Walleye, smallmouth bass and crappie have all been more active in the late afternoon and into the evening. Walleye have transitioned to the submerged reefs that are around 30 feet deep. There are several of these humps east of the islands north of Jackfish Bay. There are also some hot spots in Sand Bay. Jigging with a bright colored jig and live bait will do the trick. Smallmouth bass have been hanging near the rocky shorelines and weedy edges of the bays. Crappie fishing has been best in Black Bay and back into the Rat Root River on the west end of the Bay. In Rainy River, walleye are being pulled from the faster waters and structure below the dam at International Falls and sturgeon anglers are checking the wider bends downstream. The North American Sturgeon Championships will be held Saturday at Nelson Park in Birchdale. For the most up-to-date information you can call the International Falls, Ranier and Rainy Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau at (218) 283-9400. Vote for Voyageurs National Park, share the link, and vote again every day until August 28. Floating Bogs were put on the move with recent storms and one has been causing concern in the west end of Rainy Lake heading into the popular islands area west of Grindstone Island. Naturally, our advice is to steer clear of it. Meanwhile, there have been good reports on walleye hitting jigs or spinners tipped with live bait near the submerged reefs east of Grindstone Island and well away from the floating bog. Crappie are hitting in Black Bay and up the Rat Root River to Rat Root Lake. The crappie are apparently a bit finicky, showing up on graphs, but not hitting on the bait. Northern Pike are fairly active in the morning and evening along the weedy edges at the mouth of Cranberry Bay and in Black Bay. On Rainy River, the outside bends have been producing walleye and smallmouth bass, while the sturgeon anglers are sticking to the shallow flats downstream from any of the deeper holes. The sturgeon tag season is now open and the catch-and-release only North American Sturgeon Championships are coming up August 19, 2017 at Nelson Park in Birchdale. For the most up-to-date information you can call the International Falls, Ranier and Rainy Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau at (218) 283-9400. Rainy Lake is full of wonder, but half of the fun is pointing out that you’re looking into a different country. “That’s Canda, eh?” You don’t have to be on the lake to experience this. When you visit International Falls, be sure to include the Voyageurs National Park Headquarters in your list of places to see.
Just a mile from our office, the Voyageurs National Park (VNP) Headquarters offers a large green space to walk your dog or stretch your legs. There are several picnic tables to enjoy a lunch. Walk on the pier, the largest in town, where you will be able to clearly see Fort Frances, Ontario, Canada. In sight will be its old paper mill, the historic Hallet tug boat, and the town’s lookout tower. You will be directly across the Sorting Gap Marina where there’s usually a Canadian flag flying, making it a perfect photo opportunity. If you aren’t able to cross the border, the Headquarters is a great spot to view Canada. If you visit the Headquarters during office hours, you can tour the building. There is a public library inside focused on ecological information. If you bring a boat, the Headquarters is also the Pat Roche boat access, providing a place to launch a boat in the upper river, above the dam and below the Ranier rapids. The Headquarters also sits near the bike path. Take a ride to the VNP Rainy Lake Visitor’s Center, which is less than 10 miles away. Here you will be able to view Rainy Lake, historical artifacts, learn about the life of a Voyageur, and hop on the tour boat and experience even more. Have you stopped here before? What did you think? Share your comments below. Need help planning your trip? Help us plan it for you by clicking here or call the International Falls, Ranier and Rainy Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau at (218) 283-9400. |
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