Kananaskis BullTrout

[crownroyalrage]

Would like to ice fish for bull trout on one of the kananaskis lakes. Do I fish on the lower lake and where? I have never fished here before and do not know what to use for the bull trout. Anyone have any tips? Also do i have to walk far?

[tchow]

You're best bet would be to fish the Lower. Start off around 20 ft and work your way out to 60' ft. Use of Electronics will be helpful. Spoons, Zingers, Jigging Raps, Buzz Bombs, Jigs with White Bodies, ect. As you see, an assortment will catch them. Work your lure 6-12" off bottom and drop on a tight line, as sometimes they'll hit it on the way down.
We usually get on by the Power Plant. Watch for thin Ice at that end as occasionally there is open water whenever they open the Gates.
This is a Bait Ban, C&R for Bullies and regularily patrolled by CO. There are some but not many Big Bows also, which one can keep.
Hope this helps, good luck

[duffy4]

Just a comment. I have always wondered what the mortality rate is for released fish while ice fishing. It seems to me it may be higher than during open water fishing. Therefore I tend to steer clear of C&R fisheries when ice fishing.

Robin in Rocky

[Lethalconnection]

Just a comment. I have always wondered what the mortality rate is for released fish while ice fishing. It seems to me it may be higher than during open water fishing. Therefore I tend to steer clear of C&R fisheries when ice fishing.

Robin in Rocky

Just curious as to why u think the mortality rate would be higher with hard water?

[KyleM]

Less O2 in the water, -30 windburn isnt exactly good for fish (eyes freeze over).....during winter fish go into a dormant stage, some do it more then others -example...bass basically hibernate and generally dont feed while pike will grab a deadbait. Catching a big fish through the ice and releasing it has basically just wasted a ton of its energy..........they put on the feedbag in the fall for a reason!

Pretty tough to revive a big fish down a 6 inch hole after its been out of the water for a few min (not to mention fighting it for 10 min)

[Kyle]

Less O2 in the water, -30 windburn isnt exactly good for fish (eyes freeze over).....during winter fish go into a dormant stage, some do it more then others -example...bass basically hibernate and generally dont feed while pike will grab a deadbait. Catching a big fish through the ice and releasing it has basically just wasted a ton of its energy..........they put on the feedbag in the fall for a reason!

Pretty tough to revive a big trout down a 6 inch hole after its been out of the water for a few min (not to mention fighting it for 10 min)

Anybody who fishes in -30 for c&r trout without a heated shack is stupid, plain and simple. This will obviously(as mentioned) freeze there eyes over and not worth the risk of harming a fish whatsoever. These are the same people who would flip that same fish into there boat in the summer and let it flop around for 1 minute.

Some fish do go into a dormant stage, such as bass(none out here) but pike and trout are still very active under the ice. I have had bull trout from the kananaskis lakes rush up 20 feet from bottom(can see em on my flasher) to nail my hook as I am dropping it. This is a sign to me that they are not dormant.

I really dont see how the size of hole you use could be that big of a deal for reviving fish, just put em in hole and let em get the life back into em. Of course for big trout and big pike you obviously want a 10 inch hole(I always use). Why does somebody need to have a fish out of the water for a few minutes? I have taken a few pictures and measured fish in less than 30 seconds, and immediately they bolt off.

Anybody who takes 10 minutes to fight a fish, obviously isnt properly equipped to be fighting that fish. Maybe if your fishing walleye and you hook a big pike, or such cases like that. But in reality if it takes you 10 minutes to bring a trout up, you obviously need to step up your choice in line and rod/reel.

Just a few simple steps to ensure that hardwater angling isnt anymore harmful than open water.
P.S. Be VERY careful going on the ice at the powerplant(lower k), there was some very wet spots along the shoreline a few weeks ago, and by now it has most likely drifted over from snow.

[jrs]

I would think mortality increases in the winter due to the simple fact everyone uses bait. As soon as you throw some bait on your lure you are increasing mortality, fish are more likely to inhale it deep (even if it doesn't make it to the gills it can cause major bleeding along the way).
Luckily in the winter waters cold, many lakes (such as Kananaskis) will have lots of Oxygen and metabolic rates of the fish (how much energy a fish needs to operate) will be low. Very few fish in Alberta grow during the winter so not much energy is needed (big burbot excluded).

Edit- sorry, too much off topic, don't want to cause a hijack.

But i have never had much luck at kananaskis, tried by the power plant last time with limited success, was too busy that weekend as well which was a factor.

[crownroyalrage]

Thanks T. Chow.

[Buck Krazy]

Just a thought, would there not be more oxygen in colder water?? 90% of the fish I release are gone like a flash! Catching fish out of fairly warm water would be more harmful I would think.

[jrs]

"Just a thought, would there not be more oxygen in colder water?? 90% of the fish I release are gone like a flash! Catching fish out of fairly warm water would be more harmful I would think."

You're dead on. The only exception is overly productive lakes where the weeds decompose over the winter and lead to extremely low oxygen levels.

