Big-water walleye and smallmouth close to the border crossing.
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Where: Ontario and Minnesota · Fort Frances / International Falls
Size: about 216,000 acres
Access: Drive-to from Fort Frances and International Falls; public launches both sides.
Deepest: 161 ft
Average depth: about 39 ft
Species to target: Walleye, northern pike
Walleye limit (US angler): 1 (Ontario); 35–45 cm or over 70 cm
Typical ice-out: about May 4 (median)
Who else is on the water: many resorts, both sides
Size (acres)
Sydney & Kilburn: about 17,570 (Sydney 14,240 with the Sturgeon River + Kilburn 3,330)
Rainy Lake: about 216,000
Boats on an average summer day
Sydney & Kilburn: 10 ✓
Rainy Lake: 297 (Ontario waters)
Acres per boat
Sydney & Kilburn: 1,760 ✓
Rainy Lake: 560
Rough-water days a season
Sydney & Kilburn: 1.7 (Kilburn 0) ✓
Rainy Lake: 7.5
Sheltered water
Sydney & Kilburn: 75% ✓
Rainy Lake: 73%
Walleye a US angler may keep each day
Sydney & Kilburn: 2, both 18 in or under
Rainy Lake: 1 (Ontario); 35–45 cm or over 70 cm ✓
Clearest summer water
Sydney & Kilburn: 26 ft ✓
Rainy Lake: 9 ft
Deepest spot
Sydney & Kilburn: 240 ft (Kilburn 213 ft) ✓
Rainy Lake: 161 ft
Cisco (tullibee)
Sydney & Kilburn: ●
Rainy Lake: ●
Whitefish
Sydney & Kilburn: ●
Rainy Lake: ●
Free of invasive smelt
Sydney & Kilburn: ● ✓
Rainy Lake: –
Mayfly mud flats
Sydney & Kilburn: ●
Rainy Lake: ●
Disturbances on or upstream (of 6)
Sydney & Kilburn: 0 ✓
Rainy Lake: 4
Typical ice-out
Sydney & Kilburn: about May 5
Rainy Lake: about May 4 (median)
Hours from Minneapolis
Sydney & Kilburn: 7 h drive + 0.5 h flight
Rainy Lake: 6 h drive ✓
Who else is on the water
Sydney & Kilburn: 1 lodge, 0 cottages
Rainy Lake: many resorts, both sides
✓ marks the better value. ? means we couldn’t find accurate data or a close estimate. We’ve made every effort to be accurate, but some figures are estimates and there may be errors or gaps. How we measured
