This past week I traveled up to Manitoba, to film an episode of Angling Edge with Ty Sjodin and Logan DeCent at Wallace Lake Lodge! This was a combo bear hunt and fishing adventure. Ty ended up shooting a bear the second day there which gave up plenty of time to catch some fish. Manitoba has some awesome fishing opportunities, let’s get into it…

If you've never been to Manitoba, put it on the list. The province sits on more than 100,000 lakes and rivers with a lot of trophy freshwater fish species to target. Walleye is the headliner here (it's the official provincial fish), and the famous "Greenback" strain found in Lake Winnipeg and its tributaries has become a genuine bucket-list catch for serious anglers. I actually caught my first greenback on the drive back home! I edited a video for that, you can watch the Reel here.

The lineup of trophy fish in Manitoba runs deep: northern pike pushing 50-plus inches in the remote north, monster lake trout, chunky smallmouth bass, jumbo perch, arctic grayling, channel catfish and more.

What makes Manitoba special isn't just the numbers, though — it's the range of ways to fish it. You can cast from shore inside the city of Winnipeg, target greenbacks through the ice, or fly into a remote lodge where the only traffic is the float plane that dropped you off. The province also runs the oldest Master Angler program in North America, recognizing trophy catches with a strong catch-and-release ethic baked in. Whether you want a guided weekend or a true off-grid wilderness trip, Manitoba has a version of it.

The main purpose of the trip was filming an episode of Angling Edge. It will air in early 2027 on TV and then later on Angling Edge YouTube. Wallace Lake Lodge & Outposts sits at the very edge of Manitoba's last drive-to wilderness — the final road-accessible entry point into Atikaki Provincial Wilderness Park, about 100 miles northeast of Winnipeg past Bissett. It's a family-run operation, and you feel it the moment you arrive: clean, well-kept cabins, hot showers, and the kind of personal attention you only get from owners who actually live the place. The main lodge on Wallace Lake works as a comfortable drive-up base with full amenities.

We caught a lot of walleye and Ty got some really nice perch too. The majority of the ‘eyes were perfect eater size, which we cooked up of course. Our cabin was equipped with all the necessary kitchen tools. Pots, pans, cutlery, stove, utensils, full fridge and freezer, and a big outdoor grill. This was a housekeeping stay, which means food is not provided. No problem though, plenty of walleye to catch, clean, and cook up. Or even perch, if you want.

The main lodge gives you Wallace Lake itself plus access to nearby Siderock Lake. They also offer outposts: fly-in cabins scattered across Obukowin, Carroll (I think this one is being renovated after a wildfire), Craven, and the Gammon River, plus a boat cache on Tam Guy Lake for day fly-outs. Each water has its own character. Either way you're fishing waters most people never see.

It’s pretty wild up there. On the drive up I saw a ton of rabbits along the road, a coyote, a bobcat, a moose and even big black bear standing in the middle of the road! The journey itself was memorable.

For fishing up there, no live bait needed! I primarily stayed with a 1/4oz or 3/8oz VMC MoonEye Jig with a Rapala Crush City Mayor. Snap jigged it. Braid to a 10lb fluorocarbon leader. I also went a little finessier in the shallower area when it was low wind with a 1/8oz or 3/16oz VMC Ned Rig Jig and Rapala Crush City Mooch Minnow. The TPE plastic on the Mooch Minnow last a long time through a lot of fish catches! Both of these combos work for me anywhere walleye roam.

I’m back in Minnesota now and looking to do some bass fishing! Topwater hopefully if the weather allows it. Have a great week!