DonAndersen Posted June 24, 2010 Share Posted June 24, 2010 It all started innocently enough with a couple of phone calls and emails to a friend in Red Deer. "Wanta go to the Parkland of Manitoba?" And so the plans were made, revised, made again, dates agreed on and stops thought about. The first stop was just over the Sask. border @ a small lake SE of Lloydminister. Sufferin Lake is perhaps 200 acres located within a Provincial Park with a campground and about 60 cabins/homes along the west shoreline. We got there Monday afternoon. Camp set we got to fishing. Wasn't great with only one landed. Decent fish though about a rainbow of about 5 lbs. Caddis hatching everywhere. Steve ended with 2 brookies of 3+ lbs + a smaller 3 lbs. rainbow. The next day it all changed. The weather got cooler and cloudy with few caddis hatching. We went here and there and there with little to show for it. Finally I started to fish a leech on a floating line along the shallows. The accounted for 6 hookups and 5 landed. All about 5 lbs. + The evening ended in rain that lasted all night and through a long drive down Highway #16 across Sask. to Russell, Manitoba. Just short of the border the rain stopped. Got more licenses and off to the campground at Patterson Lake. The campground is on top of a knoll less that 50 yards from the lake. Pit toilets, electrical service were provided @ $15.00/night. We fished Patterson for 4 days. The first day was about learning the lake a little. With a howling NE wind, travel in a pontoon boat was tough. Still we found some fish. Good ones too! The rainbows seemed to be in greater than 5' of water and really liked chironomids. The browns, contrary to popular wisdom were found in water less that 4' deep. Adult caddis + minnows were all through the reeds. Browns seemed to lurk within feet of the reeds although we did catch a few in water six feet deep. http:// While I only caught one brown of 7 lbs. or so, Steve landed a good one measured @ 29” and estimated @ 9 lbs. We got others from 3>5 lbs. After 4 days on Patterson, we headed the 1.5 miles to Tokaryk Lake. Unlike Patterson with it's large island, Tokaryk is a shallow bowl mostly featureless. I started along the bank with a Glen's Leech under a yarn indicator. The first fish was a decent brown of maybe 5 lbs., then a good rainbow of 6 or so followed by a brown I lost and then a really good rainbow of 8 or so lbs. It was probably the largest fish I landed. Good things don't last so I headed to deeper water and a chironomid. It was a good day with 16 landed, all greater than 4 lbs. Didn't catch any browns in deep water but the rainbows were HOT. Typically runs of 30>50 yards jumping all over the place. Bright shiny rainbows. The next day back to Tokaryk but good things rarely happen twice. It was a tough slog. Still, nine came to net including on brown of 4 lbs. Like the day before, it was deep water for me that worked. Steve, though, kept mostly to the shoreline and hooked a lot of fish breaking off perhaps 1/2 of them. OK, after 6 days of rainbows/browns it was time to try Tigers. So off to Roblin we went to camp. Great campground right in town. For $15/night, power was provided + free showers and flush toilets. We camped about 15 yards off East Goose Lake. A concession booth/campground office provided a source of great ice cream cones. With a weather forecast for severe storms over the next 2 days, we tie flies & toured the town. Finally, the weather cleared a little and we headed for Twin Lakes and Tiger Trout. I wish that the fishing was HOT like @ Patterson and Tokaryk but it wasn't to be. A slime line c/w a olive bugger got me one followed by 3 on deep water chironomids near the end of day. The next day arrived clear and calm. Unlike the experiments of the day before, I stayed with deep water chironomids and landed another 9. Steve tried here and there picking up a few. The fish were of decent size with 2 of them over 5 lbs. The Parkland region has some serious wildlife. Pelicans at Patterson harvest minnows in the shallows most of the day. And on Toaryk, a first for me on a lake - a garter snake out for a swim 50 yards or so off shore. And of course, my wife's best friend and navigator. Morty the Mutt. Some general observations. * most anglers we saw fished sinking lines and leech type of flies. * I pumped a number of fish and didn't find a single leech * the fish had chironomids, boatman and scuds in them * the areas visited and fished have some of the kindest and open people we've meet in many years. They are happy to see you. * don't move to Roblin. I've never seen a town with lawns/gardens/streets so well kept. Sure would take a lot of time away from fishing. * there was no evidence of the bank fishermen seem in Alberta. Litter on the lake shore was "0". * most anglers encountered were from Utah followed by N. Dakota. Few folks from Manitoba in evidence. * Pontoon boats were the boat of choice although most were equipped with electric motors so that the owners could back troll and cast. * We only encountered 2 other chironomid fishermen. * Take the gear you need, there seems to be no local fly shops. * if the Parkland fishery is near the the best for rainbows/browns that I've seen. * the water is by in large tannic in color. * bloom started in Torayk Lake a little - trips prior to mid-June may be best For more information on the FLIPPR organization who, along with the counties involved who operate the quality lake program see: http://www.flippr.ca/mainpage.htm And to sum up the trip, we stopped @ Boekle's Pond west of Hanna, Alberta for the last night. Boekle's Pond is a joint ACA/SRD managed lake. Guess what - there's no fish. According to a local, a ice-fisherman drove his truck into one of the aeration holes. There goes the aeration, There goes the fish. The Pond had 6 lb. trout in it the 2 years ago. Hip - Hip Hurray for the Home team. You really shine in how to manage a fishery. catch ya' Don Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigbowtrout Posted June 24, 2010 Share Posted June 24, 2010 Awesome post and pics!!!!!!!!!! Thanks Don Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Castuserraticus Posted June 24, 2010 Share Posted June 24, 2010 Colour me green. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyle Posted June 24, 2010 Share Posted June 24, 2010 theres no trout in MB... