This weekend I had the opportunity to “guide” 5 guys that have never been to Lake of the Woods and 3 that have never been ice fishing. Lake of the Woods didn’t disappoint. On Friday morning we headed out of Arnesen’s Resort to a little spot I found near 12 mile reef. We got everyone set up and lines in the water at 10:15 am. We were working the bottom edge of a reef in 28-32 feet of water. At 10:30 I set the hook on the first fish of the trip, and we never looked back. By 11am my house had already put 3 fish in the bucket and released one walleye too big. The hot bite continued as I made the rounds to each house. At 1:30 the bite really slowed down for the houses off the reef, but the two houses on the reef started heating up. I left my house in 32 feet to go watch my brother put on a walleye slaying seminar up in 28 feet. The fish were hammering his gold buckshot rattle spoon. We packed up at 4 pm after the bite slowed considerably. Red and gold buckshot rattle spoons were the go to lure. The set lines with various jigs and hooks held their own also. Friday’s total catch was 17 jumbo perch, 15 sauger, and 20 walleyes. We released 3 walleyes in the slot and an estimated 30 walleyes and sauger that didn’t make the 14 inch mark. A fish fry for breakfast and we were back at it on Saturday. Unlike the nice weather on Friday, Saturday brought overcast skies, a hefty wind, and cooler temperatures. We decided to head back to the same area. The first lines hit the water at 9:30am, but it wasn’t until 10:30 that anyone caught a fish. The bite stayed pretty consistent for the next few hours. Interestingly, there were quite a few suspended fish. I picked off a couple 17” walleyes 6-8 feet off bottom. My fishing partner also found a couple nice sauger roaming about 10 feet up. Two guys in another house also said they were getting them at far up as 15 feet. At about 2pm the bite went crazy. Between two houses it was nearly impossible to keep any lines in the water. I spotted a fish cruising around at 5 feet off bottom. I reeled up to it, twitched the spoon, and the fight was on. After a nice fight I pulled a 24” walleye through the hole. I ran over to another house to get a picture and returned to find a fish trying to rip one of my new Thorne Bros. rods down the hole. I set the hook and up came an 18 inch sauger. Two very respectable fish back to back. Although the day started a little slow, we managed 55 keepers and at least that many small ones. Everyone got to bring home their limits with plenty of perch to go around also. The size of the fish on Lake of the Woods was very impressive again. Our biggest walleye was 24 inches, 3 sauger over 18 inches, and some dandy perch at 14 inches.
January 29, 2007 at 9:56 pm
#1285384
Great report Bigfife! Looks like fun was had by all 
