I recently returned from a 5 day journey up to Rainy Lake for a shot at some trophy Pike with two of my closest buddies. It all began when I watched a video of In Depth Outdoors host James Holst and Chris Granrud of Rainy Daze Guide Service lay the wood to the early season Pike. I immediately got on the horn and lobbed a call into Chris and said “put me on those beasts brotha”. I anxiously awaited the next three months spending hours (while at the office) staring at the weather websites and webcams of Rainy praying that I would be there after ice out. I probably drove Chris up a wall with my constant emails asking about the ice conditions.
We arrived on a Thursday afternoon to 32 degree weather, snow & 30 mph winds, an anglers nightmare. My dream of putting the beatdown on these fish was becoming bleak. After cancelling our first day on the water due to weather we caught a break and I got my wish. Boy was I not disappointed. We put the hammer down on Rainy’s biggest and baddest 
. 35+ Pike, 8 easily over 10 lbs & Chris’ 21+ lb giant on “Day 1”.
It would be relatively easy to say that I never had a better guide in my life merely due to the numbers and size of fish we caught that day and over the course of our 5 day trip. But Chris truly rounds out every other attribute that I consider to be necessary of a world class guide, What a class act. Rainy Lake is an extremely large body of water that can be very intimidating and with the help of Rainy Daze I felt like it was “manageable” for my FIRST trip to the mighty Rainy.
I recommend anyone who wants to fish this beautiful body of water give Chris Granrud a jingle and let him take care of the rest. He is no longer a stranger and a guide to me but a true friend and thats what this sport is all about fellas.
