MN Bass

[campfan]

I would like to see what some others think about Bass fishing on the MN. I think the I falls Tourny has proved 1 thing. The Bass fishing on the US side of Rainy lake is poor at best. What has there been 2 fifteen pound bags in 2 years? If you bring in 15#'s the first day in the FFCBC you will be lucky to be in the top 30. So much effort has been put into Walleye fishing but I think its time to make the MN side catch and release only for Bass. Maybe this can bring it back to a beter population. I know most people practice catch and release but thats one of the issues. The Bass fisherman throw them back but its some of the other anglers that could care less about bass that keep and kill them. When it takes 14 years to grow a 3 pounder that alot of leeches to dodge with all of the added presure these days

[fishmeister_86]

HI CAMP,

NOT SURE IF YOU ARE AWARE OF THIS, BUT JOHN & CHAD CAUGHT 5 BASS WEIGHING 22 LBS. IN A MINNESOTA SIDE TOURNEY, THAT IS RIGHT NEAR THE CANADIAN SIDE RECORD, THE TOURNEY IS IN ITS 2ND YEAR & YOU WILL SEE BIGGER BAGS AS THE TOURNEY CONTINUES, I THINK THE CANADIAN SIDE IS BETTER, BUT OUR SIDE IS GOOD. AS FAR AS A CATCH & RELEASE DURING THE SPAWNING PERIOD IS A GOOD IDEA, BUT I HONESTLY AM NOT SURE HOW MANY BASS ARE BEING KEPT DURING OPEN WATER, MY BROTHER BEING THE CREOL CLERK COULD TELL YOU THAT, I'M NOT SURE WHY PEOPLE WANT TO EAT A BASS(YUCK) WHEN YOU HAVE A ABUNDANCE OF SAUGERS & WALLEYES.

SINCERELY,

FISHMEISTER

[campfan]

Hello Fishmeister,

I realize that there are some some good fish on the MN side. Yep if you pull up on the right spot at the right time you could load the boat. To me the telling point to the quality of a fishery is how well the field as a whole does not 1 single team in a single event. As far as the weights getting much beter I disagree, It doesn't take the top notch fisherman long to figure them out and I think Chad and John would to because the fish aren't there like the Canadian side. I think it would be great to try and improve the fishing. Your point on why would someone keep a bass. Thats my exact point. There are other fish to eat so don't allow them to keep bass. But I would also say that the Walleye regs in some case forces people to keep bass becasue they are so restrictive. I've had 75 walleye days and not caught 1 I could keep because they were all over 17 inches. ( I still wouldn't keep a bass)

[Berng]

Catching 75 17 inchers in one day is fantastic. Who needs bass at all with that kind of result. Nice job!

Berng

[fishmeister_86]

HI CAMP,

IF YOU CATCH 75 WALLEYES IN A DAY, AND NONE ARE UNDER 17" THEN YOUR FISHING THE EAST END, IF YOU WANT EATERS MOVE TO ANOTHER REEF., AND IF YOUR FISHING WALLEYES WEST OF THE THE BRULE, YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT EATER FISH.

I DO NOT THINK KEEPING SOME SMALLER BASS FOR SOME PEOPLE TO EAT IS A MAJOR DEAL. RAINY IS A MASSIVE LAKE & HOLDS TONS OF FISH. IF PEOPLE ARE KEEPING BIGGER SPAWNING BASS, THAT ISN'T GOOD., LIKE WALLEYES...LEAVE THE BIG FEMALES. A VERY SMALL PORTION OF OUR FISHERMAN TARGET BASS, AND IF THEY ARE BASS FISHERMAN, THEIR NOT KILLING BASS. SO I DON'T THINK THE FEW THAT KEEP BASS, BECAUSE THEY KEEP SOME TO EAT ARE NOT HURTING THE POPULATION. I DO NOT FISH BASS...UNLESS MY BROTHERS REQUEST DOING SO, THEN HE HAS TO BEG!!! ALSO, BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT A REAL SOUGHT AFTER FISH ON RAINY, THE D.N.R. GIVES THEM LESS ATTENTION, THAT HOWEVER COULD CHANGE WITH TOURNEYS, MORE PEOPLE WILL START TO FISH THEM, AND WHO KNOWS MAYBE SOMEDAY I MAY START FISHING THOSE BASS.

