Tips for a good day on the ice

ARTICLE AND PHOTOS BY JEFF GUSTAFSON

The great thing about the Lake of the Woods region is that we have so many options for year-round fishing. Not only do we have the big lake, but there are also countless smaller waterbodies that offer excellent fishing for a variety of species. In addition to the plentiful walleye, we have lake trout, crappie, whitefish, perch, pike and burbot all readily available.

Knowing some general rules to follow for your target species helps to put the odds in your favour. Knowing that pike and walleye spawn in shallow areas soon after the ice goes out, we should be looking close to these areas late in the ice season. Crappies group up in the deep basins of the lakes and bays that they live in and can be found much more efficiently in the boat late in the fall than by drilling holes in the ice. Whitefish are more active throughout the ice season than they are the rest of the year.

An assortment of spoons can be used for walleye and perch.

Once you have an understanding for where to fish and are confident that you are showing your bait to a few of them, you can then start to tinker with different baits and colours.

I typically keep it simple, using a ¼ Buck-Shot Rattle Spoon for perch and walleye, a minnow imitating soft plastic jerk shad on a 3/8 oz jig for lake trout, a smaller spoon tipped with some small, scented plastic pieces for crappie and perch, while a quick-strike rig with a dead cisco rigged beneath a tip-up gets the call for pike. With the excellent mapping available now for many of our lakes, the electronics that we have and the ability to be mobile on the ice have made it easier to find and catch fish.

Keep it simple for walleye

Walleye are by far to most popular species that anglers target in the winter on Lake of the Woods. The season for walleye is wide open all winter until April 15 so we can start fishing for them as soon as the ice forms. To keep it simple, I like to focus on main lake humps and points where fish will hang out in small groups. The best spots have flats on them in the 28 to 35 foot range, where the majority of walleyes are found throughout the winter. The humps and points that have these flats in the ideal depth are always better spots than the structure that is a lot steeper or vertical. It's good to fish near a drop off or ledge, but not right on the ledge. As we get closer to the end of the winter season, I'll start to fish closer to the shallow bays where walleyes will spawn shortly after ice out. I use one bait primarily all winter, a 1/4 oz Buck-Shot Rattle Spoon tipped with a minnow head.

The Buck-Shot Rattle Spoon is a favourite walleye winter bait.

Watch the whole water column for lake trout

The season for lake trout closes on October 1 and reopens on January 1. Lake trout are the big prize for ice anglers in the Sunset Country region because they are very active under the ice and they get big. Watch the entire water column when you fish. A lot of big lake trout will show up right under the ice looking for an easy meal. I always keep my eyes glued to my sonar and watch for trout to appear anywhere in the water column. It should be noted that ice fishing for lake trout is not permitted on Clearwater Bay, Echo Bay or Cul de Sac Bay on Lake of the Woods, but populations exist in Ptarmigan Bay and of course all around the Sioux Narrows area in Whitefish Bay. In Whitefish Bay, trout anglers must fish with barbless hooks; fish or fish parts may not be used for bait.

Electronics are fun and help to catch more fish because you can see what is going on beneath the hole.

Respect the ice

The ice roads and the snowmobile trails make it easy to get around the lake, but it’s a lot of work to keep up this infrastructure. Avoid drilling holes in the ice near the roads or trails because this can cause flooding and major problems for the people who maintain them. Put in the effort to get away from the road at least 25 meters.

Drilling near the snowmobile trails creates mounds from the holes that can freeze and become a hazard for snowmobilers, particularly at night. Kick these over so snowmobilers don’t hit them. This also helps keep your hot fishing spots a secret!

Anybody who leaves trash on the lake shouldn’t be allowed to use it. If you must have a fire while you’re fishing, do it on shore (but not on someone’s private property), rather than in the middle of the lake. Be sure to check any fire burning regulations for the area.

If you come across garbage on the ice or anglers who are not following the fishing regulations, call a conservation officer at 1-877-TIPS-MNR (847-7667).

Enjoy the fishing and take care of our beautiful lake. It truly is a special place, even in the winter!