Artificial Lure with your Lake of the Woods fishing report, Wednesday, November 19th, 2025.
We’re deep into late fall and you can feel it—temps are down, water’s cooled to about 40-42°F, and the first skim ice is showing up in back bays and around the harbors. Sunrise this morning came at 7:28 AM, and sunset will be right around 4:35 PM. No tides to worry about up here, just shoreline ice beginning its slow creep, especially overnight as lows nudge the mid-20s. Expect mostly cloudy skies and highs scraping the mid-30s—a bundled-up kind of day with a stiff northwest wind adding a bite to the air, but it’s prime time if you’re looking to score the last open-water action before hard ice settles in.
On the water, the **walleye and sauger bite is still going strong** along the south shore. Regulars and guides agree: stick with 15 to 25 feet of water, that’s where the fish are stacked right now. Key stretches include Pine Island, Morris Point Gap, Zippel Bay, Long Point, and across to Twin Islands—each one is holding good numbers, though you’ll find the boat traffic light as most folks are out chasing deer this week. Those who did fish this past weekend reported “solid bags” of eater-sized walleyes under 19.5 inches, plenty of keeper saugers, and even the occasional big perch surpassing the 12-inch mark, a real bonus for the panfish crew, according to the weekly update from Lake of the Woods Tourism and Outdoor News.
Best presentation is classic and simple: **vertical jigging with a frozen emerald shiner or live fathead minnow**. Locals are leaning heavy on **gold, pink, orange, and glow colors**—either jigheads, small spoons, or a combination. On overcast days like today, don’t shy away from glow red or glow white. For the deadstick, run a plain hook and minnow just a foot off bottom and let it soak; the neutral biters are still picking up live bait with water temps in the low forties.
If you’re set up for it, try the “one-two punch”: jig aggressively in one hole and deadstick the other. That combo keeps rods bending, especially on tough bite windows. Some anglers are reporting lipless rattlebaits like the Rippin’ Rap are still pulling bonus fish in the afternoons, but real meat—that emerald shiner—remains king right now.
**Rainy River hot spots** are firing, too. Walleyes are cruising current seams and dropping into deeper holes on the edges. Jig and minnow remains the favorite—chartreuse jigs and gold have been taking consistent fish, with some trophy-sized eyes and plenty of eaters in the mix. Keep an eye on thin ice, as some stretches are starting to glaze overnight, especially on the edges and in the shallows.
Don’t overlook the **Northwest Angle**—even with thin ice forming in the back bays, a handful of diehards are still pulling good walleyes along the deeper island edges, both sides of the border. If you’re venturing up that way, use caution, stay on marked trails, and work the humps in 18 to 24 feet for a shot at larger fish.
To recap, **target 15 to 25 feet, jig gold or glow with shiners, and work the classic fall spots:** try Morris Point Gap and Zippel Bay for numbers, and check Pine Island or the Angle if you’re chasing fewer boats and a big fish surprise. Slot fish are starting to show in the mix, so get out there before the season flips to full ice.
Thanks for tuning in to your Lake of the Woods local fishing report. **Don’t forget to subscribe for all the latest and greatest. This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.**
Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn
This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI
