Thursday, April 16th, 2015

Rainy River fishing is picking up as water temps warm to the lower 40’s. Reports of up to 75 walleyes a day.  For those not catching big numbers, still catching fish.  Vertical jigging up to 2 feet off bottom with pink or chartreuse jigs tipped with frozen shiners. Best bite at 15′.  Trophy sized walleyes in good numbers caught from the airport to Vidas landing. 4 Mile Bay holding good numbers of eater sized fish. Try 19-24 feet. Walleye season through April 14th!With warming water, sturgeon activity continues to increase.  Most anglers using a 3 oz no roll sinker along with an 18″ snell and a 5/0 circle hook loaded with a crawler and frozen shiner(s).  Sturgeon rigs are available at local bait stores.

Currently, the sturgeon season is catch and release only.  The sturgeon harvest season runs from April 24th – May 7th and July 1 – Sept. 30.  The catch and release season runs May 8th – May 15th and Oct. 1 – April 23rd.  This means from May 16 – June 30, no sturgeon fishing.  The rest of the year, you can fish for sturgeon.

Pike season is open all year and very soon, areas such as Zippel Bay and other backwater areas will be hot spots for early pike anglers.

Thursday April 9th, 2015

The ice season for most is finished up and anglers are focusing on the open water of the Rainy River. Walleye season on this border water is open through April 14th and then again on May 9th. Sturgeon can be caught through May 15th.  Pike season is open all year long!

The entire Rainy River is open water all the way to the mouth at Four Mile Bay. Frontier, Birchdale, Vidas, Timbermill Park, and Wheeler’s Point accesses are open to all boats.

Fishing has been good! Trophy sized walleye showing up along with eaters and numbers of sturgeon actively biting. Boats have been anchoring and vertically jigging with minnows or frozen shiners. Bright colors, gold, pink/white, and chartreuse have been best. Shallower in 12-15 feet best. Good bite near International Bridge in Baudette and current seams.

Thursday, March 31st, 2015

Ice fishing still continues for a handful of resorts, others have pulled houses.  Rely and work through resorts. In addition, here is an ice road report.  Conditions can change daily.
Adrians…  Road closed, sending anglers to Graceton Beach, checking daily
Cyrus…  Road Closed
Morris Point…Road Closed
Zippel Bay Resort…Road closed
Babbler’s Road… ATV’s only.
Long Point Resort…ATV’s and collapsibles only, no vehicles.
Arnesen’s Rocky Point…Moved houses closer, checking daily
Young’s Bay Resort (NW Angle)… Ice road closed to vehicles.  ATV’s only.  Snowmobile trail stakes on lake removed.
Resorts monitoring ice daily.  Safety first.  Lake ice in decent shape where resorts are fishing.  Check with your resort if questions.
Fishing has improved this week.  Graceton area heading west reports continued pike action as well as decent walleye bite in 24-27′.  Morning / evening bite in 14 – 18′ or 24′.  Arnesen’s and Long Point reporting better walleye fishing this week as well.  Some pike being caught, not in big numbers.
On the Rainy River… Frontier Landing, The Nelson Park Landing in Birchdale, and Vidas Landing is open and ice free. Open water predicted to hit Clementson by this week with warm temps  Bite has been hit and miss with about 20 – 25 walleyes per day, but improving.  Fish up to 25 inches so far.  Water temp about 34 degrees.  Better bite and larger fish as temp warms.  Best bite has been shallow with jig and minnow. Main catch has been walleye and sturgeon but others have popped up occasionally. Safety first, both on water and roadways.
Up at the NW Angle, walleye action continues with mixed in jumbo perch.  Resorts ice fishing mornings and evenings in 20-26′ on south end of Oak Island.  Picking away at fish during day.  Crappie action on the Ontario side continues.

