I am heading to Rainy River for my very first time next week to fish the RRWT. I am not familiar with the area at all and cant seem to find any bait shops listed online. Does anyone know where a good bait shop is in Rainy? Looking for shiners dead or alive and large sucker minnnows. Any tips? Can anyone help me out on this one? My passport is under renewal and my new one has not arrived yet, so i can not cross the border. Ill be driving from Thunder Bay.Maybe something along the way? First time on this site, fisrts thread, i hope its in the right place.Thanks in advance

Maybe best to try Rainy Lake Sports in Fort Frances along the way. Not sure on the shiners though. They aren't real popular in our area. RR Sports is just west of the causeway at the corner 2nd St I believe. It's a CAN-OP gas bar.

Good luck in the RRWT. I'm hoping to win the boat raffle this year and then sell it to pay off mine!

We go up to Rainy River every year for the ice-out and bait is very expensive. We will be investing in a bait tank for our next trip, buying minnows @ $18.00 per gallon here and transporting with us.

The hot secrect on the river are golden shiners frozen in zip-lock baggies. They are almost impossible to keep alive.
Bought locally, you will pay thru the nose. The shiners are hooked on a jig much like a twister tail...thru the mouth and out the top of the head is the only way to keep them on the jig for any length of time.

They work fantastic for the big Eyes! :smokin:
Good luck!

Thanks for the help and tips guys, I really do appreciate the replies!