Where's my 10lb Rainbow Trout?

[AlbertanGP]

Still in the lake. :sHa_sarcasticlol:

I set a goal for myself back in November to catch a 10lb rainbow this ice season. I'm not there yet, but I did catch a 25" fish I'd estimate between 7-7.5 lbs. on Saturday. I figure by posting my goal up here, I'll have more incentive to achieve it. I don't think it'll be particularly hard...it just requires a lot of hours logged on the two water bodies up here known to hold the fish. I do have an ace in the hole...I'm fishing Diefenbaker with Adam Konrad for three days in March. That would only sorta count though. Sorta as in only if I need it to. lol.

https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-vcbG9cB/0/0ce3fd40/X3/i-vcbG9cB-X3.jpg

[Bearski]

Beauty 'bow!

[58thecat]

Well sir you put your time in and that is very obvious, you will succeed or have a lot of fishing stories to tel!
Maybe over time the stories will get longer as will the fish.
Good luck and tight lines!


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[spurly]

Beauty.

[DRhunter]

Gorgeous fish! Good luck and can’t wait for the updates, thanks for posting.

DR


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[nimrod]

Nice fish, wish I caught a fish like that

[Frank_NK28]

Very nice! That is a GREAT Rainbow!!
I have the same goal in mind but I fish the same small body of water continually where each year seems to produce one or two 10lb fish but as yet it hasn't been me producing them. Last spring a fellow caught a 13 pounder trolling a tiny spoon at ice out.
Last year I took a buddy with me who had never ice fished. I set my jawjackers up and told him you take any hits we get. His first fish through the ice turned out to be our biggest Bow of the season. A 24" beauty hen that weighed 6lb-12oz.
This season so far our biggest has been a 22" 6lb-3oz kype jaw male I caught while fishing solo.

[AlbertanGP]

Very nice! That is a GREAT Rainbow!!
I have the same goal in mind but I fish the same small body of water continually where each year seems to produce one or two 10lb fish but as yet it hasn't been me producing them. Last spring a fellow caught a 13 pounder trolling a tiny spoon at ice out.
Last year I took a buddy with me who had never ice fished. I set my jawjackers up and told him you take any hits we get. His first fish through the ice turned out to be our biggest Bow of the season. A 24" beauty hen that weighed 6lb-12oz.
This season so far our biggest has been a 22" 6lb-3oz kype jaw male I caught while fishing solo.

Nice fish Frank_NK28. Sadly, the two lakes I'm fishing are stocked with all female triploids...I'd love to catch a nicely colored male. On the bright side, one coughs up 10-12lb'ers annually and the other produced a 17lb'er a couple of years ago that was released. :happy0034:

That 22" is a pig. I caught a 22" on Sunday. Although a big fish, it was quite a bit smaller than the 25" I caught the day before in the picture above. Using my formula of (Length X (Length*0.58) X (Length*0.58))/740 (which seems to produce a reasonable guesstimate for the fatties in the lakes I fish) yields 4.8lbs. I may have to weigh more smaller guys and adjust my formula.

Here are my two biggest from last year that I'm trying to beat. The first one was 26" and 7.95lbs. The second I didn't measure but was 8.1lbs.

https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-hkwcMxr/0/1e2c2c07/X3/i-hkwcMxr-X3.jpg

https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-K434Fn8/0/431cdbcc/X2/i-K434Fn8-X2.jpg

[Frank_NK28]

Beauties!

[58thecat]

Wow, you got that lake dialled in now a little Lady Luck and you will have the fish of a lifetime!


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[OL_JR]

Great fish all awesome 👍👍

[Outbound]

Great fish!

[goldscud]

Very nice.
I should take the rod on an adventure in your neighborhood in the spring

[spurly]

Very nice fish.

[AlbertanGP]

Very nice.
I should take the rod on an adventure in your neighborhood in the spring

Shoot me a PM if you're coming and I'll let you know how the fishing is. There are all sorts of fishing opportunities in the area, especially if you're open to popping into B.C. :)

[goldscud]

Awesome AlbertanGP. Wish you success on finding some 10+ fish

[AlbertanGP]

OK time to rant. I got up at 6am to chase my fish. Had a good breakfast and lugged everything out and set up in the dark. Almost done setting up and some minivan rolls in and out pours a herd to come set up 20’ from me…I’m the only one on the lake. Told them it’s better over there…way over there…at least they sorta took the hint and moved 50’ away. Now it’s prime time and some husband and wife decided to roll up 30’ from my tip ups. Seriously took the girl two minutes to punch a hole with a gas auger while the guy videos it on his phone…

Please God let COVID end so the wannabe outdoors people can get back to reality. :mad3:

[58thecat]

Ok
Go in your ice tent and strip down then go out and check your tip ups and don’t forget to wave and be friendly!
Your welcome!!!


