Question for the boys up North

[Scoot]

Does anyone have any decent guesses as to when the river will be fishable in the
Selkirk area? Yes, I know I am asking the impossible, but based on past experience and the current situation, what are people's best guesses?
I have a trip planned for the last week of December and I'm starting to get a little worried. Dan, what do you think? Will it be fishable by then?
Scot

[Guest]

(This was the report I got today on the ice Scoot. Andy is on the river a lot I often look to him for my conditions reports.)

Well, ice conditions on moving water is still touch and go, however, some brave souls have ventured out on backwater areas of the Red north of Selkirk. Reports are spotty, with some sauger and a few jack being caught. Nothing to report on large greenback, as it seems this year has been less than productive throughout the fall and early winter.
High water levels in spring and lower than normal water levels this fall have something to do with it, however, I suspect that the explosion of rainbow smelt in the south basin of lake Wpg has more to do with it than anything else.

This may change with heavier ice conditions and walleye will migrate up river in search of higher oxygen levels, hopefully, in Dec/Jan.

I will wait until mid-winter before setting up for that elusive greenback of exceptional size!

Andy

[Guest]

Sorry for the late response Scoot but I've been very busy adding an addition onto the ice house and have been finishing up the deer season. I strongly suspect you shouldn't have much trouble by the end of the month. At present from the Selkirk dock there's 3-4 inches of more or less solid ice (a fair estimate as of yesterday but current and changing water levels have an impact on this early ice ---danger!). I'm not on the river with clients until it's at least the 5-6 inch mark ---- at lot go earlier but I'm not the intrepid type. Two guys I mentioned last year on this board about this time have already been on the ice and have done very well (yesterday included) --- they are risking a lot. I find the bite is best at first ice (maybe the fish haven't been worked much / or heard much overhead action for the past month) and it slows as the seasons progresses to the early morning later evening bite. Location also becomes key as the season progresses. This year I'll be focussing on the hump between the two sets of power lines. I suspect I'll be on next week and will be reporting with some other locations/creel reports.