|
|
Location: Lake Tomahawk, WI | Good morning. Heading to Rainy Lake (U.S. side) on Sunday for five days fishing with my brothers and my Dad. Was wondering if anyone has any tips for targeting smallies, walleyes, and pike as I've never fished Rainy. I'm confident we can figure it out, but was just curious if anyone has any pointers. I know this is a muskie site but figured some of you guys have fished it for these other 'garbage' species.  Thanks.
JS |
|
| |
|
Posts: 1360
Location: Lake "y" cause lake"x" got over fished | I take a trip to Rainy every year on the Canada side. For the most part... We just back troll lindy rigs with leaches, worms, or minners. You catch all types of fish... Deep water on the break line next to weeds = pike. Steep drop offs = Smallies, Large rock flats = Walleye. if you want to catch some monster Pike... Troll 1 to 2 oz spinner baits with a sucker attached to the end of it. Caught some of my biggest fish up there doing this. Also Like to use double #3s #5s and #6s with some extra weight on them for smallmouth. Largest Smallie for me was 6.09lbs doing this.
One of my favorite all time lakes. It makes coming back to reality really suck. When you cast three times and no fish you think WTF. It's a spoiling lake. Love it! |
|
| |
|
Posts: 743
| if you want to target pike 38" and bigger, troll bright colored 8" and 10" Jakes. I have troll around little islands (in 15 to 40 foot of water) or around humps and reefs that are under water. as you know, trolling Jakes will require "musky rods". we also did well targeting big pike with the big ernies (orange tiger) trolling with our big bass rods, if you want a better fight than with the musky rods. the big erines can be trolled with heavy bass gear. Deep water around humps/small islands/reefs was my #1 pattern for pike 38" and bigger. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 189
Location: Barrington, Il | #3 Mepps or blue fox spinners, shad raps, husky jerks. Jigs and white twistertails will catch everything. Small pockets of reeds along a rock area will usually hold a smallie. Walleyes will be in weeds this time of year. Somethng most don't fish. Are you going on Rainy Lake Houseboats? |
|
| |
|
Posts: 32934
Location: Rhinelander, Wisconsin | Smallmouth on the rock humps and islands, cranks and spinnerbaits. Walleyes on all walleye looking structure. BIG Pike...Bleak Bay. Bucktails. |
|
| |
|
Location: Lake Tomahawk, WI | Thanks for the info guys. Jeff-yes, Rainy Lake Houseboats.
I used to catch a lot of big pike trolling DR's on LOTW, nice to know the big pike on Rainy can be taken trolling muskie cranks too. Not planning on doing a lot of trolling, but will have the stuff along to mess around with it. How deep of weeds do you guys think the walleyes will be using?
JS |
|
| |
|
Posts: 280
Location: Pewaukee WI | There are certain reefs on Redgut Bay where muskies are stacked. IF you can head into the canadian side let me know and I can explain in more detail |
|
| |
|
| I'll be up there as well (next week) but on the Canadian side. This is my second year up there. Making some adjustments myself. Wacky rig'd works works great for smallies up there. Tandem Berkley gulp will get you a mixed bag (walleyes and smallies mostly). Did catch a 37" northern on a bigger spinnerbait but I'd love to hear more about getting something bigger. I'm most interested in the Smallies, Northern and Pike so any advice up around the Redgut Bay area would be appreciated. |
|
| |
|
Posts: 38
| I used to fish it for smallies quite a bit there; before I got hooked on muskie fishing. If they are still shallow, not sure what kind of weather they have been getting up there, two lures are tough to beat. Twitching a small floating rapala. I always liked the gold sided one with hot orange back because when a fish smacks it, its easy to see the orange back jump to the side. I like the longest one with still only two trebs on it, around 3 1/2 inches, pretty light lure. And we did really good with chompers twin-tail skirted grubs fished weedless, the 4-inch ones. But lots of plastics will work. |
|
| |
