Lake Winnipeg Fishing Reports

[chiroben1]

Just got back yesterday. Very cold. 8 guys 2.5 days fishing around 125 walleyes. biggest was 28.5, lots over 20. lots over 17. it was our 1st trip. hot lure was blue silver live targets tipped with minnow. we were not able to move around like we planned due to the -30 temps. had a very good time regardless. looking forward to next year

Ben

[Wheels]

Sounds like you did ok for not moving around much. We were supposed to go the same time you did but we didnt want to fight the cold, so we are going in a couple weeks. What were the best depths for you guys? Did you guys fish East or West of the mouth.

[chiroben1]

we fished on the east side of the lake couple miles out. wish i was going back in a couple of weeks should ben awesome.

Ben

[teardrop]

chiroben were you guys able to unload at the casino and take that little creek out to the lake? our did you not have to use sleds?thanks for the info!

[chiroben1]

no. it was way too cold. we unloaded at ther bay and went out like 2-3 miles. if the weather would have been nicer we would have.

[Berditsmen]

15 of us are heading up Thursday. Are chains necessary on wheelers? If there is so much snow that you cannot get down to the ice they are not effective correct? Still kicking it around if I should bring a sled or a wheeler. Any info would be great. We are going to be fishing around Winnipeg Beach.

[gatorhunter]

A sled will be much, much better than a quad.

[brmuskie]

I just got back last night - The snow is hard as a rock. I would go with a sled. If the 4 wheeler tires break through the snow - you might have a hard time moving. I can't remember seeing a quad running out there with tires - it's all sleds or tracks on quads.

PS - this cold snap didn't do wonders for the bite. 4 of us caught about 30 fish in 2 days of fishing. The positive is that 10 of those fish were over 24 inches. 30 inches was the biggest of the trip.

[Avid Angler]

Was anyone on the big lake last weekend?

A group of us are heading up on Wednesday. We are hoping to get around with trucks, but it doesn't sound likely. Sounds like snowmobiles might be the only way to go.

How is the bite?

Thanks for any info.

Avid

[Berditsmen]

Got back last night from Winnipeg. We stayed in Gimli and tried Chalet beach Friday really slow fishing. A storm moved in friday into Saturday and really affected our fishing and transportation. We went out of Riverton both Saturday and Sunday a few miles. They were hitting on spoons using the deadstick method or just let it sit and watch your line move. We also were getting hits on both live targets and chubby darters. We used "salties" head or head and tail. We had better luck on Sunday and think the bite was starting to come back. They would follow your lure but not bite like normal Winnipeg style.

I suggest bringing a sled and not a wheeler I did get around with a wheeler but had big mud tires and chains kicking myself for not bringing a sled and would have moved around a lot more.

[gatorhunter]

I did get around with a wheeler but had big mud tires and chains kicking myself for not bringing a sled and would have moved around a lot more.

It's not like you weren't advised to bring a sled! I counted at least half a dozen posts by Lee, Topcat and I recommending sleds over quads or trucks for the past month.

When the Canadians say sleds, then bring sleds! We almost never use quads or in your words "wheelers" for ICE FISHING!

[teardrop]

I have been up here for about two weeks now, and have been fishing every day from 7 to 5 . We have been fishing the lake now for 6 years and this has been the slowest year for big fish 30 inchers plus. Have been to the mouth,balsam bay,elk island,riverton and hecla island. We have cought lots of walleyes from 18 to 28 inches in every place, with only 2 30s.We have seen more nets this year on the big pond than any other year.Talked to a commercial fisherman yesterday that was pulling in a net and it had quite a few big walleyes in it, he told me there is a big demand for 10 lb walleyes right now mostly going to new york. This is not going to be a good deal for one of best trophy walleye fisheries in the world.I also beleive the north basin walleyes have not yet migrated down yet, they feed on rainbow smelt and are lots chunckier than the south basin eyes. Just my 2 cents worth

[gatorhunter]

From a purely common sense perspective, I wouldn't equate low catches of large walleyes in the south basin being directly related to some sort of migration from the north basin. There is absolutely "ZERO" information or data to suggest that Lake Winnipeg walleyes travel hundreds of miles from spawning grounds to feeding areas and back again in a few short months.

In fact, a tagging study conducted on Lake Manitoba in the mid-70s showed walleyes seldom traveled more than 25 miles from the spawning stream in which they were caught and tagged. Other studies in the U.S. and supported by this one showed that walleyes traveled at very established depths. They would follow a particular contour around an obstacle as opposed to swimming up over the obstacle.

While the south basin of LW is generally considered a shallow bowl with not much structure, the Channel area between the north and south is a maze of rocks, islands, reefs, sand bars, bays, etc. with depths that reach 120 feet. The north basin is huge and diverse in terms of bottom configuration and structure.

Rainbow smelt are present in the north basin and that is because the water up there is much, much clearer than the south basin. One would be very hard pressed to find rainbow smelt in the south basin because the water is extremely turbid from break up to at least December (7 months minimum).

In summary, these south basin walleyes are not feeding on rainbow smelt. Common sense tells us that a Red River spawner would not travel 200 miles one way, fatten up on smelt then travel 200 miles back and still be football sized and full of fat

[Ray1]

For the weather we had this last saturday the fishing still wasnt that bad. 2 days fishing for 6 of us with 2 over 28 and 1 over 32. 62 fish total. Live targets, darters, and slick jigs.

[teardrop]

left the big lake on sunday fished it hard for 18 days, i would say the bite has been consistant.Stil not that many big fish, but lots of 22 to 28 inch fish,best bite has been early mourning.Im in devils lake nd now perch fishing is actualy prety good along with the walleyes.

[Eyewitness]

Teardrop, where are you smacking perch on Devils? Thinking about a trip there this weekend if the weather doesn't muck up my plans...

[jigginjim]

I wonder how long until a guy could fish the river going into the lake?

[Berditsmen]

@ gatorhunter, It was my mistake to bring a 4wheeler and didn't want anyone to have the same issues I had. We were all checking other forums and some said bring sleds (here) others said 4 wheelers are getting around fine. I do appreciate your witty remarks and educating me on the correct lingo.

It takes a big man to harass someone on an internet forum!

[teardrop]

We got the perch on the south end of the towers,casnio,woods rutten road.The best was the towers.Although it was spoty one day they would go good the next you could mark them all day and get 5 fish.I left there last tuesday before the snow,moved down to webster sd,got home today fishing was consistant in sd.We cought around 50 perch in the pound and half to two pound range with lots of 9 to 10 inchers.What a winter they were still driving on a few lakes in sd. Lots of fishing left but sad to say i am done. good luck

[teardrop]

We got the perch on the south end of the towers,casnio,woods rutten road.The best was the towers.Although it was spoty one day they would go good the next you could mark them all day and get 5 fish.I left there last tuesday before the snow,moved down to webster sd,got home today fishing was consistant in sd.We cought around 50 perch in the pound and half to two pound range with lots of 9 to 10 inchers.What a winter they were still driving on a few lakes in sd. Lots of fishing left but sad to say i am done. good luck