Tag Archives: Rainy River Fishing Report

The bite is on in the Rainy River!

October 20, 2016 by Sportsman's Lodges

The best action for nice 15+ inch walleye is around Wheeler’s Point, Wabanica Church, and Clementson as well as areas on the lake just outside Pine Island and around the Morris Point Washout area. Water temperature is 51 degrees. The best depth is approximately 13-18 feet, but fish are being caught anywhere from 12 – 24 feet of water. Jigging with a 1 oz. jig tipped with a shiner minnow using colors gold, pink, white and glow in the dark. Guides available!

Pike a plenty!
Check out these whoppers caught by a group this week guided by Captain Travis Madrazo. Crankbait and large dead bait is working well.

Aggressive Sturgeon action
24 Sturgeon in two days including a double, 41 inch and 55 inch! That was the report from a group that was here and fished with Captain Travis Madrazo this week. Deep pockets in the river are holding the sturgeon. (This group also caught 42 walleyes and 26 northerns!   ) Fall fishing is hot! Book your guided fall trip today! 800-862-8602

Dock Cam
Our dock cam is back up and working! Check it out!

Winter Specials
Get in on the early bird deals! 25% off Ice Fishing & Double Reward Points. These specials won’t last long!
Click here for more information.

Openings available this weekend! Kids 17 and under stay free!
Kids 17 and under stay free with 2 adults in lodge rooms. Indoor pool, live entertainment, restaurant, game room and incredible fishing! Escape to the lake! 800-862-8602

Sportsman’s Oak Island Lodge Fishing Report October 12, 2016

October 12, 2016 by Sportsman's Lodges

Reeling in fish
The bite in the islands this week has been great! Lots of nice walleyes, saugers, crappies, pike, bass and muskies have been reeled in. Jigging with a minnow in 10’-15’ and 22’-26’ has been good for walleyes and saugers around shore lines. Soldier’s Point and McPherson Island have been notable hot spots. Crappies have been found in 24’-30’ using smaller jigs with a minnow in areas with structure but we have also seen plenty caught were the walleyes are targeted too. Bass, pike and muskie fishing has been best trolling using spinner or jerk baits around points and areas with current. Casting around rocks has been successful too.

Few days left
Just a few more days left of our fall season. Sportsman’s Oak Island Lodge and Eagle Ridge’s season is winding down. The last day for lodging reservations is Saturday, Oct 15 and the restaurant and bar’s last day will be Oct 16. Thanks for another great season! We are taking reservations for winter and next summer. We look forward to starting our winter season mid-December. Book your stay today for an ice fishing adventure! Sportsman’s Lodge Rainy River location remains open year round so if you are looking for a great place to visit after this weekend and get into more fall fishing action, give them a call 800-862-8602 or click here.

Sportsman’s Oak Island Lodge Fishing Report August 10, 2016

August 10, 2016 by Sportsman's Lodges

Structure & Mud
Areas with structure or mud have been hot spots this week. Little Oak Island and the southwest side of Falcon Island have been good in 25’-28’ and 17’-22’ of water using a 3/8 ounce gold, red or pink jig tipped with a minnow or leech. Water temperature is currently a warm 76 degrees.

Muskies, Pike & Bass
The muskies and pike have been real active. Top water baits, buck tails in bays of 7’-15’ with a fast tapering bottom. Working point to point.

Lake of the Woods South Shore Fishing Report 5-17-2016

May 17, 2016 by Sportsman's Lodges

Lake of the Woods South Shore Fishing Report 5-17-2016

Opener Recap & this week’s outlook
Another year is underway! It was a cool and windy start to the year with even a few snow showers mixed in but anglers found some walleyes. Walleyes are hugging the shallow shore lines and biting on gold, pink or orange jigs tipped with a minnow. Drifting or trolling in bays, Light House Gap and the Rainy River are all hot spots. For a no hassle approach to a fun day of fishing, jump on a charter boat! Groups of 1+ welcome. The boat holds up to 6 passengers and includes a guide, use of poles, bait, tackle, onboard restroom, assortment of pop and water and fish cleaning. We have lunch options available too including our world famous shore lunch.
The current water temperature is 50 degrees. The Rainy River’s current has slowed down quite a bit since last week. The weather forecast looks beautiful for the week ahead.

Northern Pike
Anglers are reeling in some monster pike right now! Pitching dead ciscos with a bobber on a quick strike rig on bottom or just 6 inches off bottom is working well to lure in these monsters along shorelines in weedy bays.

