Rainy River

[Bri-guy]

Anyone up at Rainy this past weekend? I'm heading up on Thursday and just looking for any tips/info. I know the forks started flooding badly and it increased the flow and decreased clarity. Looks like that will still be the case next weekend as the little fork is still rising...

What stretch were you fishing? Can a guy still get away with a 3/8 or 1/2 oz. jig or do I need 3/4 or 1 oz?

Any baits work better than others?

 

[revolutionz]

We were up last tues/wed and were using 5/8 and 3/4 jigs. 1/2 worked, but I like to fish closer to the boat than the 1/2 allowed for. Water clarity was decent, but it sounds like they opened the dam in international falls last Thursday which has made the bite tough. We are heading up on Friday again, I would think by then the water clarity should have settled back to its usual as the hit of the dam being opened begins to settle. Sounds like fish are still being caught, just have to work for them. We were fishing east of Vidas landing when we were there, but if the water temp has picked up at all (it was 38deg when we left on Wed) hopefully fish will start moving up the river and we can fish closer to the mouth and out into the bay too.

 

[Duckslayer100]

Coworker just got back from going up there this weekend. He said the two tribs that dump in opened up and the whole system turned into chocolate milk. I think they wound up with a perch, two eyes and a sauger the entire trip.

 

[Jigaman]

this sucks. I am supposed to head up Wednesday afternoon to meet up with a guy I know who invited me along. I have never fished the river and was looking forward to it. Hopefully it clears up quick.

 

[Duckslayer100]

this sucks. I am supposed to head up Wednesday afternoon to meet up with a guy I know who invited me along. I have never fished the river and was looking forward to it. Hopefully it clears up quick.

I'm sure it's not system-wide. Maybe call up to one of the guides and see what they're doing?

 

[Captain Ahab]

Coworker just got back from going up there this weekend. He said the two tribs that dump in opened up and the whole system turned into chocolate milk. I think they wound up with a perch, two eyes and a sauger the entire trip.

I was set to go, but pulled the plug at the last minute for that exact reason. When she gets muddy it's all over but the crying.

 

[zoops]

I was set to go, but pulled the plug at the last minute for that exact reason. When she gets muddy it's all over but the crying.

Yup, when it gets muddy about all you can do is sturgeon fish. Or go way up by International Falls where the river won't be dirty but the fishing won't really be worth the drive either.

 

[Callem'In]

Was there Saturday and Sunday. Water clarity was 1-1.5ft at wheelers point. The lake is open past 4 mile bay and fishing was better on the lake next to the ice. Managed good numbers but nothing big. a lot of 12-16" fish. Saw quite a few 25" plus, but not in our boat. Water clarity is still dropping. If you fish the lake, you can keep 8 fish (walleye and sauger - no more than 4 walleyes). River was flowing fast, 3/4 oz worked but 1oz was better.

 

[Bri-guy]

When you say water clarity is "dropping" do you mean it's getting better or worse?

Was there Saturday and Sunday. Water clarity was 1-1.5ft at wheelers point. The lake is open past 4 mile bay and fishing was better on the lake next to the ice. Managed good numbers but nothing big. a lot of 12-16" fish. Saw quite a few 25" plus, but not in our boat. Water clarity is still dropping. If you fish the lake, you can keep 8 fish (walleye and sauger - no more than 4 walleyes). River was flowing fast, 3/4 oz worked but 1oz was better.