There Are All Kinds of Trophy Fish Caught at the Wigwam Resort on Lake of the Woods

Good morning to all!

Welcome to another edition of the Wigwam Fisherman’s Blog. Yesterday I had my first opportunity to fish in Canadian waters and it didn’t disappoint. I was fishing about 3 ½ miles away from the Wigwam Resort and within the first 10 minutes I had caught three nice Walleyes, but that wasn’t the best part of the night. The best part of the night was the fact that I caught the largest Small Mouth Bass I have ever caught…it measured up at a whopping 17 inches and it gave me a great battle. Tonight I’m going back to the same spot to give it a go again and see what it has to offer this go around…I will update you tomorrow on my findings.

Catching that big Small Mouth Bass yesterday sure brought back some memories of my youth. From the ages of 13 to 17, every summer our church youth group would take our canoe trip up into Canada for one week. The youths were accompanied by parents and my Dad was always eager to volunteer. This allowed me to get some great bonding time with my Dad. We were dumped off and had to canoe and portage for 7 days together as a group…what a team building experience. My father and I would go out and catch fish for the entire group to eat on numerous occasions, but on one occasion in particular we really got into some nice Small Mouth Bass and some big ones to boot. I remember canoeing and stopping over rock piles that were down about 10 feet, which we could see cause the water was so clear and just by jigging about 1 foot off the rocks we were able to start pulling the fish up one right after the other. My experience last night wasn’t that good, but it sure brought back some great memories of those monster Small Mouth Bass. I only wish that my Father was still with us to experience it with me this time around…I’m sure he’s watching from above and watching over me each and every time I’m on the boat…I miss my Dad!

Daily Fishing Report: Today we will have sun and clouds mixed high 69F with winds WNW at 10 to 20 mph. Tonight we will have some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight, low 48F with winds WNW at 10 to 20 mph. Tomorrow will be mainly sunny sky, high near 70F with winds WNW at 10 to 20 mph. Tomorrow night will be party cloudy skies early followed by mostly cloudy skies and a few showers later at night, low 49F with winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph…there will be a 40% chance of rain. Today our fishing report will come from our guides (Tom Briggs and Billy Kloos). Morris Point in front of the washout and the west side of Pine Island the fish are still biting like crazy on the hammered gold spinners and crawlers. As I eluded to in yesterdays Daily Fishing Report my buddy Corey Estling, whom I learned is a daily reader of my blog, thanks Corey, said that Zipple Bay is still producing some nice fish. He and his kids have been pulling Shad Raps up and down the shore between Zipple and Long Point and having some great success…I like the call Corey and thanks for the update. Tom and Billy have been heading out into the big water in about 32 to 36 feet of water in the mud and anchoring and jigging. Their approximate location is about 5 miles north of Long Point towards Garden Island and approximately 7 miles north of Morris Point. They have been having success using Pink/Gold, Chartreuse/Orange and Chartreuse/Pink Jigs with frozen shiners as bait. Today Tom when to this area and caught 9 Walleyes over 26”…WOW!!!! Don’t miss out on this great fishing that we’re having on Lake of the Woods…come visit us today at the Wigwam Resort on Lake of the Woods!

Today my “shout out” will go to three guests that are staying with us and fishing in the MTT Fishing Tournament this weekend…Scott Olmstead, Jerry Riege and Clayton Kiester (in the picture). All three gentlemen are longtime patrons of the Wigwam Resort and I just wanted to thank them each for their years of support. Everyone at the Wigwam Resort wanted to wish you each the best of luck in the tournament this weekend…go get those big Walleyes guys!

Happy Fishing to all, and to all a good day!

Wigwam Fisherman aka Jean-Paul Tessier
Wigwam Resort
http://www.wigwamresortlow.com/

Competitors of the MTT Fishing Tournament on Lake of the Woods are Ready to "Set the Hook"!!!!

Good morning to all!

Welcome to another edition of the Wigwam Fisherman’s Blog. This weekend, Lake of the Woods will be hosting the MTT (Minnesota Tournament Trail) Fishing Tournament and most of the competitors are staying with us at the Wigwam Resort for the week to pre-fish and compete. For the past few days most of the competitors have been pre-fishing Lake of the Woods and finding their very own favorite “secret spots”. I have been talking with some of the competitors in the evenings and each and every one of them are very excited about this weekend…they are all eager to “Set the Hook” on some big Walleyes. Each competitor believes that they have found their own little honey hole, which will produce the winning catch. I want to wish each and every competitor the best of luck this weekend, while they fish our majestic playground, Lake of the Woods.

