CRAPPIE FUN IN EASTERN MANITOBA Ice fishing for crappie in eastern Manitoba is always on our winter ice fishing bucket list. Whether we are getting the family together on the ice for a short day in the sunshine or grabbing a few close friends and heading back into a remote lake, we cannot wait for the water in the Whiteshell Provincial Park to freeze so we can get out there for some crappie fun. LOTS TO LIKE Manitoba’s Whiteshell is the ultimate winter destination for so many reasons. You can be an avid angler looking for snow machine access adventure,…
Author: Robert Karpiak & Robyn Grant
Robert Karpiak & Robyn Grant
—Robert Karpiak spent his childhood hunting and fishing under the influence of his parents, grandparents and extended family, and became a professional outfitter and hunting guide at the age of 19. —Robyn Grant threw her first cast three years ago in 2014, and once that lure hit the water she was hooked. Spending her summers in the Manitoba Whiteshell Provincial Park and Western Ontario, it didn’t take long for this casual weekend activity to morph into a full time passion.
FRESHWATER COD We used to think of burbot as a bonus fish we could catch while targeting other species such as lake trout. The sun would set and suddenly there was a ridiculous amount of activity on the bottom of the lake showing up on the sonar. We didn’t realize until we hooked one just how exciting these fish are to catch from the depths of the lake. This experience has since led us to plan burbot trips where the other incidental fish hooked along the way have become the “bonus fish”. What’s so great about burbot? Burbot make for…
TIPS FOR A SUCCESSFUL FALL HUNT An experienced elk hunter will tell you that harvesting an animal, especially with archery equipment, seems to be an impossible task. It can be done though and here are a few tips to help balance the scale in your favour. To target elk in the province of Manitoba, you must first apply for a license in the Manitoba Big Game Draw. Each year that you are not drawn will advance you up the ladder with a lower priority number giving you improved odds with draws in future years. The deadline to apply for the…
IT IS THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF YEAR! Every year we have a huge list of ice fishing destinations on our wish list. Believe it or not, we always seem to run out of winter before being able to make all those trips happen. Here is a list of the “must fish” places this crew of two will be hitting up first! CLEAR LAKE Three years ago, Robert and I drove up to Clear Lake after hearing stories of Master Angler whitefish being caught out of this lake. With not a hot clue where to start! We decided to plunk…
Dedicated to the memory of Tommy Karpiak – November 12, 1946 – October 5, 2018 When I was a boy, I would dream about the day I would finally be old enough to go whitetail hunting with my dad Tommy. Tommy was nothing short of a deer whisperer who also just happened to be blessed with one heck of a free hand shot. Tommy grew up in the eastern foothills of the Duck Mountains Provincial Park with his parents and two brothers. Life was a struggle. Tommy and his family worked hard for everything they needed to survive. LIVING OFF…
There is no doubt that Canadians will be looking for ways to spend their vacation time a little closer to home this year. It’s a good thing we are geographically spoiled and have so many beautiful lakes and rivers to enjoy. Often, the distance travelled to these bucket list destinations makes one want to stay for a night or two, or even a week, to really be able to enjoy and replenish the soul in the wilderness. For some folk, the thought of packing up everything but the kitchen sink seems so incredibly overwhelming, they just choose to stay home…
DOUBLE HEADER-CADDY LAKE CHAIN! When you think about ice fishing in Manitoba the image that most often comes to mind is the famous greenback walleye. However, the black crappie has been climbing up the ranks as one of the most “must fish” species in Manitoba. Targeting crappie can be very versatile with both drive-to destinations and winter access lakes within the Whiteshell region. This allows anglers to cater their trip to their experience level and access to equipment. CHOOSING LOCATION Whether you are walking on to a nearby fishing spot or heading to the backcountry lakes, it’s important to pay…
Undoubtedly, targeting lake trout is near the top of every angler’s bucket list no matter their level of experience. Many anglers may feel overwhelmed by the thought of going after these majestic giants, not just because of the fight they put up, but also just not knowing where to go, how to set up and what to use. By no means were Robyn and I experts when we set out on our first adventure. We’ve been successful on multiple occasions, have learned a lot, and are happy to share some lessons we have picked up along the way. LOCATION Manitoba’s…
Using information to be successful! After two years of fishing together, I would say that Robert and I have learned a lot about each other, have both grown significantly as anglers, and that catching master angler sized fish all year long is something that we are just absolutely obsessed with! I don’t think either of us realized how deep we sunk into the sport of fishing until we actually sat down and looked back through our photos from the last couple of years. Virtually every weekend spent out on the water or ice mostly in our home province of Manitoba. One of the best parts…
FAMILY FUN DURING CHRISTMAS Over the holiday’s we convinced an entourage of family and friends with all levels of angling experience to follow us off to Caddy Lake in Whiteshell Provincial Park, Manitoba. We set everyone’s lines up with 1/16 to 1/8 oz jigs tipped with plastic maggots or grubs. Black and white jig heads proved to be the hit, tipped with a red coloured plastic. Lots of holes were punched during this trip and we all moved from about 20 feet off shore to the middle of the lake throughout the day to stay with the fish. First time…