Blackstrap 2021-2022

[Waverider]

Lots of small perch today as per usual, but managed to land a nice 30” pike on the tip up with a 4 inch smelt. Any idea what this fish would weigh? Online chart says around 7.7lb

[Dlzfish]

Hard to say waverider. I would say any pike you catch now (female at least) will be the top end of any weight range on a chart. They seriously put on the pounds before spawn.

Got on a cookie cutter mid 30s bite at deif last year. Guys next to us were weighing them at 20lbs. Id say they would have struggled to hit 15 in the summer.

[Poorjigger]

Hi Waverider, I landed a 30” pike this winter and the trusty old scale read 7lb 2oz. Nice to pull those out of the ice and release them to produce more.

[The Beachcomber]

Went out to the N end today, only 1 other truck out later in the day, I fished from 12 to 7. It was very slow, lots of perch action but not many takers, only kept a few for a fry.  Occasional jack patrolling and a large whitefish hung around for 30 minutes but did not do too much.  Water clarity was good! Ice was 42 inches thick.  Access to the lake was good then a local came with a bobcat and cleared some nice trails onto the lake for people to get their shacks off this week, thanks to whoever that was, very nice of you.  You can basically drive most places on the lake, just watch out for the drifts near shacks.

[ZXJpYW]

Decent perch bite yesterday, they are packing on that egg mass in a hurry. Decided to only keep a couple as most keeper sized ones were starting to look like dinner plates!

I had good and bad luck with pike yesterday. I missed two of them on the tip up. I did manage to catch one though. I caught it on -- get this -- a 5 mil tungsten jig, 4lbs fluorocarbon and an in-line reel 😂. Must have been going for another fish I was marking. The only reason I got away with this was because he got hooked hard and deep right in the upper lip. You spend $10 on smelt for the weekend and they end up hitting your perch rig. What can ya do!

P.S.: To reader I met out there in the morning, hope you had a great day with your grandson. Beauty afternoon to be outside, fish or no fish.

[speckspotter]

I also experienced a good bite on a morning outing. Lots of 8" to 9" takers with a few larger ones lurking about. The camera revealed plenty of perch working the bottom for bloodworms. I must have set up on some prime feeding grounds, because the fish kept stirring up the bottom, rendering the camera useless at times. When there was sufficient visibility, it was interesting to watch the cruising perch go into attack mode when the jig was dropped to the bottom. It was "Fins up, damn the torpedoes!" as they went for the kill.

No pike, walleye or whitefish interrupted the perch performance. Just three solid hours of fun with the little fishes. My compadres who stayed out longer reported a mid day lull in the bite, which picked up again later in the afternoon.

[speckspotter]

Very different bite from my last trip. I opened up my holes from last time out and caught three keepers in a row - 8:30 start. After that it was very spotty. The fish were few and far between. The marks came by as singles or small groups. The bite was really light, with the perch preferring a static presentation for the most part. Interestingly, the size of the fish was quite good. I moved to a new spot and found a more aggressive bite, but the fish were much, much smaller.

I packed it in around noon, and then got stuck in a snowbank that I couldn't see in the grey light. My friend who had been back at the original spot came and pulled me out; reporting the bite had started to turn on. He had steady action through the afternoon.

[MoePar]

Decent perch bite yesterday, they are packing on that egg mass in a hurry. Decided to only keep a couple as most keeper sized ones were starting to look like dinner plates!

I had good and bad luck with pike yesterday. I missed two of them on the tip up. I did manage to catch one though. I caught it on -- get this -- a 5 mil tungsten jig, 4lbs fluorocarbon and an in-line reel 😂. Must have been going for another fish I was marking. The only reason I got away with this was because he got hooked hard and deep right in the upper lip. You spend $10 on smelt for the weekend and they end up hitting your perch rig. What can ya do!

P.S.: To reader I met out there in the morning, hope you had a great day with your grandson. Beauty afternoon to be outside, fish or no fish.

