WINTER HAS RETURNED
A Colorado low is sweeping across the prairies making travel risky but bringing snow and cooler temperatures to western Canada. Caution is advised on the ice as conditions are inconsistent with the last couple of weeks of warmer weather.
MANITOBA
A fair amount of snow has fallen over most of the province and travel right now is iffy. Things will clear up over the weekend but while the weather is cooling somewhat it is still above seasonal.
Lake Winnipeg still has open water in spots caused by massive pressure ridges; You can check all the latest conditions at https://www.facebook.com/groups/1902402216638000
Further east toward Ontario, Big Whiteshell is kicking out some nice crappies and Master Angler tullibee!
Lake of the Prairies – Roger Geres
Lake of the prairies is still kicking out big fish ! You have to fight through the small fish but lots of bigger active fish ! Frozen minnows is our go to on jigs , then to jigging spoons when they are really active . We are fishing from 12 to 24 feet, That is where we been finding them.
If they are up off bottom on live scope they seem to be active and you can get them to hit.
I managed to land a master angler pike (42”) and master walleye (28”) the other day
Keep drilling holes and moving around till you find active fish.
NORTHERN MANITOBA – MATTHEW WIENS
Matt and his brother Paul, along with their wives purchased Viking Lodge a few years ago. Since that time they have done a ton of renovations to the main lodge and cabins. Mat says they now have three cabins winterized for those who want to come up during the hardwater. Matt and Paul are both excellent anglers who love to get their clients on fish.
Check out this 45.5 inch pike Matt caught last week. You can find details on the lodge at http://www.vikinglodge.ca/index.html
NORTHWESTERN ONTARIO
After years of meeting and negotiations with stakeholders on Lake of the Woods, new walleye and sauger regulations have come into play for 2024. Resource Management Coordinator for Kenora, James Williams says the new regulations address the overharvest issue on this massive lake. With over 60 lodges and increased angling pressure changes had to be made. The new regulations are below. One thing that must be mentioned that when measuring fish for the allowable length, the regulations call for a pinched tail. This is well worth noting. The new regs are below and you can find them online here
Walleye and sauger combined
Season: January 1 to April 14 and third Saturday in May to December 31
Limits: Ontario and Canadian residents Legend: S- sportfishing license
C: Conservation license
- S-4 and C-2; not more than 1 greater than 46 centimetres
Limits: Non-Canadian residents
- Daily catch and retain limit: S-2 and C-2; not more than 1 greater than 46 centimetres
- Possession limit: S-4 and C-2; not more than 1 greater than 46 centimetres
SASKATCHEWAN
The Saskatchewan Fisher continue his series of YouTube videos on one of the many productive Saskatchewan Reservoirs.
ALBERTA – WES DAVID – FISHING THE WILD WEST TV
Show Time!
Friday, February 9, kicks off the Calgary Boat and Outdoor Show, (CBOS) held February 9-11 at the BMO Center on Stampede Park. I work closely with the show management, and they said the showroom floor was 95% sold out by January 7, and is completely sold out now!
MEETING THE PUBLIC
Family Fishing Weekend
In Alberta, we split our Alberta Family Day Fishing Week into two parts and call them fishing days. Winter fishing days are held each year in February in conjunction with the Family Day long weekend. This year the winter Family Fishing Weekend will fall on February 17-19. During these three days, anglers can enjoy the fun and excitement of fishing without an Alberta fishing licence. However, fishing regulations catch limits, and any other special Alberta fishing regulations must still be followed.
Fishing is one of the easiest and most affordable ways for families to come together in a meaningful way. Fishing is also one of the finest teaching tools to help our youth and adults acquire a solid appreciation for the outdoors and the environment. How important is hunting and fishing to Canada? Hunting, fishing, and related sports generate over 7 billion dollars into the Canadian economy each year and this is our chance as Canadian residents to take part in a free fishing weekend.
Don’t be caught indoors. Plan a fishing trip this weekend and enjoy family and friends on one of Alberta’s frozen lakes, reservoirs, or ponds, and remember to practice catch and release so others can enjoy.