Spray Lakes tips?

[Mad Caddy]

I’m thinking of heading out to Spray Lakes for the first time this week. Would anyone be willing to share some tips/info? I’ve never fished for lake trout or mountain whitefish before so any ideas would be super appreciated! I’ve heard of some having success with smelts in 50-60 fow?

[freeride]

Anchor your tent

[Smoky buck]

Have not fished it in years but when I did a glow n the dark zinger tipped with a piece of smelt jigged just off the bottom in 80+ foot of water caught me more Lakers then anything else

[Scott N]

I've had my best luck starting out at Sparrowhawk - the water is pretty deep in that area and we mark about 90% of the fish coming right off the bottom on the flasher.

It's hard to go wrong with white jigs tipped with smelts, and as per the other helpful info, 80 feet or so or deeper is good, and it does get windy out there! (this info is for Lakers, and while I've never fished specifically for whites out there, the guys that do seem to concentrate a lot closer to shore in shallower water.)

[calgarygringo]

Go out early and setup for first light as the bite starts then and will be done for the day by noon or 1 latest. White jigs and smelts works well as said. Dont forget minnows are taboo there so leave them at home and save yourself a potential costly day. Then head to the pub in Canmore for a burger and a beer.

I’m thinking of heading out to Spray Lakes for the first time this week. Would anyone be willing to share some tips/info? I’ve never fished for lake trout or mountain whitefish before so any ideas would be super appreciated! I’ve heard of some having success with smelts in 50-60 fow?

[Fwee6]

All good info shared so far.

I fish Spray a few times each year -- my thoughts:
- 80+ feet of water for Lakers is key.
- white or silver jig/small spoon tipped with a portion of smelt is most productive.
- jigging usually produces more than a dead-stick/tip-up.
- having a flasher increases hook-ups 10-fold.
- this lake is the definition of "early bite" -- if you can be drilling holes in the dark you will enjoy a lot of action vs. drilling holes at 10am.
- it's rarely not windy, so if you have a tent you better anchor it well. I've seen many tents rolling down the lake over the years.
- no motorized vehicles on the lake in the winter (except for dog sled company and CO's)
- be prepared to see the CO's -- plan accordingly and know all regs.

[TROLLER]

Make sure you put a stinger hook attached to your jig. Most hook ups for me have always been on the stinger. Good advise about when to start. I always want to be drilling my holes in the dark. As said earlier they bite from dawn to about 1 then it is a long aft. with little if any action. I always plan on leaving by 1.

[freeride]

Some spikes for your boots as well. With the wind there you will be sliding all the way down the lake with your tent as a sail if your not careful. Been close a few times. Lol

White tubes, with stinger worked for me there. 80 ish feet of water.

[KeisukeFD]

I know the reason for smelts is because you can’t use minnows but are you allowed to use cooked shrimp here? And if so, has anyone ever had success with it?

[Scott N]

I know the reason for smelts is because you can’t use minnows but are you allowed to use cooked shrimp here? And if so, has anyone ever had success with it?

Never tried it, but it would be ok to use at Spray - I believe the regulations say bait is allowed with the exception of baitfish, which is why smelts are allowed.

[chucklesthe3rd]

Small 1/16 jig head tipped with about an inch of smelt. Fiddle around with the colours till you find what is working. 80ft+ plus is best don't be afraid to fish up in the water column though, I've caught plenty up in 40ft even though I was sitting in 80ft of water.

[happyfisher]

ok....im heading there tomorrow.....thanks to this thread i feel confident!!! ill post back around 4 pm when i get home!!!!

happy

[happyfisher]

Well got to the lake at about 8:15 and I want to go to sparrowhawk and I thought I would be able to drive and park there but it was closed so I drove back parked at a spot and didn't realize that the snow is going to be a foot foot and a half to 2 feet deep. But got through it and marched through everything and got to a spot and just was so tired I started fishing but it was only 50 feet of water. And in the wind really picked up which got really annoying I couldn't read my flasher and there was slush everywhere and I got really mad and ****ed off and fish for half an hour and left. so a pretty normal fishing day for me....but what i learned....

need a tent and shovel to clean a spot on ice. anchors a must.
snow shoes are smart.
get better flasher...one dedicated to ice fishing.
het rid of old jiffy auger and get a electric auger or drill with adapter for auger. less weight easy to pull..
maybe somehow i can get my sled to slide better??

[raw outdoors]

Well got to the lake at about 8:15 and I want to go to sparrowhawk and I thought I would be able to drive and park there but it was closed so I drove back parked at a spot and didn't realize that the snow is going to be a foot foot and a half to 2 feet deep. But got through it and marched through everything and got to a spot and just was so tired I started fishing but it was only 50 feet of water. And in the wind really picked up which got really annoying I couldn't read my flasher and there was slush everywhere and I got really mad and ****ed off and fish for half an hour and left. so a pretty normal fishing day for me....but what i learned....

need a tent and shovel to clean a spot on ice. anchors a must.
snow shoes are smart.
get better flasher...one dedicated to ice fishing.
het rid of old jiffy auger and get a electric auger or drill with adapter for auger. less weight easy to pull..
maybe somehow i can get my sled to slide better??

Sheet of thin uhmw on the bottom of your sled will
Make it slide like butter.

[huntsfurfish]

Well got to the lake at about 8:15 and I want to go to sparrowhawk and I thought I would be able to drive and park there but it was closed so I drove back parked at a spot and didn't realize that the snow is going to be a foot foot and a half to 2 feet deep. But got through it and marched through everything and got to a spot and just was so tired I started fishing but it was only 50 feet of water. And in the wind really picked up which got really annoying I couldn't read my flasher and there was slush everywhere and I got really mad and ****ed off and fish for half an hour and left. so a pretty normal fishing day for me....but what i learned....

need a tent and shovel to clean a spot on ice. anchors a must.
snow shoes are smart.
get better flasher...one dedicated to ice fishing.
het rid of old jiffy auger and get a electric auger or drill with adapter for auger. less weight easy to pull..
maybe somehow i can get my sled to slide better??

Build a Smitty sled for it. google it or go to IceShanty.com and search.

[fishgod]

I've had the most success in 80-110 feet. Sparrow hawk is decent but I usually go to the small dam on the other side of the lake. Nice and deep and there's always some fish.

I would fish the 40-50ft range if you want something bigger though. Deep is good for numbers, always have lots of small ones (12"-18") but I've had all my larger ones, up to 30" come from a bit shallower. Probably chasing whitefish is my guess.

Had success with a variety of lures, my favourites being a smaller tube jig, swedish pimple or white jig. All tipped with half a smelt. Or use a stinger if you want to use a whole smelt.

Good luck out there

[thumper]

If the little dam you're talking about is the one across from the Buller Creek lot, that's a long march in 2 ft of snow! If the wind's howling like normal, you'd better be carrying a GPS or compass. We've been turned around in blizzard conditions on that death march - even less fun than 'happy fisher' describes:)