rainy river report 4-12-2007

[JohnWester]

Things are hopping yesterday.  If you are reading this, and can fight the boat traffic that is sure to be out there this weekend, get up there. The conditions are great.  Season ends Sat.

We got up to the river about 7 a.m. and stopped at frontier first.  The access had ice out about 5-7 feet into the river, guys were dragging small boats out over it to launch, but common sense took over for us and we thought twice about launching the bigger boats there and decided to keep going to Birchdale. Very smart choice on our part. (Although as the temps got warmer during the day, we did notice the access was opened up, so you should be good to go if you launch there this weekend)

frontier later in the day...


Once we waited in line to launch at Birchdale, not too long of a wait, about 10 boats in front of us, we got down and started looking for spots.  Scott found one right away and after my old man and I screwed around for an hour, we finally went over where they were. (I left my phone in the truck; he was trying to call me?)

So we started catching eyes? mostly in the 16 to 19 inch range. We could have stayed there and caught them all day I think.  No big ones there though.

Then my dad caught this 40? sturgeon.  I am guessing 40? because my tape measure I had only went up to 3 feet! D?oh

As we worked on landing that, Scott left in search of bigger fish.  We stuck around for a little bit after that and made sure we had some good 19 inchers for our keepers, and then went down river to find Scott.  When we got there, they had a spot by themselves, no other boats around.  We pulled up and anchored, they said they caught a couple nice 25, 26 and 27 inchers.  My dad ties into another sturgeon, this one dwarfed the 40 incher that he had caught before.  He fought it for I figure 40 minutes? Got to the boat finally and all I could fit into the net was it?s head.  This thing was huge? well over 55 inches.. maybe over 60?  So the new ?musky net? that he bought was no good? I tried to use the net to get it closer to the boat so I could grab this thing with out falling in to the river.  The fish rolled about 3-4 times and the line 6 lbs test line snapped.  We just stood there as this massive pre-historic fish just kind of started sinking away into the river until it swam out of site.  Would have been nice to get a picture of that fish.  p.s., dad you might want to think about getting a bigger musky net. :D

As we were leaving, Scott got this nice 28 incher? I think the biggest fish of the trip.


I would have to say, the golden shiners we were using out performed the plastics, but you could still catch plenty of fish on plastics too.  Pretty much any color jig head was working; we stuck to bright green, gold, and silver.  Either tipped with shiners or any white plastic tail.

It?s was a great time, if you can get up there this year still, I highly recommend it.  If not, I?ll see you up there next year!  I am hooked now.

[rchaze60]

looks like you all a good fishing... nice looking fish ........ thanks for sharing :: :: :: :: :: ::