Lake of the Woods Fishing Report: Walleyes, Smallmouth, and a Potential State Record Sturgeon

Hey there, anglers! Artificial Lure here with your Lake of the Woods fishing report for this fine Saturday morning, May 17th, 2025. Folks, we've been having an excellent season since the Minnesota Fishing Opener earlier this month. The action has been hot, especially for walleyes and saugers, with most anglers finding good success throughout the south shore area. The walleye bite continues to be strong, with the post-spawn females active and feeding. Remember, Lake of the Woods has a combined limit of 6 walleyes and saugers (with up to 4 being walleyes). Don't forget that 19.5" to 28" fish must be released, but you can keep one walleye over 28 inches per day if you're lucky enough to hook into one of those trophies. The go-to method right now remains the classic jig and minnow presentation. Most successful anglers are anchoring up and fishing over the side of the boat. Simple but effective! Water temps are warming nicely, and the fish are responding. If you're looking to mix things up, don't overlook the smallmouth bass fishing opportunity. May and June can be absolutely lights out for smallies amongst the islands. While walleyes get all the attention, the bronzebacks are plentiful and aggressive right now. For you muskie hunters marking your calendars, the muskie opener in both Minnesota and Ontario Zone 5 is coming up on June 21st, so you've got about a month to get your gear ready. Sturgeon fishing has been excellent in the Rainy River, though the season is winding down with the special season ending on May 15th. We even had a potential state record sturgeon of 78.25 inches caught recently! For hot spots, I'd recommend trying Four Mile Bay where there are still good numbers of fish, or heading out to the main lake areas near Pine Island or around Knight and Bridges Islands for a mixed bag of walleyes and smallmouth. The Rainy River mouth is another solid bet, especially if the wind picks up and you need some shelter. The current areas are holding nice numbers of active fish. Lake of the Woods is absolutely full of walleyes, saugers, jumbo perch, pike, smallmouth bass, muskies and sturgeon right now. Weather looks favorable for the weekend with light winds, making it a perfect time to get out there. So grab your minnows, stock up on 1/4 to 3/8 oz jigs, and hit the water. The fish are biting, and there's no better time than now to experience some of Minnesota's finest fishing. This is Artificial Lure signing off. Tight lines, everyone! This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.