MANITOBA
With warmer temperatures we have gone from winter to summer, almost bypassing spring! This has really condensed the bite window for almost all species of fish. While anglers are still catching walleye, bass, and pike shallow, the crappie have now joined them.
LAKE MANITOBA
I was out on Lake Manitoba this week and we caught the drum in mostly three feet, while the walleye were out in nine feet during the day and moved to five or six feet in the evening. The evening bite was hot and heavy but the drum supplied plenty of action in the afternoon. Water temperatures are rising to the high 60’s Fahrenheit.
The freshwater drum loved the jig and swimbait while the walleye were a bit tougher. Since they seemed scattered over sand, rubble flats we trolled crankbaits to cover water. Once found we would spotlock and jig a few more.
LAKE WINNIPEG IS ON FIRE!
Kris Gaune is one of best guides around. Here is his latest post.
INSANE BITE going down at Hecla rite now! With multiple masters in a day and anywhere from 150 fish to over 200 fish days! We have one of the best Fisheries in our own back yard! In the last 3 days over 500 fish where caught with 10 of them being master angler walleye,the biggest being 30.5 inches! Yesterday from 8 am to 3 pm we boated 173 walleye with 7 masters in the mix with the biggest being 29.25inches! If anyone is looking to get out on the water hit me up!
You can find Kris at gaunefishin.ca
Eastern Manitoba Report – Matt Gelley – MG Outdoors
Bass, Crappies, and Walleyes OH MY!
The angling in the eastern region of Manitoba has been on fire. Mother Nature has dished out some summer like weather and the fish are chewing. We are seeing surface water temperatures in the 60F plus range on many lakes out in shield country.
Smallmouth Bass
Those big bronzebacks we like to chase are up shallow and getting ready to spawn. We should start to see some bedding activity real soon in the next week or so. Finesse fishing is the game this time of year. Can’t beat a Ned rig dragging along a rocky bottom in 3-10 feet of water. Now’s the perfect time to hook into a giant Master Angler Smallmouth.
Tuxedo Black Crappies
The spring Crappie bite this year has been fantastic. Last weekend, we were getting more aggressive “Tuxedo” crappies in the green weeds near the back of the spawning bays. In 4 to 6 foot of water, we hang a 1/16oz jig with a Kalin’s Crappie Scrub below a float. We even watched a gentleman catch a bunch on the fly rod. Super cool to see. It’s important to wait for the bobber to go down completely before setting the hook.
Check out the Bobber Down article in the latest issue of Hooked Magazine for the complete guide to spring slabs in our region.
Weed Walleyes
Yes, it’s almost time for weed walleyes. The first couple weeks in June are a good time to pluck walleyes foraging up shallow adjacent to the new stalky weeds popping up along the shoreline. One of my favourite tactics is pulling spinners behind bottom bouncers in that 6-10 foot range behind the boat with a crawler harness. It’s a great way to cover water looking for active fish. I use the bow mount Minnkota connected via I Pilot Link to the Lakemaster chart on my Humminbird unit. Follow the contour is an amazing tool for the walleye angler, providing hands free boat control. Dial in your speed between 1-1.5 mph and drag spinners in the depth you desire. Simple as that.
WESTERN MANITOBA – ROGER GERES
Lake of the Prairies is heating up!
The fish are slowly moving back to the main reservoir after the spawn. We are finding lots of fish from three to 17 feet.
They are on the move steady but if you can find a depth they are on for the day it’s non stop action
Casting jigging or trolling has all been working for us!
We are jigging with frozen minnows and leaches and trolling with worms. Lighter set ups were catching the larger walleye , which included lighter line and quick action rod blanks
The water gets warmer the further north you go on the lake but fish are throughout and water is warming each day.
As the old timers say when the lilacs are blooming the fish are biting!
“FLY BITES” reports from members of the Manitoba Fly Fishers Association (MFFA)
The MFFA will add to the weekly fish reports available through Hooked as members are out and about this summer. Please note this part the fishing report will only refer to fly-caught fish only! We typically target the smaller lakes early season and follow temperature trends as most of us transition from Trout and Char to post spawn Pike/Bass/Musky. When the Hexigenia hatch (aka Fish Flies) happens in June, it is our time to shine as most species shut down on eating bait. You will also find members targeting the world class Channel Cat fishery at Lockport.
Speaking of which a number of our members have been reporting some great fishing at both the floodway and the spillway. Channel Catfish are numerous, with sizes to 37” caught so far. Freshwater Drum to 24” have also been reported. The fish are taking darker coloured Clousers, DDH’s, and other minnow imitations in the floodway. The main river channel is still quite high and the fish are stacked up in the “tail water” which requires heavy flies and sink tip lines. My “Down & Dirty” woven wire pattern was very effective.
