rainy lake Rainy Lake Fishing Reports by Capt John

[Grindstone29]

Fished three hours Friday 7/19 evening and 3 hours Saturday morning between Grindstone and Fox Islands.  Friday evening was slower but managed three keepers between 15-17 and 1 pike.  25-35 feet of water jig and crawler.  Crawler was definitely better than a leech and part of me was wondering if a minnow might start taking hold. 

 

Saturday morning I was solo and used the graph for the first hour on all my favorite haunts until I saw worthwhile pods of fish.  Winds were very high, spot lock was key and even with the motor coming out of the water every 5th roller, it held me there and was able to get a 1 man US limit and three slots (biggest 22) in the first two hours on that first spot.  I love to pitch jigs, but every single bite came almost directly under the boat vertical jigging them. 

[fins_n'_feathers]

Nice work Grindstone! That’s what I’m talking about! Spot on the spot and they crush the jigs! So much fun! We ran up to the Canadian side today and weren’t disappointed. Same routine, checked a few reefs and found one that was loaded up and got after them. It amazes me how much the size of fish jumps as soon as you cross that line. So nice not having to put on the miles to get em. We did get checked today by the MNR so anyone going up make sure you have everything in order. CaptJohn I think we were fishing just south of you at the end of the day. 

[CaptJohnWis]

Started marking lots of fish on reefs yesterday. Mostly small walleyes that were very fussy. Big pike were on the prowl though and I tied into a dozen or so. Mostly in 20 FOW. Spoons, jigs, caranbaits - they liked them all.

[Muskies]

Out for an hour....10 to 11 on Wednesday...2- 17”, 2 16” and put back a 20 and 22”

[Grindstone29]

Love it!  Release to the grease.  Looks like the $25 special at Tavern on Grand here in St. Paul.  

 

Not Rainy related, but an interesting.  Trolling for Muskies this weekend on Cedar Lake in Aitkin.  Deep basin, 70-90 feet with a few humps up to 30.  You can see the Cisco breaking water all over the place and the graph is just full of huge hooks down in 40-60 feet.  Got smacked at dusk and pulled up a 28 inch Walleye.  He'd been telling me for years that guys catch bit Walleye on that pattern (he'd never seen it).  You can see when they start coming up to feed, and they hit these lures in 8 feet.  Wild stuff. 

 

Not back on Rainy until mid September.  These posts keep me going.  I can't wait until everyday is a Saturday... 

[bfisherman11]

We had a really good week of fishing. My wife and I went up the north arm one day and hooked into some good sized pike (28, 30, 32 and 33in) all out of one bay. Caught one small enough to keep. Next day we fished the reefs and caught our limit of walleye, one I let go was 20".  A couple days it was too windy for me to keep fishing the reefs so I went east and caught a good stringer of pike we kept. Oh, also caught a 16.5" Sauger, I really think Sauger are cool looking fish.

 

Weather was good, rain didn't mess us up too much.

 

Had a blast!

Bill

[CaptJohnWis]

Fishing started off great this year with 104 bass for Mike and I on our first trip in my boat. But it has been a slow year for me in general. Got a few yesterday and marked a ton of deep bait.

 

 

[CaptJohnWis]

Went yesterday. For the first (and last!) time ever, I made the run from Northeast Bay to Redgut via Frog Portage. I am so glad I did not meet another boat. Ticked at least five rocks on the 15-20 minute passage. Caught nothing in Porters or Redgut but was only there a short time.

 

 Thought I lost my Storm Big Mac yesterday. I was just starting a trolling run over 40 feet of water. Had let out about ten feet of line. Lure was just starting to wiggle and could not have been down more than a couple feet. Got an awesome hit and line snapped – I probably had my thumb on the spool as I was letting out line so drag had no chance to work. But the fish (I suspect musky) got rid of the lure and it and my titanium leader popped to surface where I retrieved them.

 

Fishing was very slow with only a dozen fish landed.

 

 

[bfisherman11]

Thanks for the video John. I have been home only a few weeks and I want to come back so bad. Your videos help with my withdrawals, ha.

 

Bill

[CaptJohnWis]

Went this afternoon. Wind was predicted with a high of 5 MPH. NOAA said the gusts only reached 18.  I hate to tell them, but it was much higher on the water. My trolling motor was sucking air quite often. Coming back in even my 150 was sucking air a few times. Fishing lousy. Just a few pike and dink walleyes.

