I took my first trip to Rainy this last winter and what a success it was, now I’m interested in a summer trip. I would like to concentrate on the large pike we saw ice fishing. I am open to anything though, (catching is always better) anyways I’m a camper so any info on camping in the Zippel bay/ Baudette area would be helpfull along with were to go hammer some big pike. Thanks for any and all info….Bill
Can’t really offer much advice for spring tactics up there, buy I have released a 24lb pike in the fall just in front of Borderview lodge. Also, the year prior, a buddy hooked into a 28.5lb by the grassy island in 4 mile bay……That was in the fall too!
bigpike,
Assuming we are talking about Rainy Lake. Although its been a few years since I have been back up there, but our trips always centered around early to mid-June. This seem to be the best timing every year for msot all species.
We fished for walleyes and smallies exclusively, we accidently tangled with some very hefty pike. All the fish we ran into all came from the Cormorant Bay area on the Canadian side (NE corner). mid bay reef areas, neck down areas where the wind would blow and create a channel current effect and naturally the small weed bays that are rimmed the entire bay area. Pitching jigs and cranks produced all our accidental pike! Several fish in the 10-12 lb range and our biggest run 2 fish in the low 40″ class!
BigPike;
Those fish were caught trolling the breakline with husky jerks at sundown. Yes we were targeting walleyes.
I will never forget that fish to even this day. I knew I had a hit, but my buddy said I snagged a log. The fish hit the lure and just sat there, didn’t move, head shake or anything for about 10 seconds. As my buddy started to reprimand me on the differences between fish and logs, as he put the boat in neutral, the big pig just started to swim away! I had a medium action 6’6″ baitcaster, 30lb spiderwire, and a number 10 clown jerk. She came in fairly gentle, with just some serious head shakes. When we got her to the boat, we both messed our pants at the size of her. We didn’t have a tape measure (a little bedazzled at what was on the line at the time), but we were conscious enough to grab a digital scale, where she just went over 24lbs. She was about 44″, is what we estimated.
My best reward was releasing her. We had an audience of about 10 to 12 boats, watching us. When I put her back in the water, all you could hear was the echo accross the water: “I can’t beleive he put her back!” That night, in Adrian’s resort, I had alot of people commend me on releasing her.
I’m not trying to brag at all, and I don’t normally chase pike. Mostly walleyes and muskies. But I’ve got this curse of catching big pike. Yes, it sounds like I’m carrying a head the size of Texas, but I’m serious. My largest is 28.9lbs, caught walleye fishing. That one I did keep. I couldn’t let her go. I also pulled 4 fish over 20lbs on a fly-in in 3 days of fishing. (I can get you the name of the lake and outfitter, it was only $750 for four days). I have a total of about 8 fish over 20lbs (i’ve only been serious fishing since ’97, and I have the pictures to back it). My buddy has about 5 pike over 20lbs, his largest being a 48″er caught on Mille Lacs trolling for muskies two years ago. Another buddy caught a 22lber, only 38″ long in Waukon bay on Muskie opener in 2003. Most of my big pike have been caught walleye fishing………go figure? Last year, our boat pulled in 2 pike over 40″ fishing Big Narrows of LOTW while muskie fishing. 1st one was 41.5″, second was 43.75″. My buddy caught both of them.
My honest problem is that I can’t seem to hook a big walleye. My largest is only 8lbs. There I’m cursed in the opposite way!
Thanks for the reply, I have a few spots I drive to up in Canada that has brought me some 20 pounders, but that drive is pretty hard on my boat/trailer, the reason I’m interested in Zippel/Baudette area is its closer by a couple hours drive and the roads aren’t Canadien! It looks like this area has great spawning habitat, and the pike will stick around these areas for a few weeks after the spawn provided there not being pounded on like a Hebrew slave. I saw a state park next to Zipple bay resort, do you guys know if this park has camping? Or do you know of any other campgrounds in the area. Gary I envy you, you seem to have the bigpike touch, my biggest one is 21.5#-44″, I would probably have to catch one over 30# to put on the wall, but its nice looking at my 20’s on the wall (in picture form) and knowing they still swim! Of course Ive never caught one that was 28# so I cant say. Another reason I have soured on my Canadien lake (Lake Nipigon) is that alot of guys fillet 20# fish like its no big deal. People dont understand a fish that size is over 20 years old and probably closer to 25. It seems trophy pike fisherys are set up to kill 20# fish. Take LOTW for example. You cant keep a fish between 30″-and 40″ but you can keep one over, well for alot of guys thats an invitation to eat 40+” fish. In a trophy fishery there are always plenty of eaters to catch, it seems alot of guys have the walleye mentality for walleyes (CPR)but not for pike, it would be great if we could set aside a few true trophy fisherys for nuts like me who want to see 25# fish swim away from the boat every day, without having to fly into Timbuktu and mortgage my childrens future. I can go up to Nipigon and watch the same group of guys fillet 20# fish for about $250 plus gas for a 8 day trip! Sorry I’ll get off my bigpike soapbox now. Thanks for letting me vent!
I hear ya big pike…..good vent.
You are right. Many people call em “trash fish”. Also, many have the mentality that a 10 to 15 lb fish is perfect eating size. Too bad too!
LOTW is getting better for the mentality of CPR, along with many other lakes. Mostly though, the Ontario DNR new cpr regs have changed the mentality of most of these anglers. Many resorts are now saying: “ya, now with dem new reg’s, we got bigger fish, eh!”
Good luck!
Hey Steve thanks for the info, though I was interested in LOTW- (were the Rainy river starts) I have fished Rainy Lake on family vacation a few years ago, it does interest me but that type of lake scares me, too many rock bars and unknown obsticals, I pretty much ripped my lower unit off, before that I took out two props, all in 4 days, after that my boat was down to trolling speed- thank God that was a good thing. The lake was very low that year and that created alot of hazards that wouldnt normally be there but still I think I would be better off staying away. I like to explore and on that lake it got me in trouble. It is an awesome place to take the family camping/fishing though, probably our most memorable family vacation! P.S. I did have a map 
A good place to stay is Ship’s Wheel resort. It’s not a camp ground but they have little cabins and trailors to stay in and the cost was $25 a night per person. We always rented a place just cause it never failed that when we were there the weather was always bad. Don’t have really good answers as to were the pike would be. we were always after the eyes. we did always catch some though. I know that the bay that his docks are in, other guys have caught some big pike in. Theres docks available for your boats, fish house for cleaning if you want to. He has his own private landing there to which is nice. We would always fish that stretch of the river a couple days then trailor the boats and drive to another landing once or twice. You can pm me if you want to know more but the number is 1-800-315-2835 Doug & Kim Brown are the owners
I forgot to say that its located just west of baudette 10 miles or so.
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