What can I say about Rainy Lake Fishing that most people don’t know about already? It can be the greatest experience you have ever had, or it can be a down-right humbling slug fest to get bit. Luckily, I have had a blessed season so far, with only 3 or 4 days of struggling. Struggling being only a dozen or so bites/fish throughout the day. If a guide/person tells you that they don’t have these days, they are not being truthful.
Rainy Lake Fishing has been producing some of the biggest fish that I’ve seen come out of the lake. Whether it be walleye, smallmouth, or northern pike. As far as the walleye go, I haven’t broken the 30″ mark this season. My clients have had several next to the boat with failed execution (including one of the biggest I have ever seen). We have had many that have benched just shy of the infamous “dirty thirty” and clients have been stoked as they should be. With our slow growth rates in this part of the country, those are some old fish.
The smallmouth fishing has been on fire this year as well. I have had several over the 5lb mark, and a healthy amount over 4lbs which has started to become an expectation for me when chasing them. It’s hard to believe that I have only started to seriously fish for Bass over the last few years. I never knew what I was missing. Understanding the fish and their habits has been my entire goal this season. To understand their movements and what their triggers are.
There was about a two week stretch at the very end of June where I was struggling to find out what the big ones were doing. I actually found the pattern change during the last couple hours of a Rainy Lake Bass Fishing tournament I was in. Now that I was able to identify the movement pattern, I will be prepared better for that change next year. These changes occur almost overnight.
Rainy Lake fishing will always be great. Don’t mind those tough days you have out there as there are so many factors that come into play. Continue to stay focused and grind it out. When you are ready to throw in the towel, give me a call. I have many people, including locals, that hire me for a 4-hour trip just to get a grip on the moment. Contact me here: Northern Water Excursions LLC – Rainy Lake Guiding, Tours, or Training (northernexcursion.com)
Tight Lines,
Capt. J