Thursday, March 26th, 2015

Ice fishing continues for some resorts, others have pulled houses.  Rely and work through resorts.  Some resorts still transporting customers via ice transport.  In addition, here is an ice road report.  Conditions can change daily.
Adrians…  Road open to ATV’s and snowmobiles only.
Cyrus…  Using Morris Point road.  ATV’s and snowmobiles only.
Morris Point…Ice road in decent shape.  No wheel houses.  ATV’s and snowmobiles only.
Zippel Bay Resort…Road closed to vehicles and wheel houses.  ATV’s and portables only.
Babbler’s Road… ATV’s and snowmobiles only.
Long Point Resort…ATV’s and collapsibles only, no vehicles.
Arnesen’s Rocky Point…Moved houses closer, ice good where fishing.
Young’s Bay Resort (NW Angle)… Ice road closed to vehicles.  ATV’s and snowmobiles only.  Snowmobile trail stakes on lake removed.  NW Angle Resorts doing pick ups with ice transportation.
Resorts monitoring ice daily.  Safety first.  Lake ice in decent shape where resorts are fishing.  Check with your resort if questions.
Fishing has improved this week.  Mixed reports off of Pine Island with some good fishing coming in from 26 – 28′.  Morris Point area reports continued pike action as well as decent walleye bite in 26 – 30′.  Morning / evening bite in 14 – 18′.  Arnesen’s and Long Point reporting better walleye fishing this week as well.  Some pike being caught, not in big numbers.  Below zero temps may have effected bite.
On the Rainy River… The Nelson Park Landing in Birchdale is open and ice free.  We anticipate Frontier access open mid week  The river is open 1.8 miles east of Frontier Landing or 6.2 miles west of Birchdale.  Bite has been hit and miss with about 20 – 25 walleyes per day, but improving.  Fish up to 25 inches so far.  Water temp about 34 degrees.  Better bite and larger fish as temp warms.  Best bite has been shallow with jig and minnow.  Safety first, both on water and roadways.
Up at the NW Angle, walleye action continues with mixed in jumbo perch.  Resorts still ice fishing.  Good morning / evening bite in 20-26′ on south end of Oak Island.  Picking away at fish during day.  Crappie action on the Ontario side continues.

Tuesday, March 17th, 2015

Good reports this week from a number of areas.  Longer days and angle of sun getting fish more active.  Better reports coming from off of Pine Island, 26 – 31 feet as well as in main basin.  A mixed bag of walleyes and saugers.  Fish still going well up by Garden Island and adjacent deep mud.  Reefs on west end still giving up some meals of fish.  Lots of tulibees everywhere.  Colors, gold, glow red, and pink.  Pike activity heating up.  Good reports from in front of Morris Point gap and just west of Zippel Bay. Pike 40″+ in decent numbers.  Live suckers, frozen ciscoes and smelt on quick strike rig in 9-14′.

On the Rainy River, some big walleyes showing up in 15-18′.   Orange is the go to color for walleyes.  Best mode of travel is a snowmobile. Caution on river as water begins to flow with melting this week.

Up at the NW Angle good fishing continues.  Walleyes being caught in the mud on the south side of Oak Island in 18-22′ and by Crow Duck Island in 24-28′.  Crappie anglers doing well with slabs up to 16″.   Fish houses on ice through March 31st.  Walleye season open to April 14th.  Pike open all year.  Openings for ice fishing around the lake

Friday, March 6th, 2015

The walleye fishing in March has started strong.  Good reports from the Garden Island area over to Knight/Bridges.  A mixed bag of walleyes and saugers.  Some saugers up to 17″ showing up.  Some nice fish being taken in the basin over mud as well.  Some big 40″+ pike showing up in front of Zippel Bay.  9 – 14′ with live suckers.  Walleyes showing up in 26-31′ from Zippel to west Reefs.  Decent eaters primarily with occasional big fish.   Colors, good reports with gold, glow red, and pink.
On the Rainy River, locals still catching walleyes in 15-18′.   Orange is the go to color for walleyes.  Best mode of travel is a snowmobile.  Best time is evening.  Some sturgeon being caught and released.  Please work through outfitters and bait shops and know where you are going on ice.
Up at the NW Angle good fishing continues.  Walleyes being caught shallower in the mud on the south side of Oak Island in 18-22′.  Some big crappies caught this week both on the MN side and Canadian side.   Fish houses on ice through March 31st.  Walleye season open to April 14th.  Pike open all year.  Openings for ice fishing around the lake.

