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"Lake of the Woods Fishing Report: Big Pike and Sturgeon Bite Heating Up for Spring"
Good morning anglers, this is Artificial Lure with your Lake of the Woods fishing report for April 30, 2025. Sunrise today is at 6:02 a.m. and sunset at 8:27 p.m., giving us a solid window of daylight to get after some spring action out on the lake.
Right now, the ice is all but gone from the main lake, with the last stubborn patches melting quickly, and the back bays are opening up fast thanks to the spring meltwater making ditches run. Water temps are still chilly in the main basin but warming up nicely in the shallows, which is bringing in the big northern pike as they stage for the spawn. This is prime pike fishing time—you won’t find action like this anywhere else in Minnesota this early in the season[1][3][4].
Walleyes are closed until the opener on May 10, so most of the attention is on those trophy pike and sturgeon in the Rainy River. Today, you’ll find your best shot at a giant pike in shallow bays along the south shore—favorite hot spots now are Four Mile Bay, Bostic Bay, and Zippel Bay. The backwater ditches and just-opened shorelines are holding fish right now, and it’s a great chance to catch and release a 40-plus-incher[1][3][4].
If you’re targeting pike, dead bait under a bobber or suspending beneath a tip-up is a classic and very effective. Folks are also having good luck casting large flashy spoons and trolling shallow-diving crankbaits along the reed lines. Bring a variety, but the dead sucker or smelt is hard to beat in spring. The pike limit on the MN side is three per day, but all fish 30 to 40 inches must be released, and you can keep one over 40 inches if you want a trophy for the wall[3][4].
Sturgeon fishing on the Rainy River is also solid, with folks catching fish by anchoring up and soaking a glob of crawlers or frozen shiners on a circle hook with a heavy sinker. Shore anglers are doing well upriver, especially around Wheeler’s Point and the deep holes near Baudette.
Weather today is looking fair—expect highs in the upper 40s to low 50s, with light winds. Dress in layers as mornings are still brisk, and be prepared for late ice still floating here and there.
To sum it up, if you’re itching for big fish, now’s the time and Lake of the Woods is the place. Focus your efforts in those warming shallow bays on the south shore, bring a good supply of dead bait, and keep your camera ready for a true spring trophy. Good luck out there and stay safe on the water.
Right now, the ice is all but gone from the main lake, with the last stubborn patches melting quickly, and the back bays are opening up fast thanks to the spring meltwater making ditches run. Water temps are still chilly in the main basin but warming up nicely in the shallows, which is bringing in the big northern pike as they stage for the spawn. This is prime pike fishing time—you won’t find action like this anywhere else in Minnesota this early in the season[1][3][4].
Walleyes are closed until the opener on May 10, so most of the attention is on those trophy pike and sturgeon in the Rainy River. Today, you’ll find your best shot at a giant pike in shallow bays along the south shore—favorite hot spots now are Four Mile Bay, Bostic Bay, and Zippel Bay. The backwater ditches and just-opened shorelines are holding fish right now, and it’s a great chance to catch and release a 40-plus-incher[1][3][4].
If you’re targeting pike, dead bait under a bobber or suspending beneath a tip-up is a classic and very effective. Folks are also having good luck casting large flashy spoons and trolling shallow-diving crankbaits along the reed lines. Bring a variety, but the dead sucker or smelt is hard to beat in spring. The pike limit on the MN side is three per day, but all fish 30 to 40 inches must be released, and you can keep one over 40 inches if you want a trophy for the wall[3][4].
Sturgeon fishing on the Rainy River is also solid, with folks catching fish by anchoring up and soaking a glob of crawlers or frozen shiners on a circle hook with a heavy sinker. Shore anglers are doing well upriver, especially around Wheeler’s Point and the deep holes near Baudette.
Weather today is looking fair—expect highs in the upper 40s to low 50s, with light winds. Dress in layers as mornings are still brisk, and be prepared for late ice still floating here and there.
To sum it up, if you’re itching for big fish, now’s the time and Lake of the Woods is the place. Focus your efforts in those warming shallow bays on the south shore, bring a good supply of dead bait, and keep your camera ready for a true spring trophy. Good luck out there and stay safe on the water.
