Rainy River Report

I just got home from the river. We left last nite Went and checked out the Vidas access. Solid ice. Went to Frontier access. Solid ice. Went to Birchdale access. Solid ice. Went to France Jevne State Park. Water over ice. Not enough open water for a boat. Went to the Manitou Rapids small boat access. Could carry a small boat down to river. Went to the Pelland access and landed my Skeeter. Only caught 2 fish all day. Water is very dirty past island at the Little Fork River. Could only see the ringworms and paddletails 12″ down using white. Try to load the Skeeter at the access on a bunk trailer to leave. Couldn’t get the out of the water. The river is down 4′. Places I traveled before only had 2′ of water. In a normal year there would be 6′ of water. Anyway, getting back to my getting the Skeeter and trailer out of the water, we had to take the Skeeter off the trailer, drive the trailer up on the concrete ramp, drive the Skeeter up to the trailer and crank the Skeeter on to the trailer. I don’t know if any of you ever had to crank a fiberglass boat onto a trailer before out of the water, but it was a lot of work. You see, with the water being so low, you had to back the boat and trailer a long way into the water. Well there is a 12″ drop off the concrete ramp. So when it is time to load, the center bar of the trailer frame gets hung up against the concrete and you can’t pull it out. Not even in 4 wheel drive. I guess what I am trying to say is ALL BOATS WITH BUNK TRAILERS, STAY AWAY. Wait fot the ice to leave Birchdale access. I think this will happen by next week-end I talked to a couple boats who’s props found lots rocks just below the surface. One report was a lower unit taken off. It’s not worth it. Wait a week.

BIRDDOG

Forgot to mention, the weather doesn’t look to favorable for the next few days. Check out this weather site, it is the most accurate I’ve found.
www. wunderground.com

Wow I’m tempted to put some of those slides on my bunks for low water, I hear they are a little hard on the boat though, were you able to lube the bunks up any? There is suppose to be a couple products out that are suppose to help things slide on the bunks. Yeah Bunks are nice, but this is my biggest fear with them. I think my winch would probably give up before I got the boat up ugh…

Too bad fishing stunk on top of that, but thanks for the report I’d like to make a trip up there one of these days.

Thanks alot guy, I was contemplating heading up in the morning. Stay local and wait a week now. Thanks

Sorry to hear the bad luck! I was able to launch and land the 1900 pro-v ifs with a the prestige bunk trailer at Pelland landing….very carefully I might add!!!! Back in off the drop to unload and load shallow was the key for me! Hopefully others take warning the water is very low!!!

I just got back from the Rainy last night. All in all it was a good trip . I did not hear of anyone doing nearly as well as we did . We landed 20 walleyes fishing all day friday and saturday . We landed one 26″ walleye, one 32″ pike and one 10 lb sturgeon. I think we did so well because it was our first trip and were never spoiled by ever catching 80 walleyes in a day. We had to work hard for them. Instead of just drifting down the river with everyone else, we were working some spots pretty hard. We went out of Pelland both days and drove the boat up to Falls on saturday. We caught a couple pretty small eyes there and sauger and a sturgeon. We went down below the Little Fork river and let me say it was pretty muddy. Night and day difference from above the river to below. The ony thing we use was 1/4 gold jig and a fathead. We went up there with $30 worth of minnows and came back with $25. I’ll try to post some pics.

I think the question of the weekned was “Is birchdale open yet?” If anyone asks me that again I might stomp on their toes .

26″ Walleye

Sturgeon

32″ pike