Author: Don Lamont

MANITOBA With the new fishing season scheduled to open in southern Manitoba tomorrow, there will be many challenges for those hoping to wet a line. Extremely dry conditions in almost all of the province have forced the province to close all backcountry travel below the 53rd parallel. Do your homework before you decide where you are going to fish opening day of fishing season. Here is the link to the provincial website with the latest restrictions.https://www.gov.mb.ca/sd/fire/Restrictions/index.html The good news is that the fishing from shore for stocked trout has been spectacular. With an extended cooler spring, the stocked trout bite…

So who wants to go channel catfishing this spring? I hope you’ve been pumping iron in gym in anticipation of fighting that monster catfish you have dreamed of, or had nightmares about, all winter long. Well the time is here and I’m going to guide you through some of my secret tips and tricks to improve your chances of crushing some monster cats. In early spring the catfish are moving up the river putting on the feed bag getting ready for the upcoming spawn. What I mean is that the cats have been laying low all winter long and now…

It’s pretty special, sitting on the lake with nothing but the quiet, maybe the distant call of a loon and the splash of an aggressive rise. The opportunity to do that with an endless list of options to explore, is what makes us so lucky here in Saskatchewan. You can break the quiet, rev up the engine, take off and cover endless expanses of water that are here, but not everyone has that opportunity. If you are on a budget or just starting out in the world of angling do not overlook the small watercraft options that you have. It’s…

MANITOBA In southern Manitoba anglers are enjoying some good stocked trout action. Patterson and Tokyrk Lake are know for their Master Angler sized brown trout. Reynolds Ponds close to Winnipeg has some big browns as well. NORTHWEST ONTARIO LAKE OF THE WOODS WALLEYE IN TROUBLE? According to the The Kenora Daily Miner & News, a report released recently, Ontario’s Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry says the Lake of the Woods walleye population is in danger.  The MNRF conducted province-wide risk assessments between 2015-2017 on 40 lakes in Ontario. Of those lakes, only Lake of the Woods fell into the…

Wild turkey have spread across the prairies in recent years, from Saskatchewan to Northwestern Ontario. A friend of mine first introduced me to the wild birds twenty years ago. Dino Branfield is one of the most experienced turkey hunters in this province. He first started hunting them 36 years ago.  A hardcore hunter and angler, he has worked as a waterfowl outfitter for years. The name of his business, is  called Nelsonville Outfitters. You can find him on Instagram at instagram.com/mayordino19. I talk to Dino on this week’s podcast which you can find here. https://www.hookedmagazine.ca/podcast/the-complete-angler-podcast-episode-12-dino-branfield-the-mayor-of-nelsonville/ Dino, like many in…

MANITOBA With some major snowfall and a general closure in the southern section of the province, most action has been limited to the northern half of the province which remains open. For those in the south, some open water stocked trout lakes provided some hot action before the snow hit.  Check out this beautiful brown trout caught from Williams Lake by Noah Messner. It measured 22.25 inches. Congrats Noah! Dustin Lindall headed out to the Whiteshell to try his luck at Lyons Lake from shore. He managed this 23 inch beauty brown! Nobody knows the Parkland region as well…

One of my favourite trips each year is for early season crappies. Manitoba has many lakes that hold these feisty panfish and springtime can dynamite if you know what to look for. When the season opens here on May 15th, these fish should be in shallow warm water.  WATER TEMPERATURE THE KEY! When the water temperature is in the four Celsius range, crappie position on drop-offs near deeper water, especially if there is vegetation. These are areas near where they spent the winter. One of the key correlations for success is understanding that fish move on certain pathway to their…

MANITOBA It’s midterm break for a lot of the schools in this province. In order to make it a family fun fishing weekend, this province extended the fishing season in the southern division to allow families to get out on the ice. The season is about to close though. The general closure in the Southern Division starts April 5, 2021 to and including May 14, 2021. Season opens May 15, 2021. Stocked trout water remains open. For more information on the angling rules and regulations in your part of the province just do a search for the Manitoba Anglers Guide…

MANITOBA With a high forecast today of plus 16 Celsius, it might be time to do some yard work. Almost all lakes in the south are walk or ATV on access only. A friend of mine tried to get on Lake Manitoba yesterday and spent half the day trying to get his truck out of the mud at the access point. Ice conditions are dangerous, especially around pressure ridges and trucks and snowmobiles have gone through on different lakes. Last week we had a chance to get back out to the Shoal Lakes before the access points shutdown. Many anglers…

Highlights of the Winter 2018/2019 Lake Winnipeg South Basin Creel Survey Dr. Brian R. Parker, Head Scientist, Wildlife and Fisheries Branch The management of the Lake Winnipeg fishery requires fishery managers have a good understanding of the number of walleye and other fish species being caught and harvested by anglers. Three creel censuses involving the Lake Winnipeg fishery have been conducted in the past decade that support such an understanding. These include a joint federal/provincial recall survey in 2010, part of a large national survey. Then a Manitoba-led on-lake creel census in winter 2017/2018 and an angler-funded recall survey of…