Jump to content

  • GUESTS

    If You  want access  to member only forums on FM, You will need to Sign-in or  Sign-Up now .

    This box will disappear once you are signed in as a member.

Newbie in the forum and to Rainy Lake

tbuss
 Share

Recommended Posts

tbuss Explorer

tbuss

Posted
Posted

Myself and a friend are comming up for a 1 week stay on Rainy Lake on 1 Sep 08, we have rented a houseboat from Northernaire Houseboats. What I would like to know is what kind of a GPS unit should a person have on Rainy Lake. This would be my first time on this lake, I have a quide for our 2nd day out on the lake and the rest of the trip we will be on our own. We are also going to rent their upgrade 18's Alaskan Lund. My friend and I don't have the best mobility on land but a boat should be different. I have asked the resort to help us tie up the houseboat at a good spot if possible so that we may fish from it and not have to try and tie the boat up ourself. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Semper fi Terry

Link to comment
Share on other sites
tearin' lips Mentor

tearin' lips

Posted
Posted

Welcome to the forum tbuss! Rainy Lake is a great lake and I will bet that after your first trip you will be hooked! And there is no better way to explore Rainy Lake, than with a houseboat. The Garbe's will treat you well and help you out the best they can.

For I GPS I would recommend the Lowrance H2O-C for a couple of reasons. First it is easy to use. Second the color makes it easier to see in the sun, and finally it is just a flat out great unit! With this unit I would pair it up with the new '08 Navionics Premium North Chip. If you fish in Iowa, this will cover bodies of water down in you neck of the woods too.

Their Alaskans are outfitted with a lowrance or a hummingbird locater, depending on which one of the two you are provided with. They also have a 55 lb thrust trolling motor on the back. IT is definately worth upgrading to these units!

As for the fishing, look for the reef bite to be predominant, but good fishing can be found on the shorelines as well. Fishing in 30+ feet of water is fairly common and in certain areas they may be deeper. This time of the year you can troll shad raps, or any deeper running lures and have good success. I troll reefrunners or rapala taildancers, with 140-180 feet of line out. This brings these lures down to depths of 28-34 feet.

Good areas to fish are not necessarily the farthest away. Some of the closest houseboat sites have good fishing within a few minutes of them. However if I were to key in on any areas I would drive the houseboat to the Cranberry Bay area or out as far as Big Island. These areas have lots of structure to choose from and many great fishing opportunities. Plus, if you like Northern Pike, the Cranberry Bay area has lots of BIG ones!!

Hope this helps get you started!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
fishmeister_86 Veteran

fishmeister_86

Posted
Posted

HI TBUSS,

AS T.L. DID, WELCOME TO THE RAINY LAKE FORUM. I GET ALL MY PRODUCTS FROM THE M.B.M./FAST FOOD MERCHANDISERS FOR MY RESTAURANT FROM MASON CITY (NOTICING YOUR FROM THERE) ONE OF THEIR DRIVERS...CHRIS SHOLL(SP) WHO I BELIEVE HAS WON THE IOWA STATE WALLEYE CHAMPIONSHIP HAS STAYED AT MY CABIN & I HAVE FISHED WITH HIM...EXTREMELY NICE INDIVIDUAL., AND A VERY GOOD STICK.

T.L. GAVE YOU A EXCELLENT POST. AS HE SAID YOU WILL BE HOOKED ONCE YOU EXPERIENCE RAINY...NOT ONLY FOR BEING ONE OF THE BEST WALLEYE LAKES IN THE WORLD, BUT ALSO FOR THE BREATHTAKING BEAUTY. AS I TELL MANY 1ST TIMERS WHO FISH RAINY, BRING A 28LB. OR RIVER CLAW ANCHOR WITH 130 FOOT ROPE. LOTS OF JIGS 1/8 OZ. TO 3/8 OZ., LOTS OF LINDY RIGS & WEIGHTS. I ALSO WOULD BRING ALONG CRAWLERS, LOTS OF LEECHES & PLASTICS & POWERBAITS CAN WORK WELL.

