Author: Don Lamont

MANITOBA It has been a relatively slow start to the fall feeding frenzy. Weather conditions have been unstable and the fishing success has reflected that. One species that seems to be active are the mooneye on the Winnipeg River. Nathan Puzio and family have been having some outstanding success. Closer to home the channel catfish have remained aggressive. The fall walleye bite on the Red River is still sporadic. Jay Siemens recently loaded up the truck and headed to downtown Winnipeg to fish with some fans and show off the Urban Fishery. NORTHWESTERN ONTARIO Jeff Gustafson is having a great…

MANITOBA The weather in this part of the world remains relatively warm and stable as we head into mid September. As I mentioned in the last fishing report, a lot of species will head shallow at this time of year and then head back to deeper water as the weather becomes more unpredictable. For example, walleye will be found in a multitude of different spots from shallow weed lines to some deeper reefs and points, then will spread out to deeper 25 to 30 foot flats as the water cools. This was the case this past week while fishing Last…

MANITOBA Cooler nights remind us that fall is on the way. It is also a huge trigger to almost all species of fish to head to the shallows. These include two of our most popular game fish, walleye and pike. When I guided at Eagle Nest Lodge on the Winnipeg River in my early days I was taught a valuable lesson by a group of guests from Oklahoma. Each morning they would head out early to fish for pike in bays off the main lake, looking for deep cabbage beds. Here they would work buzzbaits and spinnerbaits over the weed…

MANITOBA Cooler temperatures and a lack of wind has made the last couple of weeks a perfect time to be on the water. This province is blessed with a variety of sport fish and anglers are buying in big time. Our stocked trout waters are still producing trophy fish as witnessed by this beautiful Master Angler rainbow trout caught on a fly rod in Barbie Lake by Keith Publicover. As we move a bit further south into the Duck Mountains, one of the biggest walleye I have ever seen registered in Wellman Lake was caught recently by PJ McIntyre that…

Bucket List Trip, summertime crappies For those of you in Saskatchewan and Alberta if you want to try catching some different species come to Manitoba. Crappie, smallmouth bass and channel catfish come to mind. I love to catch them all, but I really enjoy the challenge of tracking down summertime crappie. We have plenty of lakes in the southeast part of the province that have excellent populations of these tasty gamefish. Over the last few summers, I have spent some time during July and August fishing for them with good results. Just like any other fish species you must understand where…

MANITOBA Extreme heat has been the story in this part of the world. With temperatures in the mid 30’s Celsius being in a boat all day is not a wise idea. While it has been hot, the weather has been stable for the most part and the fishing has been decent. There have been catches of warm water species like sunfish. One of the most unique fisheries in Manitoba is West Watjack Lake in the Duck Mountains. It was stocked with muskies a few years back and continues to produce. NORTHWESTERN ONTARIO This part of the country got hit with…

MANITOBA Record breaking temperatures are making a full day angling in a boat problematic. Anglers have to be careful to take care of themselves. To learn more about ways to protect yourself and those with you read the great article on our website written by Nathan Blank called “Summer Survival Guide for the Smart Angler”  Check it out here. Shore fishing remains good as the rivers and streams are still high from earlier rains. The channel catfish are an apex predator and they are enjoying the high water and the heat. Here Abby Romaniuk and a friend had some great…

MANITOBA There are currently two big concerns in both Manitoba and Saskatchewan and much of the Prairies. Heavy rainfall in the south and central parts of the prairies has caused widespread flooding. In some places you might be fishing out of your front porch. Meantime in the north wildfires are an issue since most have not received significant rainfall along with hot temperatures. One positive out of all this is with high, fast water, fish hold tight to shore to get out of the heavy current. This means shore angling can be spectacular. That includes the mighty channel catfish that…

MANITOBA Rain and unstable weather continues to be the story in this province. There has been a lot of overland flooding caused by large amounts of rainfall. This has raised water flows in creeks and rivers and affected water clarity in a many of our fisheries. The good news is that has reduced our forest fire risk and the fish are still biting. One of those fast flowing tributaries, the Fairford River in the Manitoba Interlake is producing some Master Angler Freshwater Drum. Check out this 28 inch brute caught recently from shore. There have been some massive drum caught…

MANITOBA It was a week of wild weather across the Prairies with Thunderstorms and Tornado warnings. I happened to be on the water on Lake Winnipeg when I got the amber alert. My wife and I had headed up to Hecla to camp and spend time with our friends Phil and Lorraine. We always plan to go in early June when there is room in the campground and the fishing is good. Fishing is a big part of the trip but the weather does not always cooperate. On the Tuesday we had headed up to Hecla and by the time…