Lake of the Woods

Lake of the Woods County (shared with Ontario & Manitoba), Minnesota

A giant border lake known as the Walleye Capital of the World, with a huge ice-fishing industry and big sauger and muskie.

Air temp in Oak Island, MN Loading current temperature…

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Current air temperature at Lake of the Woods (National Weather Service) ↗

Surface area—

Max depth210 ft

Shoreline—

Boat motorsCheck local rules

Species

Fishery rating out of 5.

Walleye●●●●●

Points, flats and reefs at low light. Jigs and live bait early, crankbaits and crawler harnesses in summer.

Sauger●●●●●

River current and deep holes. Jigs and minnows in cold water.

Muskellunge●●●●○

Big baits along weed edges and rock bars, best in fall.

Northern Pike●●●●○

Weed edges and bays. Spoons, spinnerbaits and tip-ups through the ice.

Yellow Perch●●●○○

Schools on mud and sand flats. Great through the ice.

Boat launches

1 launch sites. Fees and hours change, so confirm before you go.

More public accessPublic
See the MN DNR or lake website for all ramps and feesDirections ↗

Size & creel limits

Minimum size and daily limit for each species in Lake of the Woods are published by the state. Look up the current size and creel limits for this lake directly: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources ↗

Rules change, so confirm current limits with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources before you fish.

Bait & tackle nearby

Closest shops to the lake and its boat launches. Call ahead for live bait and hours.

Jake's Northwest AngleAt lake
9270 Golf Course Road Northwest, Angle Inlet(218) 223-8181 Directions ↗
Border BaitAt lake
3371 State Highway 172, Baudette(218) 634-1180 Directions ↗
Log Cabin BaitAt lake
3263 Fishery Road Northwest, Baudette(218) 634-1339 Directions ↗

Search more bait shops near Lake of the Woods ↗

Local tips

Ontario waters need an Ontario license. Know where the border is.
Ice-fishing resorts run heated fish houses all winter.
Big water. Fish with a buddy and watch the weather.

View on interactive map

Zoom and pan on a street, satellite or terrain map. Red pins are boat launches; blue pins are bait shops nearby.

More Minnesota lakes

Leech Lake Lake Winnibigoshish Rainy Lake Lake Vermilion Lac la Croix Basswood Lake Kabetogama Lake Namakan Lake All Minnesota lakes →

Always wear a life jacket and check your state's current regulations before you fish.