Author: Don Lamont

It’s been really good ice fishing opening for many hardcore anglers in Manitoba and Northwest Ontario. I have been out a few times already with a couple more trips planned before Christmas. The recent stretch of warm weather has made for some comfortable days on the ice. This past week I visited Lake Manitoba a couple of times, once on the east side and the other out of Delta, north of Portage La Prairie. Both were with long-time friend Jim Price, who has already ice fished about a dozen times since the ice got thick enough the middle of November.…

The sun was blazing over a fresh carpet of sparkling snow as Hooked Publisher Kevin Stobbe and I arrived in the parking lot of Spruces.  It was one of the three access spots on Clear Lake for those wanting to snowmobile. Already waiting for us was Dan Kiazyk, who has been been a registered Manitoba Outfitter for more than 22 years. While I had heard of Dan and his guide service, Cat Eye Outfitters, it was the first time I got a chance to meet him.  He was out to join us for a day of fishing for the abundant…

It is no secret that some of the largest walleyes in North America call Lake Winnipeg home. As such, ice fishing for trophy greenbacks on this Manitoba inland ocean is a pursuit that thousands of anglers will attempt this hardwater season. From the earliest days of safe ice to the very last hours of the walleye angling season in the spring, the possibility of hooking into a monster exists. More often than not on this amazing body of water, putting in your time on the ice can result in big fish rewards. The famed south basin sees the highest concentration…

Destination Cedar Lake So many water bodies, so little time. That’s the quandary many of us find ourselves in when it comes to our ice fishing goals and aspirations. With handfuls of species to target and a limited window of time and safe conditions, it’s easy to miss out on many of winter’s hot bites. One of those is just North of the 53rd parallel and is one of Manitoba’s best drive-to fishing destinations. Cedar Lake is home to large northern pike, walleye, burbot, whitefish and tullibee and this reservoir is one of my favorite places to drill through the…

Hunting in my deer woods is a team effort. Each season brings out the rivalries between rookies and veterans hoping to prove something to no one in particular. Fitness programs ready the body to endure those sits where trees crack in harmony with your neck and spine. Others rely on deposits of buttock fat linked in time to the invention of Fizz Wizz. Strong backs are for lugging tree stands through clouds of mosquitoes. Strong minds are for thinking you know everything. To bring such a diverse and accomplished team together and to accept no responsibility for their actions, this…

Hooked contributor Ken Kansas put together an article outlining the state of the trout fishery in the Parkland region of Manitoba. He collected data from a number of different sources. While it might be a bit late for the open water season, it allows anglers to choose future ice fishing destinations in the region SPRING 2017 SURVEY/ASSESSMENTS In 2016 FLIPPR, SVSFE, IMSFE and Manitoba Fisheries Branch combined together to form a single assessment entity in order to perform various surveys on numerous trout lakes throughout the Parkland. This type of attack plan is not new, however this past couple years…

What separates some angling destinations in this part of the world from the rest of the crowd? That’s a complicated question, one that people in the Tourism Industry have been dealing with for many years. Priorities, based on my personal experience, vary with individuals and groups, depending on what they believe is an experience worth having. For many, it is ease of access with a chance to have a quality angling experience along with the chance to catch a trophy fish. The big fish part of the equation comes with experience and expectations from years of hardcore fishing. TICKING OFF…

MOBILITY THE KEY For anglers trying to zero in on fall walleye in natural lakes, covering water can be a real key. While there will always be a certain percentage of the walleye population in current, some of the most untapped areas are deep weed edges in combination with extensive sand, marl flats. These areas will hold a multitude of food options for walleye. This could include minnows, crayfish, insect larvae and perch. One of the most effective ways to locate these fish is by trolling. When you do this, you have a few options, my two favourite being crankbaits…

So you take a male brook trout and cross it with a female lake trout and you get this thing called a splake. Well that was my first introduction to this species and, while the idea was cool I was sort of underwhelmed by the concept. Besides there were several other species of trout that seemed far more interesting out there and so I explored their waters instead.  That is until one day I got wind of a report that the splake action was hot at a lake that was not all that far from my house. I ventured out…

Searching for the ideal fishing getaway that the entire family can enjoy is an important task. The perfect combination of beautiful scenery, great accommodations, and of course outstanding fishing isn’t always easy to find. Fortunately, in Manitoba we have Trail End Camp and Outfitters. They are one of the top drive-to fishing lodges in the province where every member of the family, even the furry ones, are sure to have an amazing time. I brought my family with me, pet dog too, on a recent trip to this Eastern Region destination. Located on the famed Winnipeg River, their camp is…