Water Temperature
  67°
August carries a reputation as the "dog days" of summer, when the walleye bite on a lot of lakes slows to a crawl, Lake of the Woods is often crankin'. This is a fantastic month for walleyes and summer patterns are still firmly in place with lots of fish willing to cooperate. Here's a look at how the three areas are shaping up this week. Big Traverse Bay (South Shore) When you find a school, jigging is hard to beat right now. Anglers are doing well in 30 to 32 feet with a jig tipped with a frozen emerald shiner, a minnow, or a piece of crawler. Others are staying on the move and reporting good success pulling spinners and trolling crankbaits, which are great options for locating scattered fish and covering water to find fish. Colors this week... For spinners and jigs, bubblegum, gold and pink, and gold and red have been the standouts. Colors in general can change day to day depending on water clarity and whether it's sunny or cloudy. For crankbaits, as a general starting point, shiny gold, chrome/blue, pink UV firetiger, and chartreuse are all worth trying. Let the fish tell you which one they want, then run with it. Rainy River The Rainy River continues to serve up a mixed bag, and the approach mirrors what's working out on the lake. Some anglers are jigging key spots, while others are trolling spinners with crawlers or crankbaits. Whatever the method, a variety of species are being caught. Sturgeon season is open, and the deep holes are holding these prehistoric giants for anglers looking to tangle with the biggest freshwater fish they'll ever catch. NW Angle Up at the Angle, structure is the key this week. Humps and sunken islands on the Minnesota side have been holding good numbers of walleyes, and pulling spinners tipped with a crawler has been an effective way to catch them. A good tactic here is to use your electronics to see if fish are present and what part of the structure they are holding. Start deep, work up and over the top of the bar, then back down the other side. That lets you figure out whether walleyes are home and, just as important, which part of the structure they're living on that day. Muskies, pike, smallmouth bass, jumbo perch and big black crappies are also being caught amongst the 14,000+ islands in the area. Before You Go A quick reminder on the regulations: the combined walleye and sauger limit is 6 fish total, with up to 4 being walleyes. All walleyes between 19.5 and 28.0 inches must be released immediately, with one walleye over 28.0 inches allowed. Lots of "slot" fish are being caught which provide a great fight and a good pic for memories. August and September are excellent months to fish Lake of the Woods. Some cool mornings and warm afternoons, and (hate to even mention it) fall right around the corner. It's the perfect stretch to get in one more summer trip before the seasons turn, so make your plans now. Lodging, guides, and charters around the lake are ready to help. To find out more about fishing Lake of the Woods, check out our website at lakeofthewoodsmn.com. Stay connected to Lake of the Woods Tourism or your favorite Lake of the Woods resort on social media for daily updates all week long!
Joe Henry
Blue Ambassador
7/27/26
- Species
  Walleye
- Season
  Summer
- Technique
  Trolling 20'+
- Structure
  Open Water/Basin
- Forage
  Minnows
- Water Temperature
  74°
Some anglers write off August as the "dog days" of summer when it comes to walleye fishing. A common theme on many bodies of water are weeds, warm water, deep fish and millions of minnows and young of the year fish that make it tough on walleye anglers. Lake of the Woods is a huge exception and walleye fishing continues to be excellent. The summer patterns that have treated anglers so well are still firmly in place, and there are plenty of fish willing to cooperate. If a late-summer trip is on your mind, this is a great time to make it happen. Let's run through the three areas. Big Traverse Bay (South Shore) The deep mud is still the story on the south end. Big schools of walleyes and saugers are holding out over those flats, and the presentations that have carried the summer are as reliable as ever. Drifting or slow-trolling spinners and crawlers behind a bottom bouncer remains the bread-and-butter approach for putting good numbers in the boat. Trolling crankbaits over the same deep water is producing nicely too, and it's a great way to cover ground and pick off active fish. In the stained water Lake of the Woods is known for, gold paired with a bright accent — pink, orange, chartreuse, or glow white — continues to be a winning combination. Between the two techniques, there's no shortage of ways to stay on fish through the day. No disrespect to the jiggers, many are setting up over and on the edges of reefs as well as over deep mud and doing well. As long as you are on fish, vertical jigging with a minnow, leech or piece of crawler has been effective. Rainy River For anglers craving variety, the Rainy River is a place to consider. It's a genuine mixed bag this time of year, including resident walleyes that live in these forage-rich waters year-round, smallmouth bass holding on rock and current breaks, pike patrolling the bays, and the river's legendary sturgeon in the thick of their summer harvest season. Bring a range of tackle and stay ready, because you never quite know what will pull back next. NW Angle Up among the islands, the multispecies action is hard to beat. Walleyes lead the way, but the Angle is loaded with options such as big pike, muskies, smallmouth bass, jumbo perch, and crappies, all part of the daily mix. Fish continue to slide between the rock structure and the adjacent mud, so a little exploring goes a long way, and the next spot may well serve up a different species than the last. It's a paradise for anyone who likes to catch fish and keep the day interesting. Before You Go However you like to fish, your own boat, a guide, or a charter, the walleye bite is holding strong right through the heart of summer. Lodging and fishing opportunities around the lake are available for that August getaway. To find out more about fishing Lake of the Woods, check out our website at lakeofthewoodsmn.com/fishing/. Stay connected on social media for daily updates all week long!
