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Trophy Pike and Prehistoric Sturgeon at Lake of the Woods [Apr 18, 2025]
This is Artificial Lure with your Lake of the Woods fishing report for April 18th, 2025.
Today we’re seeing classic spring transition conditions across the big lake and its tributaries. We’re waking up to temps in the high 40s, with a clear, mild day ahead and just a touch of breeze. Highs should reach about 49 degrees. Sunrise was right around 622 am, and sunset hits close to 816 pm. Water is opening up fast, especially on the Rainy River, and you’ll find more accessible open water each day[6][10].
Right now, sturgeon and northern pike are the big stories. The walleye season wrapped April 14, so the focus on the lake is on pike until the Minnesota opener on May 10. Up and down the Rainy River and along the south shore, pike are moving into ditches and shallow bays as they get ready to spawn. Think shallow, weedy back bays—places you can fish with just about any size boat, or even from shore in some cases[2][5].
For pike, deadbait on a quick-strike rig, big spoons, and flashy crankbaits are all putting up fish. Classic red and white spoons, as well as gold or chartreuse patterns, are working best. Dead smelt or sucker minnows are the go-to if you want that fish to sit and soak—hard to beat in cold spring water[2].
You’ll see some open water anglers targeting sturgeon in the Rainy River. Sturgeon action is excellent right now. The technique is simple: anchor up in a deep hole or on a river bend, use a heavy no-roll sinker with a sturgeon rig, and bait up with nightcrawlers or frozen shiners. There've been a lot of big sturgeon caught and released this week—fish over 60 inches aren't unheard of out here. Remember: the sturgeon catch and release season runs through May 15, with a short harvest season starting April 24[1][2].
Summing up the catches this week: plenty of good pike, some slot fish released as required, and a few trophy-class fish already reported. Sturgeon numbers are strong, with multiple boats reporting double-digit fish days, especially near deep holes by Birchdale and Wheeler’s Point[1][4][5].
As for hot spots, check out the back bays along the south shore for pike—Zippel Bay, Four Mile Bay, and the mouths of incoming creeks are dynamite right now. On the river, prime sturgeon action is happening near Frontier Landing and between Wheeler’s Point and the airport stretch[2][5].
No tidal swings up here—just keep an eye on warming temps and receding ice. Now is prime time for those targeting trophy pike and prehistoric sturgeon. Good luck and tight lines—see you on the water!
Today we’re seeing classic spring transition conditions across the big lake and its tributaries. We’re waking up to temps in the high 40s, with a clear, mild day ahead and just a touch of breeze. Highs should reach about 49 degrees. Sunrise was right around 622 am, and sunset hits close to 816 pm. Water is opening up fast, especially on the Rainy River, and you’ll find more accessible open water each day[6][10].
Right now, sturgeon and northern pike are the big stories. The walleye season wrapped April 14, so the focus on the lake is on pike until the Minnesota opener on May 10. Up and down the Rainy River and along the south shore, pike are moving into ditches and shallow bays as they get ready to spawn. Think shallow, weedy back bays—places you can fish with just about any size boat, or even from shore in some cases[2][5].
For pike, deadbait on a quick-strike rig, big spoons, and flashy crankbaits are all putting up fish. Classic red and white spoons, as well as gold or chartreuse patterns, are working best. Dead smelt or sucker minnows are the go-to if you want that fish to sit and soak—hard to beat in cold spring water[2].
You’ll see some open water anglers targeting sturgeon in the Rainy River. Sturgeon action is excellent right now. The technique is simple: anchor up in a deep hole or on a river bend, use a heavy no-roll sinker with a sturgeon rig, and bait up with nightcrawlers or frozen shiners. There've been a lot of big sturgeon caught and released this week—fish over 60 inches aren't unheard of out here. Remember: the sturgeon catch and release season runs through May 15, with a short harvest season starting April 24[1][2].
Summing up the catches this week: plenty of good pike, some slot fish released as required, and a few trophy-class fish already reported. Sturgeon numbers are strong, with multiple boats reporting double-digit fish days, especially near deep holes by Birchdale and Wheeler’s Point[1][4][5].
As for hot spots, check out the back bays along the south shore for pike—Zippel Bay, Four Mile Bay, and the mouths of incoming creeks are dynamite right now. On the river, prime sturgeon action is happening near Frontier Landing and between Wheeler’s Point and the airport stretch[2][5].
No tidal swings up here—just keep an eye on warming temps and receding ice. Now is prime time for those targeting trophy pike and prehistoric sturgeon. Good luck and tight lines—see you on the water!
