Weekend River Report

Formerly Rainy River virgins , we just got back from the Rainy last night. All in all it was a good trip . I did not hear of anyone doing nearly as well as we did . We landed 20 walleyes fishing all day friday and saturday . We landed one 26″ walleye, one 32″ pike and one 10 lb sturgeon . I think we did so well because it was our first trip and were never spoiled by ever catching 80 walleyes in a day. We had to work hard for them . Instead of just drifting down the river with everyone else, we were working some spots pretty hard . We went out of Pelland both days and drove the boat up to I Falls on saturday. We caught a couple pretty small eyes and a sauger and a sturgeon up there. We went down below the Little Fork river and let me say it was pretty muddy. Night and day difference from above the river to below. The ony thing we use was 1/4 gold jig and a fathead. We went up there with $30 worth of minnows and came back with $25 .

I think the question of the weekned was “Is birchdale open yet?” If anyone asks me that again I might stomp on their toes .

I don’t know If I’d recommend making the run up there this year for walleye. I’ve been seeing such blank looks on everyone’s faces when asked what they think its going to be like when it really opens up. I’ve got the notion that if the river gets muddy, they won’t bite. It seemed that everywhere below the Little and Big fork river that is was pretty muddy. And my thought is even if they get a ton of rain its going to dump even more mud in the river. Just my opinion, I really don’t have a clue what will happen .

I never would have made the trip up if it wasn’t for this site. Thanks Everyone

Matt

32″ Pike

First ever Sturgeosaurus

Nice report and good job! Seen it before,newbies coming in and putting on a clinic. They dont overthink things and just fish hard

Just a quick note, I was informed by a MN DNR officer that Rainy Lake, Rainy River and LOTW is now infested with Spiny Water Fleas. So if you go up and have bait left that touched river water, dump them in the woods before you leave. And in fact if you meet the warden on the way out he will make you dump them.

Anyways, not trying to Hijack your post, We were up at I-Falls on Saturday too, and I am pretty sure I remember seeing you guys, We were the 3 guys in the Ranger Fisherman tiller boat Glad to see that you did OK as well, we did about the same.

I also posted on this forum with a pic of a 31″ fish I caught!!

Thanks for the heads up. I did meet a CO and he told me to dump the livewell but not the minnows. I still have the minnows, but I’ll get rid of them.

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I also posted on this forum with a pic of a 31″ fish I caught!!

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Yea, yea. That is a nice fish!! I’m actually glad to see someone else have some luck. I’m considering heading up again, but it probably won’t happen .

It looks like you guys did pretty well too.
I’m pretty sure that that fish was just that I had the jig in the right place at the right time. It was my only fish of the day too!!

The CO didn’t say anything about the bait at first, we told us we had to pull the plug on the boat and the livewell because of the water fleas, (it is a good idea anyhow) And since we were heading for home, I asked him about the baitwell, and he said pull the plug and kill the minnows.

Just thought I’d give you a heads up, I’m not sure what Spiny Water Fleas are and what damage they can cause, (I will be looking it up when I get time) but it would not be a good thing to get into some other water system!

Good Luck too you if you go back, The weather looks awfully cold for the next 5 days or so!!!