Spring River Eyes?

[Dahitman44]

I have heard many exciting tales told about River Eyes during the spring. 6-8-10 pounders are not unheard of?<P>Is this true?<P>I also understand that there are different regs regarding what you can take home. What are they?<P>Is it as much fun as people say it is?<P>When does this usually start/end?<P>I understand it is smart ot go during the week -- on a weekend it gets too packed.<P>Help ... I need info<P>Thanks<P>Hitman

[BDR]

Watch the Rainy River forum. And check out Clementson Resorts web page.<P>Brian

[widetrack]

Sadly, it's turned into a big Cluster-F.

[Guest]

Not too surprising though, good fishing=lotsa anglers. The regs keep the fish in the water though, CPR is a great innovation.

[Sandee]

widetrack - I would say that conditions have improved greatly the past few years. With Koochiching County supplying site monitors, bathroom facilites, garbage receptables, widening access roads and anglers being INFORMED the spring season has been more successful.<P>CPR is practiced heavily during spring fishing on open water.<P>Favorable harvest for the river is set at 2.5% of the annual (430,000 pound) walleye harvest for LOW. That would equate to a 9000 pound harvest for a "normal" year. I seriously doubt the DNR could publish statistics of more then 1 to 1.5% harvest, since we have experienced short fishing seasons the past few years.<P>Not bad considering last years total ICE fishing harvest combined with good summer fishing will push the harvest over 700,000, nearly double the DNR's target of 430,000.<P>BTW ~ 18 miles EAST of Birchdale is open water!<P>CORRECTION: 18 MILES TO GO<P>------------------<BR><A HREF="http://www.clementsonresort.com" TARGET=_blank>www.clementsonresort.com</A><BR>Fishing on the Rainy River<P>Rainy River Fishing Reports<P>[This message has been edited by Sandee (edited 02-26-2004).]<p>[This message has been edited by Sandee (edited 02-26-2004).]

[toddb]

It is a cluster especially on weekends, but you still can get big fish, if you find a hole not alot of boats are fishing. Last day last year I stuck it out until most of the boats left the spot I was fishing, and as soon as it calmed down a little I stuck a 27" & a fat 31"er. Perserverance is the key, along with being able to tolerate alot of people, with some doing some really stupid stuff . Get to the landing very early is the best piece of advice.<P>later,<BR>toddb

[widetrack]

Sandee:<P>That's good to hear about facilities improving. <P>Still you must need to be from the cities, and used to the rat race. It's more then my blood pressure can take.<P>When I do go, it's from the other side of the river.<P>I know it's a C&R deal, so I'm not concerned about it damaging the fishery.<P>I'm sure it is good for business.<P>Just venting, remembering the old days.

[Royal Dutchman]

We had a father/son pair (if I remember correctly) that boated 56 eyes over 26" in one day last April! They lost count of the "small ones". A day like that may be worth smiling & shaking your head at a few idiots that appear to lack any common sense or consideration for anyone else. Your call.<P>Personally I saw many more instances of giving rides, help loading boats, etc.. than any negative actions.<P>Worst experience I had was a parking ticket from Koch County that made no sense at all!<P>Check the reg. book for limits and season.<P>I can't wait!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Buckets]

LOL what..how.. <BR>Do the dnr guys check every limit or what ..<BR>How in the world do they come up with numbers they so easily declair to people ???<P>I havn't been there for a long time and can emagine the K-oss so ain't interested either but we used to go to bring home fish for the table ! How people can enjoy That I don't know. It's the fish in the barrel thing just to get a trophy. <P>The last time I went I caught a big fish with a big sore on it's head too. Should have turned it in . They said the pulp plant up river had something to do with that. What ever happened up there, is the plant still in operation ?

[Sandee]

Statistics from DNR come from data collected by the creel a surveyor and put into a (DNR) formula to create their numbers.<P>Sorry Buckets, this fishing time on the River is NOT trophy fishing time, regulations March 1 - April 14 is 2 walleye/sauger, NO fish over 19 1/2". This fishing time is mostly for anglers who just love to catch and release and maybe get a picture of a nice fish. To catch and release 30, 40 maybe 50 in a day sounds like fun to me.<P>Must have been here back in the 70's? Boise installed pollution control mid 1970's. There have been some comments concerning Boise and the River, the DNR says the fishery is healthy. The walleyes are tastey, if you elect to have some for your table. <P><P>------------------<BR><A HREF="http://www.clementsonresort.com" TARGET=_blank>www.clementsonresort.com</A><BR>Fishing on the Rainy River<P>Rainy River Fishing Reports

[Dahitman44]

No trophies, eh? That kinda sucks. Too bad we can't take one fish over 30 inches.<P>I guess we could take a pic and make a replica mount -- is that right?<P>

[Buckets]

The creel?? An Indian tribe right <BR> <BR>Nope each to their own, if I knew I would have to release every fish after,, 2 is it, and all over 19.5 I'd be going to the super market. Just goes against my grain... I would think that it does have a neg. effect on reproduction too. If not for the mortality rate, the sheer stress of it all has to be enough to cause abnormal behaiveor.<P>Thanks for the info though anyhoo, my oil is hot gotta get to some fillets

[Ice Buster]

Why anyone would put a walleye on the wall caught in the spring is beyond me. I believe the saying is "it's like shooting fish in a barrel" Why put any unneeded stress on your spawning fish, as they can be easily targeted by anglers in the spring.

[Northlander]

Its far from shooting fish in a barrel! Very dependent on weather. Ive had more fair trips than fantastic. I do much better on my home river.

[bobby617]

hitman ., i to would like to hit the river., ., and i have had many ask me to go ., but there to all the boats., i once went to walker lake on opener.,small lake lots of eyes.,you could have walked across the lake on boats., 11/2 hour to get the boat in ., yes we were there early so was wverybody else.,never again ., ill keep my own style and stay away from boats., and still catch fish ., let me know if you head up there.,

[Dahitman44]

Ice buster -- <P>I ahte to tell you, but there is a lot of fishing pressure regardless if you can keep one fish over 30 inches. byt the way, when they get that big they are not the best spawners anyway.<P>Having 10 fish on the wall is stupid ... It is like look at how big a man I am -- But having one nice one -- There is nothing wrong with that. The largest Eye I have every caught was a 27.5 incher and I let it go -- the next largest was about 5 pounds and a lot in the 3 pound range.<P>I don't fish the big lake much so I don't get the chance to net many big ones.<P>So, think a little when it comes to what might be nice for one person might be somewhat common for another --<P>