Cold Lake, Lake Trout size?

[edsonfisherman]

I was just woundering the biggest lake trout people have seen out of cold lake, in recent times?
Last summer I managed a 73cm as my biggest and my buddy a 71cm. It was a great time with 25-30+ fish days. My buddy even lost a really big one that took a couple of big runs and broke him off in the end.

[gman1978]

I know some individuals that consistently catch large fish at cold lake (over 10 pounds) but they use a different approach. They are not having 60 fish days when fishing for the larger fish. They are maybe boating 4 or 5 but they are usually all big.

[58thecat]

35"...just over 15 lbs....my best...still searching....lost a pig ice fishing right at the hole..8" hole....head filled it....I pulled up the rod to get a hold off it and yup broke off just to watch it slip back to the depths of 140' of dark water...

[edsonfisherman]

Nice, I wonder if there are any truly huge lake trout in cold lake, like you would see in the NWT?

[58thecat]

Nice, I wonder if there are any truly huge lake trout in cold lake, like you would see in the NWT?

there's gotta be a few just not as plenty up north but with this releasing fairly large lakers we will stat seeing some sizes increase dramatically...I just hope then they change the rules to keeping one say in a slot size and let the big ones grow to their full potential...a lot of this fishery is on us to let the big ones go even though you can keep them legally....

[edsonfisherman]

there's gotta be a few just not as plenty up north but with this releasing fairly large lakers we will stat seeing some sizes increase dramatically...I just hope then they change the rules to keeping one say in a slot size and let the big ones grow to their full potential...a lot of this fishery is on us to let the big ones go even though you can keep them legally....

Yes I agree, I wish we would keep smaller fish and let go any laker 75cm and over to grow even bigger. Its funny to me to keep a fish that can live over 80 years.

[schleprock]

The big ones have been targeted by the square hook “subsistence” groups for the last thirty plus years and they will continue doing so. Enjoy the fishing as it is but you will have to go elsewhere to get into the big ones.

[58thecat]

The big ones have been targeted by the square hook “subsistence” groups for the last thirty plus years and they will continue doing so. Enjoy the fishing as it is but you will have to go elsewhere to get into the big ones.

only seen nets in the bays...shallows....not out off into the main body of water...this lake seems to get hit harder by sport anglers overall....and there is my perspective that we as sport anglers manage ourselves accordingly.

[Penner]

The big ones have been targeted by the square hook “subsistence” groups for the last thirty plus years and they will continue doing so. Enjoy the fishing as it is but you will have to go elsewhere to get into the big ones.

Subsistence fisher people are targeting Whitefish. The odd laker are caught in the nets but this isn’t the primary reason why the big ones have been filtered out. As cat said every net I’ve come across is over shallow water.

Anglers have caught and kept most of the biggens. Certainly there a few beasts that still lurk out there but they are very few in numbers. A keeper size would be considered big. Anyone catches one over 15lbs these days should go buy a lottery ticket.

Plenty of 4-8lbers.

My BP is 22lbs. Person in my group caught a 32lber. This was a decade ago.

[HuyFishin]

Yes I agree, I wish we would keep smaller fish and let go any laker 75cm and over to grow even bigger. Its funny to me to keep a fish that can live over 80 years.

I find it gross eating old aged fish haha

[58thecat]

Subsistence fisher people are targeting Whitefish. The odd laker are caught in the nets but this isn’t the primary reason why the big ones have been filtered out. As cat said every net I’ve come across is over shallow water.

Anglers have caught and kept most of the biggens. Certainly there a few beasts that still lurk out there but they are very few in numbers. A keeper size would be considered big. Anyone catches one over 15lbs these days should go buy a lottery ticket.

Plenty of 4-8lbers.

My BP is 22lbs. Person in my group caught a 32lber. This was a decade ago.

man those are big trout...only saw a pic of a fella about 10 years ago or longer that caught a 30lbs trout by himself so took it home....buddy snapped a pic of him holding it in his kitchen....freakin huge....

[schleprock]

I agree with what 58thecat and penner posted in this thread. There has been a lot of fish taken by the locals and some have taken far more than their fair share for far too long. I also agree that most of the subsistence fishermen primarily target whitefish and in my post I should have said that “some” of the subsistence fishermen have been targeting lake trout and selling them for a long time. I have personally seen a freezer full of large lake trout that were being sold from a house on the cold lake First Nations reserve that is located south of the cold lake marina. The lady who hired the people to set and pull the nets has passed away quite a while ago but I am pretty sure that someone else has taken her place. The fish and wildlife officer that I spoke with about this wanted absolutely nothing to do with this. Sorry for derailing this post, but we should all be thankful that the local subsistence fishermen are keeping those egg eating whitefish thinned out and keeping the lake healthy.

