Hearing the phrase “We’re 2 weeks LATE!!” seems to scare the heck out of guys. Well with risk of upsetting your morning coffee…..We’re 2 weeks behind schedule. DO NOT PANIC!! Our Mayfly hatch extended into July due to some early cool water. The hatch is now over, yet many walleyes are currenly locating themselves in different areas than anglers are used to finding them. I listened to our local radio show a couple days ago on my way to get our bait at the Rainy Lake One Stop. Not a day goes by that we don’t start our day out at the RLOS. www.rainylakeonestop.com It is apparent the fishing has been a bit tougher for many working the traditional July fishing patterns. Earlier this year I mentioned I had a feeling this year was going to be a good “Breakline” fishing season because of a late warm up. When this happens on big bodies of water like Rainy Lake many of the bigger fish will continue to roam main basin shorelines structure well into July. The massive amount of forage found on shallow haunts are not something fish willingly abandon. This was simply “Spot On” through yesterday as we continue to have our best action in a mere 8-18 feet of water.
Here are a few things worth noting that we’ve found different this year compared to years past while fishing the heat of July. Purple and white have been a dominate color pattern for our guide service. I have simply burned through the H20 Precision jigs from Custom Jigs and Spins in the Purple and white color combination and highly suggest you stock up. www.customjigsandspins.com The “Foil” series of blades from Jolly Roger Tackle have been very productive slow rolled in intermediate depths when big fish seem to be scattered with lack of wind. www.jollyrogertackle.com This is something new for us this year, and has been very productive. I’ve also found our best action to be coming from smaller bait. Typically you’ll see us working shiners after the fireworks of early July, but this year I’ve actually felt a fathead has outproduced a shiner in many instances. The shallow water bite has extended itself later into the summer, OR we’ve simply uncovered a shallow water bite that has been there all along!! One thing I will comment on is the “Great Oz” of IDO mentioned to me a couple years ago how HE was going to find a shallow water bite!! Pondering his thought process this spring I had to agree with that philosophy. Shallow water fish are easier to catch if you can find them, and often times much more angry towards your presentation. I’ve spent the last couple years experimenting with some shallow water food funnels located just off the main basin, and I will confirm those fish are flat out more eager to put a bend in your rod. I highly suggest anglers attempt to work this pattern here on Rainy Lake or your own body of water this season. With the advent of the Lakemaster chip clearly pinpointing mid lake structure it is my believe the once less pressured fish of a fishery are now the MOST pressured. No longer are anglers lining up Pine trees to locate a rock pile. If there is one thing I know that can be universally trasferred to all fishing it is this; Fish that are the least pressured are always the easiest to catch. If your flying 40 hours into a remote fishery where you fish alongside……..”Bigfoot” there is a chance you’ll catch fish on a beer can with trebles. This does not mean you’ve perfected this technique and it will work on your local fishery! Simply put as fish become more pressured an angler must fine tune his game. Here on Rainy Lake we enjoy a very diverse fishery which truly doesn’t get too much pressure. There are shallow water fish and deep water fish. With the right weather conditions you can put a smackdown on big walleyes from 2-40 feet of water on the same day.
Lets talk big body walleye structure. The truth of the matter is the average fisherman across the country have as a whole become pretty darn good sticks. Through our guide service we notice the interest of learning as important ast the desire to catch fish. If fisherman locate the hot pattern they will likely put a hurt on the fish. On the contrary regardless of whether your capable of working your fishing rod like a “Magic Wand” if your not on the good fish you simply cannot catch them. As a fishing guide it is clear our biggest asset is time spent on the water. We’ve had both good and bad days to learn from to shorten the learning curve for our guests. Guys hire us to put their crew on the best possible bite. When your fishing nearly everyday you simply have the ability to recognize how your body of water reacts to directional winds (Or Lack of) based on recent history. Home field advantage is nice in all sports!! On Rainy Lake anglers must have a short memory for day to day success. I would say the biggest issue anglers have had this July is the inability to “Print Fish” consistently. July fisherman who head to Rainy Lake are typically progammed to fish midlake humps like robots. Further sophisticated “Robotic fisherman” will comb this structure locating good fish. When fish are not “Printable” in big numbers because of shallow holding positions these same anglers will struggle. Guys are quick to point to an off bite. On the contrary the fish continue to feed heavily. If your pattern is not producing it is imperative to switch patterns versus a simple spot change. Duplicating the productive pattern will provide the action you desire. For example if we’re working a mud/rock transition point with good flow in 22 feet of water with success. I assure you when we’ve wore those fish out we will find the next neck down area with a 22 foot feeding shelf. This year these fish seem to be extremely depth sensitive. When we’ve hammered the fish in 14-16 feet of water we have had to find other structure that sets up well in that 14-16 feet. Still on those days past productive structure with a “Food Funnel” in 21-23 feet have been unproductive. WORK YOUR PRODUCTIVE PATTERN!!
