Rainy River fall fishing?

[GCLARK]

Anyone been up to the river yet? I hear the walleye are starting to bite!

[certified jumbo]

My dad and group got there limits today and threw back a bunch.  Even got some sturgeon.

[Tony S]

I am going up this Friday-Sunday.  I know the lake and lower river has been good but no word on the river above Baudette?  I will start at Birchdale and work my way down to the lake if I have to.  The past 2 falls have not been good for me that far upstream so hoping for a run of fish up there.  Nice weather forecast. 

[slammer]

Always had better fishing closer to the lake in the fall.  Some years Four Mile bay has been best.   Upstream is better in the spring

[GCLARK]

Thanks for the info. We'll probably head up there in a week and a half. I'll let you know how we do.

[Tony S]

Here is my up-river report.  Went to Birchdale Friday and fished about 5 hours.  Could not troll cranks much because kicker would not run.   Caught numerous 14 to 15-inchers on a green jig/bigger size rainbow or golden shiner.  The slower the better on the jigging with many bites just laying on the bottom not moving.  Lots of light bites, probably smaller fish.  The last hour was good with about 8 fish between 17-20 inches.  Caught those in 7 to 9 feet above a deeper hole. Saturday morning, same thing lots of small-ish walleye for about 2 hours then the bite quit so I went down to Frontier.  Caught a few more nothing big. Overall slow but would have had plenty of fish to eat.  Should get better in a few weeks hopefully.  I would fish downriver more toward the lake or lake itself if I was going again soon. 

[Tony S]

OK here is Oct 28-29 up-river report.  Fished at Birchdale.  Friday afternoon was OK, with what looked like most boats catching fair numbers of those 14 to 16-inch eater walleye and smaller walleye and sauger.  Definitely some shiners up there.  Saw and heard of a few bigger fish caught.  The last hour of the day was good for me with a number of bigger ones mixed in with the eaters. Saturday morning/early afternoon was slower than Friday for sure.  Stopped at Vidas on my way home and talked to a guy that said fishing was good around there Saturday, with lots of those eater size walleye but he didn't see very many bigger fish being caught. 

[GCLARK]

We fished Sunday- Tuesday around the Frontier area, fishing was OK, but not many larger Walleye either being caught, mostly smaller ones and sauger. Sturgeon and Northerns were going good. Water temp was 47.