Joe Henry
Blue Ambassador
7/21/26
- Species
  Walleye
- Season
  Summer
- Technique
  Live Bait Rigs
- Structure
  Open Water/Basin
- Forage
  Minnows
- Water Temperature
  73°
Fishing has been very good on Lake of the Woods, and the numbers tell the story. Some years, anglers have to sift through small walleyes and saugers to put eaters in the box. Lately it's the opposite problem — anglers are sorting through slot fish in the 19.5 to 28.0 inch range, which must be released, to find their eaters under 19.5 inches, with an occasional trophy over 28 inches thrown into the mix. What a problem to have! Here's a look at all three areas this week. Big Traverse Bay (South Shore) Spinners and crawlers over the deep mud have emerged as the standout tactic for catching numbers of fish. The setup is simple and deadly effective: run a 2- to 3-ounce bottom bouncer or weight ahead of a two-hook crawler harness — a snelled spinner — tipped with a nightcrawler. Leave just a few inches of crawler trailing off the back hook and pinch the rest off. The fish will still hit it, and you'll turn more of those bites into hookups. For colors, hammered gold, hammered copper, gold/orange, straight orange, and gold/pink have all been getting it done. Crankbaits are worth keeping rigged up as well, and a number of anglers are trolling them with good success. With so many fish stacked over the deep mud in 30 to 38 feet, putting something that looks like an injured minnow in front of a walleye is awfully hard to beat. Between the two approaches, there's plenty of opportunity to stay on active fish all day. Rainy River The Rainy River is serving up a true mixed bag right now, which is exactly what makes it such a fun change of pace. Resident walleyes call these forage-rich waters home year-round, and alongside them you'll find smallmouth bass tucked into the rock and current breaks, pike prowling the back bays, and the river's famous sturgeon — the largest freshwater fish most anglers will ever tangle with — now in their summer harvest season. The river is beautiful in the summer months and doesn't see many anglers. It's a nice option or perhaps an addition to fishing on the lake. NW Angle The NW Angle continues to deliver outstanding multispecies action, and that variety is its calling card. It's a beautiful area where the lake's 14,552 islands begin, and it is loaded with fish. Walleyes are the headliner, naturally, but big pike, muskies, smallmouth bass, jumbo perch, and crappies are all in the mix among the islands. With endless structure to explore and fish sliding between the reefs and the nearby mud, it's the kind of place where the next spot can produce a completely different fish than the last one. For an angler who loves a little of everything, it's tough to top. There isn't a lot of big water in these parts. The islands break up the big water, making it feel more like a number of small lakes versus one large body of water. Fishing is world class! Before You Go A quick reminder on the regulations, since you'll be handling plenty of fish this week: the combined walleye and sauger limit is 6 fish total, with up to 4 being walleyes. All walleyes between 19.5 and 28.0 inches must be released immediately, with one walleye over 28.0 inches allowed. A 2026 Minnesota fishing license is required. Whether you bring your own boat, book a guide, or step aboard a charter, the summer walleye bite is as consistent as it gets right now. Lodging and fishing opportunities around the lake are available for that summer getaway. To find out more about fishing Lake of the Woods, check out our website at lakeofthewoodsmn.com/fishing/. Stay connected on social media for daily updates all week long!