Opening-weekend hunters averaged 1.82 ducks each, Huener said, up from 1.5 during last year's opener. Minn. An aerial count Wednesday indicated about 5,000 ducks in the area, Prachar said. Goose numbers weren't available. Hunting was spotty over the weekend, Prachar said. Goose hunters enjoyed the best success, he said, while duck hunting, overall, was slow.
Walleye fishing remains slow by Rainy River standards.
The fall run of shiner minnows, which typically draws walleyes into the river, hasn't started. Anglers who put in their time are scratching out a few fish. Mornings have provided the best action. Minn. Pike fishing has been good in the bays along the river. Starren Shoal south of Garden Island and Pine Island have produced a few fish during the past week.