Lake of the Woods Fishing Reports

Water temperature: Reaching 70*F Weather: Couple of storms. Hot and humid lately.

After a pretty dry June, we had a couple of storms and the weather has been pretty hot and humid lately. Water level is still very high but the lake seems to have peeked. Walleyes are active, hanging out between 25 and 30 feet. This time of the year, focus on wind-blown points close to spawning areas. Bass fishing has been phenomenal, although the water level being this high presents a challenge when looking for shorelines and spots with the proper structure. As the water temperature rises, muskies and pikes will be transitioning from spawning bays to nearby points, reefs and cabbage beds.

Water temperature: 70 - 74 *F Weather: Very hot. Couple of big thunder storms.

Last couple of weeks of July have been very, very hot. Probably because of the warm weather, Lake of the Woods experienced a couple of very strong thunderstorms, which helped to raise the water level of the lake even a little bit more. Although it has been coming down since the peak at the end of June, beginning of July. With the water temperature reaching 74 *F, muskies are definitely out of the spawning phase and bass will start coming up into their beds. We will see how this turns up, as their usual spawning beds, located in shallow sandy spots, where it’s warm and sunny, are now at least two feet deeper than usual.

Water temperature: 75 *F Weather: More stable. Warm but less humid

During the last couple of weeks, the weather has been more stable, and definitely more enjoyable with warm temperatures but less humidity. Together with this, the water level has come down significantly, and it’s expected to drop around four more inches during August. This is great news for cottagers, beach goers and lake fans in general.
With the water temperature going up, bass should continue their rise to their beds, and with the water level coming down, they should be able to be located in their usual spawning areas. Musky fishing continues to be absolutely amazing, especially around Wiley Point Lodge and French Portage Narrows Outpost. When it comes to walleyes, August marks the definitive transition from the spawning areas to open lake spots, like humps and reefs close to deep water.

Water temperature: Reaching 80 °F Weather: Summer warm

Since our last report, especially the last ten days, we have experienced stable summer weather. The average water temperature has been hovering around 78 °F with peaks above 80 °F, reaching 85 °F in shallow back bays by the end of last week. During this time also, Lake of the Woods dropped another 9 cm (3 in) and is expected to drop by another 9 to 11 cm (3 to 4 in) during this week. With these conditions, walleyes should be cruising open lake spots, like humps and reefs close to deep water, at around 26 to 38 feet deep. Musky hunters should be focusing on rock-type structure, although late-grown cabbage beds could also present an opportunity to get a once in a lifetime fish.

Water temperature: Lower 70 °F Weather: Turning weather

September, folks!!! The beginning of the end of the season. Two weeks ago or so, we experienced the warmest days of the season, with the water temperature Lake of the Woods peaking at 85 °F. But since Labour Day Weekend, it has been hovering in the lower 70s °F. Mornings are getting colder and we can expect the cloud cover to be more consistent. Walleyes might start hanging around in shallower water. Smallmouth bass will be populating the shallow reefs and rock piles around the lake, in between 6 and 10 feet of water. As the water gets colder, northern pike will be back in the back bays, specially the ones with good weed cover. On the other hand, muskies will be cruising deeper water chasing schools of smaller fish. Mid September marks the beginning of trolling season for monster muskellunge and northern pike.

Water temperature: Lower 60s °F

Weather: Fall

Leaves are turning colours and mornings have become frosty. The Summer has ended and Wiley Point Lodge and Totem Lodge will be closing for the season on September 25th. As we get closer to October, Lake of the Woods water temperature is hovering in the lower 60s °F. Anglers should look for walleyes in shallow water. Visit your early Spring spots and use your depth finder to locate fish. Smallmouth bass will be deep around 20 feet, in humps and reefs close to deep water. Anglers looking for trophy musky and northern pike will be trolling deep water and channels.

Water temperature: 56 to 60 °F Weather: Fall

It’s definitely Fall in Lake of the Woods. Water temperature has been dropping slowly but consistently. During the last couple of weeks, we have been able to find walleyes in around 20 feet of water. Focus on spawning areas and look for deeper pockets that might be holding fish. As the water gets colder, anglers should be able to locate northern pike in the back bays. Depending on the particular conditions of that day, like cloud cover and wind direction, pike might be hanging tight to the shallow weeds or deeper towards the centre of the bay. Smallmouth bass will be deep around 20 feet, in humps and reefs close to deep water. Anglers looking for trophy musky will be trolling deep water and channels.

Weather: Cold snaps but hasn't been consistently cold - Ice conditions: 7 inches

Welcome to Totem Resorts Winter Report! Our team went to check the ice for the first time this year. We have just over 7 inches of ice in Long Bay, where we keep our permanent ice hut during the winter season. On the other hand, in the bay right in front Yellow Bird Lodge, we found 3 inches of ice.

Eventhough we already experience the first cold snap of the season, with temperatures reaching -30 °C (-22 °F), the temperature for the last couples of days has been hovering around 0 °C (32 °F), which doesn't help the freezing process.

But we have cold temperatures ahead, don't worry. According to he forecast, by next week we will be experiencing daytime high temperatures of around -21 °C. (-5.8 °F)

Get your base layers and give us a call. Ice fishing season is around the corner!

Weather: Temperature has been above the historical average - Ice conditions: 10 inches (not consistent)

Totem Resorts has been keeping “two eyes on the ice'' for you during this week, as weather conditions haven’t been consistent with the historical patterns for this time of the year.

Snow and freezing rain don’t help the ice building process. We currently have 10 inches of ice by the power lines in Long Bay, where we keep our permanent ice hut during the winter season. All in front of Totem Lodge, Dustin Brown found a layer of ice of between 5 and 7 inches.

