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N
3 years ago

Great Resort! Cabin #5 was huge! Very comfortably ...

Great Resort! Cabin #5 was huge! Very comfortably held 12. Cabins were very clean and well appointed. Staff in the restaurant/bar were very friendly, excellent service. Our charted captain Tilden got us on fish right away. Limited out. Highly recommend Ballards

E
3 years ago

Fished 2days, part of 6, got our limit both days. ...

Fished 2days, part of 6, got our limit both days. Fished with two separate guides, both fabulous (one new this year, but local. Prices appropriate for food, drinks and amenities. Cabin fully furnished with linens, dishes, very clean and easy walking distance to launch/dock. Definitely plan to return next year. Gorgeous!

A
3 years ago

I have been coming up for a few winters in a row f...

I have been coming up for a few winters in a row for guided ice fishing trips. It has always been a good time. The ice houses are warm and the staff is always friendly. The rooms are cabin like, which are expected, but you can easily cook there. The bar and restaurant serve good food

D
3 years ago

Fantastic day of fishing! 2 of us caught a total o...

Fantastic day of fishing! 2 of us caught a total of 126 walleye & sauger, 1 northern and 4 eelpout. Only thing better was the service and how everyone did a great job from the booking to the fishing cleaning! Chris was our guide / Driver and was very helpful and fun to talk to.
Thanks again for the best start to ice fishing we have ever had!

J
3 years ago

Awesome food and staff was extremely helpful and f...

Awesome food and staff was extremely helpful and friendly! The guy who was working the office tonight and the Jaylene were both amazing! Will be staying at Ballard's on our next lake of the woods trip!

B
3 years ago

Very helpful staff, food in the bar was above aver...

Very helpful staff, food in the bar was above average and very reasonably priced. Rented a fish house for a day and the house was very nice, they checked on us numerous times throughout the day. Cleaned our fish and brought them right to the bar for us.

S
3 years ago

The Cabins weren't the cleanest and the food wasn'...

The Cabins weren't the cleanest and the food wasn't great either. I had stayed at River Bend Previously and had a great time. I also never caught any fish that were keepers. It could've been better.

P
3 years ago

2019 this was my 5th year coming to Ballards resor...

2019 this was my 5th year coming to Ballards resort, I'd give it 10 stars if I could.
Nick & Jessie have been so nice every time I run into them when I'm there.
In fact, all of the staff are great, from the office check in people, the fishing guides, very mature and professional, the bar and restaurant help, the same.
Highly recommend a trip with them, I'll be back every year if possible.

A
3 years ago

I've been going to Ballard's resort the third week...

I've been going to Ballard's resort the third week of February the last 4 years. It's always been a fun time and the food is delicious. The cabins are great with all the amenities, but their beds need to be replaced or turned. They're very soft and my back aches every morning. Also, their water stinks like rotten eggs. Don't know why or how to fix it, but at least they soften it. All in all, it's a great time fishing and relaxing barring sleeping and showering.

T
3 years ago

Small

R
3 years ago

We took a group of 11 men for a weekend of storyte...

We took a group of 11 men for a weekend of storytelling, walleye fishing and a bit of relaxation,food and beverage. The accommodations were comfortable and clean, the food was outstanding. They cooked our catch to perfection on the first day. They have a nice sports bar attached to the restaurant. The charter service was exceptional, as our captain was very knowledgable, hard working and easygoing. All the equipment was in good working order. and the boat was very roomie for six of us. We limited out both days while catching a lot of fish in the slot. An exceptional value for a weekend of fun and fellowship.

D
3 years ago

Our 2nd stay at the resort. Captain Travis was an...

Our 2nd stay at the resort. Captain Travis was an excellent guide and boat captain. He put us on the fish, and did an excellent job piloting the boat safely thru heavy seas. He was right there when someone needed to have a fish netted or a minnow put on the line. As usual, the food and service were excellent. Loved our cabin too!

p
3 years ago

I had a spectacular time at Ballards resort. Every...

