rainy lake Rainy Lake Fishing Reports by Capt John

[CaptJohnWis]

Ribsters are excellent jigged vertically. You won't want to use minnows again when you see how lifelike they look. Color doesn't seem to matter that much. I probably use the "Clearwater Bait" color the most but Ice Shad should show up well in dark water. Blue ice is also one I use a lot.

I use Tommy Crenshaw unpainted jig heads with sickle hooks. I trim the barb (on thin lures) and glue on the plastic tail. For Lunker City Ribsters I like a 1/0 hook. Weight depends on wind and depth of water - I use everything from 1/16 to 1/2 oz. Size of hook depends on what lure I am using. Big plastic = big hook. 1/0 is about as small as I go.

[spotfish2]

Thanks again, Cap'n John. Your the best! I really appreciate you keeping our fishing community engaged while we work all week and dream of the possibilities of fishing. This is half of the fun for me. Of course, nothing beats being there and applying what we learn, experimenting with different ideas, etc. I am amazed at how well plastics perform. I still use live bait, but, I use plastics 75% of the time. I have been a student of plastics techniques for nearly 40 years. I look forward to fishing with you sometime.

Sincerely,

Spotfish

[northernfishin]

That wind was awful on Tuesday. I see you were wearing all the fall cold weather gear. We went out for an hour and caught some perch and sauger but man was that wind cold. Didn't produce the big fish like you but can't complain for only an hour and a half do fishing.

[Dock Boy]

Thanks for the info Captn!! What type of glue tends to work best to hold those Ribsters on? I will be placing an order soon. Look forward to trying this stuff out. Is Tommy Crenshaw's hsolist account the best place to find his jigs?

[CaptJohnWis]

Thanks for the info Captn!! What type of glue tends to work best to hold those Ribsters on? I will be placing an order soon. Look forward to trying this stuff out. Is Tommy Crenshaw's hsolist account the best place to find his jigs?

I buy from his account which you will have to Google to find since they won't let me post the link here - TCI Fishing Lures

I use only Pro's Soft Bait Glue. It is amazing but doesn't work on Berkley plastic. NEVER squeeze the bottle. Just tip it gently until the first hint of glue is on your lure. Slide plastic into place BEFORE applying this glue. It is extremely runny and runs right into the cracks between jig and plastic. You can actually glue a live minnow to a hook! It works instantly so try not to get it on your fingers. You can easily repair torn lures with this stuff.

If you cut yourself in the boat, a drop of this will seal the cut right now. Can be used on bleeding fish gills it says on package! Needless to say it will also glue your fingers together so be careful

Here is the link:

amazing glue link

[CaptJohnWis]

Fishing lousy yesterday but weather nice. Only fished five hours today. Total for both days 40 but no lunkers. Did get a few nice BASS so that made me smile.

Click links to see videos:

[CaptJohnWis]

Only ended up with 32 fish today. But for 30 minutes I was the happiest guy on the planet. A BIG bass on every cast. Lost several on jumps but I love to see em go airborne. No big walleyes or pike today.

The spot where I got 20 yesterday morning was totally dead today - not one bite and didn't mark anything.

Click to see bass video:

[CaptJohnWis]

Bass are starting to turn on. About half the fish each day are bass with lots of nice ones. Fished alone yesterday for 5 hours and got 20 fish. Today with Mike and Brett in the big Ranger(a sweet ride). We got 50 in about eight hours - fished banker's hours. No big walleyes or pike.

Click links to see videos:

[CaptJohnWis]

Fishing was slow on Friday. Mike and I only got a couple dozen with no lunkers. Today I was going to stay home but the weather was so nice I couldn't stand it so headed out on Rainy after church. The bass bite has started. Got 20 fish in seven hours, mostly bass.

One big one spit up a seven inch cisco. Never look a gift cisco in the mouth. I put it on and immediately got a hit from something big but it got off. After that I switched to a Weber silver spoon. It was working even better than the heavier gold one I was throwing earlier.

Click links to see today's videos:

[CaptJohnWis]

Very windy today. I got spoiled fishing out of those big Rangers. Got pounded all the way back from north of Tug Point. I will try to avoid that in the future if using my 17-foot Lund.