He told us that “...we have a decent base layer of black ice, but the deep snow that came right after it caused too much weight, resulting in the ice to “pop” and slush to rise to the top creating a layer of insulation, making it hard for the ice to freeze.”

The current ice layer can hold a good amount of weight, but conditions make it impossible for plow trucks to work and build the ice roads. Conditions seem to be the same on the Kenora side of Lake of the Woods. People on social media are reporting big amounts of slush under the snowpack, with deep and hard snow drifts.

Please use extreme caution while adventuring on the ice.

The latest ice fishing report in the Sioux Narrows, Ontario area of Lake of the Woods:

Whitefish Bay/ Regina Bay: We’re now beginning to see ice thickness of anywhere from 10” to 14+” on Whitefish Bay. With the water being so clear on this part of the lake, it has been making for especially good thick black Ice.

Long Bay: On this area we are marking anywhere from 10”-16” of ice with a think 2” white crust on the very top. The further you get down Long Bay, the more cautious we recommend you be. Our ice road should be in down Long Bay by the end of next Week.

Sunset Channel: The crew went out staking snowmobile trails down sunset channel last week and found 10”-15” of solid ice mostly everywhere down the channel, with the exception of a few small open pockets of water and slush here and there.

Official Report: We now have trucks, ice castles, and permanent day shacks on the ice in good locations for Walleye, Lake Trout, and Northern. But this isn’t to say you shouldn’t let your guard down quite yet. The ice is still very dangerous in many spots, especially areas with any types of current. The good news is- most of the slush on the lake has now froze decently enough to drive on, and with more snow in the forecast, should make for some great snowmobiling weather soon. We’ve officially opened our new snowmobile trail from Yellowbird Lodge to the USA side of Lake of the Woods, and are excited to welcome USA visitors on the new staked trail system.

‘’The Scoop’' - February Ice Report on Lake of the Woods from Totem Resorts.

As many of you know, our winter was off to a rocky start, with temperatures being extremely warm trough-out most of December, making for ice conditions to be a bit slushy, but luckily the end of January thru the beginning of February we were hit with over a record breaking freezing week of -40 Degree Celsius (-40 Fahrenheit) conditions making for extremely good ice building conditions!

All Ice is now completely normal for this time of the year, making for fanatics vehicle access when off roading from our ice roads (still approach with extreme caution) and great snowmobiling, and tracked machine usage.

Long Bay/ Regina Bay (Sioux Narrows, Ontario) Ice conditions are now 2’+ all down Long Bay with ice getting thicker by the day! Travel is now easily safe for any sized vehicle and ice conditions are mostly solid black ice with a 4’ top layer of white ice. We’re seeing about 8-12’’ of snow conditions on top of the ice- perfect for those Lake of the Woods Walleyes!

Whitefish Bay (Sioux Narrows) This area is showing fantastic signs of solid black ice. Thickness here ranges from 14’’ all the way to 2’ making for excellent travel and fishing conditions across this area of Lake of the Woods and chasing the monster Lake Trout this section has to offer.

Sunset Channel/ Tug Channel Traveling anywhere down Sunset Channel and the Tug Channel has been wonderful conditions for over a month now. You’ll see 2’ + anywhere down these areas, and the conditions being mainly solid black ice.

Kenora, Ontario In the north side of the lake, the ice roads are improving thickness wise slowly but surely. Road to Windigo Island is in good shape other than a little rough in places. Roads to Queer island, French Narrows, Andrew Bay, Pipestone Point, the gap of Moore Bay are open as well.

February delivered much needed cold weather, lots of chilly winds and perfect ice building conditions.

You can now expect to see 2’-3’ of solid black ice pretty much all over the Canadian side of Lake of the Woods, all throughout the Sioux Narrows-Nestor Falls area and all the way across the lake to the Kenora area and down thru the USA side as well.

March is well known for the best ice condition, warm weather, and greatest fishing of the entire season!

Water temperature: 54 °F

Weather: Little warmer than usual but Spring hasn't kick in yet

Welcome to a new Summer season in Lake of the Woods! May long weekend marks the unofficial start to the summer in the Canadian calendars and we are very excited to bring you the first fishing report of this season.

It has been warmer than usual in Lake of the Woods. This weekend was sunny with max temperatures reaching the mid 20 °C (68 °F). Walleyes seem to be shallow, just coming out of the spawning phase. Anglers looking for them should focus on sand bottom spots, in the 15-20 feet deep range, away from big open water.

Water temperature: 58 °F

Weather: Warm and sunny with temperatures reaching 28 °F on Sunday May 28th.

It has been a fantastic week in Lake of the Woods, with people enjoying a wonderful weather and back to normal water levels. During the first week of the walleye season, we received reports of angles catching them really shallow, in sandy bottom spots, siting at 8 - 10 feet of water. At the same time, angles were also being successful fishing for them in the current, around the 28 - 32 feet mark.

But with the more consistent warmer weather, walleyes should start schooling and travelling with the lake current. During this past weekend, reports say that they seem to be shying away from shallow water into flat points outside spawning areas around 25 feet deep. Current seemed to be the key word for this past week.

On the other hand, smallmouth bass anglers should start getting ready. Water temperatures seem to be risen fairly quickly and once we pass the 60 °F, bass should start coming up shallower.

Water temperature: 70 °F

Weather: Consistent Spring weather with temperatures above normal for this time of the year.

We had an amazing couple of weeks here in Lake of the Woods. Weather has been fantastic lately. Since our last report, water temperature has increased almost 20 degrees, sending walleyes deep and towards open water. Anglers should definitely leave spawning areas behind and focus on points and flats, closer to deep water, in the 23-27 feet deep range.

Our sources also confirm that, following the rise on the water temperature, smallmouth bass are already on their beds. Look for shallow back bays, with sandy bottoms, protected from the current.

