Lake Winnipeg Update 2017

[Downrigger]

I might be totally off on this and I'm OK with that. I just think it is OK to look at ourselves. I also bet there are a lot of people eating fish out there. I don't but I know people that live for that.

High volume fishing does change fisheries. Look at Red Lake (Crappies) (Commercial netting destroyed the walleyes once), Pipestem, and all the small local lakes which are good for 1 year. I fear that Devils Lake could see the same thing if there is a continued decrease in water depth with the current regulations in place.

But that's enough for off topic and I wont bring this up again. If someone wants a continued discussion on how wrong I am feel free to PM me. I like a passionate discussion.

Headed out for the Big Windy in 4 hours!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Staying at the Casino with an Orange Polaris ATV with tracks.

 

[Jigaman]

I know alot of people dont but when I go up there I like to keep my limit on the last day and clean them when I get home. I get that people go up there to chase a once in a lifetime fish (myself included) but if I am catching a bunch of eaters while looking for big fish I am going to bring home what I am legally allowed. Love me some fresh walleye!

 

[Fisherman25]

I might be totally off on this and I'm OK with that. I just think it is OK to look at ourselves. I also bet there are a lot of people eating fish out there. I don't but I know people that live for that.

High volume fishing does change fisheries. Look at Red Lake (Crappies) (Commercial netting destroyed the walleyes once), Pipestem, and all the small local lakes which are good for 1 year. I fear that Devils Lake could see the same thing if there is a continued decrease in water depth with the current regulations in place.

But that's enough for off topic and I wont bring this up again. If someone wants a continued discussion on how wrong I am feel free to PM me. I like a passionate discussion.

Headed out for the Big Windy in 4 hours!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Staying at the Casino with an Orange Polaris ATV with tracks.

Good luck!

 

[tigolbitties]

Any guys up there this weekend have an ice conditions update? We are heading up Wednesday and I heard to leave the snowmobiles home as wheels will be fine. Looking for any guidance on what to bring for rigs. Thanks fellas.

 

[Fisherman25]

I have no first hand info, but based on pics I've saw taken, I would be prepared to use tires with chains. Seeing lots of reports of a large ridge blocking portions of the west shore but sounds like you can still access the mouth via Warner if you're coming on from the west side.

 

[Downrigger]

Any guys up there this weekend have an ice conditions update? We are heading up Wednesday and I heard to leave the snowmobiles home as wheels will be fine. Looking for any guidance on what to bring for rigs. Thanks fellas.

We were up there Wed - Friday. Wheels should be just fine as long as they don't get more snow. Be careful around ridges as I saw a picture on Saturday of a Ranger where the back end fell through.

 

[tigolbitties]

A little over 24 hours until our first trip to LW. Took the sleds out of the trailer and put in the rangers instead. Looking forward to getting up there and chasing some greenbacks. Hopefully we find the fish and tie into a couple of decent ones. Thanks to the guys who have given me tips and advice so far.

 

[Captain Ahab]

I might be totally off on this and I'm OK with that. I just think it is OK to look at ourselves. I also bet there are a lot of people eating fish out there. I don't but I know people that live for that.

High volume fishing does change fisheries. Look at Red Lake (Crappies) (Commercial netting destroyed the walleyes once), Pipestem, and all the small local lakes which are good for 1 year. I fear that Devils Lake could see the same thing if there is a continued decrease in water depth with the current regulations in place.

But that's enough for off topic and I wont bring this up again. If someone wants a continued discussion on how wrong I am feel free to PM me. I like a passionate discussion.

Headed out for the Big Windy in 4 hours!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Staying at the Casino with an Orange Polaris ATV with tracks.

Most guys that go up there buy a conservation license and only come back with 3-4 eater fish at most. That's fart in the wind compared to the commercial netting. Actually, catch and release on a heavily commercially netted lake is pretty much a joke if you look at the stats.

 

[Lungdeflator]

My dad and I started fishing Thursday morning out of Warner. Started in 14 fow. Made 2 moves in that same depth and caught about 10 before 10:00. After that we made a move out to the big ridge in 17-18 fow. We sat in one spot the rest of the day and caught 24 more walleye in that same spot. Biggest one of the day was 23". All the rest were 13-17". Rattle baits worked the best, but we caught some on spoons in a neighboring hole too. Ended the day with 34 walleye between the 2 of us.