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heimdallr Posted June 24, 2010 Share Posted June 24, 2010 Great post Don. Thanks for sharing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveM Posted June 24, 2010 Share Posted June 24, 2010 Thanks for that, Don; great report! "* don't move to Roblin. I've never seen a town with lawns/gardens/streets so well kept." Maybe I can get some folks from Roblin to move in on either side of me; I'm fightin' a losing battle against my neighbors' weed farms! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lorney Posted June 24, 2010 Share Posted June 24, 2010 Great report. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dutchie Posted June 24, 2010 Share Posted June 24, 2010 don thanks for sharing that with us , wonderful pictures Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monger Posted June 24, 2010 Share Posted June 24, 2010 Thanks for sharing Don. Will you go again? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bloom Posted June 24, 2010 Share Posted June 24, 2010 Nice stuff...brings back lots of good memories of my trip a few weeks ago. A lot of the same observations...great people. Saw that most of the fishing was on type III lines and leeches or minnows. The fisherman don't seem to like the 'bobber' set up, even though the fish did. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jksnijders Posted June 24, 2010 Share Posted June 24, 2010 Nice.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jayhad Posted June 24, 2010 Share Posted June 24, 2010 Cool pics, love the tigers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
proflytyer Posted June 24, 2010 Share Posted June 24, 2010 Sweet pics!! Did you fish Patterson? Kyle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverDoctor Posted June 24, 2010 Share Posted June 24, 2010 Thanks Don Great post and pictures Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonAndersen Posted June 24, 2010 Author Share Posted June 24, 2010 A group answer: 1] We fished Patterson for 4 days 2] Of the county employees and elected officials meet, all were interest and committed to the success of the fishery. 3] I had been in the Parkland in 2004 looking over what a local committed group had accomplished. They tried hard but like here, the perch lovers followed the "quality" lake guys. Spear, East Goose and Two Mile were screwed. 4] Would I go back - you bet. I've had an opportunity to fish the lakes from BC>Manitoba. Presently, in my opinion, there is nothing to compare to the Parkland region for the quality of the angling. 5] Unlike BC, where a friend had $5,000 of gear stolen, we had no such concerns in Manitoba. Many pontoon boats tied along the lake shore. All were still there in the morning. 7] We sampled only 3 of the possible lakes. There is enough variety within the area to keep me interested for weeks/years. 8] Manitoba fishing license are cheap. Get a conversation license. You get to keep fewer fish but then who cares. 9] Some of the photos were taken by my wife who enjoyed kayaking on both Patterson and East Goose. Some of you may have seen her & Morty on Beaver now and then. 10] For a copy of the FLIPPR handbook, call the Russel or Roblin Town Offices. The handbooks are free and detail the process FLIPPR uses[d] to accomplish what they did, provide lake info, some background. 11] And watch for road signs. Missed one and 100 kph in a 80 kph zone got me a $300.00 present. I was distracted by the Casino west of Rossburne. catch ya' Don Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ÜberFly Posted June 24, 2010 Share Posted June 24, 2010 LoL! And if it was pissin rain, you would have been "chomp'in at the bit" to go to that same casino to play a few hands, eh there Don!! P 11] And watch for road signs. Missed one and 100 kph in a 80 kph zone got me a $300.00 present. I was distracted by the Casino west of Rossburne. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricinus Posted June 25, 2010 Share Posted June 25, 2010 Aww Jeez, now I don't know whether to go East or West Regards Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawgstoppah Posted June 25, 2010 Share Posted June 25, 2010 Aww Jeez, now I don't know whether to go East or West If alberta would take it's head out of it's azz, you wouldn't have to make that choice. Nice pics!! Better story. Add that to my bucket list (and that one is do-able!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SanJuanWorm Posted June 25, 2010 Share Posted June 25, 2010 Thanks for sharing Don. Awesome pics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ricinus Posted June 25, 2010 Share Posted June 25, 2010 If alberta would take it's head out of it's azz, you wouldn't have to make that choice. Boy ain't that the truth!! Regards Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maxwell Posted June 27, 2010 Share Posted June 27, 2010 epic dude! thanks for posting!!!!!!!!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thedonald Posted May 4, 2012 Share Posted May 4, 2012 Well I have to go to the Peg for a wedding on the May long weekend so after reading this I just have to stop in and try it out. Might get parts of two days in and if that proves excellent than I may plan a September trip without the girls. We'll stay in the Russell inn and I hope it is about 1/2 hr to Patterson and Tokaryk. Just wondering if anyone has any recent updates or tips to share. Thanks in advance.....Don Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gentlemang Posted May 4, 2012 Share Posted May 4, 2012 Great post Don. Good looking pictures there. Thanks for sharing. I bet the tiger are a real treat to catch. Greg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tallieho Posted May 4, 2012 Share Posted May 4, 2012 Well I have to go to the Peg for a wedding on the May long weekend so after reading this I just have to stop in and try it out. Might get parts of two days in and if that proves excellent than I may plan a September trip without the girls. We'll stay in the Russell inn and I hope it is about 1/2 hr to Patterson and Tokaryk. Just wondering if anyone has any recent updates or tips to share. Thanks in advance.....Don you can go to a flyfishing manitoba forum ..very much like this one..they are having some sort of a derby at some of there lakes Bug Chukerslotsa great looking posts of awesome fish.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverDoctor Posted May 4, 2012 Share Posted May 4, 2012 Wonderful pictures Don. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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