Lake Minnewanka!!

[Blairh]

So I know this is a bit early but I've always wanted to fish minnewanka and I've got a few questions for the experts on that lake! First off will I be ok with 20lb braid and a pflueger patriarch 9540X? Second is it safe to be out there on a small pontoon boat with a trolling motor if one sticks close to shore? and of course what works out there? I wanna get all set up so I can hit it as soon as it opens for the season!

Thanks,

Blair

[wildcat111]

stick close to the shore around the boat launch, go out any further and your as good as dead if the wind picks up, also the water is super cold, take a 8 weight fly rod, and fish midges and nymphs about a ft or 2 off the bottom, early season the fish are in around 20 ft of water. i see them cruising the shore line all the time, well until the end of june good luck.

[Kokanee9]

The wind has a habit of picking up in the afternoon after the sun has warmed the rock faces of the mountains surrounding it. Morning is usually calm and also towards late afternoon / early evening is calm again.

[thumper]

With a good set of neoprenes to keep you warm, you'll be fine. Stick to the west shore and pack a light pair of runners. If one of Minnewanka's famous quick storms blow in - you can beach the pontoon boat, stash it for a later retrieval, and easily hike the trail back to the parking lot.

[Safety D]

YOu need to be dialed in to get fish on this lake. My brother lives in Banff runs one of the nicest fishing boats out there and struggles some days to catch fish. Ive had a lot of dead days out there but have seen 15 to 20 pounders come in

[BeeGuy]

took the canoe out there a couple times.

safety is a serious issue and you need to be prepared for all eventualities.

do not stray too far out

[tight line]

Went out in the pontoon last spring, calm in the morning i rowed a couple km up, wind came up in the afternoon, 3-4 foot waves! Lol pretty sketchy trip back, but made it fine, not like you are going to sink... Stay close to shore just in case. Marked probably 50 fish on the sonar. one hit, they would come in and just look at it, 10-12 boats out, all close to me, didn't see any landed... Make sure you are well insulated and good life jacket, wont last long in that water!

[tight line]

And make sure all your tackle is Lead Free! As it is prohibited in the Parks.

[Lornce]

And make sure all your tackle is Lead Free! As it is prohibited in the Parks.

That is a big one if you are checked. I have a separate box for the parks, too easy to forget.

[Blairh]

Yea I wonder if the cold lake specials are lead free, I have a feeling they would work great out there from a pontoon!

[tight line]

Yea I wonder if the cold lake specials are lead free, I have a feeling they would work great out there from a pontoon!

No they aren't... And they wouldn't touch them last spring...picky buggers

[Mudslide]

I bought some Sherry Bomb tube jigs from Jackfish Lures to use at Mini because they are lead free. Great people to deal with.
69117

[Blairh]

No they aren't... And they wouldn't touch them last spring...picky buggers

hmm guess I'll be trolling then

[catchandeat]

took the canoe out there a couple times.

safety is a serious issue and you need to be prepared for all eventualities.

do not stray too far out

Did you catch any monster whites? I hear there's some pretty big ones in there. Would love to get out early in may when the lakers are still fairly shallow and maybe try for some whites too.

Also, you can use lead tackle, but it just has to be over 50 grams in weight.
http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/pn-np/ab/banff/activ/peche-fishing/visit14a.aspx

[thumper]

^^^
Check out those regs you linked to!
Minnewanka doesn't open until the May long weekend!

[EZM]

Minnewanka is no lake for small boats and I've had the misfortune of seeing the results of people who were too far out and not prepared for a calm day to turn into 4-5ft white caps in 5 minutes.

It is a beautiful lake and there are some big Lakers in there - but they are not as plentiful as you would think they are.

[catchandeat]

^^^
Check out those regs you linked to!
Minnewanka doesn't open until the May long weekend!

By early in May I meant May long or the week after, should have worded it better, sorry for the confusion!

[thumper]

Small boats are fine on Minnewanka - it's long, but skinny - you're never far from shore - if the weather gets real bad you can always beach quickly. The rental docks have been renting 16 foot tinnies with 8 or 9.9 hp outboards for as long as I can remember, (often to inexperienced tourists) and haven't lost anyone yet. My 14' tinny with an 8 hp Honda is all you need, as long as you keep an eye to the weather, use a little caution and some common sense. Nowadays I use a 12' kayak on Minnewanka without concern (and I'm officially a fat old phart retired guy! )

Yes, I've seen the odd person have a harrowing experience there - like anywhere people mix with water, but the drive out on the highway is far more dangerous!

It's a great lake, fantastic scenery, with great fishing, easily accessible from Alberta's largest city. Use common sense, but don't let the safety-nannies keep you home watching other people fish on the TV !

