rainy lake Rainy Lake Fishing Reports by Capt John

[BuckSutherland]

Really enjoy reading your post Capt John. Hoping to make it to Rainy for the first time ever next summer.

[CaptJohnWis]

Fishing has been great the last two days. Water finally under 60 degrees and I did not see a another boat fishing all afternoon.

The usual lures, soft plastic tails on jig and spoons. Also got a couple on X-Raps. Fish at all depths. Humps and points best.

[CaptJohnWis]

Mighty purrrty out there today.

Found a ton of bait and deep walleyes but they were fussy. Caught a couple nice ones though. Most fish around 20 FOW today. Mostly nice bass.

Good thing I bought all the remaining spoons when Weber went out of business. They used real silver to plate them while nearly all others use chrome (except Johnson Silver Minnow). The real silver shows up better in deep water.

[CaptJohnWis]

Fishing much slower yesterday. Only landed 28 fish. They were still in the same spots but hitting short. I missed at least twice as many as I landed. Kept downsizing lures but it didn't help. Couldn't have asked fer purrrtier weather. About the same weather today only WARMER! Water was above 60 yesterday so will be higher again today.

I was wore out after four straight days of hard fishing so stayed home today to take care of chores like cleaning up the boat. It was a worse mess than usual with lures and chewed jigs laying everywhere. I don't waste time keeping things neat while on the water. Glued on a bunch of new tails to replace those lost to fish this week.

[CaptJohnWis]

Paul and I have this thing about "last cast". Seems like more often than not we catch a fish on that last cast. One year it was the last cast of the YEAR. See pictures back in November a couple years back.

Well yesterday I had done OK, but they quit biting. I had someone coming over to the house to look at antique lures. Thought I might as well quit and get home a little early and clean up. Moved to front of boat to store trolling motor but had to give it a last cast. Caught the biggest bass of the day on that cast so stuck around. Got a few more dandies before I had to head in.

[plogsdon]

John. Always great to see your photos. I get to Rainy for about 10 days every year in August. Looking at retirement and hope to do more fishing. If I am up and you ever need a co pilot maybe we could work that out. Best wishes. Phil

[CaptJohnWis]

My favorite time of year is here. Water was 56 degrees yesterday. Weather nice in morning but front moved in late afternoon. Fishing slow, only 26 fish in eight hours with no monsters.

Wasn't marking much no matter where I went.

Nasty weather today so staying on shore and doing chores. (bummer).

[CaptJohnWis]

Water low 50s high 40s today. Rained all day but fish were biting. No dink walleyes, all quality fish.

[plogsdon]

John,

Looks a little wet and cold. It appears your the only guy still fishing on Rainy. When your still catching nice fish like the ones in the photo, you can put up with the weather. So when do you pull the plug and head South?

[CaptJohnWis]

When the ramps freeze up.

[CaptJohnWis]

One guy was filleting some obviously over-size walleyes at Bowmans Landing when we quit for the day. The pike they killed also looked bigger than 27" but not sure.

Seems pretty dumb to keep illegal fish and then fillet them right at the ramp. No doubt the guts were headed for the lake after the fillets were packed away.

We had good action on bass at the first place and last place we fished. Mighty slow in between.

[okfisherman]

if you have time for supper john give me a shout on your way thru OKC when things finally freeze up.

[CaptJohnWis]

Couldn't ask for nicer weather than today. No wind (don't need no stinkin walleye chop) and sunny. Had to take off several layers of clothes.

Nothing but sharp-tooths early in the morning. But finally got into some good fish in the afternoon. Last hour was one of my best bites all year. Ten in a row! Big bass and big walleyes - too hectic to take many pictures.

Red at night so sailors' delight tomorrow?

No dinks today, all quality fish. All on jigs with soft plastic tails. All released. They can say what they want, I like full sun and dead calm. Got a couple big walleyes at noon in less than 10 feet of water so sun not bothering them. Sunday I was going to stay home but it was just too nice so fished last three hours of daylight and got 14 nice ones but no pictures.

[plogsdon]

Capt. You sure look like you where having fun. I am setting here in my office and just for a few seconds I can drift back to Rainy. Thanks again for all the reports and great photos this year. Phil

[CaptJohnWis]

Fished hard the last three days with my buddy Scott from Wisconsin. Things have slowed down some but we still had fun. Weather lousy whole time and even worse today so I am staying home and catching up on antique lure business.

[tcwin]

Great photos as always, makes me wish I was there again. Are you still fishing the North Arm?

[CaptJohnWis]

Musky was from Red Gut. Everything else North Arm

[CaptJohnWI]

Nothing like having the whole lake to myself. But looks like my favorite boat landing is about to freeze up. Fished this afternoon and got 29 fish (mostly bass) in five hours so decent action.

Spoons and Lunker City Ribster lures were working.

[bturck]

Capt John, has anyone ever told you that you are living the good life??? lol I know you head south soon, just a thank you for taking the time to post some great pics throughout the summer months.....Have a great winter, see you in the spring.

[CaptJohnWis]

Yes, life is good. I sure am glad I moved up here. Now if I could only convince my wife to stay for the winter. I miss my ice fishing but she misses our kids, all of whom live in Austin.

Might be forced to fly up here if they are biting good on hard water. Put the boat away for the winter and headed south early next week. Could probably still launch out of Rainier for awhile but not my favorite ramp.

North Arm was 46 degrees on Monday, Sand Bay 42, and Bowmans Landing 36 with light ice. But with 12 degrees air this morning I am sure Bowmans is froze up.

[CaptJohnWis]

Back in Texas fer the winter.

Not enuf water and too many fishermen down here to suit me. Will have to keep busy collecting antique fishing tackle. Here is one of my favorites that I bought last year. Hook pops out when fish bites.

[okfisherman]

that is pretty cool John. sorry I missed ya coming thru, must have had the wife and critter along.

[CaptJohnWis]

CLICK this link --->>>

Finally back in God's country. There still was ice over one of my favorite spring spots but I had a great day landing 53 bass and one big pike. All on soft plastics and 4lb line. Weather could not have been nicer.

Water temps in North Arm 38 in morning, 48 in afternoon. One big bay was 58! Thought I would kill them there but only one hit in that warm water.

[stacker12]

How deep were the smallies holding?

[clKiekhafer]

Thanks John for sharing. I always look forward to seeing your posts and now the videos are even that much better.

Keep sharing!

[CaptJohnWis]

20 feet. But that will change shortly as they head for the shallows.

[pznak]

Too bad your struggling and not able to catch any real game fish yet (: glad your back and will see you soon

[CaptJohnWis]

Click here for Lights, camera, action.--->> Today's action video

Fishing much slower today. But I do know when to start the camera for a demo on spoon fishing!

Water 40 in main lake, not much warmer in bays. I hate the wind, give me dead calm any day. Finally found what they wanted at 4:00 p.m Only 21 brown bombers in 5 hours fishing.

[CaptJohnWis]

I wasn't going to fish over the holiday weekend. But after checking weather forecast for the rest of week I decided to go Monday. Thought lake woud be crowded but everybody must have left early, saw notta boat in Canada.

Got a bass here and there but then found two hot spots - in very different locations!

Click to see Memorial Day 2013 video >>>

[Tyler Holm]

John, Great videos and thanks for sharing. I just caught up on all videos posted this year. I do have a question on the deeper water smallies. Do you run a leader (mono/flouro) from your hi-vis braid to your jig? What poundage and what length?