I have been going to Rainy River for the spring run since my first trip in 2007, which started my love of walleye fishing. I’ve missed a couple years in there due to late ice outs, and Baudette/world closing down for Covid last year, but usually try everything in my power to make it up at least once every year. And this year took some additional effort and lack of sleep to make it happen. We have a newborn at home, had a sick dog and a number of other personal and professional issues that prevented me from going at the drop of a hat when the river opened up initially. However, we had a trip planned to the in-laws in AZ with my family, and the wife and kids would be staying down for a week after I came home, so I saw an opportunity that I couldn’t pass up. My Dad and @BelleTaine had never experienced the Spring Rainy River Run, and had the flexible (read: retired) schedule that would allow for a run up there on the Monday/Tuesday at the end of the season. So we booked it, and as the season progressed I couldn’t have been more excited. The Forks didn’t do their usual damage, the weather was great for the most part, and the days leading up to our trip the monster fish pics were flooding the interwebs!!!
Well as the old saying goes, you should have been here yesterday! As I spent the weekend in sunny AZ swimming with my 3 year old, trying not to get too sunburned, I was only barely watching what was happening with the weather on the other end of the US. It was raining, and raining hard and continually. So I got back into MN at 1 am Monday morning, ran home and slept for 4 hours before brewing a full pot of coffee to get me to Nevis. There I met up with my Dad and BT, and we hit the road to finish the trek. Looking into reports as a passenger I started seeing more and more poor reports and all the rain had turned the Rainy into Mr. Wonka’s Chocolate River. As I stated in my last The Grind report below, sometimes you just go and hope for the best. Sometimes that means a lot of driving and time for little or no return. That was the case this time.
We went straight to the river, and fished from about 2-7 pm with only a few short bites and 0 (zero, nada) fish landed in the rain. Toward the end we saw another boat with what looked like a Grandpa, Dad and son crawling their way back toward the landing on their trolling motor, and gave them a tow. Apparently they hit a tree by a Blue Silo on the Canadian side while on plane, and were lucky to have all stayed dry. Then we tried for another hour before finishing up the 0fer day. After a burger and some drinks at the VFW, we were having a great time despite the lack of success. A few more drinks back at the Royal Dutchmen, we were game planning for Tuesday and solving the world’s problems. Woke up Tuesday to a few inches of snow on the ground and more to come, and quickly came to the group decision to head for home. Glad we did as that drive was a white knuckler! The Rainy giveth and the Rainy taketh, so I tip my hat to the old river and look forward to the next time we get to tango.
p.s. Met the new owners of the Royal Dutchmen and they were great, and it’s a good spot to lay your head when heading to the River/LOTW. Also got to meet Mike W from IDO, which is always nice to put a face to the online name.
http://www.in-depthoutdoors.com/community/forums/topic/the-grind-rainy-2016/
