MANITOBA
With dropping temperatures this week, ice anglers are starting to feel a bit better about ice conditions. It is still walk on in almost every situation still but things are thickening fast after an overnight of Minus 20 C in the southern part of Manitoba. Reel Life with Mike and his wife Kali are You Tubers and hardcore anglers. They have been out on the ice in various parts of the province already including one of the hottest walleye and perch lakes in southwestern Manitoba. They recently spent a couple days at Pelican Lake near Ninette.
HUNT/FISH MB – ICE FISHING REPORT BY PETER HRYNDA
Stocked Trout – An Early Season Favorite
Stocked trout are a common favourite as the first hardwater trip of the year. The lakes and ponds stocked with trout are typically smaller and provide the first opportunity to venture onto the ice when all safety precautions are taken.
Manitoba offers a variety of well-known stocked trout lakes throughout the various regions such as Twin Lakes, Patterson Lake and Bower Lake in the Western and Parkland Regions. Barbe Lake and Foot Print Lake are in the Northern Region and McHugh Lake, Lyons Lake and Hunt Lake are in the Eastern Region of the Province.
Walleye – Prairie Gold and Greenbacks
Likely the most popular fish to target for many anglers is the Walleye. Whether it’s the well-known greenback or the prairie gold, the walleye grow big and early season can be your best shot at one of these giants!
Lake of the Prairies is well known to produce giant walleye and large numbers of smaller walleye.
Larger bodies of water such as Lake Winnipeg take a longer time to freeze up and will be greatly affected by winds shifting the ice sheet. Lake Winnipeg currently has a wide area of open water and is not yet accessible for those looking to chase some Greenbacks.
Black Crappie – Hardwater Slabs
Crappie is a well-sought-after species during the hardwater months. There are few moments quite like that of when you stumble upon a stacked school of black crappie and you drop down, watching them all race for your bait.
The Canadian Shield lakes of Manitoba’s Eastern Region regularly produce crappie in the 40.64 cm / 16 in. plus range. These giants draw in anglers all season as they try to reel in their new personal best slabs. These fish tend to roam deeper basins during the cold months of winter so using electronics can provide an advantage when looking for some schools of crappies.
Ice Safety – Know Before You Go
The most important part of getting on the ice is being able to safely get off at the end of the day. Early season ice can be notoriously unpredictable and if you do end up venturing out onto the hardwater, here are some quick tips to help mitigate the hazards of thin ice.
The Lifesaving Society Manitoba recommends a minimum of 10.00 cm / 4.00 in. of clear blue ice for ice fishing. Review the ice thickness chart below to understand the ice thickness minimum required for winter activities on the hard water.
Each body of water can vary in ice thickness. Variables such as moving water, natural springs, and marshes can vary the water temperature and negatively affect the thickness and quality of ice. Other variables such as snow on top can act as an insulator causing thinner ice beneath.
- Always bring an ice chisel to test the ice thickness ahead before stepping onto it.
- In a “break through” situation, wearing a hardwater suit with floatation and having a good set of ice picks can make a big difference in the chances of survival.
- Avoid going onto early ice alone to ensure you have immediate help in an emergency situation and bring a rope to assist in a rescue if required.
- Take extreme caution around pressure ridges as these can pose a hazard any time of the year due to the shifting ice sheets.
For more information on winter and ice safety, visit the Lifesaving Society of Manitoba website
Winter Fish Handling – Ice Fishing Report Quick Tip
With a world-class fishery comes the duty to ensure that we can continue to enjoy it for many generations. Practicing catch and release is vital to protect our water bodies and with winter comes a new responsibility.
Frigid temperatures with a brisk wind can quickly freeze the eyes of a fish affecting the survival rate. To help prevent this, keep the fish in the water until you are ready to take a picture or try to take photos in an ice shelter during cooler days. Ensure minimal time out of the water to maximize survival rate.
A Look Into December
As the cooler temperatures settle in the upcoming weeks, new opportunities will open across various bodies of water. The well-rested greenbacks of Lake Winnipeg and the Red River will be in the sights of many anglers. Deeper bodies of water that typically hold Lake Trout will be late to freeze and don’t see much traffic until January. Stay tuned for the next ice fishing report for all the amazing opportunities across the province this winter!
Check out Jay Siemens The Complete Guide to Ice Fishing for more information on ice safety and everything you’ll need to know to get on the ice this season!
