Rainy Lake Fishing Report

Fished Rainy Lake for the third time this summer, this trip was for week of August 11th. All in all it was a good trip with good success. This year was a year of fishing not as expected. In spring low rainfall caused less flow into Rainy so fish were not in the rivers as expected. (U.S. side) my July trip met similar results fish were still in the bays and on points not the reefs.
And now my August trip also threw us a curve ball. This trip is traditionally with my wife and another couple so the pressure is on me for lots of action, doesn’t matter size or species just catch lots of fish! Well the Walleyes were on the reefs so easy peesie, right— wrong! There were fish on the reefs but every time you set up on them they moved and you at to move around to find them again still caught our limits but the ladies don’t like all the moving around. No problem we will just run over and catch a bunch of big Crappie’s, not so easy they weren’t in the sunken trees as usual either. Well after trying a few things we found them on the mud flats and were into some good action. By the end of the week we ended up with a good supply of fish to take home and a awesome shore lunch. Happy wife happy life.

As usual service and accommodations at Thunderbird Lodge was excellent. Boat and motor were flawless, no rain and light wind all week.

Oh one more item. First night there and in bed planning the first day on the water when all of a sudden I remember that I had forgotten to bring my remote for my Ulterra, next morning I was talking to a couple guide friends at breakfast and was lucky to have two of them offer me the use of their spare remote. What great guys.

Can’t wait for next year. I sure love retirement!

Here are a few pictures,had to resize to add them.

tried some new chairs for the wife’s to relax in while fishing, they worked very nice. always tough to fish four people in 18 foot boat but the two beach chairs on front deck were a hit. Next project is attaching some Velcro strips to hold them to the deck while moving from spot to spot.

let me try this again.

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one at a time I guess

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Thanks for the report, thinking of going up there in a couple of weeks. Looks like fun and those chairs do look relaxing to fish from

The wife sure liked it, even fell asleep one day. one thing to check out is the fires in Canada all of north east Minnesota had a smoke haze the last few days of our trip

sounds like a great trip, and I know I would certainly enjoy going up there 3 times over the course of a few months!

I’m counting the days until I’m at the Thunderbird in early October for 4 days of fishing.

last year we had good luck with walleyes but couldnt find the crappies

bigstorm wrote:

sounds like a great trip, and I know I would certainly enjoy going up there 3 times over the course of a few months!

I’m counting the days until I’m at the Thunderbird in early October for 4 days of fishing.

last year we had good luck with <strong class=”ido-tag-strong”>walleyes but couldnt find the crappies

Finding the hot Crappie bite in the fall trolling the Rat Root river is a small window of opportunity one I never could seem to time correctly. I always meant to try drifting Black Bay for them but never had the time to try that out. Did troll way up the Rat this June and caught Hugh Perch using slip bobber with small white jig and Minnow had to clean the weeds off a lot working the edges.

Good luck, if the Walleye are slow try a Lindy live bait worked good when they didn’t want a jig.

Ya, in our up there, we have only had 1 fall trip where the crappies were hitting back in the Rat Root River. We usually go back there on the first day to see if there are any in there and if we dont find any, we usually dont go back for the rest of our trip. We had another year where we found crappies out near Dryweed Island, but again, that was only 1 year as well. Most of our trip is focused on walleyes anyway and I will have to remember to try a lindy rig this year, never tried that, we usually jig structure.

My mom has a cabin on lynx island. And this is the first time im bringing up my older brother.plus 5 other friends who haven’t been there in years. I have went down the rat about a half mile. But how do you fish it? It’s not that deep. We are going up sept.21 weekend. Any help would be awesome!

bigstorm wrote:

Ya, in our up there, we have only had 1 fall trip where the <strong class=”ido-tag-strong”>crappies were hitting back in the Rat Root River. We usually go back there on the first day to see if there are any in there and if we dont find any, we usually dont go back for the rest of our trip. We had another year where we found <em class=”ido-tag-em”>crappies out near Dryweed Island, but again, that was only 1 year as well. Most of our trip is focused on <em class=”ido-tag-em”>walleyes anyway and I will have to remember to try a lindy rig this year, never tried that, we usually jig structure.

I have heard that the deep water behind Dryweed Island is good for crappie in the fall. Never been there in the fall just what the rumor mill tells me. Might be worth a look.

Thanks for the help! We do fish arond dry weed maybe we can fall into that continuous hook set.

Wayne, how have you found the fishing the last few years? I have heard fishing is really down compared to like 5 years ago. I have even heard of some of the guides sliding into Canada. The reports of Rainy are really drying up compared to years ago so i’m wondering what your experience has been.

Dutchboy wrote:

Wayne, how have you found the fishing the last few years? I have heard fishing is really down compared to like 5 years ago. I have even heard of some of the guides sliding into Canada. The reports of Rainy are really drying up compared to years ago so i’m wondering what your experience has been.

Yes the fishing is better on the Canada side. Water flow in May and June is partly why, but pressure is most of the problem. There is still good fishing on U. S. side but like on Kab a Lindy rig may be needed to fill the live well. When fishing Canada you may only see a boat or two all morning while in U. S. there will be a boat or two on almost every spot. This year was all mixed up because of low rainfall in spring, then early hot weather. Still plenty of fish but you had to work to get them. I think fishing none fly in lakes every where is some what slower then the good old days. Most likely because of new and better equipment, more people fishing, bigger boats allowing longer runs in all kinds of weather, and also climate change (not global warming).