Hi there.  I enjoyed meeting a fellow ice shanty member  Decided to finally register.  We found fish over to west of where I talked to you.    I was still anchoring the shelter and my grandson had a fish on.   See grandpa he says I’ll show you how to catch fish.    He is 4 and thankfully hooked on fishing.   Hello to Church!  Great meeting you as well at end of January when you brought that large pike over fir the little guy.   I have photos if him hugging it and his grandma saying ooh his coat

[gman51]

full shift today. gotta love this weather were having. setting up some big bait looking for some more pike action. and jigging around picking off perch here and there as reported tons of small perch to weed through. did manage 5 nice ones to keep. nothing to report on the flag all day. evening bite did produce a couple 16-17" walleyes that topped off an awesome day. couple weeks left looking forward to getting out enjoying the weather/fishing a few more times at late ice.

[Sparetimeangler]

Just wondering is the lake driveable? I want to take my three year old out but wont be able to walk out with gear and him

[Churchill River]

We are walking out as of yesterday.  Didn't see anyone on the ice on the South end.  My friend said he saw a truck on the North end yesterday.  The perch were pretty active yesterday. 

[Twistedhook]

Fishing the Strap has been hit and miss this year. Ice conditions has been better then last year. Last year the ice turned funky that took its toll on one vehicle. This year I found that the more disturbing thing was the amount of litter and garbage left on the ice. Any time I ventured onto the ice i would constantly pick up plastic bags, bait containers and beer cans. Last week I parked at the office and walked out to visit a couple friends that were set up for the morning. On the way back I picked up an arm full of trash. Beer cans, Tim's and McD's coffee cups. a couple broken large tubs of minnow and meal worms as well as a 1/2 full bottle of orange Power Aid. Guys, please pick up your trash. If you bring it onto the ice, take it off the ice with you. Safe travels and stay dry.

[speckspotter]

YOU! You picked up that drink bottle! Dammit, that was marking the best spot on the whole lake.

Seriously though, it is depressing to see the snow melt reveal all the crap folks leave behind. Good on you for picking up the garbage Twisted. Years ago a Wildlife Unit Manager told me that fishermen were the worst slobs of all when it comes to leaving a mess. Sometimes
I wonder about our species. I doubt very much anyone leaves home at the start of the day eager to wander around other's discarded junk.

[GooseHunter1]

Good job, Twisted.  Yes it can be quite a mess put there.  Not sure why some folks find it so hard to take out what they bring onto the ice

Good news is the perch seem to be getting more active...hungry to make that roe grow, I guess. Only a few days left!

[GooseHunter1]

Good job, Twisted.  Yes it can be quite a mess out there.  Not sure why some folks find it so hard to take out what they bring onto the ice

Good news is the perch seem to be getting more active...hungry to make that roe grow, I guess. Only a few days left!

[gman51]

just out for the am yesterday 8-12. great conditions for walking, ice still solid does not look like any quick melting or softening  by the looks of the overnight forecast up until the 31st. as posted the fish are fired up lots of perch were caught along with 5 walleyes the 12" variety and 1 pike. great time for the kids for sure with the steady action. a couple more trips planned for next week. pretty good season for the most part no giants were caught but some decent size eyes were landed again. that should be a wrap for this ice season unless a picture worthy fish comes into play the next couple trips.  see you in November.   

[speckspotter]

We wrapped up the 2021 - 22 ice season today with another Blackstrap perch outing. It was a gorgeous day for walk on fishing, and there was no shortage of gentlemen who represented a "seasoned" angling demographic eager to take advantage. The fish cooperated yet again.
Numerous limits were taken today by smiling sunburned faces who were thankful to have one last good day on the hard water. There was a lot of experience on the ice today, and some great stories reflecting many collective fishing years were told.

Good luck to everyone in the open water season. I look forward to crossing paths again next November.

[Churchill River]

Yesterday was also my last kick at the bucket.  This has been the best winter for me as far as filling the bucket.  We fished this one spot for over 2 months, and it was March madness the whole 2 months.  Usually after a couple weeks spots dry up and you move on to another one.

It was very nice to run into Shanty members on the ice this winter and exchange stories.  Although I hope some of my regulars come up
with new stories for next winter.......well I am at that age that it might not matter....probably forget that I heard them.

You all have a great Spring/Summer/Fall and we will see/talk to you come November.

[silverfish]

i havent fished blackstrap  i live in regina i have driven past the lake on the #11 highway from there how is thw best way to get to the northend on onto the ice getting ready for next year ty