Bear Ridge Guest House, Suites and Lake House
International Falls
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Rainy Lake covers 220,800 acres on the Minnesota–Ontario border. A quarter of it, 54,140 acres, is in Minnesota, and about two-thirds of that lies inside Voyageurs National Park.
It's Canadian Shield water: rocky, wooded shoreline and hundreds of islands, down to 161 feet deep, though about a third of the Minnesota side is under 15 feet. Walleye is the main draw. Anglers also go after black crappie, smallmouth bass and northern pike in roughly equal numbers.
I. The lodges
Where to stay
Most resorts sit east of town at Island View. Town has the hotels and the guides; the park has houseboats and one boat-in hotel.
5 places to stay
Island View
The resort strip along Highway 11 east of International Falls. Most of the lake's cabin resorts are here, a short run from open water and the national park.
Camp Idlewood Resort
International Falls
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Island View Lodge
International Falls
From $170–$790 / night (lodge rooms from $170, cabins $320-$790; weekly rates also published) · year not stated
Rainy Lake Vacation Campground (Rainy Lake RV)
International Falls
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Sha Sha Resort
International Falls
From $340–$560 / night (weekly $2,000-$3,500) · 2026
9 places to stay
International Falls & Ranier
The paper-mill town at the west end of the lake, and the small harbor village of Ranier next door. This is where you'll find hotels, cottages, and most of the lake's fishing guides.
America's Best Value Inn
International Falls
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AmericInn by Wyndham International Falls
International Falls
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Cantilever Hotel + Distillery
Ranier
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Cobblestone Hotel & Suites
International Falls
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Hilltop Lodge
International Falls
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Rainy Lake Inn & Suites at Tara's Wharf
Ranier
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The Lakeview Resort
Ranier
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Thunderbird Lodge
International Falls
From $99–$499 / night (lodge rooms $99-$229; cabins $349-$499) · 2026-27
WoodsPort Cottages
Ranier
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2 places to stay
Houseboats
Rent a houseboat and live on the water inside Voyageurs National Park. You pick an island site each night and fish from the boat or a towed skiff.
Dougherty's Rainy Lake Houseboats
International Falls
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Northernaire Houseboats
International Falls
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1 place to stay
Boat-in: Kettle Falls
Kettle Falls Hotel, open since 1913, is the only lodging inside Voyageurs National Park, and you can only get there by water.
Kettle Falls Hotel
Kabetogama Peninsula (Voyageurs National Park)
From $90–$390 / night (hotel double $110, single $90; villas $210-$390, 3-night minimum) · year not stated
II. On the water
What a guided day costs
| Boat | Full day | Typical | Half day | Typical | Operators |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guide boat, 1–2 anglers | $500–$600 | $600 | $400 | $400 | 5 |
"Typical" is the median of published rates. Most operators don't put a year on their rates.
Independent guides
Lodges that run their own guides are listed with the lodges above.
| Guide | Full day | Half day | Boat | Species |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Border Country Outdoor AdventuresInternational Falls | Call | – | walleye, smallmouth bass, crappie, northern pike, muskie | |
| Gator ChartersInternational Falls | Call | – | ||
| JPEP Guiding, LLCInternational Falls | $500 | $400 | Guide boat, 1–2 anglers | walleye, muskie, crappie, smallmouth bass, northern pike |
| Rainy Lake Fishing Adventures, LLCInternational Falls | $600 | $400 | Guide boat, 1–2 anglers | walleye, smallmouth bass, crappie, northern pike, muskie, sturgeon (Rainy River trips) |
| Rainy Lake GuidingInternational Falls | Call | – | walleye | |
| RainyDaze Guide Service (RainyDaze Outdoors)International Falls | $600 | $400 | Guide boat, 1–2 anglers | walleye, northern pike, crappie, sturgeon, smallmouth bass, muskie |
| Up North AnglingInternational Falls | Call | – | walleye, northern pike, smallmouth bass, crappie, muskie | |
| Voyageurs OutfittersInternational Falls | Call | – | ||
| Yellow Cabin Guide ServiceInternational Falls | $600 | $400 | Guide boat, 1–2 anglers | walleye, smallmouth bass, northern pike |
III. Hard water
Ice fishing: day houses and sleepers
A few Rainy Lake guides also rent heated ice houses. None publish winter rates, so call ahead.
| Outfitter | Day house | Sleeper | How you get out |
|---|---|---|---|
| Border Country Outdoor AdventuresInternational Falls | Yes | – | |
| Rainy Lake GuidingInternational Falls | guided and rental ice trips, 2 hours to overnight, 'starting at $110' | – |
IV. The almanac
Seasons at a glance
- May 9, 2026Walleye and sauger season opens.
