New changes to Manitoba fishing seasons and regulations and limits.

https://www.gov.mb.ca/nrnd/fish-wildlife/pubs/fish_wildlife/fish/angling_strategy_fact_sheet.pdf

Cam haven’t been up since the boarder was closed. Am I reading that right? No walleyes over 55cm 21.5 inches roughly? So no trophy what so ever out of big windy?

Can you maybe help us Americans and tell us some of the changes to look for that may have changed for those that haven’t been up since before the lock down.

Honestly forgot what the regs were previously. Wasn’t it 6 with 1 over?

Oh and how’s the bite been.

I’m not even sure how much our Non Resident license cost last spring. We hardly ever keep any fish so I don’t even have a idea of what the limits and size are. The only thing we would probably keep for a meal would be a lake trout. But managing to get one under the size limit is almost impossible on the lake we go. Nothing better than Lake trout put up and boiled in 7 UP and dipped in melted butter. Yummy. Only ever brought home walleyes one time. Get my fill of eating them while there. Don’t want any hassle at the border when asked if we are bringing home any fish.

Ripjiggen wrote:

Cam haven’t been up since the boarder was closed. Am I reading that right? No walleyes over 55cm 21.5 inches roughly? So no trophy what so ever out of big windy?

Can you maybe help us Americans and tell us some of the changes to look for that may have changed for those that haven’t been up since before the lock down.

Honestly forgot what the regs were previously. Wasn’t it 6 with 1 over?

Oh and how’s the bite been.

Correct. No more keeping a trophy. All walleye over must be released. Limit has been dropped to 4 across the board. Lake and river specific restrictions are still in effect, for example the walleye opener is still after the spawn on the lake and river.

As for the bite, been a grind. Always is in January. They are changing. The water is quite a bit clearer. Watching them on livescope is quite interesting. More neutral or negative presentations seem to trigger more hits. Lots of frogs showing up, as well as muddy bellies, so they are resting right in the mud.

Cam
What part of Manitoba do you live in????

Winnipeg.

Cam White wrote:

Winnipeg.

i was hoping you may be from near the Pas area. Be nice to have someone who could keep me posted on the spring lake thaw on Reed lake. We like to plan our spring trip as close as possible after ice out but that can vary a lot from year to year. We normally plan for the 1st week in June. we have had to push it back a time or two.

fishthumper wrote:

i was hoping you may be from near the Pas area. Be nice to have someone who could keep me posted on the spring lake thaw on Reed lake. We like to plan our spring trip as close as possible after ice out but that can vary a lot from year to year. We normally plan for the 1st week in June. we have had to push it back a time or two.

Did that from 2009 through 2015. I have fond memories of that trip, but not the drive up. We’d leave from Buffalo, MN and drive all day and night. By the time we got there, we shouldn’t have been driving. Set up camp and crash.
Like you, we’d try for ice-out but it was hard to predict. Sat on shore and waited for a day once. Lots of nice pike, walleyes and lakers, sometimes all 3 in the same spot. I think we also got a few whitefish. My biggest pike came there, a skinny 47-1/2″.
Good luck. Post a report when you get back.

Ron wrote:

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Did that from 2009 through 2015. I have fond memories of that trip, but not the drive up. We’d leave from Buffalo, MN and drive all day and night. By the time we got there, we shouldn’t have been driving. Set up camp and crash.
Like you, we’d try for ice-out but it was hard to predict. Sat on shore and waited for a day once. Lots of nice pike, <em class=”ido-tag-em”>walleyes and lakers, sometimes all 3 in the same spot. I think we also got a few whitefish. My biggest pike came there, a skinny 47-1/2″.
Good luck. Post a report when you get back.

I’ve been going up there for the last 5-6 Years now. My fishing buddy for 20+ years. It is a rather long drive. I believe right around 14 hr. from Saint cloud. We use to leave 4-5 in the afternoon and drive all night and then set up camp and hit the lake. This left us tired right from the start. The last few years we leave early in the morning, get there in time to set up camp, Get a good nights sleep and get a fresh start the next morning. This is a way better way to go for sure.
I love the mixed bag of fish you can catch there. You are correct in that you can often catch BIG pike, Nice Walleye, and nice lakers often from the same spot. Last year my partner was fighting a near 40″ Pike at the same time as I had a Walleye over 30″ on. Not many places you can have that happen. Nothing more fun than 8-10lb. lakers on light fishing rods. My largest Pike is a 44″ fish. You are correct in that the pike are not as thick and heavy as you would like them to be this early after the spawn. For that you go back up in the Fall. We go to Saskatchewan for those.

Ron wrote:

My biggest pike came there, a skinny 47-1/2″.

/quote]
Is that the Pike in your profile picture. The background looks like it may be reed lake.

I’d call Pete’s pro tackle in the Pas. Great store and always helpful.