The Wigwam Resort has put together some great summer specials and a number of people are starting to take advantage them. The fishing has been phenomenal all season and we look for that to continue. The Wigwam Resort’s “Customer Service” and “Northern Hospitality” are starting to gather major attention and the referrals are starting to roll in…for that I’d like to thank all of our past guest for spreading the good word…thank you! For our specials, please go to our website at http://www.wigwamresortlow.com/ and click the Specials button on the upper left side of the website on our home page. We are also adding pictures each and everyday of the fish that are being caught to give everyone a little “play by play” of how things are actually going this summer at the Wigwam Resort on beautiful Lake of the Woods (our playground).

Daily Fishing Report: Today we will have variable clouds with thunderstorms, especially during the afternoon hours, high 73F with winds S at 10 to 20 mph…there will be a 50% chance of rain. Tonight we will have isolated thunderstorms early, and then partly cloudy after midnight, low 59F with winds SW at 10 to 15 mph…there will be a 30% chance of rain. Tomorrow we will have sunshine and clouds mixed high 72F with winds W at 15 to 25 mph. Tomorrow night we will have some clouds early will give way to generally clear conditions overnight, low 49F with winds WNW at 10 to 20 mph. Today our fishing report will come from our guides (Tom Briggs and Billy Kloos). Morris Point in front of the washout and the west side of Pine Island the fish are still biting like crazy on the hammered gold spinners and crawlers. As I eluded to in yesterdays Daily Fishing Report my buddy Corey Estling, whom I learned is a daily reader of my blog, thanks Corey, said that Zipple Bay is still producing some nice fish. He and his kids have been pulling Shad Raps up and down the shore between Zipple and Long Point and having some great success…I like the call Corey and thanks for the update. Tom and Billy have been heading out into the big water in about 32 to 36 feet of water in the mud and anchoring and jigging. Their approximate location is about 5 miles north of Long Point towards Garden Island and approximately 7 miles north of Morris Point. They have been having success using Pink/Gold, Chartreuse/Orange and Chartreuse/Pink Jigs with frozen shiners as bait. Today and the next few days might be tough to do this though, because the wind will be picking up a bit and unless you have a big boat, it might be a little rough out there. Don’t miss out on this great fishing that we’re having on Lake of the Woods…come visit us today at the Wigwam Resort on Lake of the Woods!

Today my “shout out” will go to two guests that stayed and fished with us yesterday…Joy Perala and Tom Peterson. Joy and Tom had the opportunity to fish with the Wigwam Resort’s own Tom Briggs. Joy stated yesterday, and I quote “Today was the best day of fishing I have ever had”! Tom is from Perham, MN and Joy is from New York Mills, MN...the home of “Lund Boats”. I just wanted to thank both of them personally and wanted to tell them that we all appreciate their business and hope to see them back very soon. As I tell everyone, the one thing that the Wigwam has that no one else does, is our great staff, and not to mention, Tom Briggs. Tom puts you on the fish; each and every time…it’s unbelievable! If you’re coming to Lake of the Woods and need an excellent guide, call to book Tom Briggs today…you won’t be disappointed.

Happy Fishing to all, and to all a good day!

Wigwam Fisherman aka Jean-Paul Tessier
Wigwam Resort
http://www.wigwamresortlow.com/

Phenomenal Fishing and Weather at the Wigwam Resort on Lake of the Woods!!!!

Good morning to all!

Welcome to another edition of the Wigwam Fisherman’s Blog. We had a phenomenal weekend of fishing and weather up on Lake of the Woods and I hope everyone was as lucky as us. This past weekend, 4th of July weekend, the Wigwam Resort had the pleasure of catering to some great guests, two groups in particular, Andy and Sara Collova of Hugo, MN, and Tony Capra’s Group, consisting of Tony, Tony, Deborah, Bre and Ashley (aka Fuzz). I would like to personally thank both groups for coming up and visiting us on Lake of the Woods and I hope all their expectations where exceeded on this trip. I will tell a little story on both later on in the blog.

