Lake of the Woods (2)

Published: Nov 1, 2018Updated: Jun 30, 2026

Species

Walleye

Season

Summer (Current)

29 Fishing Reports

167 Followers

Overview
Current Conditions
Fishing Reports (29)
Techniques

Lake of the Woods (2) Overview

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Top Techniques Reported for Walleye + Summer

Trolling Deep (20'+)
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Deep Diving Crankbaits (13'+)
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Live Bait Rigs
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Total Fishing Reports

Top Species Reported for Summer

Walleye4 Reports
Smallmouth Bass1 Report

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Fishing Reports

29 Reports on Lake of the Woods (2)

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Joe Henry
Blue Ambassador
6/22/26
- Species
  Walleye
- Season
  Summer
- Technique
  Live Bait Rigs
- Structure
  Open Water/Basin
- Forage
  Insects
- Water Temperature
  74°
It was a great week of fishing on Lake of the Woods. Some walleyes are starting to transition to the mud, and one reason why may be the mayfly hatch that's underway. Throughout the summer months, various hatches are common on big lakes like Lake of the Woods, and they're a tremendous food source for walleyes, saugers, perch, and plenty of other fish. As we've mentioned before, not every fish is doing the same thing — but this time of year, they're all really focused on food, and right now there are a lot of options on the menu. Here's where things stand this week across the system. Big Traverse Bay (South Shore) On the south end, the deep mud is holding big numbers of walleyes and saugers. With the hatch underway and many other food sources available in and around the mud, the fish have moved to where the food is, offering more than one way to take advantage of the situation. Some anglers are still vertical jigging with a jig and minnow, which continues to produce. Many have been pulling spinners and crawlers, which is working very well with good success. Spinners do a nice job of covering water as fish spread out over the mud flats. Other anglers are trolling crankbaits, which is also an effective way to cover water and find active fish. Any of the three is a solid option — it often comes down to how you want to target them and naturally, what the fish want on a given day. Rainy River A nice variety of fish are being caught on the Rainy River. The walleyes may not be stacked in the river the way they are in spring and fall, but there's a strong resident population that lives in these forage-rich waters all year long, and they're always available for anglers willing to work for them. Smallmouth bass tend to fly under the radar here, but they're in good numbers and well worth targeting. Pike can be found in many areas too, especially the back bays and along the first break of the river out from shore. Sturgeon season opens July 1st and runs through September 30th. This is a harvest season. Anglers who purchase a $5 sturgeon tag in addition to their Minnesota fishing license can harvest one fish in the 45 to 50 inch range, or one over 75 inches, per calendar year. That said, many simply catch and release. Sturgeon are in big numbers in the river and are, in most cases, the largest freshwater fish a person will ever catch — a genuine bucket-list experience and a great reason to plan a summer trip. Target them on your own or grab a resort guide with all of the equipment and sturgeon know how. NW Angle Good fish are going on both sides of the border up at the Angle. On the Minnesota side, both sand and mud are producing nicely right now. Naturally, with so many islands, there are always plenty of fish relating to rock structure — but this time of year, the tip is to look just adjacent to those rocky areas, out on the mud. In addition to the great walleye bite, muskie season opened this past weekend. Lots of big muskie pictures are floating around and the word is the weekend was great. Just like the Rainy River, don't forget about smallmouth bass. With all of the islands, bass are everywhere and definitely don't get the love they do vs other parts of the country. 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. Lodging and guides are available all around the lake. Want to make life easy and catch a bunch of walleyes? Stay at a nice resort, step aboard a charter, or hop in with a guide, and make some summer memories. The guides bring the boat, the gear, and the local know-how — all you have to do is show up. They even clean your fish! 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
6/15/26
- Species
  Walleye
- Season
  Spring (Post-Spawn)
- Technique
  Vertical Jigging 20'+
- Structure
  Open Water/Basin
- Forage
  Minnows
- Water Temperature
  72°
Many different bites are happening across Lake of the Woods right now, and that variety is a good thing. The consistent factor through all of it: anglers are catching good numbers of walleyes. There are plenty of eaters under 19.5 inches in the mix, some nice slot fish in the 19.5 to 28 inch range that must be released, and even some true trophy walleyes over 28 inches showing up. Whatever you're after, the opportunity is there. Here's where things stand this week across the system.Big Traverse Bay (South Shore)Three main techniques are catching fish right now, both here on the big water and also up at the Angle and on the Rainy River. The two used most often are vertical jigging with minnows and drifting with bottom bouncers and crawler harnesses. The third technique producing well is trolling crankbaits. Any of the three can be the right call on a given day, so it pays to stay flexible.Depths are varying depending on the kind of structure you're fishing, and that's worth understanding because it opens up your options:Some walleyes are set up along shorelines targeting schools of minnows, anywhere from 6 to 19 feet. Good numbers are also holding over deeper mud, feeding on minnows and on the larvae that emerge from the mud during bug hatches — picking them off before they ever make it to the surface and become a bug. That deep mud is typically 20 to 33 feet. Still