The Magic Question: The Best Time to Fish?
The number one question we hear is “when is the best time to come fishing?” If I had a dollar for every time I was asked that over my 37 year career, I would own an entire fleet of floatplanes. There is no clear answer as several factors influence the fishing. Of course, it is all relative as a bad day of fishing at Gangler’s is still usually amazing. With that being said, there are definitely differences in the fishing patterns that some fishermen may prefer.
In Northern Manitoba, June is our spring with ice going out sometime around June 1st. Mid-July through the end of August would be peak summer. In the spring, the pike would be very shallow, slowly edging deeper into the bays as the water temps start to climb. This could mean being in anywhere from 1’ to 5’ in depth. Once we hit mid-July, the cabbage weed is in full bloom and in the lakes that have big cabbage beds, the bigger pike will move into these “haunts.” It is an incredible site to quietly drift across a big cabbage bed in crystal clear water and see these big gators lying motionless in the bottom of the weeds, just waiting to ambush some unfortunate prey. Lake trout are very water temperature sensitive, preferring temps 48-52 degrees. By the beginning of July, they have begun their gradual transition into deeper holes with the colder temps that they love. By mid-July, they are set up in these holes. At the North Seal, this is a great advantage over other Canadian waters holding lake trout as our trout holes run between 50-80’, relatively shallow for summertime lake trout. They are also fairly condensed in size, making it easier to locate these large schools of trout as they concentrate in the holes.
One very experienced angler to give his feedback would be one of our favorite guests, Doc Chianelli. Doc is a veteran Canadian fisherman with a passion and skill for catching trophy pike. He is well-travelled and has favored Gangler’s now for over 10 years. In many calendar years, Doc has taken two trips, usually once in June and a return in late July or August. In 2022, Doc fished with us June 25-July 2 and Aug. 21-26. On his June trip while fishing alone, he caught and released 20 trophies. On his August return with his cousin Jeff, he landed another 10 himself with the biggest being a brawny 45 ½”. Doc shared two great experiences from his August trip. Jeff and Doc went to one of his favorite fly-outs – landing on the lake at 9:15 AM. On his first cast using a big Silver Minnow, he hooked a beast pike beside the boat that snapped his 30 lb. leader in half. It was so big his veteran guide literally almost jumped out of the boat after it. By 10:30 AM, Doc had caught and released four trophies, all 44” and bigger. On another day, Jeff and Doc journeyed to a fly-out lake Doc had never fished before and they caught great pike all day, so many they went back there a second day. The entire incredible experience culminated in Jeff, catching a 42 ½” on the last cast of the last day of the trip. What a way to end an unreal experience. This was Jeff’s first ever Canadian trip!
Doc has fished June, July and August and says he almost likes coming in August better because he slams trophies and gets to enjoy several other bonuses he cannot enjoy earlier in the season. Jeff and Doc loved viewing the Northern Lights and also spent several evenings after dinner viewing our local timber wolves. What a great trip indeed!
There are many factors including weather that affect fishing, no matter which month you choose. But rest assured all months offer exceptional fishing, it is just a matter of deciding what mix of the variables you prefer and choosing the best time for you. At Gangler’s, we will work with you to determine which time frame is perfect for you.
