Rainy Lake Houseboats — Local services in Fort Frances

Cathy Dougherty, one of the owners, is an absolute piece of work and has no business serving in the hospitality business. Her attitude and disregard towards her customers overshadowed an otherwise decent trip for our group of 8 fisherman.

Our trip started out on a rough note as soon as we pulled into the parking lot of Rainy Lake Houseboats. I had received a voicemail from Cathy about 5-minutes prior, letting us know that our houseboat was ready but we would only be getting 3 out of the 4 fishing boats we had reserved. This was the equivalent of showing up for a flight to find out several of your seats were no longer available.

When we asked Cathy what had happened, because I had spoke to her the day before and we still had four, she was very offensive and repeated multiple times how busy they had been because of the pandemic. She was not apologetic whatsoever, but instead made all of us feel like a bother for wondering why our 8 fisherman were only getting 3 of the 4 boats we had reserved.

Aside from the boats, it was actually disgusting how little regard she had for not only us, but for the rest of the world that had been so negatively effected by the pandemic. Instead of showing the least bit of empathy or appreciation for her situation, all she could do was complain about how busy her summer had been because of the pandemic.

Meanwhile, her husband Bill proceeded to tell us how bad the town had been effected and how much other businesses were suffering.

As for the boat situation, Cathy's solution was to rent us one of their smaller boats. We paid for it without any issue, but we did think it was a little sad that they messed up and still proceeded to charge us for the much smaller, no where close to the boat we had originally reserved.

Getting our gear unloaded and loaded into the houseboat was another treat. They have carts available, but not nearly enough for everyone. Doing so was an absolute cluster, and everyone around us was confused with the lack of process. The staff offered very little assistance and Cathy just stood at the top of the hill with her hands on her hips looking at dollar signs.

Once we were finally on the boat and off shore, everything went fairly smoothly and the mooring sites were all pretty nice. The houseboat served it's purpose and was perfect for 8-fisherman. Even still, it's pretty clear that these are nothing more than cash-cows for the business and have had very little upkeep since they were purchased in the 90s.

The ramp (pictured) used to get on and off the boat was a bit of a death trap until we added a few of our own modifications to make it safe for travel. I can't understand why they wouldn't invest in something a little more sturdy or at the very least something that's not slippery when wet or covered in sand.

If you're headed to Rainy Lake for fishing, I would highly recommend looking elsewhere. Our group of 8 seasoned fisherman struggled all week to find fish, and the ones we did find were sub-par quality. We tried every tactic, every type of structure, and every lure in the tackle box, but nothing seemed to work. We thought we were just bad fisherman until we watched a few of the guide boats experiencing the same thing, especially the one next to us that was thrilled to pull up a 12-inch walleye.

Overall our experience was mostly positive, but like I mentioned before, Cathy's piss-poor attitude casted a dark shadow over the trip before we even got started. Our limited contact with Bill was mostly pleasant, and he seemed to be a little more down to earth than his wife. Gunner was also very helpful in explaining the houseboat and how to run it, but I would recommend bringing a notepad or just recording a video of everything they tell you. There's a ton of information to remember, and if you're not paying attention it could cost you a lot of money.

I would also recommend checking over your equipment thoroughly before leaving the dock and upon return. We were charged for new prop blades on the houseboat but never even saw them before we left or...

Overall, our group had a pleasant stay on a Saginaw; however, we all see room for improvement. First, I think they should send more information in advance regarding what you will be required to do to operate the houseboat independently and how to read the navigational maps. When you arrive and check in, one of the staff members provides you with a glut of information that is clearly for insurance purposes only to protect the company. While our trainer clearly knew the material himself, a 45 minute introduction to operating a 45,000 lb houseboat is not sufficient for a group of people who only have experience operating a small motorboat and canoe. They are completely different animals!

