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Rainy lake fishing 2020


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My wife and I were out on Tuesday from noon to 3pm. Light east south east wind using jig and minnow. We caught over 30 walleyes with quite a few double headers. The biggest was 23” and another 7 in the 18”-21” range. 10 were in the 14”-17” slot range but did not keep any with the rest being 12”-13”. Water temperature was at 73.5 degrees. Air temperature was at 86 degrees.

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Counting the days, and looking for cooler weather also. As always, your  pictures are excellent !  How is the fire situation, and what is the lake level ? I'm worried BIDEN is going for another lock down, which isn't going to play out well here. Pray for the best, prepare for the worst. Thanks as always for the pictures !!!

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Hey Mtnman. Thanks…the last two times out my wife took the pictures….still smoke in the area, as you can see in the background. Fire ban is still in place for much of northwestern Ontario. Rainy is about a foot low from normal water levels. Temperature has been in the low 80’s for the most part which about average for early August.

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Thanks for your continued updates & pictures!!  Follow your thread for quite some time!!  My wife & I are contemplating one of my bucket list fishing trips to LOW/Rainy River later this year (never been there!).  Considering Labor Day weekend or the first weekend of October.  If you were us, which weekend would you choose & if I may ask, why?  I'm thinking you're going to say October, but I could be wrong!!!

 

Thanks!!!

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I know you didn't ask me, but I would go and fish the river at the end of October. Walleye will be following emerald shiners into the river and fishing is amazing. Labor day is going to be primarily lake fishing. I go to Kabetogama every labor day week and have excellent fishing. 

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Thank you Skis.
Since the border has been closed, I did what I could to make everyone feel like they were on rainy lake. As for fall fishing, as  Better than work stated, hard to beat the river in October. The only snag there is little or no current because of the drought. All the lakes going east are below the bottom of the rule curve, about a foot on rainy. I usually make me way to seine, kettle or canoe rivers to catch a few on rainy. I have had luck in the past fishing walleyes and crappies in the upper part red gut in September, along with bass and a few northern. Crappies usually school up and are a blast. The only thing to watch for is if it cools down and the lake turns over. Will be out this weekend with my wife. Will post our day.

Hearing Better than work is heading for Kab in a few weeks, I spoke with a friend that lives on Kab and walleyes are being caught  in 17-25 feet of water on the reefs using leeches or crawlers. 
 

Good luck!

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Thanks for the info! I primarily troll leadcore around midlake structure. 24-28 feet during the day. Has never failed me up there at that time of year. I like jerk baits around shallow rocks in the morning. Never know what you will get!

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My wife and I went out on Saturday from noon till 3. Fish were spread out…few here, a few there. Water temperature was at 69 degrees. Wind blowing out of the southeast at 10-15mph. All caught on jig and minnow. Caught 7 walleyes between 14 1/2”-17 1/2”. Kept all and had surf and turf on Sunday. 

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With so much uncertainty in the world, we may skip our September trip and stay close to home. I'll rely on your picture to "live the life" !!

 

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On 8/13/2021 at 4:57 PM, Muskies said:

Thank you Skis.
Since the border has been closed, I did what I could to make everyone feel like they were on rainy lake. As for fall fishing, as  Better than work stated, hard to beat the river in October. The only snag there is little or no current because of the drought. All the lakes going east are below the bottom of the rule curve, about a foot on rainy. I usually make me way to seine, kettle or canoe rivers to catch a few on rainy. I have had luck in the past fishing walleyes and crappies in the upper part red gut in September, along with bass and a few northern. Crappies usually school up and are a blast. The only thing to watch for is if it cools down and the lake turns over. Will be out this weekend with my wife. Will post our day.

Hearing Better than work is heading for Kab in a few weeks, I spoke with a friend that lives on Kab and walleyes are being caught  in 17-25 feet of water on the reefs using leeches or crawlers. 
 

Good luck!

Thanks for the information!!!  Actually was having a conversation with a customer of mine after lunch today, who also loves walleye fishing.....told him I was considering a "bucket list" trip to Rainy/LOW & his exact words were to wait until they get some water!!  Maybe I'll end up going to Lake Vermilion this fall instead....was supposed to cross that off the bucket list last year, but my wife & I both came down with COVID days prior to our reservation.  Not a great topic of conversation for us!!! 

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  • 3 months later...

Happy Holidays Muskies !! I've been off sight for a long while. My Son died in July at 45 from a heat stroke while working in Knoxville Tn. I've had a hard time with that.  We did not make our fall trip to Rainy Lake, and the effects of it all are felt now.  How was the fall ?  A friend with a guide service there told me I didn't miss anything, and the lack of post tend to support that. We appreciate all post and fishing chatter shared on this forum and especially all you share. Best wishes for a great winter. CHEERS to all !!

