I just got back from Rainy and EVERYTHING Chris "Rainy Daze" Granrud has been reporting on the walleye bite up there is 100% true. The bite is exceptional. If you can pull off some decent boat control and run a spinner behind a bouncer or use your electronic to find a pod of fish on a reef and sit on them with jigs and shiners... you'll have a blast with good numbers of fish in the 22" - 25" range!
Our best walleye producing depths ran 26' - 31' and reefs getting some wind produced the best. Orange #3 spinner blades behind a 3 oz. bottom bouncer was the hot ticket for Brad Juaire and me. Trolling speeds were 1.25 - 1.5 mph. If I got going any faster... we just didn't seem to get bit.
We also noticed a LARGE number of smaller walleyes out on the reefs that were showing the tell tale signs of having a run in with a large pike based on the fresh war wounds many of these fish were exhibiting. And let me tell you, some of these bite marks covering a lot of distance from one side of the bite to the next.
Both Brad and I had at least one bite off each that felt more like a Mack truck speeding away with our spinner rigs than the typical walleye bite. Of course it was hard to tell how big these fish were without landing one... until we landed one! Man! Such fish up there!! I cannot wait to go back and I will definitely be bringing my heavier rods and larger baits along to have a more serious go at these huge pike that Rainy seems to have swimming around in big numbers.
Oh yeah, 40" and 18 lbs on the nose.
-------------------- James Holst - In-Depth Outdoors TV Host IDA Guides Guide Service
Ph. 507-271-0362
The nights are getting COOOOOOL.... These fish are going to get jumpstarted into a fall pattern soon!!! Our October trip should boast some fat fish!! Great job Guys!!! I guess even Mille lacs fisherman can catch Rainy Walleyes!! LOL!! Nice meeting you Brad!! I might PM you with a few formulas as you have me thinking (Which should scare you). James I think without letting the cat out of the bag we could target those big pike!!! Yes bring that 10ft Beckman net also! (Not quite 10, but pretty big!) Great seeing you boys again!!, and maybe you can let poor Paul get into some action this fall while your up. Take Care Buddy!!
-------------------- Chris Granrud - RainyDaze Guide Service World-Class Walleye, Crappie, Pike & Smallmouth Bass Fishing! Visit RainyDaze Guide Service to book your next adventure!
I'm still a bit in awe at the quality of the walleye bite up there. 40 - 50 fish a day is not unusual. Many of those fish will be over 20" with a nice smattering of 24 - 25 inch fish that fight like absolute beasts for their size. I can honestly say I have never, ever, caught lake walleyes that fought as hard as these fish did. And it is August, for pete sake. While nearly all other lakes have slowed down for the "dog days" Rainy is consistently producing a great bite, day in, day out.
Chris and I will be filming a plastics show up there in October. It will be interesting to see how some of our refined river plastics techniques work on Rainy's lake fish.
-------------------- James Holst - In-Depth Outdoors TV Host IDA Guides Guide Service
Ph. 507-271-0362
James, James, James as we grow older we grow to appriciate the finer things in life. Time to put down the funny upside down rods and reels. Time to go cut a 2" tree limb, tie on some rope and go "fishin" for the big boys.
Tell Chris you are done playin' and want to to go trophy slimin'!!
Glad you had a great trip. Rainy is really quite the lake.
I'll drop you off in the tube James. I'm sticking with the big boat. Although... Hmmmmmn... Next spring...
Enough said!!!
Out!!!
-------------------- Chris Granrud - RainyDaze Guide Service World-Class Walleye, Crappie, Pike & Smallmouth Bass Fishing! Visit RainyDaze Guide Service to book your next adventure!
King of the Reef
Time to go cut a 2" tree limb, tie on some rope and go "fishin" for the big boys. 
