Spring Trips

I think I posted something similar last year and didn’t get a ton of replies, but I thought I’d try again. A bunch of buddies and myself are heading up to the Rainy April 10-14th. Does anybody else have any spring trips planned? I’d also love to hear from some people that have fished there in the spring before and some of the methods that have worked. Last year was a banner year with a bunch of fish over 7 pounds in just three days of fishing. Of course with all of the snow, there is a chance the river could get very muddy with runoff and put an extreme hamper on fishing, but that’s one of the risks with a trip like this. Who knows with this weather, there may still be enough ice on Red Lake to salvage a trip.

Brian,

Sounds like a fun trip. We are actually contemplating going back up there again this year. I never missed a spring up there until I started going out to Lake Erie every April. Unfortunately now Rainy has become a trip we try to squeeze in.

The last couple springs we have been up there, we have tried to time it so we beat the runoff of the fork rivers. This had put us on the river about the 3rd and 4th weekend in March for several seasons. But with the last two years, thats been tough.

Our best technique has been snap jigging the holes early in the am before alot of boat traffic shows up and then move to the flats (between the holes) exclusively from about 9:00am through the rest of the afternoon. HEre we have had some great luck drifting along any rubble shorelines you can find and pitch jig and plastics to the fish. Once we found a school of fish, we stopped and worked them over good before we continued on.
I have got a bunch of pics from Rainy that I have never posted yet, maybe I will scan some in tonight and get them up here!

Good luck to you guys up there in April. Have you guys always planned for the end of the season, or is this a prediction this year?

We’ve actually gone anywhere from mid-March all the way up to the end of the season. I’ve really narrowed it down to a water temp thing. As soon as the water hits 37 degrees the larger fish start coming in good numbers. Any colder and you will get very good numbers, but only the occasional pig. Hit your trip in the 38-42 degree water temps and you can expect to really slam some piggies. The past few winters, those temps have not occured until April. You alwys run the risk of the Big Fork and Little fork breaking loose, or even a large snowmelt or rain can play havoc, but that’s one of the risks. The water levels were fairly low this year, and if we have a normal March I think the rivers won’t play too much of an effect this year, unless all of the snowmelt occurs rapidly (a few very warm days close together). We do much of the same, vertical jigging the holes early and late and then flats during the day. The key on the flats seems to be finding those mini-depressions that the fish hold in. Find one that is 2-3 feet deeper than others around it and the fish seem to stack up. It may only be a boat length or two long, so it is necessary to keep sliding over it. A lot of people up there do long drifts and normally when they get there fish, it occurs over one of these depressions, and there is a lot of wasted time in between. How far from shore are you fishing the gravel bars you speak of? I am also going to try some very slow trolling with crankbaits this year both along the channel for migrating fish, as well as along the shallow bars to try and pick up a few aggressive pigs. I’ll have a digital camera this year and I’ll make sure to report the results.

Sounds pretty much identical to our strategic planning that we have taken in the past. I agree, too warm too quick can definately make things messy in a hurry.
Little feeder creeks that are supplying the river with runoff produced good days when condition were right as well. Some of the gravel flats I was refering to were mostly out in front of these feeder creeks that extended out quite a ways into the main channel. These were created from years of higher flows that washed some of the silt away in the area.

We had a couple years where 3 way and small stickbaits produced not the numbers but much nicer fish. Here we trolled the rolling sand dunes that you talked about. Slowly working up stream with the kicker or the bowmount produced some good fish. This was however a tedious way to get a biggun to go, but a couple of the the days where this really worked well. Otherwise pitching plastics to the gravel feeder creek mouths or the sand dunes worked best.

I am getting excited thinking about it!!
I think I have just talked myself into a quick mini-trip up there. As you mentioned…timing can be everything!

Good luck!

Hey guys. I’ve been going up to the Rainy for as long as I can remember (except the couple years they closed the spring season when I was really young.) I’ve found basically the same thing you guys have- jigs in the nooks and cranny’s is a good deal. One other thing I’ve had luck with then the fishing is tough is long-lining cranks. It can really be the ticket. I prefer wide wobble baits in the cold water temps. Give it a shot if the jigs aren’t producing.
Scoot

Scoot-

Hey thanks for the advice. If you don’t mind me asking, what type of cranks are you pulling and are you pulling the channel edge or shalow up on the flats. I’ve done very well in the fall on BIG fish pulling cranks behind leadcore on the channel edge, and I’m really excited to give trolling more of shot this spring. I know most of the fishing information out there suggests using long slender crankbaits in the spring because you get some action out of the bait, while still being able to troll at slow speeds (cold water, less active fish). Any colors in particular? I know in the fall anything in blue or especially blue prism just hammers the fish, jigging in the spring I’ve found pink, pink/white, chartreuse/orange, and gold to be the best, and the new jigs with the spinners seem to really work well. Again, thanks for the info!

