Icing stocked trout in Manitoba

[troutologist]

With high hopes of filming some monster rainbows and browns our group of 4 set out from Winnipeg very early Saturday morning. Temperatures were frigid and minds still fuzzy after a late night strategy session Friday. After a few hours of driving time we arrived at our destination for the first day of fishing.

 

Over 12" of ice allowed us to drive the few hundred yards out to a likely spot, as a baymouth dropped off into an expansive flat of 7-10 feet. Featureless for the most part, the soft-bottomed bay held the odd rock and downed tree, access to deeper water made this a prime feeding flat for hungry trout.

 

Holes were drilled and shacks set up.

 

 

It turned out that the water was crystal clear and we could see jumbo trout cruising by and checking out our baits, this was probably the most fun I have had icefishing. Watching trout up to 10lbs circle your bait and hit was unreal, throughout the day, constant action kept us warm while a broken heater did its best to freeze us out. It was a balmly -35 on Saturday.

 

First rainbow of the day...

 

 

These things fight hard, many fish were lost at the hole, barbless hooks, 4lb leaders and slippery fish all challenge the angler to land these mirror-sided trout. Fights were characterized by reel emptying runs, quick change of direction and a general lack of interest in coming up the holes.

 

As the ice boomed and cracked, we caught many more fish...

 

 

Small white tubes and twisters worked to tempt these trout on lakes where bait bans have been institued....

 

 

With one successful day in the books we headed off to try to locate an functioning heater, which at 6pm Saturday evening in a town of 800 is not an easy proposition. Stores were closed up tight, however at the local watering hole a couple of beverages greased the wheels and we were able to get in touch with the owner of the Home Hardware in town, he opened up for us and we secured a heater, which was essential to survival as forecasted lows saw windchills dip into the -50C range on Sunday. Small town hospitality saved our bacon for sure!

 

Our shacks set up Sunday in -50....we moved a couple times but were not anxious to be outside.

 

 

Steam coming of the open water, they aerate the lake to prevent winter kill due to oxygen depletion.

 

 

The water was much dirtier on Sunday and we couldn't see the bottom, so relied on the flashers to spot the fish. Between the 4 of us we worked up 10 fish on Sunday, all rainbows, none of which were particularly noteworthy. Unfortunately the camera froze and no filming was possible on Sunday...got a few pics on another camera though.

 

The trophy brown trout that hide in these lakes eluded us, 2 very large fish were hooked Sunday but were not seen or landed...I suspect this is why we all decided to make a trip back in January.

Edited December 14, 2009 by troutologist

[Guest ThisPlaceSucks]

looks like a helluva weekend but you can keep the -50.

hope you're ready for nor. ont. style fishing in a few weeks...no driving your car out on the ice and certainly no heated ice shacks!

[Leecher]

Beauty report and awesome pics troutologist

-50 just a little nippy thank god you had shacks and heaters

Great job on the bows and thanks for sharing

Leechman

[johnnyb]

AWESOME report...seems like quite the lake!!

[MooseMerch]

Very nice

[Governator]

Very nice, but suddenly I feel cold..

[bucktail]

Man those aare nice trout!

The ice must have been rumbling like a constant earthquake at those temps

[trapshooter]

Solid outing in those conditions. I can understand why you weren't moving around much!! I'm surprised your auger even wanted to start!!

[solopaddler]

Fantastic Jay! How did they taste?

[troutologist]

Thanks guys, with that sunflower heater going inside we were toasty and not looking to venture out.

 

 

The fish were tasty we cooked one up on the ice, feeding on very small minnows and inverts...red meat.

 

 

Glad to be back in the trout business!

[ccmtcanada]

-50?

 

-50??????

 

Damn, that's dedication!!! Despite the temps, looked like a great day out there...congrats on the catches!

[Sinker]

Good on ya for getting out. Most people would say "its too cold for fishing". Its all in the adventure.......just getting out in those conditions is an adventure in itself!! I'm sure you guys slept well after that cold!!

 

S.

[Spiel]

It'd have to be much colder yet to keep me away from that kind of fishing.

[danc]

Aw man, you guys are spoiled now. When I was your age I ice fished in -45 all day long without a tent. Seriously.

[DRIFTER_016]

Aw man, you guys are spoiled now. When I was your age I ice fished in -45 all day long without a tent. Seriously.

 

 

Yep!!!!!!

And we had to walk 5 miles to the lake through chest deep snow uphill, both ways!!!!!

[danc]

Yep!!!!!!

And we had to walk 5 miles to the lake through chest deep snow uphill, both ways!!!!!

You were lucky Drifter. We had to walk uphill all three ways.

[HTHM]

You guys had luxury, I had to scoop them out by hand in my skivies waist deep in water that was freezing around me. Then my dad wouldn't cut the ice to let me out. I had to melt it with my breath. Easy it was for you!

[douG]

Troutologist and crew, that is hardcore, and a lot of ice so early in the season. DanC was hardcore too, and all day long.

[crappieperchhunter]

Yep!!!!!!

And we had to walk 5 miles to the lake through chest deep snow uphill, both ways!!!!!

 

 

And cause you got all sweaty from all that exercise we usually stripped down to our T shirts and jeans and just fished outside like that for the rest of the day

[limeyangler]

Fantastic trout Jay! wow 12" already......its been cold in Winterpeg i take it.....lol.

 

I'm hoping to go for some rainbows for the first time, at a secret lake (lol....not for long, just kidding) somewhere close by to Dryden with a local guy.....i'll try your bait selection...thanks for posting.