 Photo by John Connelly Most of us look forward to summer after long, Minnesota winters. We know, however, there are more than a few who yearn for the calmer, cooler, and bug-free solace of autumn.
In Rainy Lake, Ranier, International Falls, and Voyageur National Park, visitors benefit from fall weather that arrives sooner than the rest of the state. It's the start of a wonderful season for those seeking a slower pace. Away from busy lake activity, our area experiences a serene sense of quiet save for the few hunters patiently waiting for the perfect shot on fowl. Temperatures nestle in between 70 degrees around Labor Day and taper off to the low 60s by month's end. The natural splendor of the United States' only water-based national park fails to disappoint. Plenty of wildlife continue to bask in the moderate temperatures. It's a perfect atmosphere for less-than-avid outdoors folk to hike, walk a trail, or take in a guided tour as humidity gives way to more refreshing air. While there's always a quiet expanse to stake your claim for a stay, the start of fall sees even fewer tourists to interrupt your picturesque oasis. Place yourself amid the signals of autumn this September. Plan a trip to our area. We'll help you get started on all this region has to offer.  Photo Courtesy Elisa Winterland Walleye:
Pattern one: Walleyes are keying in on deeper weed structure right now. Weedy bays or weedy shorelines where the wind is actively washing in have been most productive. Walleye spinners (tipped with minnows or crawlers) or a 1/8 oz. jig and a minnow have been the go-to presentations. Pattern two: Some walleyes are beginning their transition to deeper structure. Break lines or reef tops in the twenty to thirty-five range that are near spring spawning habitats are a good place to start looking with your electronics. ¼ oz. jigs and lindy rigs are catching fish. As always, areas of current have been producing fish. Current fish are showing up in the twenty-five to thirty-five foot range. Smallmouth Bass: With the cooler June weather some bass are amazingly still guarding nests. Most of this activity is happening near the deeper colder parts of the lake. In other parts of the lake bass are transitioning away from spawning and are actively feeding in shallow water. Any boulders, points or rock-weed combinations are great places to target. Two to six feet appears to be the range. Plastics, twitch baits, top-waters, and in line spinners are working. Crappie: Some crappies continue to be caught using small jigs or slip bobbers in the four to six-foot range. Weeds or a combination of rock structure and weeds is often the ticket. Other crappies are beginning to school up on break lines, points or sunken brush piles if you can find them. Northern Pike: Weeds, weeds and more weeds. The best pike action is coming from deeper weed lines (five to ten feet), especially windblown weeds or areas where the wind has been blowing for the past couple of days and is now calm. Spinner-baits, buzz-baits, top-waters and spoons are great lures to work weedy structure with. As always, windy points and shorelines fished with suspending twitch baits is a good option. Like walleye, some of the pike are moving toward deeper water (15 to 30 feet) as they transition to summer forage. This post was brought to you by Rainy Lake Guide Association.  Photo by John Connelly Lots of people come "up north" to go fishing, but biking enthusiasts are finding some awesome routes in the International Falls area. Distance-wise, there are several options for Beginners to Advanced Cyclists.
For the experienced biker there's the Arrowhead Trail, much of which is available to cyclists. It runs between the Taconite State Trail at Pike River Flowage near Peyla and to 3 miles south of International Falls (east of I-71 near Chapple). Bikers should be aware that it is possible that some of the trail could be under water, but that's part of the adventure! For a shorter ride, but still challenging is the 95 mile Blue Ox Trail. This is perfect for the mountain biker. These bikers will share the trail with deer and other wildlife. At it's southern end in Lake Bemidji State Park, the Blue Ox Trail–Voyageur Trail connects to the Paul Bunyan State Trail at County Road 20. The latter, carries on for another 119 miles and is paved. Finally, there is a much shorter, yet beautiful trip that starts in International Falls and continues for about 13 miles ending at the Rainy Lake Visitor Center. This trip combines biking, stopping in Ranier for refreshments and taking advantage of the various historic sites in Voyageurs National Park. What are you waiting for? Start pedaling! For more information on trails, visit the DNR site. |
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301 2nd Avenue International Falls, MN 56649 218-283-9401 Monday-Friday 8am-2pm Saturday-Sunday Closed Select photography by Kallie Kantos |