Spring Rainy River Conditions

I just got back from a short trip and everyone is being very careful at Frontier. I guess the hole has claimed one axle so far. They say you need to launch in the absolute center of the ramp.

We skipped it and went to Birchdale. No crowds on Tuesday. We intended to boat the 15 miles back to the ice, but the lower unit failed and we ended up fishing under kicker power near Birchdale.

We caught 18 or so. Almost all were caught on plastics. The pulse r being the best producer. Pitching them and working them downstream was the best for us. Biggest fish was a healthy 27″. We had a blast despite the early breakdown.

Mike,
How was the fishing for you this week?

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Three days of fishing up there 1st part of this week and we never waited more than 5 to 10 minutes to put in. Loading up was much the same. The only slow ramp was Frontier loading up one evening. 15 boats or more waiting out front to load. We just drove the truck and boat up to Birchdale. Got there and the ramp was empty.

For you guys using Frontier there is a huge hole at the end of the ramp. Get your trailer tires in that sucker and you may be leaving the axle in there. You need to jacknife the trailer towards the down river side of the ramp and back out on the gravel. Make sure and have a spotter there for you or at least get out to look at that hole.

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Vidas ramp has claimed more than a couple axles already this spring, and the rock pile downstrean from Clementson has claimed about 6 or 7 lower units already. The river is still low from last fall, so caution is the byeword!! The fishing was really poor, and in three days, we didn’t see many nice fish come over the gunwales. The wait to launch at Vidas was well over an hour. Yes, the shore is still lined with a thick ice sheet covered with snow, and it is dangerous. I stood on that sheet of ice for the last three days holding the boat for an hour while my buddy walked almost out to Hiway 11 to get the truck. Not fun when the fish have lockjaw!! A few limits of eaters, but the piggies were scarce!! The Big Fork & the Little Fork are still solid ice with no color showing yet at all. Geez,,, we might go back up to the river for the opener in May. I’ll bet there will still be fish in the river. The water temps have hardly budged yet. It’s going to be a really late, late spring.

Both Vidas AND Frontier have huge holes at the end of their ramps? Or just Frontier? Thanks. Heading up there on Thursday.

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Both Vidas AND Frontier have huge holes at the end of their ramps? Or just Frontier? Thanks. Heading up there on Thursday.

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Vidas has a BIG hole, so be extra careful!! Make sure you have a good spotter & take it SLOW!! The ramp is very steep, but remember to go slow.

Frontier is good now the county dumped 7 yards of crush rock in the hole from everyone who feels the need to power load their boat

I watched a guy power load at vidas on thursday and I swear he had his 225 wide open for a good minute. The trailer tires were barely wet.

Any updates on where the open water is at? heard the bridge in town…can anyone verify?

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Any updates on where the open water is at? heard the bridge in town…can anyone verify?

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As of Sunday, guys were still ice fishing the river in town.

We left Sat. at noon at the open water was just short of the bridge.

The view from Timber Mill landing in Baudette. This was from Rivers bend’s face book page a few days ago.

How quickly has it been moving? I’m guessing it still won’t hit Wheeler’s by this weekend? But it looks like Timbermill will be open right? How’s the parking availability of that ramp? Never launched there before. Thanks for the info guys!

This is from Paul at Riverbend who I have been corresponding with through email.

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The river is slowly progressing our way. I have attached a picture of the landing as of yesterday in Baudette. It has opened up in the middle of the river about 5 miles up stream from us. We hope to see it fully opened by next week!!

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So for $30 you can get a RABC and fish the Canadian side in peace or do you need to also get a fishing license? Can you purchase one in Baudette?

I guess I can see them being aggressive when these things are in place.

Pug, I’m pretty certain that you cannot fish sturgeon on the CA half of the river. The season for lake sturgeon in Ontario has been closed since 09.

web page

That is what I have heard about sturgeon on the Canadian side to. If you did want to fish for something else over there yes you need the remote boarder crossing pass and a fishing license. If I remember right the fishing license is two part. You get a outdoor card and then fishing license. Had to go through customs last year for the boarder pass and then there was a tourism place right next door to get the fishing license.

Took about a hour on the Canadian side if you hit it right. Biggest problem I had was getting back into the US. US Customs gal was a prick. Gave me 50 questions on why such a short trip into Canada. Guess maybe my boat on back was a good enough clue for her. Then she pulls me over for finding a banana in my cooler. Had to go talk to the agriculture inspector for that. Do not get caught smuggling bananas. Glad she missed the flat of crawlers I had sitting in the boat.

Seem to remember total cost was about $80 for everything needed to fish the Canadian side.

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Pug, I’m pretty certain that you cannot fish sturgeon on the CA half of the river. The season for lake sturgeon in Ontario has been closed since 09.

web page

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Ah. I guess that’s another reason they might be a little more aggressive.

Mike, the guy at Riverbend said there isn’t much panfish action. How’d you find the bullheads. I wouldn’t mind a couple deep fried whiskered critters.

Hope I dont get blasted for giving away a prime bull head spot but here goes. Up river about a mile or so from Rivers Bend you will come to a fork in the river with a church on the point. From that church down river to the next point sticking out can be some good bull head fishing. They bite on the same crawler set ups as sturgeon. Maybe even better if you tried for them.

Typically its better for them on warm years. Cold years like this you might not get any. Then again there might still be ice on that spot for the next week or so. On the warm years they can be a by catch just about anywhere you are fishing sturgeon. The year we brought up a deep fryer for cooking them we caught none. The year before they made up the majority of our catch.

Those little pike on the other hand are easy. Just cast plastics at just about any shoreline and there will be some there. Dont even want to mention what the by catch will be doing this but it starts with a “W”.

Not sure when you are going up buy Calvin always gets his canadian stuff taken care of a head of time. Guess there is some way to do this on line or through the mail.

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Hope I dont get blasted for giving away a prime bull head spot but here goes.

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I imagine you are safe, but a PM would have worked. We’ll see if I even bother with them. I’ve just got a million things going through my head right now.

Thanks

Like I said we came across all of ours fishing big globs of crawlers for sturgeon. Paul seems to like that spot at the church for sturgeon fishing to. He can get you pointed in the right direction.

Thanks again Mike.