Ice conditions have improved, snowmobile trails have been staked and groomed and more people are getting out on Rainy Lake. Sand Bay is the most popular fishing area with walleye hitting on jigs and minnows, or minnows on bare hooks and a bobber. Morning is the best time, and somewhere in the area of 30 feet is the right depth.
Crappie can be pulled from the crib areas around Black Bay and they are responding to smaller minnows in about 25 feet of water. You might also pull in a good sized northern pike in those areas. Thanks to the Voyageurs National Park Association for stepping in to help pay for trail grooming in the Park, which has made snowmobile access much easier and safer from Franks Bay through Black Bay and on to Gold Portage. Ski trails have also been groomed and the Rainy Lake Visitor Center will be open so you can use the ski or snowshoe loan program this weekend. This is also the weekend of Icebox Days so there will be a lot going on. We have most all of the events listed in our Calendar if you want to check them out. This post was brought to you by Rainy Lake Guide Association. Anglers are getting out on Rainy Lake. Walleye anglers are finding some success on Sand Bay in about 30 feet of water using jigs and minnows. Glow jigs seem to work best, and the best bite is early in the day. lite weight dark houses have been showing up on Black Bay where you stand a good chance of spearing a large northern pike, however, there haven't been many reports on that. Anglers are also trying Black Bay for crappie, hitting the areas near the crappie cribs. We've been hit with the first major snow of the season, and that usually means greatly improved trail conditions. International Voyageur Snowmobile Club will be grooming their trails, but due to the partial Federal Government shutdown, trails in the National Park will not be groomed. That applies to snowmobile, cross country ski and snowshoe trails. The National Park Service was able to stake the trail from Franks Bay to Ash River and mark any known pressure ridges and determined conditions are adequate to travel from Ash River to Crane Lake, but again, trails in the Park are not being groomed until the partial government shutdown is resolved. We've told about Matthew Swanson reeling in the record catch-and-release northern pike on Rainy River in May. However, the December issue of MidWest Outdoors reports that Maddie Ogg reeled in the record setter in October. The confusion is caused because Swanson did not submit his catch until after Ogg's had been submitted and reported to MidWest Outdoors.
Matthew's Rainy River Pike is the record at 45 1/4 inches. Maddy's fish is also a huge one at 43 1/5 inches. Congratulation to both. Meanwhile, Rainy Lake anglers are walking out on the protected bays to try for some early ice walleye. Always put safety first, you need 4 inches of clear ice to support walking on the ice, and you should check the ice depth frequently. As to success, anglers say it is hit-and-miss, you need to be in the right spot. Jigging with minnows seems to work the best. Our forecasts are calling for freezing temperatures and little if any snow, so we will see good ice forming. This post was brought to you by Rainy Lake Guide Association. |
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