Dan Kiazyk, owner and guide of Cat Eye Outfitter out of Selkirk, Manitoba, shares some simple tips for using deadsticks on Lake Winnipeg.
There are a few things to consider when you’re setting up your dead stick line and a few gear considerations as well that will help you land more fish on Lake Winnipeg. The first is to choose a rod that’s a bit softer that will indicate for you when a fish is on or takes the bait. A stiffer rod can still be used but won’t work as well for detecting the bite. For the actual bait, choose something that sits horizontal and try tipping it with more than one minnow. Part of the trick there is that the minnows will actually work against one another and they’ll create even more attraction for any fish that are around.
Next is a particularly interesting component. Rod holders can be great tools, but you don’t necessarily need one and they can be just another thing to pack and potentially break on Lake Winnipeg. You can be more efficient and have easier access to your rod by simply banking it up and packing it in with some of the wet slush and snow from drilling your hole.
Depending upon what you’re seeing on your electronics, you should also keep you depth in mind. Typically you’ll be setting your bait six to eight inches off the bottom to start but you can bring that up anywhere in the water column where those fish are moving.
