Rainy Lake Trips for 2021

With the odds not looking good for Canada this summer, we booked our week long trip back at Rainy Lake again. Last summer we were there in the first week of August, this summer we are the last week of July. Stayed at Sha Sha last year and again this year. We had this one booked back in January and there were very limited options at Sha Sha and at the Thunderbird for late July or Early August. We primarily jig for the walleyes, but plan to try using more lindy rigs this year based on seeing some people do well on those

Also, just booked my early October trip back up there for 4 days of fishing. We are staying at the Thunderbird as we have for the past 7 or 8 years in early October

I did hear a few negative reports from first timers to Rainy Lake last summer, I think people who are used to going to Canada were hoping for similar fishing results and generally speaking, that can be very tough to do on Rainy based on the size of the lake, how much wind can impact where you can fish and the amount of fishing pressure last summer.

I have had some very tough days on Rainy, but still look forward to each day on the water up there.

2 years ago on our fall trip, the river below I-Falls was high due to rain in September, made for a great bite on the river as well. We caught more fish on both days of river fishing than we ever have in a day on Rainy Lake, but I think that was due to the situation

Who else is going to Rainy Lake this year?

I look forward to meeting you on one of your trips this year.

Sounds good! I always look for info just prior to coming up regarding the bite, and always post reports when I get back to try and help anyone else out. I believe from reading some of your past posts, you are a fan of the Thunderbird as I am (couldnt get in there for the late July trip, but had a good experience at Sha Sha last summer so we went back there again)

Also, I look forward to getting any info I can from the Rainy Lake One Stop. There is a guy working there I have seen many times over the years with curly hair, he is the one that put us on the bite downriver in October 2019.

We have a houseboat rented for June 20th through the 27th.
I have always wanted to do a Rainy trip since high school. Never made it happen till this summer.
With the first grandson being due the first week of June we had to push our trip back a few weeks.

Our group will be returning to Rainy for the 4th consecutive year! We camp somewhere in Voyageurs every year and really enjoy the adventure of it. June 20 – 27 this year staying at Krantz Point just W of Brule Narrows. We usually stay on the far East end but due to the size of our group and the preference to have a dock at the site this was the only site available. We are excited to learn a different part of the lake! Gotta throw this in, while the fishing is usually pretty good, spending time with my son and friends is really why we do Rainy every year!

I can certainly understand how spending time with family is quickly becoming more important than how many fish we can catch per day

Where we fishing in Ontario, with my brother and our uncle in the boat, if we dont average 100 walleyes a day, its slow. On Rainy Lake, the average is not close to that, but we still have just as good of a time! Plus being on the MN side of Rainy Lake allows for some comforts we dont get while in the bush in Ontario (not that that is a big deal, just a bonus for us)

I have two trips planned, one end of May other early July. Sold my boat and now fish with guide friend. Sure miss fishing Canadian side but still catching enough. Low water flow last year made fishing difficult and that could be a problem again this year. Covid protocol at Thunderbird cut into bar time and social time hopefully more normal this year.

Good luck on your trips.

Wayne

Wayne who are you using for a guide?

scottaheller wrote:

Our group will be returning to Rainy for the 4th consecutive year! We camp somewhere in Voyageurs every year and really enjoy the adventure of it. June 20 – 27 this year staying at Krantz Point just W of Brule Narrows. We usually stay on the far East end but due to the size of our group and the preference to have a dock at the site this was the only site available. We are excited to learn a different part of the lake! Gotta throw this in, while the fishing is usually pretty good, spending time with my son and friends is really why we do Rainy every year!

Krantz Point is where my buddies cabin used to be. If the trees could tell stories.

Dutchboy wrote:

Wayne who are you using for a guide?

I go with Sam Dougherty also may fish a day with Mike Williams. I think Mike may not be guiding this year, he always was a great wealth of Rainy knowledge and history.

Wayne

I bumped into Mike over in Canada a few years ago. I also bought and read his book. Very interesting guy.

Tilsen Bay was taking a pounding today. Clear, windy & 60 degrees. I wouldn’t be surprised if it opened up from Hwy 11 to the point today. The swamp or whatever it is on the Southside of 11 is wide open and that warm water is being pushed to the other side.
Main lake ice isn’t looking real strong either but that will be a while yet I think.

