What’s the deal this fall?

I’ve been going to the Rainy River for about 6 years now and the reports I’m reading on various sites seem to be the worst ever. I used to make the trip in mid October, but it seemed like we were always too early for the major run of shiners and walleyes. We typically averaged about 7-10 walleyes over 6 pounds for three guys in a 3 day trip. Not complaining, but we heard it can be much better later in the fall. So this year I moved the trip to November 1st-5th and it’s like January. BUT, the cold temps don’t seem to have made the shiners or walleyes run any sooner. Is the run more related to the time of year or moon phases? Any thoughts? Anyways, I’m headed up this coming weekend and any advice would be appreciated!

You can see my report below…..and that is a good question. We wondered the same thing. In 1999, we just absolutely kicked butt on
many days, hauling not two or three but ten or more hawgs to the boat each day, and hawg defined as over 7#. The shiners were so thick
it seemed you couold walk on them in the harbor at night. Last couple of years they have not been in, and waiting
later didn’t seem to do much either. Sandee at Clementson said they shiners were in a few weeks ago, thick as ever, but then suddenly
vanished, and the lakers never came in. Don’t know what the deal is….I’ll post a pic of a Rainy eye in 2000 that we kept for the wall.
All others always get CPR…

I have been putting off my annual fall trip to Rainy because of the bite or lack of. Whenever I heard the good sign of “lakers” coming into the river, that is when I always plan to go. But the last couple of falls has been somewhat quiet sort of speak.
I may still makie it up next weekend but, I thought the piggies would be going by now. Of all the years that we have been up to Rainy in the fall, we have always done the deer hunting weekend for most consistant for bigger fish. Oct has its moments as well, but we could almost count on early November being a solid producer. Well see what happens in the next week with the weather and shiner run!