Houseboat camping

[philbert]

Hey folks, been reading your reports for a while and I appreciate the information. I will be coming up and launching from rlhb on saturday, the 14th of July. From what I can see from prior posts, It's tough to find houseboat sites on a saturday. I would like to end up over on the east side. What would you guys suggest, going all the way over asap, or is this not as big of an issue as I'm perceiving. Also, I am interested in using leeches. How will the local supply be at that time. Thanks for your help.

[Rainydaze]

Welcome!

First off Bill from the One Stop will likely be able to fill you in if he expects any leech shortage. I would highly doubt that to be a problem. The East end is a nice choice for your trip timeline. Reefs fish will likely be snapping good. I'll let some of the VNP guys answer your campsite question, but I would guess Saturday could be a busy time. Did I mention your heading to arguably the most beautiful and productive Walleye fisheries in the state? Good Fishing buddy! Stock up on some multi colored jigs, spinner rigs in a variety of colors not forgetting gold, and also grab some Shiners/rainbows to mix in with you leeches. You just really can't tell what is going to turn the fish until you out there. Stay tuned to the website as there are some good sticks posting here.

RD

[Heartman]

Anderson Bay is nice - centrally located, but wind could be a factor unless you can find a nook to set into. Close to a number of reefs/rockpiles that will hold fish in mid-July though...relatively simple to get there as well, if you follow the map.

[tearin' lips]

Philbert,

First off welcome to the FM. Good to hear that we're keeping ya interested!! Having worked for the houseboats for a few years I can tell you that Saturdays can be a good time to get a spot of your choice...I am not saying that it is going to be easy however! Saturdays are typically changeover days for the housboat companies. This means that there will be alot of boats coming in as well as going out. Reguardless there will be housboats moving on Saturday as some will move closer to Base so they don't have to wake up as early if they are coming in on Sunday.

Fishing will be great reguardless of the end that you will be on. The east end has some nice sites with sand beaches on Big Island and the Saginaw Bay area. This is also close to great fishing. I would suggest just getting out and enjoying the area. Play it by ear...if there is a nice site open that you'd like to spend the night on...go for it. Its your vacation, enjoy it in our beautiful Voyageurs National Park. Keep an eye on the site as time comes closer for your vacation.

As stated the 'eyes will be out on the reefs then and fishing will be enjoyable. I usually like running the electronics until I see a good concentration of fish. Fish in areas that you don't see anyone fishing. This is usually where you'll find the jackpot! I usually like using leeches this time of the year, but as Daze stated bring some shiners/chubs with as well. We should still have leeches by mid-July. They have been harder to get this year, but don't worry...we'll still have them.

Feel free to post with any further questions that you may have. And keep an eye on the forums for up-to-date information!

Take Care!!

[philbert]

Hey, thanks for the insights. I will be pulling a 16' Grizzly John with a 25 on it, so I may have to do some hiding out. I don't have a livewell on it, and the club tournies that I fish are measure and release (lm bass). Not sure I want to attempt life support for a week on minnows, so I'll probably just roll the dice on crawlers and leeches. Any issues dragging that little boat across a monster lake like yours?

[Rainydaze]

Hey philbert,

Get yourself a sinkable mesh baitsaver. Put a rock in it and sink it off shore in some deeper water. Your minnows will be fine. I use them in the BWCA every year. Make sure you sink them to the bottom though. Your bait will stay nice and fresh. Your boat will be fine, but always stay in tune with the weather conditions.

Rainydaze

[philbert]

Good stuff guys, thanks. I am a first timer to your area, and I have more questions than answers. I'm not as proficient with eyes as I am bass, and that's why I love chasing them! Is the water color dark/clear? I figure that the fish should be a bit deeper that time of year 20-30 fow? Also, what colors/weight for jigs? Finally, I'm primarily interested in eyes, but I love smallies (tough decisions) How is the smallie fishing around three sisters and big island? One of my favorite aspects of fishing is to go to a new lake and try to figure it out.

you guys have so much water that it's a little daunting. Thanks again for the posts, I get the feeling that you've forgotten more than I will ever know about Rainy.

[Rainydaze]

Hey Philbert,

I'm fishing Rainy 7 days a week right now. If I'm not guiding I'm out there for the simple passion of the sport. I'll never quit learning about this magnificent fishery. There are some basic walleye 101's that will hold true on any fishery in which you will encounter. Walleyes will typically like to hold on wind swept shorelines and points. The wind will create a churning effect on the bottom thus stirring up content for baitfish to eat. Of course the game fish will not be far away from the baitfish. If your fishing a rockpile fish the windward side on most occasions. Most often these will be your active feeding fish. The fish in which are on the backside will typically not be in a feeding stage. I say typically, because not all walleyes have read the walleye books, and somedays the fish will surprise you. Thats fishing, and thats why you can never get caught fishing memories. Rainy is a lake with endless structure. My single most important part of my strategy involves good electronics, and the experience to understand what they are telling me. I've never met a fisherman who can catch fish that aren't there. Once you have located fish your next task is to determine what they are, and what it is going to take to make them bite. In all honesty this may vary day to day. This is why it is nice to be rigged with various options. For some reason some days they want leeches, and somedays they will be most vulnerable trolling raps... At least this is what I tell the fishing queen everytime I buy more tackle! Ha! Yes the water on Rainy has a darker tint to it, and will vary somewhat depending on the area of the lake in which you are fishing. Pick up a variety of jigs to be able to match them to the wind conditions of that particular day. I make it a point to go as light as I can have good control and feel of. If it is dead calm I will use a 1/8 oz. Your most difficult task will be locating fish. There are always likely spots especially the reefs that time of year. Remember the reefs can be large, and even thought the reefs may be going you still need to find the area on the reef that holds the fish. Probably way way more info than you were looking for, but hopefully something will be helpful. I love chasing eyes, and that is just what it is. I helped a young guy catch his biggest eye of his life yesterday measuring just over 23 inches. Here it isn't considered a trophy fish, but a beautiful fat football none the less. Thats what it's all about! Have a great trip, and you don't need to post your fishing locations in fact I'd probably recommend against it, but let us know how you did. Most important of all keep enough fish for shorelunch, and help be a part of preserving this magnificent walleye producing machine by taking digitals and quickly releasing the other fish for someone else just like you or me to enjoy. The protective slot has had some positive effects on this lake as well as the average joe fisherman recognizing the impacts he/she can make on the longterm output of a walleye factory.

[tearin' lips]

Ummm Yeah....What Daze said!

[philbert]

You bet! If we are fortunate enough to get into some eaters, we may cook a few. Other than that, it's just for sport and pictures. I'll hit you guys with a post after we return, but I'm sure I'll have more ?'s in the meantime. Thanks again for info. Regardless of the fishing, for folks from central IL, taking in the northwoods beauty is worth the trip anyway. I usually try to figure something out and then load up the daughters. Some of my best fishing memories are times when they caught fish.