Lesser Slave, Hilliard's Bay area fishing

[boonerkiller]

Hey Folks, going up to Hilliard's Bay for the first time Aug.8, what setups are working? Anything special to do or just get out and jig with minows?

[dfrobert]

A lot of the fish will be on the deep structure by then. We have always fished east end or spruce point later in summer. Have had good luck jigging minnows and leeches over deep structure, and pulling spinner rigs behind bottom bouncers. There’s some good depth charts of slave lake online. And watch the weather that lake can blow up real fast!

[PlayDoh]

I’ve been considering a trip there also, yet never been and wondering which end I should go to.
The east end by Dog Island looks like the go to honey hole, and might be the better choice for a first visit.
Yet Hillards bay campground looks nicer and has a boat launch? And by looking on Google Earth it doesn’t look like Marten river campground has a launch?
I’m sure there’s places all over the lake, but I highly doubt anyone really launches on one end and boats to the other. I’d guess it would take 10 gallons in gas in a round trip.
I took a look on ifish and seen the public hotspots. By the point just west of Hillard’s, south/west from Joussard to Spruce point, and south/east Dog Island and up along the east shore.
Any advice as to where to camp, and or launch would be appreciated. Maybe camp at Hillards and drive to the South East end to launch? Yet that sounds like a lot of driving. Or Hillards and trust there’s enough to catch without years of experience there?
Also is the launch at Hillards the one that’s a short drive north east of the campground?

[Camdec]

Originally Posted by PlayDoh

I’ve been considering a trip there also, yet never been and wondering which end I should go to.
The east end by Dog Island looks like the go to honey hole, and might be the better choice for a first visit.
Yet Hillards bay campground looks nicer and has a boat launch? And by looking on Google Earth it doesn’t look like Marten river campground has a launch?
I’m sure there’s places all over the lake, but I highly doubt anyone really launches on one end and boats to the other. I’d guess it would take 10 gallons in gas in a round trip.
I took a look on ifish and seen the public hotspots. By the point just west of Hillard’s, south/west from Joussard to Spruce point, and south/east Dog Island and up along the east shore.
Any advice as to where to camp, and or launch would be appreciated. Maybe camp at Hillards and drive to the South East end to launch? Yet that sounds like a lot of driving. Or Hillards and trust there’s enough to catch without years of experience there?
Also is the launch at Hillards the one that’s a short drive north east of the campground?

Hilliards is a very nice campground. Big mature trees. Nice private sites. Has always been one of my favourites. Yes, the launch is about 1 km east of the campground area. Most people fish to the east of cutbank about 4 or 5milrs away (cutbank). Drops from 8 to 30 ft. Bottom bouncers with leaches/works are my favourite this time of year, but good luck with jigging minnows as well. It’s not as crazy hot as in June, but generally the fishing is always good. Predominantly west winds shelter the launch but be careful if the east winds as loading your boat can be a nightmare. Waves can pick up on Slave in a relatively short time period.

[walleyechaser]

Originally Posted by boonerkiller

Hey Folks, going up to Hilliard's Bay for the first time Aug.8, what setups are working? Anything special to do or just get out and jig with minows?

First find the fish. If you want to jig you can follow the boats, not necessarily a good idea. If you can I would troll, either slow death with crawler or plastics, or blades with a crawler or plastic or pull crank baits. Shad raps in 5, 7, flicker shades and minnows in larger sizes. I like 11cm minnow. Colours: mouse coloured flickers are great. Fire tiger or anything with purple.

If you want the most fun way to catch them that proved extremely effective pick up a few shiver minnows jigging rapala and rippin raps. The clown colour shiver minnow in size 2 and 3 was a hit. Pitch them out and work them back to the boat.

As for jigging: lightest jig you feel comfortable with in orange, black, chartreuse or silver and black. Those jigs with the little willow leaf blade hanging on them worked well.

Minnows, leeches and crawlers all worked, but I prefer artificial.

Good luck

[PlayDoh]

Originally Posted by Camdec

Hilliards is a very nice campground. Big mature trees. Nice private sites. Has always been one of my favourites. Yes, the launch is about 1 km east of the campground area. Most people fish to the east of cutbank about 4 or 5milrs away (cutbank). Drops from 8 to 30 ft. Bottom bouncers with leaches/works are my favourite this time of year, but good luck with jigging minnows as well. It’s not as crazy hot as in June, but generally the fishing is always good. Predominantly west winds shelter the launch but be careful if the east winds as loading your boat can be a nightmare. Waves can pick up on Slave in a relatively short time period.

Thanks bud. I was doing the math last night and it’d take $600 in gas just to get there and back, so not sure I’ll make it up there this year. I just went camping for 2 weeks so the ‘fun funds’ aren’t enough to go that far.

Much appreciated though.

[walleyechaser]

Originally Posted by PlayDoh

Thanks bud. I was doing the math last night and it’d take $600 in gas just to get there and back, so not sure I’ll make it up there this year. I just went camping for 2 weeks so the ‘fun funds’ aren’t enough to go that far.

Much appreciated though.

Gas was by far our biggest expense this year. Adding 25% to your yearly camping trip is just rude eh

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[boonerkiller]

Thanks for the tips.