Rainy Lake, Minnesota fishing report Big Walleyes

I referenced this in my earlier Big Pike report, but we are attempting to break reports in to species this ice fishing season. Time will tell whether we can devote adequate time to increased “Henpecking” reports to get this accomplished longterm.

But for this week!!! WHAMO!!

Big Walleyes have telephones ringing as our customers have their number. NOTHING makes a fishing guide more happy than when customers have drag ripping from the steady pull of elite walleyes. Many angler are aware of the knuckle curveball “Mother Nature” has thrown fisherman to start our season. Our team here at Rainydaze Guide Service has worked extensively to keep our groups of anglers lines tight and feet dry. The last Blizzard left our “Search and Destroy” team busting trails, equipment and sweats while packing areas down to get our portables to the sacred grounds of Rainy Lakes elite marble eyes. I’d like to initially give great thanks to my team for greatly increasing the efficiency in which we pinpoint the biggest and baddest fish of Borderland. I assure you seldom are the fruits of our labor more sweet considering the challenges of this weeks weather. Blizzard like conditions along with HEAVY falling snow and growing pockets of slush have greatened the challenge of a simple fishing guides quest for monster fish. For those anglers whom have requested further information on fishing packages please allow me to use this public venue to offer my apologies in lack of promptness. I assure you my computer facetime has taking a big hit during the heart of Tank Time. I believe it is likely considered “Taboo” to employ a secretary as a mere fishing guide, but don’t think it hasn’t been considered!! LOL!!

Each season we attempt to quickly narrow our search missions while eliminating waters that seemingly aren’t reliable for big fish early in the the winter. Considering the obvious vast nature of Rainy Lake spilling over 220,000 acres this is a daunting task from the onset. Thus when anglers attempt to chew off a piece on a weekend angler outing you can easily understand the complexities in attempting to uncover the golden egg of fishing. Over my endless hours of staring down an 8 inch with eyes closing to the flash of my Marcum I’ve never lost the deep down desire to hunt down the biggest and the baddest, and if I ever get this curse I hope to hang up my cleats while ending my career as a fishing guide. I surely love the sights and sounds of winter here in International Falls, but I prefer to market our business on a big fish basis. Meat and Potatoes!! Please feel free to enjoy the wonders of our National Park while drag rips out of your rod from Girthy Walleyes. We’ve encountered fish playing by their own rules this week, and not following movements in accordance to last years logbooks. Big fish are to be found DEEP, SHALLOW and In-Between. Here is what we do know. Big Fish are not only being found, but when located amongst the food buffet feeding!! I believe fish pinpointed in resting areas are extremely tough to get out of bed for a mid-day snack no matter how tempting. On the contrary precise feeding locations at key times of the day can and will greatly increase your odds in Big fish Hook-Ups!!

I believe drastic pressure condition changes along with oxygen levels has a great influence on the moods of big fish with large air bladders. Thus when the entire state of Minnesota is stuck in a Pre-Front, Front, Post front pattern on a WEEKLY basis fish become GRUMPY!! As anglers sometimes the most effective method you can employ is to hold point on premiere structure. I often refer to it is sitting on your prime big buck stand. Those stand DO NOT produce 24/7. In the hustle and bustle of todays world it is easy to become anxious and feel as though your next move is going to lead to greener pastures when often times your on the right pattern you just might not realize this. When fishing via portable Otter and sled one can spend an entire day setting up, taking down and mobilizing groups of anglers. I assure you there is great value to setting up in a prime location the FIRST TIME. Next season Rainydaze Guide service will be adding several satelite houses of small, but permanent nature on skids. We plan to locate these houses on structure very remote and not possible to access via big wheelhouses much of the season. Our hopes are this will only further enhance fishing opportunities for our parties of anglers in which we can fish many different bites, and simply gives us more options to key in on different patterns. I assure you there will be more Otter Portables added again to our growing fleet, and now with several small skid houses it will make teh “Marco…Polo game of Big fish hunting a little more fair!!”

Thus far this season we’ve iced a walleye over 26 inches on the last 10 of 12 trips. Along with Freakishly large pike our customer base is often found smiling for the IDO cameras. Lately we’ve found small custom jigs and spins spoons are deemed candy for big pike, and I will be looking to contact Bob for reinforcements. These same jigging spoons tipped with small shiners have iced the latest stream of super tank walleyes!! One thing I have noticed this year is that convincing fish has been more difficult, and it seems that fish is feeding…….Or NOT feeding. Deadsticks have worked with minimal success thus far, and all of our big fish have came via jig stick in motion. It is advisable if you plan a Rainydaze Big fish hunt in the 2011/2012 season to quickly gather the troops as next years bookings are currently being eaten up faster than a Monster walleye on a Lighting spoon!!

Please use caution when venturing out onto Rainy Lake. With heavy snowcover anglers need to exercise extreme caution when heading deep into Voyageurs National park. Atv travel is not happening. Vehicle access is currently limited to Rainy Lake Marines Ice Road which my understanding is currently back open for business. Sled traffic is the preferred mode of transportation, and is offering anglers isolated access to big fish. On one hand it is nice to have a nice infrastructure out on the lake so we can wheel the big fancy houses onto nearby structure, an then on the otherhand when it concerns landing big fish on a consistent basis RARELY have I seen many big fish being caught while watching the big screen television in your fishhouse. I believe Rainy Lake fishing caters to anglers in search of big fish. Fish to photo for the office wall, or to keep local taxidermists in Biz. If your simply on a quest for a bucket of 50cent pieces to pull of scallop sized pieces of meat this is likely NOT your destination of choice. Next season we look to add yet another snowmobile along with the new satelite houses to further service all sizes of groups looking for tanks. I am in the midst of filling out next years 2011/2012 December/January schedule here on my day off. The big walleyes are showing up with decent consistency boys!! Gather up the troops!!