Spring Rainy River Conditions

March 19th, 2013:
The last few days we have gotten phone calls asking if the river really was open at 5 miles east of Birchdale as they had heard it was open that far on Saturday. We also saw this posted on many forums. We decided to venture out on this blustery day and see if it was open. I have some bad news, as much snow as there is on the ice 5 miles east of Birchdale we believe it was never open there. Also where Grant took pictures last Thursday it was froze up to the west now.

By road from the Birchdale Landing this is what it looked like at 5 miles (1st picture):
The Second picture is 7.7 miles east of the Birchdale Landing looking to the east and third picture is looking to the west (this was open on thursday the 14th but had froze back up)

I am new to this forum and it is set up a little bit different than I am use to so please be patient with me while I figure it out. Thank you!

Welcome!!

Thanks for the effort and the awesome report! Bummer to see so much ice. Try as we will, Ma Nature has plans that we may not always like. Keep those reports coming.

Welcome guys… Glad to see ya on here!

Thank you everyone! We will keep posting pictures as we take them.

Thanks Welcome
May save a long drive.
Keep us posted.

Thanks for the photos and report guys. Sure wish it was better but it is what it is so far. You guys got anyone out ice fishing?

I don’t think spring is coming this year.

Welcome! Great report. Great pics. Great effort. Finding rooms is always a challenge. Do you folks at the Royal Dutchman have rooms through 4/14?

Thanks for the update!

Thanks for the updates and welcome to IDO!

We don’t have anyone out ice fishing right now but we some people this weekend that will be out ice fishing. We have rooms open the rest of March and then during the week in April until walleye season closes. The first 2 Friday and Saturday nights are booked

Anyone think that ice will be out by Memorial Day?

March 22nd, 2013:
We went and checked the River Conditions again and we hate to say it but it is still the exact same as the last time we went. It is open 7.7 miles east of Birchdale Landing and it is still froze up looking to the west. It was 21 degrees when we took the pictures today and the forecast is looking like we are going to have highs in the 30s for the at least the next 10 days! The picture with open water is looking to the East, then there is one of the view straight out from where we were, and the last one is looking to the west and it is still froze up!

royal Dutchman welcome to ido
and thank you very much for the updates in the reports on river conditions.
Jack

Does anyone have any updated info on the conditions of Rainy River??

March 25th, 2013:
We went and checked the River Conditions and we have some good news it opened up almost 2.7 miles since Friday! That means its getting closer to Birchdale Landing! It is almost 5 miles East of Birchdale! We took the pictures around noon and the temperature was 29 degrees and the 10 day forecast looks like warm weather is here to stay with highs in the 30s and 40s! This is good news for everyone Spring has finally decided to come. Grant thinks you will be able to push boats down at Franz Jevne State Park this weekend.
First picture is in front of Franz Jevne…the other 3 are 5 miles east of the Birchdale Landing

Thank you Royal Dutchman

Thanks for the updates! I’m pumped to get up there for some fishing ASAP so your pictures and updates are greatly appreciated. Keep’em coming this week, I’m hoping to make the trip up there as soon as I can put the boat in at Birchdale.

March 27th, 2013:
We went out about 10:45 AM to check on the River Conditions today. The temperature is about 28 degrees. We first stopped at Birchdale Landing and talked to some people that were up to open water fish and weren’t able to get out yet so they were going to try ice fishing today and hopefully tomorrow be able to push the boat in the water. Franz Jevne has about 50 yards of shore ice yet but there is open water and the rapids to the west of there are open. Grant figures by this weekend you will be able to push a boat out at Franz Jevne and Birchdale Landing.
The first picture is on top of the Birchdale Landing looking to the east its kind of hard to tell but there is open water. The second picture is at Franz Jevne showing the shore ice to the east. The third picture is of the rapids just west of Franz Jevne.

