Author: Don Lamont

MANITOBA Are temperatures finally going to come to come back to normal?  Everyone, including those of us who love to get outside, are sure hoping so. The massive Polar Vortex that has been holding us hostage for two weeks, seems to be finally loosening its grip. Matt Hobson, who owns and operates Icebound Excursions has been busy out on Lake Winnipeg in his SnoBears. He has this report. The fish seem to be holding in the same areas we’ve been finding them the last month in the south end of the lake. I’m getting reports the the west side bite…

MANITOBA LAKE WINNIPEG STARTING TO PRODUCE MEGA GIANT GREENBACKS! MATT HOBSON-ICEBOUND EXCURSIONS Lake Winnipeg South Basin Report: We are still not seeing the numbers we did last year, but the big fish are moving in anywhere from five feet of water out to 20 feet. The big change from the last report is we are seeing them school up and move throughout the day. Whether you prefer to set-up camp and wait for them to come through or chase them down, with the movement we’re seeing on our Humminbird Mega 360, either option could lead to your best day on…

TRY LANDING TROPHY PIKE THIS WINTER! In this part of the world, we are blessed with monster northern pike. While popular with fly in anglers, these fish usually get ignored by most anglers who are after a meal of walleye or crappie. In this article we cover the topic with some of the best pike ice anglers in the world. Dave Shymr from Alberta has spent years fine tuning is approach to catching big pike through the ice.  He is a student of the game, making notes after every day on the water. He is obsessed with these impressive animals. When…

MANITOBA With Code Red being reduced somewhat in the south, there is confusion among anglers as to what the rules are when travelling to the north. Here is what the Manitoba Government website says. Manitoba residents are not restricted from travelling to a cottage, cabin, provincial park, campground or hunting or fishing lodge in northern Manitoba if they are not displaying any symptoms of COVID-19, travel directly as possible to their intended destination, and limit their use of local services to the minimum required given the circumstances. Northern Solo Covid Trip by Kris Gaune -GauneFishin  I usually head up North…

STEP UP YOUR GAME! As we got on the lake, I stopped my skidoo, uncovered the sleigh, rummaging around in the mess of gear, turned upside down inside after a long journey.  I managed to find my Sonar unit, unloading the Humminbird Helix from the sleigh.  Hopping back on the machine, I cradled the portable sonar unit on my lap and powered it on. Going to the GPS map section, I scrolled to where I wanted to go and started across the lake, watching the screen as I went. The blip on the map covered several miles of deep water,…

MANITOBA The weather to start the year has been kind to those of us who love to spend time outside though It hasn’t helped make safe ice on our big lakes. Lake Winnipeg on the west side, is still a risky proposition with ice ridges opening at a moment’s notice. A few anglers have been lucky just to escape the open water. One group, in a pop-up tent, had the ice open-up under their feet. Here is where the new crack is on the west side. Traced on the south edge using the Humminbird fish smart app. Matt Hobson, who…

As the year draws to a close, time to reflect on the effect the pandemic had on the Outdoor Community. I can remember being at the Winnipeg Boat Show in early March when things really started to get serious. I was in a booth selling copies of my book, The Complete Angler, 40 years of Angling Adventures. As I autographed books, shook hands, and met hundreds of people, there was a bit of concern in the back of my mind. Little did I know what would happen shortly thereafter. Suddenly the world came to a screeching halt. For two months…

This is the holiday edition of our bi-weekly fishing report. I would like to thank all our contributors for their support over the course of this crazy year. Without your input and dedication none of this would be happen. As Wes David states in his report below, the outdoor community is a tight-knit community that wants to inform, educate and look after our resource. It is so much better when we can see each other in person to share ideas and stories. We look forward to 2021 and better times ahead with our friends and family and many more adventures…

HOT OF THE PRESS.  THE FISH OF A LIFETIME! Regular Hooked contributor Dave Shmyr is a top notch angler both on the ice and open water. He has been out in Central Alberta chasing stocked trout. He just informed us that he landed his personal best rainbow trout. Here is a the beast. It measured 29.75 inches and weighed in at 11.76 pounds! Dave caught it using a small hook and nightcrawler. Congrats Dave on this magnificent catch! See Dave’s update at the end of this report. MANITOBA Lake Manitoba is producing some nice walleye but anglers are working hard…

Dr. Vince Crichton, known in this part of the world has Doc Moose died December 3rd. He was well respected for the work he did to try and save moose populations in this part of the world. In 1982, Dr. Crichton, in his role at the Wildlife Branch, helped implement conservation measures to protect the estimated 30,000 moose remaining in Manitoba. GIANTS OF THE BOREAL FOREST Now, there are maybe 15,000 moose remaining in Manitoba. Despite numerous setbacks Doc Moose kept advocating for the rights of this majestic animal, hoping for the best. Friend John Toone Jr. worked with Dr.…