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[58thecat]

See no more neighbours!

I usually wear my goofy hat too.


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[Outbound]

OK time to rant. I got up at 6am to chase my fish. Had a good breakfast and lugged everything out and set up in the dark. Almost done setting up and some minivan rolls in and out pours a herd to come set up 20’ from me…I’m the only one on the lake. Told them it’s better over there…way over there…at least they sorta took the hint and moved 50’ away. Now it’s prime time and some husband and wife decided to roll up 30’ from my tip ups. Seriously took the girl two minutes to punch a hole with a gas auger while the guy videos it on his phone…

Please God let COVID end so the wannabe outdoors people can get back to reality. :mad3:

Go punch a hole 2 feet from them and settle in. When they chirp, just shrug and say "I thought we were getting cozy since you decided come set up so close to me. Figured I'd save us the foreplay and just make myself at home!"

[pikeman06]

Go punch a hole 2 feet from them and settle in. When they chirp, just shrug and say "I thought we were getting cozy since you decided come set up so close to me. Figured I'd save us the foreplay and just make myself at home!"

Buy a couple old one man tents off market place. Either drill a hole and set them up or just set them up and spread an auger and a calfsled and a tip up and your pickup to properly fence your area off. I can't stand when people got the whole lake but wanna sit on your lap. I'm not shy about telling strangers they are complete idiots. Burn a hundred dollars worth of gas and take my fishing serious, if someone wants to ruin my day I let them know.

[AlbertanGP]

See no more neighbours!

I usually wear my goofy hat too.


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Yeah the underwear and the mad trapper hat would do it. Good call. lol.

[OL_JR]

It can be annoying, quite often I gamble trying to check out new spots. Sometimes it works, sometimes it don't but enjoy not fishing in crowds. Funny thing is you could be hauling in fish or on the way to a complete skunking - somebody will think you have things figured out and come wandering way to close either way.
Honestly though as long as they aren't raging D-bags I don't get to worked up about it anymore. Get enough stress outside of fishing no need to add to it.

[AlbertanGP]

I settled down after the fish started biting...funny how that works. The family was OK. I wound up giving one kid a couple of four to five pounders to take home. I think I have a new friend lol.

I've been stuck on 22" for the past couple of days. Nice fish at close to five pounds, but not what I'm looking for. Hopefully tomorrow...

[Frank_NK28]

I've been fishing a spot away from everyone all winter and doing well but the other day my wife and I are sitting in the tent and I can hear a vehicle approaching. Sure enough some guy pulls up 6 feet from one of our outside lines, parks and gets out then walks over and opens our tent door and says "are you guy's catching any over here?" I said "first that is none of your business, 2 who are you to just open my tent and stick your face in?" then I reached up and closed the tent door and told him to $%^& off!! I am usually a very friendly guy but I sure am not when someone has the nerve to just open my tent door without being invited in....and we did manage a few fish that day though I wasn't sharing that information with that goof!

[bcsteely]

Hit two fish 10 pounds plus in past 3 years on Bc Stillwater’s and several in the 6-8 pound range. I’m not familiar with Alberta Stillwater’s but I’m sure there must be big ones there as well. Good luck

[58thecat]

I settled down after the fish started biting...funny how that works. The family was OK. I wound up giving one kid a couple of four to five pounders to take home. I think I have a new friend lol.

I've been stuck on 22" for the past couple of days. Nice fish at close to five pounds, but not what I'm looking for. Hopefully tomorrow...

Now you got good Karma on your side.
Funny how a kid can put a smile on our faces:)
Good luck!