SINCERELY,

FISHMEISTER

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Bemidjifisher Contributor

Bemidjifisher

Posted
Posted

Makes reef fishing easy, once you find them on the reef anchor on top of them and pick 'um off..

Link to comment
Share on other sites
tbuss Explorer

tbuss

Posted
  • Author
Posted

thanks very much for the info. I did a little checking on the H20-c and I found a few fellows that said the navonics chip would cause there unit to lock up all the time and they where recommended a lakemaster chip. Terry

Link to comment
Share on other sites
tbuss Explorer

tbuss

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Bill, thanks much for the info. Do you happen to carry the lowrance h20-c and the 08 navionics prremium north chip, if so how much, email me at [email protected], if not do you have a recommedation as to where I could get it. Terry

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Bemidjifisher Contributor

Bemidjifisher

Posted
Posted

Hold off on buying your chip for the H2Oc... I have good information that the new Rainy/Lake of the Wood LakeMaster Chip may be out by then..

Link to comment
Share on other sites
fishmeister_86 Veteran

fishmeister_86

Posted
Posted

HI TBUSS,

MOST ALL OF THE LARGER BOATS THAT GUIDE ANCHOR, IF THEY DIDN'T, THEY WOULD SPEND THE ENTIRE TIME UNTANGLING LINES., THE OTHER THING IS RAINY HAS SOME BIG WATER, AND WHEN ITS WINDY YOU BASICALLY HAVE 2 OPTIONS...FISH SHORELINES OR FISH OUT ON THE REEFS (WHERE YOU WILL WANT TO BE IN SEPT.) SMALL BELL ANCHORS WILL NOT HOLD YOU IN RAINY, YOU NEED A HEAVY CLAW ANCHOR TO HOLD, THE LONGER THE ROPE IS, THE BETTER CHANCE YOU HAVE OF HOLDING. I USE THE HEAVY ANCHOR...BUT I HAVE SAW MANY GUYS HOLD WITH THE LIGHTER RIVER ANCHORS...BUT STILL WITH ALOT OF ROPE. THERE IS A ART TO ANCHORING. WHAT I DO IS LOCATE THE FISH, MARK WITH A BOUY, HEAD INTO THE WIND, THROW THE ANCHOR WHERE I FIGURE I CAN END UP DRIFTING & HOLDING AT THE MARKER...DO IT A FEW TIMES & MOST THE TIME YOU CAN END UP RIGHT ON THE MARKER, WHICH THEN I NET THE MARKER TO ELIMINATE TANGLING IN IT. I ALWAYS TRY TO GET ON THE BREAKLINES WHERE I CAN DRIFT FROM THE SHALLOW SIDE OF THE REEF TO THE DEEP SIDE...MANY TIMES DRIFTING 20 TO 40 FEET.

SINCERELY,

FISHMEISTER

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Black_Bay Proficient

Black_Bay

Posted
Posted

What the guys fail to tell you is when anchoring make sure you're driving the boat so you don't have to be the one lifting the anchor in and out. ;\)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
tbuss Explorer

tbuss

Posted
  • Author
Posted

do any of you know what kind of Lund Alaskan 18' that Northernair Houseboat use. What I mean are they steered with a tiller or from a consol. Terry

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.
 Share
Go to topic listing


  • Your Responses - Share & Have Fun :)

    • CigarGuy
      Bait

      By CigarGuy · Posted

      Quick update: Lucky 7 now has rainbows, fatheads, crappie and light pike in stock. If I remember correctly, scoop of rainbows was $8.99.  Stopped at L&M in Virginia. Rainbows $6.99, fatheads and crappie minnows (scoop) $3.99. I was billed $6.99 dozen for rainbows, but was given a healthy scoop!
    • smurfy
      Saving the planet!

      By smurfy · Posted

      🤣 you da friggin grammar police!🤔😒🤣
    • leech~~
      Saving the planet!