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By Quiet. PleaseGood morning anglers, this is Artificial Lure with your Lake of the Woods fishing report for April 30, 2025. Sunrise today is at 6:02 a.m. and sunset at 8:27 p.m., giving us a solid window of daylight to get after some spring action out on the lake.
Right now, the ice is all but gone from the main lake, with the last stubborn patches melting quickly, and the back bays are opening up fast thanks to the spring meltwater making ditches run. Water temps are still chilly in the main basin but warming up nicely in the shallows, which is bringing in the big northern pike as they stage for the spawn. This is prime pike fishing time—you won’t find action like this anywhere else in Minnesota this early in the season[1][3][4].
Walleyes are closed until the opener on May 10, so most of the attention is on those trophy pike and sturgeon in the Rainy River. Today, you’ll find your best shot at a giant pike in shallow bays along the south shore—favorite hot spots now are Four Mile Bay, Bostic Bay, and Zippel Bay. The backwater ditches and just-opened shorelines are holding fish right now, and it’s a great chance to catch and release a 40-plus-incher[1][3][4].
If you’re targeting pike, dead bait under a bobber or suspending beneath a tip-up is a classic and very effective. Folks are also having good luck casting large flashy spoons and trolling shallow-diving crankbaits along the reed lines. Bring a variety, but the dead sucker or smelt is hard to beat in spring. The pike limit on the MN side is three per day, but all fish 30 to 40 inches must be released, and you can keep one over 40 inches if you want a trophy for the wall[3][4].
Sturgeon fishing on the Rainy River is also solid, with folks catching fish by anchoring up and soaking a glob of crawlers or frozen shiners on a circle hook with a heavy sinker. Shore anglers are doing well upriver, especially around Wheeler’s Point and the deep holes near Baudette.
Weather today is looking fair—expect highs in the upper 40s to low 50s, with light winds. Dress in layers as mornings are still brisk, and be prepared for late ice still floating here and there.
To sum it up, if you’re itching for big fish, now’s the time and Lake of the Woods is the place. Focus your efforts in those warming shallow bays on the south shore, bring a good supply of dead bait, and keep your camera ready for a true spring trophy. Good luck out there and stay safe on the water.
Right now, the ice is all but gone from the main lake, with the last stubborn patches melting quickly, and the back bays are opening up fast thanks to the spring meltwater making ditches run. Water temps are still chilly in the main basin but warming up nicely in the shallows, which is bringing in the big northern pike as they stage for the spawn. This is prime pike fishing time—you won’t find action like this anywhere else in Minnesota this early in the season[1][3][4].
Walleyes are closed until the opener on May 10, so most of the attention is on those trophy pike and sturgeon in the Rainy River. Today, you’ll find your best shot at a giant pike in shallow bays along the south shore—favorite hot spots now are Four Mile Bay, Bostic Bay, and Zippel Bay. The backwater ditches and just-opened shorelines are holding fish right now, and it’s a great chance to catch and release a 40-plus-incher[1][3][4].
If you’re targeting pike, dead bait under a bobber or suspending beneath a tip-up is a classic and very effective. Folks are also having good luck casting large flashy spoons and trolling shallow-diving crankbaits along the reed lines. Bring a variety, but the dead sucker or smelt is hard to beat in spring. The pike limit on the MN side is three per day, but all fish 30 to 40 inches must be released, and you can keep one over 40 inches if you want a trophy for the wall[3][4].
Sturgeon fishing on the Rainy River is also solid, with folks catching fish by anchoring up and soaking a glob of crawlers or frozen shiners on a circle hook with a heavy sinker. Shore anglers are doing well upriver, especially around Wheeler’s Point and the deep holes near Baudette.
Weather today is looking fair—expect highs in the upper 40s to low 50s, with light winds. Dress in layers as mornings are still brisk, and be prepared for late ice still floating here and there.
To sum it up, if you’re itching for big fish, now’s the time and Lake of the Woods is the place. Focus your efforts in those warming shallow bays on the south shore, bring a good supply of dead bait, and keep your camera ready for a true spring trophy. Good luck out there and stay safe on the water.