John, Bennett, David, Bill H., Jim, Jeff, John Den, Doug, Bill R., Dave arrived on Friday and Saturday; this was the beginning of John Kangas’s 34th annual trip to Rainy Lake Houseboats and the Chairman II. They played golf at the Falls Country Club on Sunday June 2nd. The group dined at the Thunderbird Lodge Sunday evening while enjoying the Blackhawks wins over the Kings. They spent the night on the Chairman II.
Monday we left port at 7:30 AM and had a breakfast cruise while traveling to Brule Narrows where the Chairman would moor for the net three days. Bill Dougherty, Jon Balaski, and Kevin Erickson crewed the Chairman II on the way to the Brule. The other guides Norm Wood and Tony Snyder met the Chairman in the Brule. We run the nicest guide boats available I run a 2013 Lund Pro V GL 208 with a 250 HP Mercury Verado Pro, Jon runs a 2025 Pro V IFS with a250 HP four stroke motor, and Kevin runs a 2013 Lund ProV 197 GL with a 225 HP Mercury Verado. We all have Humminbird electronics for our GPS and fish finding needs. Our company believes that great boats are built in Minnesota, Lund Boats builds great boats and as Minnesotans we are proud to do so. Behind every great boat and motor combo there is a dealer. Without great dealer support you don’t have much. We buy are boats from Badiuk Equipment located on Highway 11 East 2115 County Road 115, International Falls, MN 56649 phone: 218-286-0813. http://www.badiukequipment.com/
Lines were in the water by 10:00 AM. Fishing was good on a beautiful June 3rdday. Southwest winds 5-10 mph provided a nice walleye chop. Fishing was good. The group likes to mix it up catch some walleyes, smallmouth bass and northern pike. There is a daily contest for largest walleye and northern, plus a trip contest for the largest walleye and northern of the trip. For the total trip contest the fisherman must declare their catch for the total trip or for the daily contest. Once a fish is declared for the whole trip the fisherman cannot declare again for that specie even if they caught another one on another day.
About a 160 walleyes were caught along with quite a few pike. Walleyes were active on jigs and minnow and artificial bait. A 23 ½ “ walleye was the largest for the day. There were several nice pike caught, John den led the way with a 39” northern caught on a gold Johnson Silver minnow, John K. caught a 35” pike on a buzz bait, Doug caught a 37” pike on a jerk bait.
The guides brought everyone back at 6:00 PM, a social hour ensued and Chef Bernie served a chicken and rib dimmer with his famous tollhouse pie for dessert.
Tuesday morning started with fresh coffee and Chef Bernie’s French toast, fresh fruit and homemade pork wild rice sausages. The Chairman guides arrived at 7:20 AM and the group was off at 7:45. The plan was walleye fishing and meet at noon for a Rainy Lake walleye shore lunch
Fishing was excellent, walleyes bit well all day long. The weatherman was wrong, he predicated a 40% chance of rain. We never saw a drop! Back to the Chairman for cocktails and a meal Bernie’s secret pork chops, spectacular wild rice and home made cheesecake (better than New York cheese cake).
It was time for our guests to enjoy an eggs benedict breakfast before the last day of fishing. Very similar day to Tuesday, southeasterly winds mid 50 degree temperatures and sunny! Walleyes, smallmouth bass, northern pike were very active. Walleyes bit one after another until the big pike moved into the points looking for a walleye dinner. We met a little earlier for shore lunch as the Chairman II heads back to port about 4:00 PM with an evening dinner cruise on the way in.
The afternoon pike fishing was on the agenda. Pike were located on main lake islands, points in bays and the black bottom muddy bays. Single bladed buzz baits, Rapala X-Raps, and Johnson Silver Minnows. Fishing was good big pike, big bass, and walleyes to 27”. It does not get much better, great clients, good fishing, great food, great boat and the prettiest lake in North America.