by T.D.

Smallmouth Bass
Habitat and Habits:	Smallmouth Bass like clear water with gravel bottom, weedbeds, near drop-offs and shallow rocky areas.  Their water temperature preference is from 60° to 80° F. Smallmouth's diets consists of insects, crayfish, minnows and shad.
Spawning:	Spawning begins in June, the females will stay in the shallows and protect their nests.
Regulations:	Season: Open Dec 1 to May 31 and Jul 1 to Nov 30; Catch and Release Jun 1 to Jun 30.  Possession: Dec 1 to May 31 two per day less than 13.8 in; July 1 to Nov 30 four per day no size limit.
Fishing Tips and Strategies: Effective lures for smallmouth bass, are spinner baits with combinations of colorado or willow blades, crankbaits such as deep divers, countdown or ratllin-raps.  Smallmouths can be very aggressive and will strike to lure as soon as the lure hits the water.  Look for rocky shorelines and cast right to the rocks.  Try this effective casting method.

Northern Pike
Habitat and Habits:	Northern Pikes can be found in bays and straits, avoiding deep offshore water. They are loners, hunting in weedy or log-strewn shallows. Adult northern pike feed almost exclusively on fish, including young pike.  They are not selective in their feeding habits, supplementing their fish diet with aquatic insects, leeches, crayfish, frogs, snakes, small muskrats, mice, birds and ducklings.
Spawning:	Pike spawn in early spring, right after ice-out. They migrate to their spawning grounds during the night.  The actual spawning takes place during daylight hours.
Regulations:	Season: Open all year.  Possession: Four per day, none between 27.5 - 35.4 in and only one greater than 35.4 in.
Fishing Tips and Strategies : Effective lures and baits for pike are heavy spoons, spinners baits like a Mepps Bucktail in colors of white, yellow or black and crankbaits. Northern pike have sharp teeth, so many anglers use a wire leader to prevent the line from being cut.  Many times a pike will follow the lure and strike at the last minute.  One effective method is to move the lure in a figure-eight pattern before finishing the retrieve.

Walleye
Habitat and Habits:	Walleyes are Bottom oriented fish, due to their sensitivity to light, preferring to stay in deep water during the day, moving to shallow waters during the night. Walleyes prefer water temperatures around 50° F. At dawn. dusks or cloudy days, Walleyes can be caught off points, reefs, and sandy shorelines. Walleye prefer fish but will eat crayfish and worms.
Spawning:	Spawning in spring, in relatively shallow water, over clean gravel or rocky bottoms.
Regulations:	Season: Open Jan 1 to Apr 14 & May 20 to Dec 31.  Possession: Four per day, only one over 18. in.
Fishing Tips and Strategies: Because of light-sensitive eyes, walleyes feed more actively early in the morning, late in the evening, or at night. Trolling is an effective method using crankbaits or lures that resemble minnows.  Some effective lures include Deep-Running, Fat-Raps and Storms Hot-n-Tot.  Use slower speeds in cold waters and faster speeds in warm waters.

Muskie
Habitat and Habits:	Muskie can be found in clear, quiet water with submerged weed beds, stumps and logs. They also can be found along steep shorelines, rocky points and drop-offs. Their water temperature preference is from 60° to 90° F.  Muskie are predators and tend to stay in the same areas.  Their diets consists of fish, frogs, snakes, small mammals, aquatic birds and will attack other muskie.
Spawning:	Muskellunge spawn in the spring when the water temperatures are between 48° and 56°F. Spawning takes place at night in shallow, muck-bottomed bays or coves with sunken stumps or logs.
Regulations:	Season: Open Jun 17 to Nov 30.  Possession: One per day, possession limit of two, minimum 48 in.
Fishing Tips and Strategies: Effective lures for muskies are large wobbling weed-less spoons, spinners baits like the Mepps Bucktail with white, yellow or black skirts, and crankbaits like the Rapala's Magnum. Muskie will leap and make powerful runs that often break the line or straighten the hook.

Lake Trout
Habitat and Habits:	Lake Trout prefer deep, cold lakes like Lake of the Woods.  In the early spring after ice-out Lake Trout can be found in the shallows at depths of 25 feet or less,  especially those with boulder-strewn or gravel bottoms.  During the summer months Lake Trout inhabit the very deep parts of the lake at depths of 50 to 100 feet.  They prefer water temperatures around 55° F.  Their diets consists of insects, crustaceans and fish.
>Spawning:	Lake trout spawn in the fall in areas with a course gravel or boulder bottom.
Regulations:	Season: Open Jan 1 to Sep 30.  Possession: Two per day, only one over 22 in from Sep 1 to Sep 30.
Fishing Tips and Strategies: In the spring, most are taken by trolling with shiny spoons or minnow-like plugs. During the summer downriggers are needed to get to the deep parts of the lakes.

I bring a collection of "rods and reels" to to handle the many variety of fish that "Lake of the Woods" has to offer: a medium action rod with a bait casting reel containing 10 - 12 lb test line and two light action rods with spinning reels containing 6 - 8 lb test line.  Of course, bring your favorite rod and reel, catching a monster bass on an ultra-light or catching that trophy muskie with a heavy rod and big plug will make this a trip of a lifetime.  Click on the tackle box for a collection of my favorite lures.  Some of the most effective colors from past trips have been chartreuse, perch, shad and fire tiger. Of course, we always welcome new techniques.

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