Lake of the Woods

4 Fishing Charters

Search top fishing charters in Lake of the Woods

Fishing in Lake of the Woods

Lake of the Woods is vast, abundant, and productive. The fishing season is open year-round and you can enjoy some first-class ice fishing in winter. Local anglers have spent their lives on this beautiful watershed, always looking for a new hotspot to prowl. A word to the wise: let a Lake of the Woods fishing guide show you where the bite is best! 
 
Whether you’re after Walleye (the super-catch of the lake), Northern Pike, Muskellunge, or Bass, Lake of the Woods will provide. Walleye here come in great numbers and sizes. Pike and Musky follow close behind, including lunkers that weigh over 20 pounds. Speaking of giants, the lake is also home to Lake Sturgeon, which enters the lake from the Rainy River.
 
There’s a wide variety of fishing charters and resorts that can organize your angling adventure for you. From easy-going half day and full day trips to expeditions that last for several days, there’s something for every fishing appetite.
 
A lot of Lake of the Woods fishing guides run their charters out of little towns right on the water. If you’re looking for an experienced guide to take you out, Kenora, Morson, and Nestor Falls are your best options. They’ll gladly help you discover new levels of freshwater fishing, and what’s more, you’ll have a blast doing it!

Rules & Regulations

Lake of the Woods is located right on the border of Minnesota, Ontario, and in small part, Manitoba, which makes fishing regulations complicated. If you’re a US resident fishing from the Minnesota side, all you’ll need is a valid Minnesota fishing license.
 
However, if you decide to venture to the Ontario side of the lake, you’ll need an Ontario non-resident fishing license, along with the Remote Area Border Crossing Permit and Outdoor Card. Your guide will inform you of all the limits and rules you should follow, and after that, you’re ready to rumble.

Lake of the Woods Fishing Seasons

Get a taste of Lake of the Woods’ ice fishing season! Walleye are biting all over the lake, and Sauger, Crappie, Yellow Perch, and Pike are not far behind.

Make the most of the strong ice while it’s still out there. As the ice fishing season is drawing to a close, this is your last chance to drop a line for anything from Crappie to mighty Walleye.

Come March, ice is starting to melt and many species in the lake are preparing for spawning. This means there are plenty of hungry Pike, Walleye, Bass, and Crappie out there.

Spring has officially arrived at Lake of the Woods and when you’re not fighting your catch, you can admire the beautiful surrounding wildlife. Walleye are spawning, and Bass, Crappie, and Perch are very active.

This is a great time to visit the lake, because there’s a lot to see and even more to fish. The season for Walleye and Sauger is usually closed until mid-May, but Pike, Bass, and even Sturgeon are there for the taking.

With summer comes a slew of fishing tournaments! The season usually starts with the Women’s Walleye Tournament at the end of the month, and the Musky season usually opens mid-June.

When it comes to conventional fishing on Lake of the Woods, July’s action is as good as it gets. Aside from several local tournaments in Kenora, you can target just about anything this time of year, including Sturgeon and Musky.

Most of the fish are hanging out in deeper waters to avoid the heat, so that’s where you could easily catch your limit of Walleye, Bass, and Crappie, as well as Pike, Musky, and Perch.

Make the most of September, because this is often the last hurrah for Sturgeon and Musky fishing. Other fish are still ready to take your bait.

Dress warmly before you hit the water, grab all the necessary licenses, and go fishing for massive Walleye and Northern Pike. There are also plenty of delicious Crappie and sizeable Bass for you to target.

It’s getting really cold out there, but if there’s ice, it’s not strong or safe enough for fishing. Chasing supersized Walleye, Pike, and Bass around the lake is very fun while you’re waiting for ice fishing season to start.

Usually, by mid-December, the ice on Lake of the Woods is thick enough to drill a hole and drop your line. Walleye ice fishing is excellent, and dark house spearing for Pike is very popular.

Lake of the Woods Fishing Calendar

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Top Targeted Species in Lake of the Woods

Walleye

Walleye

Crappie

Crappie

Pike (Northern)

Pike (Northern)

Muskellunge (Musky)

Muskellunge (Musky)

Bass (Smallmouth)

Bass (Smallmouth)

Bass (Largemouth)

Bass (Largemouth)