Stanchfield Creek Outdoors spent four days on the Rainy River fishing trip Baudette Minnesota, fishing the famous Rainy River and Lake of the Woods. Early October weather can be unpredictable up there, and this trip was no exception. The wind howled most of the time, turning both the river and the lake into a choppy challenge. Still, when you’ve driven that far north with rods rigged and coolers ready, there’s no turning back.
Despite the wind, the fishing didn’t disappoint. We caught plenty of fish — mostly saugers and walleyes — and managed to keep a full limit to fry up on Saturday night. By the time we packed up, we had four limits to bring home, enough to make the trip feel like a success.
Our go-to presentation was simple and effective: jigging off the bottom with 1/2 -ounce and 3/8-ounce gold jigs tipped with frozen shiners we bought at Outdoors Again in Baudette. We tried several colors, but gold clearly ruled the day. A lot of anglers around us were using live minnows, but from what we saw, they weren’t catching any more than we were. Sometimes, frozen bait is all you need. The biggest walleye of the trip measured 17 inches — nothing to brag about, but the steady action made up for the lack of trophies. The saugers were thick and hungry, keeping us busy between the walleyes.
We stayed at Sportsman’s Lodge in one of their two-bedroom cabins. While the location and access were great, the cabin itself was… well, dated. The kind of place that’s seen decades of anglers come and go. There wasn’t enough furniture in the living room for four people to sit comfortably, and instead of a dining table there was an island with benches. No deck chairs either — just a weathered picnic table outside. It’s clearly set up for folks who spend more time on the water than in the cabin. The lodge does have newer villas and hotel rooms, but we opted for the cheaper option this time. Next trip, we might try something different.
All in all, it was a classic Rainy River fishing trip Baudette Minnesota adventure — big wind, good company, and enough fish to make it worth every gust.
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