Water temperature: 70 - 75 °F

Weather: Warm, very warm.

Phenomenal! That’s the only way to describe fishing for the last ten days on Lake of the Woods. Summer like temperatures have sent the smallmouth bass to their beds earlier than usual and reports indicate they have been very active. Our sources tell us that they have came out of the spawning phase and anglers should be looking for them in rocky shorelines and rock piles.

Musky opener was nothing but spectacular at Wiley Point Lodge, with anglers boating several muskies in a single morning.

On the other hand, warmer than normal temperatures have sent the walleyes deep, close to the 30 feet mark.

Water temperature: 70 °F

Weather: Temperatures somehow back to normal.

Weather seems to have stabilized in Lake of the Woods. A few storms and cold fronts have brought the temperatures back to what we are used to for this time of the year. These conditions have affected the fishing in general and walleyes in particular, with reports of active fish around the 25 feet deep mark in humps and exposed points.

Water temperature: 70 °F

Weather: Full on Summer!

With exception of a series of storms a few weeks ago, summer conditions have been the rule for the last while in Lake of the Woods. Walleyes love this and the fishing has been pretty consistent, and humps surrounded by big open water seem to be the key. Anglers should be trying a range of depths before moving on to the next spot. Focus in humps where the higher point is around 22 feet and then, fish all sides, all the way to the 30 feet mark. Once you find some action, drop a marker and work the slope up and down with the wind.

As we begin transitioning into the fall season, water temperatures are beginning to drop and all fish are in pursuit of a good feed bag for winter. The bite is exceptional! Jig heads, crank baits and minnows are attractive to the schools of Walleye hanging out at the edge of the weeds. With cold front conditions you want to slow your presentation down; finesse you’re jigging and reeling at a slower pace. As fall conditions provide exciting opportunities for bigger fish of all species, such as Musky and Northern Pike you will want to be using bigger lures and bigger minnows. Have fun and stay safe on the water!

Musky Madness is on NOW! The cooler Fall temperatures are now rolling in and Musky fishing is now slowly transitioning from casting season, into Fall trolling season.

Many of our fishing guides and guests are having good luck trolling with 8-10’’ white coloured 'superman' Jake Baits. Also jigging for Muskies in current waters with Bondy Baits has been really hot this time of the year!

The leaves are now beginning to turn beautiful yellow and red colours all over the lake… Fall is undeniably a very special time to be fishing here on Lake of the Woods!

The Walleyes are still in their usual depths of 25-28’ of water, and we’ve had many reports of 30’'+ fish being caught almost daily here on the Canadian side of Lake of the Woods.

Looking for even more amazing adventure? Book a Fall Duck, Deer, Bear or Grouse hunt with us today, or call to inquire about winter ice fishing at Yellowbird Lodge and our world-class Ice Castle Fish Houses!

Welcome back to the official Lake of the Woods Fishing Report- your number one source for EVERYTHING fishing on Lake of the Woods and brought to you by the Totem Resorts!

FALL IS A TIME OF TRANSITION Everything here on Lake of the Woods is officially changing, and everyone is preparing for winter/ Ice Fishing, including nature and the diverse population of fish that make Lake of the Woods their home. Now is the perfect time for trolling for Musky on this picturesque body of water.
It is a time to slow down and enjoy the quiet side of life on the lake. Most vacationers have gone home. The lake is quiet. The fish are putting their fat on for the winter, so they are aggressively on the hunt for prey. They are moving and they are going to be attracted to your moving lure swimming by. For many of our guests that visit during the summer, this is now also the Fall Hunting Season

You slowly move over the mirror glass calm water surrounded by blankets of crisp yellow, orange, red and green. You are waiting for that precise moment when the moon rises. Perhaps you are holding the baited rod in your hand, and you feel the steady pull as it drags through the water. Or maybe you are holding an icy cold beverage (or a hot cinnamon coffee) and the baited pole is secure in the boat’s holder. As the skirted lure glides through the water, you are taking in the fresh crisp air and the breathtaking scenery that can only be found here on Lake of the Woods. You casually meander through the waters on the hunt for something big. BANG!!!! You got a hit!!!
You are most likely to find a Walleye or northern pike Northern Pike, or maybe even a musky at the end of your line. Whatever species you catch, it is likely to be bigger than your summer fish. Fall is the last opportunity to fish the open waters, and it’s definitely an experience you do not want to miss out on!

Be sure to contact us today for our upcoming hardware season at Yellowbird Lodge & Chalet- and be sure to ask about our Luxury Ice Castle Fish Houses

Welcome back to the official Lake of the Woods Fishing Report- your number one source for EVERYTHING fishing on Lake of the Woods and brought to you by the Totem Resorts!

October’s fishing pushes-on over here on the Canadian side of Lake of the Woods! And is arguably the best time of the year to fish for a couple reasons:

1. You have the entire lake to yourselves! Seriously, there is no one else out there, and the very little boats that you do actually see are just as excited about having all the action to themselves as you are.
2. The fall leaves are in full transition and falling. The bright yellow and red colours are a real site to see on their own.

Now let’s get down what we’re all here for- THE FISHIN! Totem Resorts pr-staff guides are reporting that the Walleyes are scattered but in large schools when you find them. The water is still very warm for this time of the year, and the schools of Walleyes are being found from 27 feet all the way down to 42 feet!

Musky fishing still hasn’t turned on yet…. As mentioned above the water needs to cool down a bit more, currently sitting in the 50’s, the Musky’s are deep but not hitting really hard on any sides of Lake of the Woods from the multiple reports we’ve been hearing, but the Northern Pike have been EXTREMELY active, and most Musky Hunters are reporting lots of Pike, and BIG Pike.

I guess it’s safe to say ‘Summer Ain’t Over Yet’!

