2018 Spring Rainy River Conditions

March 13th, 2018:
   I had seen reports of the river being open near Indus so I decided to check it out. This picture is 15 miles east of Birchdale Landing. This was the best spot to get a picture but I did see the end of open water 14.6 miles east of Birchdale. For those wondering the open water is about 39 miles to our docks. The temperature was around 36 today. Looks like things are moving in the right direction.
  Grant and I were thinking this year was going to be like 2014. I just looked at that years report and where the river is today is ahead of 2014 by 13 days (Birchdale was open for all boats April 8,2014). Hopefully this means by that last weekend in March Birchdale Landing will be open.

March 11th, 2018:
   As of Wednesday there was no improvement on the river opening up. The temperatures have not been that warm with very little melting happening. Also the we have had some pretty cold nights in the single digits and low teens. This coming week looks like we should have warmer weather so hopefully it will get things moving.

March 4, 2018:
We know everyone is waiting for River updates….We haven’t made the 120 miles round trip to International Falls to check yet. Grants Dad does drive that way once a week and when we know more we will let you know. We are hoping to have a report in a few weeks as there is quite a bit of ice on the river still.

‘Tis the most wonderful time of the year!

Thanks for your reports in advance Alyse. My favorite trip of the year. With any luck I will be up in a few weeks staying at the Royal Dutchman again this year.

March 14th, 2018:
Our friend Cathy shared with us this picture of open water 13 miles east of Birchdale.

We will be up there March 29th thru April 1st.

March 18th, 2018:
    Grant I just got back from checking the river.  The river is open 7.1 miles east of Birchdale Landing.  We took a picture of where the open water ended and at the Manitou Rapids.  We are suppose to stay in the low 30s for our high temps this coming week and the teens for lows.  We will share posts from Cathy as we get them and will probably check the river again Wednesday or Thursday afternoon.

The landing I Falls is open, a big boat launch this morn.The river is almost open to Birchdale.I had a local tell me they where getting nice eater walleye s at the dam in O Falls.
BB2

March 20th, 2018:
  Cathy sent this picture tonight from Franz Jevne.  We saw the channel was open on Sunday at Franz Jevne but was froze up to the east.  We will be checking the river Wednesday or Thursday night.  There are a few roads off of Highway 11 we drive down to get a better look at the river but right now there is about 2 miles we can’t see the river.

March 22nd, 2018:
   We checked the river around 5:30pm and the temperature was 40 degrees.  We were surprised that the river is just about 1.5 miles east of Birchdale Landing.  You can see open water to the east (where the river bends) while standing on Birchdale Landing.  At Franz Jevene there is about 50 yards of shore ice.  We did see one boat out fishing west of those rapids (we are not sure where they put the boat in).  Rainy Lake tourism posted on their Facebook page that people have been walking down and fishing off shore at Kuttes Landing in Pelland (this access has not been plowed) 

Thank you for the updates. Do you guys have much for rooms left available?

Only a few days at the beginning of April and then again after the season closes for all the guys trying for a big sturgeon.

Things are shaping up for next weekend it looks like! This will be our first go at it. I’m beyond excited!

Yes, thank you for the updates!

Long range forecast shows a big cold nap late next week…. hope they’re wrong about that!

March 24th, 2018:

Jason Groll Fishing Guide shared a video of open water at Birchdale this morning and said you can push a boat off the shore ice. We will be checking the river later this afternoon to see if it opens up anymore.

March 24th, 2018:
  There is open water about a mile west of Birchdale Landing.  There is shore ice at the landing in Birchdale but you are able to push a boat over it.  We did see a few boats out fishing when we stopped by before checking the landing in Pelland.  The Kuttes Landing in Pelland is open for all boats.  Pictures are of Birchdale Landing looking to the west and the open landing is Kuttes in Pelland.

March 26th, 2018:
   Today has been a mixture of snow and rain but it isn’t stopping our guests from fishing.  This morning Cathy shared with us that the river is open 6 miles west of Birchdale.  We also saw one Facebook from Jason Groll Fishing Guide that the county was down there breaking open Birchdale Landing.  Thank you so much to the county!

Can someone tell me, how big of a public access is in Birchdale? In a couple weeks when the push is on, will one be able to find a parking spot? Or just need to get there early?

Big Eyes wrote:

Can someone tell me, how big of a public access is in Birchdale? In a couple weeks when the push is on, will one be able to find a parking spot? Or just need to get there early?

There’s a mile of county road to park on. The entire mile is used at some pointevery year. Be prepared to walk… and wait. There shouldn’t be any worry about parking.

It gets much much better as more landings are opened. After birchdale there is Frontier, Vidas. I believe Timbermill and wheelers point are next.

If I were to guess, Frontier “should” be open by the end of the week. Hopefully it makes big progress today and tomorrow. If not, the cool weather at the end of the week may put a damper on things.

I just saw that the “open water line” is past Frontier now. They are thinking the Frontier landing should be open to all boats by the end of the weekend – good call biggill.

Just got back from the River this afternoon. There is open and fishable water west of Frontier about a mile and a 1/2. There was an ice jam there yesterday which prevented travel any further west. The Frontier Landing is open as of today but the whole river channel from Frontier to Birchdale re-froze last night making fishing challenging. If you wish to travel anywhere you have to break skim ice that is everywhere today. Not a huge deal, but it makes for challenging conditions when combined the cold conditions. Settle into an open pocket of drifting ice and vertical jig…that is the only viable option today. I think those living on or near the river must just laugh on days like today.

Yesterday was not great but decent. Fish to 26 maybe 27 inches were had with plenty of keepers if you wish. Low current and clear water (relatively speaking) should make for good fishing if and when you can get out there this coming week.

DoRight

Thanks for the update Deron. Boy….. if the river is already showing signs of re-freeze, I wonder how things will look towards the end of next week with temps constantly below freezing??? Looks like average high all week is 25 degrees and average lows near 0.

I know that nobody knows for sure what the river will do… but we need to make our cancel / postpone decision by Monday night for next Thurs – Sun. Can handle the cold temps, but if we can’t even cast because of skim ice, I’m not sure if that will be very much fun.

Mother nature pretty much made a fool of us this weekend. Between all the ice, the temps, then the wind on Saturday, it was damn near impossible to fish. We did manage two slot fish during a couple hour stint where the ice cleared and the sun was out on friday evening out of frontier. Sportsmans was nice and let us cancel our reservation on Saturday, and we got to meet Chris Granrud at the Birchdale access which was cool. Chris even said he was giving up after an hour and a half because it was just treacherous so I dont feel to bad about being discouraged. None the less we had a good time and as always it was a learning experience.

Anyone hoping to go up for the last weekend of the season?

We will be up. Pretty sure season closes Saturday night.

Yes, we’ll be up to close the season

With this week’s forecast showing below freezing every day and the overnights being single digits many days does anyone have thoughts on if it will be fishable the following week?

It will be. Any ice that sets up at night will break up right away in the morning with all of the boat traffic.

Does anybody know if there has been much boat traffic the last few days?? I saw Chris Granrud posted yesterday they got out…. but said they had to break a lot of ice in order to fish. Not really sounding like too many people are actually out fishing?. Sportsmans also had a post showing lots of ice on the river and at the landing….. and that was midday?

Heading up to the Rainy the 15th through the 18th for a sturgeon trip. Given everyones experience with the river, is it possible for wheelers launch to be open by then? Looks like its supposed to warm up after this cold snap but I am not sure how fast it can open up.