Barbe is Back!

Yesterday morning Ken and I decided to brave the minus 21 degree temperature and head out to Barbe Lake. Usually this time of year is one of the best for ice fishing, (after New Years the fish become very lethargic and harder to catch). After setting up Ken's portable shack we commenced to fishing. One of the highlights of  ice fishing this lake is that the water is so clear you can see the fish attacking your lure.This morning however the water was dark and slightly murky, mainly due to the heavy snowfall we received last week. As it turned out the lack of water clarity worked to our advantage, as the fish maybe couldn't see as well either. After a slow start I finally managed to catch a small Rainbow (about 8") that was good to see that the lake had been restocked. Next I managed to land one the largest Rainbows that I have caught in quite a few years, we guessed that it was 10 lbs. plus. At the end of the morning Ken and I had caught a total of 8 fish (4 Master Anglers) that we released. I originally had planned to keep a couple for smoking but because of the cold temperature I was not brave enough to fillet any fish. Maybe next time. Good to see that Barbe is back!  

Saskatchewan River

This story begins with once again Ken convincing me that I should go fishing with him for Walleye on the Saskatchewan River. I have to admit I am spoiled (why would I fish the river when there are so many lakes to go to). Ken tells me he's been catching pickerel like crazy down by the creek mouth, which is literally one minute from my house. I finally agree to go see what all the fuss is about on a cold but sunny October afternoon. We anchor Ken's 14' boat in about four feet of water and within seconds both of us have fish on, and Ken gives me the I told you so look. We managed to put together a pretty nice stringer while throwing lots of fish back. In most cases when fishing Walleye usually it's the small fish that get thrown back, that was not the case on this day as most of the fish were too big to keep (22" or larger). Ken and I caught a few around  the 26" mark, there were a couple of Manitoba master anglers (28" and up) landed in other boats. Maybe I will take a few minutes from my busy schedule and try the Saskatchewan again one day.

Clearwater Lake

Another popular fishing lake close to The Pas is Clearwater (The name says it all). Clearwater Lake is only minutes from town and has some of the largest lake trout in the world (yes I said world !). Ever since Manitoba introduced barbless hooks and size limits (all lakers over 26" must be released), trophy fish are being caught and released  on this lake on a regular basis. The original name of the lake is "Atikimeg" which is an aboriginal name for whitefish, and while there are large numbers of this species in this water, the lake trout is still the king. I have been told that Clearwater is one of four naturally blue lakes in the world and was once featured in National Geographic, the reason for the colour is the abundance of limestone in and around the lake. About five years ago myself and Ken Telfer were out on Clearwater in mid June anchored in about forty feet of water jigging for trout. As luck would have it Ken had  just purchased a new camera and I was checking it out when he latched on to what turned out to be a 40" Lake Trout. I quickly put the camera in video mode and was able to get a short clip. When you view the video and pictures you will see the clarity and colour of the water.

Sorry unable to upload video at this time

Fishing in Northern Manitoba

If you live in northern Manitoba you can expect long winters that are followed by short summers. Some hardcore ice fishermen refer to the summers as poor fishing conditions. I moved to The Pas Manitoba in 1977 and was immediately impressed with the angling opportunity's that the province had to offer. There are many species to fish for here in Manitoba, some are native while some are stocked. Trophy fish such as Walleye, Pike, Lake Trout, and Smallmouth Bass can all be caught within a short distance of The Pas. On a personal note I can walk across the road from my home and fish the Saskatchewan River.

BARBE LAKE
One of my favorite fishing lakes is located about 45 minutes to the north and holds some of the largest rainbow trout in the province. Barbe Lake (formerly Long Lake) started as a fish farming project approximately 30 years ago, however there was a small (actually a large) problem with this operation. The fish in this lake grew so big and so fast that they did not have much of a market. The reason for the phenomenal growth of these fish is due mainly to the abundance of freshwater shrimp being a major part of their food intake. Many people, usually from out of province make negative comments on these fish such as "they are just stocked fish", "they don't fight like native fish", and "anybody can catch those". I agree these fish are of the stocked variety, but that is where the truth to these comments ends. Some of my best memories involve getting up at 5 a.m. and heading out with a fishing buddy (in those days our Golden Retriever, Kelsey) just so we would be fishing when the sun began to rise. We arrive at the lake just as a bright orange glow appears in the east, the water is like glass with with patches of mist rising of it. The only sounds we hear are the resident loons calling, with interruptions of loud splashes from the active rainbow. I get the boat in the water and set up for trolling with the electric motor. I let out lots of line and try a pass over an area that has trout rising, I happen to look over at Kelsey who is already shivering with anticipation (you would think she was duck hunting). What happened next will be etched in my mind forever, I see a fish leap clear out the water about 200 feet behind the boat, I immediately sweep the rod tip up to set the hook even though I haven't felt the fish on my end yet. The 6 lb. test line begins to peel of the reel and then nothing, it looks like I have lost the fish (but I know better). The rainbow begins charging right towards the boat as I reel as fast as I can, next it changes direction and leaps for the second of a total of five aerial acrobatics. As the fish gets closer to the boat I cannot believe the clarity of the water, the fish is about a 5 lb. female mostly silver with a large pink stripe down her sides and bright red cheeks. After a few more runs and leaps I manage to gently net her just as the hook falls out (Kelsey is about to go overboard at this point, and wants to inspect the fish). We admire her for a few moments while she recovers at the side of the boat, soon she is ready to go, and with a tail splash says good bye. Another magical morning on Barbe.

Note: I don't want to give the impression that I release all the fish that I catch because I don't, maybe twice a year I will smoke a batch of rainbows and lake trout in my Bradley smoker. Awesome !

A typical 6 lb Rainbow caught and released by the author on Barbe Lake

Another sunset on Clearwater Lake

A visiting Millwright apprentice shows of a "Laker" from Clearwater