Rainy Open?

[Fallsguy]

I am planning to come up to the River March 22nd. It should be open by then right?

[Guest]

I am planning on the same weekend. As long as the county clears the ramp and the weather warms a bit we may be OK. Maybe Pelland will be an alternative.

[Fallsguy]

Pelland would be fine then I caught plenty there a few years ago. If anyone konws if the Pelland ramp is open that'd be fine.

[Sandee]

Will check and see what we can find out. Planning a trip middle of next week to see the river.

I have heard the fishing is fairly good at the Pelland area, it could be an alternative.

International Falls Chamber of Commerce should have information on the condition of the Pelland and Falls ramps. 800-325-5766

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www.clementsonresort.com

[Guest]

Hey fallsguy,rud and sandie. Last Oct, 3rd weekend, My bud emil and I hammerd wallys with a foam walker, made by the same guy, bruce mosher, who makes the ice buster buster bobber. Its a bottom bouncing rig made of the same foam with a inter changable weight to fit current needs, the foam never tips over so your rig is always in the fish zone even if you put rod down when nature calls. If the fork rivers go out and you cant keep a jig on the bottom, Id suggest this rig. When Emil and myself were up there, the jig bite was slow, and we out fished our jig method 3-1 with the walker. Ill be up there March 30th out of frontier, with a cache of these little babbies. You should be able to research this at www.icebusterbobber.com Check it out. Good luck this spring. hootie

[Beckman]

I just checked the Baudette weather... 44 degrees! Hopefully this will keep up for a week and we can have some serious meltage going on.

[gofishingtom]

coming up 21st to fish river hopefully.Looks like the weather has turned a bit heard it was 43 degrees up there on tuesday and looking like 30's rest of week we have our fingers crossed that landing will be open on the 21st. everybody pray for nice weather to continue so river can open back up!!!!!!!

[CANOPY SAM]

Sandee,
Tell me the ice is still covering the Big Fork right out to the mouth, then meeting open water on the Rainy. You have the power to make me lose sleep for the next several nights.
I called the phone number you gave me in the falls, but they never got back to me. I guess I'll try em' again soon.
Drive safe - thanks for the info...

[Beckman]

I would think that the Fork rivers opening up really won't be as much of a factor this year as they were last. There is very little snowpack up there so it won't be a flooded Big Fork flowing into the Rainy mucking things up like it did so bad last year. Maybe Sandee could offer some more insight into what affects river clarity.

[Sandee]

Hopefully the Big and Little Forks won't open until the 15th of April! We are going to check the river today since we did have wonderfully warm melting weather yesterday. And that was with no sunshine! More melting again today after an early dusting of snow this morning.

We need a slow melt, not too fast to keep the "feeder" rivers and the Rainy River Basin from getting too fast of a run off. This is what will deteriorate the clarity of the river, excess water into the Rainy and stronger currents.

As far as the last snow fall - we did not have much on the ground so this last 6 to 7" should not be too much of a factor. Actually, it is rain that causes more problems with run-off.

Stay tuned . . .

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www.clementsonresort.com

[Capt'nJosh]

rsimonson? Would that be Rick?

[Sandee]

Open meaning at first with shore-ice pushing boats over the shore ice. As soon as you have people going in over shore-ice this helps break it up and then the county will clean the ramps even sooner, so that you can launch with trailers.

We are "hopeful" for the weekend of the 22nd now after looking at the river today. There are lots of big open holes from Franz Jevnue up river to past Indus. Being a "second" opening, it can open faster than the original.

We are posting here information that will be helpful to those trying to plan a trip.

I would suggest planning a later date if you want to trailer your boat into the river. Say the weekend of the 29th or there after.

Weather factors into this - 20's to 40's during the day and double digit overnight temps will melt the ice. Single digit overnight temps will slow the overnight melt. You want a slow melt, to prevent excess run off.

We are re-checking the river Friday the 15th to see how fast/slow the river is opening.

Hope this helps.

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www.clementsonresort.com

[Guest]

I see some references to birchdale being 'open' by the 23rd. Is this possible, I thought they were ice fishing at birchdale last week.?.? When you guys talk of open, are you still looking at pushing boats off ice or driving them in? This beautiful March weather is making havoc out of trying to plan a trip with guys from 3 states.

[Sandee]

River had not opened much since we checked on Wednesday. The open areas are bigger with a few more to count. Looking at anywhere from 7 to 10 days to open at Birchdale??

Pelland access update: Mother nature is the one responsible for the ramp. Will be talking with the county to see if they plan on any maintenance at that ramp.

We have anglers planning to go over shore ice at Franz Jevnue tomorrow. We will let you know.

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www.clementsonresort.com

[Fallsguy]

I am having to come on the 22nd and I need to have some fishing prospects in order for people to come with me. Wether its in Pelland or Birchdale doesn't matter to me. Even if we have to ice fish. I just need to know if it'll be possible to fish next weekend (22-24), and how. If there is a way to rent a boat somewhere next week and get in in the water somehow that would be ideal. If Pelland is open and I have to bring my own boat and the weather is cooperative I'd do that too. Any help would be appreciated.

[CANOPY SAM]

Falls guy.
If you can't get on the river there's always big LOW. The gap can be really good this time of year for walleyes, and you can keep more than two walleyes.
Sandee, whats the water level like this spring? Is there much of a snowpack to melt up on Rainy Lake that will cause the river to come up?
I'm not really concerned about getting a boat in at the Big Fork River landing. I like to stand on the ice of the big fork and fish the open water on the Rainy. Can usually count on a couple nice Pike there. Is the Big Fork low this year like previous years? If it is, the ice usually just lays on the bottom, and I think it takes a little longer to go out then. Is there much snow in Pine Island Nat'l? I think that plays a big role in how the spring rivers look as well.