Here is the link: https://youtu.be/7sNnGRVZBwk
NORTHWESTERN ONTARIO – Mike Corrigan
The lakes in the Kenora are are warming and the post spawn Pike are aggressive on brightly coloured minnow patterns. Bass and post spawn Walleye found in flowing water are in great shape. Surface temperatures are already in the 16-21C range which has pushed the Lake Trout deep again. Again bright flies, 2-5” in length seem to be the ticket.
Musky season is now only about 2 weeks away, and the lakes should be full of weeds and the fish hungry! What happens if you catch a musky incidentally before the season opens? Glenn McDonald of 54 or Bust! fame interviews an Ontario Conservation officer to give us the goods on what you should do.
It means releasing boat side and no holding for a picture! Check it out here.
SASKATCHEWAN
Rafferty Reservoir – Rafferty Dam Walleye Tournament
Ralph Smart, who owns Prairie Pro Outfitters, and the family decided to host a tournament last weekend out of Main Prize Park. The tournament was a success- a lot of work, but a success. According to Ralph the fishing was outstanding. Ralph and his son Nate run two guide boats out of The Dam Store out of the regional park.
Tournament Summary
All 25 teams on day 1 weighed in 5 fish and only 2-3 didn’t have their two over length fish they were allowed. The weights were great as you can see on the attached chart. On Day 2 the fishing was a bit slower and we had a few more teams that came in without their over slot weight fish. The big fish on day 2 was a whopping 7 lbs. There were hundreds of pike caught during the tournament too which slowed down some of our teams.
Everyone enjoyed a roast beef supper on Saturday night catered by our local restaraunt-Chef Ron’s Kitchen.
LAKE DIEFENBAKER – WES DAVID
We arrived at Lake Diefenbaker on May 25 launching the Tracker boat at the Sask Landing Marina about 15 minutes outside of Kyle, Saskatchewan. Walleye were where they were supposed to be. Tight to the bottom in 12 to 16 feet of water on the edge of sharp drop-offs. Smaller male walleye were abundant and would take a minnow or leech trailing behind a bottom-bouncer and a gold or silver smiley-blade. However, it seemed the larger walleye had a case of lockjaw, or the smaller walleye were beating the big walleye to the bait. The larger walleye were holding so tight to the bottom that the fish finder had trouble separating and reading the fish from the structure. We managed to hook into a couple of larger walleye and probably my personal best sauger.
The next day we woke up to heavy fog followed by rain and thunder and lightning. We drove an hour east to Elbow, Saskatchewan to outrun the rain but unfortunately, the drastic change in weather turned the walleye off and before the walleye fell back into their regular feeding patterns, we had to hit the road.
I’m confident by the time this fishing report is released, the Lake Diefenbaker walleye will be back on their game. However, I will be at the grand opening of a dock system for everyBODY and the Lacombe Kids Can Catch event and then off to fish Lac La Biche and Calling Lake Alberta and will have to return to Lake Diefenbaker in August.
ALBERTA – WES DAVID FISHING THE WILD WEST TV
The grand opening of a dock system for everyBODY and the Lacombe Kids Can Catch event are scheduled for Saturday, June 3, at 11:00 am.
Many people are confined to a wheelchair or have a form of disability or are temporarily injured from an accident. Or maybe it’s an elderly man or woman that would like to spend a few hours fishing at a trout pond but find it difficult to get down to the pond or to stand on the edge of the shoreline. The Len Thompson Trout Pond, in Lacombe Alberta, is an easily accessible fishing pond on the north side of the City of Lacombe.
This city-owned Park is managed by the Lacombe Fish and Game Association. The park attracts an estimated 9,000 users of all ages primarily throughout the spring, summer and fall months. However, the Lacombe Fish and Game Association and other local organizations wanted to make the pond accessible for everyBODY.
The construction of a new fully accessible dock system started in January and was completed in April. However, the official Grand Opening of Alberta’s fully accessible dock will be held June 3rd, at 11:00 am, at the Lacombe Fish and Game Association’s annual Kid’s Can Catch Day. To add to the event, in late April, the Len Thompson Trout Pond was stocked with 3,000 rainbow and tiger trout and will be stocked a second time later this summer. The community of Lacombe would like to welcome everyBODY to join them and be a part of the Grand Opening of this amazing dock project.
The Len Thompson Trout Pond in Lacombe is the first of its kind in Alberta and another example of outdoorsmen and women and their local communities working together so everyBODY can cast a line and enjoy a day of fishing!