Kick Off
Thursday
August 13, 2026
- Nothing officially planned
- The unofficial start: the fleet rolls in, and the prefishing, meetups and hangouts that fill Rally Week carry right on
The Warrior Family · Annual
The Warrior Rally
Rally Week on one lake. The people who make Warrior what it is. Each August on Lake of the Woods.
Save the month
August 2027
Dates to be announced · Baudette, Minnesota · Lake of the Woods
What It Is
More than a tournament. A reunion.
The Warrior Rally is the one weekend of the year the entire Warrior Family shows up in one place. Owners bring their families, their kids, their fishing buddies. The Melrose crew packs up the shop and makes the drive north. And everyone fishes Lake of the Woods together. It's become Warrior Week for many.
At the center of the weekend is the David A. Andersen Memorial Walleye Shootout, a two-person team tournament held in Dave's honor each year since 2016 and fished in a single day on the Saturday. But the Rally itself is bigger than the tournament. It's the Thursday night meet and greet. It's the whole field lined up in front of the resort for the group photo. It's the Saturday fish fry and the awards after it. It's running into the person who built your boat and telling them what it's done for your family.
It's why we say owning a Warrior means joining the Warrior Family.
Weekend Schedule
Rally Week, start to finish
Most of the family shows up early. Rally Week runs all week on Lake of the Woods: owners prefishing, meeting up, and hanging out long before the official days. Nothing exclusive, nothing organized, everyone welcome. Below is how the 2026 Rally ran, from last year's agenda; the 2027 schedule posts here once dates are set.
Check-In
Friday
August 14, 2026
Must be off the water by 4:00 pm. No exceptions.
- 3:00 – 5:30 pm · Mandatory check-in at The Tent. Registration closes 5:30 sharp
- 5:45 pm · Group photo in front of Wigwam Resort. Wear your tournament shirt
- 6:00 pm · Rules meeting. One team member must attend
- Dinner at The Tent
Tournament Day
Saturday
August 15, 2026
The Shootout is fished in a single day.
- 5:00 – 6:45 am · Boat check at the Rainy River public launch
- 7:00 am · National anthem, then the boat parade down river
- 7:15 am · Blast off
- 3:45 pm and 4:00 pm · First and second flights due back
- 3:30 – 5:00 pm · Warrior test drives at the Wigwam docks
- 6:00 pm · Fish fry at The Tent
- 7:30 pm · Awards and the Shootout champion announced
Head Home
Sunday
August 16, 2026
- Nothing scheduled
- A last morning to hang around before most of the fleet starts the drive home
Relive It
The Rally on film
Larry Smith Outdoors has filmed the Rally and the Memorial Shootout for years. Start with the latest recap, then work back through the archive.
Films by Larry Smith Outdoors · a Warrior partner
Travel
Getting There
Baudette sits on the southwest shore of Lake of the Woods, about 5 hours from the Twin Cities. Trailer your Warrior in. The Rally and the Memorial Shootout are Warrior-owner events, so you'll want your boat with you.
Lodging
Where to Stay
Wigwam Resort hosts. Check-in, the rules meeting, the fish fry and the awards all happen at The Tent there, so staying on site or close by makes the weekend easy. Book early: August fills up on Lake of the Woods. For more lodging options, see Lake of the Woods Tourism.
Family
Bring the Crew
The Rally is kid-friendly and family-first. Everyone is wanted in the Friday group photo, the Saturday fish fry feeds the whole family, and the test drives that afternoon are open to anyone who wants a ride.
From the Water
2025 Rally photos
24 shots from last year's Rally weekend on Lake of the Woods.
Ready to Register?
Save your spot for August.
Reach out and we'll send the registration packet and lodging recommendations as soon as the 2027 dates are set.