Footprint Outing

Footprint Lake, Grand Rapids, Thursday June 6 to Sunday June 10, 2024

  • Registration deadline May 6, 2024
  • Host
    • Name: Gerald Konrad
    • Ph/text number: 204-479-4126
    • Email: gkonrad2@gmail.com        
  • Cell phone coverage is spotty.  There is a decent signal about ½ km south of the turnoff to the lake.  Depending on cloud cover, sometimes there is a signal at the south end of the lake.  The lodges will get a signal periodically but it is not reliable without a booster.  They have wifi but service can be spotty. 
  • Directions
    About 420 km north of Winnipeg up Hwy 6, 14 miles (5 min) north of Grand Rapids, turn left off the Hwy at a dirt road (there's a sign on the right but sometimes it's knocked over.)
  • Accommodations
    • Some members camp at the boat launch, no bathrooms and lots of mosquitoes so be prepared.
    • Moaks Lodge, Cooks Cabins and Campground, and Hobbs Resort are located on nearby Cedar Lake.  For the Fall outing, the club reserves cabins at Moaks.  Bring your own sleeping bag and pillow.  Linen is provided at Cooks and Hobbs. You'll need to make your own reservations for the Spring outing.  Often this is done as small groups of 4 or more.  All the resorts have very nice cabins, or you can reserve a campsite.  Should make reservations at least 6 months ahead.
    • Cooks-cabins are $260/night for up to 6 people though there is also a rustic cabin for $160/night for up to 4 people, campsites are $30 to $40/night, info at https://www.cookscampgroundandcabins.com/
    • Hobbs-cabins are $150/night for up to 4 people (2 BR) or $250/night for up to 5 people (3 BR), campsites are $30-$40/night, info at https://hobbsresort.ca/
    • Moaks-Cabins are $40/night per person with a minimum of $150 or $200 depending on the cabin, campsites are $40/night.  Info at http://www.moaklodge.ca/Site/Welcome.html
  • Boating Equipment needed
    • This is a large lake oriented north/south.  High winds from those directions reduce the fishing area.  A very strong west wind can make launching challenging.
    • Gas motors are allowed.
    • Great for float tubing and small watercraft.  If float tubing, plan on fishing one end, north or south.  It would be a big job to fish the entire lake in a day.  If winds are strong from the north you could launch float tubes at the north end from the highway.
    • Boat launch is pretty good, but need to launch at an angle to find deep enough water.  No bathrooms.
    • Boats can be left overnight near the launch if members are camping there. 
  • What to bring
    • There is minimal shopping available in Grand Rapids, best to bring everything you need.
    • Cabins have all the necessary cooking stuff, coffee maker, and BBQ.
    • Bring breakfast stuff, especially coffee for filtered coffee maker.  Cerial, milk, eggs, bacon, etc.  
    • Lunches.  Sandwich stuff, fruit.  Lunch containers to put it in.
    • Dinners.  Costco prepared dinners are great.  We usually split it up with one person in charge of each dinner for the group in the cabin.
    • Favourite alcoholic beverages and snacks
    • Warm clothes and rain gear
    • Towel and bedding depending on lodge policy
    • Sunglasses, sunscreen
    • You might need cash to pay for the lodging
  • Fishing Info
    • Stocked with browns, rainbows, brookies, and tigers
    • Gear-6 to 8 weight rods are perfect
    • Lines-floating, sink tips, and sinking III-VI all come in handy
    • Flies-wooly buggers, rolled muddlers, DDH leeches, egg sucking leeches, chironomids, mouse patterns have all worked well
    • Common strategies are to troll the edges. Sometimes a slow presentation is the only method that works. You will need a good anchoring system to keep you anchored to fish the reed line or retrieve from deeper water.
    • The are some shoal areas (often referred to as springs) where fish congregate.
  • Contest Rules
    • Must be MFFA member
    • Time period: Noon Thursday June 6 to noon Sunday June 9
    • Prize: $50 gift card for Fishing Hole
    • Largest fish prize: Longest fish any trout species – ties broken by second longest fish.
    • Novice prize: Longest fish caught by a novice as defined by an MFFA member of 2 years or less who has not previously won an outing prize. If no fish qualifies then all novices will be entered in a draw for the prize.
    • One prize per person. E.g. If novice has the largest fish, the next prize goes to next largest fish.
    • If no novice is present only one prize will be given for largest fish.
    • As per common fishing competition rules, all caught fish must be released to be eligible for prizes.
  • Fishing Regulations
    • Practice good catch and release methods.
    • Footprint is host to an invasive species (spiny waterflea) so it is a restricted lake. This means that all watercraft need to be cleaned.  There is usually a mandatory cleaning station at either Grand Rapids or north of Eriksdale at the junction of Hwys 6 & 68.
    • Possession limit is 3 trout. One may exceed 45 cm (17.7 in).  None may exceed 60 cm (23.6 in).
    • While respecting the right for members to harvest fish within regulations, the MFFA encourages release of trophy-sized fish for others to enjoy.

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