In Manitoba we are waiting for the arrival of spring. It looks like it is on the way with temperatures rising dramatically over the next two weeks. This definitely increases the risk of overland flooding and the province has issued a warning for the Interlake region of the province in the Fisher River drainage basin. It probably means iffy ice conditions for those still wanting to get out for stocked trout and the other species that remain open. There have been some vehicles through the ice so it is usually a good time to get ready for the open water season.
One of the spring highlights for the adventuresome types is partaking the spring sucker run in our smaller tributaries and ditches where the water is flowing. In the upcoming Spring Issue of Hooked we have a story from Madi Karatchuk on her adventures every spring with her family as they participate in the much anticipated spring run.
While the walleye season is closed in the south, by all accounts it was an unbelievable last month on Lake Winnipeg for 30 plus inch greenbacks. The Manitoba Master Angler list is a long and impressive one!
Up north there have been some truly impressive catches of stocked trout. On Barbe Lake another monster brook trout came topside. Check out this beauty caught recently by Kyle Erickson.
Laurie Lake in the Duck Mountains can be an extremely hard fishery to get fish to bite but there are some true monsters that swim there. Check out this beast of a brown trout, measuring just under 30 inches landed by Liam Puchailo
This fish ranks sixth all time in the Manitoba Master Angler program. Congratulations on this catch Liam!
NORTHWESTERN ONTARIO
Walleye anglers have another week to head down to Rainy River before the season closes on Canadian side of the border. For years I headed down to enjoy some of the best fishing of the year and it’s only gotten better!
Rainy River Fishing Highlights (April 2026):
- Walleye: The bite is solid, with a mix of numbers and quality fish, as reported by Lake of the Woods Tourism. Jigging with emerald shiners, or using frozen shiners, in 18-22 feet of water is highly effective near current breaks.
- Regulations: Walleye fishing on the Rainy River and Four Mile Bay is catch-and-release only through April 14th.
- Sturgeon: Strong reports for sturgeon, with anglers finding success using traditional, heavy,, and simple-to-rig, tackle-specific, “sturgeon rigs” (weighted lines) with crawlers and frozen emerald shiners. The catch-and-release season continues through April 23, 2026, according to Lake of the Woods Tourism.
- Water Conditions: The river is open, though the bite can be sensitive to rapidly changing weather conditions.
Meantime Jay Siemens loads up for one more back country ice fishing adventure in Sunset Country. He gets in on a great smallmouth bite with some awesome underwater footage. Congrats Jay on reaching 300,000 subscribers!
SASKATCHEWAN
With fishing season closed it might be time to head out for some springtime geese or black bear. Jordon Rowswell is one of those outfitters that offers both a spring snow goose hunt as well as spring bear. 12 Gauge Outfitting (formerly Big Sky Outfitting) is based at the family farm near Cut Knife, Saskatchewan– which just happens to be located on a major flyway. It’s also situated just below Meadow Lake Provincial Park. Jordan and Kendra Rowswell took over the family waterfowl operation in 2019. Jordan’s passion for hunting was passed on from his father who owns and operates Wheeler River Lodge. Together the Rowswell family has hosted hunters for over almost 30 years to their hunting and fishing operations.
Jordan is also the President of the Saskatchewan Commission of Professional Outfitters. Manitoba and Alberta have made legislation changes to limit the number of non resident hunters on the landscape while Saskatchewan just announced that they were as well. They are now limiting non resident waterfowl hunting to two five day licenses in the fall and one five day license in the spring. Jordan says this is designed to stop the illegal outfitting.
Jordan says he grew up hunting and fishing and he wants his two children to have the same experience. Right now, with all the non resident waterfowl hunting pressure it is hard for residents to get an opportunity to a quality hunt.
Jordan also offers spring bear hunts and you can find his website at www.12gaugeoutfitting.com.
ALBERTA
Alberta Fishing Report-
Wes David Fishing the Wild West T.V.
The ice fishing season across Alberta officially closed on March 31st. However, there are still a handful of fishing opportunities that anglers can take advantage of until the opener of the 2026 fair-weather fishing season. Check the Alberta Sportfishing Regulations before you cast a line.
Although the ice is becoming more unstable and will continue to do so, stocked trout ponds with a variety of trout species are still open for shoreline anglers. However, the Bow River is also open, hosting a variety of fly-fishing opportunities.
Scott, the owner of Bow River Fly Fishing Company, is on the Bow in his drift boat guiding clients. Scott said it is still standard winter fishing conditions, and due to runoff and additional heavy snowfall, visibility on the Bow is less than three feet. Both rainbow and brown trout are holding in the slow, deep water on the slowest current edges. However, when nymph fishing, his clients are triggering slow, subtle bites from both trout species by dead drifting a leech pattern or a rubber-legged pheasant tail in the deepest water along the edges. Streamer fishing with anything black with a little colour on the tail is also working. But nymphing is producing the most bites during early April fishing conditions.
KEEPING THE LEGEND ALIVE
The Fraser River Sturgeon Conservation Society (FRSCS) annual Gala will be held on May 11th at the Coast Langley Hotel & Cascades Casino, in Langley, BC. Along with a variety of conservation awards, the FRSCS annual Gala is one of the major fundraising events of the year for the FRSCS tagging program. All the proceeds from the Gala go directly to the FRSCS and their tireless efforts to monitor and protect the Fraser River white sturgeon, so we, along with future generations, can continue fishing for this prehistoric fish species.
Wes David, Host and Producer of Fishing the Wild West TV
