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Lake of the Woods Opener: Open Water Walleyes, Pike, and Sturgeon on the Bite
Good morning from the shores of Lake of the Woods. This is Artificial Lure with your local fishing report for May 10, 2025.
The big news this opener is that the ice is finally off and open water season is here. A late ice-out means there are plenty of walleyes hanging out in the river and along the south shore. Anglers can expect a strong start to the season, with quite a few big walleyes mixed in with good numbers of eaters. This week, most reports from the Rainy River and the main lake indicate steady walleye action, especially for those working traditional spring spots with classic approaches.
For walleyes, the go-to setup right now is a jig and minnow. Pink, chartreuse, and glow colors are getting bit the most. Tip your jig with a fathead or a shiner and work it slow in 15 to 20 feet, or right in the current seams near mouths of inflowing rivers. Keep an eye on water temps, which are in the mid-40s to low 50s—prime for spring action[1][2].
Northern pike are hot as well, with the late melt pushing the spawn a bit later than normal. Shallow bays along the south shore like Four Mile Bay, Bostic Bay, and Zippel Bay are filling up with big fish staging to spawn. Dead bait under a bobber is working, along with five to seven inch spoons and shallow-diving crankbaits for those who prefer casting or trolling. The pike limit is three per day with all fish between thirty and forty inches released, but you can keep one trophy over forty inches. Lots of photo-worthy fish this week, and most folks are catching and releasing the big girls[4][5].
Sturgeon remains an option on the Rainy River, with a good bite reported by those soaking nightcrawlers on heavy rigs. A few anglers have landed true dinosaurs, with fish in the eighty to one hundred inch range not unusual this time of year[5].
As for the weather, expect partly cloudy skies with daytime highs in the low 60s and light northwest winds, perfect for a long drift or anchored session. Sunrise today was at 5:40 AM and sunset will be around 8:45 PM, giving plenty of daylight to fish all your favorite spots.
Hot spots to try include the mouth of the Rainy River for walleyes, Four Mile Bay for both walleye and pike, and Zippel Bay for pike staging to spawn. The shallows near Pine Island have also been productive for early-season walleyes.
No tides to worry about—this is freshwater country. The fish are biting, the weather is right, and it’s a great weekend to be out on Lake of the Woods. Best of luck, and remember to release those trophies for the next lucky angler[1][2][4][5].
The big news this opener is that the ice is finally off and open water season is here. A late ice-out means there are plenty of walleyes hanging out in the river and along the south shore. Anglers can expect a strong start to the season, with quite a few big walleyes mixed in with good numbers of eaters. This week, most reports from the Rainy River and the main lake indicate steady walleye action, especially for those working traditional spring spots with classic approaches.
For walleyes, the go-to setup right now is a jig and minnow. Pink, chartreuse, and glow colors are getting bit the most. Tip your jig with a fathead or a shiner and work it slow in 15 to 20 feet, or right in the current seams near mouths of inflowing rivers. Keep an eye on water temps, which are in the mid-40s to low 50s—prime for spring action[1][2].
Northern pike are hot as well, with the late melt pushing the spawn a bit later than normal. Shallow bays along the south shore like Four Mile Bay, Bostic Bay, and Zippel Bay are filling up with big fish staging to spawn. Dead bait under a bobber is working, along with five to seven inch spoons and shallow-diving crankbaits for those who prefer casting or trolling. The pike limit is three per day with all fish between thirty and forty inches released, but you can keep one trophy over forty inches. Lots of photo-worthy fish this week, and most folks are catching and releasing the big girls[4][5].
Sturgeon remains an option on the Rainy River, with a good bite reported by those soaking nightcrawlers on heavy rigs. A few anglers have landed true dinosaurs, with fish in the eighty to one hundred inch range not unusual this time of year[5].
As for the weather, expect partly cloudy skies with daytime highs in the low 60s and light northwest winds, perfect for a long drift or anchored session. Sunrise today was at 5:40 AM and sunset will be around 8:45 PM, giving plenty of daylight to fish all your favorite spots.
Hot spots to try include the mouth of the Rainy River for walleyes, Four Mile Bay for both walleye and pike, and Zippel Bay for pike staging to spawn. The shallows near Pine Island have also been productive for early-season walleyes.
No tides to worry about—this is freshwater country. The fish are biting, the weather is right, and it’s a great weekend to be out on Lake of the Woods. Best of luck, and remember to release those trophies for the next lucky angler[1][2][4][5].
