Spray Lake Report

[Gslice]

Went to visit the beautiful Spray scenery on Wednesday. Really low water levels but the boat launch was still usable (not that I needed one with my inflatable). Low clouds and lots of rain. Saw about 5 boats all day.

Last year, the one time I went to Spray, I made the mistake of not having a long enough anchor. This year, I went to buy more rope just for this occasion, but when I got there, I realized I forgot the smelt in the fridge... I tried jigging an empty buzzbomb in ~80FOW with no luck so I switched gears and targeted whitefish. Slayed 3 legal ones right before the rain hit and that was it. Packed up at 1PM.

http://i1372.photobucket.com/albums/ag353/Gslice1/GOPR0197_zpsb66a0991.jpg

http://i1372.photobucket.com/albums/ag353/Gslice1/GOPR0199_zps5d786f7e.jpg

http://i1372.photobucket.com/albums/ag353/Gslice1/GOPR0207_zpsc012c4ce.jpg

http://i1372.photobucket.com/albums/ag353/Gslice1/Presentation1_zps16bcfb52.png

On my way home, decided to hit up my favorite spot on the bow. Caught a nice cutthroat and a slightly bigger rainbow.

http://i1372.photobucket.com/albums/ag353/Gslice1/GOPR0225_zpsc8de2c5d.jpg

http://i1372.photobucket.com/albums/ag353/Gslice1/GOPR0227_zps2849c160.jpg

http://i1372.photobucket.com/albums/ag353/Gslice1/GOPR0241_zpsba4c772c.jpg

rainbow
http://i1372.photobucket.com/albums/ag353/Gslice1/GOPR0236_zps8ef8116e.jpg

All in all, a pretty productive day despite not catching any lakers... Maybe next time :ashamed:

[spinN'flyfish]

nice fishes, surprised why you could'nt get any lakers....... probably because they felt like smelts not buzz bombs, and was it raining on the river, you said rivers and rain isn't good on another post.

[Gslice]

It was raining in spray, but I'm not sure if it was raining or not in Calgary. Even spray stopped raining by the time I left. As you can see, it was quite sunny when I got back. Water was extremely murky though...

Before the flood, I was able to hammer small/medium sized trout nonstop on a good day, but for my Wed. trip, I only managed the 2 in 2 hours. I would still say it's slower than usual after a rain (if it did rain in Calgary). Otherwise, I would blame it on the poor visibility due to run-offs.

[spinN'flyfish]

okay i kind of get it..... by the way i think your cutty there was a rare one, randomly swimming into the bow..... and what did you use for the whitefish for they do not seem too common in spray as spoken by others

[jacenbeers]

okay i kind of get it..... by the way i think your cutty there was a rare one, randomly swimming into the bow..... and what did you use for the whitefish for they do not seem too common in spray as spoken by others

Spray has tons of whitefish. Probably more than lakers. In fact, there are whitefish in there that are much larger than the average laker you will find in Spray.

[jacenbeers]

It was raining in spray, but I'm not sure if it was raining or not in Calgary. Even spray stopped raining by the time I left. As you can see, it was quite sunny when I got back. Water was extremely murky though...

Before the flood, I was able to hammer small/medium sized trout nonstop on a good day, but for my Wed. trip, I only managed the 2 in 2 hours. I would still say it's slower than usual after a rain (if it did rain in Calgary). Otherwise, I would blame it on the poor visibility due to run-offs.

Well done on a fine day of fishing. I have plans to hit a spot in K Country on Tuesday and might hit Spray near Spurling Creek on the way out. I love that spot.

[spinN'flyfish]

Spray has tons of whitefish. Probably more than lakers. In fact, there are whitefish in there that are much larger than the average laker you will find in Spray.

oh really that's good to know

[Gslice]

okay i kind of get it..... by the way i think your cutty there was a rare one, randomly swimming into the bow..... and what did you use for the whitefish for they do not seem too common in spray as spoken by others

really small suspended wireworm. Worms would probably work too

[spinN'flyfish]

would a nymph work?

[NCFlyfishin]

Nice whites, never seen them from spray

[Flieguy]

would a nymph work?

for whites? yeah! Ice fishing I use bare nymphs and my dad uses maggots on wire worms and he doesn't out fish me. Try near creek inlets.

[spinN'flyfish]

for whites? yeah! Ice fishing I use bare nymphs and my dad uses maggots on wire worms and he doesn't out fish me. Try near creek inlets.

thanks i was just checking if they'd work for lakes

[tight line]

I would say that is a cutt bow. Definately a slash on the jaw, but pretty rainbow looking otherwise! Hard to tell with some! Got me craving some fried RMWs now ! Lol

[Habfan]

You should have cut a fin off the whitefish and put it on a jig for lakers. Or are smelts the only bait allowed. ?

[jacenbeers]

You should have cut a fin off the whitefish and put it on a jig for lakers. Or are smelts the only bait allowed. ?

X2. This works very well.

[spinN'flyfish]

X2. This works very well.

well then i should probaby target rockies first!

[jacenbeers]

well then i should probaby target rockies first!

No just target lakers.

[rybak]

Can you catch whitefish off shore or boat is the only way to over there?

EDIT: Nevermind - found my answer in a different thread...

[jacenbeers]

I was at Spray yesterday after fishing for cutties at Chester Lake. I caught one laker but it was small. I caught a bunch of white fish on maggots but they were all tiny. My biggest was 8 inches. I was surprised because Spray has some big whites.

[BeeGuy]

How big are they?

How many can my family keep?

[jacenbeers]

How big are they?

How many can my family keep?

62 - 72 inches on average. However, the slot size is 80-84 inches. They are on a tagging system only since they are over harvested so you have to apply online to keep any. Also, they can only be caught through spearfishing at night with a headlamp on while out of the water while chumming and culling is encouraged.

[BeeGuy]

62 - 72 inches on average. However, the slot size is 80-84 inches. They are on a tagging system only since they are over harvested so you have to apply online to keep any. Also, they can only be caught through spearfishing at night with a headlamp on while out of the water while chumming and culling is encouraged.

Ya, it's kinda nice not to have to drive up to Abraham Lake to get into whitefish bigger than the average Bow River Inconnu.

I stopped going to Spray because it is such a workout prepping all the gear, swimming over to the good Island, and then trying to drag a legal whitie back up to the Toyota Sienna.

It's just not worth it for 60lbs of meat.

[jacenbeers]

Ya, it's kinda nice not to have to drive up to Abraham Lake to get into whitefish bigger than the average Bow River Inconnu.

I stopped going to Spray because it is such a workout prepping all the gear, swimming over to the good Island, and then trying to drag a legal whitie back up to the Toyota Sienna.

It's just not worth it for 60lbs of meat.

Completely agree wholeheartedly. I get tired of pulling in my gill nets from underneath Centre Street Bridge in downtown Calgary only to find 800 40 lb inconnu. It is not even worth the effort for such a small amount of meat. Abraham lake is definitely the best because the average Rocky Mountain whitefish is bigger than the biggest inconnu from the Bow. Last year I was fly fishing in a kayak on a really choppy day up on Abraham Lake and I caught a 89 lb Rocky on a small Copper John. It dragged me halfway across the lake until I got it close enough to gaff it through the eye. It didnt fight much after that. I chummed the water with ground mackerel for 3 hours in 300 feet of water before this beast showed itself. After smoking it, it tasted gross so I fed it to my dogs.

[XFishOwonderX65]

Those are some nice looking goats.

[ADH]

Those are some nice looking goats.

They're actually sheep...

[dr4ke571]

nice fish!!