After many months of winter, I’ve grown tired of ice fishing. I’ve started to think about open water again. In April, the trip I look forward to doing the most is sturgeon fishing on the Rainy River in Minnesota. It’s been two years since I’ve done this trip. Due to Covid-19 restrictions, Canadians are unable to travel to the United States. Last year’s trip was cancelled and it’s looking like another year of the border being closed. It is quite unfortunate as I wanted to do this annual trip. Lake sturgeon are an amazing fish to catch and the trip isn’t hard for me to do.
So in this article, I will reflect on my experiences on this amazing fishery from the spring of 2019.
Reasons to Fish the Rainy River
For most anglers, April is where there are few opportunities to fish. In Manitoba for example, the season is mostly closed. Even though we can fish for stocked trout or the northern region, the ice may not necessarily be safe for a period of time. Going to Ontario for certain open species is an option. Though overall April to early May is the time frame of few options.
The biggest reason for most anglers in Manitoba and Ontario is that lake sturgeon fishing is very limited or prohibited. Recently in Manitoba, most of the Winnipeg River had a ban on sturgeon fishing. This was the premier sturgeon fishery of Manitoba leaving very few opportunities left for quality sturgeon fishing.
This ban was implemented the year before I got my boat so I was disappointed that I wouldn’t be able to fish for sturgeon. Then I discovered that the Rainy River allowed sturgeon fishing. Not only was it allowed but the sturgeon there were on average larger than the ones from the Winnipeg River. It was not like there was anything else to do in April anyways so why not give it a shot? It was only a three hour drive for me which isn’t too outrageous for a day trip.
The Water
The Rainy River flows from Rainy Lake to Four Mile Bay in Lake of the Woods along the Minnesota-Ontario border. It is very popular with walleye and sturgeon anglers in the early spring. Since sturgeon fishing is prohibited in Ontario, fishing is limited to the Minnesota side only. The Navionics and Lakemaster digital maps show where the border is on the river so you will know which side to stay on.
While it is a long river, we focused our efforts near the Four Mile Bay area. The river has many deep holes which can be found on the Lakemaster map. The Wheelers Point area and the town of Baudette are where accommodations and supplies can be found.
One thing to be aware of when fishing in April is when the tributaries become ice free. The Big Fork and Little Fork Rivers thaw later than the Rainy River. When they break up, debris will be unleashed into the Rainy River affecting fishing and potentially making boating unsafe. It can take several days for the river to clear up. The only thing that can be done is to check the local Facebook pages to get an idea of the conditions. Minnesota Sturgeon Fishing is a page I use to gain local intel.
As for regulations, consult the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources website. Licenses can be purchased online. The good thing about Minnesota licenses is that you can buy 24 or 72 hour licenses if desired. Sturgeon fishing is closed from mid-May to the end of June.
Also one unique aspect of the fishery is that you have the ability to purchase a tag to keep one sturgeon per calendar year. In late April to early May, a sturgeon may be harvested with a tag. It has to also meet a specific size range in order for it to be kept. Personally, I prefer to release my sturgeon as they grow very slowly and do not reproduce often.
What to Bring
Definitely as a Canadian, bring a passport to get over the border.
As for mapping, Lakemaster would be the most accurate map to use on the Rainy River. Both the Ontario V2.0 and Manitoba Lakemaster chips have the Rainy River mapped. This will be useful for finding structure in the Rainy River and Four Mile Bay. These maps are only compatible with Humminbird units. If you do not own a Humminbird unit, it’s still possible to find structure but it might take a little longer to find the right area.
Make sure to bring an adequate anchor as you will be anchored in heavy current.
As for sturgeon tackle, you will need some powerful gear. I personally used a 8′ musky rod with a high capacity baitcasting reel spooled with at least 80lb braided line. As for the rig, use heavy no-roll sinkers to keep the bait on the bottom in current. Overall it is a simple slip sinker rig. I use around 18″ of heavy fluorocarbon tied to a 6/0 octopus hook. The hook will be baited with a combination of nightcrawlers and minnows. A bait tab or a small piece of soft plastic can be hooked to keep the bait from coming off as easily.
A large landing net would be extremely useful for landing these giants. Also a very long bump board will be required to measure a fish of a lifetime. I brought a 60″ bump board and it turned out to not be enough that time.
Sturgeon Fishing
It was the first spring since I bought my boat in the previous fall. I only used my boat a couple times so I was still green when it came to boating. I was really unsure how things would turn out especially since this was my very first time fishing in the United States.
Having heard stories of how crowded the area could be, we decided to arrive in the middle of night. Sturgeon are nocturnal feeders. It turned out to be a good idea after seeing how crowded the parking lot would be later in the day.
Sturgeon fishing is overall quite simple. Locate a deep hole and anchor upstream. Cast the baits into or on the side of the hole. Then watch the rod tips for bites. While sturgeon are large, they bite very subtly unlike a catfish that immediately puts a bend in the rod. Do check the baits often as there are smaller fish like walleye and suckers that can steal the bait.
When you do get one on, it will be quite a fight. These giant sturgeon will put up a very long fight even on heavy tackle. Your back and shoulders will get sore. Just as it seemed like the sturgeon was about to be close to the surface, it would immediately dive down and peel drag non stop. With the sturgeon swimming around the boat, you would have to constantly rotate your position. Fortunately, my boat is tiller which made getting around very easy.
That day we ended up catching a 48″, 57″, 59″ and a 64″ which were personal bests for everyone in the boat. Lots of smaller sturgeon that were not worth measuring were caught as well. The Rainy River has potential for fish over 70″ which I would like to catch someday. They may not be the prettiest fish out there but having a fish that is nearly as long as you’re tall and half your weight is very impressive.
Take good care of the sturgeon. Avoid holding the fish by the gills and ensure that they are held horizontally. These are very old fish and spawn less frequently than most species.
Upon our return to the boat launch, it became apparent why coming during the night was a good decision. The entire parking lot was filled with trucks. Even the road to the parking lot was lined with trucks and trailers and they seemed to stretch on forever. Based on the license plates, there were fishermen from many different states. It goes to show how incredible this fishery is and how people are willing to travel the distance to experience it.
Final Words
If you are feeling fishing withdrawals in April, give the Rainy River a shot. You might be hooking into the biggest fish of your life. It is unfortunate that the border is closed but as soon as it opens up, I’m definitely heading back there to hook into a sturgeon again. Sturgeon fishing itself may not be action packed but they will give you a fight that you will never forget.