Up next is our Ice Fishing season at our Yellowbird Lodge resort location here on Lake of the Woods, and don't forget to check our our fleet of luxury Ice Castle fish house for rent this winter season!

Welcome back to the official Lake of the Woods Fishing Report- your number one source for EVERYTHING fishing on Lake of the Woods and brought to you by the Totem Resorts!

We’d like to start off by reminding everyone that the last day of Deer Hunting for non-residents (USA & Canadian) is November 15th, so that is officially a wrap on this season and we hope you all bagged a nice buck this Fall.

As you can see from our live camera footage on the photo above, this was taken today (November 14th) at our Totem Lodge marina here in Sioux Narrows, Ontario Canada- and clearly shows that the bay is still wide open. Our entire fleet of boats are now pulled with the exception of one last straggler that we’ll leave in a bit longer so our guides can hit the water for a little late Fall Musky fishing, which has now finally TURNED ON! The fishing-guides have been extremely successful trolling for Muskies this past couple of weeks, as the water temperature has finally dropped down to 43F, which took longer than normal this year- but better late than ever!

The back bays around the Sioux Narrows, Nestor Falls, and Kenora Ontario areas were all froze up about 2 weeks ago, but since then we’ve been experiencing very warm weather and everything has thawed backed out, with the exception of a little snow on shore leftover.

Crappie fishing, in our neighbouring town of Nestor Falls, has been almost like cheating. Seriously guys… if you want to get on some serious crappies before Ice Fishing starts, now is the time to come get the last of your open water fishing in before freeze up!

Walleyes are also going very strong, and are being seen in depths of 30-25 Feet in the Kenora/ Sioux Narrows area of Lake of the Woods, and 20-25 feet in the Nestor Falls area of the lake. No Saugers here! Just nice large Walleyes.

As for the Duck Hunting this Fall, the Ducks have all pretty much moved on now, but all-and-all with the extremely low water we’ve experienced all over Lake of the Woods this year, it was a pretty tricky year for Ducks, as you couldn’t get into all the back usual bays.

Next up in Ice Fishing. If you haven’t booked your trip yet, we highly recommend you plan a visit to the Canadian side of LOTW this year. Did you know, most USA lodges charge a premium to shuttle you over to Canadian waters to fish for the day, and you’ll spend a few hours every day just in drive-time going there and back, plus having to pay for USA AND CANADIAN fish licenses! This year- try staying with here at our year-round; Yellowbird Lodge resorton the Canadian side of Lake of the Woods and avoid the crowded South End side. Enjoy targeting Walleye, Crappie, Bass, Northern Pike, & MONSTER Lake Trout. We also have a brand-new fleet of rental day shack this year, and luxury Ice Castle fish houses available for rent with private vehicle Ice Road access!

Welcome back to the official Lake of the Woods Fishing Report- your number one source for EVERYTHING fishing on Lake of the Woods and brought to you by Totem Resorts!

Well as most of you know, November was un-usually warm for this time of the year. It almost seemed as if summer would never end!

Now finally towards the end of the month, the temperatures in the Sioux Narrows, Nestor Falls, and Kenora areas on Lake of the Woods have finally begun to drop and we are now experiencing thin layers of ice forming once again on all the smaller bays and creeks, meaning only one thing- winter is right around the corner and with that comes the best hard-water Ice Fishing Lake of the Woods has to offer, and that’s CANADIAN ICE FISHING!

Whether you choose to book at a Totem Resorts property, of one of the many other outfitters in the area, there is no denying that Ice Fishing is at its absolute BEST, on the Canadian side of Lake of the Woods! \Don’t believe us? Check with any USA resort on LOTW, and you’ll see for yourself that they charge a premium to venture over into Canadian waters to fish for the day- so why waste hours of your day in travel, when you can stay and fish right in the heart of it all- Yellowbird Lodge !

From Monster Lake trout of Whitefish Bay, to the endless Walleyes that have heavily re-stocked during Covid’s lack of pressure we experienced during those couple of slow fishing years. Even the jumbo Perch of Yellowgirl Bay are a sight to see, all on their own! Oh- and don’t forget about the endless murky water bays offering world-class Crappie fishing.

We’d also like to remind everyone about the new OFSC snowmobile trail that opened up last winter for the first time in 25 years- that connects to the Northwest Angle trail system and offers a short 1 hour ride up the Tug Channel, and down Sunset Channel, Long Bay, and right to Yellowbird Lodge where we offer food, fuel, bar, and all resort amenities such as lodging, hot tub, sauna, and fitness facility! New to this year is pool tables, gaming machines that pay out real cash prizes, and indoor golf simulator!

Needless to say- we’re excited for winter, and all things hard-water related!

Welcome back to the official Lake of the Woods Fishing Report- your number one source for EVERYTHING fishing on Lake of the Woods and brought to you by Totem Resorts!

As winter continues to slowly approach, everyone here on Lake of the Woods eagerly awaits the arrival of the ice to freeze over and Ice Fishing season to begin!

The walleyes patiently await our ice to freeze over so they can welcome the first ice fishermen to hook onto them for another successful ice fishing season.

All our back-bays have now completely frozen over, and you’re seeing some small ice fishing pop-up day tents starting to appear close to the shorelines, but as far as the main lake and larger bodies of water go, the Canadian side of lake of the woods still pretty much wide open.

The weather has finally begun to drop down to temperatures that are ideal for good ice making weather, but the windy days on the lakes continue to be our only obstacle we now face for a good solid freeze up for winter.

For the surrounding Kenora, Sioux Narrows, and Nestor Falls areas- we predict solid ice for all those wishing to join us here on the Canadian side of Lake of the woods by January 1st 2024!