Fish slow in morning and awful in afternoon. Course wind made boat control tough on some of my favorite spots. Marked very little after 9:00 a.m.

Click link to view today's video:

[terickson]

Nice fish and reports as always CaptJohn! I am another one who appreciates your reports. I'm making my final trip of the hear to Redgut and hoping the fall bite is on. This cool front might help get them moving around to the fall patterns. I've had great mid to late Sept success on the flats near humps in the 28-32 FOW range. Like that I have lots of lake to myself that time of year too.

[CaptJohnWis]

yesterday was OK with several nice bass and a 26.25 inch fat walleye. But only about 40 fish total. No big pike. We check out a few flats like you mentioned but didn't mark a thing so fished mostly humps and points.

I think we only saw three other boats fishing all day.

Partner took pix with new camera - results not in on that yet!

[CaptJohnWis]

Fishing decent today for bass plus one big pike. Few small walleyes.

[CaptJohnWis]

Fishing slow the last couple days but we did manage to catch some nice oens. Walleyes have been few and far between but bass and pike making up for that.

Click links to see videos:

[plogsdon]

John. Great to see the fish are still hitting. I see that the last walleye pic the jig head looked large from what you usually fish. Was it the wind or deeper water was the issue? For years there were 5-6 guys that posted every week but hear nothing from them at all. As always the pic and methods of catching are of interest. Thanks for taking the time for us wannabee Rainy Lake fisherman. Phil

[clKiekhafer]

Hi John,

It has been a real pleasure reading your posts and viewing the videos. I plan on being on Rainy all next week with my buddies for some R&R. We will be staying at Camp Idlewood and if you're in the area stop on over and we can chat. I did get some of the Lunker City Ribsters you have have promoting and will definitely give them a try.

Have you heard anything about a crappie bite yet, or are people tight lipped about that?

I know you have about one more month of fishing left on Rainy before you can't break through the shore ice, so keep the post coming.

[CaptJohnWis]

I have been using 1/2 oz heads a lot lately due to wind. Lousy bite yesterday. Marked some fish but most would not hit. Only gat a few bass in four hours.

[CaptJohnWis]

Fishing picked up today with 29 nice bass in eight hours. Yesterday was very slow even though I caught about as many fish. Could not mark anything until 5:00 p.m on Sunday - mostly eater walleyes. Today I marked lots of bait and numerous bass.

Click link to see videos.

[ozzie]

John do you use a underwater camera in your fishing at all? Like when you see a school of fish and cannot get them to bite...

[CaptJohnWis]

I have an underwater camera but haven't used it for years. Ice fishing it is more fun but open water all I ever see when I used it were stubborn walleyes. Mine is a pain to reel in and store so just sitting in my garage for years since I am no longer up here for ice fishing. I would make you a deal on it if you can use one.

Fishing very slow last few days about 25 fish each day - 90% bass. Not marking hardly any walleyes (based on what I caught) but some bass. Lots of bait starting to show up so surprised there aren't more walleyes. Another bass spit up a fat 7-inch cisco so maybe I need to upsize lures earlier than usual.

[CaptJohnWis]

Fishing has been tough for last few weeks. Only averaging about 25 fish each day. No jackpots yet and here it is October. Water temps high 50s.

Some days cannot mark anything. Other days mark a bunch but they are fussy. Yesterday was that way. Marked a bunch of bass at several locations but they were FUSSY. Very few walleyes, so guess they are very deep. Been gettin more on metal lures than soft plastic. Crappie jigs been catching a few when they are really picky. Just about every fish has a big gut so I am guessing they are eating well BEFORE I show up.

Bigger pike are starting to show so I need to use leaders more. Especially on first few casts to a fresh spot. The pike are usually the first ones I catch on a fresh spot.

Check link for recent videos:

Oct. videos

[ozzie]

thanks for the offer on the camera John but I had one and got rid of it for the very same reasons you don't use yours. I just cant stand dealing with a big clunky piece of equipment. I am trying to find out if people use the micro cameras for ice fishing in open water with any success...good luck to the rest of the season!!

