PRE-SPAWN WALLEYE  starts at first ice-out and closes on April 14th. Spring fishing is an experience very few would ever forget! We had 3 anglers catch and release 181 walleyes in one day this season of 2002. This is not a normal day of spring fishing, just a point on how well fishing can be. A great day may produce 50 walleyes, a slow day 25 walleyes. This is a great opportunity to practice sport fishing, since many of the walleyes are over the 19 1/2" limit and must be released. Daily / possesstion limit of walleye / sauger starting March 1st to close at midnight April 14th is 2 walleye/sauger.

Ice-out on the Rainy River brings the most serious of walleye anglers. Small boat and motors are highly recommended for this time of year. You may have to launch over 'shore-ice' at the ramps. Due to the popularity of this fishery, you may encounter delays at the ramps. Koochiching County has provided 'satellites' and garbage receptacles for the anglers and site-managers to help make using the facilites easier.

If the Rainy is open to Clementson, you can shore up into the Clementson Bay or at the point, which will save the time launching at the ramps each day. Only guests at Clementson Resort are given this benefit. We suggest to bring a "sled" to pull your tackle, batteries etc. to and from the cabin to your boat. Spring of 2000 was an early season, with our bay opening March 30th. This was a plus for our guest.

Please be informed on the Onatrio/Minnesota rules and regulations. In 2000, we heard of many boats being fined for not possessing an Ontario License and / or the Remote Border Pass. Fines start at $100 up to $5,000. You cannot have live minnows while fishing Ontario waters, you cannot possess a Minnesota slot size up to 19-1/2". The maximum limit for Ontario is 18.1". I have links in the left column for more information.

Clementson Resort gives daily updates on river conditions and fishing reports. We start the reports on the "fishing report" page when ice-out begins. We check the status of the river ourselves, to make the most accurate report in Lake of the Woods county. We also have gained a great reputation for being honest in our reports. We purchased a digital camera and plan to take pictures of the conditions as often as possible. Check out the archives for past years information and conditions.

Catch and Release is the most important information that I can provide you, the angler before you start your fishing trip on the Rainy River for pre-spawn fishing. "Know How" will secure the great fishery that the Rainy River offers.

Now on to information on how to fish those walleyes :

A walleye's greatest asset as a predator is its eyesight, several times more light-sensitive than their prey. Another asset - its highly developed lateral line capable of finding baitfish even in muddy water.

Walleyes are broadcast spawners. Every spring walleyes merely spread their eggs on hard bottoms like gravel or sand when water temperature reaches 40 to 45 degrees. They prefer places where there is some water movement to bring oxygen to the eggs and prevent siltation which could smother them.They move upstream in rivers to spawn stopping at obstructions like dams or shallow rapids.An individual female will release all her eggs in a single evening, but not all females ripen at once-others will spawn in the same area weeks later. After the last female drops her eggs, males will remain in the spawning area, actively feeding for up to a month.River-dwelling walleyes and sauger like to station themselves in slacker water on the edge of current behind breaks like points, wingdams, barge tie-ups, bridge abutments and anything else that creates eddies, like the spot where two rivers join.

Debate has occurred over the years about fishing and walleye activity during the pre-spawn and spawning period. Understanding walleyes and the proper techniques to use during this period will help you greatly improve your fishing success. Many well intended anglers have questioned the ethics of catching walleyes during the pre-spawn. Remember this: It doesn't matter whether a female walleye is caught during this time period or in the summer, the net effect is much the same. Simply put, provided that anglers don't overharvest the key spawners, (the three to six pound females) during any time period throughout the year, fishing pre-spawn walleyes won't have a negative impact on your favorite fishery.

Walleyes spawn in rocky areas, instinctively seeking places that receive large amounts of wave action which does two things: oxygenates the eggs and keeps silt from covering them. These areas should be sought out in the early spring on lakes, reservoirs and rivers. The spawn begins when water temperatures reach 40 degrees and lasts until the water warms beyond 45 degrees. In the period leading up to the spawn, look around. You can use rip-rap, skull-sized rocks or other known spawning areas as your points of reference when searching for pre-spawners.