See you all soon, and be sure to book your Ice Fishing adventure with us here at Yellowbird Lodge this winter season!

Welcome back to the official Lake of the Woods Fishing Report- your number one source for EVERYTHING fishing on Lake of the Woods and brought to you by Totem Resorts!

ICE FISHING SEASON IS OFFICALLY HERE on Lake of the Woods! Since our last fishing report, the ice has now gotten a good layer all over the lake. Now, that’s not to say you can let you guard down just yet! You still need to be very careful out there on the ice, as the ice conditions vary depending on what part of the lake you are venturing out on, so be sure to follow our Lake of the Woods Ice Reports we’ll be updating you on, via our Lake of the Woods fishing report page.

The crew from Totem Resorts & Yellowbird Lodge took the airboat out on the lake December 21 2023, and measured Ice all down the lake and here is the official Ice Reports for Lake of the Woods!

Sioux Narrows/ Nestor Falls/ Kenora areas •Infront of Yellowbird Lodge & Totem Lodge 6-9’’ of solid black ice •Down Long Bay 5-9’’ of ice ranging from white to black ice •Whitefish Bay 2-4’’ of ice (STAY OFF, NOT SAFE FOR TRAVEL YET) •Nestor Falls 6-10’’ of ice •Kenora area varies, but lots of ice fishermen making their way onto the river

The verdict is, it is still highly recommended you book with a reputable lodging or resort location and hiring a fishing guide is highly recommended until we get our normal thickness of ice everywhere.

The good news is, Yellowbird Lodge offers fully guided Ice Fishing and our guides our out NOW with customers and have been reporting extremely good crappie fishing, as well as limiting out daily on JUMBO PERCH, and shallow water Northern Pike fishing.

The weather is warm, the fish are biting, and the ice is here! Call today and book you stay with Yellowbird Lodge today and enjoy fishing out of our BRAND NEW semi-guided day skid-houses we now have!

See you all on the ice!

Welcome back to the official Lake of the Woods Fishing Report- your number one source for EVERYTHING fishing on Lake of the Woods and brought to you by Totem Resorts!

WHO ELSE IS READY TO ICE FISH?!

Since our last report- ALOT has changed and we are excited to announce the arrival of double-digit cold weather, and 10.5’’-14’’ of ice all throughout the Sioux Narrows, area (with the exception of WhiteFish Bay)

All down Long Bay and Regina Bay in Sioux Narrows is building ice very nicely now, and public vehicle traffic on the ice will come very soon. Please stay tuned for more info before venturing off down the ice roads just yet, or be sure to use a reputable outfitter’s landing the has confirmed safe ice crossing usage.

Here at Totem Lodge & Yellowbird Lodge, we now have Ice Castles and heated Day Shack shacks on Lake of the Woods, and they’re available for rent out our year-round Yellowbird Lodge location.

Our neighbouring town of Nestor Falls is seeing 10-12’’+ of ice in most parts, and the Crappie fishing there is currently at its absolute best. Book with Yellowbird Lodge and ask about our guided and non-guided day trips to the Crappie Haven of Nestor Falls!

Whitefish Bay in Sioux Narrows is freezing over slowly as usual. The deep Lake Trout infested crystal clear waters tend to freeze a bit slower with the constant flow of current, but local ice road plow operators report that it should be ready soon, but don’t venture out until announcements are made, especially past Sioux Point.

The Kenora area on the other hand, has been off to a fantastic with lots of small vehicle traffic around the launch area by the MNR landing and out to some local island cabins. The ice road to the Northwestern Angle is not yet open, so please do not travel on the ice by vehicle if you do not have to or do not know where you are going and rely on an ice road system.

The OFSC snowmobile club has been busy staking trails around Kenora, and the Sioux Narrows club meets this week to stake the Sioux Narrows area, and then they’ll go next Thursday (Jan 18) to connect the snowmobile trail system from Sioux Narrows down Sunset Channel and to the Northwest Angle USA!

Winter is here, come experience Lake of the Woods Canada and enjoy ‘’having it all to yourselves!’’

FISHING & ICE REPORT

The mid-part of January has finally brought the ‘cold-snap’ we’ve all been waiting for this winter season, with freezing temperatures reaching -21C (-5.5F) and Lake of the Woods is now building good ice daily. We’re measuring ice all around the Sioux Narrows area from 11-14’’ of good solid black ice. The Whitefish Bay side of Lake of the Woods here in Sioux Narrows is freezing very nicely as well, but still poses some risk in areas, so traveling with a guide is still recommended. The fishing has been off to a fantastic start as well. We here at Totem Resorts & Yellowbird Lodge have positioned some of our brand-new heated day shacks on some seriously good walleye humps, and were seeing lots of numbers being caught.

ICE ROADS

We are a little behind this year opening our main ice roads, but it should be anyway now. Traditionally we would have our public ice road leaving from Yellowbird Lodge and all down Long Bay in Sioux Narrows, Ontario open by now but with the ice building nearly 1’’ nights, it shouldn’t be much longer before we are back on the ice with vehicles fishing!

SNOWMOBILE TRIALS

With the cold weather comes snow! And we have a decent amount of it now. The local snowmobile clubs have been hard at work staking trails, and we’re thrilled to announce the snowmobile trail system from Kenora to Sioux Narrows is NOW OPEN and the club will be staking the Sioux Narrows to Northwest Angle USA trail January 17/18, so chances are as your reading this- that trail system will be already open!

YELLOWBIRD LODGE RESORT & SPA

Yellowbird Lodge is now firing on all cylinders, and we cannot wait to welcome all this winter’s Ice Fishermen and Snowmobilers back to the lodge! We have a big surprise in store, as we’ve really upped our game by adding a new sports bar featuring multiple pool tables, flat screen TV’s, indoor golf simulator AND large indoor Hot Tub, Sauna, & GYM all facing the beautiful lake for our customers enjoyment!

