Editor’s Note: Sorry for the delayed report but it has been hectic times around here as we try and get the Fall Issue of Hooked out next week. I must note that we have never had an issue so chock full of great content and I would like to thank all our contributors for making it happen. Make sure you subscribe to get a copy delivered to your doorstep.
MANITOBA
It is officially September and as the leaves start to turn colour, big fish of all species start to get on the hunt. Channel catfish are no different and from now until late October there is no better place in the world to catch monsters than the Red River in Manitoba. If you got to the Manitoba Master Angler home page you will see a wide array of catfish over the Master Angler qualifying length registered.
They have been caught at night from shore, a favourite pastime of many anglers that come far and wide to enjoy the amazing fight of these top of the line predators.
Of course you can always catch them up in the fast water by Lockport but it helps to have a boat so you can anchor on the edge of current seems and get those fish are waiting there for an easy meal.
Check out this beauty caught by Fergus Graham from Ontario.
You don’t have to be in the fastest water to catch giant catfish, they are in many sections of the river. At this time of the year you can use a slip bobber and worm setup to catch some goldeye to use for cutbait.
Shrimp and other bait will get the job done as well but remember to cast down river so you weights don’t get hung up in the rocky bottom.
While the locks get most of the boat traffic, there are plenty of fish to be caught down river. Check out this beauty caught by Lower Fort Garry.
NORTHWESTERN ONTARIO
MIKE CORRIGAN Small Lake Musky
The backcountry Musky lakes are back from the summer doldrums. Look for fish to hole on south banks in shaded areas and under weed cover. A well placed dark coloured popper had heart racing reactions from mid 30” Musky once the fly hit the water. There seem to be more aggressive fish as cooler water temperatures have returned; it seems flies cannot be moved too fast!
With the cooler nights, the Musky are removing quickly once released. Generally speaking there are much fewer fish holding in shallow bays away from quick access to deep water. Concentrate on weed areas near vertical rock faces and points of land.
Tight lines! Mike Corrigan
VERMILLION BAY AND AREA
Mike Corrigan was not alone this summer when talking about a tough musky bite. Hardcore musky angler and Hooked Contributor Glenn McDonald found it to be real tough to get a musky in the boat. Finally with the cooler weather and some home cooking he was able to recently put three fish in the net in one great day on Cedar Lake. Here is how Glenn describes it in the upcoming fall edition of Hooked
Last spot of the evening, in sight of the boat ramp. I tell Dave “This is my last cast” It’s been a great day, nothing more to prove here.
As my Pitbull gets close to the boat, something stops me dead in my tracks. “That’s a fish Dave.” It barely has a chance to fight and Dave slides the net under her. Forty-four inches, I’ll take that any day. We look at each other and both sigh.
A three fish day ends the slump.
GUSSY BACK HOME-QUALIFIES FOR THE CLASSIC!
Jeff Gustafson is back in Sunset Country after a stressful season on the Bassmaster Elite Circuit. It came down to the last event of the season on the St Lawrence to once again qualify for the Bassmaster Classic! Congratulations again Jeff.
Meantime Jamie Bruce once again finished in the top three at a Bassmaster Open event as he tries to qualify for the Bassmaster Elite series next year. He writes all about his experience in the fall edition.
Here is an excerpt.
Winning the 2024 Kenora Bass International on Lake of the Woods with my tournament partner of 16 years, Bryan Gustafson, was a special moment for me. What made this win particularly meaningful, other than the hometown crowd, was that we didn’t rely on forward-facing sonar. Instead, we leaned on experience with traditional techniques like flippin’ a Crush City Cleanup Craw and fan casting a Mayor swimbait while understanding the lake’s subtle cues. It was a reminder of how valuable it can be to navigate without relying on the latest technology.
In contrast, my third-place finish at the Bassmaster Open on Lake St. Clair was purely due to the use of forward-facing sonar. This technology allowed me to see fish and their behaviour with remarkable clarity on my Garmin Livescope. I had a 5 fish limit of smallmouth bass weighing 26-14 on the second day that I wouldn’t have caught in a million years without scopin’.
SASKATCHEWAN
WES DAVID – FISHING THE WILD WEST TV
Thompson’s Resort is located in the Hamlet of Missinipe, Saskatchewan, on the edge of Otter Lake, and is part of the Churchill River System. Otter Lake is often associated with Adventure Destinations and Adventure Destinations Twin Falls Lodge, day fly-outs, and the company’s many outpost fishing and hunting camps. However, Otter Lake, which is a three-hour scenic drive from Prince Albert, is also well known for its amazing walleye and northern pike fishing.
We had a day to fish Otter Lake before we left on our anticipated day fly-out to Whitefish Lake. We found northern pike exactly where they were supposed to be at this time of the year, holding in back bays with eight to 12 feet of water. Bays with quality cabbage growth produced the best pike fishing. Removing the treble-hook on a #2 Len Thompson Lure and replacing it with a single-hook, eliminated a lot of weed hang-up as the lure was casted and retrieved through the weeds to pike resting in the thick cabbage. It rarely took more than three casts to produce a bite from northern pike of all sizes. We had so much fun catching and releasing northern pike we spent very little time looking for walleye.
Whitefish Lake Day Fly-out
The next day, we had a hearty breakfast at the Thompson’s Resort restaurant before loading the float plane at 8:00 am with our fishing gear and everything we would need for a day fly-out to Whitefish Lake.
After a 20-minute flight, we took all our fishing gear out of the float plane and loaded it directly into the awaiting 18-foot aluminum boats. Even though it started to rain 20 minutes after the float plane left, we quickly learned that Whitefish Lake was not properly named. We found walleye everywhere with almost every cast. We tied on a Big Sky Jig, and colour didn’t matter and baited it with a Liquid Mayhem soft plastic and again, colour didn’t matter. We caught walleye in the weeds, near rocks, and even out in the middle of the lake where structure wasn’t present. Walleye were everywhere. Our record was 37 casts, and 37 walleye landed. We even caught 10 walleye in 12 casts standing at the dock at the end of the day waiting for the float plane to pick us up.
By 6:00 pm, we were back in the restraint at Otter Lake enjoying the famous Otter Lake burger and fries and by 7:00 pm we were back in our cabin watching the Blue Jays game. I have never experienced a walleye adventure like I did that day. The whole experience was so amazing we have already made plans to fish White Moose Lake, another one of Adventure Destinations, day fly-out lakes next season.