Author: Don Lamont

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Don Lamont - The Complete Angler Don Lamont has been a full time professional angler for 41 years, hosting and producing the award winning “The Complete Angler” television series for fifteen of those. Don has received several awards for his commitment to public education and the future of recreational fishing in Canada. Don had a regular fishing column in the Winnipeg Free Press for 30 years and is currently editor of Hooked Magazine. He also recently took on the role of Executive Director of the Manitoba Lodges and Outfitters, if he wasn't busy enough already! He recently published a book that highlights many of his adventures over a lifetime of fishing. It can be purchased online at donlamont.com

EDITORS NOTE: The deep freeze continues across the prairies as anglers struggle to deal with mother nature. The good news is that Manitoba, Alberta and Saskatchewan are offering a free fishing weekend! MANITOBA Yes, it is that time once again. If you haven’t tried ice fishing before you can head out this weekend for free even without a license. Anglers must follow all possession limits and size restrictions during this weekend including regulations for specific individual waters. For more information about all provincial angling regulations, refer to the Manitoba Anglers’ Guide at: https://gov.mb.ca/nrnd/fish-wildlife/fish/index.html. AGGRESSIVE STOCKING PROGRAM I don’t think anglers…

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MANITOBA The Mid-Canada RV and Boat Show Sale is currently being held at the Winnipeg Convention Center. You can come down and pick up a copy of the latest Edition of Hooked Magazine. The Hooked Booth is right by the main entrance so make sure to drop by. Our Special Edition is hot off the press and our cover features Sarah Henuset, a hardcore angler whose special passion is fishing especially through the ice for big pike. You can catch her at the Piccadilly RV booth at the show. Yesterday she dropped around to say hi and it was great…

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MANITOBA Lake Winnipeg is once again the big story as anglers venture out on good solid ice.  Jeff Gustafson even ventured over from Lake of the Woods to fish with his good friend Cory Johnston in a deluxe ice shack. Of course Gussy caught a good one! Anglers have also been storming the tackle stores, buying up all the latest gear. I was in The Fishing Hole recently and their stock was just coming back in after a crazy Christmas season. Out in the western part of the province there was a big ice fishing event held on Lake of…

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Well, January has come in with a vengeance and cold temperatures have tightened up ice conditions considerably.  Time to get the warm clothes on and get out there. MANITOBA Friend Jim Price has been driving out on Lake Manitoba for over a month now . He says the walleye remain shallow and the best action is towards evening. This is pretty standard stuff for this body of water and a special approach is needed to find and catch these shallow fish. Jim uses forward facing sonar to scan the shallows. Once a school is located the team drill a series…

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Editors Note: This will be our last report before the end of 2024. I wanted to thank everyone who has contributed over the year! It does take some work to put it together but it is one of our most popular features .I would also like to congratulate Wes David and his sidekick and cameraman Chuck McPherson for finishing off Season 9 of Fishing the Wild West TV show. It will begin airing once again on The Sportsmen Channel and Wild TV December 30th! Wishing everyone the best for a great holiday season and see you in 2025!  MANITOBA Some…

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MANITOBA Eastern parts of the province did not get as much snow as the north and the western areas. Varying temperatures are creating a bit of uncertainty on ice conditions. Caution as always this early in the year is advised. If you plan on waiting a bit to make sure ice conditions are safe you might want to consider a DYI project by making a floor for your ice shelter this year. A few years back I bought those foam interlocking pieces that made life in my popup tent so much easier. I found this great video on YouTube that…

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MANITOBA The western part of Manitoba was blasted this week by heavy snow and winds. Combine that with periods of rain and it is a mess. It is a good time to get all your ice fishing gear cleaned up, organized and ready to go. Only a few hardcore still have their boats in the water. Most have been winterized waiting for spring.  The Red River goldeye run is starting to slow down but check out this beauty. The shore anglers are still working hard and there have been some good catches. Check out this old girl from Bower Lake.…

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MANITOBA It is a wonderful time of the year to shore fish, especially for stocked trout. Luckily, here in Manitoba we have a ton of options, especially in the Duck Mountains. I can remember some spectacular late fall days fishing from shore at East Blue Lake. It was simple, just throw out a walking sinker, a small hook with some Berkley trout bait and wait patiently for a rainbow to come along. It was as relaxing as it could get and there was always fish to be caught. Just down the road is one of the best brook trout lakes…

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MANITOBA Water temperatures are starting to drop and more and more bait is moving into the tributaries and rivers. Find the bait and you will find fish. On the Red River it could be channel catfish, sauger, pike and the much sought after greenback walleye. Tony Shirley and Jeff Laurin did an outstanding job this past weekend finding some Master Angler class walleye. This allowed them to take home the first place prize of $10,000 at the Selkirk Walleye Open. Their two-day total of 71.79lbs for eight fish (Day 1: 26.50”, 27.00”, 27.75”, 26.75” – Day 2: 30.50”, 29.50”, 28.75”,…

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MANITOBA A record warm month in the province has not helped the fall migration of walleyes in our major tributaries. Things are awful quiet on the Red River with Channel Catfish, goldeye and sauger providing the majority of the action. If you are gearing up for the fall walleye bite on the tributaries and reservoirs in southern Manitoba check out the story I wrote on my fall adventures over the last three years. It hopefully helps you put more fish in the boat! Roger and Sue Geres took advantage of the extended beautiful fall weather to make it to Lake…

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