Welcome back to the official Lake of the Woods Fishing Report- your number one source for EVERYTHING fishing on Lake of the Woods and brought to you by Totem Resorts!

**FISHING AND ICE REPORTS ** Fishing and Ice, Fishing and Ice… The million-dollar report that everyone wants to know about this winter season! We have been very fortunate here on the Canadian side of Lake of the Woods to have fairly decent ice offering up 16-18’’ in most areas of solid black-ice. The fishing has not disappointed either….. Our guides have been hard at work following the fish and leading group after group out onto the frozen lake chasing Walleyes, Crappie, shallow water Northern, and MONSTER Lake Trout!

ICE ROADS Our Ice Roads are OPEN to the public, and getting onto them is as easy as stopping by the Totem Lodge main office during weekdays, or hoping on at our Yellowbird Resort & SPA entrance on weekends by purchasing your daily ‘Ice Pass’ and then onto world-class ice fishing down our private ice road system!

SNOWMOBILE TRAILS The snowmobile trails this year started off fantastic, with the local snowmobile clubs staking nearly all of the Canadian side of Lake of the Woods in a timely fashion, and even their brand-new trail from Sioux Narrows, Ontario to the Northwest Angle, USA! The trails and land portages defiantly cross-able, but could have used just a bit more snow but lake travel was great. In the past couple of weeks, we've experienced warmer then regular weather and rain which melted the snow, but the weather quickly has taken a turn back into the double digits and with the minus weather came lots of flurries bringing in more fresh new snow! Within a couple days snowmobiling show be back to good conditions.

YELLOWBIRD LODGE RESORT & SPA As mentioned in our last newsletter, Yellowbird Lodge which is our main winter-based Resort is now open and ready to welcome you all this winter season for Ice Fishing, Snowmobiling, and all things hard-water related! Be sure to check out our new state-of-the-art Gym/ Sauna/ Hot Tub building with lake front views for you to dive into after a long day out on the frozen tundra! Enjoy a beer in our new hot tub while you exchange fishing stories with the group!

Welcome back to the official Lake of the Woods Fishing Report- your number one source for EVERYTHING fishing on Lake of the Woods and brought to you by Totem Resorts!

As many of you know, this year’s weather has been very off-the-charts. February felt like traditional March weather, as it was very warm this year and now March is feeling a lot like February!

This March has also brought lots of snow, cold weather which makes for fantastic ice building conditions and with that has really turned on the ice fishing big time!

Around the Sioux Narrows area of Lake of the Woods, our guides and guests have been reporting catching up to X100 Jumbo 16-17+ inch Perch per day, with the Walleye being plentiful during the evening bite. The Lake Trout have really activated as well, and the monsters are now coming out to play and judging by the picture above, you can see they’re hungry!

Winter ain’t over yet, so now is your chance to get your last bit of ice fishing in this month before summer comes! Yellowbird Lodge is open all March and has day shacks out, ice roads open, and snowmobile trails staked!

Welcome back to the official Lake of the Woods Fishing Report- your number one source for EVERYTHING fishing on Lake of the Woods and brought to you by Totem Resorts!

Well all we can say is that the walleye opener and the weeks that followed were nothing short of spectacular here on the Canadian side of Lake of the Woods! With dozens walleyes crossing that rare and special 30 inch mark- the fishing on LOTW is in currently classic and well-stocked form! With all the rain we have had the water temps stalled out in the mid 50 degree range setting the stage for some of the most consistent walleye fishing our senior guides have seen in years!! As the weeks went on we finally had the water temp head into the 60+ temperatures and the bass fishing as always takes off. With countless 3-3.5 lb small mouth on every boulder shoreline guides and guests were reporting afternoon fishing filled with 40 or more bass caught.

Now approaches the 3rd Saturday in June - MUSKIE OPENER - senior guides will have detailed report on the first few days and week of what has become the most anticipated opener up here on LOTW

          REPORTED BY
          -Matt Dyment
     Senior Guide at Totem Resorts
 (16 year Pro-Staff Exclusive Guide)

Welcome back to the official Lake of the Woods Fishing Report- your number one source for EVERYTHING fishing on Lake of the Woods and brought to you by Totem Resorts!

With the fishing season well under way we’ve seen a significant amount of rain this month which is keeping water temps cool . Walleyes are being found in the shallows with the random mayfly hatch that’s going on around the lake . The best bite is off the shore line shelves in the 25-35 foot range with a jig and minnow . Fishing these same spots are producing some jumbo perch to add to your lake of the woods shore lunches . If your are after some big game fish then head to the weedy bays where waters temps are a little warmer and big fish such as pike and Muskies are lurking in their depths ..

Muskie fishing just started up mid-month and numerous big fish have been caught already, including a whopping 53'' Musky by a new guest who had never caught a Musky in his entire life! The same guest also landed a 43'' and 48'' Musky during the same 3 day trip- WOW!

Throwing spoons or bucktails will get the job done and you’re sure to have a successful day on the water . Smallies are now up nesting with many males guarding nests already with many big females roaming not too far away .. swim jigs and twister tails are easy go to baits to catch these acrobatic feisty fish . Look for them where sand and gravel meet rocks along the shores for best results . As for crappies I recently got into a fun day of them up in the pencil reeds .. a slip boober and minnow got the job done . Just a reminder that the slot sizes have changed on lake of the woods and the MNR are out more this season then ever and they are checking live wells for proper measurements on these walleyes

text REPORTED BY -Shaun Puddester Senior Guide at Totem Resorts (24 year exclusive Pro-Staff Guide)

Welcome back to the official Lake of the Woods Fishing Report- your number one source for EVERYTHING fishing on Lake of the Woods and brought to you by Totem Resorts!

