We awoke this morning to a beautiful sunrise and a hearty breakfast of eggs, bacon, hotcakes, and porridge. And of course, a hot cup of coffee is always welcome on a cold morning in the Manitoban bush. Today, our group focused on fishing for Pike amongst the submerged cabbage in sheltered coves and bays. None of us landed "master-angler" sized Pike today, but good numbers of fish in the mid to upper 30 inch class were landed.
The ferocious grab of these powerful fish often rip line from your stripping hand. A finger sock (ie. stripping guard) is definitely a must when fishing for these brutes. In addition, we found that a stripping bucket (ie. line management device) is essential when fishing mid-ship and/or when the wind starts blowing. It minimized tangles in the running line and keeps it away from "line-grabbers" on the boat. These simple, but essential, items make fishing for these species more enjoyable (and less frusterating!)
The outflow of Gods Lake begins the headwaters of Gods River. With the renowned Brook Trout fisheries of it neigboring province (Labrador), this river has been overlooked by many destination anglers. This river is home to trophy Brookies that often average 18 inches, with solid opportunities at some over 20+ inches. Today, Robert landed a beauty that measured 22 inches - more impressive than its length, is its girth. The Brook Trout in this river have incredibly robust body proportions - an indicator that this fishery is healthy with plenty of food sources for these ravenous Brookies.Check back tomorrow for another on-location report from Gods Lake! Fish On!
Bill with a 38 inch Northern Pike
