We were at Birch Point the same times as Rainy Pro (Howdy Bill) and have to say that overall the fishing was exceptional this year. Our largest Smallmouth was only 3lbs 15 oz, with a Walleye at 30" and 8Lbs 10 oz. The biggest pike was 12 lbs and 15 oz (forgot to measure it).

As Southern bass fishemen our approach was probably a little different. We caught a number of nice Walleye in the 6 to 8 pound range casting Chrome and Blue Rat-L-Traps and a couple trolling and casting Purple Tail Dancers.

Most of the Pike came on a variety of baits including Buzz Baits, flukes, spoons Rat-L-Traps and spinner baits. I caught almost all of mine on buzz baits. I can think of few things that will get your heart going like having a Pike blow up on a buzz bait . . . especailly when it is right next to the boat! If you are looking for quality buzz or Spinner baits I would recommend you contact Michael Thomas at mickeystacklebox dot ca. Super strong and well made lures.

Smallmouth came on a variety of baits as well. Pop-r's were productive as were soft plastics and a few on X-Raps.

Primay colors that produced best seemed to be the Chrome and Blue combination except for the white and red Buzz Baits.

We fished NW Bay, Alexanderia and Ash Bays. We were in the flat fast boats that went past Camp Narrows almost every morning.

Overall it was a great week . . . our best yet on Rainy.

TN Rick,

Hey Rick it ws nice seeing you up there. I just ordered myself some of those top water lures, I'll have to wait a year to try them out though. We all made the trip to the Taxidermist on Sunday taking 11 total fish, some from years past. 5 were from this year.

Bill,

It was great meeting you as well. You had some great fish and I KNOW you made some memories with the boys too. In the end that is what it is all about. Times they can tell their kids about when they are our ages.

I hope to see you again next year. We are going to bring some jigheads and try fishing for Walleye your way. I just hope that the fishing will be as awesome as it was this year too.

Rick,

My son wants to buy a cabin up there now, he had a ball. We have the week 6-19 thru 6-27 next year, cabin 7 and 6A.

You should have said something We had thousands of jug heads, I would gave you some, 1/8 oz is the jig you want.

BTW we didn't keep you up at night did we?

Bill,

We are going to be there in 3 & 4 on 6/20-6/26. I may take you up on soem jig heads next year if we decide to try drowning minnows!

I know you took our cabins, Look out we are planning on doing some egging.

BTW please let me know if you plan on canceling those cabins for any reason, we would like to pick them up. I'll put my email in here, then delete this message as soon as you email me.

Guy's:
First time on Rainy Lake and as Rick told me beforehand you have to experience it to believe it. Dropdead beautiful lake and great fishing.
Only problem I came home with bronchitis and a touch of pneumonia.
Skip

We just finished NW Bay the week after TN Rick. Overall, the fishing was a bit slower than other years (as to SM) but the size was bigger. We had several over 17 inches and 2 over 19. We found many of the beds still with fish and hard to come up with a pattern. Some days a.m. worked and others p.m. worked. We had enough for shore lunch a couple of times (the 12 inch ones) We got in 2 days early Rick, but am betting you were east before we got out of bed.

We did have the best walleye fishing to date with the 95 pound wife getting a 13# 30.5 Inch eye. Both a personal best for her and the biggest I have put in a net. Will post the pics when we get them. She had a closed face, zebco reel (has trouble do to health issues with an open face) with 6# test and worked the fish for about 20 mins and kept saying "I know its going to get off" but glad she stayed cool. Picked up most of the eyes either casting cranks (same colors as Rick) or trolling cranks. On the last 2 nites, kids came in to camp and we drowned worms to a pretty good success on the 3 islands at the east end of NW bay. Ended up with a limit of eaters to bring home plus a few to eat and several over 20 inches including my best of 27.5.

As to water, from talking to the guys who have lived there all their lives, this is the highest long term water anyone could recall. Looking at the water marks on the rocks and it appears to be true.

Bitz

Fishing for us was a little slower than usual, but was still fantastic. Plenty 'o walleyes were caught with one just short of 28" and my wife went back-to-back on 2 28"ers. I'll be hearing that one for the next 12 months! Nice big mayfly hatch going on all week as well. Every walleye I cleaned and every smallie I c&r'd was plumb full of mayflies.

The weather was awesome although Friday we drove through downpours and Saturday was a complete washout. Otherwise you couldn't hardly beat the conditions we had.

I'm feeling a little foolish as well. While in line to come back to MN I believe I saw bitz rig just 4 vehicles in front of us (at around 9:00am or so). Black Trailblazer and white/grey Crestliner with Johnson motor and grey tarp??? If that's your rig, the part that makes me feel foolish is that on Sunday or Monday while in "fishing mode" I had us going as fast as we could in the boat with the "blinders" on and I believe we drove by you? You maybe slowed down and I didn't even think until later that evening that it could've been you??? If so, my apologies for not slowing down to say hey! I just kept on driving along in "go mode" and didn't have my head screwed on straight thinking of whether that might be you. So if it was you bitz, sorry for not thinking and recognizing you!

On a final note....the entire week was great except for the trip home today. Had to change a trailer tire in I'Falls, both kids ended up puking their guts out at one point or another due to car sickness and when I got home and stopped to back the boat into the garage, the dang wheel bearing on the side where I changed the tire was smokin' big time! Pretty much melted that sucker down and now I gotta figure out what I'm going to do about that! Fortunately it didn't happen until we got home, but still sucks.

EP, that was us at the border, our daughter was the green Saturn then right in front of you. Yep we passed a couple of times in the boat but you looked pretty intense. Not a problem, I am in the north to fish and understand. We did see you pass us and then stop at moore island on Sunday I belive, how did you do there? we have jigged worms/leeches there in the evening and done ok, but didn't try there this week. We picked up some eyes on the rock pile just south of moore island and then towards those 3 islands.

Sorry to hear about your tires/bearings.

Bitz

Dang! Well I apologize for not recognizing you guys right off the bat as I was looking forward to meeting you up there.

Moore's didn't produce a single fish for us last week, although we did miss a couple hits which I'm sure were 'eyes. Usually that spot has treated us much better though.

If we're thinking of the same rock pile south of Moore's, then yeah, we fished that one a couple times during the week and pulled a few from it along with the 3 islands nearby. I've got one favorite reef a ways east of there though that really put out some fish for us again this year. It's one of those spots that just keeps producing year after year.

I was also able to cross off some spots on my map that I wanted to try. All those years of fishing up there and there's still new spots to try! I don't think I'll get them all fished before I'm dust.

Bill,

Sent you an email. As I mentioned, we'll let you know if plans change.

Bitz,

What a great Walleye your wife caught and a good story . . . one of those Rainy Lake Memories! What were you getting the smallies on? I had a tough time with them but think most of it was my focus on Pike.

We used mostly Rattlin raps (silver or blue) and I got a bunch on a purpledescent shad rap. (also got a 27+ eye on that one)

Here is a pic of the wife trying to hold the fish. (by the way, it went back in after a couple of mins and was doing fine)She has another shot of holding it and for her, she had to lay it on her lap. This pic doesn't really even show the size of the head, it was huge! She didn't hurt the gills.



Bitz

Rick, I put the pic on but how do you get the pic into the words. I could only find a way to include the URL link.

Bitz