2024 summer fishing report on Lake of the woods, for JULY Part 1.

Here on Lake of the Woods, the fishing has been stunning this year. The water temperatures have hit 70 degrees Fahrenheit moving the fish out to their classic summer spots; 50 -60 Walleyes a morning on open water humps and points in the 26-30 feet have been the norm!

Muskie season is in full swing with lots of world class 50 inch and the lake average 44 inch range being boated daily. Bucktails and top waters purple and natural dark brown patterns have been key to moving Muskies. 10-12 follows a day! Northern Pike fishing shouldn't be slept on this year either everyone- guests staying at Totem Lodge, Yellowbird Lodge, and Wiley Point Lodge have been consistently reporting catching Pike in the 40-44'' range- WOW!

As a bonus the Jumbo Perch and nice Crappie slabs have been everywhere in their usual spots. Not sure where that is?! Give us a Call at Totem Resorts and let one of our pro-staff guides show you where!

LOTW CANADA is showing up in its classic 5-star fashion. Remember, to always help support the local Canadian economy by always booking at a Canadian lodge, hotel, or resort destination. Especially after COVID, as helping to support the Canadian economy exclusively, will help you do your part to support the very businesses that protect our #1 natural resource that we all know and love, which is the amazing fishery only the Canadian side of Lake of the Woods can show you. Why travel over an hour across the border to fish, when you can be right on the action at a Canadian destination!

            REPORTED BY
                   Pascal 
   Junior Guide at Totem Resorts

(3-year pro-staff Guide at Totem Resorts).

Welcome back to the official Lake of the Woods Fishing Report- your number one source for EVERYTHING fishing on Lake of the Woods and brought to you by Totem Resorts!

2024 summer fishing report on Lake of the woods, for JULY Part 2.

Well mid to late July is here and that means the first real heat up of LOTW has taken place. The mayfly hatch was absolutely incredible setting the top water bass fishing on absolute fire! With 60 + bass in an afternoon being common. The walleye fishing has been on fire catching consistently in anywhere from 6 to 28 feet including more 30+ inch trophy class fish being caught then I can recall in the past 10+ years.

Now for the Muskie section of the report ! With the water on a slow steady rise from spring to now the current has been incredible. Muskies have been on the move chasing bait on every type of structure you could imagine, from shallow western facing back bays to deep water shelves. The only pattern has been that there isn’t one. Purple bucktail with brown blades has been the go to bait in my guide boat. First light and last light has been key to moving and finding the most active fish. Cabbage beds adjacent to open / big water has produced multiple 42- 50 inch fish in the past weeks- including a 44 - 47 and a 50 inch in the past week

Early to mid July is now behind us and with early August in the coming weeks the excitement in the guide team is at an all time peak !

On behalf of the guide team here at totem resorts we would like to say thank you to all the customers that have come this season and we can’t wait to see the rest that are on their way !

        REPORTED BY
      -Matt Dyment
 Senior Guide at Totem Resorts

(16 year Pro-Staff Exclusive Guide)

Welcome back to the official Lake of the Woods Fishing Report- your number one source for EVERYTHING fishing on Lake of the Woods and brought to you by Totem Resorts!

2024 summer fishing report on Lake of the woods, for August Part 1

By early August, we’ve reached the height of the 2024 summer season in terms of water temperature. After peaking around 78°F last week, the water is now settling in the low seventies. With shorter days ahead and a forecast of maximum temperatures around 24°C for the next two weeks, it's unlikely the water temperature will rise again.

This cooling trend is already affecting fishing patterns, with changes typically seen later in August appearing now. Smallmouth bass are beginning their migration back to shallow humps, so while you can still find fish near the shore, they’re likely to be smaller. At this time, it’s best to swap out spinner baits for deep divers, paddle tail plastics, and wacky or neko rigs. Position your boat further from the shoreline in deeper water, making sure to fish down to 12 feet. If that doesn’t yield results, try targeting shallow humps around 8 to 10 feet.

Northern pike are moving into the shallow weeds as the water cools. Focus on large, weedy bays with a consistent depth of 10 to 15 feet. On sunny, calm days, downsize your bait and fish more slowly with jerk baits, topwaters, or smaller spoons. On cloudy, cooler days, consider using larger topwaters or spinner baits.

For musky, they are likely moving out of the back bays and into deeper waters. It’s time to use larger lures and baits. Target rocky points and don’t overlook cabbage beds near deep water for the best results.

It is safe to say summer is in full swing! We are open at all our locations until the end of October. But if you really wanna experience Lake of the Woods to its fullest, be sure to check-out our French Portage Outpost location or our Sunset Channel Island Outpost location, and enjoy having it all to yourself!

         REPORTED BY
               Nacho

Senior Guide at Totem Resorts (10+ year pro-staff Guide at Totem Resorts).

Welcome back to the official Lake of the Woods Fishing Report- your number one source for EVERYTHING fishing on Lake of the Woods and brought to you by Totem Resorts!

2024 summer fishing report on Lake of the woods, for August 2024: Part 2

The late summer season is upon us here on Lake of the Woods! With the first cold front having rolled through temperatures have evened out across this end of the lake. 72*-74* out on the main lake with back bays in the upper 70’s.

The walleyes have made their way out to main lake points and rock reefs in current areas in the 26’-30’ depth range. Multi coloured 1/4oz jigs tipped with live bait have been key, if possible downsize to an 1/8oz jig for a light bites.

The Big pike have made their way out of the back of bays and moved out to windblown rocks and deep weed beds. X-raps and slow moving 5-8” swim baits have been producing.

It’s that time of year where the bass fishing is ramping up. They are anywhere from shoreline out to humps in 10-15’ Feet of water. Spinnerbaits and crank baits are a staple for active fish on windblown areas.

