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PikeMonkey
12-31-2017, 11:19 PM
Hey guys,

Has anyone been on the ice at spray this year, better if recently? I’m planning on heading out tomorrow with the wife and had a couple questions?
- road conditions? We have a small car and she would really prefer to not get stuck haha

-areas? Was thinking walking a little ways south of sparrowhawk.
-ice? Good all over I assume?

Regardless, I’ll bring updates tomorrow, just wondering if anyone has any info

Scott N
01-01-2018, 04:02 AM
Hey guys,

Has anyone been on the ice at spray this year, better if recently? I’m planning on heading out tomorrow with the wife and had a couple questions?
- road conditions? We have a small car and she would really prefer to not get stuck haha

-areas? Was thinking walking a little ways south of sparrowhawk.
-ice? Good all over I assume?

Regardless, I’ll bring updates tomorrow, just wondering if anyone has any info

I was out at Sparrowhawk yesterday (Sunday Dec 31). Road from Canmore is OK, plowed but a little icy in a few spots. A car should be fine with decent winter tires. Ice was good, close to 12", and covered with about 4" of soft packed snow. As usual, fishing was better in the morning and tapered off at about lunch time. Sure was a nice, sunny day, hardly any wind, but pretty cold.



https://i.imgur.com/LUvlGxJ.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/POJm8fW.jpg

Fwee6
01-01-2018, 10:00 AM
Beautiful day out there.

Sundancefisher
01-01-2018, 11:42 AM
Any fish pics?

Scott N
01-01-2018, 12:35 PM
Any fish pics?

Here are a few of the fish I caught up there yesterday, pretty much cookie cutter fish.

https://i.imgur.com/bb7Qaqc.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/xauglNC.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/bukBq7L.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/k2X7gSd.jpg

DiabeticKripple
01-01-2018, 12:51 PM
The usual 15.5” lakers lol

ks.snow
01-01-2018, 09:33 PM
Anyone have any recommendations on what to use for hooks, bait, etc. out there?

Scott N
01-02-2018, 04:49 AM
Anyone have any recommendations on what to use for hooks, bait, etc. out there?

We have good luck with white marabou jigs tipped with a bit of smelt. Buzz Bombs tipped with a bit of smelt work good too. Be careful and read your regs before you go up there - for example, you can use smelts as bait, but not minnows in Spray Lakes. We usually find the fish near the bottom in 80' or 90' feet of water or so, but sometimes the fish are higher in the water column. I'm talking about lake trout, there are also whitefish in the lake, but I've never targeted them.

straight
01-02-2018, 08:24 AM
My best Lakers at Spray Lake I caught with Williams Ice Jig at 30-40'.

Fwee6
01-02-2018, 08:55 AM
Gold swedish pimple for me, tipped with a bit of smelt. Next best option has been a smaller white tube jig, tipped with smelt.
Oddly enough, my last couple trips the previous fishing season had more action on tip-ups.

Calgaryguy1977
01-02-2018, 10:04 AM
Hey Scott how good is that tent in -30 -40? I was thinking of buying the exact one. I wonder if its as good as the 600 denier fabric on the clam im looking at? TIA

In addition, I would add some ideas for bait/lures. I reccomend white and yellow (sparkly version) tipped with bait such as smelts (no minnows) or shrimp. Also don't be scared to throw a dew worm on or red wire worm if youre targeting whites. Silver spoons tipped with bait work well on lakers too!

Scott N
01-02-2018, 10:19 AM
Hey Scott how good is that tent in -30 -40? I was thinking of buying the exact one. I wonder if its as good as the 600 denier fabric on the clam im looking at? TIA

In addition, I would add some ideas for bait/lures. I reccomend white and yellow (sparkly version) tipped with bait such as smelts (no minnows) or shrimp. Also don't be scared to throw a dew worm on or red wire worm if youre targeting whites. Silver spoons tipped with bait work well on lakers too!

Regarding the tent, it's pretty warm in the colder weather, even with a bit of wind blowing. I have a "portable Buddy" heater, which is one model less than the Big Buddy heaters, and my heater will definitely keep the ten warm. It really helps if you can pile some snow on the skirt and keep the draft from blowing between the ice the and tent material.

Calgaryguy1977
01-02-2018, 11:22 AM
Regarding the tent, it's pretty warm in the colder weather, even with a bit of wind blowing. I have a "portable Buddy" heater, which is one model less than the Big Buddy heaters, and my heater will definitely keep the ten warm. It really helps if you can pile some snow on the skirt and keep the draft from blowing between the ice the and tent material.

Right on....I have the small buddy heater too. That's exactly why I was asking! hahaha
Thanks buddy!
Cheers

ks.snow
01-04-2018, 08:34 AM
Thanks for the info guys

Fwee6
01-15-2018, 12:27 PM
Heading to Spray with the family this coming weekend...

What can I expect for ice right now? Guessing 18"? Snow depth?
Anyone lucky enough to catch a few whites yet?

James Henry
01-26-2018, 11:06 AM
A group of us are heading out on Sunday, If you see 4 or 5 tents close together, stop by and say hello.

Calgaryguy1977
01-26-2018, 01:53 PM
.

