Lake of the Woods Fishing Report: Walleye, Musky, and More for August 9, 2025

Artificial Lure here with your Lake of the Woods, Minnesota fishing report for Saturday, August 9, 2025.

The sun popped over the horizon at 6:08 am, and it's set to duck out around 8:48 pm tonight. Expect a fairly cool August day—highs topping out in the low 70s, thanks to a morning northerly breeze at 10 to 20 mph. Wave action is gentle, running at 1 to 2 feet, with a mostly sunny forecast and just a slight chance for a stray shower early, so pack an extra layer and keep those rain jackets handy[weather.gov].

Low pressure moved through last night with scattered storms. Surface temps in Big Traverse Bay sit near the upper 60s to low 70s. The bite remains solid for late summer—walleye action especially is holding strong. According to the Lake of the Woods Daily Fishing Report, anglers have been pulling in eater-size walleyes plus plenty of saugers, and a handful of nice slot fish (release any between 19.5 and 28 inches per regs). Word is, deep summer patterns continue to rule the day with most fish coming off the mud basin pulling crawler harnesses or trolling crankbaits[Jeff Sundin; Spreaker].

Gold is king in these stained waters. Gold/orange, gold/pink, and gold/glow-red spinner rigs with nightcrawlers are the top producers, especially when worked over depths of 25 to 35 feet at about 1.0–1.25 mph. Don't overlook trolling crankbaits for an aggressive bite—the Wall-E Diver and Bandit baits (especially with some rattle) are putting extra fish in the boat, alongside tried-and-true Flicker Shads and Shad Raps[YouTube Walleye Masterclass].

Musky chasers, this is prime time—early August is notorious for monsters poking out along weed beds and rocky humps. Bucktails and large topwater baits are getting strikes, especially in twilight hours. If you fancy bass, target thick vegetation and surface mats in the late morning with frogs or paddle tails. Crappie and bluegill action is decent for those working off docks or wandering shallower bays with live bait—small jigs tipped with bits of worm work wonders[Iowa DNR; Outdoor News].

Recent reports show most boats are finding plenty of fish, with regular walleye limits and bonus saugers. Some lucky anglers even hit the jackpot with slot walleyes in the early bite. For numbers, Big Traverse Basin is still the main event, but don't overlook the south end reefs and around Pine Island for a steady flow of action. If you're into multi-species, the islands north of Morris Point and Garden Island edges are holding mixed schools—saugers, jumbo perch, and even an occasional northern[Jeff Sundin].

Hot spots for today:
- Big Traverse Bay mud basin (25–35 feet): Spinner rigs and bottom bouncers, working methodically north of Lighthouse Gap.
- South shore reefs, especially near Pine Island: Best after sunrise, and crabs/harness combos rule the water.
- Rocky points around Garden Island: Early troll with cranks, and shift to jigs as the wind picks up.

Best bait/lure choices:
- Nightcrawler harnesses with gold blades.
- Crankbaits: Wall-E Diver, Bandit (four sizes, wild colors), Flicker Shads, Shad Raps with a good rattle.
- Topwaters and frogs (for bass in the grass).
- Bucktails, big rubber baits (for muskies at dusk/dawn).

Lake of the Woods is fishing awesome for August; remember to adjust presentations to light and wind shifts, and keep an eye on boat control when those northern gusts pick up. Don't forget your Minnesota DNR reg book—slot fish and tackle rules are strictly enforced.

Thanks for tuning in—be sure to subscribe and get every update straight from the lake. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.

Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Artificial lure. Here with your Lake of the Woods Minnesota
Fishing Report for Saturday, August ninth, twenty twenty five. The
sun popped over the horizon at six oh eight am
and it set to dut out around eight forty eight pm. Tonight,
expect a fairly cool August day, highs topping out in
the low seventies thanks to a morning northerly breeze at
ten to twenty miles per hour. Wave action is gentle,

(00:22):
running at one to two feet with a mostly sunny
forecast and just a slight chance for a stray shower early,
so pack an extra layer and keep those rain jackets handy.
Low pressure moved through last night with scattered storms. Surface
temps in Big Travers Bay sit near the upper sixties.
The bite remains solid for late summer. Walleye action especially

(00:43):
is holding strong. According to the Lake of the Woods
Daily Fishing Report, anglers had been pulling in eater sized
walle eyes, plus plenty of sagas and a handful of
nice slot fish, release any between nineteen point five and
twenty eight inches per rags. Word is deep. Summer patterns
continue to rule the day, with most fish coming off

(01:06):
the mud basin, pulling crawler harnesses or trolling crank baits.
Jeff Sunden Spreaker gold is king in these stained waters.
Gold orange, gold, pink, and gold blow red spinner rigs
with night crawlers are the top producers, especially when worked
over depths of twenty five to thirty five feet at

(01:26):
about one point zero to one point twenty five miles
per hour. Don't overlook trolling crank baits for an aggressive bite.
The wallly, diver and banded baits, especially with some rattle,
are putting extra fish in the boat alongside tried and
true flicker shads and shad wraps musky chasers. This is
prime time. Early August is notorious for monsters poking out

(01:50):
along weed beds and rocky humps. Bucktails and large topwar
baits are getting strikes, especially in twilight hours. If you
fancy bass, target vick vegetation and surface mats in the
late morning with frogs or paddle tails. Crappy and bluegill
action is decent for those working off docks or wandering
shallower bays with live bait, small jigs tipped with bits

(02:13):
of worm work wonders Iowa DNR Outdoor News. Recent reports
show most boats are finding plenty of fish with regular
walleye limits and bonus saugers. Some lucky anglers even hit
the jackpipe with slot walleyes in the early bite for numbers.
Big Travers Basin is still the main event, but don't

(02:33):
overlook the south end reefs and around Pine Island for
a steady flow of action if you're in the multi species.
The islands north of Morris Point and Garden Island edges
are holding mixed schools, sogers, jumbo perch and even am
occasional northern Jeff Sunden hot spots for today Big Travers
Bay Mud basin twenty five to thirty five feet, spinner

(02:56):
rigs and bottom bouncers working methodically. North Lighthouse Gap sell
shore weefs, especially near Pine Island best after sunrise, and
crabs harness combos rule the water. Rocky points around Garden
Island early troll with cranks and shift to jigs as
the wind picks up. Best bait, wore choices, nightcrawler harnesses

(03:19):
with gold blades, crank baits, wally diver bandit four sizes,
wild colors, flicker shads, shad wraps with a good rattle
top waters and frogs for bass in the grass, bucktails
big rubber baits for muskies at dust Dawn. Lake of
the Woods is fishing awesome for August. Remember to adjust

(03:41):
presentations to light and wind shifts, and keep an eye
on boat control when those northern gusts pick up. Don't
forget your Minnesota DNR red book. Slot fish and tackle
rules are strictly enforced. Thanks for tuning in. Be sure
to subscribe and get every update straight from the wake.
This has been a quiet it. Please production. For more

(04:02):
check out quiet please dot ai