Beach Bash is almost upon us again…wow, it has come quick…if you’ve never experienced Beach Bash, and this is the year to do it! It will be the 18th Annual Beach Bash and we are completely packed, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t still come. We will be offering free camping on Saturday July 18th to make sure that people aren’t drinking and driving…please take advantage of it. For a complete list of details and times on the Beach Bash at the Wigwam Resort checkout the flyer that we posted on our website at http://www.wigwamresortlow.com/.

As I alluded to earlier I wanted to share a little bit about the two groups I mentioned in the first paragraph, so here we go. First, Andy and Sara Collova of Hugo, MN…I had the pleasure of taking them fishing on the 4th and we all had a blast. Sometimes I feel bad because I have more fun than the people I take fishing, but this time I think they had just as much fun as I did. We were able to catch some nice fish, a few 24” Walleyes, a hole bunch of 14” to 19” Walleyes and Saugers, and Andy caught the biggest perch I have ever seen in person, it was a monster! Sara was able to bring in the first few fish of the day and then steadily put a clinic on for Andy and myself throughout the day. On top of it, I think that she must have missed or lost another 10. She is one heck of a fisherwoman and I think her and Andy will have plenty more fishing trips as the years pass…I hope you guys enjoy them all and I hope to see you back here soon. It was my pleasure to meet both of you and I wanted to personally thank you both for making July 4th, 2009 a very memorable day for me…thank you!

The next group, the Tony Capra Group from Blaine, MN (Tony, Tony, Deborah, Bre and Ashley (aka Fuzz) had three days of fishing with the Wigwam Resort’s own Tom Briggs. I know I always say that Tom Briggs will put you on the fish, because it’s true…he always finds them out there, even when everyone else can’t. Simple as this…Tom Briggs puts you on the Fish. Throughout the entire weekend they caught a number of big fish, as Tony says, “Tournament Fish”, but none as big as the fish that Bre caught on July 4th, 2009 at about 12 pm.

We were all fishing up by Rooty Point, just west of Garden Island, when Bre hooked a huge Sturgeon that took her over an hour and a half to get in the boat. The reason I wanted to talk about this is because the night before she couldn’t stop talking about catching a Sturgeon…that’s all she wanted to do. By going up to Rooty Point her chances of catching one were slim to none, especially since they were rigged and fishing for Walleyes. Right about 12 pm July 4th, 2009 Bre got a bit and set the hook, she had no idea what she had, but she knew it was big. As she reeled her heart out we all got a look at what was on the other end of the line and it took us all by surprise…a gigantic prehistoric monster aka Sturgeon. As it rose for the first time it completely jumped out of the water and every boat in the area took notice…it was exciting to see. As she brought it up the second time Tom Briggs tried to scoop it up with the net and it just wouldn’t fit, but she didn’t loose it and that was about an hour into her fight. Just over another half an hour later she was able to bring it up for the third time and as the old saying goes, the third time was the charm. Tom was able to scoop up the Sturgeon, with a couple tries and lift the over 80 pound Sturgeon into the boat…what a sight! I was taking pictures form my boat and Tony’s crew was taking pictures in their boat…it was the biggest Sturgeon I have seen in person with my own two eyes. Then it seemed as soon as it was in the boat, the pictures were taken and the beast was set free to grow some more…what a day and what a fight. I know Bre will remember that for the rest of her life…this is what memories are truly made of and she was able to be around family and friends...that’s awesome!

Tom, I and the rest of the Wigwam Crew would like to personally thank Andy, Sara, Tony, Tony, Deborah, Bre and Ashley for letting us participate in their great fishing memories at the Wigwam Resort on Lake of the Woods. At the Wigwam Resort we talk about creating your own “Fishing Tales” and that’s exactly what Bre was able to do…once again, that’s awesome and WHAT A FISH!!!!