[KyleM]

As I said, some feed more then others during the winter.
The fact is that they still feed much less and if you are involved in a lengthy fight due to not being prepared, its takes much of their stored energy.

You sure theres more O2 in the water then when the ice is gone?
The only way this would be is if the ice had a large melt off...all the O2 stored in the snow/ice returns to the water.
The reason they take off in a big hurry is because fish are fairly hardy in cold water and do not require much of the O2 (they still need it)......

Damnit, gotta take the wife to work.

Good topic though!

[The Elkster]

Most trout are cold water fish and do better when in cold water and that is why they are active and biting in winter most times much more so than summer. It is well documented that trout suffer more in warm weather conditions. They are just not built for it and can not handle being stressed in that environment so in reality C&R flyfising in the middle of summer is likely to have as much mortality as winter time (even with bait). I get kind sick of hearing some of the assumptions that are made regarding some of this stuff. Yup everyone who is fishing in winter is using bait and letting the fish flop in the snow for several minutes and out in the constant -30C weather that we have throughout the winter. I mean gimme a break :rolleye2: First off there are few people that are fishing wide open to the exposed cold the rare time we actually hit -20 to -30 during the day. I icefish often and few days in central and southern AB are below -10C and keeping a fish out of water for the req. 10 or 20 seconds is not enough time to have things freezing up (no not every icefisherman is a goon that keeps the fish flopping around for minutes on end. I dare say the majority of C&R icefishermen are experienced fishermen and responsible regardless of how some like to paint them as bait chuckin' rednek slobs). Even with exposure to -20 to -30 the fish don't freeze instantly. It is very easy to pull it up take the hook out and have it back in the water in 10-20 seconds during which time the eyes are not frozen and gills are not frosted icicles. A couple of minutes sure but how many C&R fisherman are keeping fish out of the water for that long?

I winter fish all the time and the assumption that bait is always used or must be used is bunk. You can catch trout just as easily with flies and jigs as with bait if you know what to key in on. The bull trout waters subject here are "no bait" lakes making the bait argument even more mute. That being said I don't agree that bait is a always worst for the fish anyways. If proper attention is used when fishing bait and the right hook setup is chosen it can be applied with little added harm to the fish. But with the bias that surrounds bait today the worst case scenario is always used when debating the pros and cons same as with the treatment of fish. Funny enough some of the worst mortality issues I've had is with big baitless jigs and streamer flies and that goes for both salt and fresh. Smaller fish would catch it through the eyes and other vitals.

Just another two cents.
Cheers

[KyleM]

I replied to a post about fish in general, not bull trout.
Im a C&R fisherman and I was only pointing out why it could be worse in the winter.....I also use bait quite often.

Im not against the hardwater season, I go out from time to time and release all of my catch.

I guess I should just say that IMO its harder on the fish during the winter months then during the spring, summer and fall.

[The Elkster]

Didn't intend my comments to be directed at anyone in particular Kyle. I just get worried about how many things that are stated on the internet become "fact" without having to stand up to any real scientific scrutiny. Just seems that anything that kinda sounds like it makes sense is good enough to assume as fact for most people. I find it kind of worrying and tend to speak up to show things are not always what they seem. My biggest worry is that we start allowing policies to be based on that level of scrutiny or lack thereof. I'm sure continual budget cuts won't help to prevent that. What option do we have if there is no money for studies eh :(

[duffy4]

Elkster said
"C&R flyfising in the middle of summer is likely to have as much mortality as winter time (even with bait). I get kind sick of hearing some of the assumptions that are made regarding some of this stuff. "

Sounds like an assumption.


Then said
"I just get worried about how many things that are stated on the internet become "fact" without having to stand up to any real scientific scrutiny. Just seems that anything that kinda sounds like it makes sense is good enough to assume as fact for most people."

I agree with your second post, until there is reasonable scientific proof that mortality is effected by the time of year and conditions of the angling (ice on or ice off, air temp, time out of water etc.) then we can just make assumptions. And not regulations based on them.

You always have to look at what the majority of anglers are doing, not just the small percentage of very experienced and capable anglers. Meaning that maybe a percentage play the fish in fast and handle it gentely and fast and release it in really good shape with a high survival rate. But then how many play the heck out of the fish then drag it up onto the ice and let it flop around in ice and snow and squeese it while they struggle to get the hook out, measure and take pics and show it off to the buddy in his fishin shed, then drop it down the hole

Sounds like you and I hope most of the members on this board are in the first group.

Robin in Rocky

[KyleM]

I dont doubt that the members here are in that first group.
To join a board like this usually means your seriously into the outdoors.

Its obvious to tell "whos who" when you venture out on the ice.
Id say the people who care for conservation are far out numbered by
the idiots.

Usually you can just take a look around a hut and know what kinda person is inside. Trash everywhere, cig buts, beer cans.........all going to the bottom of the lake in the spring. I dont mean to generalize (but I will)...most of those guys are the ones with fish flopping on the ice/floor for 5 min while they get pictures and give eachother highfives over the trout they just caught.

Thats another pet peeve, slobs on the ice.
Clean your mess up you pigs!