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Mille Lacs vs Lake of the Woods


shiltsy

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We do an annual LOTW ice trip and always have a blast. That said, it's a long drive from the metro and fishing always shuts off at night. Most years have been pretty good, but last year was really slot.

We're thinking about a sleeper rental on Mille Lacs this year. It seems like having more time on the ice plus an evening fishery might make up for not being a LOTW quality fishery.

Any thoughts? We will be targeting Walleye, but happy with action from any species.

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Mille lacs will most likely be slow day and night more days than not fishing out of a resort permie. You also only have a 2 fish limit with an 18-20" slot to keep those 2 fish. LOTW lets you keep 8 fish, no more than 6 eyes.

Maybe not the suggestion your looking for, but...For us here in the Twin Cities metro its about the same drive to Devils Lake ND as it is to LOTW. I have never left DL without our limit of eyes, and 80-90% of the trips do VERY well on perch as well. Abundant pike if you want them. And prices for guided trips with lodging are not too much more than a comparable # of days/nights at LOTW just being stuck in one day house all day. ND limits on DL are 5 eyes a day with 10 in possession, 20 perch per day with 80 in possession and 5 piker per day with 10 in possession.

You also have places like Woodlands who do similar lodging/day house packages as what you'd find at LOTW, but for a better price. And even in their day houses you can do well on both eyes and perch quite often.

I made the switch several years ago, and have had more and more friends making the switch since. Pretty much all of them say the most likely wont go back to LOTW or Red after fishing Devils.

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Just a heads up. I go to school in Grand Forks so I fish devils a fair amount of times throughout the season. You're first trip I would 100% recommend getting a guide. Devils can be a boom or bust fishery. If you are mobile and can find good structure you will most likely contact fish. Yes the perch are massive, BUT when people say you have to be mobile they aren't kidding. Drilling over 50 holes a day is common. The fish never stop moving on devils but once you find them, it can be lights out. I remember my first trip there me and 2 buddies drilled holes all day with nothing to show for it. The clock struck 5 o'clock and it was game on. Probably caught 45 walleyes between 3 guys in one hour.

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Yes its definitely worth getting a guide to lower the learning curve. But if your willing to put in the work like was mentioned and find the perch you can usually stay on them. As for the walleyes, we've caught them shallow. we've caught them mid depths and we've caught them deep, rocks, wood weeds etc. Seemed to be able to get them if you were on any kind of "fishy" structure, but its a first and last light bite for the most part. Which works well as it gives you the rest of the day to chase perch or run tip ups for pike (you can fish 4 lines per person in ND)

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I do a trip every year to LOTW and rent a sleeper on Mille Lacs. Out of 4 years I have only done well once on Mille Lacs. But most of the time we were up there we weren't very mobile. LOTW is fun but the past few years the fishing has just been ok. Yeah we have caught a lot but they were mostly small fish. If I was you I would head to Red.

If driving is an issue then you might as well try Mille Lacs. I mean I keep going back because I love beening able to sleep out on the ice and have a chance of hearing that rattle reel at 3 am. Plus it's less then 2 hours away. Check out Appeldorns...they will do their best to get you on fish.

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Hard to beat the big fish ratio on Mille Lacs, but hard to beat the action of LOTW. If you are looking to come home with a pile of fish you would be better off on LOTW. I fish LOTW and Red a couple times until there is enough ice on ML to drive out. Seems we can always catch fish on Red and LOTW, but ML can be really hit or miss whether you're on the fish or not. One night we only caught 1 fish, other nights 6 fish over 20" (2-3 people). We catch keepers occasionally on ML, but not something you can count on every time out.

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We do an annual LOTW ice trip and always have a blast. That said, it's a long drive from the metro and fishing always shuts off at night. Most years have been pretty good, but last year was really slot.

We're thinking about a sleeper rental on Mille Lacs this year. It seems like having more time on the ice plus an evening fishery might make up for not being a LOTW quality fishery.

Any thoughts? We will be targeting Walleye, but happy with action from any species.

Glacier lakes region of SD is a good option. Bout the same distance. Better fishing, and everything is less expensive there. You can hire a guide for the day for a fraction of the price of a guide on a busy MN lake.

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Really great feedback, thanks everyone. Sounds like we'll be heading up North! I'd drive 10 hours for good consistent fishing, so it sounds like LOTW, Red, Winnie or Devils will be our plan. We don't do any running and gunning for this trip... pretty much lay low in the sleeper 23 hours a day fishing, playing cards, etc. It's a trip our group really looks forward to all year.

Most of our trips have been Jan/Feb, so I think we will push into late March in hopes of better late ice fishing.

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I used to go to Mille Lacs for an annual trip, never did well out of a resort house. Then we switched to Red, did ok out of resort houses, but nothing spectacular. Then we switched to LOTW and have always done well including last year. There's no comparison for action between LOTW and either of the other lakes I've stayed at. All of my trips are LOTW now, and I don't see that ever changing. Longer drive is well worth it.

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I have to agree with truthwalleyes. The glacial lakes area in NE South Dakota I personally think is better than Mille Lacs and LOW. 4 hour drive from the cites, can fish with 4 lines and easy to limit out on very nice size perch and walleyes and great size nothern pike. Alot of lakes and sloughs in the area to choose from. I usually make 7-8 trips a winter over there from the cities.

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I used to go to Mille Lacs for an annual trip, never did well out of a resort house. Then we switched to Red, did ok out of resort houses, but nothing spectacular. Then we switched to LOTW and have always done well including last year. There's no comparison for action between LOTW and either of the other lakes I've stayed at. All of my trips are LOTW now, and I don't see that ever changing. Longer drive is well worth it.

Some of that is just timing, Years ago Red lake was not that great. The past two years we have done better on Red than LOTW. That's just my experience (early ice season) but Red has made quite the comeback.

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Lake of the Woods

May 11, 2013- Nov. 30, 2013 6 (Not more than 4 can be walleye; only 1 walleye over 28"; walleye 19½" through 28" must be immediately released.)

Dec. 1, 2012- April 14, 2013 Dec. 1, 2013- April 14, 2014

8 (Not more than 4 can be walleye; only 1 walleye over 28"; walleye 19½" through 28" must be immediately released.)

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On LOW in addition to not more than 4 eyes you can also have up to 4 sauger, or any combination of 8 as long as no more than 4 are eyes. It is we'll worth the trip to LOW or Red.

The slot on Red is 20-26 and on LOW its 191/2 to 28. I've fished both lakes plus Mille Lacs, no comparison.

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