[AlbertanGP]

Whelp, another weekend in the books. Friday was good. Saturday was slow, but it gave me time to devise some new strats. Must have been close to 10 total 22"ers since I posted last Friday, including this poor girl with some sort of kyphosis.

https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-HHZ928H/1/ab9c9e19/X3/i-HHZ928H-X3.jpg

'Til next Friday morning. :)

[AlbertanGP]

Hit two fish 10 pounds plus in past 3 years on Bc Stillwater’s and several in the 6-8 pound range. I’m not familiar with Alberta Stillwater’s but I’m sure there must be big ones there as well. Good luck

A lake either has them or it doesn't...not many lakes around here grow them that big. And unless you're lucky, you're going to have to go through a lot of fish to catch one. I saw a couple this weekend on the Livescope but they just took a look and kept going. There is a reason they got that big on pressured waters. ;)

Grats on your catches. B.C. has some big trout. I'd plan a trip to Kootenay Lake for a Gerrard rainbow if the lake froze over.

[Frank_NK28]

Geepers where is all the snow? Bare ice! Talk about nice for travelling. We have a pile of snow here. That looks like quite the aeration system!! Only one lake I know of around here that is aerated, it's on the SK side and stocked annually with Tigers and Browns in alternating years.

[AlbertanGP]

There actually was quite a bit of snow but it all melted. Bare ice is nice if you have ice cleats and incredibly dangerous if you don't. Last Saturday, there was an inch of ice, an inch of water, another inch of ice, another inch of water, and then the main ice. Three young guys came out and fished near me with a hand auger (I still see these daily on this lake). The kid went through the first inch of overflow and said to his buddies "That was a lot easier than I thought it would be." :bad_boys_20: I also saw people out skating to get from spot to spot...Must have watched Jay Siemens' video. And finally, there was a guy set up 6-10' from the open water fishing the open water. He had a hatchet to make some "rod-holders" in the ice and water was flying everywhere. Fishing at this lake is like sitting in a lawn chair at the boat launch in the summer. The stupid/illegal $#!^ I see going on just never ends.

I'd go across the lake to get away from the masses. But I have a theory at this time of year those aerators make a big difference in dissolved O2 levels so I stick around the fence...and of course there is only a narrow band around that fence that's the depth I want to fish at. There are nine aerators on that lake. They actually have them on a timer this year so that they aren't on all the time. They had to shut them off for several days earlier in the year because the lake was still open a solid 100m west of where the fence now is due to winds and warm weather.

[Outbound]

Whelp, another weekend in the books. Friday was good. Saturday was slow, but it gave me time to devise some new strats. Must have been close to 10 total 22"ers since I posted last Friday, including this poor girl with some sort of kyphosis.

https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-HHZ928H/1/ab9c9e19/X3/i-HHZ928H-X3.jpg

'Til next Friday morning. :)


Assuming that's the lake I think it is (99% sure it is), we usually fish on the other side of the areation just around the point in about 7 feet of water. We're hoping to get out there at some point this week. Not sure what this warm weather will do to the ice though, since it's supposed to be 3 - 7 degrees during the week.

I gotta get me one of those bump boards too.

[AlbertanGP]

Assuming that's the lake I think it is (99% sure it is), we usually fish on the other side of the areation just around the point in about 7 feet of water. We're hoping to get out there at some point this week. Not sure what this warm weather will do to the ice though, since it's supposed to be 3 - 7 degrees during the week.

I gotta get me one of those bump boards too.

I'm sure it's the lake you're thinking of...we've discussed it before. ;) I usually fish the other side as well, but those photos were taken on a Saturday and I was making a futile attempt to avoid the crowd.

The fish are everywhere in that lake, like most of our pothole trout lakes. Don't overthink location too much. As long as you're in 12 fow or less the fish will come your way eventually. ;)

[AlbertanGP]

Fished a couple of hours in the morning Friday, Saturday and Sunday (for the first time) this weekend. Crowds were actually pretty tame considering the weather, and fishing was good on Saturday and Sunday. I caught a 23" on Saturday and a lot of 22"s again...like five in a row this morning. :scared0015: I did help a fellow that caught what looked to be about a 24-25" fish Saturday and we had a good chat. :happy0034: I'm sorta glad it's supposed to snow all week...I was actually worried about getting a sunburn today. It's just not right...

[JohninAB]

Nice bow. congrats

[Frank_NK28]

You're catching some good chunkers! Very nice!

[58thecat]

Looks comfy out there!

Well done!


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[AlbertanGP]

To be honest, I'm really enjoying this whole trout fishing thing. I usually catch 10-20 in a morning on the lakes with big fish, and 20-30 on the other lakes with dinkers, they fight 10X better than walleye, and they come to me so I don't have to constantly chase them around. I just sit in a super comfy chair and chill. I tell myself every afternoon I'll go fish for walleye on my home lake. But I haven't since around Christmas.

