Rainy Lake

Air

31°F

Wind

5 mph NW

Sky

Mostly Sunny

Pressure

30.35 inHgSteady (+0.7 hPa in 3 h)

National Weather Service hourly forecast; pressure from station KCDD at 6:13 AM CT.

Rainy Lake covers 210,200 acres and is 161 ft at its deepest. These are the sport fish DNR surveys found here, and what each typically does in October in Minnesota lakes.

• WalleyeFall walleye feed heavily on rocky points and breaklines; dusk and after dark are often best.
• SaugerFall sauger school in deep water and feed heavily before winter.
• Northern pikeFall pike feed heavily along the last green weeds and drop-offs.
• Largemouth bassBass gather near the remaining green weeds and drop-offs and feed before winter.
• Smallmouth bassFall smallmouth school on deep rocky structure and feed before moving to wintering areas.
• CrappieFall crappies school tightly in deeper basins and feed actively.
• Yellow perchFall perch school on deep flats and feed heavily.
• BurbotAs the water cools, burbot become more active along the bottom.

Rainy Lake is a border water shared with Canada, so its seasons and limits follow the DNR's border-water regulations rather than the statewide inland seasons. Check current regulations.

The DNR lists special fishing regulations for Rainy Lake; check them on its LakeFinder page before you go.

Species found in Minnesota DNR fish surveys of Rainy Lake in the last 10 years or its latest survey (July 1, 2025).

• WalleyeSpawns over gravel and rock in the shallows soon after ice-out, peaking in 42–50°F water; in summer it holds deeper and feeds in the shallows at dawn and dusk.
• SaugerShares the walleye's habits but sees even better in dark or murky water, which keeps it in big rivers and stained lakes.
• Northern pikeSpawns in flooded, weedy shallows right after ice-out and keeps feeding in cold water, so it bites from spring through ice season.
• Largemouth bassNests in shallow, firm-bottomed bays in late spring and spends summer in and along the weedbeds.
• Smallmouth bassNests on gravel and rock in late spring and stays around rocky points, reefs and current through summer.
• Black crappieSpawns in May and June in shallow water in the mid-60s °F; schools roam open water and feed most at night, dawn and dusk.
• PumpkinseedNests in colonies from May well into summer, often beside bluegill, and feeds heavily on snails.
• Yellow perchSpawns in early spring, draping egg ribbons over weeds and brush, and bites eagerly on worms all year, including through the ice.
• Rock bassNests over gravel near rocks and logs in late spring and stays close to rocky cover all summer.
• BurbotA freshwater cousin of the cod that spawns under the ice in mid to late winter, when anglers catch most of them.

Also found

• Black bullhead
• Cisco species
• Lake whitefish
• Longnose sucker
• Rainbow smelt
• Redhorse
• White sucker