Winnipeg trip

[wmcox]

Hey folks. I am planning a trip to lake Winnipeg sometime in late 2018 / early 2019. Our group was thinking mid January of 2019. Only concern is weather. How bad is a typical winter  up that way? Should we push our trip out to late February or early March?

[wmcox]

Is the lake usually accessible with a truck in February? I have 2 guys going that have never ice fished before. So they want to use a guide. I知 more of a run and gun type guy myself. The price for a guide is a little steep for my liking, but we may end up doing it. I知 looking for mainly large fish. Numbers are not a big concern with me.

[fishinfirefighter]

Truck access is entirely dependent on snow cover. Most years you will be able to get on the ice with a truck but you will be limited to travelling the worn trails and it can be tough to get away from the crowds. If you really want to run to run and gun and get away from the crowds then your best bet is to bring a sled or quad.
January tends to be better if you are looking for big fish, late Feb and March are better for overall numbers.

[carcus1]

January is usually a great month if not the best, bring a quad or sled if you want to find fish, or hire a guide.

[Tip-Up]

Weather in January is typically -20C to -40C, a heavy windchill will drop the temp another 10-15 degrees.

-40C? HaHaHaHa C'mon!

When is the last time you saw -40C on your thermometer Van Noord?

Honestly OP I'm 59 yrs old and I've yet to see temps that kept us off the ice. That's why we have shelters right? It can rarely drop down into the mid -30's AT NIGHT but I don't fish at 3 AM. Mid day temps in January are usually -25C or very often better. I say -10C to -20C are more accurate day time highs nowadays. Global warming is real.....

[greenbackhunter]

Is the lake usually accessible with a truck in February? I have 2 guys going that have never ice fished before. So they want to use a guide. I知 more of a run and gun type guy myself. The price for a guide is a little steep for my liking, but we may end up doing it. I知 looking for mainly large fish. Numbers are not a big concern with me.

Accessibility is solely dependant on snow cover. If the cover is light, there will be tons of traffic out there.

The lake is changing... there are still big fish, but the top year class has died/were netted heavily, there are a couple year classes missing, so your going to have to hunt big fish I知 thinking. If your open minded, and not expecting 6 masters per day, you will pop big fish.

[flat liner]

I would have to agree with Greenbackhunter, my numbers of masters has been dropping each year and yet I go out more often now. Lots of 24-26 out there though.

If you want to drive on, following the crowds can be a good thing sometimes, it only takes a few yards away to hit the honey hole.

January does tend to be the colder month but I would also say -25 is about the worst it gets. I have been out there when its colder but its also a dry cold so it doesn't get into your bones.

[fishinfirefighter]

The biggest thing to watch out for is the wind.
Dress warm and have a good tent with a heater then no matter how cold the temps get you will still be warm.
When the winds get up though get off the lake. Real easy to lose your way in the whiteouts and get stuck or worse.

[HARRYFISHBALLS]

 if you are american you will FREEZE ,this is Canada and its dam cold.you have not experienced this south of the border!!!!!!!

[muddpuppy]

Yes I agree with daytime temps being -20 - 25 range but you guys are forgetting to factor in the windchill
That's where we hit the -40 chit..... Oh and it's real....
As for the big fish good luck with that I've been fishing the lake 12+ years and the last couple have been brutal.
This year by far the worst last 3 outings 3 fish. Sure glad I'm not driving hours and hours.....

[Tip-Up]

Haven't missed a weekend yet and I've been fishing in shirt sleeves every time!

[Tip-Up]

Ya but it's a small living room. 

Microwave quit on me right in the middle of the Super Bowl last weekend too! Had to eat cold wings