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By Quiet. PleaseGood morning from the shores of Lake of the Woods. This is Artificial Lure with your local fishing report for May 10, 2025.
The big news this opener is that the ice is finally off and open water season is here. A late ice-out means there are plenty of walleyes hanging out in the river and along the south shore. Anglers can expect a strong start to the season, with quite a few big walleyes mixed in with good numbers of eaters. This week, most reports from the Rainy River and the main lake indicate steady walleye action, especially for those working traditional spring spots with classic approaches.
For walleyes, the go-to setup right now is a jig and minnow. Pink, chartreuse, and glow colors are getting bit the most. Tip your jig with a fathead or a shiner and work it slow in 15 to 20 feet, or right in the current seams near mouths of inflowing rivers. Keep an eye on water temps, which are in the mid-40s to low 50s—prime for spring action[1][2].
Northern pike are hot as well, with the late melt pushing the spawn a bit later than normal. Shallow bays along the south shore like Four Mile Bay, Bostic Bay, and Zippel Bay are filling up with big fish staging to spawn. Dead bait under a bobber is working, along with five to seven inch spoons and shallow-diving crankbaits for those who prefer casting or trolling. The pike limit is three per day with all fish between thirty and forty inches released, but you can keep one trophy over forty inches. Lots of photo-worthy fish this week, and most folks are catching and releasing the big girls[4][5].
Sturgeon remains an option on the Rainy River, with a good bite reported by those soaking nightcrawlers on heavy rigs. A few anglers have landed true dinosaurs, with fish in the eighty to one hundred inch range not unusual this time of year[5].
As for the weather, expect partly cloudy skies with daytime highs in the low 60s and light northwest winds, perfect for a long drift or anchored session. Sunrise today was at 5:40 AM and sunset will be around 8:45 PM, giving plenty of daylight to fish all your favorite spots.
Hot spots to try include the mouth of the Rainy River for walleyes, Four Mile Bay for both walleye and pike, and Zippel Bay for pike staging to spawn. The shallows near Pine Island have also been productive for early-season walleyes.
No tides to worry about—this is freshwater country. The fish are biting, the weather is right, and it’s a great weekend to be out on Lake of the Woods. Best of luck, and remember to release those trophies for the next lucky angler[1][2][4][5].
The big news this opener is that the ice is finally off and open water season is here. A late ice-out means there are plenty of walleyes hanging out in the river and along the south shore. Anglers can expect a strong start to the season, with quite a few big walleyes mixed in with good numbers of eaters. This week, most reports from the Rainy River and the main lake indicate steady walleye action, especially for those working traditional spring spots with classic approaches.
For walleyes, the go-to setup right now is a jig and minnow. Pink, chartreuse, and glow colors are getting bit the most. Tip your jig with a fathead or a shiner and work it slow in 15 to 20 feet, or right in the current seams near mouths of inflowing rivers. Keep an eye on water temps, which are in the mid-40s to low 50s—prime for spring action[1][2].
Northern pike are hot as well, with the late melt pushing the spawn a bit later than normal. Shallow bays along the south shore like Four Mile Bay, Bostic Bay, and Zippel Bay are filling up with big fish staging to spawn. Dead bait under a bobber is working, along with five to seven inch spoons and shallow-diving crankbaits for those who prefer casting or trolling. The pike limit is three per day with all fish between thirty and forty inches released, but you can keep one trophy over forty inches. Lots of photo-worthy fish this week, and most folks are catching and releasing the big girls[4][5].
Sturgeon remains an option on the Rainy River, with a good bite reported by those soaking nightcrawlers on heavy rigs. A few anglers have landed true dinosaurs, with fish in the eighty to one hundred inch range not unusual this time of year[5].
As for the weather, expect partly cloudy skies with daytime highs in the low 60s and light northwest winds, perfect for a long drift or anchored session. Sunrise today was at 5:40 AM and sunset will be around 8:45 PM, giving plenty of daylight to fish all your favorite spots.
Hot spots to try include the mouth of the Rainy River for walleyes, Four Mile Bay for both walleye and pike, and Zippel Bay for pike staging to spawn. The shallows near Pine Island have also been productive for early-season walleyes.
No tides to worry about—this is freshwater country. The fish are biting, the weather is right, and it’s a great weekend to be out on Lake of the Woods. Best of luck, and remember to release those trophies for the next lucky angler[1][2][4][5].