Lake Winnipeg

[whopperstopper]

Do any of you guys have a report on ice thickness and a fishing report? We are going there in 2 weeks and would like to know what to expect this year. Thanks.

[eyesonly]

This trip is on my bucket list for sure but I have no snowmbile or track vehicle. Bumbs me out !

[Jcup]

Do any of you guys have a report on ice thickness and a fishing report? We are going there in 2 weeks and would like to know what to expect this year. Thanks.

I was there two weekends ago. I had my extension set to 6in and it always made it through. though just barely most of the time. Fishing was good!!!

[LeeMB]

extention length depends on how much hard pack snow is under you and how close to a ridge you are fishing. I would make sure you have at least 12 inches. Fishing is ok and getting better. With the nasty cold weather not a lot of guys have been out. We have a 3 day weekend and decent weather so you will be seeing lots of reports shortly. There are lots of Americans up from now till end of season so reports should be easy to get.

[whopperstopper]

Thanks for the info, can't wait to get there.

[JBMasterAngler]

Are there resorts with plowed roads and sleepers on winnipeg? Or is it literally how fishing shows make it look…a huge lonely snowy desert?

[mnhunter2]

No roads it's a large white desert, you will have to bring everything you need and it's intense ice fishing.

[lungdeflator]

Ill be up there March 6-9. Ill definately post a report when I get back.

[cam white]

I'm heading out Sunday with one of the guides. Will be sure to update this thread for you guys.

[Jason Hamilton]

Are there resorts with plowed roads and sleepers on winnipeg? Or is it literally how fishing shows make it look…a huge lonely snowy desert?

It is the frozen tundra. Probably one of the closest analogues to the actual far north one could find. Big open, windy, no roads and GIANT greenback.

With the new snow right now your are fine with 1 extension, you can kick the snow away. After the next few days with the wind blowing and turning the snow to concrete, it might need more than a 12" extension.

One thing Lake Wpg isn't is lonely, especially if you are catching fish!

[whopperstopper]

Thanks Jason, we will be going up next Thurday and brave the cold. We were there last year on the same days. Weather was great, looks like this year just the opposite. Still will be fun.

[cam white]

Cold day on the lake today. Wind would not let up. Went out with a local guide in his track truck, what a treat that is! Hit several spots from 12 to 16 feet. Lots on the flashers, could only manage four eaters today. Still a good day in my books. Very peaceful day.

[walleye 4 me]

heading up Friday morning. Where is a good place to stop and get a license/bait/tackle on the way to the casino? Going to be cold looking at the forecast and hopefully we dont have any problems with the slush!

[cam white]

heading up Friday morning. Where is a good place to stop and get a license/bait/tackle on the way to the casino? Going to be cold looking at the forecast and hopefully we dont have any problems with the slush!

Couple good options... Pro-am tackle on narin is always my first stop. Bob and Brett are great. The fishin hole on regent in a pinch, or the sportsmans corner on hwy 59 on the way to the casino. Fas gas in Selkirk too.

Watch for slush near the pressure ridges. I didn't see any anywhere else in our travels on Sunday.

[cam white]

Dress warm! Is going to be chilly all the way to late march.

[walleye 4 me]

thanks cam white. can you see the slush or not till its to late? We are bringing up minnow frozen in coke. will those work or should we buy live bait up there? Just a minnow head on a live target working well?

[cam white]

The slush is hidden. Just be careful around ridges if you have a tracked quad or utv. I did have my jackall tipped with a head, and just wiggled it. You can't really rip them hard if they are tipped, but it can work for neutral fish. Salted work fine, up to you if you want live. Pro am has good livies.

[adamr]

Any reports were leaving wed morning. How bad is the slush

[Jason Hamilton]

The slush has mostly frozen over, caution still advised around ridges.

[walleye 4 me]

we were up there last weekend. there was a ridge a mile or so NE of the mouth that had some slush. also fished balsom bay and did not see any slush there. cold as hell but we did alright for not being able to move around as much as we would have like to due to the weather. Live target with a minnow head or even a whole minnow under it. those hogs just crush it!

[walleye 4 me]

also, we stopped at pro am for our licenses and other supplies. that guy is great and knows his stuff. Next time I will skip getting live bait and just use minnows froze in coke. they worked just as well as the live ones and easier to deal with. Might be heading up again in a couple weeks.

[Mad Mulcher]

So why are the minnows frozen in coke? Is that so you have something to drink after it melts?

[welfedted]

welcome back Mulcher. WFT

[Moonshine]

Heading up in a couple weeks for the first time. Which live target baits have worked best. Never used the bait before. Looks like you can get them locally at Joes.

Thanks!

[walleye 4 me]

Live bait is a pain in the but up there if you ask me. alot of people use salted minnows but after a couple days of handling these big fish getting poked and scratched by gills and fins and hooks my fingers have little nicks and scratches all over them (I also have dry skin this time of year and sometimes have cracked skin on my hands). Handling salted minnows is not fun when you get salt in the wounds. I take those little snack size ziplock bags and put about a dozen or so fatheads in each bag and just a little bit of coke to cover them. Lay all the bags flat on a cookie sheet and put them in the freezer. The nice thing about coke is it does not freeze solid so it is easy to grab one out of the slushy coke while fishing. only down side is your fingers get a little sticky but I can deal with that. when I am fishing then, I will take a few minnows out of the coke, rinse them in water so not sticky, pinch them in half and put them in a bait puck with just a little splash of water (enough so they dont get dry and stick to the puck) and put the puck in a pocket on my bibs so always have bait handy even when out hole hoping. last weekend, I was using minnow heads and the tails . at least one piece of meat on the front and the back hook of a live target because they fall off easy with no barbs. Those greenbacks CRUSHED it!

So why are the minnows frozen in coke? Is that so you have something to drink after it melts?