Fishing News

March 14, 2023: Check our the results of our winter derby!

Feb 9, 2023: Our annual fishing derby will take place March 11, 2023, after a three-year hiatus. See our poster for more details.

____________________________________________________________

Oct 5, 2022: The youth fishing event At the Potgieter property made the news: Check out page 10 of the Rivers Banner. Here’s hoping it becomes an annual event!

____________________________________________________________

Sept 19, 2022: RAGF would like to promote an upcoming rainbow trout harvest on Sept. 24, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., grown in the dugout on RAGF member Andries Potgieter’s property, which they hope will become an annual youth fishing event open to all interested anglers. First fish caught by each youth (under 18 years old) is free; free drinks and bait as well as a prize for biggest fish. Contact Andries for more information at 431-270-0120.

____________________________________________________________

Feb 24, 2022: Due to circumstances beyond our control, we are cancelling our Winter Derby this year. We look forward to a big summer derby 🙂

Feb 19, 2022: Very sorry to announce that the Family Fish day on Monday Feb 21 has been cancelled due to the weather forecast with high windchill as well as accessibility issues due to all the snowfall.

Feb 13, 2022: Save the dates: Louis Riel Family Fish day Monday Feb 21 and Fishing derby Saturday March 12. More info about the family fish event on our main home page; more info about the derby coming soon!

________________________________________________________________________

June 18, 2021: A big thank-you to Jordan Froese for repairing the damaged bracket on our dock. Anglers and boating enthusiasts will be happy to know that our dock is operational again, within just a few days since the damage.

Lake Stocking 2021

May 22, 2021: Stocking is an annual event undertaken by staff from Manitoba Fisheries. This year 800,000 walleye fries were delivered to our boat dock on Fri May 21 by Lloyd Rowe from Manitoba Fisheries. We used Ron Taylor and Dave Falkevich’s boats. Helpers were Mark Kolesar, Pam Hayden and Bonnie Taylor. Fry were distributed all around the lake. They were released in shallow calm areas. They are only 1-2 days old and very tiny. Estimates are that approx. 1 percent survive to adulthood. Rivers and Area Game and Fish Association has helped with this program for a number of years.

Still no way to get a permit to hold fishing derbies because of ongoing COVID-19 lockdown.

February/March 2021: We are unable to get a license to hold in-person fishing activities (Learn to Fish, March Derby) due to Code Red lockdown restrictions. We are hoping to hold a Derby in the summer, assuming the restrictions have eased up.

January 26, 2021: We wish to thank the Brandon & Area Community Foundation for their generous grant of $1,640 for the upgrade of the Game & Fish dock received this year. This dock is well used by anyone wishing to dock their boat in Lake Wahtopanah. This upgrade of the dock is very much appreciated as it was getting very challenging to launch a boat. Thanks again to the Brandon & Area Community Foundation for their continued support!

________________________________________________________________________

Lake Stocking 2020

May 21, 2020: Rivers and Area Game and Fish Boat Launch
It was a beautiful afternoon on the lake with Ron Taylor and Dave and Donna Falkevitch joining Manitoba Fisheries in stocking 1.5 million walleye fry.  Each bag contains 100,000 fry.  Manitoba Fisheries does a wonderful job working with Game and Fish Associations to maintain healthy populations across Manitoba.  Without this kind of support we wouldn’t have this opportunity for excellent fishing.
                   

 

 

 

________________________________________________________________________

Manitoba Fishing Programs

Manitoba Fish and Wildlife Enhancement Fund – Stamp Competition

In 1993, the first Fisheries Enhancement Stamp was commissioned by Manitoba Fisheries Branch. Artist, Judy McInnes’s painting entitled “Manitoba Walleye” was reproduced onto every angling license sold. From 1994 to present, an Annual Fisheries Enhancement Stamp Artwork Competition has been held to select an original piece of artwork to be reproduced into a stamp for the annual angling license and numbered prints to promote angling in Manitoba.
Fisheries Stamp Competition Rules
Fisheries Enhancement Stamp Competition Entry Form
Past Winning Paintings, Artist and Title
Prints and Stamps for Purchase

Manitoba Master Angler Program

Manitoba has a Master Angler Program where anglers submit their catch larger than the predetermined size per species.  For more information and how to register your catch, please visit the Travel Manitoba website.
-Click Here for Master Angler Program-

L’il Angler Program

Little anglers 12 and under who catch their first fish gain a little recognition.  When little anglers catch their first fish apply online and Travel Manitoba will send the L’il Angler an embroidered crest and certificate of achievement.
-Click Here for L’il Angler Program-

________________________________________________________________________

–2nd Annual Members Angling Contest–

The Rivers and Area Game and Fish Association would like to announce a year long members only angling contest for 2020.  Contest is open for members of the association along with their registered family members.  Awards will be given for largest Northern Pike, Walleye, Perch, and Rock Bass for both Adults and Youth.  Also an award for largest fish based against the Manitoba Master Angler program.  See application and rules for more information, links are posted below.