[Sandee]

Level at the Manitou has increased 1 1/2' since last Sunday. Although looking at the last picture we took of Franz Jevnue, you can see shelf-ice on the Canadian shore, showing the lower level. There is 12" -15" of snow on the south side of the basin. Our area has 4" to 8" of snow. With the forecast it doesn't appear to be a fast melt, which should keep the level somewhat consistant.

It appears the Big Fork is on the "low" side of the 'mean' for water flow.

Fallsguy: Canopy Sam is correct about fishing the gap if open water is not an option, and yes they do have a "generous limit" of 14 (6-walleye), unlike the river at this time of year.

I have been told that the Pelland ramp opens by the hand of "mother nature" and not the county. Although, when the river opens at Birchdale, Frontier and Vidas, the county will be cleaning ramp ice off.

It's melting nice today with a temperature of 38 degrees as I post.

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www.clementsonresort.com

[gofishingtom]

FRANZ JEVNUE looking for info if they will clear this ramp off to get boats in by thurs of next week? will this ramp be first cleared if weather cooperates and river opens more inthe next two or 3 days. need help or is ramp one of the ramps they will not clear and only let mother nature clear or will they break up shore ice if they can???

[gofishingtom]

FRANZ JEVNUE landing need help will this landing be the first to be cleared if weather cooperates the next few days we have plans on coming up on next thurs need to know if i need to change plans would rather fish this coming thurs due to easter weekend next week but if boats cant get into river at this landing because they wont clear it need to cancel plans. would rather fish in boat than on ice. is this a ramp that they will clear first or wont they clear this ramp and let it clear off naturally?????

[gofishingtom]

FRANZ JEVNUE landing need help will this landing be the first to be cleared if weather cooperates the next few days we have plans on coming up on next thurs need to know if i need to change plans would rather fish this coming thurs due to easter weekend next week but if boats cant get into river at this landing because they wont clear it need to cancel plans. would rather fish in boat than on ice. is this a ramp that they will clear first or wont they clear this ramp and let it clear off naturally?????

[gofishingtom]

need to know if weather cooperates will they clear off FRANZ JEVNUE ramp off we are planning on coming up next friday but if ramp wont be open we need to make other plans is this one of the ramps that they will clear off or will they only let mother nature clear it off????

[gofishingtom]

OOPS!!!! computer was acting up didnt think my messages were posting sorry about all the repeat post!!!!!!!!

[BDR]

I can't say forsure if the landing has changed or not but it was a canoe access or carry-in a couple years ago. No boat trailers! In fact it had quite a steep bank maybe 25-40 yards from truck to water. 3 years ago we rode our boat like a sled to get into open water. I was planning for thurs also but I think were going to push back a week. have found fishing really doesn't heat up till the water does. I have never really pounded the fish untill dday before to 3 days after frontier opens up. Hope this helps. Again Franze Jevne could have been redesigned and I didn't know it.

[Sandee]

I've never seen them clean the ramp at Franz Jevnue once the river opens there. Usually it is not long before it is opened at Birchdale and that is the first ramp that will be cleaned off by the county.

Franz Jevnue is used by the "early" anglers, sometimes with good results. Yesterday there was a good current, although the flow has dropped since yesterday. Marked fish, but no fish caught. They fished about 2 hours in the afternoon.

We will be checking the river tomorrow.

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[evntam]

I've heard that the Pelland ramp is accessable, but icy, via Intl Falls Chamber.
Anyone out there using it?
Any idea if there are any fish up that high?
Thanks

[Guest]

Sandee & Others,

Thanks for all the info & updates. Two of us are coming up this Thursday night through Sunday. Yes, we are beginning to worry about the fishing. We have always fished out of Birchdale - do not need ramp with our little 14" john boat. I like to fish both sides from Birchdale and west 2 miles. What are the chances of this working within 4 days??

I don't really know what the next options on the river are. Is it 2) Franz Jevnue and 3) Pelland ??? How is the fishing at these different from Birchdale?? Really not interested in ice fishing right now.

Thanks much - I really want this to be a successful trip!

[Sandee]

With this weather it does not look promising for Birchdale this weekend. Although reports from Rainy Lake Fishing on this forum says you can launch in International Falls or go over shore ice at Pelland. Sounds like he did OK fishing there. Yes it is open shore to shore from the falls. Go for Pelland!! close to the Little Fork area too then.

You could put over shore ice at Franz Jevne although it is not a very large area to fish.

It is currently snowing here which does not help and the forecast is cold until Friday.

These are your options for this weekend for any open water fishing.

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www.clementsonresort.com

[Guest]

BDR-

I have found similar success at the Rainy. The best fishing can be about 3 days after Birchdale is open until there is a melting event that muddies the river or the fork rivers break free. Those first few days can be incredible. I am aiming for the weekend of the 29th. Does anybody have any guesses to when Birchdale will open? I've heard it is going to be warm/average starting Sunday (23d) through next week. If the river doesn't open until the 27th or 28th, would it be better to come the following week?

Good Luck to all! Remember to post all of your results/techniques after your spring trips!

[fiskyknut]

My guess....April 4 for trailer boats at Birchdale. Hopefully sooner, but I doubt it. This guess is probably wishful thinking.

Fisky

[gofishingtom]

thanks SANDEE for all the info. hope the river gets open to clemeson by next thurs. we changed are plans from this week to next and probably cant change again. hope the warm up happens sooner and landing will be open for trailers to launch. keeping fingers crossed!!!!!!