Rainy River Ice Out

I see the stopped allowing people to use a rabc. Is this going to end up like covid when everyone had to stay on the U.S. side?

You don’t need the permit as long as you don’t anchor, touch shore or stop and converse with another vessel. Keep in mind you need to follow the Canadian rules as far as fishing regulations and what you have in your boat. Covid was ridiculous. They shut down all the landings to “stop the spread”. That was an awesome year of river fishing, never saw more than a couple boats every day. I hope people can look back and realize how stupid that was. Hopefully next time around people won’t fall for it.

fins wrote:

You don’t need the permit as long as you don’t anchor, touch shore or stop and converse with another vessel. Keep in mind you need to follow the Canadian rules as far as fishing regulations and what you have in your boat. Covid was ridiculous. They shut down all the landings to “stop the spread”. That was an awesome year of river fishing, never saw more than a couple boats every day. I hope people can look back and realize how stupid that was. Hopefully next time around people won’t fall for it.

What is needed then other than an Ontario fishing license?

outdoors card

There are quite a few regulations that differ from the Minnesota side but the major ones are no live bait and no alcohol onboard. As long as you have a Canadian license and outdoors card as stated above your good to go if you follow their rules. I can’t speak for other areas but that area around Birchdale seems to hold more fish on the Canadian side for some reason. I think the river bottom just rolls better on that side.

On a side note I think it’s absolutely ridiculous that you can’t bring a Canadian limit across the border as long as you don’t stop on the way back. This state is a joke when it comes to game and fish laws.

I agree. But you can catch a mn limit on the lake and bring it in. Makes no sense.

I really liked when you could keep 2 fish. It’s nice to be able to have a celebratory fish fry after an epic day.

Did some checking on the Ontario website.
Looks like you can buy a 1 day license and don’t need a sportsman card.

Full draw wrote:

Did some checking on the Ontario website.
Looks like you can buy a 1 day license and don’t need a sportsman card.

How much does that cost ?
How much is the actual liscense and sportsman card ?

I’ve never really paid attention to the different fees. We usually just do the 3 year license and it’s nice because we aren’t married but Canada goes by common law so we can get the couple’s license. I think the outdoors card is good for like 3 years. With the exchange rate the license is cheap.

If I have my liscense and outdoors card, my kid doesn’t need one as I understand correct ?

I’m not sure what the age requirements are and it’s irrelevant in that scenario but I know kids can fish but can’t keep them unless they have a license. We get our little girl a license so we can atleast bring 3 back across on Rainy Lake.

Thanks. That’s what I thought. Just wanted to make sure. It says 16 and under. No liscense no out door card If accompanied by a adult with all of their liscense and card, just can’t keep fish.
Any one know if the 20 days is accurate for getting the card in the mail ?

I can’t remember how long it takes to get the card, been a couple years since I had to renew mine. I believe Ontario accepts a digital copy of licenses/outdoors card as legal proof but don’t quote me on that one, you might want to double check. I know this is a river topic but just incase I think it pays to mention that if your on ice all the rules we’ve been talking about go right out the window. That’s a completely different ballgame.

fins wrote:

I can’t remember how long it takes to get the card, been a couple years since I had to renew mine. I believe Ontario accepts a digital copy of licenses/outdoors card as legal proof but don’t quote me on that one, you might want to double check. I know this is a river topic but just incase I think it pays to mention that if your on ice all the rules we’ve been talking about go right out the window. That’s a completely different ballgame.

Yup good call. I am specifically asking about open water and crossing by boat. Just fishing and nothing else.

There’s a place down stream from Birchdale a ways that we call eagle alley. There’s 3 huge eagles nests and a $hitty camper down by the river. The Canadian side in that stretch is really nice for trolling because the depth is really consistent, it doesn’t have that rolling bottom. It makes for a nice break from casting to break up the day a little even though catching fish trolling isn’t as fun.

Here is a link to the Ontario fees for fishing license and Sportsman card.
I am assuming the fees listed are in Canadian dollars as well.

http://www.ontario.ca/page/fishing-licence-fees-non-canadian-residents

Ok guys you were talking about fishing green bay, i know nothing about this so what can you tell me about it? I may come up and fish the rainy if opens in time cause i have done this before or maybe the Detroit river for a change. Do you fish a river system also at green bay or what? Im interested if its big fish,please give me some info

grizzly wrote:

Ok guys you were talking about fishing green bay, i know nothing about this so what can you tell me about it? I may come up and fish the rainy if opens in time cause i have done this before or maybe the Detroit river for a change. Do you fish a river system also at green bay or what? Im interested if its big fish,please give me some info

The options at Green Bay are endless. As said previously it’s a timing thing but there’s so many different options you can kind of go to where the bite is at the time you’re there. The Fox River is probably the most infamous early spot but once the ice starts going off the bay lots of different options start opening up. I’d say the average size is way better than the Rainy but Green Bay can be really hit or miss and you can get blown off by wind or shifting ice.

They have been fishing the Fox since last weekend.
I have only fished it a couple of times and had fun both trips.
In my opinion you will catch more better quality on the rainy river than the Fox River.
Now Green Bay is a different story.

The Rainy is the best for me cause i own a place up there north of Baudette, its nice if river opens up all the way cause then i can come up there alone and put boat in myself, if i have to come way east to put boat in i need the wife and she dont like the long lines so will see what works best and timing.not against trying something new

Today should help things get going in the right direction. Car said 50 degrees when we left the cabin this afternoon. Really hoping we can avoid that rain next weekend they are calling for, that’s the last thing we need. That’s a long ways away hopefully they are wrong.

I saw that. 2 more 50 degree days later this week is going to mo e things in the right direction. Thought I heard somewhere over the weekend it has 10 miles to go til birchdale.

I still think it’s going to be awhile yet, there is no snow up there which means no runoff. We were drilling at the mouth of Zipple Bay and still needed an extension this weekend. And no pike were found there either.

The last good Modis image was March 6th.
It looked like it was open at Loman there. By river that is 20+ miles from Birchdale.
I see a decent amount of precipitation for Saturday.
The Dutchman did a video last week at Birchdale which was locked up solid but nothing else farther up stream.

BigWerm wrote:

I still think it’s going to be awhile yet, there is no snow up there which means no runoff. We were drilling at the mouth of Zipple Bay and still needed an extension this weekend. And no pike were found there either.

I agree. I think it will be a couple weeks before we can even start getting excited. After that rain they are calling for it looks like cold again so who knows. I just really hope we don’t get much rain. That’s never good when the ground is froze.

Modis image today looks like ice maybe out to “Emo/Indus”. Can anyone validate that?

I have the last week of March off and its the only stretch I can make work! Hoping for open water by then.

I agree looking at my monitor at work it looks like it’s opened up to Indus. If that is true we are 12.8 miles roughly to Birchdale.
I am hanging with my prediction of March 25th.

I put in to have the 1st and that week off for up there. Fingers are crossed for the a couple days open water before then.