rainy lake Rainy Lake Fishing Reports by Capt John

[CaptJohnWis]

"I tried your most recent link again today and there was no video

Not sure why you cannot see it but it appears to be working OK.

Strong 20+ MPH wind all day today so I predict lake will be open tomorrow.

[fisher972002]

ClKiekhafer,

Yeah, it's a bad hyperlink on his last post.. Click on John's earlier May 16th post.. Then while in youtube, click on John's other videos... Then just look for the May 18th Video... that's what I did...

[CaptJohnWis]

ClKiekhafer,

Yeah, it's a bad hyperlink on his last post.. Click on John's earlier May 16th post.. Then while in youtube, click on John's other videos... Then just look for the May 18th Video... that's what I did...

Fixed it now I think

[clKiekhafer]

Thanks fisher for the info and thanks John for correcting the link.

I wish I could get up there now, but too many things going on this year.

[OnAFly]

Hey CaptainJohn - any tips for tactics up there right now? We'll be up this Thursday. We've been going up for years, but this will probably be the coldest water temps we'll have fished up there.

[CaptJohnWis]

Ice is out! I figured with all that wind Monday it would be open. And it was. Could go anywhere I wanted on North Arm. Dave and I got 50 bass in seven hours. All on soft plastic. Water 40-41 degrees.

Best depths 20-25 FOW.

Click on link to watch todays video.

[CaptJohnWis]

Today got 41 bass. Water was 10 degrees warmer back end of bays (53) but no fish yet. Any day they should start to move shallow.

This morning was a hoot with 30 fish in two hours but then only 11 more all day.

Click link to view:

May 22 video

[hydrashack]

John,

Thanks for keeping us in the loop on what the fish are doing. I am up there the first week of June this year and it looks like it will be EPIC. We are staying at Amik Lodge and plan on fishing the North side of the lake. We are bass fishermen and will be targeting bass 100%, but hoping to run into a few walleye for camp meat.

Thanks again for all of your post and details. I know you don't have to take the time to do it, but it is a huge help.

-Shack

[CaptJohnWis]

Had buddies up for the weekend. Weren't able to go into Canada so had to fish in Minnesota. Didn't feel like fighting the crowds at the park so went to a smaller lake. Two days ended up with about 35 dandy bass and 150 crappie. Several dink pike but no walleye.

Click link to view short video:

Memorial weekend 2014

[clKiekhafer]

Nice looking fish!

[CaptJohnWis]

Mike and I have been fishing hard the last three days. Roasting in the heat and little or no wind. Got about 50 crappie (NOT on Rainy), 80 bass and 7 walleyes. Most on light jig heads with plastic tails. Shallow water - rocky with a few weeds best.

Water temps in high 60s. I was amazed when we caught a nice pike in 62 degree water that proceeded to christen Mike's new Ranger with EGGS - she had not spawned yet.

Today we saw lots of fish swimming around in shallows and once five bass followed in another bass I had hooked.

Lots of minor boat problems with my Lund and his Ranger but we are getting the kinks worked out. I managed to cut the Sonar cable on his fancy Minn Kota electric motor. But the front screen can still read off the back transducer since all the electronics are networked together. We bought a new cable but haven't been able to get it replaced yet. My tilt and trim quit working from the throttle lever but can still raise and lower big motor with the switch that is on the motor.

Biggest problem we had today was with a dock owner. I had heard tales about this guy from other anglers but never experienced his wrath before. We are fishing the shore line where there are a about half a dozen cabins. I get a 25" walleye under the dock of the first cabin, then an 18" bass from under the next dock. Now this guy comes out on his dock that we hadn't got to yet and says "why you have to fish under our docks?". I replied "because we just caught two big fish". He starts cursing us and telling us he doesn't want any hooks lost in front of his dock. Somebody might get hurt. While this might be true, he doesn't own the water and I tell him same. We get hollering back and forth and Mike tells me to leave. Before we do, I let dock owner know what I think of his attitude. Must be tough having so many fishermen to run off "his" water. I don't think there is an Ontario law that says you can't fish under somebody's dock. If you want to know exactly where to find big fish that like lots of shade, email me direct. Good thing we were not in my boat or I would probably be writing this from jail in Fort Francis.

Click Links for videos:

[harvey lee]

Got the word today to get up to Rainy, I will b up most of next week.

[iceman16]

I'll be up Saturday- Friday. I know it's a huge lake if ya see a new 20' Larson tiller come on over and say hi. Will be staying on a buddies island.

Iceman

[CaptJohnWis]

Looks like another hot one today. I might go out this afternoon and try some surface lures. They should be starting to look up by now. We did catch a few yesterday that spit up dragonfly nymphs. I wish the dragonflies would hatch - mosquitoes were bad on shore yesterday and I nailed 15 while out on the boat - biggest 3/8". Once the dragonflies hatch out the bugs don't seem nearly so bad during the day. There were a few dragonflies south of here earlier in the week so I expect them to hatch on Rainy today.

Bring me an ice cream cone if you see me on lake.

[CaptJohnWis]

Fished from noon till 6:oo p.m. zGot 19 fish but some of the best ones came on surface lures. Great getting that first one on top - kaaplooosh!

