Manitoba Pike

This was my third trip to Gods Lake in Manitoba for mainly pike fishing, a few walleye, and some shots at lake trout. Weather was a mixed bag, raining upon arrival and departure, a few sunny days of little wind, and a couple breezy overcast days. Overall we had it good. Last year we didn’t get any days of sight fishing in, this year we had 4 good days of sight fishing.

Arrival and preparation for our first half day of fishing
Same cabin every time!

End of day one, we caught a couple decent pike, watched the light change and settled in for 6 1/2 more days of fishing.


Aggressive fish, the single double! We were doubled up over 20 times on this day. Fished one bay from first stop until lunch, ridiculous numbers of 32-38” pike to the boat, mostly sight fished.

Wandered a bit at shore lunches


Our guide hard at work






We went out on 4 evenings for a couple hours after dinner, mainly trolled 30-40’ deep water for lake trout. The guide and my fishing buddy were skeptics, but I went Cortland Compact sink9 and a cone, my buddy went spin rod and a crocodile. I was on the board first

Look closely for hundreds of arctic terns below


This place has some of the best sunsets




More to come …

 

[Buzzy]

Welcome back and what a great first report, more - please. The geology of this place is so incredible.

 

[Otter]

Outstanding photos! Pic #3; is that a wolf print?

 

[Otter]

Welcome back and what a great first report, more - please. The geology of this place is so incredible.

It sure is. Some of the best photos of the Canadian Sheild I've seen. There's so much of my country I haven't seen.

 

[SculpinSwinger]

Outstanding photos! Pic #3; is that a wolf print?

It was a wolf print. It had rained for the previous week to our arrival, so much fresher than it first appeared.

 

[SculpinSwinger]

More pics

A sandhill crane pair are wandering the sandy beach, looked like they had a youngster so I kept my distance. They are in the picture.
The lake is as low as it has been in over 30 years. Low last year, substantially lower this year.

Normal lake level would be at the vegetation line above.






Man head rock. A bald eagle was building a nest on top. So many eagles!

Some plants as I am always looking.

Cinquefoil and sisryinchium


Berries and saxifrage


???


Viola canadensis


Phlox and rocks

 

[Matt B]

View attachment 118884
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I think that is bog laurel.

Great stuff. I love your reports and pics from here. I’d love to visit that country myself some day.

 

[SculpinSwinger]

The fish were quite healthy this year. I caught some skinny fish last year, not this year, some of them were super fat.
Caught a few walleye while blind casting for pike. Several 26”, my best was 27” trophies start at 28.

The best day of fishing I ran solo with the guide. We ran as straight a line as possible while still avoiding reefs to the north end of the lake. It was glass. Caught a bunch of mid 30’s pike saw one that was mid 40” but it didn’t eat and disappeared.
We came back across to see if my fishing buddy had recovered, stopped at one last spot before checking it on him. Saw one walleye in the shallows, started blind casting to structure in the deep water. Had to work at it but I caught the fish I had hoped for.
41 1/4, squeaked out a” trophy” . The guide thanked me for not giving up.

Fished this fly all morning and retired it after the trophy
Sparse gets it done!

The afternoon was the fishing that you hope for. The guide would be busy unhooking my last fish and I would be picking out my next target. So many 32-38” fish to choose from when we were on them, which was most of the afternoon. My favorite was a 40” fish going away, I cast all the line I had out of the reel - strip, strip, boom!


Caught a mild aurora, 1:39 am

Clouds and skies









Came home positive for COVID, careful out there. Feeling 98 percent, symptoms were mild, and now gone.