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Home > Take Me Fishing Blog > April 2018 > Sturgeon Fishing in Minnesota
Anglers who want to catch really big fish this spring should consider going to northern Minnesota’s Rainy River. The Rainy is one of the nation’s premier springtime lake sturgeon fishing destinations. It holds sturgeon that weigh up to 100 pounds or more. Fish in the 20- to 40-pound range are common.
The Rainy is the border between Minnesota and Canada as it flows west for 90 miles from International Falls to Lake of the Woods near Baudette. The Rainy is one of the few places in northern Minnesota where anglers can fish from a boat in late March and early April as lakes are typically covered in ice.
Spring sturgeon fishing is particularly good because the breeding fish that inhabit Lake of the Woods migrate up the Rainy to spawn. The river always holds sturgeon but numbers peak in spring, thereby increasing chances of catching a fish. Fishing pressure near the mouth of the river, an area known as Wheeler’s Point, can be particularly heavy from late March into early May.
The Lake of the Woods Area Tourism Bureau can help you with lodging, dining, fishing guide services and other arrangements.
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C.B. Bylander is a long-time Minnesota angler who has extensive fishing experience throughout the state. He is a former outdoor magazine field editor, daily newspaper outdoor editor and Department of Natural Resources fisheries communication specialist.
The largemouth bass is the most popular freshwater game fish in the U.S. Learn more about how you can identify a largemouth bass, where to catch it and what bait and lures to use.
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