The 2025 Manitoba Anglers Guide is now available, and Portage la Prairie anglers will notice significant updates, including increased fines aimed at safeguarding the province’s waterways and fish populations.
Tylor Duncan, manager of MacDonald’s Sporting Goods, voiced strong support for the changes, emphasizing their role in preserving local fisheries for future generations.
“Stiffer penalties aren’t a bad thing - they’re about protecting the future,” Duncan says. “If we take too many fish now, we might not have fishing here in 20 years. It’s all about keeping our environment healthy so our kids and grandkids can enjoy it too.”
Fines have risen sharply compared to 2024, reflecting updates to Canada’s Contraventions Act.
Notable increases include:
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$390 for exceeding catch limits (up $288)
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$220 for using barbed hooks or leaving a line unattended (up $168 each)
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$433 for possession of cray fish or bringing live bait into Manitoba (up $331 and $231, respectively)
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$1,296 for possession of invasive species like zebra mussels
Duncan highlighted over-limit fishing as a critical issue.
“If someone’s keeping 10-15 pickerel instead of the legal limit of four, that’s a problem. It hurts the population, and a lot goes to waste,” he says, referencing Lake Manitoba’s revitalized walleye and perch stocks. “We want to avoid a future where seasons get shut down or limits drop to zero.”
With open-water season approaching, MacDonald’s Sporting Goods is stocking up on gear to meet rising demand. Ice fishing’s growing popularity - showcased recently by PCI's involvement and success in a multi-school ice-fishing competition - has already boosted local enthusiasm.
“Fishing here’s been good,” Duncan notes. “When people catch more, it draws more folks to the sport.”
Duncan also urged anglers to prioritize sustainability: “Clean up after yourself and follow the rules."
Licensing Details:
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2025 licenses are available online and at vendors like MacDonald’s Sporting Goods.
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Valid from May 1, 2025 (2024 licenses expire April 30).
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Required for all anglers in Manitoba unless exempt or fishing in federal parks.
For the full 2025 Anglers Guide, visit www.gov.mb.ca.