GREAT OUTDOORS WALLEYE CAPITAL OF THE WORLD By Jess Myers As a small-town Warroad kid who loved fishing, the shore of Lake of the Woods felt like the bustling center of the universe on a sunny June day. seen across the Big Traverse and around the islands of the Northwest Angle as their occupants scramble to grab the landing net and haul in a trophy. LAKE OF THE WOODS: In the spring, when the rivers are flowing and the water is cold, fishing with jigs in the area by Four decades later, this primary entry point to Warroad’s famous water tower (the one with crossed Lake of the Woods remains just as incredible as hockey sticks on the front) is generally great. As the version in my memories. the air and water warms in June and July, I venture farther out to places like 12-Mile Reef and 16-Mile Straddling the border between Reef, where I look for fish Minnesota and Canada, Lake lurking near the rocks, often I LOOK FOR of the Woods is as far north by using downriggers. as you can go without leaving the country. Nicknamed the “Walleye Capital of the World,” this massive body of water is one of the world’s best fishing destinations, luring anglers from around the globe to seek out its legendary walleye, along with sauger, northern, muskie and sturgeon among others. FISH LURKING NEAR THE ROCKS, OFTEN BY USING DOWNRIGGERS. And then there are Lake of the Woods anomalies, like the red-hot fishing spots a few miles north of Zippel Bay State Park , where there’s little underwater structure but anglers still routinely pull massive walleyes using a spinner and a minnow. On any given spring, summer or fall day, boats by the hundreds—from large-scale launches to low-slung vessels with serious fishing experts and more electronics than a lunar module to 14-foot aluminum kickers with teens—can be Warroad has changed a bit since my childhood. There’s now a lakeside casino and hotel, a microbrewery with a view of the water and a buzzing restaurant and food truck scene. But the main draw, fishing, remains the same as ever: perfect. Woman catches big walleye in fall Mark Arnesen of Arnesen’s Rocky Point shows off a big pike in winter Boy catches walleye in summer 26 | EXPLORE MINNESOTA .COM
Explore Minnesota Travel Guide 2021 Explore Minnesota Travel Guide: Page 26
