Coal Lake

[alpikes]

Heard on the other forum that this close to town lake is no longer suitable for launching boats, especially at the north end. I have a small 14 ft. boat and like to test run (alone) for the season. If annyone has any updates, or any recommendation for bodies of water with easy launching (close to edmonton) to test run the boat, I really appreciate your helps. :wave:

Thanks

[seahawkfisher]

wab is a great place; lots of launching oppertunities for a 14 and great fishing too :)
cheers

[alpikes]

Thanks. I thought about that but since it's always busied there and I am quite new and inexperienced with launching (the trailer tie up the wouldn't go where I thought it should) and don't want to tie up the lauching area, I had to second thinkt about going there, at least for now. Are there other not-so-busied launching locations at Wab? I tried at Coal last year and had several really guys helped out. Again, any pointers for boat newbie is much appreciated.

[ukrmaf]

I'll be out there tommorow and let you know, i know the lake gets quite overgrown with weeds all around the launch in the summer, like to the point where the water intakes on the motor get plugged and youve got 20lb of salad spun around the lower leg but early in the season its usually ok.

[seahawkfisher]

as far as wab goes, at the provincial park there are 2 launches but nobody ever uses one of them (the one to the right when you are driving up to them)

it's kinda funny; on really busy days, people figure that there are to areas to drive in, when actually there is only one "right way" to drive in. people drive in the "out" lane of the launch to the right. once a few people drive up the "out" lane, there is nowhere for the people who just launched to go, with people lined up in the exit lane LOL. it can turn into a gong show. none the less, on an average day, you should be able to launch on the right side and have lots of time to do it (just drive up the "main" entrance lane [which is to the left of the right launch]to prevent getting trappped).


did i confuse you???
cheers

[alpikes]

:) Yes. It's kinda confused. I am Google Mapping to see where the provincial park launching area is. Hopefully I can find it if I am to make it out there tomorrow.
Thanks

[BBJTKLE&FISHINGADVENTURES]

Man talk about skinny water , like 30 feet from where it was last year. I talk to the fish and wildlife officer who stopped by she simply said it was due to lack of moisture , which I think there's more to it then that but who knows. If you plan on launching a boat be careful I personally witness a few no No's today.

[JohninAB]

BBJ, you mean the water line is down 30 feet from last year I hope, not that the lake overall is 30 feet shallower else it would be just a little mud puddle as it is not that deep to begin with.

[Bear Ballz]

there's 30 feet of mud before you reach the water on the north end only one pad on the launch is under water :cry:

[BBJTKLE&FISHINGADVENTURES]

BBJ, you mean the water line is down 30 feet from last year I hope, not that the lake overall is 30 feet shallower else it would be just a little mud puddle as it is not that deep to begin with.

You get the idea its not quite as a mud puddle but damn near . I dont know how the water could go down that much . Heck if its only end of May hate to see what August will prove mind u I dont fish there past end of june , its mainly my spring and winter lake . Way to many weeds in the Den of summer .

[ukrmaf]

I have been out there for the last two days and let me tell you, if you had heard some of the prases and choice words coming out of almost everyone that launched a boat, the water level did drop significantly and as far as launching conditions for the north end unless you have a small light boat i personally wouldnt recomend it, as many people today couldnt even get their boats in the water, and several folks damage skegs, trailers, and one truck got stuck that i saw.

[PoorTurtle]

http://www.outdoorsmenforum.ca/picture.php?albumid=253&pictureid=567I spent Sunday afternoon on coal lake. The north launch is not nice at all. i was able to get my 1750 lund in and out but I did have to scrap up the trailer on the way out. the drop after the pad is large and my trailer got hung up.
The fishing was great. we fished for 4hrs, 3 guys, 60+ small hammers handles. We did land three nice ones from ones spot, 32" 37" and mine was 38".
When i was removing my hook from this hog, we opened his mouth and there was a good size tail sticking out of his throat. Never seen that before.

[fish-man]

I always fish Coal Lake with my canoe. Perfect lake for canoeing as there is limited wind and the fish are easily acessible off the launch. Paddle-trolling along any shoreline works well, just be prepared to pull a lot of weeds off of hooks.

[ukrmaf]

we were back there today for about 6 hours and caught at least 60 fish but out of that only one keeper, however i noticed that the previous day the three fish we kept had completely empty stomacs.

I'm having trouble trying to figure out why they would set the limit at 3 over 63cm, i mean there are som many 55cm-63cm, and the really big ones are far and few between, seems to me like thining out the smallerones would let sizes grow instead of keeping all the larger reproducing fish, i mean if a guy wants to have a fish fry you are taking a large mature fish home, the smaller one would taste just as good, but then again i'm no biologist, so 63+ it is.

[PoorTurtle]

has anyone used the south launch lately. is it any beter than the North?