[AlbertanGP]

Whelp, too cold out today and tomorrow so I'm done for the weekend. 23.75" was my biggest fish (should be right around 6lbs)...so a bit of an improvement. But still a long way to go.

On a sidebar, I received a distraught PM from a member this week that I was disclosing the location of "his" (his word not mine :rolleye2:) secret lake, like everyone from across Alberta was going to make the pilgrimage because I posted a few pictures. First of all, the lakes I mostly fish are well known around here for holding big fish. There is absolutely no secret to keep amongst the locals. And I've never talked to anyone that I wouldn't consider a local on any of the lakes. Second, although I sometimes posted a nice scenery shot with my posts they were just photos in my library and not always where I fished that weekend. I thought some people might appreciate them. But it turns out this guy just got his panties in a twist...welcome to the internet. Anyways, I had a mod take them down as the guy seemed a little unhinged. But the offer still stands to come chat any time you see me on "your" lake. ;)

These photos are from this weekend...the 23.75" and one of his friends for good measure. FYI, there are no brookies within at least 100km of "his" lake, and the CO I chatted with said there have been a lot of big fish come out of this lake this winter. :sHa_sarcasticlol:

https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-tjJpV25/0/828188d7/X3/i-tjJpV25-X3.jpg

https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-6dWVDnc/0/d6c0435b/X3/i-6dWVDnc-X3.jpg

[Outbound]

Nice fish! Still hoping to run into you out there one day. A pregnant wife and busy work schedule have kept me from getting on the ice since December though.

[Frank_NK28]

Nice fish! Yes stocked lakes are a BIG SECRET!! Anyone who can read can find them on a stocking report and with some legwork and determination find lakes that produce bigger fish. I wouldn't let them deter you. I routinely catch some nice fish in the lakes I fish and they are far from "secret" spots. The secret lies in knowing how to catch them. I hear no end of people whining the fish don't bite in lake X or that they aren't stocking enough and they are shaking their heads in disbelief as they watch you land several chunky fish while they are holding a rod loaded with 20lb test dangling a 5" smelt on a spoon fishing in a lake where the primary food source is shrimp, beetles, other assorted aquatics and stickleback minnows under 2" length. Gee I wonder why you haven't caught one? :thinking-006:
I am enjoying your posts, scenery or not....keep them coming please. I like seeing those big bows and brookies!

[SNAPFisher]

Nice fish! Yes stocked lakes are a BIG SECRET!! Anyone who can read can find them on a stocking report and with some legwork and determination find lakes that produce bigger fish. I wouldn't let them deter you. I routinely catch some nice fish in the lakes I fish and they are far from "secret" spots. The secret lies in knowing how to catch them. I hear no end of people whining the fish don't bite in lake X or that they aren't stocking enough and they are shaking their heads in disbelief as they watch you land several chunky fish while they are holding a rod loaded with 20lb test dangling a 5" smelt on a spoon fishing in a lake where the primary food source is shrimp, beetles, other assorted aquatics and stickleback minnows under 2" length. Gee I wonder why you haven't caught one? :thinking-006:
I am enjoying your posts, scenery or not....keep them coming please. I like seeing those big bows and brookies!


LOL no kidding. I get the wanting to keep and protect certain spots. Stocked lakes should be off that list. I see stocked lakes all the time on here that I wish were not posted but... meh. It happens.

Whoever PM'd AlbertanGP, take a hike!

AlbertanGP, keep the pics coming! You add a lot to this thread. Hope you get to your goal ;)

[trophyhunter]

Nice fish, nice setup! Could you send me a link on the lighting?


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[58thecat]

Again wow factor!!!
Well done and I hope you enjoy my spot on my lake in my province in my country!
[emoji38]

Too cold haha I recall you standing outside in -15 with 30 click winds trying to figure out where the fish were!

Keep on posting up those beauties.


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[AlbertanGP]

Nice fish, nice setup! Could you send me a link on the lighting?


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The lights are just something I whipped up on Amazon for cheap.