I had a spectacular time at Ballards resort. Everywhere from the food to fishing was top notch. The rustic fishing net decor combined with the ambient lighting creates a feeling you won t soon forget. The cherry on top was the customer Service. Excellent customer service from the bartenders, servers and management. 12/10 recommend visiting Ballards resort.

M
3 years ago

My husband and I originally had reservations at Sp...

My husband and I originally had reservations at Sportman s Lodge next door, and after seeing the conditions of our cabin, we called Ballard s right away hoping we could get a last minute reservation here. We were in luck! Nicole was so nice and accommodating. She offered us a cabin right on the river. The cabins are spotless and stocked with everything you need. The bar/ restaurant has really good food (we recommend the walleye chunks!) and amazing service. We can t wait to come back! We would highly recommend this place!! Thanks Ballard s!

M
4 years ago

Start with the good: the restaurant has about the ...

Start with the good: the restaurant has about the best food and service on the south end of Lake of the Woods.

But the not so good: hotel rooms are not very clean. We got into our room and a towel from the last guest was still hanging on the shower. When we let our toddler crawl on the floor for 5 minutes and her feet and outfit were black with dirt. Finally, apparently checkout was at 10 am, but no one informed us of that until they knocked on our door at 9:50. It's pretty obvious their communication and quality control are considerably lacking.

We'll be back to dine at the restaurant, but won't ever stay there again.

A
4 years ago

Wow!!! What an amazing place! Friendly staff! A...

Wow!!! What an amazing place! Friendly staff! Amazing food! Clean and comfortable accommodations! Even with what looked like a full resort, it was very peaceful and relaxing! Definitely coming back!

J
4 years ago

On June 16, 2020 I treated my dad, father-in-law, ...

On June 16, 2020 I treated my dad, father-in-law, nephew, and two friends to a chartered walleye fishing excursion with Ballards on Lake of the Woods. We did not stay at their resort, we only booked the fishing excursion. We met Captain Andy on the dock at 8:00 am and boarded the boat. We left the dock, along with all of the other Ballards boats and left the Rainy River in a caravan on the lake. When we got close to where Captain Andy had planned on fishing, we broke out of line and found a spot with the rest of the fleet also anchoring In the same vicinity. Captain Andy handed each of us a rod and started putting bait on the jigs and gave us instructions on how we were going to fish. It was just a few minutes later and we started catching walleyes. I had purchased some mechanical counters so we could keep track of how many fish we each caught. By noon, we were just over 100 fish that were pulled in, but we still had room to keep 4 more as we had many fish that were in the slot that had to be thrown back. We all pulled in at least one fish that was over 26 inches and even pulled one in that was 28.5 inches long but decided to put that one back as well. Around 2:00 the wind had started to pick up and was blowing over 10 mph. We were expecting it to get up to 30 mph later on in the day. Around 4:00 the wind had been blowing hard enough to pop the anchor loose and we decided to go back to the resort; we would have been leaving in another 10 minutes anyways so it was an easy decision. We added up our total catches for the day and had 158 walleyes and saugers, and one 31 inch Northern for a total of 159 fish that we pulled in over the course of 8 hours. That s an average of 20 fish per hour for the six of us! We got back to the resort and waited in the bar until Captain Andy got all of the fish cleaned and bagged up for us. He also brought all of the saugers to the cook in the restaurant like we asked so we could start eating our catch before heading home.
Our only regret on this trip was that we didn t hang our fish on the board and get a picture with our haul. I thought of that about 20 minutes after we got back to the resort and half of our fish were already filleted. While having our picture taken with the fish we kept would have been a nice memory, it would not have been an accurate depiction of what we we actually catching since we were getting many fish that were too large to keep.
We are in the process of planning our trip for next year. Instead of just booking the chartered fishing excursion for a day, we are planning on spending a few nights in a cabin and a few days on the lake. We had a great time. Thank you Captain Andy.

W
4 years ago

Fun

J
4 years ago

I've been to Ballard's Resort several times and ha...