Friday we started in 14 fow again and caught 7-8, and then moved to the ridge again. The ridge was slower. I went back to the landing to get my wife and Uncle and the rest of the day we bounced around in shallower 14-10 fow. Only caught 24 walleye all day, no big ones.


Saturday we started in 14 fow again, caught 10 and then moved out the big ridge. Fishing right on the ridge was slow, so we moved out about 200-300 yards North (across) the ridge. We lucked upon an active school of fish and sat in that spot making small 20-30 yard moves the rest of the day. Ended up with 71 fish between the 4 of us. Biggest was a 28.5" and had 2 at 24" as well.


Sunday we could only fish half the day, so we went back to the spot with the active fish from the day before. I didn't get a total number from all of us before we left, but I had 25 walleye just myself from 830-1230. Biggest on Sunday was 29" with a 27" as well. Would have been a great day if we were able to fish all day.


The big ridge in 17-18 fow is the biggest ridge that we found. Kind of runs SE-NW. It was very active with the warmer weather, lots of ice movement. Saturday was tough to find a place to get back across in the dark. We had an extension on the augers, and really didn't need it, but it was more comfortable than bending over and burying the powerhead in the slush. We had quads and travel was very rough on Thursday and Friday morning, but got better by Sunday. We were moving slow, 10 mph. Lots of melt on Friday afternoon and Saturday. The ice is very dirty. Especially around the rough ice areas. If all the snow melts off and the sun beats on that dirty ice, the top portion could get pretty bad quickly. My auger blades were very run down by Sunday morning.


Firetiger and brighter green (Jackall) rattle baits worked best, tipped with half a minnow. We bought some live minnows at Pro-Am on the way up and they far out performed the frozen shiners my dad brought from MN. Caught some fish maybe 20% on something other than a rattle bait. Heading up again late March if the ice holds up!

 

[Bowhunter_24]

My bro was up last week for 1.5 days. He brought this one home for wall and his buddy brought a 31" pig home

- - - Updated - - -

That list is the "big" fish my brother caught just himself with a ton of smaller fish.

 

[tigolbitties]

Awesome report guys! Now I won't be able to focus the rest of the day at work (like I was anyways). I am having a hard time deciding whether to go out of the east or west side. I am hearing Warner or Balsam. I may just flip a coin and go with it.

 

[Jigaman]

bowhunter, I would double check that scale as those weights seem on the light side for lake winnipeg fish.

 

[Downrigger]

Good for him. Heard of a lot of people struggling those days.

 

[Captain Ahab]

bowhunter, I would double check that scale as those weights seem on the light side for lake winnipeg fish.

I was going to say his tape is long or his scale is light as well.

 

[Fisherman25]

Yeah, on average a 28" fish up there usually pegs in around 10#. Forecast is looking good for those of us going late.

 

[Lungdeflator]

I would say the weights are not that far off from what we had up there. My dads 28.5" was 8.7 lbs and my uncles 29" was 8.6 lbs.

On a side note, 100% of the smaller fish we caught were skinny, even that 29" seemed on the skinny side. All the ones we kept for our limits were males.

 

[Fisherman25]

I was just going to say, that tells me forage numbers are way down because that's one thing that was always so impressive up there was pounds per inch versus most lakes.

 

[ndskeeter]

I think it's like most lakes where there are always average and fat fish. Last year I caught a 29 3/4" fish that was 9 1/2 lbs while my buddy caught a 27 1/2" fish that went 10lbs. Either way Winnipeg has some incredible fish within it's boundaries!

 

[Jigaman]

I will agree about some skinny fish. We caught alot of eater sized fish in the 15-17" range and they were all really skinny. We kept our limit of them and they were all males. The only bigger fish we caught were two 24's and a 27.5 and they were all nice and fat with the 27.5 being 9 pounds.

 

[Vollmer]

Heard of 2 reports now of people falling through. One with a sled, and one with a side by side. Ice went from 3'+ to nadda.