Lights (https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B00HSF66JO/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1)

Switch Panel (https://www.amazon.ca/Switch-EilxMag-Marine-Waterproof-Voltmeter/dp/B09HG8RRRP/ref=sr_1_10?crid=3EOBE0VMC90GG&keywords=12v+switch+panel&qid=1645392830&sprefix=12v+switch+panel%2Caps%2C104&sr=8-10)

It's two seasons old and still going strong. It also puts out more light than the Otter units in my Otter Resort, although that's also a bigger unit. This Clam Yukon is my one man flip that's I can actually pull myself. Cheers.

[AlbertanGP]

Nice fish! Still hoping to run into you out there one day. A pregnant wife and busy work schedule have kept me from getting on the ice since December though.

You think you have no time now...wait until junior arrives. But, yeah, drop by and say hi. As I told this fellow, I'm not hard to find during the winter. ;)

[AlbertanGP]

Nice fish! Yes stocked lakes are a BIG SECRET!! Anyone who can read can find them on a stocking report and with some legwork and determination find lakes that produce bigger fish. I wouldn't let them deter you. I routinely catch some nice fish in the lakes I fish and they are far from "secret" spots. The secret lies in knowing how to catch them. I hear no end of people whining the fish don't bite in lake X or that they aren't stocking enough and they are shaking their heads in disbelief as they watch you land several chunky fish while they are holding a rod loaded with 20lb test dangling a 5" smelt on a spoon fishing in a lake where the primary food source is shrimp, beetles, other assorted aquatics and stickleback minnows under 2" length. Gee I wonder why you haven't caught one? :thinking-006:
I am enjoying your posts, scenery or not....keep them coming please. I like seeing those big bows and brookies!

This.

Anyone who makes any effort can find out which lakes have the potential to hold big fish. Most any depth will work...eventually they are going to come to you as they are constantly on the move in mostly bowl-shaped waters. And almost any bait will work as well, although some are better than others for sure depending on the water body. The trick comes in figuring out the nuances for each body of water that will allow you to accumulate the numbers to get to the big fish faster. Got a lot of fish circling your hook but not biting? Figure out why. Miss a lot of strikes yourself or with a tip up? Figure out why.

[AlbertanGP]

Again wow factor!!!
Well done and I hope you enjoy my spot on my lake in my province in my country!
[emoji38]

Too cold haha I recall you standing outside in -15 with 30 click winds trying to figure out where the fish were!

Keep on posting up those beauties.


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IKR. Greg took the time to come out and show me some spots to fish on "his" Cold Lake when I came up there last month, and didn't even fish that day. Even still, I did marginal at best as I haven't put enough time in laker fishing...yet.

And, to be honest, the comment about the cold was more a cop out. I'm tired from getting up much earlier than I do to go to work every day during the weekend for the past few weeks. I stayed home, slept in, and had a nice nappy this afternoon. Now I'm thinking I should go out tomorrow. I know a nice lake nearby with cutthroat... :)

[AlbertanGP]

Whoever PM'd AlbertanGP, take a hike!

Actually, I want him to come say Hi. I'm curious if he's a stick on "his" lake or not.

[OL_JR]

Considering your location I "think" I know at least one lake you are fishing and I don't think that has been a secret for a couple decades or so...

[AlbertanGP]

All of the lakes I fish have been common knowledge since I came up here in the late 90's...I heard of them before I even got back into fishing. I think this guy just got a bee in his bonnet equating a couple of pictures I posted with the multitude of people who have taken up fishing on "his" lake during Covid.

[burbotman]

I used to fish that lake before the fences around the areators. Crazy the people who would sit on the edge and cast into the open water. Love your posts. Good luck in your quest!

[AlbertanGP]

I used to fish that lake before the fences around the areators. Crazy the people who would sit on the edge and cast into the open water. Love your posts. Good luck in your quest!

TBH, I see them fishing into the open water from time to time. But they never seem to catch any more than the people ice fishing. So I ask myself why take the risk, as one goes in every few years apparently. I'd take a lot of risk to save a fellow ice fisherman, but those people...I dunno...

[burbotman]

TBH, I see them fishing into the open water from time to time. But they never seem to catch any more than the people ice fishing. So I ask myself why take the risk, as one goes in every few years apparently. I'd take a lot of risk to save a fellow ice fisherman, but those people...I dunno...

My thoughts exactly!