SINCERELY,

FISHMEISTER

[Northlander]

Bass, Musky and Pike are all like walleyes they are fish. To say 1 fish shouldnt be kept and eaten but walleyes, saugers are ok to is just crazy to me.

By the way I dont keep any bass or Musky and will every once in a while keep a pike for BD110 to pickle up. None of those fish taste good to me.

I think the bass fishing on the U.S. side is ok. Maybe not as good as Canada but oh well. When I want better or bigger walleyes I go to lakes that have more or bigger walleyes. I dont expect the regs to be changed for that.

Heck I wish the St.Louis River had 8# to 13# walleyes in it year round.

[Husky28]

There are plenty nice bass on the east end... It's just that there's a lots(emphasis on lots) more bass type structure on the Canadian side of the the east end... Trust me, you'll catch plenty 3-5 #'s during the right season (east side)... most of the bass would rather live on the Canadian side...

[campfan]

The structure is there on the US side but the population isn't, When people are keeping 2 pounders thinking that won't hurt the fishery its just not true. Every 3-4 pounder was a 2 at 1 time and when it takes 17 years to grow to a 4 pounder the lake can't handle the extra pressure it receives these days. I would think more people would be concerned about the fishing long term and not have the well all I care about is Walleye's point of view. Anyways I will continue fishing Rainy whenever I can (canadian side) but I think it would be nice if others that come up on vacation and stay at Island view or Sha Sha that don't have the high power boats to make the 20 mile plus runs to bass country could have a chance to catch numbers of nice fish on the US side

[fishmeister_86]

HI,

WES DID A COUNT ON THE TOTAL # OF BASS KEPT OUT OF CLOSE TO 800 INTERVIEWS...GUESS HOW MANY WERE KEPT....A TOTAL OF 66, HECK THAT MANY GET EATEN BY ANOTHER SPECIES IN A WEEK.

ALSO A HUGE MAJORITY OF RAINY SITS IN CANADA, SO THERE GOING TO HAVE MANY MORE BASS...AND MANY MORE BASS AREAS.

SINCERELY,

FISHMEISTER

[smalljaw]

OK, call me narrow minded. I started bass fishing in the 50's and could never bring myself to fillet a Smallmouth. They are just too special to reduce to a meal. The larger smallies in Rainy are 17 to 23 years old! It takes a long time to grow a trophy. This is one of the greatest smallie lakes in the world. The satisfaction in watching them swim away is well worth giving up a meal and in doing so, the trophies will be there for another fisherman to enjoy the thrill.

As for slot size eyes, they fit in the pan real well.

Regards,

Wayne

[Husky28]

In the many years (18) I've fished Rainy, the Sand Bay (US side)area has never really had a good population of SM bass and I don't believe it's been from people catching them. To be honest, I think the population had too much competition with other species... My understanding (discussions with local authorities) the the North Arm population did so well because of a weaker walleye population (due to commercial netting), plus a high baitfish population (smelt - high protein food source) made for ideal SM conditions. Sand Bay, Swell, Seine, Redgut and the East end's SM populations, while is pretty decent, still doesn't have near the numbers that the North Arm does...

I can't prove it, but I also think water clarity played a huge part in the equation as well. North Arm tends to be much clearer (less mineral content) than the rest of the lake... SM tend to thrive much better in lakes with clearer water...

As far as pressure goes... until recently (last ten years), very few people (up north) knew how to fish for them and even fewer actually targeted them... that is until In-Fishermen and the FFCBC came along. With that in mind, the population over the whole lake had plenty of time to establish itself and the North Arm population is the one that exploded and continues to do very well, despite heavy pressure.

[uffdapete]

While I'd personally rather see smallmouth released, I can assure you that harvest really isn't an issue at this point on the MN side of Rainy Lake. If you call the area fisheries office in the Falls they will give you the facts.

[Husky28]

uffdapete:

Tell Lorette that the I'wegian said "HI". He'll know who it came from... LOL Let him know that the "Bud hair" story is still going strong! LOL

[uffdapete]

Will do - will see him in church tomorrow. Are you anywhere near Oskaloosa? We have good friends there.

[Husky28]

I live about 40 miles SE of there. Used to hang out with Dick when I lived up there about 8 years ago... The old cabin was a pretty special place...