 

 

[bfisherman11]

Gee John, that's funny. I have never known Rainy to get windy/rough. Ha

 

We had a windy week when I was there but a few calm days so I could fish the reefs. Boat control on the reef's is tough when the wind is too much. Like many I assume, I catch a lot more fish when I can actually control my boat. On the windier days I just gave up and went pike fishing. I found a few new spots for us this year and had a blast.

 

Even on a windy day I would rather be out there than stuck here at work. I am retiring next spring/summer so work won't get in my way then.

 

Bill

[Muskies]

You are right there Bill, any day on the lake is better than being at work. When it’s too windy I still drop my anchor to stay on top of the fish and it’s a lot easier on me. Was out today for a few hours 9:30 to noon on the north arm. Saw a lot of fish on many reefs but only found one where the fish were cooperating. Picked up 3 in the slot, a 20 and 19” along with six 13”. Supper on! 

[Bigfatbert]

Agreed that just dropping the anchor when the wind kicks up to stay on fish is great to do , BUT with that being said some if not most of these Rainy lake reefs are boulders or jagged ledge rock and dropping anchor on this type of structure can become a bad situation very quickly when the anchor gets wedged in between the rocks and will not come free no matter what you try to do to free it up leaving you no alternative but to cut your rope , leaving you no anchor and a lot less rope . You may get away with getting it free sometimes , but if you do it enough your time will come .been there ,done that !!

[bfisherman11]

I did try my anchor one day, its a fluke style, maybe 13-14#. My boat is 16', I sure thought when I bought it I was OK but it held for a bit and then let go. I had a lot of line out as well, just too many big swells I guess. Ha, my plan was good but I guess my equipment or execution was off.

 

Bill 

[Muskies]

I use a Danforth with 30” of chain on 150’ of line for the last 30 plus years. The chain helps lay the anchor down so it grabs without it getting wedged in. You should use 3 times the line for the depth your dropping your anchor and you’ll have no problems staying on top of the fish. Something I was shown while fishing Saganaw bay on the east end as a young fellow.

[Grindstone29]

Fishing in Canada/Rainy Lake related questions.  Fishing 9-11 through 9-15 and want to make my first North Arm run around Woodchuck/Rebecca, and surrounding area.

 

- Can I get Ontario fishing license at Rainy Lake One Stop?  Do I need one if I have MN license? 

- I can't fish with live bait except crawlers in bedding? 

- I should not have beer in the boat? 

- Can someone point me in the direction of slot limits... I understand it's 1 walleye per man. 

- How long is the run from Thunderbird? 

 

Thanks much for any insight/guidance here.

[Wanderer]

You need an Ontario license to fish their side of the border.  You can purchase one easily on line but will need your Outdoors Card as well.  There’s a regular license option and a Conservation license option that costs less but has reduced limits also.

 

Regs are available on line also and I think you’d be in Region 5 but you’ll want to check that closely.  Definitely read those bait regulations.  I can’t tell ya cuz I don’t use any live bait when I’m there.

 

Can’t answer anything more for ya, not even the beer question.  We have 1 or 2 with dinner after fishing and usually bring half our allowance back home.

[Grindstone29]

Thanks Wanderer --- I'll continue digging online appreciate the feedback.  I know Captain John always says... "We don't need no stinking minnows!"  

 

 

[PRO-V]

No alcohol allowed period! Fine is quite steep.

[Grindstone29]

Thanks Pro-V.  This is what I thought.  

[Wanderer]

@Grindstone29

 

Here’s the link so you don’t have to dig too hard.  Strange as it sounds, I didn’t have the time to post it before.

 

https://www.ontario.ca/page/fishing-licence-non-residents-canada

 

Good luck up ‘der.

 

[Ranger2050Reata]

On 8/28/2019 at 1:45 PM, Grindstone29 said:

Fishing in Canada/Rainy Lake related questions.  Fishing 9-11 through 9-15 and want to make my first North Arm run around Woodchuck/Rebecca, and surrounding area.

 

- Can I get Ontario fishing license at Rainy Lake One Stop?  Do I need one if I have MN license? 

- I can't fish with live bait except crawlers in bedding? 

- I should not have beer in the boat? 

- Can someone point me in the direction of slot limits... I understand it's 1 walleye per man. 

- How long is the run from Thunderbird? 

 

Thanks much for any insight/guidance here.

