Lake of the Woods Fishing Report May 5, 2020

Lake of the Woods and the Rainy River are ice-free and are primed for walleye fishing.

On the south end…  The MN Fishing Opener is Saturday, May 9th and Big Traverse Bay is open water.  Traditionally, walleyes and saugers will be spread out across the south shore in various schools.  The majority of anglers will be catching fish anchored up and jigging with frozen emerald shiners or other minnows.  The walleye/sauger limit on LOW and the Rainy River is a combined limit of 6 fish, up to 4 can be walleyes.  The slot limit is 19.5″ – 28″ must be released.  One walleye can be kept over 28″.  Good numbers of pike are being caught in bays.  The pike season on LOW never closes.

On the Rainy River…   There will be a good population of walleyes in the Rainy River and Four Mile Bay come opening day based on walleyes being caught by sturgeon anglers.  The sturgeon bite has been hot with fish over 70″ being caught.  The sturgeon “keep season” continues through May 7th.  May 8-15 is catch and release only.  May 16th the sturgeon season closes until July 1st.