[CaptJohnWis]

Good bite today. 56 fish in eight hours. Most on Lunker City Ribsters and Swimmin RIbsters. Heavy jig head because of wind.

Biggest pike 15-1/2 lbs

Biggest walleye 7-1/2 lbs

Biggest bass 3 lb 5 oz.

Tomorrow is not supposed to be windy so I am headed out again

[clKiekhafer]

I'd say you had a GREAT day on the water!

Looking forward to being back next year.

Be safe in your travels and we'll stay in touch!

[CaptJohnWis]

Water temps dropping fast. Yesterday 48 in Sand Bay and 52 in North Arm.

Fish biting well but they moved from where I got them all Thursday. Not marking many but still caught a bunch Friday - mostly bass. Dang wind just won't quit so I have been missing too many days in my favorite month. I have to go 7 MPH or get pounded to death when it is rough. Every minute spent boat riding, is a cast you didn't get to make - arrrgh! I sure miss those big Rangers my buddies drive. Might have to try some more speed trolling for big pike when I mover from place to place. Cannot go fast half the time anyways.

Supposedly it only got up to 10 MPH wind Friday but there were two-foot rollers if you were in the wrong area (I was!) I think NOAA reporting is very inaccurate. I have tried doing an un-Wind Dance but no luck.

[CaptJohnWis]

Unbelievable!

I go out in the rain this morning to the North Arm figuring I will be the only one silly enough to do so. Get to the first spot I want to fish and there is a bass boat (catching fish) with three guys fishing "my" reef. There is not another boat anywhere on the North Arm. I grumble a bunch to myself but keep moving about a mile to my next spot.

Couple hours later, I am eight miles away fishing another reef and catching bass. Here comes a boat. Looks familiar. They pull up about 100 feet away, throw out a marker and start catching fish. I holler over and ask if they aren't the same boat I saw this morning in the rain. Yes, it is them. "Did I stop and crowd you guys this morning?", I ask. "You are not upset, are you?" they reply. I say "yes I am." They leave after about 15 minutes. Probably one of the other guys in the boat said he looks kinda crazy so maybe we should leave.

But why on earth would you have to pull up next to somebody when you are the only two boats on a quarter million acre lake. I know I don't own the lake but come on, show a little courtesy when you are out on the water. I could see this happening in the summer when you are in the National Park and there are boats on every reef. But now?

58 fish today. All on jigs but didn't throw spoons much.

one pike pushing 20 lbs

on walleye 16"

56 bass biggest 4 lb 7 oz.

Got a lot of bass on a new secret lure sent to me by a fellow antique lure collector. He bought a couple rare lures from me two weeks ago and I included some of my favorite jigs and plastic tails for him to try on the many tournaments he fishes. He sent me some jigs he makes and the tails he favors. They worked great. Caught five on first five casts!

Click link to view some recent videos:

[sherbear]

I so enjoy reading your posts. We summer at our cabin on NW Bay of Rainy. We totally understand your frustration with boats that pull up where you are fishing. We usually just pack up and leave since we are there for the summer. The lake is huge and has plenty of fish. Just can't understand why people do that. I have often wondered if there shouldn't be rules for courtesy. Would be interesting to see what those rules would contain.

Keep up the great posts. We are home in Illinois for the winter but already looking forward to spring.

[lexdog]

I agree. When somebody pulls up by me I put on a little cleo and cast at their boat. Also equally annoying is when someone obviously drives a mile out of their way and goes by you at 50mph 20 yards away just to mark your spot on their gps

[CaptJohnWis]

Fished Saturday and launched while it was snowing. Purrty on the way home though. Only had 3 gallons of gas left when I got back. Went all the way to Paddy Bay. Couldn't believe it when we saw there were already three boats fishing there.

Fishing started out good in morning but was a tough bite most of the day. I ended up with 36 - nearly all bass. No monsters. Other guys fishing live bait got some walleyes but mostly eaters. One pike.

[clKiekhafer]

Capt,

What prompted you to go that far north and you are right it is a long way?