WINTER NEWS…and some Summer!

contact us l Ballard's Resort Lake of the Woods

March 2, 2016

Hey sportfans…  Just a couple quick updates for you winter enthusiasts!

First of all, YES, we are still ice fishing.  The cold snap that blistered us this week is still hanging on.  Along with the snow and ice conditions.

More ice fishing ahead…

Based on what we’re seeing in the forecast it appears favorable for us as we move further into the month of March.

Always tough to predict…  But south shore ice fishing should continue at least through these next two weekends for sure, and possibly a third after that.

It’s all mother nature!

If you want to get yourself up to LOW for one final go on the ice…  NOW IS THE TIME!

Our houses are back down on the south shore.  We’re fishing the west end of Pine / east side of Morris.  A short ride out in the Bombardiers.

Fishing wise still lots up UPs and DOWNs.  Saugers dominate the catch.  Most are getting a few for supper and a few to take home.

Really, it’s been more of what we’ve seen across the board throughout our travels on the ice these past 3-4 weeks.

March has it’s up side.  Traditionally better fishing.  Always fun.

More News…  A unique opportunity…

Please forward to anyone you know that might be interested.  Thanks!

We are currently accepting applications for internship or post graduate employment, as the next FISHING GUIDE to join the Ballard’s Team on Minnesota’s Lake of the Woods!  Currently, with one open spot on our roster, you can potentially secure a position with the best of the best in the walleye fishing industry!

Ballard’s Resort is a family owned operation dating back to 1961.  With a fleet of (13) charter boats we run more than (1500) trips per season.  Open water guide dates run from mid-May to late-October.

This is a seasonal position.  Or as we refer to it: DREAM JOB!  There is also the potential to turn this into a full-time year-round profession, as we also provide guided ice fishing services in the winters.  If you or someone you know is interested, please contact us immediately for an application and more info.

Call #218-634-1849, and ask about the FISHING GUIDE position.  Or, email us at info@ballardsresort.com

Set the hook!

Nick and Jessie Anthony, & Gary Moeller

www.BallardsResort.com                   Minnesota’s Lake of the Woods

March Into Ballard’s…

contact us l Ballard's Resort Lake of the Woods

2/22/16

Round and round we go…  We’re we stop nobody knows…

Hello ice fishing enthusiasts!  And welcome to the weekly cold-blast here on Minnesota’s Lake of the Woods.  Good times!

It’s snowing…  It’s snowing…  It’s cold outside and it’s snowing…

That’s pretty much the theme today, and by the looks of it, more of the same coming in the next fifteen days give or take.  Yes!  More ice fishing ahead!

What’s the latest and greatest here at Ballard’s?  We’re still pullin’ teeth.  Meaning?  Tough bite and we’re going to wear the skids out on those shacks if we keep bumping and moving at the latest fast pace.

I listened in on the guide chatter this morning at coffee, and heard much discussion about “move-move-move”!

Our guides are working every square inch of the flats (south, west, and Nwest of the “nine”).  So that puts us about 8-9 miles offshore.  Saugerville with the occasional walleye.

Boom!  We did have a couple 27’s and a 28 last Friday / Saturday.  Trophy walleyes!  Nice hustle!  Also saw a monster pike come off the west end of Pine.  Yes…  We have a couple pods of huts close to the south shore.  So maybe things will start to kick in?

Surprises…  Not a whole bunch of change in what we’ve been seeing throughout the entire month of FEB.  Overall, a slow bite across the board for most anglers.

The good news is we’re having fun!  Our guides continue to work their butts off in an effort to find more fish!  And most of the folks here are catching enough saugers to have a decent fish fry in the evenings…  So we got that going for us…

What else?  Did you get the mailing on our “MARCH SPECIAL“??

We have the right conditions to go well into next month.  Hoping for a spike in the bite…  Something similar to what we had on the south shore in January.  Crazier things have happened…

Let’s go!  Set the hook!

Keep Fishing!

2/16/16
Hello sportfans and welcome to the latest news feed at Ballard’s Resort.

Almost forgot…  Had a visitor earlier this month…

And after seeing his shadow…  Punxsutawney Phil insisted there will be at least six more weeks of winter ice fishing on Lake of the Woods.  That’s tremendous news!

This gives us the better part of March…  More ice fishing…  More season to chase walleyes and saugers…  Perfect!  Great news!  Let’s make it happen!

We are we at right now?  The roller-coaster ride we continue to take this season has continued for us throughout this past week.  Those that were here would most likely concur.  Fishing has been slow.

Not a normal season by any means…  The bite that left us favorably in January, has been much more challenging these past two weeks.  Just ask our guides…

From the south shore we hopped north to the flats…  Further north to the rubble…  Further north to the reefs…  And now all the way back again, nearer the south shore.  It seemed as though the more we stretched out the less the results. Chalk it up to good effort.

And with that…  Here we are…  Mid FEB…  Sitting about 8-9 miles offshore cranking away in the flats.  The results have been very similar with what we’ve been seeing the past couple weeks.  Catch enough fish for an evening fish fry, and hopefully get a few to take home.

This morning the guides left the lodge with the same determination as always.  Keep shuffling houses and keep fishing. That’s always our best bet.

With March so close on the horizon…  We’re optimistic for an improved bite on the south shore.  Hopefully something that is very near similar to what we witnessed in much of January.  Either way…  The great chase continues…  And that’s part of the fun of fishing.

More good times ahead!  Set the hook!

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All over the map…

2/10/16

He was bitten by a walleye at a young age… And it took five days before the fish was no longer in excruciating pain.

Now, he is questioned by Game Wardens… Because they find him interesting.

And on Lake of the Woods… His ice fishing rod… Never gets cold.

Hello sportsfans and welcome to the weekly Artic blast here at Ballard’s Resort. The “World’s Most Mysterious” ice fisherman was not here this past weekend. But we do anticipate his visit in the very near future. More on that. Stay tuned.

Ah…….. What’s the latest and greatest. Ask Nick??? “WE ARE ALL OVER THE MAP”! Literally… At least from a fishing standpoint.

After last week’s stalemate (slow fishing) the guides were, as they say, off and running. The south shore Pine bite withered and the hand writing was on the wall. Get moving. As thus we have.

Here’s the latest… In the past seven days we’ve sent fliers (houses) to the Nine, Knight, Bridges, the flats and pretty much everywhere in between. With the end result being quite similar. “Tough Fishing”.

Seems as though, at least this past week or so, the more we move and the more fresh ice we fish… The same result. The fish are there, at least we’re seeing them on the graphs, but we can’t make ‘em bite. Go figure. HA!

“As of this morning we (the guides) are still scratching our heads. Best bet is: KEEP FISHING.”

Nick says we’re going to stay “spread out” for the time being, just to see what happens. We’ve pretty much chased back and forth for the past week to ten days, and now it’s time to work over these areas with some honest effort.

End result… We’re still catching fish to eat (mostly sauger), and we’re getting a few fish to take home. The occasional trophy walleye has been, let’s say, occasional. I believe last Friday our “big fish” of the week was a 28.5 incher. Nice walleye! Congrats Joe R!

On the fun meter? Ice Holes. Hands down. Best effort. Interesting weekend fellas…

Let’s set the hook!

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