Check out our HuntFishMB Ice Fishing Page for the next Ice fishing report, opportunities and more!
Celebrate the greatness of fishing in Manitoba, Submit your next trophy catch to the Manitoba Master Angler Program.
NORTHWESTERN ONTARIO
LAKE OF THE WOODS – JAMIE BRUCE
SASKATCHEWAN
RAFFERTY RESERVOIR AND AREA – RALPH SMART, PRAIRIE PRO OUTFITTERS
Ice conditions are coming along nicely with no snow cover at all and clean clear ice around 10 inches in bays and off points The main lake has less ice but with really cold weather in the forecast that will change. Quads and side by sides are only being used for transport All day bites are being reported in 18 to 22 ft on jumbo perch and very nice eater walleyes. Early ice bite is on and multiple methods are working jigs and minnows right on bottom kicking up silt still one of the top producers !
CHAIN LAKES AND LAKES OF THE PRAIRIES – ROGER GERES
Ice fishing is in full swing here, 5-10” ice on most lakes , still have to be cautious as lakes with current may have less. Lake of the Prairies is in full swing with a fantastic evening bite , great eaters and oversized mixed in.
Hit the Chain Lakes for some perch and they didn’t disappoint either , keep trying different joints ha and tactics till you find something that works and have fun!
LAKE DIEFENBAKER
Anglers are fishing points and bays for some jumbo pike and walleye. There are many access points on this massive reservoir. This is a great time of the year to spend some for the large fish that swim here. Guide Daryl Gilbert spends a ton of time on the ice in December near his home on the west end of the reservoir. He has had some good luck with some massive pike so far this winter. Daryl pens a great story on early ice fish in the winter edition of Hooked that will be out in the next week. Subscribe so you won’t miss an issue.
Check out the first ice video Daryl did last year. You can find more on his website.
ALBERTA
WES DAVID FISHING THE WILD WEST TV
Patterning Rainbow Trout
The ice has set, and ice anglers are fishing the hard water across the province of Alberta. With the mild weather conditions in October and into mid-November I had the good fortune of doing a little experiment while fishing stocked rainbow trout from the first of October and fishing every third day until the early winter storms hit in late November and documenting the changes I noticed in the rainbow trout and their feeding patterns.
First two weeks of October
Rainbow trout were feeding as expected during the first two weeks of October in water temperatures ranging from 8.2 to 9.0 Celsius, close to the bottom and close to the shoreline in 12 to 14 feet of water under a slip-bobber on small Tic-Tac jigs from Big Sky Jigs or small J-hooks with split-shots above the j-hook for weight. A variety of small baits were working such as Power-Bait, corn, and maggots. The same typical patterns and baits are seen and used when fishing stocked rainbow trout during the summer months.
Last two weeks of October
During the last two weeks of October, I found the rainbow trout in the exact same areas feeding on the same baits and with the same presentations and water temperatures ranging from 5.0 to 6.0 Celsius. However, I found I could increase the size of my bait to two as many as four maggots, half a minnow, or ½ soft plastic and the trout were suspended almost exactly halfway up within the water column.
First 20 days of November
During the first 20 days of November, with complete ice cover on the water body, and water temperatures ranging from 3.5 to 4.5 Celsius, I was taken by surprise at how aggressively the rainbow trout were feeding. They would take a three-inch big Bite Bait soft plastic on a 1/4oz Big Sky Jig. They were still holding midway within the water column and feeding aggressively during mid-day with sunny conditions. They would often hit the bait as it fell through the water column and if I reeled up, they would often chase my bait up to within a foot below the ice.
The last 10 days of November
During the last 10 days of November, water temperatures dropped to 3.0 to 3.4 Celsius, as the days got noticeably shorter and the first of the winter storms blew in. However, the rainbow trout retreated back to the bottom, and I couldn’t buy a bite regardless of my presentation or the size of my presentation. I could see the trout on my Aqua-VU cameras; however, they had no interest in feeding or doing anything. It was as if Mother Nature triggered something within the trout that told them tougher living conditions lay ahead and the trout were conserving their energy until the weather stabilized.
The weather has held at -12-16 Celsius during the day and consistently falls to -18-22 Celsius at night with a consistent wind of 10 to 25 kilometers. I will continue to pattern the rainbow trout every three days and document their patterns and feeding habits until spring.
I’m very excited about my little rainbow trout project, as it has already told me a great deal about trout feeding habits and fall-to-winter patterns.