Last year a group of 4 of us headed up to LOTW for a long weekend. Unfortunately the fishing wasn’t great and the group is leery of heading back up there. We’re looking for some advice on lakes to hit, we are looking for a similar set-up to last year with a cabin by the ice, restaurant, and roads we can use to fish out of our portables. I will post a poll, but please let me know why you’d recommend the lake as well as a lodging location. Thanks!
When heading to LOTW I would suggest trying Nels Holte at Freds Beds. He has a smaller operation than most resorts and ALWAYS puts you on the fish!!! I think he has day houses that you can rent also. If you don’t want to stay in a sleeper then you can always book with Morris Point . He uses their ice road. Good Luck!!! 
always had good luck at zipple bay.
voted lotw but have you thought as going as far as lake winnipeg?
I voted for SD…As you stay in the comfort of a hotel room and have a choice to fish lots of lakes in a small area around Webster SD. Great perch, walleye, and even pike fishing in these lakes. Depending on snow you may need to have wheelers or snowmobiles to get around. Lakes are typically not plowed for vehichle traffic.
Lake Winnipeg is also a fun trip!
My vote was for URL. Catching fish is way too easy there. Not sure about accommodations though.
I totally agree with Cals post. The fish are always going out there. On most lakes you have a lot less pressure. If you are going for strickly walleyes then LOW would be my choice
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I voted for SD…As you stay in the comfort of a hotel room and have a choice to fish lots of lakes in a small area around Webster SD. Great perch, walleye, and even pike fishing in these lakes. Depending on snow you may need to have wheelers or snowmobiles to get around. Lakes are typically not plowed for vehichle traffic.
Lake Winnipeg is also a fun trip!
When do you plan on going? First ice until first week in Jan is usually the best for both LOTW and Red Lake IMHO. West Wind resort on Red has cabins and a great bar & restaurant & bait shop. Great plowed roads.
PS: Forgot to mention Devils Lake first Ice can be fantastic!
#1 Devils Lake
#2 Webster area
These are the two area where you can count on getting plenty of action. We were at Woodlands resort on Devils during the summer they had pictures of the early ice perch and walleye….wow! The resort has many options for overnight, they have a good resturant right there. Look at their Amtrack perch express trips! That would be a blast.
Of the people that go to Red Lake and LOTW, how many of you are fishing out of resort day houses/sleepers? Last year we hitched a ride with Wigwam for a day (different trip) and had much better luck, only problem is that we don’t have any sleds or ATV’s to get out to the structure on LOTW. Is Red similar in the way that if you don’t get away from everyone else the fishing will be slower?
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I voted for SD…As you stay in the comfort of a hotel room and have a choice to fish lots of lakes in a small area around Webster SD. Great perch, walleye, and even pike fishing in these lakes. Depending on snow you may need to have wheelers or snowmobiles to get around. Lakes are typically not plowed for vehichle traffic.
Lake Winnipeg is also a fun trip!
Hoping to make it to the Webster/Waubay area this winter.
We fish it every fall and it is a blast. Consistent 13 – 14″ Perch in the fall.
We stay in Waubay at Circle Pines Motel, he has a house behind the Motel that he rents for $100 a night, sleeps 5-6 guys. Not sure if he rents it in the winter or not.
Last year on LOW was not typical. It was very slow. There was a very poor to no shiner run up the river. The fish follow the shiners to the Rainy river in fall when shiners spawn. The shiners never came in so neither did the walleyes like the normally do. Granted I had some ok-good fishing but not for LOW standards. On LOW you can me crowded and still get fish but generally alone is better.
Red last year was GREAT. there is no structure, some break lines that hold fish better and again yes alone is generally better.
LOW and Red are 50mi apart. If one is not good then hit the other.
Early season for both, FEB can be tough fishing. Late March LOW heats up inshore again as the fish come into the river for the spawn.
Call Chris granrud he will let you know the bets places to stay but every trip I’ve taken with him has been AWESOME!
Rainydazeguideservice
I’m calling last year at LOW a fluke year. I made 3 trips up there last year and had poor fishing all 3 times with 3 different resorts. I’ve heard great things about South Dakota but I’ve had such great fishing at LOW I’d have a hard time going anywhere else.
i fished bitter lake (webster sd area) last weekend for 4 hours, first time on open water there. Just as good as the ice bite, just purely amazing. I have friends that fish there almost every weekend year round, and its non-stop…
Check out Portavilla on Upper Red Lake… Customizable trips, and the fishing can be phenomenall!!
Devils Lake area early in December or Devils Lake in March would get my vote. Lots of water to fish, and its going to be another good year for perch. Woodland Resort has everything you need.
Jim Carroll NPAA #13
hope your right Jim, I’m coming to Devils Lake the second weekend in December for the first time and hoping to catch some big ole jumbos…Can’t wait
I have heard of bad stories for perch fishing out in devils lake with the shrimp out there? How do you know this year is gonna be a good year again. I have gone to leech lake a lot but might be looking for a change.
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i fished bitter lake (webster sd area) last weekend for 4 hours, first time on open water there. Just as good as the ice bite, just purely amazing. I have friends that fish there almost every weekend year round, and its non-stop…
I have to agree, the fishing on Bitter/Waubay and other lakes in that area is just amazing. Once you find the fish and figure out the presentation it is non stop. Last year we did not do as well on Walleyes but we also fished more for Jumbo Perch.
We will be back there in Early October this year again.
Well we booked our trip to Red Lake this week. We’re going to be staying at West Wind the 3rd weekend of January, hope the fishing is good. If any other IDO’ers will be up that weekend it would be great to meet up and talk strategy!
We fish it every fall and it is a blast. Consistent 13 – 14″ Perch in the fall.
Webster is the place to be 13-14s, yes, but not consistent for anyone. My friend guides 3-7 days a week from december 1 through this past season what was april 15th we still had clients out on the ice. Alot of people get caught up in saying yep we had all 12 inch perch, not true. Take measuring stick next time it takes alot of perch to get to 12 inches. a 13 will make you giddy and when u pull a true 14 which is a true trophy in the perch realm then you really have something. By all means come on out, and look me up I am morethan willing to share information. But do not count on 14s they are truly a diamond in the rough. – QB
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