Walleye season closure

[Sam Menard]

Our walleye season closed yesterday and I had hoped to get out for one last ice camping trip. Alas, it was not meant to be as a couple of heavy late winter snowstorms followed by a recent warmup created a mess on the ice. Anglers who did try to get out reported a mess of watery slush over a foot deep.

Another option that I considered was an open-water trip on the Rainy River. Unfortunately a late spring kept me home this year. Snow pack and shore ice kept the launch closed until late this week. Interestingly, on the American side of the river, county maintenance crews had opened their launches with backhoes 3 weeks ago… and their fishery is catch and release only. A friend managed to get out yesterday, unfortunately some tributaries upstream had broken up on Wednesday that caused the river to go murky which shut the walleye bite down.

The walleye season re-opens on the May long weekend up here. Hopefully we get a long stretch of warmth to melt the ice and snow so that there is a good spawn and we can get out on the water. Winter isn’t done with us yet as we are expecting another snowstorm tomorrow and into Monday.

[Deer Hunter]

I mostly fish trout in the winter, but do fish for walleye a few times.
I did go last weekend at the camp, drilled 7 -8 holes to figure out my hot spot then jigged a bit planning to go out more the next day.
There was a few spots with a bit of slush.
It was in the +15 range for a few days prior, I must of opened up the drain plug because as soon as I got on the lake the next afternoon, I was in over a foot of slush.
I did get to my fishing holes and it was worse there, so I just turned around and went back to the camp.
Fun to play in with the snowmobile but not to walk/fish in.
I fish a bit in the spring for walleye but my small lake is better in August and September.
I just come back from washing the snow machine and will get it serviced then put it away.
Looking forward to summer as I purchased a 40 HP Suzuki for the 16' last summer.

[Species8472]

Was also hoping to get out one last time before today but figured the warm weather would have made it a slush cluster$%^&. So chose to stay home and work on stuff in the garage instead.

Sam post more of your NW Ontario stuff - love it. Love that part of Ontario and the US side. Have done a ton of work for Nugold over the last ten years at their mine outside Emo. One of my favourite places to visit. You talk about RR and the US side - spent many days on the water there. Head out on a buddies boat from the Fort and cross and register at a customs "ATM" at some bar in Minnesota and than fish and hit some really nice restaurants that are basically water access only on the US side. Fun times.

[Sam Menard]

Was also hoping to get out one last time before today but figured the warm weather would have made it a slush cluster$%^&. So chose to stay home and work on stuff in the garage instead.

Sam post more of your NW Ontario stuff - love it. Love that part of Ontario and the US side. Have done a ton of work for Nugold over the last ten years at their mine outside Emo. One of my favourite places to visit. You talk about RR and the US side - spent many days on the water there. Head out on a buddies boat from the Fort and cross and register at a customs "ATM" at some bar in Minnesota and than fish and hit some really nice restaurants that are basically water access only on the US side. Fun times.

Small world! Our deer camp is about 5kms from the Rainy River (not far from Stratton), and one of my favourite deer hunting spots is about 2kms from the mine property. It’s a bit annoying to hear the back-up beepers on the heavy equipment while I’m trying to still-hunting through the woods lol. Been chasing whitetails in that area since the early 1980’s and it was once the best place to hunt them in all of Ontario… no exaggeration! Just average now though.