Author: Don Lamont

THE YEAR IN REVIEW BY HOOKED EDITOR DON LAMONT As we approach 2017, it’s time to reflect on the year gone by. One of the things that stands out about 2016 in my mind is the weather. It seems almost every year the fall fishing season gets longer and longer as anglers continue to launch their boats past the middle of November. This year, a stretch of cold weather finally discouraged anglers to stop visiting Pine Falls but not until near the end of November. It was an incredible stretch of fall weather combined with some tremendous fishing. I have…

With a week of extreme cold conditions, ice in this part of the world has been forming fast. Garther Cheung (Big China)  says conditions on the river and even Lake Winnipeg have been good. One angler last week landed close to sixty walleye north of the new bridge. There were also fish caught at the End of Main. Some hardcore anglers have found about nine inches of ice on Lake Winnipeg. Travel has been done mostly by snowmobile on the big lake but on the river, it is strictly a walk on deal right now. Extreme caution at this time…

Some hard core anglers have been doing extremely well this fall using jigging spoons and jigging hard baits like The Shiver Minnow and Jigging Rapala to catch late fall walleye. At Pine Falls one of the hottest baits has been the Live Target Golden Shiner. This is a direct transferal from the winter use of these baits on Lake Winnipeg. If you haven’t fished with one through the ice over the last five years, you have missed out on probably the hottest ice lure out there. These rattlebaits drive big Lake Winnipeg walleyes crazy, and this has transferred to open…

Illustration by Sara Wilde Guiding is a hands-on way of living. Hands that start fire in the rain, coax meat from game, offer a hot plate of food miles from civilization. Strong enough to tame a displaced northern pike, yet gentle enough to allow for its release. Hands that help call animals, with fingers that point the way. A hand-up when fallen, and pat on the back when you done good, because guides know their strength. Them smarts and that confidence come from choosing a profession where the work is your passion. As guides, there is something about the fish…

Water, water everywhere. Hooked Publisher Kevin Stobbe and I were out with contributor Garther Cheung yesterday on Lake Winnipeg. Cheung, known as “Big China!” in Manitoba fish circles, has become addicted to angling. This past season he fished 10 tournaments on the Central Walleye Trail, finishing the top ten in a number of them. With his big smile and infectious laugh he is also one of the most popular figures in competitive fishing circles. When he offered to take Kevin and I out on the big lake for a day of fishing, we jumped at the chance. It was a…

For those of us who love to fish late into the fall, the extended weather forecast for this part of the world looks pretty good. Stable temperatures should allow for excellent days on the water. Not only that, but we dodged the snow that has hit other parts of western Canada as well as central and northern Manitoba. Recent rainfalls though have increased the flow in many of our rivers. The Winnipeg River has some pretty strong current right now which means Lake Winnipeg greenback walleye have moved in to gorge on the abundant food available in the river at…

It’s almost a week ago that the walleye starting showing up in numbers on the Red River from the main lake to Lockport. While anglers fishing closer to the lake have been having success for about two weeks, in the last few days with the lousy weather those fish have moved up to the traditional areas closer to the locks. Stretches of river like “Doc Reeds”, the Power Plant and the “Miracle Mile”, legendary over the years for their mind numbing catches of green hued walleye.  Over the last few years the run has started a bit later, usually the…

BOATERS REMINDED STOPPING IS REQUIRED AT MANITOBA INSPECTION STATIONS – – – Travel Authorization May Be Required To Get Boat to Winter Storage Manitoba boaters and anyone transporting any watercraft in the province are required by law to pull over and stop at aquatic invasive species (AIS) inspection stations, Sustainable Development Minister Cathy Cox said today. “As we near the end of open water season, we ask that Manitobans take extra precaution to ensure they are not transporting aquatic invasive species when moving watercrafts,” said Cox.  “The best and most effective measures to reduce the spread of AIS come from…

We all dream of becoming something cool when we grow up. I was no different. When I was a young lad I knew one day I’d be working in the fishing industry. Even before I could afford to buy my own boat I spent years fishing the shore lines of the Red River for channel cats and green back walleye. When I had some money I would rent boats out in the Whiteshell looking for northern pike and walleye. I would hang out at different tackle stores and learn as much as I could about fishing in all aspects. I…

Spring is a pinnacle time for any angler looking for an epic bite. Within a common thirty day window, from mid-May to mid-June, there are various species throughout our province that consistently indulge in insistent feeding patterns. For the inquisitive fly fisher, this is an overwhelming occasion to pursue a variety of appealing angling opportunities that offer favourable numbers of quality fish and the alluring prospect to sight cast in shallow water. With the end of May at my doorstep, I took a welcomed opportunity to head to the Eastern Region with the hopes of chasing the annual run of…