[Frank_NK28]

[QUOTE=AlbertanGP;4491048]TBH, I see them fishing into the open water from time to time. But they never seem to catch any more than the people ice fishing. So I ask myself why take the risk, as one goes in every few years apparently. I'd take a lot of ris

My idea of saving them would be picking up my cel phone to call 911. I wouldn't be going anywhere near an open hole from aeration. If you've ever owned even a dugout with a windmill aerator you know there is more spots to worry about than directly over the diffuser. Air travels under the ice and manifests itself in many other spots creating weak or thin ice areas that go unnoticed due to snow cover, ice colour etc.

[AlbertanGP]

My idea of saving them would be picking up my cel phone to call 911. I wouldn't be going anywhere near an open hole from aeration. If you've ever owned even a dugout with a windmill aerator you know there is more spots to worry about than directly over the diffuser. Air travels under the ice and manifests itself in many other spots creating weak or thin ice areas that go unnoticed due to snow cover, ice colour etc.

Indeed. I posted this picture earlier in the season to explain how warm weather (currents and warmer water from the aerators will do the same thing) undercuts the ice. You really have no idea what you're walking on when you start getting close to those things. And because of the way things froze early this season, the aerators are undercutting and removing the little bit of good clear ice we see at the bottom of holes and leaving the cloudy crap on top from all the warm weather and melting.

https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-7MkmCcm/0/aedd9afe/X3/i-7MkmCcm-X3.jpg

[AlbertanGP]

Good news and bad news. The bad news is my biggest rainbow was only 19" this weekend...it's slowed right down the past two weeks. The good news...


I saw two for sure 10lb rainbows on Friday and one actually took a couple of sniffs.
I figured out a new pattern for brookies on one of the lakes I fish that resulted in the hardest strikes I have had in years ice fishing trout. I'm really stoked to refine this pattern.


I thought I had another weekend before heading to Saskatchewan. But it looks like Adam Konrad is up to bat to help me out on Diefenbaker next weekend.

[Frank_NK28]

Keep us posted! I'm anxious to hear how Diefenbaker treats you! I probably won't be getting out before mid-march. Headed back to Valemount, BC this week for work.

[AlbertanGP]

I'm looking forward to Diefenbaker and a return to Cold Lake on the way back, weather permitting. I'm not sure I'll even fish for walleye on Dief...I may just work on the trout while I'm there. I'm not expecting a lot though. If I can glean a few good tips from Adam I'll be happy.

[goldscud]

Good looking fish AlbertanGP.
Looking forward to casting some flies at those fish in June

[AlbertanGP]

Diefenbaker is in the books. Fishing was slow, but we worked hard and with Adam's help we were able to catch rainbows, whites, walleye, pike and burbot all in the same area. Catching a rainbow and then a white was odd. Catching a walleye in the same hole 10 minutes later was downright weird. Unfortunately we didn't catch anything of any size other than a super fat 10-12lb pike, but that's a bit of the luck of the draw and it was still a good trip. Adam was super helpful to talk to and shared a lot of good info with us, including a few lakes in northern Saskatchewan we're going to try next season. I plan on going back, but most likely for him to guide us on open water. The lake is so big, you'd want to be able to cover a lot of water to have a better chance at one of those big 'bows. Bear with me as I post a picture of a pike in a trout thread. :)

https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-R6qDV4f/0/b9e147f2/X2/i-R6qDV4f-X2.jpg

https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-c9HKJp8/0/292cbc6f/X3/i-c9HKJp8-X3.jpg

https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-3tLfmzF/0/1b3d838b/X3/i-3tLfmzF-X3.jpg

Back to hitting my local haunts hard tomorrow, as I took the entire week off. :happy0180:

[trigger7mm]

Did you catch all those different species on the same lure?

[Soab]

Growing up we would always catch whites while targeting bows there in the winter. Quite the lake, remember catching 7 different species in one day. All on a pickerel rig lol

[58thecat]

Hmmm no submerged cell phones this trip:)

Looks like a great trip and good memories!:sHa_shakeshout:

[Frank_NK28]

Nice! That's the coolest thing about Dief, not knowing what is going to be coming up the hole next! Here's to hoping you get that 10lb Bow this week at home...:)

[AlbertanGP]

Did you catch all those different species on the same lure?

