Late Season Minipi Magic

Each segment of the relatively short Minipi season has something different to offer, and may call for different flies and techniques. By mid to late August, both the trout and char begin staging in specific areas prior to spawning. The guides know where. I’ve had my best fishing with colorful bucktails and large muddler minnows. I generally let them sink deep, before starting a slow, short, strip retrieve.

While summer hatches lend themselves to evening fishing, I’ve found late season fishing best during the day. An added bonus is the coloration of the fish at this time of year. There may be no more beautiful fish on the planet than a male Minipi brook trout in spawning colors. The largest and most colorful char too, are available at this time of year. On both Anne Marie and at Little Minipi, I’ve enjoyed super char fishing in early September, only a week before the snow began to fly.

Late season fishing for colorful brookies

A four-pound male in spawning colors, caught in the Foam Pool on a white marabou muddler, during the latter half of August.

 

The Spirit of Minipi

Philippe Poirier (aka: Philou) and Alan Lande recently returned home from a trip to Anne Marie Lodge. While they were visiting the lodge, they caught much more than just big brookies, they caught some great video! Take a look at their adventure with Coopers’ Minipi Lodges.

The Spirit of Minipi from Philippe Poirier on Vimeo.

Poirier is a retired pro freeskier, having competed in many events, including the Red Bull Crashed Ice competition, the US Open Big Air, and has medalled at the X-Games. He’s also a great fisherman.

“This was my third time over at Minipi and I love it. My best area to fish is the Little Minipi river because I love to walk around the river and throw my fly wherever I think there’s a fish,” said Poirier.

“The spirit there is awesome, very quiet and also very pure. I like the fact that I can bring an empty bottle of water and just fill it from the river.”

Poirier’s fishing tips & advice!

– Bring a #5 or up rod
– Get some solid tippet 8pds and up, some of those brookie attacks are vicious, and you can also encounter some pikes!
– Respect the environment
– Enjoy the best trout fishing spot in the world!!

Coopers' Minipi Lodges - fishing in the Big Land

Minipi Guides Report: 2013 vol.1

The opening week of fishing, which was around the middle of June, saw most fishing here at Anne Marie taking place at Petches. The warm weather and the prolific hatches of mostly small mayflies enabled fishermen to have good landings.

The different patterns of wulffs, drakes, caddis flies and bombers were flies of choice landing brookies ranging in size from 5.25 to 7.25 pounds.

During the second week most fish were caught around Bear Island and West Bay with the caddis fly, the most popular pattern. Landings of 5 to 7 pounds topped the scales.

With the onset of July the weather has been extremely windy and warm, which seems to have caused the hatches to peter-out tremendously, subsequently affecting the fishing. Landings are down from previous weeks, which is natural under such conditions and we will welcome now some rain and a drop in the high winds.

— Ralph