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.

Biggest Rainy Lake Pike


Recommended Posts

I can't speak to Rainy in any meaningful way, since my decades of dispersed camping/fishing have been on Kabe.  Not sure if this needs to shift to the Kabe thread, but I'll hide behind the newbie moniker and just respond.  For years we used jungle hammocks and slept wherever we stopped.  Then did years fishing from an old 22' deck boat with a camper enclosure; allowing us to pretty much stay anywhere.  Now we're super nimble in a dinky little Tracker with a hydraulic jackplate to negotiate some pretty skinny water.  We get some looks, since we're don't draft much more than a powered surfboard.  (But hey, we did a couple years in a duck-boat with a mud motor and other years with inflatable 9' Zodiac yacht tenders.)  Some of the guys decided to breakaway from my brother and me when we started encountering sub 20-degree temps in October.  They got a cabin at Sandy Point and loved it and have been doing this in October now for years.  We crash their parties occasionally, but my bro and I still opt to camp.  With the reservation system in place now and the inability to disperse camp in the NPS, we're probably just going to do the tarp, ka-bar and loin cloth thing and check out some of the 4-million acres in Superior National Forest.  We'll still do some obligatory trips to Kabe to hang with our fishing peers, but the mandated campsites has diminished the appeal to us a bit.  Nothing but positives about the folks at Sandy Point!

  • Thumbs Up 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just got a chance to watch your second video, beanman.  You guys look like you had a great time.  Nice boats and gear, too.  Loved the clips from Kettle Falls.  Noted the extended cooler platform on the Lund.  That toss a pretty good rooster underway?  See you bumped into some nice smallies.  We've had years (on Kabe) where we couldn't find them and other years where we couldn't keep them off the line and all 19" or bigger.

  • Thumbs Up 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've never done the houseboat thing but have spent over 350 nights camping on Namakan mainly, Rainy and to a lesser extent Kab (east side only).  I've also fished Redgut and Seine bays on the Ontario side of Rainy.

Some of the biggest pike that we've seen have been on the reefs chasing the walleyes in August.  They will hit a 12" walleye that you've hooked and is struggling like nothing else!  Biggest one I've seen was in Seine bay, it hit the same walleye 3 times and would hold onto it all the way to the boat just out of net range.  This was a mid 40's fish.  We were able to net a 15.5# pike that wouldnt let go of a small walleye in Redgut bay one year.

Mid September fishing for eye's will depend alot on how the water temp is holding, and where the turnover process is on the lakes (Nam/Kab).  If bigger walleyes are what your looking for I dont know that Kab or Namakan will provide that compared to Rainy, tho there is a very healthy population of 21-24" eye's in Namakan right now.  Our best big fish outings have been in early/mid August on the east end of Rainy reefs, fishing rigs and spinners.

And yes, no trip is complete without a stop at the "tiltin' hilton".  I almost hate to admit but we've been going up 4-5 times a summer since '97 and have met so many nice folks up there. Rick even lets our lab Ammo up in the veranda when its hot, LOL. 

   

  • Thumbs Up 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

15 hours ago, LongAgoLeo said:

Just got a chance to watch your second video, beanman.  You guys look like you had a great time.  Nice boats and gear, too.  Loved the clips from Kettle Falls.  Noted the extended cooler platform on the Lund.  That toss a pretty good rooster underway?  See you bumped into some nice smallies.  We've had years (on Kabe) where we couldn't find them and other years where we couldn't keep them off the line and all 19" or bigger.

No roostertail from the cooler.  That was a pretty nice space saver for those guys.  We spent less than 3 hours on the smallies.  Most of our time was spent catching a bunch of 10-12" Walleye.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Xplorer - At first blush I was totally envious of your camping day-count.  But then did the math and realized I'm virtually in the same club!  Another testament to how great the venue up there has been for so many years.  Have also experienced hits by big pike on hooked fish.  Interestingly, never up on Kab/Nam, but a number of times on the Mississippi River and Mille Lacs.  Never netted or hooked-up one of these opportunists, though.

 

beanman - Yup, thought that cooler location was clever (assuming it was stable underway).  My old deck boat had a built-in step on each side for accessing from the beach.  These proved fabulous for staging coolers, which we'd never done previously due to their space consumption.  (Of course we were working with an 8' beam, too.)

Sounds like the walleye class you bumped into were about the same as the current 13" class so pervasive in Mille Lacs this year.  Bodes well for the future, I guess.

 

 

Kabe_15a_-_030.JPG

Kabe_15a_-_034.JPG

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Heading up to Rainy for the first time on a houseboat trip Memorial Day Weekend.  Looking for big pike, and was wondering what spots would work best?  I noticed a lot of the bays further east (Marion, Hitchcock, Saginaw) have creeks flowing into them and seem to have vegetation... Good spots to try out?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

My understanding is that big bays in 1-4 feet of water with floating raps or jerk baits fished slow is one way to go.  I haven't figured out May too well though so take my advice with a grain of salt.

  • Thumbs Up 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.



