Author: Don Lamont

Editors Note: Summer is in full swing and the fish are hungry! The last three weeks have produced some of the best angling ever in western Canada. Tons of rainfall has meant high water and flowing water. These are all good things for fish. High water years traditionally mean successful spawning for many species of fish. It also helps the food chain as flooded vegetation allow fish to access more productive places to feed. It also helps reduce the effect of global warming and algae blooms. It is a win/win fore everyone including the anglers. Get out and enjoy! MANITOBA…

HAPPY CANADA DAY EVERYONE! I hope everyone is enjoying this Canada Day weekend with family and friends. It has been such a slow start to summer let’s hope the next two months bring us some great weather and fishing!  I would also like to thank all of the anglers who have taken time out of there day to contribute to this fishing report. It is by far the most comprehensive we have ever done. From all of the reports, the fishing has been absolutely on fire with high water in most locals putting the fish in a frenzy. It is…

HISTORIC RIVER IS AWASH IN TRADITION In this destination travel article, my father and I travel to one of my favourite parts of Canada, the east coast. My first Salmo Salar, (Atlantic Salmon) was landed on a dry fly up in remote Labrador, weighing in at 43 lbs!  I will never forget the colour of that fish, chrome painted with an impossibly perfect patina of lilac purple, to heavenly blue. I was euphoric after landing that unicorn of a fish, falling madly in love with the “king of the sea”.  I’ve been to the east coast eleven times, each to…

MANITOBA LAKE MANITOBA AND TRIBUTARIES The wild weather continues in Manitoba with more heavy rainfall disrupting the landscape. I had a chance last week Sunday to get out with friend Jim Price on the Whitemud River on the southwest end of Lake Manitoba. As we headed north up the Yellowhead to launch at Sportsman’s Corner, a thunderstorm rolled through the already drenched landscape. As luck would have it the storm and rain finished just as we arrived. We quickly launched the boat in the fast-moving water and Jim moved us downstream a couple of kilometres to a stretch of the…

MANITOBA CONTENT IS KING We are always looking to add content to our bi-weekly fishing report so if you have something to share make sure you drop me a line at  don@hookedmagazine.ca. With the recent nice weather, conditions and patterns are changing patterns. What was the ticket last week, is not so much right now. For example a week ago the fish on Lake of the Woods were still in the 10 to 12 foot range. With sun and warming water Jeff Gustafson and his wife Shelby found the fish in two to six feet. This is not surprising given…

MANITOBA Water, water everywhere. Combine that with cold temperatures, and it could be one of the worst fishing openers every. As is the case, there are some fish being caught but caution is strongly advised on most rivers and tributaries. There is also a ton of debris dislodged with the high water. There have been some catfish caught in the Red and Assiniboine rivers but this action is from shore. Some of the trout lakes have been good. Check out this beauty rainbow caught by William Leefe in Kormans Lake. SMALLMOUTH BASS A GOOD OPTION If I had one species…

MANITOBA With a more rain in the forecast it is turning out to be one of the wettest springs on record. After reading about all the flooding in different parts of Manitoba, I decided to give my friend Dino Branfield a call. He lives on a farm just north of Morden. I try and plan one fishing a trip a year down to the that part of the world I wanted to find out how all this moisture was affecting that part of the province. Dino said when the snow melted it filled up Lake Minnewasta Reservoir three weeks ago.…

Manitoba spring smallmouth! Smallmouth location spring to early summer When you first get on the water this open season, the most important tool on your boat might be your electronics. Why is that? Smallmouth like to find warm water early in the year right up until they spawn around the 60 degrees Fahrenheit range. This could mean just a slight difference of two degrees. Most good electronics have a surface water temperature feature that let you know what you are dealing with. Look for wind protected, shallower bays early. It helps if they have some soft, dark bottom as well.…

MANITOBA Okay that is enough already! As we get hit by another Colorado low it is time to think of the ramifications of an extremely late spring for anglers in this part of the world. The first part is the most important, increased water levels are almost certain in our many lakes, rivers, and reservoirs. While the high water will flood shoreline areas and increase shallow structure the fish have access, it will also increase current flow. This means narrow spots will have good flow through them, concentrating fish. I call these flush areas and fish will set up behind…

NOW IS THE TIME! It may be a shed, workshop, laundry, dining, bedroom, what have you. And it may be all yours, but it can be more than the dank cave where fishing and hunting gear endures a long-suffering death. Let’s assume it is a garage, any refuge where you make all the noise. You alone decide who and what stays and goes. Eventually, the walls may start closing in with season after season of the essentials of every variety. So much potential. Endless possibilities at the ready. But where does that get you? Spring cleaning is a dangerous undertaking.…