Angling Award Application
Angling Award Rules-2020

______________________________________________________________________

Members Fishing Derby 2019

-December 2019 Update-

Well as the 2019 year comes to a close so is our members only fishing awards.  This year was our first year for taking on a members only fishing award category.  Entries were a little on the slow side.  Common members….show us what you got!!  Hope in 2020 we get some more member shots with those beautiful fish we catch.  To win largest fish the formula is based upon the size in relation to its master angler size.

Northern Pike:

Evan Wolski: 86.36cm

Walleye:

Kelvin Lamb:60.70cm


Evan Wolski: 50.8cm

Perch:

Evan Wolski: 33.0cm-Master Angler Qualified (Also awarded largest fish category)


Craige Madden: 30.48


Craige Madden: 25.4cm

Rock Bass:
-No Entry-

_________________________________________________________________________

June 26, 2019
-Rivers lake had some net studies happen to find out the healthiness of the fish.  Lloyd Rowe a fisheries technician and help from the Rivers Provincial park set out nets and netted fish in various parts of the lake.  The lake study can be found here Lake Wahtopanah Index Assessment 2019 (16-026)

_________________________________________________________________________

Fishing Info 101:

Esocid lymphosarcoma, also known as Esox lymphosarcoma is a transmissible tumor which affects two species of fish, northern pike (Esox lucius) and Muskellunge (Esox masquinongy), in North America and Europe. The tumors initially are found in the skin, but later in the course of the disease are also found in the internal organs. The tumors appear as colorless skin protrusions which are several centimeters in diameter. A retrovirus has been detected in affected cells by electron microscopy. The disease is spread by physical contact between fish, probably during the spring spawning season. The disease has the lowest prevalence in the summer.  It was mentioned that the skin condition isn’t harmful to human touch.  There were some pike caught at the March ice derby that had this skin condition.  We thought a little information can help anyone who comes across this condition.
–Source: Wikipedia–

_________________________________________________________________________

March 2nd, 2019: Rivers Police Cadets
Rivers Game and Fish met with the River’s Police Cadets on Saturday March 2nd.  Members brought out tents to fish from, a local resident allowed the use of his ice shack to cook up some delicious hot dogs for the kids.  Sorry for no pictures.  Again like Louis Riel day the weather was very frigid and any wind cut through you like a knife.  It didn’t help the fish were not co-operating either leaving everyone skunked for the day.  Overall the day was a success as the youth enjoyed trying to catch fish and when that was slow, they ran around playing in the snow banks and filled their bellies with warm hot dogs.  Anything involving our future youth and fishing is always a pleasure to be a part of.

_________________________________________________________________________

February 18th, 2019: 5th Annual Louis Riel Day Learn to Fish
Rivers Game and Fish hosted another year of educating youth and adults alike on the joys of ice fishing.  Temperatures pushing -31C didn’t deter willing participants to learn how to bait a hook and set a proper depth using a simple stick/line/bobber set up.  This year the fish were not willing to be caught.  Fish caught earlier by club members were used as a backup for a filleting demonstration.

_________________________________________________________________________

We all must do our part in preventing Aquative Invasive Species!!
Spot the stripes, stop the spread.
Please read the link on what you can do to prevent contamination of our rivers and lakes.
–Stop the Spread–

________________________________________________________________________

April 8th, 2018: I found this website while browsing the Manitoba Sustainable Development website.  It has stocking reports, lake contours, and assessment data.
http://www.gov.mb.ca/waterstewardship/fisheries/fish_stocking_gMap_MVC_V2/index.html

________________________________________________________________________

October 22nd, 2017: Members came out and installed a new ground waste holding tank at the River’s boat launch.  Gill’s Plumbing and Heating dug the hole and dropped in the new tank.  Jason from Deadwood Customs helped remove the old building and install it over the new framework.  Would also like to thank North American Lumber in Rivers for donating some of the materials.

_________________________________________________________________________

February 20, 2017: Louis Riel Day was host to Rivers & Area Game and Fish Association’s third annual Learn to Fish event.  33 youngsters accompanied by parents and guardians met on Lake Wahtopanah by the Rivers boat launch.  All participants received a goody bag with a handmade rod and various fishing items.  The only pike caught was by Carter Lelond in which his father preformed a filleting demonstration after the event.  Hot dogs and hot chocolate filled the bellies of those attending.