I've been to Ballard's Resort several times and have always had a great experience. From their knowledgeable and fun guides, to the friendly staff in the bar and restaurant, I simply cannot say enough about the quality of the help at the resort. The owners hands on approach to their business is a true recipe for success. Would highly recommend Ballard's Resort to anyone wanting to fish Lake of the Woods!

K
4 years ago

The cabins were great, the people were friendly. ...

The cabins were great, the people were friendly. Our guides took the time to tell us about the area, it's history and geography etc. and the staff was super helpful when we were planning our trip. The wait staff were super friendly. The only drawback was the food, which was good but not great. We will definitely go back to Ballard's again.

T
4 years ago

Go fishing here once a year. Nice cabins, great fo...

Go fishing here once a year. Nice cabins, great food, fantastic service. Boat captain Scott, kept us on fish for our 3 days of fishing. I choose the full meal plan so we do not have to do anything. We fish, eat, have a few drinks, sleep and repeat. Love the place!

About Ballard's Resort

Ballard's Resort: The Ultimate Fishing Destination on Lake of the Woods

If you are looking for a world-class fishing experience, look no further than Ballard's Resort on Lake of the Woods. Located in Baudette, Minnesota, this family-owned resort has been providing exceptional fishing trips for over 100 years. With its prime location on one of the largest freshwater lakes in North America and a variety of amenities and services, Ballard's Resort is the perfect destination for anglers of all levels.

Fishing at Ballard's Resort

Lake of the Woods is known as one of the best fisheries in North America. It boasts over 65,000 miles of shoreline and more than 14,500 islands that provide endless opportunities to catch trophy fish such as walleye, northern pike, muskie, smallmouth bass and sturgeon. At Ballard's Resort you can choose from a variety of guided or unguided fishing packages that cater to your specific needs.

Guided Fishing Trips: If you are new to fishing or want to learn more about Lake Of The Woods' unique ecosystem and techniques used by professional anglers then guided trips are perfect for you. Our experienced guides will take you out on our fully equipped boats with top-of-the-line gear and show you how to catch fish like a pro.

Unguided Fishing Trips: For those who prefer more independence while still enjoying all that Lake Of The Woods has to offer we have unguided packages available too! You can rent one our boats or bring your own boat along with all necessary equipment needed for an unforgettable day out on the water.

Accommodations at Ballard's Resort

After a long day out on the water catching fish it’s important to have comfortable accommodations where you can relax and recharge before heading back out again tomorrow morning. At Ballard’s resort we offer various types of lodging options including cabins ranging from cozy one-bedroom units up through spacious five-bedroom lodges which can accommodate large groups or families comfortably.

All cabins come equipped with modern amenities such as air conditioning/heating systems; full kitchens stocked with cookware & utensils; flat-screen TVs; free Wi-Fi access throughout property grounds so guests never feel disconnected from home while they're away!

Dining at Ballard’s Resort

At Ballards resort we understand that good food is essential after an exciting day spent outdoors! That’s why we offer delicious meals prepared by our talented chefs using only fresh ingredients sourced locally whenever possible. Our menu features classic American dishes like burgers & fries alongside seafood specialties such as walleye fillets cooked just right!

Activities at Ballard’s Resort

While fishing may be what brings most people here there are plenty other activities available too! We have many outdoor activities including hiking trails around property grounds which lead through beautiful forests filled with wildlife sightings waiting around every corner! There is also kayaking/canoeing available if guests want something different than just being out on boats all day long!

Seasonal Specials at Ballards’ Resorts

We always have seasonal specials going throughout year so make sure check website regularly stay up-to-date latest deals promotions happening here! Whether it be discounted rates during off-season months or special events taking place during peak season there always something new happening here worth checking out!

Conclusion:

In conclusion,Ballard's resort offers everything an angler could ask for when it comes to world-class fishing experiences combined with comfortable accommodations ,delicious dining options ,and plenty other outdoor activities . With its prime location right next door lake woods makes this destination ideal choice anyone looking escape hustle bustle city life enjoy some peace quiet surrounded by nature beauty . So book your trip today start making memories last lifetime !