Daily Fishing Report: Tonight will be mainly clear with a low around 50F with winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph. Tomorrow will be generally sunny despite a few afternoon clouds, high 74F with winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph. Tomorrow night will be partly cloudy, low 52F with winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Today’s fishing report will come from me personally and our guides (Tom Briggs and Billy Kloos). Out in front of Morris Point in the washout and on the west side of Pine Island you will catch fish, either by anchoring and jigging with frozen shiners, or by trolling with hammered gold spinners and crawlers. I was able to catch fish doing both, and not just one or two…I must have caught 35 my self…I was in and out of the live well all night. Tom, Billy and I headed up to Rooty Point over the 4th and did very well; we were in 27 to 30 feet of water. We were anchored and jigging with Pink/Gold, Chartreuse/Orange and Chartreuse/Pink Jigs with frozen shiners as bait. We also stopped out about 10 miles from Long Point in the mud and were fishing in 36 feet of water and doing well also…we were using the same lures and bait as we were up at Rooty Point. Don’t miss out on this great fishing that we’re having on Lake of the Woods…come visit us today at the Wigwam Resort on Lake of the Woods!

Today I wanted to use my “Shout Out” again to let people know that the Ice Fishing season is approaching and we are starting to already fill up. If you’re interested in coming to the Wigwam Resort this winter, don’t wait any longer to book your trip…DO IT TODAY! I look forward to seeing each and every one of you this winter.

Happy Fishing to all, and to all a good day!

Wigwam Fisherman aka Jean-Paul Tessier
Wigwam Resort
http://www.wigwamresortlow.com/

Happy 4th of July Weekend!!!!

Good morning to all!

Welcome to another edition of the Wigwam Fisherman’s Blog. Happy 4th of July everyone! I know I’m a day early with the “Happy 4th of July”, but tomorrow I will be out on the lake enjoying all the great fishing that I get to write about everyday…I can’t wait! Well July will be a busy month at the Wigwam Resort, with the 4th of July weekend already upon us, Beach Bash on July 18th, and Tami and the Bachelor (band) playing on July 31st and August 1st. We are going to be busy and I love it! If you’ve never experienced Beach Bash, this is the year to do it. It will be the 18th Annual Beach Bash and we are completely packed, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t come. We will be offering free camping on Saturday July 18th to make sure that people aren’t drinking and driving…please take advantage of it. For a complete list of details and times on the Beach Bash at the Wigwam Resort checkout the flyer that we posted on our website at http://www.wigwamresortlow.com/.

I hope that everyone is able to get out on the lake this weekend, no matter where ever you are at. It’s supposed to be beautiful up in God’s country (northern Minnesota) on Lake of the Woods for our national Independence Day. I plan on taking full advantage of the nice weather and do plenty of fishing…I don’t plan on leaving the boat! Hopefully I will have some pictures of my excursion to give you a visual to go along with the blog that I will write next week on my return. Last night I had the pleasure of going out fishing, and Lake of the Woods did not disappoint. I was a little worried because of the storms that we had this week, I was worried that the water would be to dirty, and it was, but there was some clean water out in front of Morris Point and I hammered the fish (Walleye and Northern Pike) by trolling with hammered gold spinners and crawlers…it was a lot of fun!

Daily Fishing Report: Today we have lots of sunshine, high 71F with winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph. Tonight will be mostly clear, low around 50F with winds light and variable. Tomorrow will be generally sunny, high 74F with winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph. Tomorrow night will be mostly clear sky, low 53F with winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph. Sunday we will have an abundant amount of sunshine, highs in the low 70s and lows in the mid 50s. As I stated yesterday I was going out fishing and I’ve already alluded to it earlier in my blog. Out in front of Morris Point you will catch fish, either by anchoring and jigging with frozen shiners, or by trolling with hammered gold spinners and crawlers. I was able to catch fish doing both, and not just one or two…I must have caught 35 my self…I was in and out of the live well all night. Tom Briggs is heading up north to Little Oak Island and Garden Island today…Billy Kloos and Tom yesterday hammered the Walleye and Jumbo Perch up there. They were anchored and jigging. The rest of the lake is still pretty dirty, so until that clears, which I hope is tonight, it might be a little tough out there. Don’t miss out on this great fishing that we’re having on Lake of the Woods…come visit us today at the Wigwam Resort on Lake of the Woods!

Today I wanted to use my “Shout Out” to let people know that the Ice Fishing season is approaching, and my “Shout Out” will go to tell people that we are starting to already fill up on reservations. If you’re interested in coming to the Wigwam Resort this winter, don’t wait any longer to book your trip…DO IT TODAY! I look forward to seeing each and everyone of you here this winter.