[BeeGuy]

Small boats are fine on Minnewanka - it's long, but skinny - you're never far from shore - if the weather gets real bad you can always beach quickly. The rental docks have been renting 16 foot tinnies with 8 or 9.9 hp outboards for as long as I can remember, (often to inexperienced tourists) and haven't lost anyone yet. My 14' tinny with an 8 hp Honda is all you need, as long as you keep an eye to the weather, use a little caution and some common sense. Nowadays I use a 12' kayak on Minnewanka without concern (and I'm officially a fat old phart retired guy! )

Yes, I've seen the odd person have a harrowing experience there - like anywhere people mix with water, but the drive out on the highway is far more dangerous!

It's a great lake, fantastic scenery, with great fishing, easily accessible from Alberta's largest city. Use common sense, but don't let the safety-nannies keep you home watching other people fish on the TV !

This is where your advice is going to back fire

[kgb33]

Im hoping to get on there this year . Have a decent sized Aluminum boat 19ft , Lost a real biggie at the net last May , Just stocking up on Jigs now . I love fishing that lake .

[Blairh]

Im hoping to get on there this year . Have a decent sized Aluminum boat 19ft , Lost a real biggie at the net last May , Just stocking up on Jigs now . I love fishing that lake .

If you ever need a fishing partner out there I'm in!

[fish gunner]

hmm guess I'll be trolling then

My feelings precisely , cover water, find wind driven feed lines and try to find surface temp variance fish key on. Then bring large presentations to the fish. Boards to excite flee response hits. Just thinking out loud I have never fished the lake but that's how I plan to pattern the fish.

[WalleyeDeitz]

69169

Not sure how to attached pictures, trying this out. Caught this hog there on sunny day. First time there, mid summer, trolling with down riggers. 5 mins in, caught a five pounder, 10 minutes later, caught this ~24 lber, fished the rest of the day and 2 more trips wihtout a sniff. Amazing scenory and on my list of lakes to actually figure out someday. Gonna hit her hard this summer hopefully. I got both of mine, trolling half wave lures around 60'-80'.

[WalleyeDeitz]

And forgot to mention, the wind does come up quick, and in my 17" lund with 115 hp, it got pretty exciting, however I absolutely love it when things get hairy....makes for a better experience. If the passengers are yelling to slow down and have a look of terror on their face, well then I usually have a smile on mine. If you have some boating experience, you can ride it out no problem. One time, a bathroom break on shore for a female passenger, was a little more excitement than I wanted as its tough to beach at this lake in a storm. That said, this is one lake I personally wouldnt be pontooning in, mainly due to the water temp. If you flip or sink for whatever reason, it might be tough to make it to shore. We almost got ran once by a fellow that had rented a tinner and obviously was having a difficult time trying to figure out which way to turn the motor to make the boat turn. In a pontoon, I would have been very scared, but then I do not have a pontoon so I dont have that level of comfort. Stay close to boat launch is all I would recommend.

[TROLLER]

By early in May I meant May long or the week after, should have worded it better, sorry for the confusion!

Minnewonka typically opens on May 15 and closes on Labour Day.

I agree with everyone here. Not a lake to be wandering too far from the boat dock on a pontoon. I have seen all the tins out on rental and it is just a matter of time before one of them goes for a swim.

Thought I was gonna have to trow one a line or two last year when the wind came up, that and all the debris that was floating early on makes for a at times dangerous lake.

Great to see someone catching on down riggers in the summer. Might have to give it a try. I usually fish it 3 4 times a week till end June then move on to other lakes once the lakers go deep.

If you do go out in your tin be mindful of the wind, when it comes up it does in a hurry and you do not want to be too far down the lake, makes for a very uncomfortable and harried ride I am sure.

[kgb33]

If you ever need a fishing partner out there I'm in!


Well Im often without a fishing buddy on a Saturday , Might take you up on that !

[EZM]

Troll a Dodger and white tiger shrimp hoochie (slow ) on a long lead or run a Dodger / wobbler (moderate speed).

I've also had some success on a rainbow/silver pattern 3" Apex.

Jig a 2oz (min legal size for lead) white tube or bucktail.


Braid is fine but finish the end with a fluorocarbon leader (from the dodger back) or about 6-8 above on a swivel on your jig.

[thumper]

Be sure to continually 'zig-zag' when trolling. Most hits at Minnie happen when your lure is coming out of an inside 'zig' - coming out of a slow, sinking flutter and picking up speed while rising.
If you just troll straight, the fish will follow like a dog on a leash, but not hit nearly as much. My go-to there is a 3" apex.

[tight line]

And by small... 6 footer? in 3-4 whitecaps On my 9 foot fishcat, i wasn't really worried.

[Blairh]

And by small... 6 footer? in 3-4 whitecaps On my 9 foot fishcat, i wasn't really worried.

Probably almost as safe in a pontoon, just ride the waves.