Humps and reefs. Assuming walleye: Steamboat, Fox Islands, inside the Brule Narrows. Lots of structure further east too…just might not be necessary. I haven’t fished west of Black Bay narrows recently but that does pickup slightly as summer goes on. Just be sure you know water flows and navigational markers. Red buoys on the right when you’re heading eastward. This is confusing for many first timers since most assume the lake flows west to east. It does not. It flows east to west.

I would recommend Rainy Lake/VNP. Crappy cell service/off the grid. Lots of water. Hardly anyone around. You can get an RABC and Canadian fishing license so you aren’t restricted on where you fish, though there is plenty of water to fish on the US side. However, you’ll want a boat that can get places. A 14′ with a 20hp won’t cut it if you want to explore the lake. If you stay at a resort, I highly recommend Thunderbird. Sha-Sha is nice too, but it has a bit more of a night/bar scene that some people don’t like if privacy is important to you.

I have a Alumacraft Trophy 18ft with a 150 Yamaha. I only run it on Rainy Lake/VNP. It does suck a bit when the lake gets rough…the only time I wish I had a glass boat. However, I have punctured the hull before and its a cheap fix. When calmer, it does 45mph with a 19″ 3 blade SS prop. I can run it up on sandy shorelines…its awesome. It easily tows the kids and keeps everyone dry. The only downside to a high sided boat and full windshield is that it can act as a bit of a sail when the wind picks up. You’ll be able to do 2-3 mph trolls without your motor

I’m not sure how it works on the Canadian side, but on the US side, the US Coast Guard contracts out the placement and maintenance of buoys on the lake (and I believe they still do this). Buoys do move due to weather and other factors. Perhaps that is the case for what you were seeing. I am not familiar with that area.

I don’t know what the contract terms are anymore, previously the contractor responsible was required to inspect buoys once a month. I know for a while the US side of Rainy was terribly managed. Buoys missing or way off mark. I guess some local guy undercut the previous contractor by many thousands then had the stones to complain that it was hard work and that he was losing money. In the last 15+ years it seems to be really well managed.

As far as the chip goes, I agree. It seem silly that Johnson Outdoors keeps jacking up prices yet the technology seems to be going backwards.

I found the same issues for navigational markers/paths on the new lake masters chips. They have the main navigation lines going around the *WRONG SIDE* of buoys in a few instances, including the east end of Brule and in the American and Kettle channels.

Yes, I agree that you shouldn’t rely on electronic navigation. This is fine for me. I’ve been fishing this lake for 30+ years. However, I’m more concerned about the Rainy noobs venturing out to enjoy the lake for the first time. All Canadian Shield lakes are can openers. Most don’t have marine band radios and cell service is not great past the Shelland Islands.

I contacted Johnson outdoors about a year ago and they responded apathetically. They said they’ll look into it. Nothing else.

This past weekend I saw a guy in a rented Thunderbird pontoon go on the wrong side of the buoys at the east end entrance of the Brule Narrows. A number of boats were stopping to inform/help but he just kept going. Not sure if he lost his lower unit or not.

Just remember when heading east (toward Kettle Falls) the red buoys should be on the right (red-right return). Many people think Rainy flows from West to East. It *does not*, it flows East to West.

Otherwise, there are some really nice houseboat sites on the east end. If you can find one with coverage from west and north winds you’ll be mostly protected from winds and waves.

I’m not sure why this idea of low lake levels continues to be spread. The lake is in the middle of the IJC curve normal range. In previous years it has been on the higher end of the range. If the lake was 18″ higher than it is today we’d be at the low end of flood stage.

https://www.lwcb.ca/pdf/RainyLakeGraph2018.06.11.pdf

https://www.lwcb.ca/waterflowdata.html

At this level you have nothing to worry about if you stay between the buoys. The national park service runs their big tour boat through the inside channel at this depth…and lower. I suspect your boat doesn’t have that kind of draft.

It is within lower third of the normal range. Net inflow is trending down but it is nothing to worry about.

https://www.lwcb.ca/pdf/RainyLakeGraph2018.05.18.pdf

Photos of Rainy Lake located houseboat sites in the park

https://www.nps.gov/media/photo/gallery.htm?id=AF1BF98F-07CC-88B1-E589F767B0A9E910

Also, check out these links for maps. Is the whole lake but in 3 separate maps. The solid pink line with the arrows is the main channel and the dashed line with arrows are the secondary/inside channels.

West to east order they are:
http://www.charts.noaa.gov/OnLineViewer/14998.shtml
http://www.charts.noaa.gov/OnLineViewer/14997.shtml
http://www.charts.noaa.gov/OnLineViewer/14996.shtml

I think changing the slot to 18-26 is a good thing. It will bring more anglers to the area. There is plenty of water on this lake and more ethical anglers than d-bags. If fishing goes down because of it then bring back the 17-28. Either way, getting your limit isn’t hard if you’re willing to work for it. And if you strike out, the beer is always cold if its been on ice all day.

A couple pointers to Rainy Noobs…

Rainy lake has main and secondary navigational channels. They’ll be marked on your map. Familiarize yourself with them. Generally, the secondary/inside channel is better when its windy.

Rainy lake flows from east to west. This may seem counter intuitive but its REALLY important for navigation. So, remember that because you’ll see navigational buoys everywhere. Heading east = Red Right Return.

You should be fine in a 14′ boat most of the time. However, it can get pretty bumpy if the wind picks up…especially in the afternoon. Honestly, I wouldn’t worry much about that. Just don’t overload it…those load/capacity plates aren’t just there for decoration. I often see folks overloading their boats as they head out camping in the park. Sounds like you have a houseboat so you shouldn’t have that problem.

I usually run braided with a flouro leader. However, I use mono too. Its usually a matter of how lazy I feel when respooling and what I have laying around. In late May you’ll probably do well pitching crankbaits (I like xraps) and pulling spinners near the shore lines. For live bait, I’d bring a variety of different types. There are not any bait shops on the lake.

Camp sites vary. I would say you could pitch a tent at most sites. However, some are on solid granite. Many have picnic tables but not all. I would recommend heading east of Brule Narrows and getting a site in the Blueberry Island area. Its about a 15-18 mile boat ride, depending on which houseboat company you’re renting from. Brule Narrows navigation isn’t difficult but PAY ATTENTION and make sure you look at the next buoy ahead of you…not the buoy 2 or 3 ahead.

Be very careful with the Lakemaster card in the Brule Narrows area. The navigation lines have you going around the wrong side of the buoys. You screw up in Brule you will lose your lower unit and need a tow. I contacted Johnson outdoors and they were indifferent and just said you shouldn’t rely on the electronics for navigation. While I agree, this is still very dangerous. My Lakemaster card is from 2014 so maybe its fixed on the later versions.