I would like to welcome you to our second Master Angler e-newsletter of 2009. I am Steven Wintemute, owner of Hooked Media and publisher of Hooked magazine. It is an honour to be the fishing ambassador for Travel Manitoba. "The Master Angler" is your up-to-the-minute report on great fishing getaways in Manitoba, tournament news, special deals from fishing suppliers, the chase for Manitoba trophies, tips from the pros, real stories and so much more. Ice fishing is just around the corner and let me tell you that Manitoba, in my mind, is the ice fishing capital of the world. If you're looking for big walleyes, pike, perch and lake trout then get your augers ready and start planning some incredible ice fishng adventures on one of Manitoba's 100,000 lakes!

As Travel Manitoba's fishing ambassador my job is to help promote the unbelievable fishing Manitoba has to offer. I have the opportunity to meet lots of great anglers and I even get to fish with them. What a thrill it is for me to take these anglers to some of my favorite lakes in Manitoba and watch them catch world class fish! Actually Manitoba is a world class fishing destination for anglers from ALL around the world. For proof, head over to It's My Moment, a site dedicated to celebrating amazing Manitoba travel stories from people just like you (hint: there's an amazing prize for the best story, so get yours up there soon). I've got a few stories posted there, and will be adding more all the time. This will definitely be another season to remember!

Watching the fishing pros in action has never been more exciting or more comfortable, thanks to a great new meeting place in Winnipeg – the Upperdeck Sports Bar at McPhillips Station Casino.

The Upperdeck is the best bet for viewing your favourite angling show in style. Every catch the pros land will look downright gigantic on Winnipeg's largest HD TV.

And don't worry about hooking a screen to watch what you want. There are plenty of 52 inch and 46 inch HD TVs throughout the bar for guests to catch any number of sports. The Upperdeck Sports Bar also carries the best in Pay-Per-View with tickets available through Ticketmaster.

A true sports bar, the Upperdeck lets you hold your own friendly competition over a lively game of pool, shuffleboard, foosball or bubble hockey. It's a great place to mingle with friends and Winnipeg's loyal sports fans. The city is full of passionate anglers, and you'll have no trouble finding someone willing to talk about their favourite fishing holes.

Check out the Upperdeck's custom menu with all your favorites and daily specials. There are great deals throughout the week.

That goes for the entertainment as well! There are always live bands and special events at the Casinos of Winnipeg. For more on the entertainment, dining and attractions this fall at the casinos, visit www.casinosofwinnipeg.com.

Both casinos are centrally located and near major hotels, and offer valet service and free parking. Please note that the Casinos of Winnipeg are open to persons over the age of 18 only. Photo ID may be required.

Every fall the massive walleye that live in Lake Winnipeg head down the Red River in search of food and cooler waters. These walleye, called greenback walleye for their unique iridescent emerald colouring, and their cousin, the sauger, are the sought-after species at the 3rd Annual Greenback Walleye/Sauger Derby taking place Saturday, September 26, 2009. This one-day derby out of Selkirk Park on the Red River in Selkirk, Manitoba is the perfect opportunity for weekend anglers to drop their lines in search of a record-setting trophy fish or to land the more common 10-pounders.

Entry is $40 for adults and $20 for youth (under 16) and seniors (over 65). Entry forms are available at Fas Gas in Selkirk, Skinners Restaurant in Lockport, Star Fish Bait and Tackle in Lockport and Chelsey's Resort and Marina in Netley Creek. In Winnipeg, the entry forms are available at Pro Am Tackle, Cabela's and the Fishin' Hole. For more information contact Dan Sernyk at 1-204-668-5831 or anglerdan@mts.net.

An ice fishing experience I will not soon forget!

I had the pleasure of being invited out to do some fishing in the northern areas of Lake Winnipeg with Don Lamont, host and producer of the Complete Angler TV series, as well as Jan Collins from the Tourism Secretariat. The goal was to try and find some great ice fishing up and around the Hecla Island area of Lake Winnipeg.

Our day started off meeting good friend and commercial fisherman Murray Olafson. Murray has been fishing the lake most of his life, both recreationally and commercially. If there is a man who knows the ins and outs of “Big Windy” it’s definitely Murray. We finished Day 1 with about 60-70 fish between us, with most fish caught measuring between 20 and 22 inches. These fish are very aggressive and were mostly caught on fast-moving baits.

After a great night’s sleep at the UN-BELIEVABLE Radisson Hecla Oasis Resort, we were primed and ready to go bright and early the next day. Day 2 started off with a bang as Don Lamont and I were catching fish at a fast and furious rate. The bite slowed till around noon, and then I hooked into something very big. As I started gaining ground and had this fish coming up the hole I realized just how big it was. This walleye measured over 31 inches in length, and we guessed it weighed in the neighbourhood of 12-13 pounds.

What a thrill it was to try new waters, new techniques and baits and have a very successful outing! The hospitality and food was beyond excellent at the resort and the company we shared the ice with day 1 and 2 was second to none. WOW what a trip!

Keep sending in your Unforgettable Manitoba moments. Send us your favorite story, photo or video to itsmymoment.ca and you'll be entered to win a Manitoba Homecoming 2010 VIP travel package, valued at $4,000!

Bring home your own VIP to show them all that Manitoba has to offer! Click here for full contest details. In the meantime, here's a great moment from John Grenier:

FISHING AT ITS BEST
This is about the time I was 15 years of age and we had a school exchange with students from Thompson and how I played hookie to be able to go fishing with the family i was staying with. We had a small boat and it rained all week but god was the fishing good; I even caught a record Pike- the biggest fish I caught in all my life - I still remember it as if it was yesterday. That will always be in my memory...

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