Thinking of going to Rainy Lake

[Tim]

Thinking about going to rainy lake this year. Is the fishing as good as I hear about?? If so when should I go and where is a good place to stay?? Thanks for any help I receive, Tim

[REW]

Yep

You can check with the Baudette Chamber of Commerce and get a nice list of resorts. Various price ranges, various accomodations.

If you haven't fished it before, it would be great to plan on hiring a guide for at least a day. You will learn a lot about techniques and general areas to fish, that it will be well worth the expense.

You can also check the web site up-north.com
and look under resorts and guides - there are some good leads in that section.

As is the case with any trip - you can always get blind sided with the weather. But if you have relatively stable weather - you can nearly be assured of bountiful fishing.

If you get into patterns of changing weather, then of course the fishing will be tougher.

If you have the chance - do plan on doing some small mouth fishing. This is a wonderful small mouth fishery, as well as pike fishery. So catch a bunch of walleyes for lunch, and then enjoy some of the other fish to catch.

Also, don't fail to check out the crappie fishery. Lots of 1-2 lb crappies if you are in the right place at the right time.

Be sure to bring your camera to catch the wild life and beautiful north country. The eagles, deer, bear and once in a while you might sight a moose.

Take care

REW

p.s.
That reminds me of a trip with my buddy one very bright sunny afternoon. We had been drifting along with the use of the electric motor - working a shelf for walleyes. We noticed a pair of loons right behind the boat. From time to time - one or the other would dive down, and often come up on the other side of the boat. We were in areas where there were of course minnows, perch and walleyes. So, for a while we assumed that they were catching minnows or other fish. It was strange, that they stayed so close to the boat.
I was chatting with my buddy, and expressing my amazement, that these loons would stay for the boat for so long, and stay so close. Many times we would have to pull in our lines for fear of tangling with the diving loons. Finally my buddy came to the conclusion that perhaps they were diving for the flash of the slowly revolving stainless steel prop on my boat that was flashing from the slow turning due to being pulled by the electric motor through the water.

So, to test the theory, I tilted the big motor up and fully out of the water. Then in amazement, we watched as each loon dived one more under the boat and then turned to us with a puzzeled look in their face as if to say, "what happened to the flash that we thought were minnows?" Then after a couple more minutes, they both swam peacefully away.

Enjoy your trip and enjoy the memories.

[Tim]

REW thanks for the help. I will do some more home work on it. Can't wait for warm weather. Thanks Tim

[Fish-on]

I think REW misread your post. Rainy lake is a long way from Baudette. I have stayed at Rainy Lake Lodge and it was a nice place. Good smallmouth and walleye fishing and if you go late may or early June, the big crappies should be in Black Bay.

[Tim]

Thanks Fish-on. How far did you have to travel that time of year to find fish from the place you stayed at?? Tim

[Fish-on]

From Rainy Lake Lodge we went about a mile or so to the crappies on Black Bay, walleyes, smallmouth and northerns are all over. We even caught a couple big northerns right in the bay within sight of the lodge.

[Tim]

Hey thanks fish-on. can't wait to get in the boat. Tim

[Jason Mitchell]

I stayed at Woody's Pub & Resort when at Rainy and had a great time. Woody is a great guide and Rainy Lake is a great fishery.