Minipi Guides Report – August 2017

Over the past few weeks at Anne Marie Lake the evening fishing has been spectacular with rising trout in every cove. With fish up to 8 pounds sipping green drakes until the moon rises and dark settles on the hills around Loverboy, Petches Pond, West Bay and Man O’ War Key. While the wind has reached gusts of 50 to 70 km/h in recent weeks, it calmed off after supper allowing clients to enjoy the sight of rising fish! Evening fishing in stream areas such as The Pantry has also been productive, giving up a fish of 7 pounds caught and released on an orange bomber. Big Harry Outlet has also produced some great action on the orange bomber as well, giving up a 7 pounder and multiple 5+ pound brook trout; surprisingly the area also produced an 8 ½ pound fish thought to be a hybrid arctic char/brook trout. Labrador certainly is the land of opportunity for both angler and fish alike.

Wildlife around Anne Marie Lake has been prevalent with frequent moose sightings, various waterfowl, spruce and ruffed grouse, a black bear or two and even two woodland caribou seen at Little Loon Pond!

The beginning of August sees the end of the green drake hatch, and time for large flies to be tossed to willing trout throughout the Minipi watershed. Large brook trout and char of dark red and orange line the pools, streams and inlets eager to take whatever passes by! Large bombers, wooly buggers, muddlers and even deer hair poppers will trigger a powerful strike that will leave your line tight and a big smile on your face.

Trips to Little Minipi and Minipi have been highly successful with a few fish being caught weighing in at 8 ½ pounds on dry flies! Talk about bucket list experiences! A few arctic char were caught and released by the clients of Minipi Lake Lodge on nymphs such as copper johns and pheasant tails. It surely has been an eventful summer so far with another month of outstanding brook trout and arctic char fishing ahead!

Fly Lines for Minipi

Much of the fishing at Minipi calls for using large, bushy dries, bombers, deer hair bugs, and weighted muddler minnows. Wind can also add to your casting problems. I avoid long, delicately or gradually tapered lines. They often have names that belie their design.

Standard weight forwards work fine, but one line I rely on heavily is a bug taper, or bass taper line, usually associated with bass fishing. Such a line has a shorter front taper, with heavier, shorter head. This keeps more weight well forward to help defeat wind and turn over large flies effectively. Check the profile of any line you consider using. This will be shown on the box or instruction sheet, or you can check it out online at the manufacturer’s website.

Another useful line is one with a 5’or 10’ sinking tip. This can be valuable when fish are not interested in surface offerings and you want to get a muddler minnow down in the water column.

For more tips and suggestions on what to put in your tackle box for a trip to Minipi, click here.

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Minipi Fly and Tackle

The Beaver is in the water, the staff is ready and the Lodge is being prepped. It’s a busy week at Coopers’ Minipi Lodges so finding a moment to speak with our head guide Ray Best is pretty difficult. We managed to snag a minute or two for some quick pointers on what you should take in your tackle box for your trip to Minipi.

 Ray recommends:

–   8lb test tippet is a good start

–   Dry fly floatant such as Top Ride Floatant and Desiccant

–   Bug spray

–   Split Shot

–   A few small caddis, between size 6 and 12

–   Muddlers and bombers

–   A wooly bugger

–   Irresistibles

–   Polarized sunglasses are a must have

–   Sunblock and Chapstick (cherry flavor optional)

–   A mini-first aid kit

–   If you’re on a fly-out, take a boat bag. Take only what’s really necessary.

–   Definitely keep a collapsible wading staff with you.

–   Treats for the guides

Gotta love Ray’s sense of humor.