Page 11 - Crappie NOW | January 2016

Hop, Drop & Troll

especially on a vast piece of water. Do
your homework ahead of time, be willing
to drill a lot of holes, fish fast and move if
necessary. Some call it ice trolling because
of the amount of water one can cover this
way in a single day. Of course, if you really
want to tip the odds in your favor, consider
hiring a guide or consider fishing out of a full-
service lodge. This is especially beneficial for
southern anglers who want to journey north
to experience great ice fishing, but who may
not own ice fishing gear.
Trophy Waters
At over one million acres, Lake of the
Woods, Minnesota is a prolific fishery. Best
known for its walleye, sauger, yellow perch
and northern pike – all of which can be
caught in great numbers all winter long from
the comfort of countless heated ice houses
placed and maintained by a number of full-
service lodges – Lake of the Woods is also
one of North America’s best trophy crappie
fisheries.
Crappie fishing at Lake of the Woods,
however, takes a bit more work and planning.
Some of the best crappie fishing on the lake
takes place around the Northwest Angle, a
thin strip of U.S. land and water extending
north into Canada.
“Crappie anglers interested in coming to Lake
of the Woods should consider staying at one
of the lodges up at the Northwest Angle,”
says Henry.
There are several lodges to choose
from, and any of them will work with you to
meet your specific angling objectives. Most
use classic and reliable Bombardier track
vehicles to transport their customers. It’s

11 Crappie NOW January 2016