Spring Fishing… Ice Fish the Lake or Open Water on the Rainy River?
What a great time of the year. Spring fishing. On many parts of Lake of the Woods, people are catching walleyes, saugers, jumbo perch, world class pike and monster eelpout through the ice. Anglers are not having to go very far to find walleyes on the main lake. Pike fishing is in full swing in the shallows and in bays. Live suckers, frozen ciscos, and hot dogs working well. Some huge pike have been and continue to be iced daily.
Walleyes are also doing well. Fish are staging along the south shore from the Lighthouse Gap to Morris Point down to Zippel Bay, Long Point and Rocky Point. As inconsistent as nature can be, it is very consistent overall. The fish patterns we are seeing now are what some anglers dream about. It can be that good.
Some are taking advantage of a morning / evening bite setting up in the shallows, which is also a sure sign of spring. Some areas are still allowing trucks and collapsible fish houses. Others are traveling the ice on ATV’s, side by sides and snowmobiles. We encourage working through resorts, outfitters and local bait shops and safety any time of the year has to be first on the list.
Spring fishing on the other end of the spectrum, east of Baudette the Rainy River is open and people are fishing in boats. The Nelson Park landing at Birchdale opened the boat ramp Thursday, March 28th and initial reports are very good for big walleyes. The backhoe is in place at the Frontier landing ready to move out any remaining ice from the access as it is very close.
Whether you have a 12′ boat or a 21′ walleye tournament boat, the Rainy River can work for you. The river is relatively narrow and this time of year, a wide variety of boats will be seen going after big female walleyes.
This is the time of the year that big numbers of walleyes from Lake of the Woods slide up the Rainy River on their annual spawning run. Thousands of big walleyes are all living in a relatively small, constricted river. It can be nirvana for walleye gurus. This is the time of year an angler can catch a walleye of a lifetime, not to mention big numbers of fish. Initial reports of those pushing boats into the river over shoreline ice are very good.
Spring fishing or anytime is a good time to mention safety. Please, use good judgement. Take all safety precautions. There is a good amount of current and the water is ice cold. Take extra time. Don’t take chances, it’s not worth it. Help out your fellow anglers and have patience at the boat landings. With that said, there is a reason anglers come to the Rainy this time of year!
Most anglers will be using jigs and minnows for walleyes. More popular are jigs and plastics. The brighter colors of chartreuse, orange, pink and white are all popular colors depending upon many factors, the color of the water being one. 
Others might be pulling crankbaits very slow upstream. Whether working a shoreline or using a three way rig out in the channel with a shallow diving crankbait, cranks can be the ticket this time of the year.
The walleye season on Lake of the Woods continues through April 14th. The regulations on the Rainy River and Four Mile Bay for March 1 through April 14th is different than the lake as on the river it is catch and release only. Bring a good camera and capture the memory, but please take good care of the big walleyes and get them back into the water quickly. Don’t touch their eyes or gills and moving them in a side to side motion upright will normally get them to kick and swim down healthy.
It’s a special time but a narrow window to catch big spring walleyes on the Rainy. There is a reason anglers come. This is tradition. It’s the spring run of walleyes on the Rainy River!
There are numerous boat access points along the river. Click here for a myriad of info about the Rainy River.
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