[MYSTERY_POLE]

My buddy and I will be up there next Saturday on the Canadian side targeting mostly smallmouth. Due to the increase in temps has the water warmed up significantly? In the past havent been able to get the top water bite going until 2 week of June. Are the bass up shallow? 5/22 I seen a picture from Rainy Lake Houseboats that showed ice out in front of Pine Point with ice still around in the backround of the picture. Amazing what a week of high skies and warm temps will due. Hopefully we will be hitting it just right. Any specific colors working better than others we normally throw grubs as well in the 3-4 in ranch and 1/8 to 1/4 oz. enjoy cranking for them as well any success w/ that presentation? Continued success and enjoy hearing your posts.

[CaptJohnWis]

Water was 70 yesterday. Bass, pike and walleye are shallow. Everything we tried worked but they were fussy and after you caught a few the rest got hard to catch even though we could see some of them.

Didn't fish today - wore out from a week straight of hard fishing. Storms last night and today so hopefully it will cool down some. Been in the high 80s for a week.

[CaptJohnWis]

Didn't fish Saturday. Started at 2:00 p.m. Sunday and ended up with 17. Got

a nice bass right away on surface lure then it died. All the good spots from

last week = zilch. Finally found some bass and 25" walleye near quitting

time. Surface temp dropped 10 degrees from Friday.

Got hollered at again by

a different dock owner. This one was nicer so I moved on without the

shouting match. If it was me, I would put a sign out asking fishermen to

"not fish here because (fill in blank)". I think that would work much better

than running out on their dock every time somebody comes down the shore

casting. They must get ulcers.

Last fish of day video:

[CaptJohnWis]

Been fishing in an area I seldom venture. Bass have been scarce but tons of walleyes and dink pike. Two day total 96, but only a dozen bass. Biggest pike 33", bass 18", walleye 26". Average size of walleye very good. Everything 10 FOW or less. They are biting so if no action - MOVE. When you find em, they are not fussy but I have neen doing best with old reliable plain lead jig and plastic tail 3"-4.5". Mostly Lunker City Ribsters and Swimmin Ribsters - color didn't matter. Used the lightest jig head that wind and water depth would allow.

Lots of algae this morning and a lousy bite. Only dink pike. But the lat hour was a hoot about 30 fish so one on nearly every cast.

Click links to see videos from last two days:

[P_Norts]

Capt. John you sure can fish! Your tricks and tactics always amaze me. We have been coming to Rainy for 12 years and still at times have trouble getting fish. You are AWESOME.

[CaptJohnWis]

Fishing slow today, went for four hours New spots on Canada side but didn't get much. About half a dozen bass, one eater walleye and some slimers. Water was much clearer and only 63 where we fished.

Coming back from Paul's house at mid day there were about a mile of cars lined up waiting to cross the bridge into Canada. Thank goodness for the RABC permit! I wonder what the line will be like tomorrow morning?

Nice being in a big Ranger on the way home. Gusting at 20MPH. White caps coming across Sand Bay but Paul's 20-footer had no problems.

[okfisherman]

The pic of the old truck half in half out is classic. We spotted that thing over 20 years ago and have always wondered, who and how?, We have always assumed at some point the ice must have been thinner than someone imagined. fished that area almost every year.

[john 613]

Capt John the area that you seldom venture was not by any chance Alexandria Bay was it? I happened to pass someone bearing your resemblance up that way the evening of the 4th.

[Mooseart]

Is that the Bay where pine pollen turns into algae?

[CaptJohnWis]

Fishing very slow this afternoon. I was not going to fish but weather was too nice to stay home. Course no sooner did I get out on the lake when the sun disappeared and wind started howling. It calmed down by time I came home but I quit early. Fished five hours, Only two nice walleyes and two nice bass plus a few dinks.

Everything still close to shore. Most on jigs but a few on cranks and top water.

Did OK the day before. Click link to see video:

[CaptJohnWis]

Fishing slow again today. Ended up with about 25 in seven hours but nothing big. Was going to go early but decided to sleep in. Glad I did. When I got up about 9:30 radar showed nothing and forecast looked good. 15 minutes later it was raining hard and lightening here in town.

When I finally got to my spot there were several small evergreen trees floating around in the lake. Storm must have been heavy up there.

Fish not as tight to shorelines. Got most of them 8-12 FOW. All on Ribsters and light jig heads.

Click link for todays video:

[sherbear]

We are supposed to come up to the cabin on Northwest Bay on Rainy Lake this Monday. Does anyone know what the road conditions are in Northern Minnesota and NW Ontario? Is 613 open from Devlin to Northwest Bay? Thanks for any help!

[CaptJohnWis]

Here are some of my favs from the last couple weeks. Doesn't look like I will be fishing out of Bowmans, especially if we get more rain.

Click link to see my latest experiment:

[CaptJohnWis]

Fishing has been slow last few days. Headed south today as I didn't want to drive several more miles in the boat to reach North Arm. Both days were very slow until last two hours. Then good walleyes on Rainy Monday, and bass today on another lake.

Click link to see videos:

[Bureaucrat]

Is that water going to go down this summer, or are they stuck with it?