Lake Winnipeg Fishing gear

[sdwxman]

All-

I'm headed to Lake Winnipeg in mid Jan for a 3 day fishing extravaganza. Looking for suggestions for special lures/jigs etc. to purchase before heading north. Any tips appreciated as well. I'm sure things are much more expensive in Canada. Thanks in advance

 

[Weekender]

Some tried and true baits for up there, can buy as a kit: https://dhcustombaits.com/collections/products

 

[DirtyMike]

Spoons and lipless cranks. If you’re going to buy live minnows, toss a handful of jigs in your tray. I’m continually adding stock throughout the ice season. Any questions, message me.

 

[Jigaman]

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.

 

[Wall-eyes]

PK spoons, Jackell TN50 and TN70, size #5,#6 to #7 Rapala Rippin Raps, big flutter spoons or rattle spoons, 1/4 to 1/2 oz jigging spoons, 2" & 2 3/4" lindy darters, 2"& 3" Flutter spoons, Rattlebaits. Never have enough and change often.

 

[Allen Gamble]

Highly recommend DH Custom Baits... they work up there and down here. Be prepared for everything. Big lipless cranks, smaller lipless cranks, big spoons, smaller spoons. I've seen it all work and I'm not sure what the rhyme or reason is.... Last year in January a VMC Tingler with orange was far and above the best lure out of six people fishing and lipless cranks were worthless.... you just never know.

 

[Jigaman]

Highly recommend DH Custom Baits... they work up there and down here. Be prepared for everything. Big lipless cranks, smaller lipless cranks, big spoons, smaller spoons. I've seen it all work and I'm not sure what the rhyme or reason is.... Last year in January a VMC Tingler with orange was far and above the best lure out of six people fishing and lipless cranks were worthless.... you just never know.

We have had really good luck on the glow blue shiner Tingler (largest size) up there too

 

[sdwxman]

Thanks all for the great response! I'll add what my buddy has been using up there the past few years.

• blue/chrome Rippin Raps and Berkley Warpigs – don’t ask me why, but blue/chrome works every year; other colors also work but there is something about blue/chrome
• larger flutter spoons – our guide is big Pelican spoon guy and they sell those at the bait shop up there, but I use this Northland one a lot in purple and pink - https://dakotaangler.com/products/northland-casting-buck-shot-flutter-spoon
• if they’re finicky, I use the same stuff we use here – regular buckshots, rattlin flyers, etc.

 

[johnr]

Live targets, but I haven't been up in several years.

 

[tikkalover]

Live targets, but I haven't been up in several years.

Poor Mrs. JaunR. They have little pills to help you fix that.

 

[johnr]

Poor Mrs. JaunR. They have little pills to help you fix that.

Pick on the impotent, nice..

 

[risingsun]

Pick on the impotent, nice..

Don't put yourself so high on the pedestal. You ain't that impotent.

 

[5575]

With the clearer water things have changed allot. Lots of good info posted above.
We used to never buy live minnows, just ripped live targets in the merky water. Now it seems the more minnows you can hook on a spoon the better. Maybe it's just the cleaner water and finicky fish but I'm starting to think there's some merit to the livescope stuff spooking them. The guides that do well don't want them anywhere near their groups, just simple vexilars.They do use the 360 stuff to locate pods though.
My main advice is when traveling on the ice have something that totally contains your equipment. So you don't have stuff flying out, I like the heavy duty Canadian made trapper sleds with the solid lids on them. We travel around in an suv with tracks, its so nice knowing everything is inside and warm. Oh and take your time, or you will wreck shit. A snobear would be the ultimate rig up there!

 

[Bfishn]

Yeah I haven't been up there in a few years, but it sounds like its becoming much more of a finesse spoon game rather than just ripping loud obnoxious rattle baits. I'm guessing its has to do with clearing water from the zebras and more and more pressure.

 

[DirtyMike]

I added a 2.75” flutter spoon this year but have sold a ton of my 3.75” spoons for Winnipeg as well. These 2.75’s sold out in under 24 hours so I have more on order.

Lipless cranks will continue to work but less is more when it comes to working them in the water column. Small rips/lifts is all a guy needs.

 

[guywhofishes]

https://inewz.tv/?fbclid=IwAR2uqQZ5YxEHYev94aEItNmXd8lvQb4AUM_ZrzfU7j0yBTfjrle2QFxry3M

Might want to give it more time.

 

[wslayer]

https://inewz.tv/?fbclid=IwAR2uqQZ5YxEHYev94aEItNmXd8lvQb4AUM_ZrzfU7j0yBTfjrle2QFxry3M

Might want to give it more time.

Oh man, hate to hear of this.

 

[svnmag]

With the clearer water things have changed allot. Lots of good info posted above.
We used to never buy live minnows, just ripped live targets in the merky water. Now it seems the more minnows you can hook on a spoon the better. Maybe it's just the cleaner water and finicky fish but I'm starting to think there's some merit to the livescope stuff spooking them. The guides that do well don't want them anywhere near their groups, just simple vexilars.They do use the 360 stuff to locate pods though.
My main advice is when traveling on the ice have something that totally contains your equipment. So you don't have stuff flying out, I like the heavy duty Canadian made trapper sleds with the solid lids on them. We travel around in an suv with tracks, its so nice knowing everything is inside and warm. Oh and take your time, or you will wreck shit. A snobear would be the ultimate rig up there!

I'm a firm believer the lateral line can sense electronics. Whether or not it spooks would likely be determined by fishing pressure. Used to do better than average on a couple high pressured lakes in
Ga. We used to tool around looking for fish using time of year/terrain etc; allow for the spots to "settle down" then fish sans electronics: Worked for us.

 

[benjamins]

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.

 

[risingsun]

Some of the most epic and memorable fish stories have been when I/we have "stumbled" upon crazy good bites when not expected at all.