Lake of the Woods Fishing Report: Late Fall Walleyes, Sauger, and Pike Bite

Artificial Lure here with your Lake of the Woods, Minnesota fishing report for Saturday, November 8, 2025. First light hit the water at 7:12 AM, with sunset coming at 4:41 PM tonight. Air temps started crisp in the upper 30s at dawn, climbing toward a high near 56°F this afternoon. Skies are patchy clouds, with a gentle south breeze expected and no precipitation in the forecast—classic mid-fall conditions up here on the border. No tidal swings, of course, so it's all about sun, wind, and that dropping water temp. The colder water’s got fish moving deeper, but the bite’s still alive for the folks toughing it out. Outdoor News reports the best walleye action this week has been 15–25 feet deep, sticking to classic late fall haunts stretching from Pine Island over to Morris Point Gap, Zippel Bay, Long Point, and the Twin Islands area. Orange/chartreuse and gold/orange jigs are accounting for a lot of limits, sometimes with a dash of pink or glow white mixed in. Stick to those colors and you’ll match what’s working locally. Emerald shiners—live or frozen—are a hot commodity. Jigging vertically with these baits has pulled in the most consistent walleyes. That said, a few folks pulling crankbaits along the breaklines are still reporting solid action, especially as the sun warms the shallower gravel bars. According to recent catches, the bulk of the bite is walleye (lots in the keeper 15–19-inch range, with occasional slots and overs mixed in), plus plenty of sauger for the fry pan. Pike are popping up for folks working shallower weed lines, especially in Zippel Bay and Four-Mile Bay. If you want something to tug you harder, soak a dead cisco under a bobber off a weed edge. Big perch and a few jumbo crappies have been showing in the mix along the deeper mud too. If you want numbers, several boats this week pulled double-digits each for walleye and sauger on full-day outings. Most reports say early mornings and the midday solunar major (peaking around 2:00–4:00 PM) are your prime times, according to SolunarForecast.com. Bring a thermos and stick it out past lunch—you’ll get rewarded. Lure-wise: standbys get it done now. A simple gold jig (⅜-ounce is the sweet spot) tipped with a frozen emerald shiner does the trick. If the bite is light, try a stinger hook. Northland’s Buck-Shot Rattles in perch or pink/glow are a good bet if you’re targeting stained water. If you’re trolling, stick with firetiger or clown color crankbaits—keep ‘em slow and a foot or two off the bottom. Hotspots this week: - **Pine Island to Morris Point Gap**: Deep mud, tons of marks, steady walleye. - **Long Point and Zippel Bay**: Good variety with lots of eater-sized sauger and walleyes. - For a bit of a sleeper, check the edge off Twin Islands—less pressure and some bonus big pike. Bait shops are reporting tight supplies of golden shiners, so if you find them, scoop ‘em up—otherwise, emeralds are your hero and plastics on jigs can fill in when minnows get scarce, according t This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.