[BBJTKLE&FISHINGADVENTURES]

Heres a few pictures from Coal lake to give some idea how much the water has dropped Last year we had been fishing atop that cliff in the green grass not the lake bottom .
http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii122/JOHN_CONROY/IMG_3443.jpg
http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii122/JOHN_CONROY/IMG_3447.jpg
http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii122/JOHN_CONROY/IMG_3448.jpg
http://i263.photobucket.com/albums/ii122/JOHN_CONROY/IMG_3449.jpg

[Morph1]

holly shiznit, it did drop drastically !!!,
I would like to hear some professionals commenting on what is happening with the water levels, after all we had plenty of snow and even more ice ...,
maybe that's due to ice melting a bit later ???,
I gotta say this is scary another 2 years like that and we have 30 ft deep lakes turning into 20 ft deep sloughs, I cant even imagine if the summer turns super hot the algae out there and aquatic vegetation will get so thick you'll be able to walk on it...

Sad !!

[BBJTKLE&FISHINGADVENTURES]

holly shiznit, it did drop drastically !!!,
I would like to hear some professionals commenting on what is happening with the water levels, after all we had plenty of snow and even more ice ...,
maybe that's due to ice melting a bit later ???,
I gotta say this is scary another 2 years like that and we have 30 ft deep lakes turning into 20 ft deep sloughs, I cant even imagine if the summer turns super hot the algae out there and aquatic vegetation will get so thick you'll be able to walk on it...

Sad !!

I asked the Fish and wildlife officer who dropped by and asked us for our , licenses and check hooks , which I was happy about . But the officer told me its due to lack of moisture , I think there's more to it then that the water level is exactly gone down to where there is a large cable , not sure if its power or what it is , looks like a giant extension cord that extends the length of the shore line . My fishing partner reminded me about the damn south on the lake wondering if they closed it , wondering if there doing some work there ...

[edm_guy]

I asked the Fish and wildlife officer who dropped by and asked us for our , licenses and check hooks , which I was happy about . But the officer told me its due to lack of moisture , I think there's more to it then that the water level is exactly gone down to where there is a large cable , not sure if its power or what it is , looks like a giant extension cord that extends the length of the shore line . My fishing partner reminded me about the damn south on the lake wondering if they closed it , wondering if there doing some work there ...

Wow - I remember last year when fishing from shore, we would sometimes get snagged on that cord on the retrieve. Would have to wade out about knee-deep in water to unsnag our hooks. From the pictures, it looks like the cord is completely clear of the water.

Despite the low water level, how is the fishing from shore?

[BBJTKLE&FISHINGADVENTURES]

Wow - I remember last year when fishing from shore, we would sometimes get snagged on that cord on the retrieve. Would have to wade out about knee-deep in water to unsnag our hooks. From the pictures, it looks like the cord is completely clear of the water.

Despite the low water level, how is the fishing from shore?

yeah about a foot from where that wire is is where the water is.

Fishing from shore very slow unless your using a telephone pole a pickrell rig , watched the usual people there just hammering them.

[sledhead]

Ya holy crap when i went there last spring i was standind up on the grass and by the fall there was at least 3 feet of mud you had to stand in
i always have alot of luck by the culvert but looking at those pics is the water even flowing back and forth across the hiway
fished alot on the other side of the road to and caught some good ones

[alpikes]

Thanks for all the info. on Coal Lake. Made it in yesterday noon. Struggle a bit but finally got the small boat lauched at the north end. The right launch pad is a better spot. Watch out for deep drop close to the middle between the 2 pads. Almost didn't make it up as one of the trailer wheels got caught. Finally got the trailer up but she jumped and hit the boat. Put a real good dent there. Seen quite a bit of fishmen out there. Seemed all enjoyed good times. Caught about 20 hammer handles and they are all close to the north end area. Caught nothing toward the middle of the lake. Be carefully when trolling as few spots are very shallow compared to last year. Almost got stuck at the second pier (right hand side heading south). Good thing no weeds yet. May head there again this week end. Good luck to all.

[allenford]

is it there any spot of shore fishing from south of Coal, any access ideas?

thanks.

[Bear Ballz]

This an e-mail I received today :sick:



Thank you for your concern about the condition of Coal Lake. You should know that the lake is not in big trouble. The water level now is 45 cm higher than in 2006 when Alberta Environment intentionally lowered the level in the lake to supply Atco Power with additional water. The lake is actually very healthy as it has not under gone a significant algae bloom this year.

We continue to monitor its condition and will take appropriate measures (get a grip) if necessary.

Bob Stauth, C.E.T.
Public Works Superintendent
City of Wetaskiwin
Direct line 780-361-4430
Fax 780-352-5021

[The Anvil]

has anyone been out latley?

[cribfisher]

I was talking with the lady in charge of the north day use area and they are doing a major rebuild of the boat lanch. Everything is ready to go and it will take about a week to do but they are waiting on federal permits, so I'm not holding my breath.

[BBJTKLE&FISHINGADVENTURES]

I was talking with the lady in charge of the north day use area and they are doing a major rebuild of the boat lanch. Everything is ready to go and it will take about a week to do but they are waiting on federal permits, so I'm not holding my breath.

I heard this to awhile back , I am beleaving so as they have really dropped the water level . i havent been out there in probably 3 weeks , interesting to see what its like with all this rain weve had .