Rainy River Now Open

[JK]

Posted By Grant and Alyse Walton of The Royal Dutchman..

March 16th, 2012:

The Rainy river is now open at the Birchdale landing. There is about 25 yards of shore ice when i was there this morning but by the end of today most of that should be gone. They were getting ready to push boats out when i was there.

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[tengauge]

Would be very nice to have a report from someone who was on the river in a boat! Conflicting reports on here, dutchman says birchdale is open and tearin lips's pictures show otherwise??? Whats the scoop? Im sure its goin fast but it would be nice to know what is really goin on up there

[brakedancer]

I've been up there many times chasing the ice..it moves at a crazy speed when its warm and sunny..I'll go with Dutchman's latest report

thanks for the report

[wetaline1]

Tengauge you are about as needy as a bad girlfriend. Relax. If my math is right TL tooks pictures this morning while the open water was just east of Birchdale (for you tengauge, thats upstream) and the royaldutchman posted later in the day. And based on the wild idea that the open water on the river moves at a mile or better a day.... it maaaay have pasted birchdale mid day, and before the royal dutchman took pictures.

[maxpower117]

Funny how a post or thread can quiet things down in a hurry. For gods sake there's 77 people viewing this right now and nobody has anything to say!

[RoyalDutchman]

We just posted a picture on the website that was taken at 9:30 am at the Nelson Landing in Birchdale. For some reason it won't let me load the picture on here.

-Royal Dutchman

[Mike Stark]

We just posted a picture on the website that was taken at 9:30 am at the Nelson Landing in Birchdale. For some reason it won't let me load the picture on here.

-Royal Dutchman

Check out this thread on how to post pics.

How to post pics.

[RoyalDutchman]

This is the picture from today at 9:30 am at the Nelson Landing

[tearin' lips]

Nice post Awalton! The Dutchman's post is the most accurate and up to date.

As mention when that ice gets moving it can open up real fast on the river. A few years back we fished at Birchdale through the ice one day, and the next it was open.

[maxpower117]

Now hopefully koochie county will plow the ramp soon!

[LindellProStaf]

The temp here was 43 at 7:30 this morning. (Sat.) It is supposed to be 74 today with 50's for the lows. This is the same forecast for the next 3 days. Things should happen fast.

[tengauge]

HEADIN UP IN AN HR!! Cant wait to catch a sturgeon again.

[LindellProStaf]

We just went for a ride from Baudette to a few miles east of Frontier. There is open water in the middle of the river about 1.7 miles east of Frontier. There are boats fishing about 2.1 miles east of Frontier by the blue silo. This is miles on the road I am talking about. The river is extremely low. At Frontier there is a lot of shoreline exposed. Of course this means Frontier is not open yet. It is actually HOT here today. I am getting a boat ready.

[MNRiverRat]

Went for a ride, standing at the top of the frontier landing I could see open water to the far east. It wouldn't take more than 15-20 minutes with a chainsaw and spud bar to open the birchdale access to large boats. I saw at least a dozen or more smaller boats out fishing. Temp said 76 on the truck while sitting in the parking lot. Gonna pull the boat out tomorrow and get it up to snuff.

[laker1]

Just curious from you old timers, about what date do you usually see open water there?

[bowhuntz]

Water temp anyone?

[RoyalDutchman]

This is a picture from 10:00 AM this morning at the Nelson Landing in Birchdale.

[fishuhalik]

oh man this is killing me. i'm gonna be in north dakota all spring working. best spring we've had in years & i'm gonna miss it!! >:(

[KNIGHT]

I have some what the same situation...except I will get to go up next weekend then it's off to Kansas for the next 3 months!!!

[WALLEYENUTZ]

We will be up thursday to sunday. I hope the ice clears the shoreline. I'm not dumping my fiberglass boat over the edge of the ice.

[pushbutton]

Just curious from you old timers, about what date do you usually see open water there?

From the Rainy River Record in 2008, but gives a good answer to your question

Some interesting ice out facts

Ken's Korner Tue, 2008-04-15 09:00

Every year since 1934 with the exception of two years, the paper has been recording the ice out date in front of Rainy River.

I have been officially watching it since spring of 1989 and every year it seems to be like watching a pot boil; it just drags on and on, especially when it goes on in April.

But the truth of the matter is that the ice was not out late this year, but was in fact about average.

Here are some statistical facts from our ice out records:

•It has gone out 7 times on April 11th since 1934 (08, 03, 79, 77, 71, 54 and 34)

•The latest date on record of it going out is April 20th in 1934.

The earliest date on record was February 27, 1998.

•It has gone out once in February, 17 times in March and 55 times in April.

•In March, with the exception of 2000 (Mar. 10th) it went out March 21st or later.

•The most common week for the ice to go out is April 8-15 (22 times)

•The second most common week is Apr. 1-7 (16 times)

•It also went out 9 times from Apr. 16-20th

So there you have it... the ice out this year was in fact right on time.

If one excludes the two earliest dates of Feb. 27th and Mar. 10th, the average ice out date is in fact Apr. 11th.

–Until then,

Ken

[RoyalDutchman]

This picture was taken this morning at the Nelson Landing. The ramp is open and people are backing their trailers into the water to launch their boats.

[Fish Head]

Holy Cow!! I need to get up there. I called the guys I normally go with and they can't get away right now.... UGH!!!!

Anyone catching any fish yet??

["Just Add Ice"]

So due to our ice fishing trip getting short lived on rainy lake we are shifting gears now and heading to the river this weekend. I have never fished the river and just a little nervous about put in a 21' Deep V ranger boat. I see the launch at nelsons is ice free so that takes a little of the edge off. I have noticed in a couple pictures of the landings the water looks pretty low and the landing look pretty muddy. Do you guys that have launched up there for see any issues with bringing up a ranger and launching it in the river? Are their landings that are better then others?

[@kkellywalleyes]

I have launched my 620 for multiple years/multiple trips on all three ramps, Vidas, Frontier and Birchdale, and have not had an issue.

Birchdale has two good ramps but is the farthest from Baudette. Frontier is flat, but probably the muddiest and Vidas is the steepest but I have launched there many times. Usually the county brings in a load of sand to use for very cold mornings as they do get icy. Keep it in 4 wheel drive as you won't slide as much backing down or coming out. The key is just take it slow and don't undo your front straps until you are down close to the water and ready to hop in your boat. Your bunks could get icy if it is cold enough and I have seen someone dump their 620 a few years back as they were backing down because of the ice on the bunks. Also be careful at Vidas as I have seen the tandems fall off the last concrete block, don't go too far back. Normally with how steep it is it comes off easily and you don't have to go that far back. I know people are in a hurry, and it is busy at the ramp but just take it slow. Many people bring their big boats up.

[Mike Stark]

In the fall the water was very low at Frontier. You had to make sure not to back in past the last concrete block too. I have heard the water is VERY low on the river this spring.

[fishuhalik]

it's not too often that we're talking about not being able to land boats on the river in the spring cuz it's too low...

[losthikingguide]

Can't we stick to the meaningful reports, i.e. ice conditions, fishing reports, etc , who cares who is coming up when??

[wetaline1]

Yes losthikinhguide, what are the ice, access, and clarity conditions? how about a catch report from you too

[Mallard1]

Good post Ranger boy..Thank you. Letting everyone get their rigs in safely and out again is the key. The fish will cooperate when they want. Be mindful of the smaller boats on the river when running up and down the river as well. Lets make it a spring to talk about with many great memories. Good luck to all.