Brian

Both shallower flats and breaklines produce fish. Also, cranking right down the middle of the channel in deeper water can produce fish, but I’ve never brought my leadcore up there.
I run a lot of reef runners and other big lipped stick baits. As far as color, I can’t really say that I’d consider there to one magic color up there. Fishing the Red up North is different- yellows and pinks seem to consistently be the best. I haven’t really had luck with any particular color across trips. However, some days on color is on while the others are not- just gotta let the fish tell you.
One last thing- I’m no cranking master. I much prefer jig fishing- it’s my favorite method of fishing. However, I also like to catch fish and if jigs aren’t producing, I switch. Pay attention to all of the boats who giggle at you when you are pulling cranks. It’s humorous- they giggle and snicker, even when they’re getting outfished.
Good luck. You’ll probably see us up there- Green and light tan 17 foot Alumacraft with a 115 Yammy and a 10 Yammy kicker. Swing over and say howdy.

Scoot and Brian;

I will be in an 18′ Ranger Cherokee, with a 125 Merc.

Look forward watching you guys watching me hook all those big pigs!!!!!!!!

We should shoot some PMs back and forth prior to everyone leaving. We could possibly hit one of the watering holes after the water for a few beverages?

Can’t wait to hit that water!!!

Scoot,

as for your cranking methods.

We normally drift down and troll up our holes. If the action dies off and we start searching for fish.

I’ve been using a basic three-way, with a bell sinker and floating rap. Best colors for me, pending on cloud cover and water clarity have been Clown, Silver/black, and firetiger.

Also, we never have done much pitching in the shallows, as there is alot of pike that will bite you off.

Gary-

I think it would be a great idea to hook up for some beverages! We are going to have a group of guys with four boats, so between us I’m hoping that we can put a solid pattern together as early in the trip as possible. I’ll be in a blue/antelope 1700 Angler SS with a 115 Yamaha on back. Let’s just all keep our fingers crossed that the river stays fairly clear of heavy run off. Gary, I think it was you in another post that mentioned the in-fisherman show when they were using power lizards. I have that show taped. They went to the power lizards because the river had become extremely muddy and many people were reporting extremely poor fishing on traditional techniques. The Linders went to jigging and dragging these big power lizards very slowly to put it right in there face. We should all keep that in mind if we get muddy water. Also, I’ve had good luck with a rattle jig in these conditions. Gary, I’ll shoot you a pm in the next couple weeks and maybe we can get together prior to heading up. Man, I’m just getting pumped!

We have a spring trip planned the first weekend in april up to the rainy, have never been there before but going with a few guys that have so it should be very interesting! sounds like ill be up there just a week before you bigeyes! ill try to leave you some!!!! (lol)

Well;

I should of looked at the calender before scheduling this trip. I just found out that the weekend that we have been talking about is Easter weekend. Looks like now, we will be taking some time off work, during the week to get up there.

Yeah, my wife was not too happy when I told her she had to handle our three kids on Easter by herself. But thankfully she’s an amazingly understanding wife, so our plans are still on. Thor, if you don’t mind, maybe you could send me a pm or post the results of your trip, such as depths, baits, etc. that work best. Gary, let me know what days you end up going up so we can get together for beverages.

Sounds good!

I will be in touch to schedule a meeting time and place!

Can’t wait!!!

Ill be happy to let you know…good or bad.

I’m sure this has been answered before, but I’m too lazy to search for it. How long of a drive is it up there from Mpls? Are there plenty of motels if I decide to make a trip on a whim?

Hey Waterfowler;

We are going to stay at Adrian’s up by Wheeler’s Point. It is a bit of a drive, but the folks at both Adrian’s and Borderview are friends of friends and they treat us very well. I like the hospitality. I know that there are closer places. You could also stay at the Walleye Inn in Baudette. Nice place and I think it only cost $50 or $60 a night. Personnaly, I like Adrian’s or Borderview because the price is good, food isn’t bad, and I can’t swill my beverages in the evening and not worry about walking to the cabin, in comparison to having a designated driver.

It takes us 4.5 hours from North Branch. We are heading up April 8th (early am) and coming back the 10th (late evening).

Going to start trapping my super-size Rainbow Chubs here in another week. Plan on bringing up a small garbage can of them. Man, I love them minnows!!!!!!!!!

Thanks Gary!! I’m still up in the air. So many places I want to fish, not enough vacation time……