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Drewski Canuck
02-10-2013, 07:21 PM
A Good friend, with lots of time on his hands, has been hammering lakers all week and I had to see what it was all about.

Drove to St. Paul leaving at 5 AM. Got to St. Paul about 7ish. Head to Cold Lake, about 2 hours drive. Lake is heavy snow cover, but there was a trail. Knee deep snow easily. Had no reference point as it was snowing pretty good, but eventually started seeing blobs of trucks on various spots.

Got the holes cut and first time ever on Cold Lake, or going for Lakers, dropped the "Special". Action was slow, and it was about a fish an hour for our group. Did manage a nicer one, 68 cm, but not the 10 - 12 pd I had heard about.

Drive back out got real interesting. 40 - 50 km winds and the snow was blowing in the track. I was chained up and made it through easily, but those without chains were fighting to stay on what was left of the trail.

All in all, a good day, but it is getting sketchy with the snow pack and the wind. Drive back was tough as the warm roads melted the first blowing snow, which then froze, and on open stretches you could not see the road for a 1/4 mile at at time.

Most people we talked to raved about how the fishing was days and weeks before. Not knowing a thing about lakers, it gave some confidence. Catching one reinforced it. Apparently this is the best winter at Cold Lake so far. I look forward to the future.

Drewski

Teamprotz
02-11-2013, 06:49 AM
Asking for trouble in conditions like that , on a lake that big , not having gps.

gman1978
02-11-2013, 08:39 AM
How hard is cold lake getting fished this year? I havent been up this year but man I couldnt believe how many people were out fishing last winter. I can only imagine this year.

Rockjockey
02-11-2013, 04:34 PM
Was that not entertaining coming off on Saturday. I had my truck working hard coming off. Should have seen it yesterday morning. I saw a lot of shoveling first thing in the morning.
We caught a total of 5 lakers all weekend. One 11.9, a 9.8, an 8.9 and 2 sixers, not bad for the first time on Cold Lake and first time ice fishing for lakers.
There was a crapload of guys on Saturday not as many Sunday.
Any advice on how to get them to bite when all they seemed to do was chase the hook up the water column.