March 28th, 2013:
I (Alyse) headed East to check on the River Conditions and took pictures just before 10 AM and the temperature was around 27 degrees according to the car. The River has opened up in front of Birchdale and to the west a little there is one frozen spot and then open water again. There are weak spots west of Birchdale that you can see along Highway 11 on your way to Froniter. I did talk to a local from Birchdale that had been out fishing and he said he did good last night which is a good thing to hear!
The 2 boats are putting in right in front of Birchdale Landing. The water picture is looking to the west at Birchdale Landing. And the last one with one boat is at Franz Jevne showing the shore ice.

Wow. No replys to those last photos. I would guess about half the guys seeing them fell off theirs chairs and hit the floor. The other half is out hooking up the boat and heading north. Hope to see some more photos and maybe even some fish photos soon.

Quote:

---

Wow. No replys to those last photos. I would guess about half the guys seeing them fell off theirs chairs and hit the floor. The other half is out hooking up the boat and heading north. Hope to see some more photos and maybe even some fish photos soon.

---

There is open water & then there are realistic fishing conditions. We know how important the prespawn is to all the local businesses, but realistically, we are still a ways from comfortably getting bigger boats in the river. I don’t think any sensible person would take a chance on damaging their boat trying to force a launch over ice. I too, am frustrated, as I have already canceled two trips to the river this spring. I am hoping to get up the second week in April. There is still a lot of shore ice & snow to go yet, and the weather forecast is going to take another dive next week. A couple of below zero nights to boot!! I truly believe our window of fishing opportunity is going to be very short this year, if at all. Fingers crossed!!!!

I was out packing tackle in the boat, Come on 50 degrees!!

Yup, too short of a window this year…tell everyone to stay home

Quote:

---

I was out packing tackle in the boat, Come on 50 degrees!!

---

We are all praying for some decent weather, but both accuweather & the weather underground don’t hold any 50’s in the forecast all the way through the prespawn. Sometimes Mother Nature just has to be that way. Maybe we’ll get enough sun & decent weather to eventually clear Birchdale & Frontier without raising the river too much & turning it to mud. Wish in one hand & #*%@! in the other!!! Good luck all…..

Quote:

---

Wow. No replys to those last photos. I would guess about half the guys seeing them fell off theirs chairs and hit the floor. The other half is out hooking up the boat and heading north. Hope to see some more photos and maybe even some fish photos soon.

---

I see Clementson posted some pictures of some young guys that pushed a boat over the ice & caught some decent fish. How do you justify holding a big walleye by the eye sockets for a picture and then releasing it with the expectation that you didn’t damage that poor fish?? Maybe I should just shut up, but that stuff really bothers me. There is a right way to CPR & a WRONG way!!! Think, people!!!!!

Yep. Seen that photo to. Sure am glad the majority of people do not do that. Might be heading up the end of next week but are still watching conditions and reports. Would imagine we will know for sure if we are going a few hours before leaving.

March 29th, 2013:
I (Alyse) went and checked the River Conditions about 9:45AM and the car kept reading the temperature as 35 degrees which could be right as the one in our house is reading 38 degrees. The river keeps opening up a few miles everyday. It is open 4.3 miles West of Birchdale Landing and 3.6 miles East of Frontier Landing. While I was driving yesterday I saw 2 bald eagles with a huge nest and never got a good picture so this morning I watched for them again and I was able to get one but there was only one eagle there. Also when I stopped to take a picture of where the river ended for being open there were 7 deer on the ice and not even a mile west of the open water. The deer were off the ice when I came back home they were being brave as the ice was yellowish color and looking like it would be gone in a few hours. I talked to the same guy as I did yesterday in Birchdale and he said that they did really good fishing yesterday and it doesn’t sound like they were out all day either.

The picture of just water is where it ended this morning and is 4.3 miles West of Birchdale, the next picture with boats in the water is showing the shore ice at Birchdale, the last pictures with 2 boats sitting on the ice is at Franz Jevne.

When I just looked at the temperatures for up here there are only 2 nights in the single digit but nothing below zero… Just remember it always changes and they are usually wrong but the high temps for the most part are in the 40s and look how much the river went out yesterday or even the nights we were below zero it is still opening up. I think they will have Birchdale cleared out sometime next week (due to the holiday I don’t think it will be this weekend). Also it may be really close to being open at Froniter by Sunday. Hope everyone has a good day!