It didn’t take long for the ice to go out.  With a late spring and the landscape looking more like winter than spring, some were wondering when, when would the Rainy River open up?  Once things started happening on the Rainy River, they happened fast!

After the Birchdale access was cleared of ice on Monday, March 27th, one week late on Monday, April 3rd, the Frontier access was opened up for boats.  The next access is Vidas, and although there is open water in front of it and far to the west of it, shoreline ice was hanging on but the anticipation is there of this access also opening very soon.

It is nice to have two ramps open as it takes the pressure off of just one landing and it also allows anglers to fish miles and miles of the river.

Fishing has started out on fire.  The water has good clarity and walleyes are present in good numbers.  Some boats reporting over 100 fish days.  Naturally, others didn’t experience that kind of success but most are catching fish anyways.

Spring river anglers know to watch for the Big Fork and Little Fork Rivers to bust loose and send debris and dirty water into the Rainy River.  For now, the Forks look locked up with ice and received a fresh coating of snow this week with a spring snowstorm.  This time of year, snow will deflect much of the sunlight and insulate the ice some from the sun slowing the melting process

The go to presentation has been a 3/8 – 1/2 ounce jig (gold, orange or pink) along with your favorite minnow or plastic.  Some anglers have been anchoring up on key river spots such as holes, current seams or humps and letting the walleyes swim to them.  Others have been using their electric trolling motor to slowly work their way upstream and then do a controlled drift with the help of their motor back downstream.

Each day is different, some walleyes want the presentation vertical whereas some days they prefer it horizontal.

Some anglers actually do very well pulling crankbaits this time of year.  If you are trolling in shallower water, often times pulling into the current allows you to get action on your crank while moving slower which is typically most conducive to cold water walleyes.  Others will use a three way rig or bottom bouncer and a shallow diving crankbait to fish various depths of the river.

One of the great things about spring fishing on the river is anglers can use a 12′ boat or a 30′ boat.  The river is small enough water that even on a windy day, waves don’t whip up too bad.

The walleye season from Four Mile Bay (located at the mouth of the Rainy River) and up the Rainy River on the MN side lasts through April 14th.  From March 1 – April 14, this is a catch and release season only for walleyes and saugers.  Have your camera ready as many anglers come for the chance for a giant.

It is hard to mention the Rainy River without mentioning sturgeon.  Dinosaurs are certainly being caught, some by anglers targeting them and others by unsuspecting walleye anglers.  Our website has some good information about sturgeon fishing if you are new to it.  There are a lot of sturgeon in the Rainy River and to feel the power this fish with prehistoric history is special.

The sturgeon bite this spring has started out hot.  Lots of reports of walleye anglers hooked up on sturgeon not even fishing for them.  This happens as the sturgeon are actively feeding and when a slow moving jig with a minnow passes in front of it, it is hard for the big fish to resist.

The sturgeon harvest season runs from April 24th – May 7th and July 1 – Sept. 30. The catch and release season runs May 8th – May 15th and Oct. 1 – April 23rd.

If you are looking to fish the sturgeon “keep season”, simply purchase a sturgeon tag.  Anglers who purchase a $5 sturgeon harvest tag can harvest one fish 45-50 inches inclusive, or over 75 inches in length, per calendar year: April 24 through May 7 or July 1 through Sept. 30. The sturgeon season is closed May 16 through June 30.

We encourage anglers on the Rainy River and Lake of the Woods to be aware of the MN catch and release records available.  In a nutshell, taking a picture of your measuring tape measuring length as well as the widest girth of the fish and having a witness is all part of the process.  It is easy, but a couple of pics of the measurements and a witness are required.

Lodging can be found just east of Baudette on the river (Royal Dutchman) into Baudette, north of Baudette along the river and on the south shore of the lake.  There is a wide variety of places to stay depending upon where you want to fish and whether you want a full service resort or prefer a hotel room.

The season is finishing up very strong, don’t miss out!

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