I am going to Rainy River Sunday to walleye fish, will be our first time there, staying at Sportsmans lodge In Baudette. Any suggestions on how and where a person should fish our first time there? Is it best down River from Sportsmans or toward the lake?Thanks for all suggestions. Dave Jackson
FYI – Down River is towards the lake. Took me a few times to get that right.
Anyway, It seems the big push of fish has yet to happen. I’ve seen reports of water temps still at or under 40F. If the case and the water begins to warm, you could intercept the fish coming from the lake in the 4-mile bay area.
Anyone been out this week? Heading up soon, and not hearing too many reports…
Get some 4 inch double tail twister tails, white in color, on a jig. its a killer up there. DK.
headed that way sunday as well.. staying at sports,mans as well. would love to network with ya share what wee find while we are there could be helpfull to us both!
Anyway, It seems the big push of fish has yet to happen. I’ve seen reports of water temps still at or under 40F. If the case and the water begins to warm, you could intercept the fish coming from the lake in the 4-mile bay area.
My experience up there has told me that sometimes even though the fish aren’t biting, it doesn’t mean they aren’t there. I’ve seen huge schools of walleyes on the side imaging only to catch 1 or 2. I’ve also see a bite on fire one day followed by a day with nearly nothing.
The bite changes with the conditions.
Where does everyone plan on targeting? By the lake or farther up river?
For you guys heading up Sunday that weather on Monday is looking a little challanging. Below freezing and plenty of wind. Don’t think I’ll be out bright and early that day but still plan to make the best of it. We will be up for the week.
Just got back from rainy. Fished out of birchdale on Friday. Wind was terrible. It was freezing. Fishing was slow. Marked a bunch but couldn’t move them. We were casting moxies and pattletails along shore and dealing with line freeze. It was hard to work a jig slow due the wind blowing 30mph against the current. Water Temps were 35 degrees.tried Saturday at Frontier. Tons of boats we went up river about 3 miles. There was nothing happening there even though the the weather was a little nicer.marked tons of fish. Water temps here were 34 degrees. Most people were working the Middle of the river for the little walleyes.we talked to a bunch of people and all said the same thing. Slow. We saw 2 nice fish caught.one 20 and one 28. Both were caught trolling crawlers. The water is too cold yet. I would go to the gap or 2 miles out at the ice sheet and work from there if the wind allows.
Just got back, fished in front of sportsmans lodge Friday and it was pretty tuff, 1 26″ and a short. Went to vidas yesterday and fished most of the day, caught over 20 walleye and 2 sturgeon with 6 between 22″ and 26.5″, water is cold, but there are a lot of fish in the river.
Had a good weekend on the river. Boated over 40 fish. Did get a few in the mid 20s. Slow drift with jig and minnow. Had to keep that jig vertical and close to bottom. I was fishing a 3/8oz that I could keep fairly vertical and caught a few but buddy was fishing heavier and was having better luck so I went heavier as well. 3/4 or 1oz was the ticket. There are fish to be had in the river, I think it will be great fishing with the predicted weather the last couple days of season.
weedis, were you up river or towards the mouth? Contemplating making a run up for the last 2 days.
We fished Fronteir area Saturday and Vidas area Sunday. I new three other boats that were fishing 4 mile and river around mouth, and three all did horrible.
I should add that I knew another boat that fished the baudette area of the river and boated like 5 fish and that was from Wednesday to Saturday. My suggestion is head East for those that will be heading up there. Wish I could make it back up there before season closes. Would be nice to know what it feels like to fish in nice weather, lol.
Thanks for the report. I know some guys that were up as well and didn’t do very good either. If I make it up I’ll let you know how it goes.
Do they have any of the docks in yet?
Wheelers has had a dock in for a couple weeks now.
Neither vidas or frontier had docks in but I dont think I have ever seen docks in at those locations.
Fished half day saturday, most day sunday, and monday morning for a few hours. Went out of birchdale and fished up river to the bottle neck in the rapids and down about a mile past birchdale. Mainly fishing canada waters since we had the RABC passes and licenses. 70 fish between 2 of us but nothing crazy big. 28″ was biggest and alot of mid 20s. Fishing plastics from 3/8 to 1/4 depending on what and where and didnt waste time with live bait. I would say bite was decent but nothing crazy good.
Anyone make it out the last couple days of the season? Curious how bite was.
With the water temps spiking it was pretty damn good. I managed about 30 fish a day with most over 22″. All on plastics. The current was moving faster than I was used to up there.
We fished 3 days, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. Ended with 55 fish Tues, 96 Wed and 73 Thurs. Had a great time as usual. Pitching 3/8th oz platics any color as long as it was a Plus’r! Lots of mid 20 inch fish, biggest was 29.25″
Caught most of these the last day on the US side. All on plastics. Moxi’s, Pulse R’s, and paddle tails. 3/8oz jig. Weather was brutal over the weekend. Tried the lake on Tuesday but it was a bust. Went up river by Birchdale Wednesday and Thursday and found active fish.
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Nice mess of fish Mike!
Very nice, Mike. Now I’m waiting for Mike W to get back and show his off.
I must have been next to you for a while yesterday. I heard a boat ask where another boat was from and I heard them say Ely. I’d bet it was you guys.
I wish I could’ve had one or two more guys in my boat. Better chances at a true pig.
I fished Sunday and Monday; did OK. Biggest was 27.5″ Two other guys stayed til the end and had a 100 fish day on Thursday, but no tanks; 26″ was the biggest.
Wind chill of 7 when I got the one in the pic.
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I was up Tue, wed, and thur. Fishin got better each day Tuesday boated around 35 fish no real big ones Wednesday 50 fish with a few over 26 biggest was a little over 27 that day Thursday was on fire pulled over 70 fish with 20 fish over 5lbs biggest was 9lbs at 28″
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Can’t seem to get the rest of the pics to load. But it was a very fun trip got most of our fish on live bait.
Looks like a nice end to the season. Nice work guys. Wish I could if made it up there the last couple days.
Our week was about the same. Started out trolling three ways sunday and monday and caught nice fish but had to work for them. High winds, cold and snow was fun to fish in. Tried the lake on Tuesday fishing right next to the ice pack. Plenty of short bites but not many takers. The few we did catch where small.
Last day of the season we went back up river and with a tip from Biggill on baits to use we ended up with 94 walleyes. Biggest 29.5″.
Fished sturgeon friday with no sturgeon caught. Did manage to land another half dozen walleyes on our sturgeon rigs.
Anyone else swing into the Cut Foot on the way home to check out the walleye egg stripping? Have seen this going on a few years.
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