Musky fishing has been on fire the past couple of weeks. Fast moving bucktails and top waters over main lake saddles with cabbage weeds/ boulders in 10’ fow has been a sure bet to have an opportunity at a big fish. Majority of fish have been caught in the cast but at off peak times we are still seeing multiple follows a day.

Totem Lodge / Yellowbird Lodge / & Wiley Point Lodge are now in PRIME TIME as far as fishing goes, and they are all open until October! So, be sure to call and book a 'end-of-summer' or 'fall fishing trip' today, and enjoy the best fishing Lake of the Woods has to offer!

Don't forget to ask about winter Ice Fishing at our Yellowbird Lodge location! Thanks for tuning in!

    REPORTED BY
          -Jimmy

Senior Guide at Totem Resorts (4 year Pro-Staff Exclusive Guide)

Welcome back to the official Lake of the Woods Fishing Report- your number one source for EVERYTHING fishing on Lake of the Woods and brought to you by Totem Resorts!

2024 Fall fishing report on Lake of the woods, for September 2024: Part 1

With the stable weather of August now over and the cool foggy mornings and hot mid day sun of September the fishing starts to hit the most active time of year ! With water temps dipping into the mid 60’s fish are on the feed !

Muskies have slowly been converting from rock back into the warm water coves with cabbage and timber holding onto the warm water as long as possible. Top water and buck tails are key to moving the active fish. The deeper water and current are not to be over looked with jigging starting to be a productive method

Walleyes are feeding on bigger sized baitfish plastic flukes and large minnows are key to getting a solid bite all day doing.

For the hunters out there our duck and goose hunting has just started up and like always the push of uneducated birds is incredible with limits being shot in the first couple of hours being a normal occurrence be sure to check out the impressive and untouched flyway we have over our 3 locations and our outposts! Come see ducks decoy into literally the first spread they see!

If you want to catch or target a trophy fish in the Canadian waters of LOTW now’s the time!

Up next is Ice Fishing on the frozen lake at our Yellowbird Lodge resort location, here on the Canadian side of Lake of the Woods!

    REPORTED BY
  -Matt Dyment

Senior Guide at Totem Resorts (16 year Pro-Staff Exclusive Guide)

SPECIAL EDITION: Brought to you by the 3 time Musky Cup Tournament Champ, and pro-staff Totem Resorts pro-staff guide: David Bonke!

2024 Fall fishing report on Lake of the woods, for September 2024: Part 2

Cold foggy Mornings turning into warm sunny days and leaves changing color the fall is here!

The Muskies are just starting their fall feed and that means jigging and trolling as well as casting big plastics off of the deep water ledges is going to become the go to method. Natural colors shine this time of year. Not To be over looked is the use of smaller baits in the shallowest / warmest water you can find.

The walleyes are starting to school Up and feed on the large bait balls on deep water points and heading back into the mouth of large bays. Pink and organs 1/4 oz have been the go to colors.

Crappies are on the move as they are being caught in 17-22 feet of water in large numbers! Hot pink and white have been producing the best results.

As for the hunting the first push of teal mallards and geese has finally arrived as well as the first signs from our untouched whitetail bucks putting up the first scrapes and rubs of the year !

As our season comes to a close the guide crew is already waiting and excited for next year to see all of our incredible guests again!

      REPORTED BY
       -David Bonke 
 Senior Guide at Totem Resorts

(20 year Pro-Staff Exclusive Guide)

Welcome back to the official Lake of the Woods Fishing Report- your number one source for EVERYTHING fishing on Lake of the Woods and brought to you by Totem Resorts!

2024 Fall fishing report on Lake of the woods, for October 2024: Part 1 ''BLAST & CATCH'' EDITION!

Fall is here with frost on the docks and windshields of the boats every morning and golden leaves with some falling already. With water temps in the steady and fast fall into the low 50’s that means one thing ! “ 🎶 it’s The most wonderful time of the year 🎵 “

With big walleyes schooling up with the smaller ones all feeding in the same water depths it’s the time of year we start catching giant perch smallmouth and walleye all stacked together ! The bite is active all day with 100-120 walleye mornings in the normal!

The Muskie fishing is just going to get better and better as water temps fall and the lake begins to flip over. Trolling jigging and throwing big plastics over open water structure and currents will produce action all day ! With big fish still using the shallows on sunny days don’t be afraid to check out cabbage beds adjacent to deep water !

For the waterfowl hunters we have our annual push of mallards and teals taking place right now and this year more wood ducks then I’ve ever seen ! The Canadian geese are here in a big way and as always the ducks are more then happy cupping into the decoys on the first pass !

Deer have just started making scrapes and rubs with light sparing taking place! The amount of big bucks in this area is incredible and with tons of space to target them be sure not to over look the hunting trip of a life time possible up here for ducks geese deer or bear !

We have now moved all operations over for the Fall/ Winter to our Yellowbird Lodge Resort location, here in Sioux Narrows, Ontario Canada. The guide crew here at totem resorts is still on the water in a boat or in a blind every day chasing trophy’s ! If you want to experience the beautiful untouched and very quiet fall time up here be sure to book a trip and ask about the cast and blast packages for the best of both worlds ! We are OPEN for Hunting and Fishing literally until the ice freezes us in, THEN- we're hard-water fishing January/ February/ March! We DO NOT STOP, and WE DO NOT CLOSE. Call us now to book a hunt, or a fall fishing trip of a lifetime! Also be sure to ask about our hard-water fishing and luxury Ice Castle fish houses!

REPORTED BY

-Matt Dyment Senior Guide at Totem Resorts +Top Senior Hunting Guide (duck/ goose/ deer/ grouse) (16 year Pro-Staff Exclusive Guide)