Fairford River Freeze Off

Manitoba is covered by 6 months of winter most years. Spring is this ethereal thing that looks and feels more like well more winter. Nonetheless afew of us hardy souls head out to the only open water in the province...the Fairford River!

The water is clear, clean and wade-able. So why don't I fish it more ofte? Because it is 2-3 hours of the most boring and somewhat dangerous driving in the province.

We hit it the last Sunday in March which coincides with the end of the regular fishing season, Spring Break and the warmest part of the late winter.

In years Past it looked like this...

The target (once we get illusions of pike drum and walleye out of our heads) is Cisco (known locally as Tulibee)

This year it was considerably warmer with plus temps all day and the fish a little bigger.

I shot a vid for this so you can see by the clothing we are alittle more comfortable;

Manitoba Fly Fishing Guide