I’ll be fishing my first time at lake of the woods coming up in August. I’m not looking for any hotspots or anything like that, but I’m looking for some general tips and areas where we can start to look for fish. We will be about three miles I believe west of the rainy river on the south shore of the lake. We were thinking it might be a good idea to take a one day charter. Besides a one day charter what would you guys recommend? Thanks in advance…
Bottom bouncers will be the presentation of choice.
If you have a boat with down-riggers, it will also be more helpfull, but honestly not required.
With the bottom bouncer, you can either pull spinner rigs or run cranks behind them. 3 to 5 foot leader for the spinner rig or crank is sufficient.
Big beads this time of the year, with big blads (#5 blades).
Blade color choices are Hammered Gold and Orange. Have some hammered Silver too.
Bead color choices are red and glow for the primary colors.
Most of the time, crawlers work best on the spinner rigs, but do not rule out leeches or minnows.
Floating rapalas work well for the cranks. #11 and #13s work good. Clown, firetiger, silver, etc for colors.
Pull the rigs around the reefs. If your boat will handle it, go to the “Garden” (Garden Is). If the charters are not pulling the basin, they are working around the Garden.
Use your head up there!!! You are fishing big water and the winds can whip up some big waves. Make sure your boat is “seaworthy”. A guy can travel across 15 miles, if not 20 miles of open water, and there might not be another boat within 5 miles of you. I highly recommend having a marine band radio!
Lastly, if the budget allows a Charter for the day, I would recommend it. Treat your captain well and he will probably take care of you for the rest of your stay as to “where to go and what to do”. ( a beer or few goes a looooooooong ways at the watering hole 
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