May 22, 2008
So far it has been a cold, cold season. Much of Rainy Lake was still ice covered on opener. The fishing has been fortunately been very good. Walleyes are biting on pretty much anything you throw in their general direction. The bite has been good trolling #13 floating raps in 2-8 feet of water, as well as jigging in 30+ feet. Black Bay, Lost Bay, and Saginaw Bay have been two of the top producers. Look towards the deeper drop offs in Sand Bay and Grindstone Islands for the deeper bite. Crappies are still scattered in deeper water. Look towards shallow rock piles for actively feeding crappies when the weather starts to warm up. Big pike have also been hitting anything in sight. Throw some big husky jerks or bucktails in shallow weeds for some trophy pike!!
Opener started off better on the Rainy River. Walleyes are biting well on a jig and a minnow in 6-16 feet of water from the dam all the way to Four Mile Bay. Northern and smallies are biting in the same areas on the breaklines. Look for northern to be hitting bucktails in shallower, while you will be able to pick some smallies off using plastics on the deeper edges of these drop-offs. Sturgeon are also biting well at the mouths of the Bigfork and Littlefork Rivers.
As the weather gets warmer, look for the action to heat up.
