If
walleye have one downfall, it’s that they taste so good.
The thought of their firm, snowy white fillets, lightly breaded
and fried in butter, literally makes my mouth water. But in
the past decade or so, walleye have also become increasingly
appreciated for their sporting quality. While there are undoubtedly
fish that give a better account of themselves on the end of
a line, I’ve yet to find one that’s so difficult
to consistently convince to take a hook. Walleye are totally
unpredictable—they’ll go crazy over a presentation
one day and totally snub it the next. And the slightest change
in weather can turn them completely off their feed, or it can
turn them into ravenous predators. Even the rising and setting
of the sun can spur a feeding frenzy that sharks couldn’t
match. It’s these characteristics that have seen conservation
groups, tournaments and fishing clubs dedicated to walleye spring
up across the country. Found from Quebec to B.C. and north to
the Northwest Territories, fossilized remains of walleye can
be traced back nearly one million years. And if the amount of
attention being focused on Stizostedion vitreum of late is any
indication, they’ll be around for another million years.
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| LOCAL
BUZZ |
| You’ll
want to stop by Skinners in Lockport for the world-famous
hot dogs. This icon of Canadian fast food just celebrated
its 75th anniversary. |
| GETTING
THERE |
| You
can access the Red at both Lockport and Selkirk.
Get to either town simply by taking Highway 9 north
from Winnipeg. |
| LEARN
MORE |
Manitoba
Conservation, Fisheries Branch, (204) 945-6640;
gov.mb.ca/conservation/fish
Travel Manitoba, 1-800-665-0040; www.travelmanitoba.com |
|
RED RIVER, MANITOBA
The
promise
The stretch of the Red between Lockport and Selkirk is the place
in Canada for trophy walleye, and for good reason; the fall
run of greenbacks is not only legendary, it’s also a reality.
Top tackle & tactics
The best bet is to troll crankbaits (the #9 Rapala Shad Rap
is a fave). The Red is teeming with baitfish, and the Shad Rap
represents a wide variety of them. The best fishing is from
September to freeze-up, with anglers trolling large flats, in
eight to 10 feet of water, early and late in the day. Heavy
trolling rods spooled with super-line, such as FireLine, is
the rule.
LAST MOUNTAIN LAKE, SASKATCHEWAN
| LOCAL
BUZZ |
| The
Rowan’s Ravine Provincial Park area provides
the most consistent walleye action on the lake;
it also has the best accommodations, as well as
a campground, marina and tackle shop. |
| GETTING
THERE |
| From
Regina, take Highway 11 to Lumsden, then go north
on Highway 20 to Highway 220. Take 220 west to Rowan’s
Ravine Provincial Park. |
| LEARN
MORE |
Saskatchewan
Environment, (306) 787-2700; se.gov.sk.ca/fishwild
G&S Marina Outfitters, (306) 725-4466; www.gsmarina.com |
|
The promise
Last
Mountain Lake completely intimidates most anglers because it’s
a big prairie lake and the walleye can be tough to catch. But,
for patient anglers, the rewards are huge.
Top
tackle & tactics
Walleye in Last Mountain spend much of the year suspended 25
to 40 feet down, often in water that goes much deeper still.
The challenge is to troll your bait at the right depth—get
it in front of as many fish as possible, and some of them will
hit it. One successful technique involves trolling crankbaits
(the Reef Runner Rip Stick is a favourite) in conjunction with
snap weights and planer boards. Experiment with different depths
and lure colours until the fish start biting.
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