Pre-Spawn
Begin at the spawning area as walleyes spawn in the same area year after year. Once you have located the fish, move your boat to the up-wind side and drift through them as slowly as possible. The best method for taking pre-spawn fish is either Lindy rigging a large minnow four to six inches long or vertical jigging with a 1/4 ounce to 3/8 ounce jig using a large rubber body and a big minnow. Let the Lindy rig trail 75 to 100 feet behind the boat and set the rod in a rod holder. Always keep an eye on the Lindy rig rod. When a hit is made, open the bail and give the fish a good deal of line and time before setting the hook. Remember these fish are somewhat lethargic and you're using a large minnow, give them some time.

Vertically jigging is easy - simply bounce the jig off the bottom, keeping it as close to vertical as possible. Unlike the Lindy rig, set the hook as soon as you feel a hit. For that matter, set the hook as soon as you think you feel a hit. One key to catching walleyes during the pre-spawn is to use big baits. The young of the year haven't hatched yet, so the main food for walleyes are the adult bait fish that have made it through the first year and are now fully grown. Add the biggest body you have to your jigs and cast or troll bigger crankbaits.

Slow Is The Key
Once you've located fish with electronics, remember fishing slow is the key. For jigging or rigging, you can't go too slow. Use your bow mount electric motor on the slowest speed. The slightest breeze will push you fast enough. Use a sea anchor to slow you even more if there is any wind.

Spawning
Walleyes spawn in water from one foot to over 20 feet deep. Rocky and gravel covered shorelines are the most typical spawning sites; however, if habitat is lacking walleyes will also spawn on sand and in other less desirable areas. An abundance of broken rocks and gravel in water three to 10 feet deep will normally attract the largest concentrations of fish.

Walleyes that spawn in rivers are the most predictable of all. Clearly, 99 percent of the fish that enter the river to spawn will physically swim as far as they possibly can before stopping to deposit their eggs. Low head dams, waterfalls, or natural and man-made diversions, usually stop the upstream movement of fish and often cause the concentration of tremendous numbers of big fish in amazingly small areas. At times, the walleyes will be so thick you can feel your lure bouncing off the backs of the fish. Fishing under these conditions can be easy and rewarding.

Walleyes that spawn in natural lakes are often the last fish of the season to deposit their eggs. It usually takes a week or two longer for the sun to warm these large inland lakes to the magical 40 to 45 degree spawning temperature that walleyes prefer.

Water Temperature
In the spring, ignoring water temperature can be a costly mistake. Since walleyes spawn in the same places every year at predictable temperature levels, it is a simple matter to determine where the fish are in their spawning cycle. You can tell by temperature if the fish are close to spawning (pre-spawn) in the middle of it, or finished (post-spawn). This information, in turn, gives you a general idea of where the fish will be.

SUMMER FISHING

The Rainy River offers a variety of fish.
Walleyes. Sauger. Sturgeon. Northern Pike. Smallmouth Bass. Eelpout. Muskie. Redhorse (Suckers). Crappie.

If you like to fish without a million boats around, come fish the Rainy River. With the popularity of Lake of the Woods, and the many large resorts, our area of the river is not fished on a regular basis during the summer months. Being the only resort in the area, we do not have the amount of anglers found on Lake of the Woods. OR - you can fish Lake of the Woods and still enjoy a quiet evening here at our resort. Summer being our "off-season," you can fish the lake and still be away from the crowds at night. We have a good walleye population, what we refer to as "resident" walleyes. Fishing techniques for summer is fishing 'deep'. You can down rig or use deep divers. Many walleyes are caught by locals who fish this technique in summer. Northerns are plentiful in summer. Anglers have fished right off our dock and have caught up to 22 northern! Largest for our area is an 18 pound Northern. Sturgeon re-opens July 1st and can be a fun fish to catch. Largest sturgeon caught this year was 80 pounds, although with the new 2001 Sturgeon regulations, this size fish would have to be returned immediately. Smallmouth are also fun to catch right in the Clementson Bay starting in June. Watch our fishing reports for smallies being caught. We also have referrals for fishing guides.

