Rainy Lake Bite Still Strong

While the rest of the state endures the official dog days of summer (when it comes to daytime walleye catching) Rainy Lake walleyes continue to feed and provide shore lunches for those blessed to be here! Most of the off shore walleyes seem to be hanging around the 20 to 24 foot mark while the shallow bite is still fantastic when there is a little wind or cloud cover…or both. What a great place to be.

The small jaw fishing is really kicking into mid summer form as well. Topwater baits will produce all day long with my favorite being the skitter pop or even the Pop R with a little walk the dog action if they don’t eat on the first few pops/pauses. I have also really zeroed onto some excellent natural hair patterns that produce smallies when nothing else will. Available through HoneyHoleLures. I have experimented with varied designs and I love it when they work. If you are not using hair jigs for smallies you might be missing the boat. Simply cast and retrieve like you would a floating rapala. Just enough to keep from snagging and mix in a pause or a swim move and they will grab it…and hang on believe it or not. ‘nough said. If you want to know more or try some out msg me privately.

The best may be yet to come on Rainy Lake so don’t hesitate to book a few days here in Paradise!

Attachments:

1. 

   Scott-7-16.jpg
   

2. 

   Hair-2016.jpg
   

3. 

   Aug-3-16.jpg
   

This report is once again spot on,I have been pounding nice smallies on 1/8 oz jigs tipped with small plastics.The eye’s have been eating them too.The fishing has really turned on and now is the time to come to Rainy lake.
BB2

Reading these reports makes the wait for my trip seem longer, lol. Down to 57 days…..

Leaving next Thursday for our annual houseboat trip. We’ll be out by Blueberry Island as usual. Anyone have any new info for that area??

Dautio,
The family and I will be camping on Blueberry Saturday to next Wednesday. I’ll try to get a report up when we get home Wednesday late afternoon/evening for ya.
We’ll be fishing both eyes and smallies.
Hoping for stable weather and a good bite!!

Thanks A lot I look forward to your report.

Hi guys,

Five of us camped on Blueberry Island West from July 26-29th. We fished the main lake reefs in 24-35 fow. We had two boats. We averaged about 20 walleyes per day per boat-kept 10-12, 13″-16″ walleyes each day. Fishing was not fantastic, but ok. My boat fished more vertical with a jig/minnow and slip bobber. Our other boat fished lindy rigs exclusively with crawlers and leeches. Crawlers were a little better. They caught bigger walleyes-more 18″-25″, but they had trouble finding fish to eat. We had two big fish fries, which is always a highlight for me while camping. We had beautiful weather, but the mosquitos came out each night around 9:00, so bring a screen tent if you have one.

Good luck!

Dautio,
Actually came back last night due to the impending rain and high winds.
Fishing was awesome, even tho we had a lot of wind which made it tough to fish the far offshore reefs there were fish about everywhere we went. Caught a lot of 19″+ fish, at least half our fish were 19-21″. Plenty of eaters, and there is a healthy crop of 12″ eyes in the near shore areas. Monday was the best day by far as you could fish anywhere, and even in the afternoon heat they were snapping!!
Leeches were slightly better for me, but crawlers were good too. Best depths were 29-34′, a few in 25′ early in the morning. Casting shorelines didn’t produce any big smallies, lots of little ones and an occasional pike.
Mosquito’s were about nonexistent by the time we left, we were able to sit by the fire til 11 on Monday night without a bug. Good luck, you guys should do well!!

Xplorer,

Good report. Glad you guys got to experience a good bite and enjoy the east end of Rainy Lake! I agree with your comments. Lots of 10 to 13 inch fish this year. Some days you find big pods of these buggers with the occasional bigger fish mixed in. Then other days it’s all bigger fish. I think the little guys get out of town when the big fish decide to feed….otherwise they might be food!

It’s been a different year for some reason. Fishing is darn good most days, but I have been catching fish in areas I typically would not for mid August. I am still getting walleyes in shallow water and I think there are more fish shallow then we might think. I have been picking up plenty of walleyes while fishing smallies as well. Check out the attached picture where the small walleyes where stacked up for about a 200 yard stretch! The screen looked like that the whole time. Thanks Todd for bring your bro and the boys up to Rainy again.

Attachments:

1. 

   8-164.jpg
   

2. 

   8-163.jpg
   

3. 

   8-162.jpg
   

4. 

   8-16.jpg