Detroit Lakes Fishing Report: Rainy Lake Sturgeon Edition (4/21/26)

The early sturgeon harvest season opens on Rainy River on Friday (April 24th), and it’s a great bite! If you’ve never hooked into one, now is the time.  Access continues to improve, with Birchdale, Frontier, Vidas, and Wheeler’s Point all open. Not every access is open yet, so it’s worth checking before you make the drive. 

Tactics and essential knowledge

Water levels climbed a bit this past week but they are on their way down again and still lower than last year.  Lower water levels make it easier to navigate the throttled current, and anchor in place.  Keep in mind, even with less current, spot locking your trolling motor for a 12 hour day won’t cut it most times.  Bring a river anchor and plenty of rope to assure you stay in place.  We had to add a cinder block to the anchor one year–I highly advise against this strategy!  Early season fish will slide along current seams and hold in softer water—inside bends, breaks, and just off the main flow are all good places to start. Many anglers focus on deep holes in the river because they produce.  But, the biggest tip I can give you is to explore all depths.  My PB sturgeon was caught in 4 feet of water on Rainy. 

Gear: 

• An 7’6”-8’6” pole with medium heavy to extra heavy action.

• 400-500 series baitcaster with 85+ lb braided line (If you can find 100+ lb, use it!)

  • Avoid big game spinning reels–they are not made for big game. Period.

• Use a large, high strength swivel to connect your braid to a 1’-3’ fluro or mono leaders (80-100lb).  The standard in 3’, but I prefer 12”-18”, to stay nearest the bottom.

•  Add a 4-6 oz. no-roll sinker to the leader between the swivel and the hook.

• 3 fresh crawlers, multiple dead and salted shiners, plus any other minnow you can find that fit on a 6/0 circle hook will work for bait.  I list crawlers first, because they have caught more sturgeon than any other bait, in my experience.

A few tips:

Let the rod load up before picking it up—no big hookset needed, as long as you big pole stays bent, keeping pressure on the hook, your odds of landing the fish are high.

Finally, if you’re not getting bit, use your electronics to help find another spot.  If you don’t have mapping software, find someone who does.  If you don’t have side imaging and/or live imaging, do the same thing.  Heck hopefully one friend has it all!  Really though, mapping is most important, but only if it includes Rainy River.  If your Minnesota Lakemaster chip doesn’t have it, buy the Ontario chip.

Remember you can be mobile, while also being patient.  It’s a long drive up north, so dress warm, get on the water early and stay late.  You get what you put into this sport!

Finally, be aware of boat traffic on the water. You don’t want to be that guy that’s unaware of his surroundings.  The river is wide and long, but it fills up fast!

Good luck, and be safe!