[Big Thumper]

July 2018 ; 22 lb 9 oz, my best by almost 5 lbs....

[58thecat]

July 2018 ; 22 lb 9 oz, my best by almost 5 lbs....

that's a beauty...ice?

[Penner]

man those are big trout...only saw a pic of a fella about 10 years ago or longer that caught a 30lbs trout by himself so took it home....buddy snapped a pic of him holding it in his kitchen....freakin huge....

For good measure it was thru the ice as well. Lady (not a super experienced fisherperson) who caught it was fighting the fish for several minutes. Fishing was hot that day, we were kinda laughing at first and attributed the ongoing battle to inexperience or perhaps the line being caught on the lip of the ice. Back in those days, a mid-teen trout was quite common but this battle had already gone 10 mins. So eventually her significant other decided to look down the hole to see what was what and when the beast sawm past he could not believe his eyes.

After several more minutes of chaos, finally alligator wrestled the fish up thru the hole and up onto the ice (luckily we had 10" augers) but unfortunately the damage had been done during the lengthy battle. The beast had wrapped up into another line on an adjacent hole we were fishing out of and the beast became entangled pretty bad during the battle making the battle that much more difficult. The adjacent line got up underneath into the gills which had the beast bleeding a fair amount. We snapped a few quick pics and then tried desperately for well over 15 mins to try and revive the beast to no avail. It really sucked that we could not release that fish. All of us in that group strongly believed the importance of letting those big fish back to keep the "genes in the pool". Kinda put a damper on that day. Can only guess as to how old that fish had to be. We certainly learned some valuable lessons that day on what to do differntly.

Anyways the beast filled a entire 5 gallon bucket and then some. Smoked some of the fish, ended up canning the rest. Those big trout are not great table fair. I've managed a couple of mid teen trout since that day. Only a handful of keeper size in the last few years but I C&R all trout on that lake. I know that lake as good as anyone. That lake has been hit pretty hard. Particularly in the winter.

Careful attention needs to paid when handling those trout especially when 99% are going back. I would suggest barbless and bait ban should be considered for that lake to keep it sustainable.

[edsonfisherman]

I don't understand why the regulations want people to keep a lake trout over 75cm when one that huge would live a very long time and produce a huge amount of eggs. I think the regulations should be changed to 1 30cm-40cm and any big ones should be a draw and only 1 over 75cm with limited draws to help protect the fishery.

[edsonfisherman]

Any pics of the big ones you guys have caught?

[58thecat]

For good measure it was thru the ice as well. Lady (not a super experienced fisherperson) who caught it was fighting the fish for several minutes. Fishing was hot that day, we were kinda laughing at first and attributed the ongoing battle to inexperience or perhaps the line being caught on the lip of the ice. Back in those days, a mid-teen trout was quite common but this battle had already gone 10 mins. So eventually her significant other decided to look down the hole to see what was what and when the beast sawm past he could not believe his eyes.

After several more minutes of chaos, finally alligator wrestled the fish up thru the hole and up onto the ice (luckily we had 10" augers) but unfortunately the damage had been done during the lengthy battle. The beast had wrapped up into another line on an adjacent hole we were fishing out of and the beast became entangled pretty bad during the battle making the battle that much more difficult. The adjacent line got up underneath into the gills which had the beast bleeding a fair amount. We snapped a few quick pics and then tried desperately for well over 15 mins to try and revive the beast to no avail. It really sucked that we could not release that fish. All of us in that group strongly believed the importance of letting those big fish back to keep the "genes in the pool". Kinda put a damper on that day. Can only guess as to how old that fish had to be. We certainly learned some valuable lessons that day on what to do differntly.

Anyways the beast filled a entire 5 gallon bucket and then some. Smoked some of the fish, ended up canning the rest. Those big trout are not great table fair. I've managed a couple of mid teen trout since that day. Only a handful of keeper size in the last few years but I C&R all trout on that lake. I know that lake as good as anyone. That lake has been hit pretty hard. Particularly in the winter.

Careful attention needs to paid when handling those trout especially when 99% are going back. I would suggest barbless and bait ban should be considered for that lake to keep it sustainable.


Wow....thx for sharing the story....could only imagine the commotion going on once you got eyes on the beast......

[58thecat]

I don't understand why the regulations want people to keep a lake trout over 75cm when one that huge would live a very long time and produce a huge amount of eggs. I think the regulations should be changed to 1 30cm-40cm and any big ones should be a draw and only 1 over 75cm with limited draws to help protect the fishery.

