Lake Winnipeg Fishing gear

[Shane Sugar Olson]

I've spent a stupid amount of money on lipless cranks and spoons only to use the same few every damn time. DH Snooty Patooty and a Live Target are my favorite cranks. I like pelican spoons. Blue is my favorite. Gold works well too. That lake can be incredibly hard on equipment so be prepared. I can't wait to get back up there! I make 2-4 trips a winter for about 10 years now.

the good Ole snooty patooty

 

[Jigaman]

I'm headed there at the end of January. How do you guys decide where to fish? I have only fished there once and we had no idea how far out to go so we basically went to the first pressure ridge out from the river and just followed that. Caught some but nothing crazy. Without much structure where do you start? How far away from shore do you guys normally go out? I know most guys that are successful hop around a lot, but I just feel dumb drilling holes in no man's land hoping I stumble on some fish.

There is a lot of good info including reports on FB if you are a user. Multiple FB groups with a lot of activity to get a feel for how/where the bite has been. Also, Smoke-N-Fish in Selkirk is a good place to get your bait and a report. If I am going completely blind, I typically head towards the mouth (just like everyone else) to start. Mornings are typically better but they certainly will bite all day. Start shallow and move deeper for late morning/afternoon then move back shallower for evening. If you are not marking/catching within 20-30 minutes move. Also, the last couple years I have been catching more fish deeper than I ever have before. Not sure if the cleaner water has something to do with this or not. Sounds like fishing is off to a good start with good ice conditions. Every year there are less and less Masters being caught but there a a ton of fish in the 20-24" range so the future is bright!

 

[benjamins]

There is a lot of good info including reports on FB if you are a user. Multiple FB groups with a lot of activity to get a feel for how/where the bite has been. Also, Smoke-N-Fish in Selkirk is a good place to get your bait and a report. If I am going completely blind, I typically head towards the mouth (just like everyone else) to start. Mornings are typically better but they certainly will bite all day. Start shallow and move deeper for late morning/afternoon then move back shallower for evening. If you are not marking/catching within 20-30 minutes move. Also, the last couple years I have been catching more fish deeper than I ever have before. Not sure if the cleaner water has something to do with this or not. Sounds like fishing is off to a good start with good ice conditions. Every year there are less and less Masters being caught but there a a ton of fish in the 20-24" range so the future is bright!

Great info. Thanks much!

 

[FightingSioux]

Northland Rippin Shads were my favorite bait. Great vibration in the murky water. Honestly I thing sound and vibration are more important than color as the big fish I caught didn’t even see on my vex. Just came out of nowhere and smashed it.

 

[Auggie]

I'm headed there at the end of January. How do you guys decide where to fish? I have only fished there once and we had no idea how far out to go so we basically went to the first pressure ridge out from the river and just followed that. Caught some but nothing crazy. Without much structure where do you start? How far away from shore do you guys normally go out? I know most guys that are successful hop around a lot, but I just feel dumb drilling holes in no man's land hoping I stumble on some fish.

Take a Twister spinner and in the color circles write different distances. First spin is the direction. Second spin is the distance you wrote in the colors.

 

[svnmag]

All this FB/tech is wonderful but not for me. If I were going up there next week I'd study a topo map and become as much as an expert as possible on movement/location via YT/Angling Edge/In Fisherman to hopefully be awesome on here. With cheese.

 

[sdwxman]

Thanks all for the assistance. We will be taking off on Jan 13th for 3 days of fishing. Looks cold, but that's normal! I am luck to be joining a group of guys that have it all set up and have been there before.

 

[bigv]

I know a guy who's favorite bait up there is the old daredevil. Both black and white and red and white. Said he has caught a ton on those.

 

[sdwxman]

Just a quick update! We fished during that brutal cold period in mid Jan that made mobility almost impossible. We also drove up in the Eastern ND Saturday blizzard, and had a flat tire on the ice. Oh man. But with that said, the fishing was pretty darn good. Average fish was around 23 inches. My PB was a 28 inch green back and we have two 29 inchers in our group. I'm "hooked" now so to speak. Going back up in 2 weeks. Thanks again for all the tips!

 

[Jigaman]

Just a quick update! We fished during that brutal cold period in mid Jan that made mobility almost impossible. We also drove up in the Eastern ND Saturday blizzard, and had a flat tire on the ice. Oh man. But with that said, the fishing was pretty darn good. Average fish was around 23 inches. My PB was a 28 inch green back and we have two 29 inchers in our group. I'm "hooked" now so to speak. Going back up in 2 weeks. Thanks again for all the tips!

I was supposed to go up this last weekend but my fishing partner got sick and had to cancel last minute

 

[sdwxman]

I was supposed to go up this last weekend but my fishing partner got sick and had to cancel last minute

Darn! I have a buddy that's there now and they are crushing big ones this morning. Can't wait to get back.

 

[Wall-eyes]

We were up last weekend nice weather, found them pigs drilled more holes than I care to, good thing kid and his buddies where with. always better February and on for me and boys.

 

[Auggie]

We were up last weekend nice weather, found them pigs drilled more holes than I care to, good thing kid and his buddies where with. always better February and on for me and boys.

What depth and baits were working? I'm headed there this weekend. How thick was the ice?

 

[sdwxman]

I have a buddy that's there now. 10 feet of water, everything working it seems. Ice 2 feet thick.

 

[Wall-eyes]

What depth and baits were working? I'm headed there this weekend. How thick was the ice?

We have some favorite spots depending on some things 8 to 13 feet best, used alot of baits listed above not one was best type deal. There where feeding good this time. Head up 11th. Drilled more holes than ever most ice 24" to 30" maybe we did good because week or so before was all that crappy weather. Talked to guys in bar lures where all over place which worked best.

 

[sdwxman]

We have some favorite spots depending on some things 8 to 13 feet best, used alot of baits listed above not one was best type deal. There where feeding good this time. Head up 11th. Drilled more holes than ever most ice 24" to 30" maybe we did good because week or so before was all that crappy weather. Talked to guys in bar lures where all over place.

We are headed up on the 10th. Fishing the 11th through the 13th. Weather should be cooler than it is now!

 

[johnr]

We are headed up on the 10th. Fishing the 11th through the 13th. Weather should be cooler than it is now!

You will miss Taylor Swift.

 

[sdwxman]

oh no. They will have the game on in Canada.

You will miss Taylor Swift.

 

[Auggie]

Fishing was great, catching was slow. I found some fish in 10-13ft of water. Largest was 25in and number of 18-20in. Getting around by pickup was easy. Water by the mouth is getting dirty. White spoons and rattle baits worked best. The K-drill was on the cusp of needing an extension.

 

[Jigaman]

We fished yesterday on the east side in 20-23'. easy getting around in truck out of road 103. Marked lots of fish but they were not very active. two of us kept a nice limit and threw back four between 22-25". Ice was 30"