Fall Walleye & Sauger Feeding Frenzy on Lake of the Woods

It’s Wednesday, September 3rd, 2025, coming to you from beautiful Lake of the Woods, Minnesota—this is Artificial Lure with today’s fresh fishing report.

The early September transition is officially here, and the lake is shining for anglers willing to adapt to these changing patterns. According to River Bend Resort’s latest updates, September’s cooling waters put walleye and sauger on the feed, especially as the water temps dip into the lower 60s. Fall patterns are setting in and fish are prepping for winter, which means aggressive bites and heavy action for those in the know.

Today, the sunrise was right around 6:36 a.m. with sunset about 7:47 p.m. The typical tidal effect is pretty much non-existent up here, so it’s all about wind and weather shifts—no saltwater swings, just classic lake conditions. The forecast called for mild temps topping out in the low 70s, partly cloudy skies, and a light northwest breeze, setting up perfect drift conditions. According to the Farmer’s Almanac, this early September stretch is sticking to a cool, slightly wet trend—prime feeding weather as fish shift from summer’s scattered hangouts to fall concentration zones.

You want numbers? Folks are reporting limits of eater-size walleye—15 to 19 inches—coming steady in the deep mud basin of Big Traverse Bay and Four-Mile Bay. The slot-fish release game is strong this week as well, with several fish in the 27 to even 29-inch range coming topside before the quick photo and healthy release. It’s been a sauger-heavy week too, smaller but respectable fish mixed right in with the walleye schools.

Northern pike action is heating up off weedlines near Zippel Bay, with gators cruising shallow during low light, hammering flashy spoons and large swimbaits. Perch and crappie are starting to pick up in the shallow bays—stick to 5-10 feet with a small jig and a fathead minnow.

On the lure front, the gold spinner rig still rules Lake of the Woods—whether you’re drifting or slow-trolling a crawler harness, stick to gold, gold/orange, and the always-reliable gold/glow red blades, especially in those stained waters Big Traverse is famous for. If you’re covering water, tie on a crankbait in firetiger or chartreuse UV—stay between 1.0 and 2.0 mph for the hottest bite.

Don’t sleep on vertical jigging—this bite is staying strong longer than average. Use a 1/4 ounce jig tipped with a frozen shiner or leech; focus on current breaks and mud-to-rock transitions. For those who prefer bait, a classic frozen emerald shiner, leech, or crawler is producing.

Rainy River is an under-the-radar play—current seams are stacked with walleye and the sturgeon “keep” season stays open through September. Heavy circle hooks and a gob of crawlers or shiners can land you a prehistoric monster if you’re up for a fight.

For hotspots, check out:
- The mud basin off Pine Island in 29-32 feet for solid walleye and sauger bites.
- The Lighthouse Gap is reliably holding big schools—hop jig heads or troll crankbaits here.
- Zippel Bay’s weed beds are top pike water.
- On windy days, sneak into the Rainy River—deep holes just off the main channel are money for sturgeon and a mixed bag.

That wraps it up for today on Lake of the Woods. The fishing is as good as it gets, the scenery is unbeatable, and there’s no better time to wet a line.

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