Cottage Reflections

03 Manitoba Adventure: BY SHEL ZOLKEWICH ONE PROVINCE, SO MANY ADVENTURES. FROM FOREST TO DESERT; MARSH TO MOUNTAINS; STREAMS TO LAKES; AND EVEN TUNDRA—EVERY CORNER OF THIS PROVINCE PROMISES A DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE. AND LUCKY FOR US, FISHING IS ALMOST ALWAYS A POSSIBILITY. THE BUCKET LIST Casting for northern adventure For the trip of a lifetime, hop on a plane and head north. In a few hours, you'll touch down into some of the most pristine wilderness that Canada has to offer. Fishing lodges are nestled among deep blue lakes of the boreal forest. And those lakes are teeming with feisty fish! Head to Gangler's North Seal River Lodge (ganglers.com) and get your fly outfit ready to catch a gorgeous Arctic grayling in the river rapids. At Elk Island Lodge (godslake.ca) a quick trip down the God's River puts you within striking distance of the world's largest wild brook trout. And at the luxurious North Haven Resort (northhavenresort.ca) massages are offered and are almost a necessity. Your arms will get very sore hauling in northern pike in excess of 50 inches (127 cm). Radical Red River Just 30 kilometres away from Winnipeg, fishing records are being smashed on a regular basis along the Red River. The action starts at Lockport's massive St. Andrew's Lock and Dam and carries on to the mouth of Lake Winnipeg. Anglers, both along the shoreline and in boats, see steady action plucking out walleye, sauger, yellow perch and freshwater drum. But really, this is catfish country. In fact, Canada's largest channel cats call this stretch home. Be prepared to hang on tight and hold on for a long fight when that big fish grabs your hook. Tundra tracking Manitoba's iconic polar bears share habitats with some other pretty impressive species. Visiting the north in summer puts you in touch with beluga whales—literally in touch. Don a wetsuit and swim with these cute and curious mammals in the icy water of the Churchill River and Hudson Bay. A trip to Manitoba's sub-arctic landscape will also likely yield sightings of red and Arctic foxes, moose and wolves, but it's the caribou that will take your breath away. Manitoba is home to the Beverly and Qamanirjuaq herds of central Canadian barren-ground caribou. Estimated at between 400,000 and 500,000 animals strong, this herd moves from Manitoba to Nunavut and back again during migration. Of course there's always an opportunity for a quick side trip up the Churchill River to cast for some sea-run brook trout, Arctic grayling and maybe even an Arctic char. Head for the mountain For immersion into Manitoba's boreal forest landscape, head for Riding Mountain National Park. Amid the black spruces and deep, clear lakes, wildlife abounds. On the road to Lake Audy to see the resident bison herd, don't be too surprised to see a bull moose step out of the bush, a couple of whitetail bucks jump across the road or a curious fox poke his head out of the trees. In the meadows, watch for bears and members of the elk herd prancing across the tall grass. An astonishing 1,900 lakes dot the park, along with hundreds of streams and wetlands. In Clear Lake, you'll find northern pike, walleye, perch and whitefish. At least half a dozen roadside lakes provide excellent northern pike action too. For brook trout fishing on the fly, try McKinnon or Scott creeks. Fun without fish Oak Hammock Marsh (oakhammockmarsh.ca) boasts over 20 square kilometres of open marsh. There's no better place in the province to get up close and personal with birds and mammals that call wetlands home. Spring and fall migrations are not to be missed, as tens of thousands of waterfowl pass overhead and settle into the rushes and cattails. Inside Spruce Woods Provincial Park hides the weirdly wonderful Spirit Sands, the province's desert-like landscape. The self-guiding trail takes hikers through shifting sands dotted with sparse vegetation and to the Devil's Punch Bowl, a deep depression with a pool at the bottom filled with blue-green water. Keep your eyes peeled for the northern prairie skink! wetsuit and swim with these cute and curious mammals in BY SHEL ZOLKEWICH THE BUCKET LIST Manitoba's iconic polar bears share habitats with some other pretty impressive species. Visiting the north in summer puts you in touch with beluga whales—literally in touch. Don a wetsuit and swim with these cute and curious mammals in the icy water of the Churchill River and Hudson Bay. A trip to Manitoba's sub-arctic landscape will also likely yield An astonishing 1,900 lakes dot the park, along with hundreds of streams and wetlands. In Clear Lake, you'll find northern pike, walleye, perch and whitefish. At least half a dozen Manitoba's iconic polar bears share habitats with some other pretty impressive species. Visiting the north in summer puts you in touch with beluga whales—literally in touch. Don a wetsuit and swim with these cute and curious mammals in FOR THE TRIP OF A LIFETIME, HOP ON A PLANE AND HEAD NORTH. IN A FEW HOURS, YOU'LL TOUCH DOWN INTO SOME OF THE MOST PRISTINE WILDERNESS THAT CANADA HAS TO OFFER.

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