MANITOBA
With the walleye season in the south closing last week, many of the hard core anglers switch over to either stocked trout or head north were seasons remain open longer.
Then there is the access issue with warmer temperatures this past week, ice conditions start to get iffy in our southern lakes and rivers. April can be a beautiful time to explore all the things that northern Manitoba has to offer.
In the last week there have been some great stocked trout catches including this 23.5 inch bruiser caught by Curtis Funk on Bower Lake!
This edged out the brown trout that well known angler Dan Thibeault caught on Bower as well. It was a quarter inch shorter. Great fish guys!
As most anglers know by now many species in this province do not have a closure date. These included northern pike, bass, crappie and perch. It is a good time to catch some monster pike.
Check out this pike caught on Lake Winnipeg.
Nice fish Michael! It measure 41 inches but look at the girth on the back of that beauty.
Over in the Whiteshell crappie are still the hot item as well as tullibee on Big Whiteshell Lake. Hunter Diamond caught this gem of tullibee measuring 17 inches!
SASKATCHEWAN
Most anglers in the southern part of the province are waiting for the season to open on May 5th with those in the central zone waiting until May 15th. Bow fishing season is open from April 20, 2025, to March 31, 2026.A valid Saskatchewan angling licence is required. Bow fishing is permitted for carp and suckers only – the taking of game fish and bigmouth buffalo by bow and arrow is prohibited.
Season dates
2024-25 Open Close
Southern Zone May 5, 2024 March 31, 2025
Central Zone May 15, 2024 March 31, 2025
Northern Zone May 25, 2024 April 15, 2025
*See pages 11 to 28 for alternate season dates for certain waters. For example, Lake of the Prairies opens on May 13, 2024. Here is a link to the regulations document.
https://documents.sasklakes.ca/2024-25_Anglers_Guide.pdf
ALBERTA – WES DAVID, FISHING THE WILD WEST TV
April is an awkward month for many Alberta anglers. Most of the province’s waterbodies are closed to fishing for April and into May. (Check the Alberta Guide to Sportfishing Regulations). Also, depending on the weather, the ice that once covered our lakes and reservoirs is often unstable or has melted along the shoreline. In some cases, the ice is gray ice (rotting ice) or has completely melted. These conditions and seasonal changes make the waterbodies that are open to fishing year-round unstable and even dangerous. Extreme caution must be used, and I recommend staying off the ice in April. However, there are April fishing opportunities in Alberta.
The Put and Take Trout Stocking Program on pages 16-17 of the 2024 Guide to Sportfishing Regulations lists the waterbodies that are open to fishing year-round. However, catch and keep, possession limits, and all other fishing regulations listed in the regulation’s booklet must be followed for the water body you plan to fish.
Depending on the weather in April, many of these stocked trout waterbodies melt quickly, especially on the smaller stocked trout ponds. In most cases, the ice along the shoreline melts first, leaving the shoreline water open. In my experience, I have never caught a stocked trout more than 30 feet from the shoreline at any time of the year. Trout will cruise the shoreline feeding on a variety of aquatic life, and they may even be taking advantage of the warmer water along the shoreline.
This is the perfect opportunity for a baited 1/16oz jig or a size #6 jay-hook with a split shot underneath a slip-bobber to be presented only a short cast from the shoreline. You want your slip bobber floating vertically about 20 or 30 feet out and your bait sitting about two inches off the bottom. This may take some trial and error to get it right. I recommend a bobber stop of your choice, that can easily be moved up and down your fishing line to get the depth of your presentation where you want it within the water column. Also, for some reason, historically, at this time of the year and into May is when I have my most consistent brook trout fishing from the shoreline.