Spring Specials through May 26!
Up to 20% off summer lodging and charter fishing packages May 13-May 26 and lodging packages starting at only $40 per person per night now through May 26. It’s fishing time! *plus tax and based on double occupancy Sportsman’s Rainy River location

Share your pictures with us!
Recently fished with us or on Lake of the Woods? Email, Facebook or Instagram #sportsmanslodgelow your pictures to us and we will share them, we love to see your pics!

Lake of the Woods & Rainy River Fishing Report April 20, 2016

April 20, 2016 by Sportsman's Lodges

Lake of the Woods & Rainy River
Fishing Report April 20, 2016

It’s Sturgeon & Pike time!

The sturgeon and pike fishing has been great!
The water temperature has warmed up 6 degrees this week. Current temperature is at 46 degrees today and the weather is holding steady. Anglers are finding lots of sturgeon and pike to bite this week. Lodging and guided trips are still available. Click here or give us a call 800-862-8602.

Sturgeon Bite
Lots of nice 30”-65” sturgeon have been found in Four Mile Bay, areas within of the river near the lodge, Clementson and Birchdale. Size 3/0 or 4/0 circle hooks and a 3 ounce no roll sinker tipped with a gob of crawlers and a frozen shiner has been working well. To keep the worms from sliding off a good tip is to use piece of a plastic grub at the end. Anchored at deep river holes or crevices with a little current are best. Catch and release is open now through April 23 and May 8-15. You can keep on within 45”-50” or over 75” April 24-May 7. They are a blast to reel in!

Northern Pike bite is heating up!
Tributaries along the river and Clementson Rapids are stacked with pike right now. Anchored and casting out a jig tipped with a shiner and bouncing off the bottom and rocky areas has been producing some huge pike.

Ryan 48 inch sturgeon, released. Way to go Ryan!

Mike reeled and released a 52 inch sturgeon! Nice one!

Now-thats-a-whopper-63-inch-sturgeon-caught-and-released-by-Michael-Daly

Forecast for the Week

Walleye Opener is May 14

Up to 20% off summer lodging and charter fishing packages May 13-May 26 and lodging packages starting at only $40 per person per night now through May 26. It’s fishing time!

Check out the fishing action on our Dock Cam!

Photo Contest!
Submit your summer photo from a trip to Sportsman’s, tell your friends to vote and you could win a free night lodging at Sportsman’s Lodge! Click here.

All boat landings now open from Birchdale to Wheeler’s Point

March 24, 2016 by Sportsman's Lodges

All boat landings now open from Birchdale to Wheeler’s Point

All boat landings are now open from Birchdale to Wheeler’s Point. Sturgeon fishing has been good! Anglers are finding some nice sturgeon in and on the incline of the deep holes of the Rainy River. 5/0 hooks 2-4 ounces of weight and a gob of night crawlers is working well. Reel in one of these huge dinosaurs!

The water temperature is currently 34.5 degrees. Water level is low and clarity is 6-12 inches and getting better by the day. Walleye bite has been sluggish but improving. Bite should get better in a few days. The current is fast. 1 oz gold or pink jigs tipped with a minnow works well.

Minnesota Lake of the Woods Fishing seasons:
-Walleye open until April 14 and re-opens May 14
-Pike – continuous – never stops!
-Sturgeon – catch & release until April 23, keep 1 (within size limits) April 24-May 7, catch & release May 8-15

Limits:

Walleye & Sauger
Rainy River & Four Mile Bay
(Four Mile Bay is the SE bay of Lake of the Woods near Wheeler’s Point)
March 1, 2016-April 14, 2016
Limit of 2 Walleye 19 ½” and larger must be immediately released.

May 14, 2016-Nov 30, 2016
Limit of 6
Not more than 4 can be walleye; only 1 walleye over 28″; walleye 19 ½” through 28″ must be immediately released.

Lake of the Woods
Dec 1, 2015-April 14, 2016
Limit of 8
Not more than 4 can be walleye; only 1 walleye over 28″; walleye 19 ½” through 28″ must be immediately released.

May 14, 2016-Nov 30, 2016
Limit of 6
Not more than 4 can be walleye; only 1 walleye over 28″; walleye 19 ½” through 28″ must be immediately released.

Northern Pike
Limit 3
Only 1 over 40″; all northern pike from 30″ through 40″ must be immediately released.

Lake Sturgeon
October 1 – April 23
Catch & release only

April 24 – May 7
One per calendar year. Fish must be 45″-50″ inclusive or over 75″. Immediately upon reducing a fish to possession, you must validate and attach your sturgeon tag. Harvested sturgeon must be registered within 48 hours.