I plan of fishing Rainy three weeks every year going forward. Love the park, happy with the quality of the fishery, great people up there, and really like Thunderbird Lodge. Plus when over 65 (I’m 73) you have U.S. medical help 11 miles away. Medicare isn’t any good in Canada.

Wayne Daul, I totally agree with your assessment of Rainy. I have been fishing Rainy the last 30 years. The bigger boats have really increased folks running to the east end of the lake. I also fish the Canadian side and there are more people fishing there than in the past. This year you can now fish the Canadian side without getting the remote border pass.

A couple years ago we gave lead core a try for this time of year. It really works well, especially for mid day fishing. We usually lead core in 30′ to 40′ FOW.

Heading up Monday for 4 days in the park and then the following week for 4 days at Island View.

Tell me more about this no border pass thing please.

As I understand it if you don’t step foot on or beech your boat on Canadian soil no RBC permit is needed.

Please keep in mind you’re reading this on the internet and not everything you read on the internet is true. Please do your own research.

Walleye fishing on Rainy has tanked. I wouldn’t waste my time. I hear Vermillion is nice.

Dennis Williams wrote:

Wayne Daul, I totally agree with your assessment of Rainy. I have been fishing Rainy the last 30 years. The bigger boats have really increased folks running to the east end of the lake. I also fish the Canadian side and there are more people fishing there than in the past. This year you can now fish the Canadian side without getting the remote border pass.

A couple years ago we gave lead core a try for this time of year. It really works well, especially for mid day fishing. We usually lead core in 30′ to 40′ FOW.

Heading up Monday for 4 days in the park and then the following week for 4 days at Island View.

Thanks for your info on lead core. I had success on Kab with it and always meant to try it on Rainy but hauling up the long rods and with a full boat never did. Now I will have to re-think it.

Good luck on your upcoming trip. Mike Williams is a guide on Rainy who has helped me a lot, any relation?

Wayne

Steve Hix wrote:

Tell me more about this no border pass thing please.

You need a Canadian fishing license. You cannot anchor, touch any shore, or tie up to another boat. Don’t know if you have to carry your passport.

Not related to Mike, but I know who he is and his connection to Kettle Falls and the damn. One thing I forgot o mention on the lead core is that you may need a spare spool of lead core line. Unlike Mille Lacs were you can troll around without worrying about getting snagged, Rainy is so rocky that every now and then when you get hung up the lead core line breaks. You really have to watch for the sharp changes in depth. I also have found you can troll fairly fast 2.5 to 3.0 MPH and the walleyes have no problem devouring the lures.

Thanks for the tips it’s now on my bucket list.

Dennis Williams wrote:

Wayne Daul, I totally agree with your assessment of Rainy. I have been fishing Rainy the last 30 years. The bigger boats have really increased folks running to the east end of the lake. I also fish the Canadian side and there are more people fishing there than in the past. This year you can now fish the Canadian side without getting the remote border pass.

A couple years ago we gave lead core a try for this time of year. It really works well, especially for mid day fishing. We usually lead core in 30′ to 40′ FOW.

Heading up Monday for 4 days in the park and then the following week for 4 days at Island View.

Dennis
Do you know this “no remote border pass thing” for a fact? Where
can a person get verification?
Thanks

Sorry, this post was an error. I don’t know how it got here.

Wayne-I put my remote keys and my depth finder in a dry bag so I have just one thing to bring and remember when I go to the lake-bag is bright orange waterproof (of course) and floats-sounds like you had a great trip.

tim hurley wrote:

Wayne-I put my remote keys and my depth finder in a dry bag so I have just one thing to bring and remember when I go to the lake-bag is bright orange waterproof (of course) and floats-sounds like you had a great trip.

I have decided that my problem is age (73) related memory malfunction. That and a very busy schedule right before packing. Now developing packing list for hunting, fishing, and camping trips.

Don’t want to be caught without needed items again. Part of problem is boat is stored away from my home so I just bring it over day before trip for charging batterie’s and loading fishing gear.

Dennis
Do you know this “no remote border pass thing” for a fact? Where
can a person get verification?
Thanks
[/quote]

Here is a link to the relevant Canadian Border Services page. https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/travel-voyage/pb-pp-exceptions-eng.html You can also call the Fort Francis CBSA office and ask them. The number is (807) 274-3655.

mxskeeter wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Steve Hix wrote:</div>
Tell me more about this no border pass thing please.

You need a Canadian fishing license. You cannot anchor, touch any shore, or tie up to another boat. Don’t know if you have to carry your passport.

I got the info from Rainy Lake Houseboats. They sent out a newsletter email last winter with the announcement of the no RABC needed anymore if you follow the rules.

mxskeeter wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>mxskeeter wrote:</div>

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>Steve Hix wrote:</div>
Tell me more about this no border pass thing please.

You need a Canadian fishing license. You cannot anchor, touch any shore, or tie up to another boat. Don’t know if you have to carry your passport.

I got the info from Rainy Lake Houseboats. They sent out a newsletter email last winter with the announcement of the no RABC needed anymore if you follow the rules.

Yes you need to carry a passport or copy of your birth certificate (see link I provided above) Also its not just that you can’t tie up to another boat you can’t pull up along side another boat even if you don’t tie together. The intent is to prevent passing of goods between the boats.

Thanks guys.