MANITOBA
It has been an interesting couple of weeks across the prairies as rain swept through Alberta , Saskatchewan and parts of Manitoba. It seems that moisture fired up the stocked trout bite as indicated by Wes David in his two reports below. Here in Manitoba one of my favourite lakes in the world, Barbe, is again kicking out some gorgeous brook trout, many in the Master Angler category.
Check out this beauty caught by Evan Reimer.
Barbe is close to The Pas and has been producing some monster trout for a long time. It should be on any anglers bucket list. Further south in western Manitoba Tokaryk Lake is once again fishing well.
Check out this Master Angler rainbow caught by Jordan Single
NORTHWESTERN ONTARIO
Pro angler and Hooked Contributor Jeff Gustafson has been slamming walleye and bass on Lake of the Woods while he enjoys some time at home.
Quality day Ned’n around on Lake of the Woods…my hands literally hurt today! We didn’t catch giants but well into the triple digits for numbers, so fun! All smallmouths and walleyes came from 8 feet and less…find some boulders and sand and you’ll find fish!
Gussy has been using Ned Rigs to catch these shallow fish. If you haven’t tried Ned Rigs you won’t believe how effective they are catching fish, especially walleye and bass.
SASKATCHEWAN-WES DAVID-FISHING THE WILD WEST
One for the fly-fishermen and women.
Battle Creek and Lock Leven, within Cypress Hills, Saskatchewan, are both fishing very well.
For the fly-fishing anglers who love an adventure to do battle with rainbow and brown trout in flowing creeks, Battle Creek should be your next adventure. Both trout species were found in the deepest holes and the slowest current areas of the inside and outside corners of Battle Creek.
Battle Creek is a windy creek with lots of bends and elbows to fish, so there are lots of locations to cast your fly. Fallen logs also held trout beneath them. Both trout species were hitting a gold bead head black leech pattern fly. Casts were short due to the overhanging trees, tall grass, and the steep creek bank, so being aware that your shadow was not covering the water you were trying to fish was extremely important. Small rainbow trout (6 to 8 inches) were also more than willing to snatch a floating green beetle off the surface and would keep an angler entertained for hours.
Lock Leven, within the Cypress Hills Provincial Park, is a stocked trout water body and is considered a trophy rainbow trout fishery. Natural springs provide fresh, oxygen-rich water and forage year-round for the rainbow trout, so the trout grow very fast. Anglers can fish Lock Leven with spincast gear, but it is a very shallow water body with lots of weed growth. Hangups can be a problem. Anglers can also experience great shoreline angling with spincast or fly-fishing gear. However, we chose to fish Lock Leven from the comforts of a float tube.
Using a 5-weight Streamside fly-rod with a moderate sinking line and a Bloody Devil Bingo Bug, from Lucky Bug Lures, we were casting our Bingo Bugs in and around the outside edges of the weed growth. Long and aggressive strips on the fly line would entice the rainbow trout out from the aquatic vegetation with their sights set on the Bloody Devil. I had the good fortune of fishing with Rick Goett, a member of the 2004 Canadian National Fly-Fishing team. Rick considers Lock Levet to be his home water body, so he had me on the fish fast.
ALBERTA
Stocked trout ponds were a popular choice over the Canada Day long weekend.
Many anglers of all ages were fishing the Alberta ponds over the Canada Day long weekend.
The trout ponds were stocked throughout May and early June with a variety of trout species. However, with all the rain in central and southern Alberta in the last three weeks, the stocked trout ponds are filling with fresh oxygen-rich water.
The water is much clearer, and the trout are gorging themselves on freshwater shrimp and a variety of insects. The rain has also given new life to the agricultural fields, and the ground is once again filled with life, including insects that the trout feed on.
Anglers are keeping it simple. A J-hook tipped with a variety of baits, including cheese or corn, beneath a slip-bobber is all that is needed. When the bobber goes under, set the hook.
Wes David. Host & Producer of Fishing the Wild West TV.