A little help...

[dean2287]

I started fishing this year, haven't gone since I was a kid but wanted to get my own kids out and interested. I've gotten some advice here and there and read up on technique, equipment etc.

I've been out maybe 5 times now spinning from a boat, Lake McGregor, Pine Coulee, Spray Lakes, Twin Valley. Haven't caught anything. Can't figure out whether it's lack of knowledge or just really bad luck.

I usually use a 4-6 ft flurocarbon leader with a jig and powerbait, or a Rapala minnow, or a 5 of diamonds, with a sinker just before the leader. I cast out, let it get to the bottom, give a couple tugs, wait a bit then reel in slowly.

Just looking for advice please. I don't want the kids to get bored and lose interest in this fine sport.

[Ryanf]

I'll just start with the easiest of these lakes to catch fish in pine coulee. Try different jigs tipped with worm, leach, smelt, minnow (check regs I know in past you couldn't use baitfish think that's changed) smelt not being baitfish. Cast out let jig hit bottom slowly bring in letting jig drag along bottom sloe action given wait for fish. Should have no problem catching walleye after walleye in that lake they are everywhere. Also could try a pickerel rig tipped with above mentioned bait. I sometimes when walleye fishing espespially from boat when using a pickerel rig will use a jig head on the bottom in place of a weight

[fish gunner]

Google solunar charts for your area , they will help let you key in when fish are at there most active. I am a great believer.

[TROLLER]

For sure Pine Coulee is the best for starter's'

Like Ryanf said a jig with a smelt and you are in business. If you are using a boat then fish just outside of casting range from the docks, say 50 to 100 meters. Just let the kids drop the line straight down wait for the bite and away ya go.

If it is real busy just go straight across from the boat launch in the small bay by the culvert . If windy just tuck into any cove like they said there are walleye pretty well all over.

[RavYak]

I haven't fished there but I believe Spray will be the trickiest of those lakes due to the species.

At the others to try and catch pike stay in shallow water near weed beds, that is where they hang out. You will catch them in anywhere from 3-15 feet of water, majority will be in water 8-12 feet right along the weed bed edges. Using lures that go down 3-8 feet will work best. Spoons work great in shallow water(they don't sink much). Jigs will catch some fish but I never have great luck with them. A good lure to try is a rattling rapala RNR07, both pike and walleye like them. There are some other good crankbaits too, they aren't as cheap as jigs or spoons but they work much better imo. I never seem to have great luck with cheap brands and by far have best luck with rapala lures. Not sure if you usually troll or just sit in one spot, if you sit in a spot move often as pike aren't that mobile and usually stay in their own area, if you move or troll you will catch more fish.

For walleye you can catch them the same as above but you usually have to be in 8+ feet of water and they can be found in deeper water(15-20) although you will have to use lures that stay closer to the bottom(walleye will usually only hit something in the bottom half of water column and being within 2 feet of bottom is best). They are also pickier on time of day and you will have your best luck early morning or late afternoon. If you can find a decent drop off or hump or some other form of structure(rocky patch etc) then there will likely be walleye there and using bait is a good option with kids but only if the fish are biting. I would use frozen minnows or live leeches and forget about the powerbait, you can either put them on a jig head, pickerel rig or under a bobber.

Hopefully that helps a little.

[dean2287]

Thanks guys, ya I've heard PC is a no-brainer which kinda stung when I got skunked lol. Walleye are a mandatory release right?

[RavYak]

Thanks guys, ya I've heard PC is a no-brainer which kinda stung when I got skunked lol. Walleye are a mandatory release right?

Yep as well as pretty much everywhere else in AB...

[dean2287]

I'll just start with the easiest of these lakes to catch fish in pine coulee. Try different jigs tipped with worm, leach, smelt, minnow (check regs I know in past you couldn't use baitfish think that's changed) smelt not being baitfish

Are minnows considered baitfish? How about artificial smelt jigs?

[RavYak]

Are minnows considered baitfish? How about artificial smelt jigs?

You need to take a good luck at the regulations. Pages 27 and 28 cover bait fish.

[dean2287]

Right, OK should have looked there...so smelt, herring or eggs can be used where bait fish are prohibited. Got it. :test:

When I was a kid in SK we'd just buy some frozen minnows and hook 'em. Things have gotten more refined over the years.

[TROLLER]

Right, OK should have looked there...so smelt, herring or eggs can be used where bait fish are prohibited. Got it. :test:

When I was a kid in SK we'd just buy some frozen minnows and hook 'em. Things have gotten more refined over the years.