To add to the confusion, most of the engine gauges on the houseboat were not operational, including the compass and gas gauges. The written instruction manual is poor at best and very vague especially when trying to moor the boat at a campsite. We were lucky in that they forgot our bed linens and towels, and the staff member that came out was able to help us moor the boat properly.

The boat itself is outdated, especially for the nightly rate you pay. It is clearly from the 1970s and you are paying a 5-star hotel rate. While we didn’t expect plush accommodations, we think it is time to replace the stained indoor/outdoor carpeting on the boat (and side of kitchen island) and the scuffed and stained linoleum in the kitchen area. The bathroom seemed to be updated recently, but please be aware if you are significantly overweight or have mobility issues, you will not be able to navigate in and out of the shower as it is very tight! We also called in advance of our trip to see if the boat had heating and we were told emphatically yes. However, the heat provided is through old baseboard electric heating and, quite frankly, a candle would provide more heat that one of those. They also don’t tell you in advance that you can’t even use the heat at night when you need it most, because you must turn the generator off and the baseboard heat only works off the generator and not the battery.

Also be forewarned, if you have any mobility issues, they require you to check the oil for the generator and other engines every time you start one of them. They are not easily accessible and there is no ladder provided to get into the tight and deep engine hold area.

On the plus side, the screened in area on the front of the houseboat was nice and we had a new grill to use for cooking. The beds were quite comfortable. The kitchen was stocked with anything you might need for cooking (utensils, plates, glasses and cookware) and they provide a coffee maker, microwave, refrigerator/freezer and stove/oven that were all in working order. The staff themselves were cordial and accommodating and were responsive when you used the CB radio to ask questions.

We chose to hire a fishing guide and we had an excellent experience with Tanner. While we heard no one else was having much luck fishing, we caught many fish because of our guide’s expertise! He had a fun loving spirit, and we learned a lot from him.

When we returned the boat to the dock, they had a very efficient disembarking procedure in place. It took is less than an hour once they parked the boat for us to load up our car with our stuff. They do provide carts to load and unload the boat which was nice.

Overall, we had a positive experience and if you are aware of all of these procedures and conditions ahead of time, you will be better prepared and able to enjoy your experience at an incredible National Park to truly get away...

Our group of 14 came to relax and enjoy the water with my 93 year old dad. He'd been to the area decades ago as a teenager and had always wanted to spend time on a house boat. It was a family reunion and time with our father. We had a great time!

The steel hull was sturdy and motor worked well. The generator could not have been easier to start. The dock crews were very helpful and pleasant. Some were young, but the youth as well as the "seasoned" personnel were very professional. Charts and handbook were very handy.

It took me a bit to figure out this kind of boating, as I'd sailed, canoed and used a runabout in the past. Houseboat steering is distinctly different. We adapted and then began to truly relax and enjoyed it.

How we used the boat was probably different than what your family or group would use a house boat. We did not spend all day, every day aboard. We rented the houseboat for water sightseeing and relaxing and rented a cabin and vacation home for other activities-- most meals and evenings were spent together at the house. However, the four twenty-somethings slept on the boat

We did not fish; we did not take another boat; nor did we land at a site. Instead, we took day trips for pleasure. Only one day had all of us aboard. The generator was used sparingly --for hot drinks on cool days and at night. We only used the grill for one meal.

Proximity was perfect -- convenient to go from one venue to another.

Our own lawn chairs provided comfy seating on the roof, a good option for our large group. If your group is larger than 6, you may wish to bring some from home.

A shout-out to the few names I recall for excellent service: Reese, who checked us out on the boat, Tanner who suggested a route, another Tanner, Ethan, and Jayden who knew where to obtain 3 canoes if we really wanted them. Sandy, in charge of housekeeping, offered to help in any way and was a delight to talk with..

Rainy Lakes Houseboats know what they're doing, even if you don't. And they encouraged us to try and keep at it. We made some great, indelible memories at this stunning lakeside locale. I genuinely regret we live...