May 8 – May 15
Catch & Release Only

May 16 – June 30
Closed

This information has been taken from the Minnesota Fishing Regulations information printed by the DNR and is deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Regulation books are available at the lodge for your convenience or can be viewed online here. Border Waters information starts on page 44,

Minnesota Fishing licenses are available at Sportsman’s Lodge or by purchasing online here

For more information about spring fishing and our great lodging and guided fishing rates click here

Open water channel through Four Mile Bay is getting wider!

March 24, 2016 by Sportsman's Lodges

Open water channel through Four Mile Bay is getting wider!

The Rainy River is wide open all the way from Birchdale to Wheeler’s Point now. An open water channel through Four Mile Bay to Lake of the Woods is widening by the minute.
All boat ramps from Birchdale to Wheeler’s Point are now open to all boats.

Walleye season runs until April 14. Sturgeon season is catch and release now through April 23. Keep one sturgeon within 45″-50″ or over 75″ is April 24-May 7, be sure to pick up a $5 tag at the lodge or anywhere where you can buy a Minnesota fishing license. May 8-15 is catch and release again. Northern pike season is always open. Lake of the Woods is home to some beautiful walleyes, huge sturgeon and one of the top 5 lakes in Minnesota to catch a trophy pike. Get your fish on! Spring fishing is here!

Lodging starting at only $40 per person per night and guided trips available! Click here

The river is open in front of the lodge!

March 21, 2016 by Sportsman's Lodges

3/21/2016

The river is open in front of the lodge!

What a year! The river opened quickly! Over the weekend the Rainy River opened in front of the lodge. It is now wide open to Wheeler’s Point and there is a channel open through Four Mile Bay that is within ½ mile of Lighthouse Gap where Lake of the Woods starts. All boat ramps on the Rainy River are to all boats except for Wheeler’s Point. Wheeler’s Point has about 15 feet of shore ice this morning but we expect that to be gone in a couple of days.

Wheelers Point Access 3-21-2016 Shore ice should be gone in a few days! All other ramps on the Rainy River between Birchdale and the lodge are open to all boats now.

View from the lodge looking onto the Rainy River 3-21-2016

Looking towards Wheeler’s Point on the Rainy River from Wheeler’s Point Public Access 3-21-2016

Last week the tributaries opened up and muddied up the water making the walleye bite tough. The water is starting to clear and should be much better by this weekend. Jigging with 3/4-1 oz ounce jigs tipped with a chub or shiner minnow does the trick! In the meantime the sturgeon bite is good! Anglers have been reeling some nice 30”-65” monster sturgeons. Anglers are anchored in deep holes around current using a size 5/0 hook, 2-3 ounces of weight and a gob of worms. Sturgeon catch and release season is open until April 23. April 24-May 7 you can keep one within 45”-50” inclusive or over 75” with a sturgeon tag. Sturgeon tags are $5 and available online or at the lodge. May 8-15 is catch and release again. The season is closed May 16-June 30.

The current water temperature is a cool 33 degrees. The current is quick and the water level is low.

Check out this dinosaur! Lake Sturgeon caught and released this past weekend. Guided by JP Book your spring guided walleye, sturgeon and northern pike trip today!

Monster Sturgeon being caught! Guided by JP. released

Lodging, Guided trips & Dock Slips available!
Lodging starting at only $40 per person per night plus tax Sun-Thurs and $45 on weekends in our lodge rooms and cabins. $59 in our new villas. Guided trips for up to 4 people including guide, boat (18’-20), use of poles, bait and fish cleaning is $450 per day. Dock slips $10 per night. Book by calling 800-862-8602 or book online here.

The lodge will be closed Easter Sunday but lodging is still available!
Book by calling 800-862-8602 or book online here.

Lake of the Woods Fishing Seasons
Walleye open through April 14. Reopening May 14
Northern Pike – always open
Sturgeon catch and release open now through April 23. Keep one within size limits April 24-May 7, catch and release May 8-15. Closed May 16-June 30. Keep one within size limits July 1-Sept 30. Catch and release Oct 1-April 23. For limits and more information click here.

Check out the cool drone footage from Bryan “Beef” Sathre from Fathead Guide Service shot on March 19!!

Spring is here! Time to get your fish on!

Rainy River Open Water Update! 3-16-2016

March 16, 2016 by Sportsman's Lodges

Rainy River Update!

Vidas landing (8 miles east of Baudette) and Birchdale landing (30 miles east of Baudette) are now both open. Frontier has about 30 feet of shore ice so that will be a few more days. The river is open shore to shore 5 miles east of Baudette and open spots showing up 2 miles east. At this rate we should have open water at our docks with the week.