Happy Fishing to all, and to all a good day!

Wigwam Fisherman aka Jean-Paul Tessier
Wigwam Resort
http://www.wigwamresortlow.com/

The Sun is Back...Get Ready Fish, Here We Come!!!!

Good morning to all!

Welcome to another edition of the Wigwam Fisherman’s Blog. Well we have July 4th right around the corner and the weather is starting to turn in our favor…Yes!!!! The Wigwam Resort will be almost at capacity this weekend and its music to this General Managers ears. I’m glad to see that people are starting to take advantage of this wonderful fishery that we have at our disposal…Lake of the Woods! The July 2009 Newsletter is just going out today and it was a great experience putting it together…I’m looking forward to putting together each and everyone from here on out. The most exciting part is getting to relive the excitement that we experienced throughout the month. This month I added many monster Walleye pictures along with some great specials, so if you’re not a current subscriber to receive our monthly newsletter, SUBSCRIBE TODAY!

As we enter July 2009 and my first summer as the General Manager of the World Famous Wigwam Resort, it makes me think back at when I was a youngster and could only dream of my present status becoming reality, and it makes me want to give thanks to all of the people that have supported me through my journey along the way. There are too many people to thank in one blog (this thing could be 50 pages long), but I wanted to thank my family for making my transition back to northern Minnesota so enjoyable. I know I get to be at the lake every day, and most of the time I get to go fishing, but life in seclusion is no life at all. I wanted to thank them for the meals, great conversation, endless encouragement and most of all, just for being there when I need someone to talk to (in person). Everyone faces challenges and adversity no matter what their doing, and no one ever truly “has it easy”…it’s the people that you surround yourself with that make the difference, and since I’ve been home it has been my family. So a special thanks goes out to my Mom (Linda), Brother (Ryan) and Sister (Janelle)…thank you guys for all your help and support…I wouldn’t be where I’m at in my life if it wasn’t for you!

Daily Fishing Report: Today will be partly cloudy, high 71F with winds N at 5 to 10 mph. Tonight will be mainly clear skies, low 53F with winds NW at 5 to 10 mph. Tomorrow will be mainly sunny, high 73F with winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph. Tomorrow night will be generally fair, low 51F with winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph. Today’s fishing report will come from our guides and me. Yesterday we had some great weather again and the fishing picked up dramatically. Anchoring and jigging with frozen shiners is still a good way to go, but trolling with hammered gold spinners and crawlers are right on our door step…I’m going to give that a try this afternoon over by the washout in front of Morris Point to see what we can pick up. Tom Briggs is heading up north to Little Oak Island and Garden Island today…Billy Kloos another one of our top guides got into some nice Walleyes up there yesterday. Graceton Reef may be another spot to keep on your radar over the 4th…we should be having some great weather, with lots of sun to warm up those rocks. At Graceton Reef I’ve been having some good success trolling and jigging with Pink and Gold Jigs with frozen emerald shiners as bait, but as I alluded to earlier, it might be time to start pulling some hammered gold spinners through there to see what we can pick up. Remember, hammered gold to Walleyes on Lake of the Woods is like candy to a toddler! Don’t miss out on this great fishing that we’re having on Lake of the Woods…come visit us today at the Wigwam Resort on Lake of the Woods!

My shout out today will go to a group of great fishermen, and I might add gentlemen, the Ruffing Group form the Twin Cities area who just visited us for the past few days. I hope that each and every one of you had an excellent time and I wanted to personally thank you guys for choosing the Wigwam Resort to help you navigate your way around our wonderful playground…Lake of the Woods. I hope that all your expectations were exceeded while you stated with us and it was all our pleasure to have you. We are looking forward to your return, whether it is winter or summer. If I could ever be of any assistance to you for any reason, please don’t hesitate to call…it would be my pleasure to try and help. Thanks again guys…till next time.

Happy Fishing to all, and to all a good day!

Wigwam Fisherman aka Jean-Paul Tessier
Wigwam Resort
http://www.wigwamresortlow.com/

Where Did the Sun Go?

Good morning to all!