**Smallmouth Bass and Northern Pike are continuous on the Rainy River.**

With the variety of fish in the River you just never know what you are going to catch.

FALL FISHING

Walleyes, walleyes and MORE walleyes! The Rainy River is infamous for the fall fishing. Anglers have an opportunity to catch walleyes of all sizes. Early September produces good walleye action, and as the weather cools and the temperature of the river drops, larger walleyes can be caught. Many come and fish the Rainy River, only to release an 11+ lb. walleye! Fall fishing often has anglers catching and releasing 5 pound to 10 pound walleyes. In 1999 I caught my "trophy" walleye - a 30" 11 - lb, 1/4 oz.

Fishing techniques vary with weather and river conditions. Common would be a jig and an emerald shiner. The Rainy is usually full of emerald shiners in the fall. With "normal" conditions, you can anchor 30' above a drop off (usually 16-18 ft) and jig back into the hole. Walleyes like to hang deep out of the current of the river. Drifting is another technique that usually produces well. You can drift, or use a trolling motor. Using a jig tipped with a shiner and just bounce it off the bottom as you cover the different areas. Some even run deep divers, some use a worm harness or a lindy rig. The techniques usually are dependent on weather and river conditions.

SMALLMOUTH BASS

The best-kept secret on the Rainy River is what you'll hear when we talk about smallmouth fishing. In late spring smallmouth fishing can sometimes be called fantastic in the Clementson Bay, where the Rapid River flows into the bay. The bay has rock piles, rock shores and the rapids. We have anchored our boat on the sandbar and cast out towards the rapids with slip-bobbers, a hook with either leeches or nightcrawlers. The current moves the bobber towards the rock shore and bang - a smallmouth on your line. In June our sandbar will have crawfish, which is a favorite of smallmouth. One day in June, we had a gentleman stop by and ask if he and his granddaughter could fish for smallmouth off our dock. After a few hours the little girl had caught a nice stringer of bass. She was using a small 2 1/2" blue floating rapala. Blue simulates the color of the local crayfish. However, most popular colors will also work. Other anglers have worked the rock piles and the shores of the bay with shallow-diving crankbaits, bladed spinnerbait, jig and pork combinations, buzzbaits and fat plastic worms. The water is naturally stained from the Rapid River, as it flows through Tamarac swamps. Some will say you can't catch smallmouth in muddy water, which could be compared to stained water, but dark water makes the bass less spooky and dark water bass are more likely to attack a lure invading their territory. This season last about 3-4 weeks in the bay, then they migrate into the river.Experts say water temperatures at 70 degrees and populated with crayfish are good conditions. We have heard 55 degrees for our area, that's when we start the hunt for smallies. With all conditions in order, you can pull out smallies all day. Average size is 2 - 4 pounds. We practice catch and release.Fall fishing has given up some nice 5-pound smallmouth. Many anglers have been jigging in 17' of water, a jig tipped with an emerald shiner and have caught a trophy size bass. There are rock piles also in the river that hold the bass, walleyes and northern. Down river from us is an area where there are pilings in the middle of the river from the old logging days. They just cut the top of the pilings off and anglers have found this a good place to fish for smallmouth. Since our area is widely known as "The Walleye Capital of the World" many anglers forget about fishing for smallmouth. If you enjoy a good fight, smallmouth is the way to go. Smallmouth bass is open continuous on the Rainy River since it is International Waters, with a limit of 6.

Be sure to check our web-site for updates this spring and summer for smallmouth and walleye fishing.