I hope everyone is having a great year fishing Rainy Lake. My wife Cheryl “Fishing Queen” and daugter Lindsey “Lil Daze” have commented nearly daily on the fisherman that have taken the time to introduce themselves as both of them are working part-time this summer at Sha-Sha resort. The “Fishing Queen” will serve you Rainy Lakes infamous “Tea” while Lindsey now 15 can make a serious plate of nachos!! Stop out and say hi!! We truly feel blessed sharing the boat with such passionate anglers day in and day out, and this year has been no different. The beautiful scenery on Rainy Lake provides us with the best office space in the world. Meeting new anglers each year is a very rewarding part of my career, and frankly the reason we’re in the fishing biz!! As we head into August and September look for the bite to continue to produce world class fishing that makes Rainy Lake a “Go To” fishing destination. DO NOT overlook the September timeframe for monster walleyes and Crappies!! Putting the heat to those monster fall crappies if high on my list!! Little can compare to the September trips of huge crappies coupled with Tank Walleyes!! Stay thirsty my friends.
We’ll see you on the water team!!
Great report Chris. Those Walleyes sure get some color to them up there. Beauty fish!
Nice fish
Another great read and pics Chris
From the toad Michael is holding up I bet that duel from this area had a great time. Way to go Michael and Abe
Awsome Fish pal, cant wait to get back up there!
Bret, We have to get you up to RainyDaze one of these Daze!
I think Bret might enjoy tangling with some big “Donk” Crappies! September-Mid October is coming right up for big slabbers!!
Loved the report Chris!
Excellent advice on working the productive patterns and maximizing on the shallow water bite even during the middle of the summer. 
Chris,
Great report and easy read, thanks,
Jack
Chris:
Those are some great words of wisdom regarding the mid-lake humps and how people are finding them much more easily these days. Also some great words about working your pattern amongst the several that might be productive in a single day.
What’s your strategy going into a day regarding patterns. Do you have one that you try first and foremost no matter what? Is it always weather related? Without spilling too many beans, how do you approach the day?
Thanks,
Joel
excellent report chris! beer can with trebels…lol
Duplicating the productive pattern will provide the action you desire.
LOL!!!
On a typical guide trip we try put our customers on the most aggressive bite we’ve been on recently with favorable winds into that structure. Even so we always comb the area with our Humminbird 1198C to be certain WHEN we fish…..FISH are present!! It is my top priority to find the aggressive fish each day to put a bend in your rod. Many know I’m pretty quick to pull the trigger on nuetral or negative fish if I think the conditions warrant a better bite elsewhwere. Those that fish with us will surely recall the words “They can’t hold us down all day baby!!” LOL!! I always believe we’ll find and catch the good fish!! Sometimes it just requires a bit more touring with “Sho-Time”.
Case in point; Today I fished with Dave Marquart from the Skeeter Boat Center. BTW Dave………..LOVES WALLEYE FISHING!! Such a treat to fish with guys that have that sort of passion!! We immediately started dropping the hammer on 22-24 inch walleyes in spot one for the day. Then as soon as those fish started snapping and I was kicking back with my morning coffee……..They shut off. We clearly were marking the fish, and had made a positive ID that this was a great class of fish. Still the Window……had shut!! All fish have windows of activity. If anyone thinks that walleyes feed 24/7……..Your sadly mistaken. Today we were faced with a stiff 25-30 mph wind which kept most other fisherman hunkered down behind islands for protection. BRING THE WIND!! I knew we had literally the whole lake to ourselves. We burned across to some shallow wind swept rocks actively pursuing the Big and Angry fish located in the “Feed Now” position. Eventually (Spot 5 for the day)…….We found THE SPOT and knocked it out of the park!!!
Each day is a bit different in all honesty. Being able to rely on past experience (Both Good and Bad) really helps us on a day to day basis. Marking fish these days is entry level walleye fishing. Finding and then catching the BIG fish where you expect they are on the prowl is where it is at!! Rainy Lake continues to fish complex at times. As Dave and I talked over the last couple days sometimes we’re likely guilty of making it look easy. Surely it isn’t easy, and anyone who says it is has a short memory of bad fishing days!! Hours upon hours of fruitless fishing over the years has fine tuned a very reliable systematic approach to consistently catching good fish. Rainy Lake has an amazing class of quality fish. Our fish today again were averaging a fat 22 inches and fighting like MULES!
Have I mentioned lately that I LIKE MY JOB!!
Fisherman WANTED!!
Great post – could be turned into an article. Time on the water and lessons learned trump most else, but it’s interesting as all get out for me to hear your strategy.
Thanks for sharing!
Joel