Welcome to another edition of the Wigwam Fisherman’s Blog. It has been 3 days since we’ve seen sunshine on Lake of the Woods and I can’t wait till the clouds break…hopefully tomorrow. I was planning on fishing this afternoon, but if we don’t see better conditions my little fishing trip will have to be postponed till a later date (tomorrow). The Summer North Star Classic Fishing Tournament, despite the weather, was a great success. The contestants that showed up for the tourney had to make lemonade out of lemons, and they certainly did that. The winning group was the Thief River Falls duo of Mike Lindholm and Marshall Tanner with a total of 8 fish weighing in at a whapping 24.38 lbs. The second place team was Mark Chapman and John Swentik, both residents of Baudette, and they finished with 8 fish weighing in at 16.38 lbs. I was considering fishing this tournament, like so many; I didn’t want to brave the horrendous winds that were evident on Saturday. Instead I watched from the sidelines…maybe next year.

For all of you that are wondering what the fishing will be like this next month, I anticipate another awesome month for Lake of the Woods. Be sure to checkout our website for the Daily Fishing Report, Catch of the Day, the Wigwam Blog and our photo gallery.

I will be putting together a great July special package for Veterans and current Military personal alike. During the current turmoil that is occurring in Iran and across the globe, being we are coming up on July 4th (Independence Day), it really makes me happy and proud to be an American, and we all need to step back and thank the people that have had a hand in securing our democracy…our armed forces. Being the son of an ex-jarhead (Marine) and Vietnam Veteran, I know first hand the sacrifices that have been made by many families across this great country, and I only wish to do my little part. Since I am fortunate enough to be involved in an outdoor recreation that many people enjoy (fishing), I would like to offer what I can to help put some smiles on people’s faces. To all the current and ex-Marines…Semper Fi! I hope to meet and shake the hands of many service men/women and veterans alike…thank you for putting your lives on the line for the freedom of every American. To view our specials, just go to our website at, http://www.wigwamresortlow.com/ and click the “Specials” icon at the top left hand corner of our home page.

Daily Fishing Report: Today we will have a mix of clouds and sun with gusty winds, high near 65F with winds N at 15 to 25 mph. Tonight we will see partly cloudy skies, low 49F with winds N at 10 to 20 mph. Tomorrow will look a little better with mostly sunny skies, high 69F with winds N at 10 to 15 mph. Tomorrow night will be mostly clear skies, low 51F with winds ENE at 5 to 10 mph. Today’s fishing report will come from a few different sources (our guides, guests and I). The past few days have been pretty miserable, because of the high winds and rain we have been having, but we anticipate that to change tomorrow with the arrival of some sunshine. We all have been having success out about 5 miles from Morris Gap in about 32 - 34 feet of water. We have been anchoring and jigging with frozen shiners. Another place where our guests are having some success is a little boat ride away, but they have been slamming them up there…Little Oak Island. Trolling spinners on the west side of Pine Island, using hammered gold spinners with crawlers as bait, has also been working. Graceton Reef may be another spot to keep on your radar. I have been having some good success trolling and jigging with Pink and Gold Jigs with frozen emerald shiners as bait. We need the sun to warm up the rocks a bit more, but it’s still fishing well. Just a little FYI – Graceton Reef will be good, but bring extra tackle…there are a ton of rocks and you will get snagged up a couple times if you’re fishing over there. Don’t miss out on this great fishing that we’re having on Lake of the Woods…come visit us at the Wigwam Resort!

Happy Fishing to all, and to all a good day!

Wigwam Fisherman aka Jean-Paul Tessier
Wigwam Resort
http://www.wigwamresortlow.com/

Fathers Have Life Lessons to Give Through Fishing...At Least Mine Did

Good morning to all!

Welcome to another edition of the Wigwam Fisherman’s Blog. Well I know that I’ve said this about a thousand times already, but when it fits you’ve got to say it, and it fits…the fishing on Lake of the Woods is absolutely PHENOMENAL!!!! I just went out this morning by myself and caught over 50 Walleyes. Be sure to checkout the Daily Fishing Report to catch, where I was at, and what I was using…catching fish on Lake of the Woods is so much fun…I LOVE IT!!!!