other walleyes are working rock piles, targeting crayfish and the forage that lives among the rocks, most often in 20 to 25 feet. Add it all up and there's no shortage of ways to get on fish.On color: Lake of the Woods has stained water, so gold, pink/white, chartreuse, orange, glow white, or a combination of these tends to work well. This past week, gold, pink/white, and bubblegum were strong. A good rule of thumb is to lean on gold and brighter colors when the sun is out, and shift toward more solid colors on cloudy days. Better yet, start the day with a few different jig colors going on the boat and let the walleyes tell you what they want.Rainy RiverIn addition to walleyes, the Rainy River is offering up a nice mixed bag. Saugers, smallmouth bass, pike, and crappies are all in the mix, and the same techniques working out on the lake — jigging minnows, dragging crawler harnesses, and trolling cranks — carry over here nicely.Looking ahead, the lake sturgeon season re-opens July 1st, and plenty of anglers are already planning some nice summer days soaking worms on the slow-moving river. It's a relaxed, rewarding way to spend a day on the water once the season is back in.NW AngleUp at the Angle, anglers are reporting good walleye catches combined with a mixed bag coming in from both sides of the border. Anglers are looking forward to the muskie opener this weekend on Saturday, June 20th. Lots of fish have been spotted and the population is strong — Lake of the Woods is a world-class muskie fishery, and the NW Angle puts you right in the heart of it. Otherwise, there was a good shoreline bite in 10 to 15 feet this past week, with the walleyes cooperating for those working the structure.Before You GoA quick reminder on the regulations, since the fish are coming in across all sizes right now. 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.Many anglers bring up their own boats, which is a great way to explore. Another option is jumping on a resort charter boat or a smaller guide boat. Guides bring the know-how, the experience, and all of the equipment for a stress-free and successful trip — an easy way to shorten the learning curve and get right on fish.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!
See Video
Joe Henry
Blue Ambassador
6/9/26
- Species
  Walleye
- Season
  Spring (Post-Spawn)
- Technique
  Vertical Jigging 20'+
- Structure
  Open Water/Basin
- Forage
  Minnows
- Water Temperature
  69°
Walleye and sauger fishing has been on fire across Lake of the Woods. All three of the proven methods are putting fish in the boat right now — vertical jigging with minnows, pulling spinners and crawlers, and trolling crankbaits. Water temps have climbed to around 69 degrees, and with that warmth holding, the fishing should only continue to be strong. Here's where things stand this week across the system. Big Traverse Bay (South Shore) The south end has several bites going at once right now, which is a good problem to have. The biggest takeaway: not every walleye is doing the same thing, so there's more than one way to get on fish. Across the south shore in 13 to 19 feet, there have been good numbers of walleyes spread across many different areas. These fish are being caught a variety of ways, but jigging and pulling spinners have been the most common. If you're not sitting on a good school, consider covering water — troll a Shad Rap or your favorite crankbait in 10 to 15 feet along shore, and good things tend to happen. Looking for something different? About five miles out in 30 feet of water, some nice fish are showing up for anglers willing to run out and look. And on the north end of Big Traverse Bay, 22 to 26 feet has been holding good numbers as well. Between the shallow shoreline bite, the deeper water, and the north-end schools, there are plenty of options depending on how you like to fish. Rainy River Some good reports of walleyes are coming out of the river and Four Mile Bay. Work the edges of the channel, and with the stained water on the river, don't be afraid to slide up shallow into 6 to 10 feet — those darker waters let walleyes feed comfortably in skinny water. Pike are being found in the bays and, often enough, right around the schools of walleyes, so an unsuspecting walleye angler may end up with a bonus on the line. Smallmouth bass are scattered through the usual spots — rock, weed edges, and current breaks. A note for the sturgeon crowd: the sturgeon season is currently closed and will reopen July 1st. NW Angle The Angle has put up some good fishing this week on both sides of the border. On the Minnesota side, some fish are still holding on shoreline structure, while others are beginning to slide out onto the mud. As the warmer water kicks off the bug hatches, that mud bite will only get better — it's one of the patterns worth watching as the season progresses. It's a true multispecies destination up here. Along with the walleyes and saugers, expect pike, smallmouth bass, crappies, and jumbo perch in the mix. With 14,552 islands and waters full of fish on both sides of the border, NW Angle resorts are located perfectly to access both. Mark your calendars: muskie season opens Saturday, June 20th on both sides of the border. Lake of the Woods is a world-class muskie fishery with good numbers of fish and a healthy population over 50 inches, and the NW Angle sits right in the middle of some of the best water. If muskies are on your list, this is the place. Reminder on Limits 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. A 2026 Minnesota fishing license is required. The pike limit is 3. All pike between 30 and 40 inches must be released and one fish over 40 inches is allowed. Want to make life easy? Guides and charter boat captains are on good fish right now — jump in with one of them and plan on some good success. Everything is provided, along with the local know-how that makes the difference, and prime dates fill quickly, so it's worth booking ahead. For resort information, lodging, and guide services, visit lakeofthewoodsmn.com/lodging/, and for complete fishing information visit lakeofthewoodsmn.com. Stay connected on social media for daily updates all week long!