Anybody else know how to type?

[CaptJohnWis]

Aside from the occasional  request for info (that has usually been answered many times in past!) nobody else seems to post here anymore.

I can understand why the tourney guys don't want to blab, but I think there are others out there who could contribute. It won't hurt to tell what lures are working at what depth. No need to give GPS coordinates of yer favorite honey hole. But saying "windy points" or "20-foot humps" is not going to draw a crowd. Pictures are now very easy to post. Once they are on your computer you just click on the paper clip icon "choose files" then pick which pictures (that are on your computer) you want to add to your text. The Outdoor Minnesota web site will then host (store) your picture for all to see.

Here are some oldies of mine! Mexico bass trip. My guide is holding my biggest pike ever. They had a rule at that camp that all fish must be released within 30 seconds and by time I got camera out he was putting her back in water (the first fish I caught on that trip!) Be prepared! Ice fished with Gordy Pizer one yer on LOW. My long time fishing partner Herb with the biggest lake trout of that trip.

[G I Mike]

John,

I only wish I could post multiple reports a week from Rainy Lake like you do!  I am a faithful follower since 2008 and look forward to your reports and pictures, but unfortunately I live in central MN only get 4 or 5 trips a year to spend on Rainy. 

I agree the number of posts in this forum get to be less and less.  Used to be a lot of guys posting but Im sure that they have turned to Facebook or whatever else.

Please keep up the posts.

Mike

[bfisherman11]

Wish I could fish Rainy more. Love it.

 

Bill

[h8go4s]

John, from your reports:

Posted May 31 Very slow and ended up with 33 fish

Posted June 14 Fished about ten hours today. Only 26 fish.

Posted June 23 Great fishing today. 41 fish mostly eyes.

Posted June 27 Fishing fair today. Mike and I ended up with 53 fish

Posted July 7      I fished 11 hours Wednesday. Got 31

Posted July 15   Fishing has been slow for over a week. Mostly 30 fish days

 

There's no way I can compete with that. I've fished Rainy 3 times in the last 4 years and the best I've done is probably 10 fish in a day. I've done 4 to 5 day camping trips on Dryweed Island and Arden Island and fished those areas. I'm still exploring and learning the lake with a 50 hp tiller boat, so North Arm is out of my range. But I'll be sure to post a report the next time I'm at Rainy. Thanks for your reports.

[CaptJohnWis]

30 fish days are the norm but nothing special unless there are some BIG ones in the mix. If all we got were 30 or 40 eater walleyes, I would consider it a poor day. Pretty easy to catch small walleyes on live bait - mark some on sonar and drop down a lively leech, crawler or minnow and you will get bit.. But often the eaters are hard to catch on lures! 

When I first started fishing Rainy over 40 years ago, I used nitecrawlers most of the time and did great. But once I got the hang of catching them on lures, the average size went up considerably. Bigger fish and you can cover water much faster in order to find em.

Skinny Capt. John (back when we always kept our limit) with probably the first bass boat ever to be on Rainy Lake. All my Wisconsin buddies thought I was nuts to buy such a weird looking boat. But I had fished from one in Missouri and could see all the advantages over the "normal" aluminum boat with bench seats and no bow mounted trolling motor.

[sherbear]

I also watch for your posts.  We have a place on Rainy near NW Bay.  This summer we haven't been able to use it much due to doctor appointments and family projects at home, so I especially enjoy reading your reports.  Thanks for sharing with us! This is the largest walleye I have ever caught on Rainy ~ 32" ~ caught and released!  

[bfisherman11]

32" eye is a great old fish. Good for you letting it go. 

 

Great place to fish.

 

Bill

[rainylakefisher]

I'll bite ... wish the fish would have a little better.  We just got back from five days at the Thunderbird Lodge.  Nice quiet cabin on the end of their property.  Our trip was a family affair so hardcore fishing wasn't the only goal.  We spent a lot of time picking wild blueberries (almost 40 cups!) on various islands, and enjoying the scenery on the western side of the lake.  I never get tired of being there.

My fishing report is so-so.  Sunday we had our best luck on a wind blown shoreline off the main lake in 14-18' of water.  We caught a couple dozen walleye using jig & minnows in a 2.5 hour stretch when the wind was blowing strong even though thunderstorms had chased us off the lake earlier in the afternoon.  Five were keepers between 15-17".  One was an 'over' fish at 22".   

Most of the other days the lake was nearly calm and with bright sunshine and  I always struggle in those conditions.  My well-tested "fish the wind" theory goes out the window when there isn't any wind.  I tried deep, shallow, and everywhere in between, but the fish weren't all that cooperative.  We caught a few pike trolling and my son nabbed a nice 20" walleye on a bright sunny day in 14' of water trolling a crankbait.  I'd love some tips on what to do on bright, sunny, calm days ...  maybe play golf instead??

My last fish of the trip came near dusk on Wednesday night.  All five of us had been fishing for a couple hours with only a handful to show for it.  I had been skunked so far and didn't want to end the trip that way.  I made one last stop at a favorite shallow point with a very slight breeze blowing in but low-light conditions.  I caught a 23" walleye casting a black & silver shad rap against shore and decided to call it a trip on a high note!