Lake of the Woods
Walleye fishing remains hot, despite the recent mayfly hatch in parts of the lake, and pulling spinners with crawlers or minnows in 16 feet to 30 feet of water is putting lots of fish in the boat, Lake of the Woods Tourism reports in this week's update. Gold, glow and bright colors continue to be solid choices.
Up at the Northwest Angle, fishing remains "lights out," and areas near Crowduck and Garden islands continue to hold big schools of walleyes, the report said. Anglers are having their best luck fishing spinners with crawlers in 20 to 24 feet of water; crankbaits also are working well. In Ontario waters, jigging and pulling spinners on reefs is producing fish. A few muskies in the 50-inch range have been reported by anglers casting bucktails over weed-to-rock transition areas. The annual midsummer algae bloom is minimal so far, and visibility remains good, according to Lake of the Woods Tourism.
Devils Lake
Anglers are catching a mix of walleyes averaging 10 inches to 20 inches, and pulling bottom bouncers and spinners with leeches, crawlers or soft plastics are the most consistent technique right now, according to Mark Bry of Bry's Guide Service. Some of the guides also have been slip bobbering, Bry said, using smaller jigs or plain hooks tipped with leeches below a bobber in 10 feet to 20 feet of water.
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Best locations include humps, flooded roads, points, the old shoreline and weed lines. That offers a lot of options, to be sure, but all are producing, Bry said. Pike fishing has slowed, but anglers are catching a few fish mixed in with the walleyes, Bry said. White bass fishing has been pretty good when anglers find them, he said.
Red River
"Pretty normal," is how Grand Forks catfish guide Brad Durick describes catfishing right now, given low river levels and recent warm temperatures. The catfish are in post spawn and spread out in summer haunts such as wood piles, deeper holes and near break lines where the depth changes from shallow to deeper water. The more aggressive fish are holding in deeper water in the middle of the river, Durick said. As usual, anglers should stay on the move and keep the bait fresh, Durick said. Bait does not seem to matter, but anglers with frogs say they are producing the best hits.
Upper Red Lake
Walleye action has varied with the weather, of late, West Wind Resort in Waskish, Minn., reports in its latest update. When wind and weather conditions allow, anglers have had their best walleye action pulling white or gold spinners with a leech or minnow in 4 to 7 feet of water along the north shore, the report said. Rock piles and gravel bars also are good bets for anglers in search of larger walleyes.
-- Herald staff report
