Memorial Day Lake of the Woods Fishing

My 27 inch walleye

For the 1st time in the past three years I went fishing at Lake of the Woods. I joined Dad, John Bentler, Bruce Lund, Steve Barrett, and Joe Hasselberg Memorial Day weekend at "the Deck".

Bruce, Joe and myself left Friday morning while Steve, John and Dad drove up later. I was distracted with the end of semester and completely forgot to get a passport, but luckily the border guard just laughed at the 'absent minded professor'. Joe had the hot fishing pole Friday afternoon fishing but I was the lucky guy that caught a 27.5 and 26.5 walleye.

Bruce with a 25 inch walleye

The second day we had strong winds and slower fishing, but we still found some good sized fish. Bruce caught the largest of the day. He had just woke from a  catnap on the island in the background to reel in this dandy.

This trip also happened to be the first time I saw, rode, and drove dad's new boat. It is quite nice to ride in a larger boat on the big water. Saturday night the lake was glass calm and I guided John and Steve around the corner for a additional time on the water. I was nervous but avoided all rocks! John hooked a large walleye that night with his ultralight, but the fish flopped away from Steve the netman before we measured it. 

Steve, John, and Mike in the larger boat

On Sunday Joe and I switched boats and fished with Dad. We caught more fish on Sunday and Monday than Saturday, but net troubles continued. A walleye threw Joe's jig right at the boat and Dad only got the tail end in the net, one of many that got away. Joe and I both had keepers on, but we had the fish up to the waters edge before the net got in the water, two more that got away. Later Joe caught and Dad successfully netted a nice walleye. We had to measure it, as the daily limit is only one walley over 18.1 inches per license, and this fish was 18 inches. This fish got the best of Joe however and flipped loose from his grip and over the edge of the boat...one more that got away. We had excellent fishing however and had plenty of fish. (Proof here, here, here, here and here.)

Memorial Day fishing group 2010

Monday morning we took a picture before Joe and Bruce headed home. The remaining four of us had good fishing until one when we packed up and headed back for the week.

A parting shot