      By leech~~ · Posted

      I have had the same old Strikemaster augers for years, take care of them and they will last a long time.   I think E-augers are nice for around home lakes or at the cabin. The thing that was a eye opener to me was being in D-Rock in New Brighton getting new blades and there were two guys that just got back from a week in Canada on a big ice fishing trip and both very pissed off at their e-augers dying! They were both buying new gas augers.  
    • LakeofthewoodsMN
      MN Fishing Opener Looking Good

      By LakeofthewoodsMN · Posted

      On the south end...   Things are shaping up nicely for the MN Fishing Opener which takes place Saturday, May 11th.  Recent rain has brought up the water levels, which were low.  The walleyes and saugers are in very good shape across the south shore.  Expectations are high. The goto presentation this weekend will be a jig and frozen emerald shiner or other kind of minnow.  Emerald shiners are a staple in LOW and walleyes love them.     Hook the shiner through the mouth and out the gill.  Push the minnow all the way up to the jig head and hook the minnow as far back as possible.  This will give you a better hooking percentage.     Jig sizes and colors?  This is stained water so you can get away with a big heavier jig, which is nice for those who don't fish a lot.  It enables them to have more control and feel the bottom.  A quarter ounce jig is a good size for starters.     In stained water, gold, glow white, glow red, pink, orange and chartreuse, or a combo of those colors, are great places to start.   The limit of walleyes and saugers is a combined limit of six fish, up to four of the six can be walleyes.  All walleyes between 19.5 - 28.0 inches must be released.  One fish over 28.0 inches can be kept.  The possession limit in MN is one daily limit of fish. Whether intentionally or unintentionally, there will be some good pike caught this weekend.  The pike season on LOW is open year round. The limit is 3 pike per day with one fish allowed more than 40 inches. All fish 30 - 40 inches must be released. On the Rainy River...  Sturgeon fishing on the Rainy River has been excellent.  The catch and release season is May 8 - 15.  The keep season starts up again July 1st. FYI, there will be some nice walleyes in the Rainy River for the fishing opener.  Lots of sturgeon anglers are reporting big walleyes being caught on sturgeon rigs! Up at the NW Angle...  Angle resorts are ready to roll for the opener.  As many of you know, this is the area of LOW where the islands begin.  Lots of structure.     Go to spots for walleyes, neck down areas, shoreline breaks, points and bays which will have warmer water.  In true NW Angle form, be ready for a mixed bag of fish.  In addition to walleyes and saugers, pike, jumbo perch, crappies, and even a few smallies and muskies will be caught.   Again, the goto presentation will be a jig and minnow. Slow trolling a crankbait will also produce fish if need be.    
    • Mike89
      Saving the planet!

      By Mike89 · Posted

      Totally disagree Gim. I have a gas Jiffy legend auger. Never issues. Take a little time to care for it before putting it away and good to go. Sincei started using non oxygen gas, startron and seafood in never have issues with my 2 strokes.   seafood???   I'd try seafoam!!!   🤣
    • smurfy
      Saving the planet!

      By smurfy · Posted

      Totally disagree Gim. I have a gas Jiffy legend auger. Never issues. Take a little time to care for it before putting it away and good to go. Sincei started using non oxygen gas, startron and seafood in never have issues with my 2 strokes.   Guess when them damb helicopters from my maple tree arrive I'll  find out how good she blows,  doubt I'll  get a chance first with Stormy to compare!🤭   Anyone got trumps number?😄
    • gimruis
      Saving the planet!

      By gimruis · Posted

      Wow, 600 bucks for a battery powered lawn mower?  Guess I didn't realize they costed that much.   I assume most people now are using battery augers in the winter.  I remember when they first came out everyone thought they were a joke.  Things sure have changed on that front.  I hardly see anyone using a gas auger anymore.   The selling point, at least for me, would be to avoid having to do any engine maintenance.  Small 2 stroke motors are a pain in the rear to maintain, and unreliable at best.
    • Mike89
      Saving the planet!

      By Mike89 · Posted

      I'll bet she's better at it!!!!  
    • leech~~
      Saving the planet!

      By leech~~ · Posted

      That thing should blow better then Stormy Daniels!  🤣🤣
    • smurfy
      Saving the planet!

      By smurfy · Posted

      Well yesterday I gave the green nazi's the middle finger 
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.

  I accept