Running water into Rainy

So what better to do on a cold winter day than think about upcoming trips to Voyeurs!

We have never fished the Canadian side of Rainy East of the Brule narrows and are wondering if there is any running water dumping into the lake on the North side, East of Brule. Looking at the Navionics map it looks like there are several stream/creeks coming into the lake in Moose, Cormorant, Rat River, Willow and Stokes bays. We plan on exploring all those bays but curious if any bay is better than the others.

All those bays can be very good ,post spawn. Problem now is no bait is legal ,not live or dead . Makes for tougher bite.

Wayne Daul wrote:

All those bays can be very good ,post spawn. Problem now is no bait is legal ,not live or dead . Makes for tougher bite.

We ran into that last year on Sandpoint Lake. I experimented with Berkly Gulp or Powerbait crawlers, minnows and leeches and did pretty well. Not as good as live bait but an acceptable alternative when the fish are active.

I used livescope last year for the first time and it was very clear that when the fish are neutral they would take a slow, finesse leech (drop shot) but wouldn’t take the artificial baits.

I’m not familiar with that area, but it looks like if there is a commercial bait supplier you could buy bait and use it. Then again, you’re not supposed to touch land if you don’t report to Customs first. So probably not an easy way to get bait on a day trip.
Here’s a quote from the 2023 Ontario regs:

It is illegal to (or attempt to) deposit or release into, or within 30 m of, any waters:
• live or dead bait or baitfish, including fish eggs, gametes or fish parts
• the water, soil or other materials used to hold any of these items

The capture and use of live bait is not allowed in some waters – please ensure you check the rules for the waterbody that you intend to fish.
It is illegal to bring any crayfish, salamanders, live fish or leeches into Ontario for use as bait. Recent changes to the rules on transport of baitfish or leeches also make it illegal to bring baitfish or leeches, whether live or dead, into a BMZ. Live and dead baitfish and leeches may not be imported into Ontario. Non-residents must purchase bait within the BMZ where it is to be used and retain the receipt (see Receipt section below).
Recent changes regarding the movement and personal harvest of baitfish and leeches in Ontario are outlined in the following sections.
Movement of Baitfish and Leeches
To help protect our waters from harmful invasive species and fish diseases, four BMZs limit the movement, possession, and use of baitfish and leeches (see page 18). Baitfish or leeches, whether live or dead, may not be transported into or out of a BMZ with some limited exceptions. The following rules apply when using baitfish or leeches for fishing:
Receipts
Anglers using or possessing baitfish or leeches for fishing in a BMZ where their primary residence is not located (see page 11), must obtain them from the holder of a commercial licence and be able to immediately produce a legible receipt upon request by a conservation officer. Baitfish or leeches, whether live or dead, can only be possessed or used within two weeks following the date on which they were obtained. The receipt must list the location and date it was obtained from the commercial licence holder, the business name (if applicable), commercial licence number, and quantity of baitfish or leeches obtained.
Receipts are not required when an angler is using baitfish or leeches in the BMZ where their primary residence is located, in the Great Lakes or Ottawa River, or for other forms of bait (e.g., worms).
Personal Harvest
Anglers are only permitted to personally harvest baitfish and leeches in the BMZ where their primary residence is located, or within the Great Lakes or Ottawa River. Bait that is personally harvested within the Great Lakes or Ottawa River must be used in that waterbody and can only be moved into an adjacent BMZ to be disposed of immediately more than 30 m from the water.