Right now I only have 1 trip to Rainy on the books (2 others to Namakan tho). We will be camping on the far East end at the Logging Camp site from July 5-11th.
The last 5 years we’ve been going down to Kempton Entrance and Blueberry island sites so decided to head back East for this year, this will be our 3rd time at Logging Camp.
Was nice to see that they added a dock to the site a couple years ago which is a big plus, it used to be quite a haul from the beach to the site with gear.
Eyes should be on the shallow part of the reefs about then and there’s plenty of rock to fish down there, and in the evenings we cast the shorelines for bass and pike.
I’ll be portaging thru Kettle Falls instead of doing the long run down on Rainy.
I’ll spend the last full week of July on Namakan, then return for another 5 days in mid-August. Might take a full day on that late July trip and portage over to Rainy to give the deep reef bite a try.
No better way to spend my summer vaca time than up on the waters of Rainy and Nam!!!

xplorer wrote:

Right now I only have 1 trip to Rainy on the books (2 others to Namakan tho). We will be camping on the far East end at the Logging Camp site from July 5-11th.
The last 5 years we’ve been going down to Kempton Entrance and Blueberry island sites so decided to head back East for this year, this will be our 3rd time at Logging Camp.
Was nice to see that they added a dock to the site a couple years ago which is a big plus, it used to be quite a haul from the beach to the site with gear.
Eyes should be on the shallow part of the reefs about then and there’s plenty of rock to fish down there, and in the evenings we cast the shorelines for bass and pike.
I’ll be portaging thru Kettle Falls instead of doing the long run down on Rainy.
I’ll spend the last full week of July on Namakan, then return for another 5 days in mid-August. Might take a full day on that late July trip and portage over to Rainy to give the deep reef bite a try.
No better way to spend my summer vaca time than up on the waters of Rainy and Nam!!!

xplorer sounds like you have a great plan for your time up there! I really wanted that site but was already reserved. I enjoy fishing all the structure on the east end of the lake.

We have fished some of reef/shoals on the west end between the resorts and the Brule with limited success (seems like the average size for walleyes is smaller on the west end compared to the east end). Most of the time we dont start fishing until we get close to the Brule Narrows anymore (unless wind makes it too tough to get down there

bigstorm wrote:

We have fished some of reef/shoals on the west end between the resorts and the Brule with limited success (seems like the average size for <strong class=”ido-tag-strong”>walleyes is smaller on the west end compared to the east end). Most of the time we dont start fishing until we get close to the Brule Narrows anymore (unless wind makes it too tough to get down there

Until last year I would have agreed with you as that was my experience. But with a guide last year and limited to Minnesota side we fished some reefs about half way down but right on top at 9 Ft. and did very well on 16 to 22 inch. I was pleasantly surprised as in July I always had fished deeper. Also did good trolling gold spinners. Thought I new a thing or two but Young guide taught me a few things. I did redeem myself and showed him a couple spots he was unaware of.

Good luck this year, Wayne

I enjoyed reading all of your posts. I agree with all of your tips. My wife and I have had the privledge to fish with Ben Gilbertson from rainy daze guide service. I love all the stories everybody shared. My wife and I are hopefully planing to be up at least three times this summer. Hope to see some of you guys on the water or at one of the great bars on the lake.
But what I have learned is every season is different with temps, the depth of the lake and the wind. And that every now and then big storm. It will really make a different time as to when the walleye go from shallow to deep. All in all all the presentations you talked about will be great and will work just fine. I will be doing the same. But get or talk to guide to let you know where they are hanging out. It’s worth your time or money. Good luck hope to see you up there.

Booked a fall Trip for the beginning of September. We usually would head to Lac Seul however I welcome the shorter drive and a new adventure on Rainy. We plan on getting a guide for three days (fist time ever with a guide). Splurged on this trip a bit given the hell of 2020 – we deserve it!!

I’ll be at the Sobelseki Bay South campsite June 6-11 and Arden Island July 5-10. On Namakan at Catamaran Aug. 6-13 and Sexton Island Sept. 11-16. Hopefully one more trip in early Oct. when the activity dies down and you can snag a good campsite whenever the weather forecast looks good.
If my boat’s at the dock, stop and say hi.
Ron.

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