- April 24 – May 7Sturgeon keep season (1 per year, 45–50 inches or over 75).
- May 16 – June 30Sturgeon closed: no fishing for them at all.
- June 20 – November 30Muskie season (1 fish, 50-inch minimum).
- July 1 – September 30Second sturgeon keep season.
- WinterThe Park Service opens the Rainy Lake ice road from the Rainy Lake Visitor Center once the ice allows. Routes and dates change every year; check the park's weekly ice report.
- March 31Every fish house must be off the ice by midnight.
- April 14, 2027Walleye and sauger season closes. Pike, bass and crappie stay open all year.
Fishing dates are from the DNR's 2026 regulations. Ice dates depend on the weather.
V. Field notes
Voyageurs National Park and the ice road
- Much of the Minnesota side of Rainy Lake is inside Voyageurs National Park. Its Rainy Lake Visitor Center has a public boat launch.
- In winter the park's Rainy Lake ice road starts at the visitor center boat launch. It's open to cars and trucks under 7,000 lb, the speed limit is 30 mph, and snowmobiles aren't allowed on it.
- Set fish houses at least 50 feet from the ice road and snowmobile trails. Don't drive beyond the plowed sections, and check the park's Winter Ice & Conditions Report before you go out.
- Kettle Falls Hotel is reachable only by water. It has been open since 1913 and is the only lodging inside the park.
VI. From the DNR's nets
What the DNR survey shows
DNR draft fisheries management plan for Rainy Lake, 2026–2036
- Since 2007, the DNR's fall gill nets have caught 4.6 to 7.7 walleye per net, averaging 6.2. Strong year classes now come every two to three years.
- Bigger walleye are more common: nets catch about 1.1 walleye over 18 inches per net (2016–2025), up from 0.67 in 1986–1994.
- Black crappie have increased. Spring trap nets showed above-average catches in seven of the last eight surveys, with more crappie over 10 inches.
- Open-water fishing (opener through September) averages about 200,800 angler hours a year. Winter fishing pressure has been light.
VII. Regulations
Fishing rules
2026–27 season (May 9, 2026 – April 14, 2027)
- Covers all of Rainy Lake to the dam at Kettle Falls, Black Bay, the Rat Root River and the Rainy River above the dam at International Falls.
- Walleye and sauger season: May 9, 2026 – April 14, 2027.
- Walleye and sauger: 8 combined, no more than 4 of them walleye. Walleye from 18 through 26 inches go back immediately. You can keep one walleye over 26 inches.
- Sauger without the head and tail on count as walleye.
- Northern pike: open all year, 3 in possession, only one over 30 inches.
- Muskie: June 20 – November 30, 1 fish, 50-inch minimum.
- Smallmouth and largemouth bass: open all year, 6 combined. Crappie 10, sunfish 20, both open all year.
- Lake sturgeon: keep 1 per calendar year (45–50 inches, or over 75) from April 24 to May 7 and July 1 to September 30. Closed May 16 – June 30; catch-and-release the rest of the year.
- One line per angler in open water, two when ice fishing.
- Fish houses must be off the ice by midnight on March 31.
- Voyageurs National Park's live-bait and private-boat limits apply to its interior lakes only, not to Rainy Lake.
From the DNR's 2026 Minnesota Fishing Regulations (effective March 2026 – February 28, 2027: border waters pages 67–70 and the Rainy Lake special regulation). Rules change each March; check before you fish.
VIII. Asked at the dock
Questions people ask
How much does a fishing guide cost on Rainy Lake?
A guide boat for 1–2 anglers runs $500–$600 for a full day. Rates are per boat, not per person, and usually include bait and gas.
Is Rainy Lake in Voyageurs National Park?
Partly. About two-thirds of the Minnesota side of Rainy Lake lies inside Voyageurs National Park. The resorts at Island View and the hotels in International Falls are just outside it; Kettle Falls Hotel is inside and reachable only by water.
What's the walleye limit on Rainy Lake?
8 walleye and sauger combined, no more than 4 of them walleye. Release every walleye from 18 through 26 inches; you can keep one over 26 inches (2026–27 DNR rules).
What can you catch?
The DNR manages Rainy Lake for walleye, black crappie, northern pike and smallmouth bass. Several guides also run muskie and sturgeon trips.
Sources and photo credits
Photos: Rainy Lake Sunset with Boat Silhouette, Jeffkantor or jck_photos, CC BY 2.0; Rainy Lake 1, jck_photos, CC BY 2.0; (Study for mural, International Falls, Minnesota Post Office) SAAM-1974.28.122 1, Lucia Wiley, Public domain; Kettle Falls Hotel, NPS, Public domain.
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