The daily limit on Rainy is the same for either the sportsman or conservation license so there is no advantage to the more expensive sportsman license. You can keep only one between 35-45 centimeters. (13.8-17.7 inches, think 14-17.5 to be safe) An Ontario license is easily purchased online as the previous poster mentioned. Only live bait allowed in from the US is crawlers in artificial bedding. Frozen shiners are an option also. You can not touch shore, anchor or pull along side another boat while in Canadian waters. If for some reason you were planning to touch shore you need a Canadian remote border crossing permit for everyone in your party and you will also have to check in with US customs upon return to the US. Absolutely no alcohol in the boat. Fishing regs can be found here: https://www.ontario.ca/document/ontario-fishing-regulations-summary Border regs for Canada are here: https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/travel-voyage/pb-pp-exceptions-eng.html 

[Grindstone29]

Thanks Ranger! 

 

Reata 2050 hey?  Fished out of my buddies brand new 620 FS Pro last week on Mille Lacs.  Boat envy...

 

Appreciate all the help and posts this summer from all.  Have a group of 12 and our annual "Camp Champ" tourney next week.  Tuesday night can't come fast enough.

[CaptJohnWis]

Idiot loose on Rainy!

 

Day started out nice and then on my first spot am anchored up for 30 minuters and casting about 50 feet away on a reef. Here comes a big Ranger headed right at me. I figure it must be one of my buddies to come so close but I don't recognize him. Does he stop at 100 feet away? NO. Does he stop 50 feet away - NO. How about 25 feet? again no, He come withing 10 feet and then says," SORRY TO CROWD YOU BUT I AM IN A BASS TOURNAMENTt" !!!?? Then he proceeds to go right where I am casting - I lose it and go ballistic. Why does he think you can hover right over where somebody is casting? IDIOT! Whole lake to fish and he has to start TEN feet from my boat.

 

I left the North Arm where I had planned to spend the day. Didn't need to run into any more jerks. Went south. Ended up with about an 18 pound bag of 5 bass. See next video for more enjoyable viewing.

 

https://youtu.be/aGgdkHGLkvM

[CaptJohnWis]

On a better note, I left the North Arm and headed south. Had fun playing with my new Garmin Live Scope. I probably would not have caught anything today without it. The fish were there but extremely picky. You had to use just the right action to entice a hit. Kinda like ice fishing for stubborn walleyes. Very small lure as well. I caught everything vertical jigging where I could see how the fish were reacting - nothing casting.

 

Would have weighed in about 18 pounds if I had been in the tournament. Maybe I should enter - then if I see you catch a fish, I can hover right over your spot. Apparently paying an entry fee allows you to disrespect other fishermen.

 

 

[Grindstone29]

Brutal John.  What a butt.  Love the "I've got no use for this boat, I'll run right into you!" 

 

We were North Arm that Saturday morning as well.  Could hardly get off shore on Thursday and Friday wasn't much better but managed to catch some good ones and plenty for the fish fry. 

 

Saturday walleye fishing on the North Arm, we got a 28, 26, 24.5, 24 and three for the fry pan.  My buddy also picked up a 36 inch pike which put up a massive brawl.    

 

I appreciate all the help from this forum on questions about fishing in Canada.  It was my first time under the causeway, and a very pretty morning for the drive north.  That's it for me on Rainy this season.  Looking forward to May 2020 already.  

 

Edited September 16, 2019 by Grindstone29
PDF didn't show up

[Grindstone29]

See if I can add a picture of the 28... 

[CaptJohnWis]

Got about 20 nice bass today. Most on TRD lure and Ned head. Also a pike and a walleye. Water back up to 60 F. These were the last two

[CaptJohnWis]

Fishing has been tough. Water was 58F yesterday.

 

Since I got a Garmin Panoptix Live Scope, I can tell what is going on down below much better. I never would have believed how many baitfish are in this lake. Ya, with regular sonar you see stuff that sometimes you are sure are baitfish - big orange blobs suspended over open water. But what about all those bottom huggers and those horizontal red bars at different depths (often near bottom)?

 

Well now I can verify that nearly all are baitfish - NOT insects or thermocline, etc. You can see the individual minnows on the Live Scope. You can see how the whole school reacts when a big fish or your lure gets too close. You even get a pretty good idea of the size of each minnow. These seem to be equal amounts with schools of big bait and small stuff in their own school.

 

Plenty of catchable fish showing up as well. Trouble is they are not very hungry. About the only time they seem aggressive is when you hook a bass. Then a bunch of his buddies show up and follow him part way up. If the hook falls out, wait a few seconds and you often get re-bit. Had four bites on the same cast yesterday!

 

 

 

[CaptJohnWis]

Got some good ones yesterday at a secret location on Lunker City Swimmin Ribster.