2021 Rainy River Melt

[Luzaich]

It’s coming fast! I’m guessing March 26th for birchdale

[rschmidty]

Royal Dutchman just went live on FB like 15 minutes ago at what appears to be the Pelland or maybe it was Coot's? They were 9 miles west of IF's. Open water extends west. Not sure how far though. Looks like small boats could be pushed out.

 

[rschmidty]

Open water appears to reach Loman based on satellite imagery from yesterday.

 

[rschmidty]

Satellite imagery of the Rainy River in context to google maps.

 

Rainy River.pdf

Edited March 4, 2021 by rschmidty

[Luzaich]

Odd year.. open water was still just past loman as of noon today.. if you look at the satellite it looks like the whole river is open, but it’s just water on top of the ice and dark spots.. royal Dutchman says 14 inches of ice at vidas 

[Uncle Rico]

They've got the dam pinched down to almost nothing, hence the lack of progress.  I dont see much changing until they start opening the dam up, unfortunately.

[rschmidty]

19 hours ago, Luzaich said:

Odd year.. open water was still just past loman as of noon today.. if you look at the satellite it looks like the whole river is open, but it’s just water on top of the ice and dark spots.. royal Dutchman says 14 inches of ice at vidas 

Depending on what setting you run it in I agree it looks like it's all open especially if ran in False color. If ran in True color, you can tell that it's still frozen over until close to Loman. Most years, running it in False color is better but as you said, odd year.

 

That makes sense that it's still that thick way down there. It would be nice if the dam was open a little more but with the warm weather they are having and what is still predicted, I don't think it will take that long. The river can still open 3-5 miles a day just based on temps and sun alone.

 

Also, it doesn't seem like there is a lot of snow to still melt so unless the gates at the dam get opened, it seems like it may be a slow current year.

 

 

Edited March 9, 2021 by rschmidty

[IceHawk]

Really looking forward to getting up there! Nothing better than hooking into some of those sumo eyes 

[w@lleye_rookie]

What if any restrictions to the accesses will be in place because of COVID? I heard that last year they had blocked all of the accesses off. And will a person be able to fish on the Canada side?

[rschmidty]

12 hours ago, w@lleye_rookie said:

What if any restrictions to the accesses will be in place because of COVID? I heard that last year they had blocked all of the accesses off. And will a person be able to fish on the Canada side?

 

I doubt there will be any restrictions. I don't think there were any restrictions starting last summer and all the resorts have been putting out their usual ice houses this winter and the resorts I've been following keep talking about open water season so unless something changes I think you will be good. Canada is still closed to US travel in general so I doubt that you can fish on their side this year but don't quote me on that.

[w@lleye_rookie]

So I'm wondering if we are not able to fish the Canada side, is it going to be really  overcrowded on the US side then?

[gim]

1 hour ago, w@lleye_rookie said:

So I'm wondering if we are not able to fish the Canada side, is it going to be really  overcrowded on the US side then?

 

Most likely.  Just like everything else related to the outdoors since about a year ago, there will be more doing it.

 

I don't foresee the Canadian border opening up until at least September.  They are way behind us on vaccination and they have far less people.

[rschmidty]

It's opening fast. I wouldn't be surprised if the open water reaches Birchdale by this weekend.

[Luzaich]

Looking like late Saturday or Sunday it might get to birchdale... don’t quote me but I’m pretty sure rainy lake guides were fishing the Canadian side all summer so I don’t think there will be an issue fishing the canada side of the river 

[Cheers]

border is defiantly closed, fishing the Canadian side is not permitted 

[Hookmaster]

There are a few places on the river that if you went to the border and made a long cast you could fish a flat that's on the Canadian side but be in the US. 

[IASteve]

How's the low water/flow going to affect the fish coming into the river?

 

[rschmidty]

20 hours ago, IASteve said:

How's the low water/flow going to affect the fish coming into the river?

 

 

That's a good question. As far as them coming into the river, I've read different things that mention the water temps and angle of the sun in the sky trigger the migrations more so then the speed of the water but the level and flow would impact where the fish are setting up. Just my $.02.

[rschmidty]

Birchdale access is officially open to all boats.

[rschmidty]

I believe open water has reached Baudette and Vidas, Frontier and Birchdale landings are all open.

[Walleyeriz]

Any word on the walleye bite or the forks? 

[ANYFISH2]

Last I have heard is timber mill access  in Baudette is wide open now as well.

 

As for the forks they are still ice covered, with no heavy flow in up stream sections. With little to no snow left to melt.  They may not build up the pressure to "blow out" like years past.  Now I have no idea what the last days worth of rain and snow has added to the watershed so thing could be changing.