Agree with slot size...maybe a draw tag to keep a fish in the slot size as the lake would be cleaned out quickly....the big ones over 75 are off limits....now there would be one heck of a trophy lake for all to enjoy due to its easy access and great supporting community too....but until then we have to do are part as anglers....

[Jims83cj5]

Just got back yesterday from cold lake. Caught 27 between two of us in 3 days of fishing. Lots between 65-72 cm. Nothing legal to keep. Anywhere between 100- 80 feet of water. Orange and silver Williams spoon behind a dipsey diver

[pikeman06]

Yes they have a nice population to protect of good sized fish under the legal size limit. Now adjust the regs to allow them to grow and spawn instead of whack em over the head. Allow one little one or go to tags as much as I dislike the tag system or put a longer closure. Same with pike lakes that have a good population close to the 63 cm limit. Protect them and allow one small one. Allow that year class to grow and spawn till they die of old age and get big.

[58thecat]

Just got back yesterday from cold lake. Caught 27 between two of us in 3 days of fishing. Lots between 65-72 cm. Nothing legal to keep. Anywhere between 100- 80 feet of water. Orange and silver Williams spoon behind a dipsey diver

Dam you faced some windy weather......was out yesterday and hide in French bay...litter tinner was bucking in the waves out off the point....better than sitting in an office or at home tho:)

Sept is a good time to get out as the usual gong shows have moved on....I see lots of campers etc parked in driveways....was only one other boat out yesterday...12 degrees on the water but on the leeward side the sun felt nice and the gators were active.....:sHa_shakeshout:

[Bigwoodsman]

Not sure if this would be recent times. In the summer of 1985 while trolling off of Garnet Beach, I caught a 27 pound Laker. Biggest ever and only one I ever caught out of Cold Lake. I did release it back into the depths.

BW

[Dale S]

Does the wind ever quit. Our guide doesn't even want to go out.

Sent from my SM-A705W using Tapatalk

[58thecat]

Does the wind ever quit. Our guide doesn't even want to go out.

Sent from my SM-A705W using Tapatalk

today is calm.....get out.....and yup that dam wind lately might as well live in Lethbridge....:)

[Dale S]

today is calm.....get out.....and yup that dam wind lately might as well live in Lethbridge....:)We're out right now. To ruff to get across. Funny thing we're from lethbridge and it's calm high of 26?

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[58thecat]

We're out right now. To ruff to get across. Funny thing we're from lethbridge and it's calm high of 26?

Sent from my SM-A705W using Tapatalk

Dam at 6 it was calm.. today west winds 23km gusting to 33 km.....maybe launch over at English bay and snuggle that shoreline and out a bit...just a thought....this week is forecasting high winds so best be on the water first light or in the evenings as those times tend to calm down...good luck.

[haywarje]

I've fished that lake 2- 10 days per year since 2013. Open water only. My boat has probably brought in 1000 lakers. 4 have been over 75cm. Biggest was 82cm.

[-JR-]

This one came out jan 2014 35 lbs
I forgot his name but he is a local from cold Lake.

[-JR-]

My best is 21 lb. and was released about 5 years ago .

[58thecat]

This one came out jan 2014 35 lbs
I forgot his name but he is a local from cold Lake.

Ya that was the one I was talking about....what a beauty eh!

Swear to god I had is brother on last ice fishing season...head filled the 8" hole....he disappeared but this ice season....I know better and have honed my skills...oh and he is now 36lbs....:)

[Weavster]

My personal best on Cold Lake was back in the winter of 2016 and a quick measurement came out to 37" before it was released back down to the depths for someone else to enjoy one day.

This year we have had a few come onto the tape at 33" and numerous in that 30-33" range. Still got my fingers crossed to find one of those elusive 40"ers...

The 37" trout from 2016:
https://weaversbentrods.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/IMG_3439-1-scaled.jpg

[Big Thumper]

that's a beauty...ice?

No, July, jigging. 95 ft

[58thecat]

My personal best on Cold Lake was back in the winter of 2016 and a quick measurement came out to 37" before it was released back down to the depths for someone else to enjoy one day.

This year we have had a few come onto the tape at 33" and numerous in that 30-33" range. Still got my fingers crossed to find one of those elusive 40"ers...

The 37" trout from 2016:
https://weaversbentrods.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/IMG_3439-1-scaled.jpg

ahhh I see your doing arm curls.....feel the buuuurn!:)

[-JR-]

Nice one Gregg . Did she fight much?

[58thecat]

peeled off line like no tomorrow twice.....the last run I thought I was going to get spooled...light line...light rod/reel....gotta let'em be the boss....