MANITOBA
A record warm month in the province has not helped the fall migration of walleyes in our major tributaries. Things are awful quiet on the Red River with Channel Catfish, goldeye and sauger providing the majority of the action.
If you are gearing up for the fall walleye bite on the tributaries and reservoirs in southern Manitoba check out the story I wrote on my fall adventures over the last three years. It hopefully helps you put more fish in the boat!
Roger and Sue Geres took advantage of the extended beautiful fall weather to make it to Lake of the Prairies. Roger says LOP is starting to fire up as water temperatures slowly drop.
Roger got out for four hours during the middle of the day. The walleye were feeding on minnows heavy!
We moved through a few different spots till we found active walleye but once we found them it was game on ! Only a hand full of small ones lots of red zones. Color of jig didn’t seem to matter but it had to be glow with a frozen minnow, Bigger presentation is key it seemed for us!
Thinking of planning a fly in fishing trip for next season? Hunt Fish Manitoba just posted a great video by Jay Siemens on his recent trip to Munroe Lake Lodge. There is some incredible slow motion pike action as they swallow Jays top water fly. There is nothing I would rather do in fishing than topwater fly fish for big pike. Those are my most memorable trips of all time. Check it out!
NORTHWESTERN ONTARIO
Gussy was out on the Lake of the Woods Wednesday, taking some friends out from Australia. Jacob and Bree are enjoying a Canadian honeymoon
We caught mostly everything on a 1/4 oz Nedster jig with a TicklerZ on the back, or a Smeltinator jig with a Jerk ShadZ on it. Pike were on a jerkbait.Enjoy the rest of your trip guys!
Jeff Gustafson has had a busy month, fishing in the Pan-American Black Bass Championship out in New Brunswick with Cooper Gallant. Gussy says the fishing was good, the scenery was excellent and the hospitality from the people out there was top-notch!
They learned a little more every day, eventually finishing in 7th place. As a team, Canada placed second.
I’m so glad I went…we made a bunch of new friends and got to see a whole other side of Canada. I will be back out to visit again! The top three teams from Canada qualify for the World Championships next year in South Africa…so, I guess we’ll be headed over there next year @coopergallant.fishing 🇨🇦
After getting home Gussy headed to Minaki with his brother Ben to fishing the Whitedog Bass event. They battled some fierce wind over the event and on the last day managed four nice smallmouths to get the W!
It’s an awesome place to fish, one of the highlights of my whole year since we started going up there four years ago. I love the adventure of fishing a place that is so remote, without much for mapping and knowing you can find a place out there where smallmouths have never seen a lure. Can’t wait to go back next year!
SASKATCHEWAN
Water temperatures are dropping across the Prairies and the big walleye are on the move. You get a lot wind at this time of the year and those big lakes and reservoirs can be tough to fish. Take Last Mountain Lake for example. I fishing the Last Mountain Fall Classic for years with some of the biggest waves you will ever have to face. I recently viewed a video from my friends at Pokey’s Tackle that outlines the new Minn Kota Terrova Quest front troll motor. Guide Layne Maier does a great job of walking us through this new beast of a troll motor, one I wish I had on my boat back in the day!
RAFFERTY RESERVOIR-PRAIRE PRO OUTFITTERS
Beautiful fall weather has sure extended our days comfortable out on Rafferty. Cool water temps have really got the walleyes and big northerns fired up! The fight out of these fish now is amazing! Jigs and minnow bite still the best but tapping bottom aggressively with the jig to make some noise and silt then lifting 6 inch and hovering for 10 seconds the best technique.
With the fall turnover we’ve been fishing weed edge 12 ft out to 22 feet of water. Livescope has really changed our efficiency and is totally entertaining our clients. Our huge pike will chase a lure right to the surface from 22 ft of water and the amount of walleyes that will take your minnow right off the bottom is a technique you gotta use!
ALBERTA – WES DAVID, FISHING THE WILD WEST TV
I didn’t get a chance to get any fishing done in the last two weeks due to other schedule commitments. However, looking through social media, Alberta anglers are having great early fall success on Alberta lakes, rivers, and reservoirs for various species. It is clear to see the fall bite is on!
I attended the CSI Fall Dealer Show in Winnipeg, Manitoba on October 1-2, and it was very exciting to see the new products that will be hitting the shelves at your favourite outdoor sporting store in 2025. Working with the Fishing the Wild West TV Planogram project, I have learned a great deal about what it takes behind the scenes to put fishing gear on the shelves. There is a lot more that goes into providing and stocking the fishing products we need to be successful on the water than many realize. I can assure you that the companies and reps work their tails off year-round to make sure anglers and hunters have what they need well before the season starts.
On Saturday, October 5th, I along with Bob Izumi were invited to the Westlock Powersports & Marine (WPM) 10th anniversary in Westlock, Alberta. Westlock Powersports & Marine is a well-known Tracker Boat, Ranger Boat, and Powersports dealer throughout Alberta and neighbouring provinces. Celebrating WPM’s 10th anniversary was an all-day event which included incredible showroom deals, a $10,000 giveaway, and a BBQ. While all this was going on, Bob and I gave fishing seminars and talked with countless people about everything fishing.
Congratulations to Westlock Powersports & Marine on 10 years of amazing service, community support, and everything outdoors support. I look forward to the 20th anniversary! Good luck to everyone who’s heading out hunting and fishing this fall, and if you’re in the Westlock area, be sure to stop in at WPM and say hi.
Wes David Host & Producer of Fishing the Wild West TV