Thursday, February 26th, 2015

Some monster walleyes this week with a nice mix of walleyes, saugers and jumbo perch in the buckets.  The northern part of Big Traverse from Knight and Bridges islands up to Garden Island in 26-32′ still giving up fish.  Some resorts on south shore moving fish houses back closer to south shore with good results.  A hit and miss morning bite reported in 15-18′ off of Zippel Bay and Pine Island.  Some big pike caught this week in front of Zippel Bay.  Reefs off of Long Point producing mixed bag with some jumbo perch mixed in.  Colors, good reports with gold, glow red, and pink.
On the Rainy River, locals still catching walleyes in 15-20′.   Best time is evening.  Some sturgeon being caught and released.  Please work through outfitters and bait shops and know where you are going on ice.
Up at the NW Angle good fishing continues around reefs in 22 – 30′.  Jig one line, dead stick second line.  A mixed bag, with walleyes, saugers, pike, jumbo perch and tulibees.  NW Angle resorts targeting crappies having good success with crappies up to 16″.  Fish houses on ice through March 31st.  Walleye season open to April 14th.  Pike open all year.

Thursday, February 19th, 2015

Some good reports this week.  Fish are spread out, electronics and focusing on fishing helps the fish bucket.  Good reports between Knight and Bridges islands and Garden Island in 27-33′.  A morning bite reported in 18′ off of Pine Island.  Around Zippel, fishing structure in 23 – 30′ best with some morning action shallow.  Reefs off of Long Point producing mixed bag with some jumbo perch mixed in.  Combo of walleyes and saugers the norm.  Most groups catching supper each day, many limits and mixed in trophies.
On the Rainy River, frozen shiners in 15-20′ with orange or chartreuse is still the go to.  Some sturgeon being caught and released.  Please work through outfitters and bait shops and know where you are going on ice.
Up at the NW Angle good fishing continues around reefs in 23 – 30′.  Jig one line, dead stick second line.  A mixed bag, with more walleyes than saugers.  Some jumbo perch, pike and eelpout mixed in.  Big crappies on the Canadian side continue.  Fish houses on ice through March 31st.  Walleye season open to April 14th.

Friday, February 13th, 2015

Overall, a good week of fishing.  Mixed reports across the lake.  From the south end, some of the best reports coming from 22-25 miles north between Knight / Bridges Islands and Garden Islands.  Resorts have houses in place and there is an ice road as well.  Some morning fish coming from 18′ in front of Pine Island.  Zippel Bay area reporting better fishing closer to shore with a bit of a morning bite in 15-18′ and mix of saugers and walleyes around structure.  Reefs around Long Point producing meals of fish but not buckets of fish.
On the Rainy River, frozen shiners in 15-20′ most consistent.  Mainly locals fishing river.  Decent morning / evening bite.
Up at the NW Angle good fishing continues.  One day the fish are on the reefs, the next day on the edges.  Go to depth, 20 – 30′.  Jig one line, dead stick second line.  A mixed bag, with more walleyes than saugers.  Some jumbo perch, pike and eelpout mixed in.  Big crappies on the Canadian side.
Fish houses on ice through March 31st.  Walleyes open to April 14th.  Pike open year round.

Thursday, February 5th, 2015

A good week of fishing.  The success from day to day is effected by weather systems moving through.  Downsize lures the days fish get sluggish.  Electronics helpful.  Many of the best reports from the south shore are from anglers headed out 20 miles or more.  Combo of walleyes and saugers.  Structure around Knight and Bridges or Garden Island are doing well.
On the Rainy River, frozen shiners in 15-17′ with orange or chartreuse is still the go to.  Please work through outfitters and bait shops and know where you are going on ice.
Up at the NW Angle good fishing continues on the edge of structure in 20 – 30′.  Jig one line, dead stick second line.  A mixed bag, with more walleyes than saugers.  Some jumbo perch, pike and eelpout mixed in.  Big crappies on the Canadian side.  Fish houses on ice through March 31st.