Wonderful walleye fishing on Big Echo Lake

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 18/07/2015 (4073 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The year was 1983, my second year guiding for Eagle Nest Lodge on the Winnipeg River. I spent three seasons working at this remote lodge, and during that time I made two portages into Big Echo Lake.

Eagle Nest had two boats cached in Big Echo when I arrived, and I can remember carrying in the third. In my second year I had also taken over as the manager, so it was on me to portage a 16-foot Lund down a rocky, windy trail that was just plain nasty. With me were two young students who were working at the lodge part-time.

The transom was the heaviest, so they took that end, and I took the bow. It was one of the most difficult journeys I had ever participated in. After many rest breaks, we managed to arrive on the shores of this beautiful lake.

I can always remember that day, and the other two days I fished in this walleye factory. It was incredible action, some of the best walleye fishing I have ever had. I was determined to get back there, and two years ago at the Winnipeg Boat Show, I convinced Shaun Jackson to fly me to Big Echo.

Fast forward to last week, and I am on a float plane destined for one of my favourite lakes in the world.

Jackson owns a series of fly-in camps, and he happens to have the only outpost cabin on this lake.

A few years ago, he built a beautiful log cabin with a full kitchen and beds to sleep 10 people, with five boats ready to take you to all the hot spots. Many of the guests prefer flying to this lake, since it’s just a 16-minute flight from Shaun’s airbase at Lac du Bonnet.

In no time, we are touching down on the lake, getting ready for three days of adventure and great fishing. My friend Kevin Stobbe had also hired a videographer to record the trip for his website. Over the course of the three days, we caught so many walleye my hands were a scarred mess.

The largest walleye of the trip measured 69 centimetres, but a couple of bass were truly in the large category. The largest measured 50 centimetres and was shaped like a football. Big Echo also has a good pike population, but we didn’t spend much time looking for them.

The walleye were shoreline orientated in three to nine metres of water. The most productive areas were shoreline points and saddle areas between islands. We caught the majority on jigs and leeches or night crawlers. This lake is a high-quality management lake, so no walleye longer than 53 centimetres can be kept.

Our three days were over way too soon, but it was a trip I would recommend to anyone. It is very reasonably priced because of the short flight, and the fishing is top quality. This outpost is one of the busiest Shaun owns, and booking well in advance is a real good idea. Check out his website at jacksonslodge.com.

ANGLER’S NOTES: Fishing on Lake Manitoba and Lake Winnipeg for walleye and other species has been very good. My friend Jim Price, who lives in Portage la Prairie, has been heading out on Lake Manitoba on a regular basis. He keyed in on a pattern that has been producing tremendous catches of fish. Trolling shallow running crankbaits in less than two metres of water near shore has been incredibly productive. Price says these shallow walleye are herding shiner minnows to shore in order to trap them. Lake Winnipeg has been a similar story, with big walleye roaming the sand flats in search of the huge hatch of shiner minnows.

dlamont@mymts.net