Calgaryguy1977
01-26-2018, 01:54 PM
Hey Scott, I bought the fatfish 949 I. It works great, just as you said!

raw outdoors
01-28-2018, 07:57 AM
Keeps us posted on sprey lake productivity, I would like to try again next week as I was skunked last time but would really like to catch a couple trout.

FlyTheory
02-21-2018, 01:13 PM
Does anyone ever catch fish after noon? Like up until darkness? Does the bite pick up in the evening?
Cheers

Scott N
02-21-2018, 01:31 PM
Does anyone ever catch fish after noon? Like up until darkness? Does the bite pick up in the evening?
Cheers

I'm usually on my way home by 3 or 4 pm, but I've had some pretty decent afternoons out there. The action usually seems to really die off around noon on most of the days that I've fished it.... like 70% of the time in my experience. That being said, I caught my biggest Spray Lakes laker (about 3 pounds) at about 2 pm on day last February. I've actually never fished late enough that it was getting darker out.

raw outdoors
03-04-2018, 09:49 AM
I am thinking of going out to spray tomorrow anybody else going to be out there?

TROLLER
03-04-2018, 10:08 AM
I Think the snow on the ice may be too deep for me for sure. Good luck

raw outdoors
03-04-2018, 03:10 PM
I am going to try snow shoes or touring skies

Coho911
03-12-2018, 07:54 PM
Was thinking of heading up for Tuesday - anyone have any recent ice/snow reports?

Kingfisher
03-13-2018, 12:46 PM
Anyone have any recommendations on what to use for hooks, bait, etc. out there?

I like to use tube jigs. I bring several different colors. I tie up my own with a stinger hook also for those short biters. I use green and pinks, but I like to have a few different one's like orange or red/purple one's. You just never know what they are going to key in on. Some of the green pink and orange I use glow in the dark materials. I do sell these. You can PM me for details. I'll post a few pics of them. I use these in Spray Lakes and Abraham Lake. But they are also great in Cold Lake. Especially the large 6" one's. The deeper I go the larger I use. Just a good rule of thumb. Besides, I don't want to wait forever to get my hook down to the bottom where the lakers reside. I usually use a piece of smelt and put it onto the stinger hook. As others have said DO NOT USE MINNOWS AT SPRAY. A piece of smelt work just fine there.

The lakers usually seem to be active early in the day or later in the evening. 60 to 80 FOW. However a buddy of mine has gone shallow (20 FOW and shocked me with some nice lakers).

http://www.outdoorsmenforum.ca/attachment.php?attachmentid=143864&stc=1&d=1520966327
http://www.outdoorsmenforum.ca/attachment.php?attachmentid=143865&stc=1&d=1520966378
http://www.outdoorsmenforum.ca/attachment.php?attachmentid=143866&stc=1&d=1520966378
http://www.outdoorsmenforum.ca/attachment.php?attachmentid=143866&stc=1&d=1520966866
http://www.outdoorsmenforum.ca/attachment.php?attachmentid=143867&stc=1&d=1520966378

Fwee6
03-13-2018, 03:37 PM
Kingfisher -- where do you buy those tubes? Or are they home made?
4-6" tubes not too big for Spray Lk?

Kingfisher
03-13-2018, 10:17 PM
I build them. PM me for info.

raw outdoors
03-16-2018, 12:44 PM
I also have been build some tube jigs for spray but I am having a hard time finding jigs that are 2.5”. Lots of 1.5” to small and lots of 3.5” that once tied are to long in my opinion. Been to bass pro/ cabalas and fishing hole with no luck. Anyone seen any 2.5” ?

raw outdoors
03-16-2018, 12:49 PM
Was thinking of heading up for Tuesday - anyone have any recent ice/snow reports?

Snow is crazy deep I used skies to get out but they where kinda a hastle when trying to get back up the hill. A good quality pair of snow shoes would be good if they have teeth on the bottom. Ice is deep very deep I couldn’t make it though until I shoveled down to bare ice then I could just reach with no extension.
https://s18.postimg.org/aoqhgpggl/AEED5_B5_D-223_A-40_C5-8_C4_C-861743_BB3_D48.jpg (https://postimg.org/image/aoqhgpggl/)

Doodle30
03-24-2018, 03:41 PM
I'd like to take my son out but seems like it would be a challenge to get my gear and a five year old out there.

alacringa
03-25-2018, 02:07 PM
I was out today for almost 4 hours. A few inches of water on top of the ice, along with snow. Snowshoes helped, but access is possible without them. Action was slow, but steady. Best fish was 18".

raw outdoors
03-30-2018, 07:03 AM
I am going to head out tomorrow and give it a try.

rena0040
04-06-2018, 04:02 PM
Still at least 2ft of solid ice, about 8inches of snow on top with a few drifts here and there. Slow today, 2 bites and 1 landed but it was a beauty

FishingGuy
04-06-2018, 10:21 PM
Nice fish! I was there last week, but didn't catch anything. I was able to see some fish but somehow they didn't like the stuff that I had to offer :) Will maybe try again next week.

fish99
04-07-2018, 09:38 AM
Still at least 2ft of solid ice, about 8inches of snow on top with a few drifts here and there. Slow today, 2 bites and 1 landed but it was a beauty

that's a huge Laker for spray , congrates