Rainy Lake

[Skipguy@Chibardun.net]

Need help in finding out whether there are resorts on Black Bay of Rainy Lake. Any info on this, and the fishing opportunities in that area would be most welcome. Also. Vermillion Lake by Tower: is this another tourist-clogged lake or something resembling wilderness??? Information, please!! Thanks heaps.

[Greg P]

Sha Sha resort/lodge is at the entrance to Black Bay. There are a few other resorts within a mile or so, like Island View and one more close by that I can't recall the name.

There are no resorts on/in the bay itself, it is very swampy.

Rainy is an excellent lake to fish. Black Bay can be good if you hit it at the right time in the spring, usually May/early June. I have also caught crappies in the waters outside the bay. I found the schools on my graph, they were different than the walleyes, which were hugging the bottom. The crappies were suspended off a gradually sloping point.

I personally like to fish the Brule narrows area if I am staying near the resorts on the west end of Rainy. It's a bit of a boat ride, but worth it. Not on a windy day, though.

Fishing Rainy is quite a challenge, it's a lot of water, and it all looks the same as you look across the lake. There are pleny of fish to be caught, but not every spot that looks good will produce. Be prepared to move around a bit. A guide is a good tool. Be careful of rocks, use caution and you will be fine.

Vermillion is not as remote as Rainy, but still a very pretty lake, and it is not overcrowded. Very good fishing also.

Search the archives, there are a lot of posts regarding fishing Rainy Lake, and Vermillion, more info than I can pass along in one post.

If you like wilderness fishing, then you may enjoy some of the remote island campsites available throughout the park. I like being able to wake up, get out of my tent, and into my boat just a few feet away. The sites are free, well done, and there are a lot of them. Some do fill up on weekends, so plan accordingly.

Another excellent place on Rainy is Kettle Falls Hotel. It's at the east end of the lake. Once again, be careful if you go that far. Follow someone in and out. I have seen the results of not being careful.

Good luck and if you have any specific questions, I'll be glad to help you out with what I know.

[Tom]

Lake vermillion south side is wall to wall cabins and homes (waterfront land sells for big bucks, north end I've heard is much much less developed). Rainy Lake much more remote generally speaking, Voyageurs NP (beware rocks). Beware Canadian Waters. The camping plan other person described is my preference as well. You can rent houseboats there if you plan ahead. What about Crane L. or Kabetogama L.? reforest@wiktel.com
Tom

[Skipguy@Chibardun.net]

Thanks for the info on Rainy and Vermillion. I know we should probably be heading MUCH further North, but it's not on the ticket for this year. Come to think of it, I caught a tie for my biggest Northern (39") just 15 miles from home, so just maybe Northern Minn may be good enough....

[Skipguy@Chibardun.net]

Thanks again for the info. We did Kabetogama maybe 10 years ago and found mostly small fish (I wonder if the 95+ weather that week had anything to do with it???) We DID see our first pileated woodpecker there, though, and that alone was almost worth the trip! Don't know diddly about Crane - can you providea little more detail???

Thanx, and good ice fishing!!!

[Bob]

Sha Sha is a great place to stall. You want to talk to Stuart. 218-286-3241. He doesn't have a website. Likes to talk to the customer. You will most likely get an answering machine. Leave you # and he will call you back.