  • Similar Content

  • Your Responses - Share & Have Fun :)

    • LakeofthewoodsMN
      On the South Shore...  The focus for many this week is the ongoing deer hunting season which is a big tradition in these parts, even for avid walleye anglers.  There were some that either already harvested their deer or are more into catching fall walleyes than hunting.     Those that are fishing are taking advantage of the unseasonably warm weather and excellent walleye and sauger bite that is happening across the lake.  Cold weather is in the forecast in the upcoming days and weeks so that is also getting many excited. The best depths on the south end of LOW are 22-28 feet of water.     Vertical jigging with frozen emerald shiners is catching most of the walleyes, saugers and jumbo perch.  Depending upon where on the lake you are fishing, some slots and big trophies are in the mix as well, but most reports are talking about good numbers of eaters.    Jumbo perch are coming in good numbers this fall which will serve ice anglers well.  Watch out for an occasional pike or even lake sturgeon mixed in with the walleyes.      There are good numbers of walleyes and saugers across the south shore which is setting up nicely for early ice.   On the Rainy River...  There continues to be good numbers of shiners in the river, and consequently, there are good walleyes in the river as well.     Walleyes along with saugers, pike and some sturgeon are coming in up and down the river.  Most walleyes are being caught in 10-25 feet of water in various stretches of the river.   Jigging with live or frozen emerald shiners is the key. Some anglers are also still slow trolling crankbaits upstream to cover more ground and find fish. Both methods are producing solid results. Sturgeon fishing remains strong.  The catch-and-release sturgeon fishing is open into the spring when it changes to the "keep season" on April 24th. Up at the NW Angle...  As temps are getting colder, most are in the woods hunting and not fall fishing, however, for those who bundle up, fishing continues to be excellent.     A nice mixed bag with walleyes, saugers, perch, pike and crappies being caught. Very good muskie fishing with the colder water temps and shorter days.  Some big fish and some good numbers are being caught amongst the islands.  Both casting and trolling is getting it done.  
    • gimruis
      I hunt in the rifle zone so I don't have a need to use a shotgun to hunt deer, but I would be looking at this if there was ever a need to.   There could be state legislation introduced next summer that eliminates the shotgun zone completely.  It has bipartisan support.  Wisconsin removed theirs years ago and MN is usually later to follow.  They've tried to pass it more than once and it came up just short both times.  Probably just a matter of time.
    • Wanderer
      Oh, h e l l no! 
    • leech~~
      Screw that, here's whatch need!  😆   Power-Shok Rifled Slug 10 Gauge 766 Grain Grain Weight: 766 Shotshell Length: 3-1/2in / 89mm Muzzle Velocity: 1280
    • Wanderer
      20 ga has become a real popular deer round in the last 5 or so years.  The rifled barrels are zinging those sabot slugs with rifle like accuracy out to 100 yards easily.  Some go so far as dialing in for a 200 yard shot but really, by 150 they’re falling off pretty low.   I have a single shot Ultraslug in 20 ga that shoots really well at 100 yards.  Most everyone I know that has bought a slug gun lately has gotten the Savage 220 in 20ga.  Problem can be finding the shells you want.
    • leech~~
      My son always bugs me about getting a nice light over-under 20ga for grouse hunting.  I say Heck no, I'm getting a 3 1/2" 10ga so I can put as much lead in the air that I can!!     So, I'm keeping my 12ga.  
    • 11-87
      That’s almost exactly what I was thinking.  Have slug barrels for both   One for turkey and one for deer.      I have a 20ga mosseberg as well. (Combo came with the scope but never used.   I always liked the 12 better
    • leech~~
      Wanderer is right on the money and covered it well.  I was wondering too if you had a slug barrel for one of your guns?  If so you could make that your slug gun with a scope, and the other your turkey gun with the Red dot.  As you can afford it. 
    • Wanderer
      Kinda depends on if you want magnification or quick target acquisition.   More magnification options and better accuracy with a scope.  You get what you pay for too so get comfortable with a budget for one.  Tasco and Bushnell work but I find they lose their zero easier, have low contrast and don’t gather light well in low light conditions.  That said, I’m still using one I haven’t replaced yet.  Vortex has been the hot brand for the past several years for bang for the buck.  Good products.  Nothing beats Swarovski though.  Huge dough for those.  Burris is another decent option.   There are some specific models for shotgun/slug hunting in the economy brands and bullet drop compensation (BDC) reticles.  Based on experience I’d recommend not falling for that marketing ploy.   Red dots are usually lower magnification and easier to get on target.  Reasonably accurate but don’t do well with definition, like searching the brush for your target.  I put a HAWKE red dot on a .22 for squirrels and it’s been good.  For turkey, that’s probably the route I’d go.     If your slug shots are normally not too far and too brushy, I’d think a red dot could work there too if you’re only buying 1 scope.  You’ll be better off dimming the reticle to the lowest setting you can easily use to not over shine the target and get a finer aim point.   If you don’t have a slug barrel, you might appreciate one of those.  I had a browning with a smoothbore slug barrel that shot Brenneke 2-3/4 inch well.  The 11-87 would well fitted with a cantelever rifled barrel. 
    • 11-87
      Looking for recommendations on scope or red dot    I basically hunt turkey and whitetail, live in southern MN. So it’s all deer/ shotgun    looking to add a scope/ red dot as my eyes don’t work like they used to to with the open sights.    my gun options are 11/87 12. Browning BPS 12    not looking for the most expensive or the cheapest    pros and cons of one over the other
×
×
  • 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.