Quality Time On The Rainy/2007 Highlights

[Tim_Anderson]

I was sitting in church this morning, and for some reason my thoughts wandered to fishing on the Rainy. You guys ever have that problem? If you're like me, it happens ALL THE TIME! The ironic thing was, the sermon was about things in our lives that take our focus off of God....go figure.

But as I thought about the Rainy, and all the seasons I have fished up there, the best description I can come up with is the quality. Quality fishing. Quality fishermen. Quality attitudes. And quality people up there to assist us in getting it done.

One of the things I appreciate the most about the Rainy (other than the fishing) is the fun of "hob-nobbing" with all the other fishermen up there. It happens at the landing, all day long on the river, at the gas station, the restaurant, and the motel. There is a "buzz" going on everywhere. Hard core fishermen, and everyone is completely thrilled to be on the soft water again. Everyone is excited about what they've done today, and what they hope to do tomorrow. Folks are helpful everywhere, and especially at the accesses, where people are giving others rides from their trucks to the access, and vice versa. I witnessed many helping others get trailered up, and assisting one another in the early A.M. icy conditions. When someone has an accident or difficulty, others are there immediately to help. And finally, it's as if nothing is really "sacred" up there. Sharing information is done freely, and there is very little of the typical "tight lipped" thing that is so common among fishermen. It's really as if everyone wants everyone else to succeed, period.

Now think about what fishing is like back home throughout the summer season. Think about the times when you have been cut off on your favorite lake or spot, or the "ramp rage" you have witnessed when things got backed up at the access, or the general state of competition and folks trying to out do or one up the next boat (criticism and complaint is a constant thing). BUT, have you ever seen anything like that happen up on the Rainy? I for one could not come up with one negative experience (other than seeing some guys getting tickets from canadian officials) in three trips up there this spring.

And so my hat is off to the spring fishermen of the Rainy River. You are a different breed....the most hard core, walleye-est catchin', sturgeon battlin', fightin' the elements, happy as a bunch of larks, and doin' whatever it takes to get it done bunch of fishermen (and women) there is. Spring on the Rainy is like one big fishing party. I hardly know any of you, but I sure do enjoy hangin out anyway.

That is a big part of why I look so forward to my annual spring rainy trips, and each year, they come up as huge highlights in the overall scheme of my life. And I wonder, what if more of what we experience in this world was as positive as things always are up on the rainy? Now there's a thought.

My highlights this year were seeing one friend catch a number of sturgeon (it was -25 windchill), which he had never done before, and he was completely thrilled. Another friend caught a 30 inch walleye (crushing his previous best of 24 inches), and also got a 58 inch sturgeon, which he still hasn't stopped talking about. Yesterday morning, I snagged a 62 inch sturgeon in the side, and when I set the hook, it nearly spooled me (in about 10 seconds) when it made a run for Canada. Seeing my line streaking cross- current at such a rapid rate that I had to chase it down for fear of running out of line was quite the adrenaline rush, and it was pretty cool to eventually boat the fish and get a picture with it. And last night was the icing on the cake. Pulled up to the birchdale ramp, agonized about leaving, and decided to catch "just one more". Turned out to be a 30.5 incher. Pretty hard to end on a more positive note than that.

Well, I apologize for the length of my post...this is the way I get when I get going about the Rainy. Mostly, I am just a very grateful man.

Feel free to share your 2007 highlights here as I'd sure like to hear about them.

[heartattack22]

I second everything you said Tim about how happy and willing everyone is up there. It is just a fun time of year. I only made it up there once this year, and didn't catch too many fish, but it was just nice to be back on the soft water again. Thanks to everyone that makes it so enjoyable fishing the Rainy each year!!!

[Royal Dutchman]

Great "last fish" Tim!

I have always held the belief that I have more of a religious experience in my boat seat than most have in a church pew. Hard to be out there and not feel a connection to a higher power. I've also held a theory that "stress is water soluble" and the Rainy River water seems to have a higher concentration of active ingredients than most.

We sometimes see folks at check-in that we are not totally fond of but given 24 hours to down-load the stress, they become class A folks.

Glad you had a good one!

[dragon81]

Stayed at the Royal this weekend, Rick and Jason.

Class act and they even had some gas for my buddy since we were about to run out. Caught 9 of the 10 biggest walleyes of my life on friday alone. 9 between 27 and 28 inches, Jason caught 4 between 26 and 29.8 I also caught a sturgeon which was my first and it was 54 inches and real fat. What a rush that was. THANKS RAINY RIVER

We will be sending pictures to Royal Dutchman soon. THANKS

[Tim_Anderson]

teaching myself how to post pictures (sturgies up to 62" and eyes 28-31" from the trip last weekend) here goes........

[bowhuntz]

This year was definitely stressful, but it was worth the wait!!! My younger brother John, and Bill, a good friend of mine came along with me. John and I have fished a lot growing up but the last five years John has been overseas in the military, so I haven't had much time to spend with my little brother. Thursday we boated 78 walleyes. Bill: 28.5”, 26”, 25”, 24.5”. John: 27”, 24”. Myself: 25” and couldn't wait till morning. Friday the bite slowed, as far as I could tell, we boated 40 walleyes by 2:00 and then switched to a three way rig with a crank and picked up 13 more with 4 of them over 25”. Bill: 28.5”, 26” John: 26”, 25”. My biggest fish of the day was 21” . I went to bed Friday night knowing that the way the ice was melting, I would maybe have a chance to fish the spot where seven years ago I caught my biggest walleye (33”) and maybe my younger brother could get a 30 incher. We woke up early Saturday morning and headed down the river just in front of the ice. Soon after, the fog set in thicker then pea soup. Bill caught the first fish, 28.5”. John was next with a 26” walleye, and then myself with a back to back 26” and 27”. Little did I know that I would soon become the guide (netting,taking photos, and running the boat). The next hour was what dreams were made of. John and Bill took turns catching eyes, 14 walleyes between 26” and 30”!!!!! The best though, was the look on John's face when he saw his first 30” walleye on the other end of his line!! I told John to remember this day, because all the years that Bill and I have fished on the rainy and elsewhere, we have never seen fishing like this before. Saturday we ended up boating 76 walleyes by the time we made our way home. I may not have caught as many fish as those two but this was by far my best fishing trip ever!!!!!!!!!

Thanks Rainy River for the memories!!!!

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[harvey lee]

What more could one ask for than those pics of fish.

great job Tim