Winnipeg, Manitoba

What's biting

• Walleye

  Where: Red River and Winnipeg River main channels, deeper holes and current breaks; Assiniboine River slower sections.

  Early fall is prime: water cooling triggers active feeding. Fish 4–6 m (13–20 ft) depths with live shiners or crawfish on jigs; cast or drift structure. Dawn and dusk are best, but overcast days like this week will see midday bites.

  Caution: Handle carefully—sharp gill plates and spines. Walleye are bony; fillet with care.

• Northern Pike

  Where: Weed edges and shallower bays of the Winnipeg River, Red River backwaters, and Lake Winnipeg tributaries.

  Pike are aggressive in fall as they fatten for winter. Use 15–20 cm (6–8 in) live shiners or large spoons in 1–3 m (3–10 ft) water. Work weed lines and current breaks; retrieve steadily or cast and pause.

• Yellow Perch

  Where: Lake Winnipeg shallows (2–4 m / 6–13 ft), Red River deeper pools, and Winnipeg River slower bends.

  Perch school heavily in fall. Small jigs tipped with live minnows or waxworms work best; vertical jigging is efficient. Look for 5–15 fish per hole once you locate a school.

• Lake Sturgeon

  Where: Red River and Winnipeg River main channels, 6–10 m (20–33 ft) holes; primarily a catch-and-release fishery.

  Sturgeon are slow-growing and protected. Fish bottom with large shiners or sucker minnows on heavy rigs; expect slow action but potential for a lifetime memory. Check current regulations before targeting.

  Caution: Sturgeon are long-lived and vulnerable to overfishing. Confirm season and release protocols with Manitoba Fisheries Branch before fishing.

• Cisco (Lake Herring)

  Where: Lake Winnipeg open water, 10–20 m (33–66 ft) depths; also Red River main stem.

  Fall cisco runs begin as water cools. Small spoons, jigging spoons, and tiny shad patterns work; fish deeper structure. Evening and early morning are most productive.