I know it is early but it is time to start thinking about next spring’s outdoor adventure. Rainy Lake Houseboats should be at the top of your list for your first fishing blast of the year.
Wait one week after ice-out and you will experience the kind of fishing that you only hear about in Manitoba or Saskatchewan. We will provide you with trophy Northern Pike fishing second to none! Rainy Lake has huge pike and lots of them. There are several reasons why all these pike inhabit Rainy Lake.
June 18, 2012
#1 is a slot limit that allows the northern to grow to trophy size. The pike have had a 27.5”- 35” protected slot for about ten years. We have always had big pike but now the population has increased dramatically. Rainy Lake is a lake that has large amounts of shallow, mid-range and deep water. The wide variety of depths allows many of the pike to virtually spend their whole summer in the deep cold water chasing ciscoes and whitefish. This sector of the water column provides a natural sanctuary eliminating contact with fisherman.
April 29, 2012
Ice out provides a unique opportunity to be in contact with Rainy Lake’s monster pike. Before the main lake ice goes out pike starts moving towards the spawning bays. They are the first species to spawn each year. In many bays, they begin spawning while the main lake ice still on. The cricks and rivers open in the back ends of the spawning bays and the pike move in to spawn. I did not realize that they move that early but I was flying with our mechanic who has moved to Alaska in the summer to fly commercial bush planes. Tim is a big deer hunter and he liked to fly the bays in the spring to look and see all the deer eating the new grass shoots growing in these back bays.
June 5, 2012
While flying (fairly low mind you) I would see these racing ripples especially when the plane was between the sun and the bay below. What we were seeing were northern in the shallows, lots of them. They would spook from the shadow of the airplane-passing overhead. Obviously, the pike would think it was a bird (probably osprey or eagle) overhead threatening to dine on them.
Once all the ice is off the lake the pike uses small bays, large shallow bays usually ones that are close to deep water. Here is the phenomenon; the pike will feed outside of the bay. The water is still quite cold; the ciscoes come in close to shore until the water warms up. The pike eats them and comes into the shallow bay finding the warmest water and they digest the food they have eaten.
June 18, 2012
The best action occurs from seven to twenty days after ice-out. There are many ways to catch them; almost all involve casting baits on a baitcasting, spinning, or fly rod. When the pike strikes the fight is intense, most of the time the fish are in two to four feet of water, they run like bonefish, jump and generally try to turn you inside out!
April 29, 2012
Rainy Lake is huge, a Rainy Lake Houseboat is the perfect way to enjoy a spectacular fishing trip and literally have the whole lake to yourself. Guess what the rates are 20% off of the summer rates! Our guides are available to show you the how, they have been locked onshore all winter and are chomping at the bit to get back on the water.
Billy Dougherty
Rainy Lake Houseboats
1-800-554-9188
