Ice Fishing Rainy

[bucknduck]

I am going up to Rainy Lake and going to be doing some ice fishing and was wondering what kind of hooks I should bring?? I have never been up there and don't know what to expect.

[uffdapete]

If you need to buy ice fishing tackle for the trip I'd wait until you get up here to buy it. Most of the tackle shops up here are competitive with the big box stores and you can also get current, specific advice from local experts who know what's really happening on the lake.

This advice comes from someone who bought tackle down south before coming up here on vacation because I thought I was saving money. In the end I bought a lot of stuff that doesn't work up here.

If you already have them, bring 1/8 and 1/16 oz jigs, a few jigging Rapalas or Salmos, Kastmasters, Swedish pimples and some plain hooks for slip bobber set ups.

[bucknduck]

Hey thanks a lot for the info I was looking at some of the other posts on here and found a lot of the same...So I will pack up my buck shots and jigging raps. I am going on a trip out of Woodys with Michael Waddell and cant wait to get up there I am going to do some fishing up there before my trip really starts you got any suggestions on a place I could go to park and fish for the day??

[uffdapete]

By the way, welcome to Fishing Minnesota and the Rainy Lake thread.

The public landings at Bowman's and Tilson Bay provide access to Birch point and Sand bay by snow machine or ATV. Rainy Lake city can be accessed from Island View and Sha Sha resorts also.

Before heading out ask at Woodies and the tackle shops for current ice conditions and advice on locations, and then make sure you're following previous tracks on the lake.

2 factors - 25" of snow up here and high water levels from last summer and fall result in current, and then 25" of snow up here providing both insulation and weight, has slowed the process of making good consistent ice.

[89Bronco]

 Originally Posted By: uffdapete

and then make sure you're following previous tracks on the lake.

Unless they lead to a big hole....

[Mooseart]

Well stated! It's easy to find tracks from sleds that have traveled over dangerous ice! The best plan is to do your own thinking. Some ice is in worse shape now than it was a week ago.

[uffdapete]

Good call - I'm thinking lots of tracks, not one lone wolf. And since I run a 3 wheeler I want to find wheeler tracks. If they've run into slush it's usually visible far enough ahead to take a different route.

[cedarnarrowsguy]

While fishing the Manitou last weekend...I looked over and watched an otter come up through a hole...right in the middle of my snow machine track!