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By Quiet. PleaseThis is Artificial Lure with your Lake of the Woods fishing report for April 18th, 2025.
Today we’re seeing classic spring transition conditions across the big lake and its tributaries. We’re waking up to temps in the high 40s, with a clear, mild day ahead and just a touch of breeze. Highs should reach about 49 degrees. Sunrise was right around 622 am, and sunset hits close to 816 pm. Water is opening up fast, especially on the Rainy River, and you’ll find more accessible open water each day[6][10].
Right now, sturgeon and northern pike are the big stories. The walleye season wrapped April 14, so the focus on the lake is on pike until the Minnesota opener on May 10. Up and down the Rainy River and along the south shore, pike are moving into ditches and shallow bays as they get ready to spawn. Think shallow, weedy back bays—places you can fish with just about any size boat, or even from shore in some cases[2][5].
For pike, deadbait on a quick-strike rig, big spoons, and flashy crankbaits are all putting up fish. Classic red and white spoons, as well as gold or chartreuse patterns, are working best. Dead smelt or sucker minnows are the go-to if you want that fish to sit and soak—hard to beat in cold spring water[2].
You’ll see some open water anglers targeting sturgeon in the Rainy River. Sturgeon action is excellent right now. The technique is simple: anchor up in a deep hole or on a river bend, use a heavy no-roll sinker with a sturgeon rig, and bait up with nightcrawlers or frozen shiners. There've been a lot of big sturgeon caught and released this week—fish over 60 inches aren't unheard of out here. Remember: the sturgeon catch and release season runs through May 15, with a short harvest season starting April 24[1][2].
Summing up the catches this week: plenty of good pike, some slot fish released as required, and a few trophy-class fish already reported. Sturgeon numbers are strong, with multiple boats reporting double-digit fish days, especially near deep holes by Birchdale and Wheeler’s Point[1][4][5].
As for hot spots, check out the back bays along the south shore for pike—Zippel Bay, Four Mile Bay, and the mouths of incoming creeks are dynamite right now. On the river, prime sturgeon action is happening near Frontier Landing and between Wheeler’s Point and the airport stretch[2][5].
No tidal swings up here—just keep an eye on warming temps and receding ice. Now is prime time for those targeting trophy pike and prehistoric sturgeon. Good luck and tight lines—see you on the water!
Today we’re seeing classic spring transition conditions across the big lake and its tributaries. We’re waking up to temps in the high 40s, with a clear, mild day ahead and just a touch of breeze. Highs should reach about 49 degrees. Sunrise was right around 622 am, and sunset hits close to 816 pm. Water is opening up fast, especially on the Rainy River, and you’ll find more accessible open water each day[6][10].
Right now, sturgeon and northern pike are the big stories. The walleye season wrapped April 14, so the focus on the lake is on pike until the Minnesota opener on May 10. Up and down the Rainy River and along the south shore, pike are moving into ditches and shallow bays as they get ready to spawn. Think shallow, weedy back bays—places you can fish with just about any size boat, or even from shore in some cases[2][5].
For pike, deadbait on a quick-strike rig, big spoons, and flashy crankbaits are all putting up fish. Classic red and white spoons, as well as gold or chartreuse patterns, are working best. Dead smelt or sucker minnows are the go-to if you want that fish to sit and soak—hard to beat in cold spring water[2].
You’ll see some open water anglers targeting sturgeon in the Rainy River. Sturgeon action is excellent right now. The technique is simple: anchor up in a deep hole or on a river bend, use a heavy no-roll sinker with a sturgeon rig, and bait up with nightcrawlers or frozen shiners. There've been a lot of big sturgeon caught and released this week—fish over 60 inches aren't unheard of out here. Remember: the sturgeon catch and release season runs through May 15, with a short harvest season starting April 24[1][2].
Summing up the catches this week: plenty of good pike, some slot fish released as required, and a few trophy-class fish already reported. Sturgeon numbers are strong, with multiple boats reporting double-digit fish days, especially near deep holes by Birchdale and Wheeler’s Point[1][4][5].
As for hot spots, check out the back bays along the south shore for pike—Zippel Bay, Four Mile Bay, and the mouths of incoming creeks are dynamite right now. On the river, prime sturgeon action is happening near Frontier Landing and between Wheeler’s Point and the airport stretch[2][5].
No tidal swings up here—just keep an eye on warming temps and receding ice. Now is prime time for those targeting trophy pike and prehistoric sturgeon. Good luck and tight lines—see you on the water!