Rainy Lake-Fishing Canada From US Side-Limit Question

[joshuatree78]

I'm going to be fishing Rainy Lake this July and will be staying on the US side. I have fished the Canadian side before and want to hit up a few of the hot spots we have found but I'm not sure what the restrictions are for bringing fish caught on the CA side back to camp on the US side of the lake. I have tried doing some searches but haven't been able to find anything solid. Can anyone help clear this up for me?

Josh

[camp chef]

I can't help with the transporting fish across the border question but I do know you will need a canadian license and a Remote border crossing pass if you are going to be crossing by boat.

[Carnhzkr]

It would be no different than driving over to Ontario to fish for a day. You'd need an Ont license and the same daily and possession limits apply (4 with one over the slot for a sportsman's license or 2 under 18" for conservation).

[Carnhzkr]

I fished Rainey Lake last fall and boated back to the MN side. I was told by a couple of MN guys at camp that to be technically legal to transport fish on the MN side, you were supposed to transport them as whole fish after gutting and gilling, but not fillets. Not sure how accurate that is. I asked the camp manager about it and he said not to worry about it, so I filleted them out like I always do.

Oh yeah, and camp chef makes a good point about needing an RABC (rural access boundary crossing) form.

[joshuatree78]

Originally Posted by Carnhzkr

It would be no different than driving over to Ontario to fish for a day. You'd need an Ont license and the same daily and possession limits apply (4 with one over the slot for a sportsman's license or 2 under 18" for conservation).

Thanks for the quick reply. Do the fish caught in Canada count towards the MN license possession limit? The MN possession limit is 4 walleye and the Ontario possession limit is 4. As long as I have both the MN and Ontario license would I be able to have 8 walleye in the freezer at camp?

Josh

[h8go4s]

From the 2014 Minnesota regulation booklet, page 55:
While in Minnesota, anglers may not possess more than a Minnesota limit of fish
from Canada-Minnesota border waters. Fish from Canadian inland waters may
be possessed in Minnesota in excess of the Minnesota limit only if the angler has
proof—such as lodging receipts or verification through U.S. Customs—that the fish were taken from inland Canadian waters.

Page 56 shows the Rainy Lake limits.
Page 27 describes how fish on lakes with size limits must be processed.

Check the 2015 booklet before you go.

[Carnhzkr]

No. You get one possession limit. Once you cross into MN, it's assumed all fish in your possession were caught in MN.

I see your point, though. It'd be like if you drove into Ont and caught your limit there, then drove back to MN, put the Ont fish in the freezer and went out fishing again. When the MN DNR checks you, you tell him the ones in the freezer are Canadian fish. No way he'll buy that.

The only way I know to tell the difference between US and Canadian walleyes is the Canadian ones sprinkle vinegar on their fries.

[joshuatree78]

Thanks again for the information. I was hoping to bring home double the number of walleye this year but it doesn't look like that will be the case.

Josh

Rainy's slot size in !3.8 - 17.8 you can keep on between that size (35 -45 cm) the limit is one per day.

[Obabikon]

Yeah... you can't take double limits. I'm not sure if Rainy lake has a daily limit of two (like LOTW's does).


I will say, don't ever be in a state or province with more fish than their limit allows.