Lake of the Woods/ Rainy River

The fall fishing action at Lake of the Woods is in full swing as the shiners start to run in the Rainy River. There is a nice school of walleye outside the gap, and the walleye have returned to the south shore of the lake. The best action has been in 23-30 feet of water from the Lighthouse Gap to the Morris Point Gap.

The shiners are running wild in the Rainy River! Anglers have been catching smaller walleye and sauger but with the shiner activity that will soon change. 12-16 feet of water has been giving up some nice walleye.

The Northwest Angle and Islands is still giving up some nice walleye around the reefs and rocks in 28-31 feet. As the temperature cools the Island muskie should become more active.

Wabigoon & Chain Lakes

Points and humps

6-12 ft

jig & minnow

early morning or 4-5 pm

Water levels are up compared to last year at this time. Wabigoon & Chain also hold large Northern Pike & Muskie.

Rainy Lake and Rainy River

East End Reefs, River inlets

varies

jig or spinner & minnow

later afternoon

Walleye anglers are doing well in deep water near the reefs on the east end. Rely on your graph to find some fish and jig with a minnow. Crappie are biting in Sand and Black Bays and northern pike are being caught in Cranberry and Lost Bays. River Walleye have been concentrated near the confluence of the Big Fork and Littlefork Rivers, the swifter current below the dam at International Falls draws a variety of fish, smallmouth bass and sturgeon are commonly caught in this area.
Falls colors are present, but green is still predominant.

Small game season opens Saturday, September 15 and the prospect for ruffed grouse is better than it has been for several years. There are plenty of public lands and potential trails to walk in the vicinity of International Falls and Rainy Lake.

Kabetogama

The flats or eastern half of Kab/western half of Namakan

28-35 ft

crank bait

The weather was great for the Labor Day Weekenders.  Warm weather dominated the weekend.  Water temps edged up to 70 degrees again during the day.  Anglers found the most consistent walleye bite in the 28-35\' on Kab and 30-40\' range on Namakan.  The exception to the aforementioned is the shallow bite where scattered walleyes are still being caught at 6-15\' depth.  Weed edges great for Northern Pike, casting or trolling the big artificials or live bait such as sucker minnows will get you a limit.  Smallmouth open on Kab till September 10th, and they remain very agressive.  Crayfish type baits shallow or deeper divers of reef edges very aggressive.  Great time of year to troll crank baits for all species; get them down deep for your rewards.  Minnows are the best live bait now for walleyes, jig heads or slip sinker rigs moved along slowly or drop shot style should catch you fish.  Bear season opened on September 1st, and judging from first day tallies is a good opener. We weighed in a 410 pound+ bear dressed out taken out of the Himes Bear Camp.  Grouse season is only a couple weeks away and bear hunters report lots of grouse, should be a great season.  This is a sportmen\'s dream come true in this area, fishing, big game hunting and some of the state\'s best grouse hunting all at the same time.

Crane Lake

minnows, crawlers

morning and evening

Check the weedlines and deeper waters. Walleyes are in the weeds in the shallows and off of windswept islands in 30-40 feet of water. The Walleyes are transition now moving from the shallows to the reefs.
Bass are still guarding their nests - small spinners and Rapalas are working well.

Lake of the Woods

Zippel Bay, Long Point

6-12 ft

jig with minnow or leech

Muskie fishing at the Northwest Angle and Islands is off to a great start. The south shore is producing some nice walleye and northern pike in the shallows.

Vermilion

15 ft

The fishing has been excellent, with many large walleye, northern and bass caught over the past week! 15\' seems to be the preferred depth right now.

Kabetogama and Namakan

walleye deep right now

minnows, crawlers

late afternoon, early evening

Rain and thunderstorms have made for interesting fishing patterns. Anglers have found walleyes at various depths, Northern pike very aggressive and smallmouth moving in shallow.