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Sorry to hear about your loss. Mntman, That is a lot to deal with.  As for fishing, between work and work at home I did not drop a line in the water after the end of august. Along with that, the water at my dock was getting pretty low with the bottom of the boat rubbing on a few rocks so pulled the boat out and set to removing them…picture are the results. (Where the rocks are is usually 12-14” under water) And yes the old fashion way with shovel and pry bar. Hope you have a merry Christmas and holiday season! The fish will be waiting for us all next spring!

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  • 4 weeks later...

I can not get a picture, but in my mind it is beautiful !!  I have already requested a camp sight for the third week of May, but haven't herd back from those folks yet. I'm sure they had plenty to do this past month !!  We have survived the Covid (4 wks worth) and SO ready to get back to living. Good Lord willing, I plan to fish this afternoon and take advantage of near 70* temps. About 20* above our normals. I have some new lures to try out on some hungry crappie. May the New Year bring us good fortune and tight lines !!  (<:

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31 minutes ago, Mtnman said:

I can not get a picture, but in my mind it is beautiful !!  I have already requested a camp sight for the third week of May, but haven't herd back from those folks yet. I'm sure they had plenty to do this past month !!  We have survived the Covid (4 wks worth) and SO ready to get back to living. Good Lord willing, I plan to fish this afternoon and take advantage of near 70* temps. About 20* above our normals. I have some new lures to try out on some hungry crappie. May the New Year bring us good fortune and tight lines !!  (<:

sorry about that…reinserted picture…enjoy the weather! Today -4 degrees Fahrenheit and expecting 5-8” of snow tonight and tomorrow..

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  • 1 month later...

Been a long winter and write a lot off to "getting older". So looking forward to May 22 and putting the boat back into Rainy. Guessing we won't get back into Canada AGAIN this year, will be the third loss in 35 years of travel there. I'm counting on you Muskies to keep me up to date on conditions and activity there. Sure hope water levels come back up and the fires stay at bay. 

Cheers !!

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Good evening Mtnman.

This past month and half has been cold and snowy. Snow banks are almost 4 feet high in town and the average temperature has been around 0 for daytime highs and -30 for the night lows (Fahrenheit) and even colder…I’m guessing we will have ample water this spring. As for the border, my guess it will be open for crossing but I’m not sure what restrictions will still be in effect. Pictures are from mornings in Fort Frances, in (Celsius)  and our place up the lake.

Stay healthy and I will keep you and everyone else updated on lake levels and temps as we start to thaw out in May lol. 

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  • 1 month later...

My guess is sometime before July….😂😂😂

….no but actually I would guess around May 2, 2022.

the seagulls have been back for 13 days and we have had three snow since then( it is a rainy lake fable that after the seagulls appear in the area, that we will get three more snows before winter is finished). There is still plenty of snow in the bush and the snow banks are still two feet high. We had a cold winter with plenty of ice.  I believe the average ice out is about May 3.

Picture is the lake side of our place on reef point last Sunday….still lots of snow….


and on the good news front, the Canadian border is open without having to provide a Covid test. Just have to be fully vaccinated along the normal passport.

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Edited by Muskies
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I had the covid and being 69+years, had no trouble with it. Since I am still a pure blood, I guess this will be year 3 without me back in Nestor Falls. Friends are still running their snowmobiles on the USA side, and loving every minute. As for me, I'm looking forward to open water. Give us a glimpse when you first hit the water.  In the mean time, CHEERS !!!

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Looked your photos and burned with desire to go to the lake. I'm assembling a team of friends right now and going to go on a trip next weekends. 

 

Regards, Jane, marketing manager, WorkTime

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  • 3 weeks later...

Still have ice but it’s melting… with all the snow we had this winter and all the rain he had in the last two weeks rainy lake and namakan are at flood stage. The gates at kettle falls and Fort Frances are open. I still have about 14”-16” before my dock will be under water. Ice out might be in another week and a half.

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Two weeks and we'll be at Rainy Lake RV.  Looking forward to an excellent month !!!  Keep us posted,..Thanks for the updates. 

 

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Hopefully the ice and high water does no harm to your dock.  We should arrive May 16 so please turn up the heat and melt the ice so spring fishing can be enjoyed.

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Looks like after a couple of days of rain (1/2” today another 1/2” tomorrow)we will have a pretty nice week…looks like open water for the Minnesota fishing opener, but the water is still rising. From yesterday to today it rose 5”-6”…about a foot to the top of the dock now. Hopefully it will crest soon!

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8 hours ago, smalljaw said:

Hopefully the ice and high water does no harm to your dock.  We should arrive May 16 so please turn up the heat and melt the ice so spring fishing can be enjoyed.

Me too smalljaw! 

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Heard yesterday that our campground was expected to be covered in water. I hope all is well for you Muskies. We may push back our arrival a few days.

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