Yesterday I had the pleasure of hanging out with my Mother…she was telling me how much she enjoyed reading my blog…thank you Mother. She said, it made her laugh and cry all at the same…now when she cried it was only because of the fact that she misses all the fun we used to have together as a family, and since the passing of my Father, we don’t get the opportunity to do those things as a family anymore…don’t worry Mom…I believe we all feel the same. On a happier note, my Mom did tell me of one story that I must share with you today. I had totally forgotten about this one, because it wasn’t one of my better moments, but looking back at it now, it’s pretty funny. I just have to say…Kids, don’t do this!

It was the start of a summer fishing season in the early 80’s and I thought that I was ready to graduate to a “Grown Up” rod and reel, from the youth rod and reel I was sporting for the past few years. I had told my Father that I wanted a new rod and reel for about 6 months prior to going out with friends that morning, and my Father told me, “we will get a new pole next year”…I was having nothing to do with that…I wanted a new rod and reel, and I wanted it now! I had proven myself as a very good young fisherman and I wanted to be equipped that way, but as we all find out sooner than later, fathers always know best. What proceeded next I’m not too proud of, but it was a life learning lesson and I took it. We were fishing with Mr. and Mrs. Crew (Terry & Nancy) from International Falls, MN and once again that morning I asked my Father for a new rod and reel and once again he denied me. We had been fishing for about 30 minutes when I got the bright idea that if I didn’t have a rod and reel that my Father would have to get me a new one, so I went to cast my line and “accidentally” let go of my rod and it went for a swim. Things didn’t play out the way I would have hoped, and this is where I got my life lesson. My Father looked at me and said, “well it looks like you didn’t want to fish today or this summer…take a seat”. My Father wasn’t too happy and thank God he didn’t keep me from fishing all summer, but for a while and I paid dearly for it. The lesson that I learned that day was it doesn’t matter what you’re fishing with as long as you get to fish! To say the least, it wasn’t a fun day of sitting in the boat without fishing…I wish I could take it back. Kids, don’t make the same mistake that I did…listen to your parents…they do know best!

Daily Fishing Report: Today we will have mix of clouds and sun, high 83F with winds S at 5 to 10 mph. Tonight we will have scattered thunderstorms, especially late, low 63F with winds SSE at 15 to 25 mph…there will be a 60% chance of rain. Tomorrow will be windy with showers and thundershowers likely, high 67F with S winds shifting to W at 20 to 30 mph…there will be another 60% chance of rain. Tomorrow night will be windy with rain showers in the evening becoming less numerous overnight, low 56F with winds WNW at 20 to 30 mph…there will be a 50% chance of rain. Sunday we will have a few showers possible, windy, highs in the upper 60s and lows in the low 50s. Today’s fishing report will come from a few different sources (our guides, guests and I). We all have been having my success out about 5 miles from Morris Gap in about 32 - 34 feet of water. We have been anchoring and jigging with frozen shiners. Another place where our guests are having some success is a little boat ride away, but they have been slamming them up there…Little Oak Island. I just went out this morning and in a 3 hour period, by myself, I was able to catch over 40 Walleyes. I was trolling spinners on the west side of Pine Island, using hammered gold spinners, using crawlers. Graceton Reef may be another spot to keep on your radar. I have been having some good success trolling and jigging with Pink and Gold Jigs with frozen emerald shiners as bait. We need the sun to warm up the rocks a bit more, but it’s still fishing well. Just a little FYI – Graceton Reef will be good, but bring extra tackle…there are a ton of rocks and you will get snagged up a couple times if you’re fishing over there. This past weekend I was able to make it to Garden Island and I was having success in 18 to 20 feet of water on either side (East or West). Don’t miss out on this great fishing that we’re having on Lake of the Woods.

My shout out today will go to Robert (Oakdale, MN) and Chad Berdahl (Minneapolis, MN). I wanted to personally thank you two for visiting us this past week. I hope that the fishing was all you anticipated. I look forward to seeing you guys again very soon. I’m glad you guys had the opportunity to catch, back to back, Catch of the Day’s…30” Walleyes don’t come along every day…Nice Fish!!!! I hope all of your expectations were exceeded while staying here at the Wigwam Resort on Lake of the Woods!








Happy Fishing to all, and to all a good day!

Wigwam Fisherman aka Jean-Paul Tessier
Wigwam Resort
http://www.wigwamresortlow.com/