You can buy about 4 pounds of frozen smelt for the price of one can of frozen minnows.

Superstore usually has them as well as Wallmart.

Walleye will also consume night crawlers as well as leaches but smelt is the cheapest.

[norcodh]

Right, OK should have looked there...so smelt, herring or eggs can be used where bait fish are prohibited. Got it. :test:

When I was a kid in SK we'd just buy some frozen minnows and hook 'em. Things have gotten more refined over the years.
Well for the walleye it can still be that simple and with kids simple is the best, find a piece of structure as stated earlier drop anchor hook a frozen minnow on to a jig head try different colors then just vertically drop to bottom then lift off bottom a couple inches/foot hold it there and wait bounce of bottom ever once in awhile if no bites move to a new location. In the summer down south the eyes will generally move a little deeper so when you anchor have the boat in 18-22ft of water - I've had many kids on the boat catch walleye this way just make sure the jig is off bottom so you can feel the bites

Good luck have fun

[scotty99]

Thanks for the input everyone. I too am trying to have some success with a couple of kids who got the fishing bug in the Okanagan this summer.
We've also been blanked at a couple of "sure thing" areas so these tips are very helpful and will give me some more ideas for a next time out.

[Brimo]

They stock Chain Lakes with rainbow trout, i have 7 and 9 year old boys. we go in the summer and winter for ice fishing....a worm on anything shiny works:)

[slamilton]

Never tried a boat at Mcgreggor but always catch a few Pike (occasional Walleye) from the dam with pickeral rig or bobber and smelt. PCR has much more action though.

[lds]

You can buy about 4 pounds of frozen smelt for the price of one can of frozen minnows.

Superstore usually has them as well as Wallmart.

Walleye will also consume night crawlers as well as leaches but smelt is the cheapest.

NOTE: Smelts and herring are of the saltwater families Osmeridae and Clupeidae. Use of the freshwater species cisco (Coregonidae), also called tullibee or lake herring, is prohibited from use as bait.
Grocery store smelts are often freshwater species which I found out after buying them and they are not aloud. Keep that in mind if buying in bulk

[dean2287]

I need to express my heartfelt thanks to all of you for your advice and especially your great attitude toward a newbie. I actually find it a bit intimidating especially in Alberta to be trying to take up fisHing at 46 years of age, as it seems like everyone else that fishes has been doing it forever and has a wealth of experience. Asking for some very basic advice to get started can made you feel a bit foolish. Very glad I joined this forum!

[Rockman]

I just got my girls onto their first fish ever at PCR the other day. Live bait and a simple pickerel rig somewhat hastily tied (size 8 or so hook at the end of the line, heavy weight 10" up, size 4 hook another 12-16" up, both hooks debarbed & baited, the smaller hook at the end with powerbait smeared in fish, the other in regular bait. Caught fish on both hooks.)

Released them all. It was fun!

[Rockman]

Oh, more details (they help me when others post):

We fished off the dock, just cast out a bit and let it sit there, wait. Took awhile to get going (maybe 45mins+), but once it got going it was steady fishing.

[wildwoods]

Read up how to rig a slip bobber with jig and minnow (where allowed). Keep it a foot or so off the bottom for walleye and you'll be too busy unhooking fish for the kids you can't fish yourself.

[TROLLER]

NOTE: Smelts and herring are of the saltwater families Osmeridae and Clupeidae. Use of the freshwater species cisco (Coregonidae), also called tullibee or lake herring, is prohibited from use as bait.
Grocery store smelts are often freshwater species which I found out after buying them and they are not aloud. Keep that in mind if buying in bulk

Maybe you should tell that to the warden next time he checks. Been checked at Spray on more than one occasion and one of the main things they look for is that you are using ;SALT WATER SMELTS. Not considered bait fish.

[dean2287]

Tried Crawling Valley today. Fished from the boat, 8 am to 1 pm.

Skunked. Got some sun at least. I could have cheated and scooped up the dead trout that I saw float by but it looked gross :mad0030:

[norcodh]

Tried Crawling Valley today. Fished from the boat, 8 am to 1 pm.

Skunked. Got some sun at least. I could have cheated and scooped up the dead trout that I saw float by but it looked gross :mad0030:
I've never been to crawling but I don't think that was a trout white fish maybe, anyways how we're you fishing? Did you try jigging, casting, trolling? If your fishing for walleye well trolling google bottom bouncing, pull spinners with a worm, minnow or leech this might be your best bet to locate the eyes. Like I say never been there but most walleye lakes I think the saying goes 90% of fish are in 10% of the lake