Baudette-Lake of the Woods and Rainy River
Good numbers of walleyes and saugers continue to come from the south end of Lake of the Woods. Jigging one line and using a bobber and live minnow on another line have been effective, especially in depths of 23 to 31 feet of water. Gold, pink, orange, glow red and glow white tackle have worked well, as have lures with a red light stick and rattle baits. Electronics are helpful to pinpoint suspended walleye and tullibee. Anglers fishing Big Traverse Bay are taking walleye, sauger, jumbo perch, northern pike, tullibee, eelpout and an occasional crappie. Walleye measuring over 28 inches have been reported this week.
Northwest Region
Baudette - Lake of the Woods and the Rainy River
Good numbers of walleye and sauger are being taken from the south end of Lake of the Woods. Resorts have set their fish houses over productive depths of 20 to 27 feet of water. Using a jigging line, and dead-stick a live minnow on a second line. For the jigging line, use jigging spoons with a minnow head or minnow tail. Ideal colors are gold, glow, glow red and pink. Some jumbo perch, large northern pike and eelpout are adding to the fun. In fact, one angler caught an eelpout this week that weighed just over 17 pounds. The Minnesota State Eelpout Record weighed 19.67 pounds, and was also taken on Lake of the Woods.
Ely
Ice conditions remain excellent on area lakes with a solid 4-8 inches of ice reported across the area. Four-wheeler tracks are being seen at more accesses recently.
Walleye fishing remains slow on the larger area lakes, but good to excellent on many of the smaller walleye lakes. Anglers are having the most success using tip-ups with shiner minnows in 17-23 feet of water. Jigging spoons and rippin raps are also triggering walleye bites during the evening hours.
Northern pike have been eager to bite. Tip-ups with large minnows set at the mouth of shallow bays or along the weedlines have been the most productive. Depths of 10 feet of water or less have been best.