Ice Team

2012-2013 Ice Annual

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WHAT'S HOT BIG WATER WALLEYE Jason Hamilton on big water walleye fishing on Lake Winnipeg // BY MIKE HUNGLE L destination. Ice Team member Jason Hamilton of Manitoba fishes this lake and has great success by under- standing the dynamics of the lake and how fish react within the lake. Lake Winnipeg is 9,465 square miles and is the eleventh largest fresh water lake in the world. It's 258 miles from north to south and is surrounded by limestone, which gives the walleye in the lake their unique coloring. This massive lake does not have any key structure; instead it has countless featureless flats where walleye roam and two river inlet areas where the Red and Winnipeg rivers supply water to this mighty lake. ake Winnipeg in central Manitoba is well known for its giant greenback walleye and is a prime ice fishing Much of the fishing takes place in the southern basin, and the greenback walleye here are wide- roaming piscivorous giants that are constantly seeking out baitfish to devour. With limited structure these fish,don't stay in one place too long. Therefore, the key to success is being mobile and using baits that will attract the fish. Hamilton recommends starting out in shallow water at dawn. He calls in fish using an aggressively jigged Lindy Darter and Live Target Golden Shiner on one rod and fol- lows up with a deadsticked jig/min- now or a subtly jigged Rattlin' Flyer Spoon on another rod. In many cases, the jigging motion pulls in the walleye and they strike the dead stick or subtle presentation. On other occasions, walleye will ham- 10 ICE TEAM.COM >> THE ICE ANNUAL Hamilton likes to start his early- morning fishing excursions in 8 to 10 feet of water. As the sun rises and the bite starts to slow down, Hamilton moves with the fish as they slide off into deeper water to spend the day. The maximum depth where he fishes is around 20 feet of water. mer the aggressively jigged lure. As for lure colors, it can vary from day to day, so Hamilton recommends experimenting until the right color is found. action, which translates to lots of hole drilling and hole hopping. In decent weather Hamilton prefers to fish without a shelter as it allows him to move quickly and freely on the ice. During these times, he relies on quality outerwear like Ice Following the fish ensures steady

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