I had to think about that for a moment. We definitely didn't catch them all on the same lure. Would it be possible? Yes. But you'd have to do it in two different depths. So all species in one hole...probably not. All on the same presentation...not the easiest way to do it but possible. FYI, that pike in the picture was caught on a size 3 Jigging Rap right under the ice in 20 fow. ;)

[AlbertanGP]

Growing up we would always catch whites while targeting bows there in the winter. Quite the lake, remember catching 7 different species in one day. All on a pickerel rig lol

Yeah when we started catching whites Adam said if you're catching whites you're in the right spot for rainbows. :happy0034:

[AlbertanGP]

Nice! That's the coolest thing about Dief, not knowing what is going to be coming up the hole next! Here's to hoping you get that 10lb Bow this week at home...:)

Set the alarm for 5am this morning. I was super tired from the drive so I took a chance and slept in 'til 5:30 (still made it out before sunrise). Got out to my spot and realized I left the batteries for the ION back at the shop. :mad3:

Went back home, had the nap I should have stayed in bed for, and then did a couple of hours on the driveway with the snow blower. Back out to the lake at 3pm...with the batteries. Talked to a fellow from Dauphin up for work who had managed a couple in the past hour...great! Get down to the same spot I was at 9 hours ago and start punching holes...the auger blades are $%^&. The sand at Dief killed my auger blades (Adam said to bring a few extra sets) and I had just replaced them last night. I suspect someone bought these blades previously, swapped them out, and returned their old ones for a refund. I could feel a bur on the edge of them and tried to fix it in the field with my hook sharpening stone, but no dice. So I got shut down twice in one day. :mad3::mad3:

Went home, got the 8" ION (which I had also just changed the blades on last weekend but not used yet), and drove out on my home lake to test it out. GTG for round 2 tomorrow. Stay tuned. lol.

[58thecat]

Set the alarm for 5am this morning. I was super tired from the drive so I took a chance and slept in 'til 5:30 (still made it out before sunrise). Got out to my spot and realized I left the batteries for the ION back at the shop. :mad3:

Went back home, had the nap I should have stayed in bed for, and then did a couple of hours on the driveway with the snow blower. Back out to the lake at 3pm...with the batteries. Talked to a fellow from Dauphin up for work who had managed a couple in the past hour...great! Get down to the same spot I was at 9 hours ago and start punching holes...the auger blades are $%^&. The sand at Dief killed my auger blades (Adam said to bring a few extra sets) and I had just replaced them last night. I suspect someone bought these blades previously, swapped them out, and returned their old ones for a refund. I could feel a bur on the edge of them and tried to fix it in the field with my hook sharpening stone, but no dice. So I got shut down twice in one day. :mad3::mad3:

Went home, got the 8" ION (which I had also just changed the blades on last weekend but not used yet), and drove out on my home lake to test it out. GTG for round 2 tomorrow. Stay tuned. lol.

Dam eh....bad luck is a form of luck but with perseverance you will get that hog!

[Frank_NK28]

Set the alarm for 5am this morning. I was super tired from the drive so I took a chance and slept in 'til 5:30 (still made it out before sunrise). Got out to my spot and realized I left the batteries for the ION back at the shop. :mad3:

Went back home, had the nap I should have stayed in bed for, and then did a couple of hours on the driveway with the snow blower. Back out to the lake at 3pm...with the batteries. Talked to a fellow from Dauphin up for work who had managed a couple in the past hour...great! Get down to the same spot I was at 9 hours ago and start punching holes...the auger blades are $%^&. The sand at Dief killed my auger blades (Adam said to bring a few extra sets) and I had just replaced them last night. I suspect someone bought these blades previously, swapped them out, and returned their old ones for a refund. I could feel a bur on the edge of them and tried to fix it in the field with my hook sharpening stone, but no dice. So I got shut down twice in one day. :mad3::mad3:

Went home, got the 8" ION (which I had also just changed the blades on last weekend but not used yet), and drove out on my home lake to test it out. GTG for round 2 tomorrow. Stay tuned. lol.

Sounds like you came away with the heads up for Dief next time...#1 let the guide use his auger or #2 use an auger with a ripper blade flyte...:thinking-006:

[trigger7mm]

I had to think about that for a moment. We definitely didn't catch them all on the same lure. Would it be possible? Yes. But you'd have to do it in two different depths. So all species in one hole...probably not. All on the same presentation...not the easiest way to do it but possible. FYI, that pike in the picture was caught on a size 3 Jigging Rap right under the ice in 20 fow. ;)

A pike right under the ice in 20’ of water. That’s very interesting to me. My old school ways always had me fishing about a foot of the bottom for pike, no matter what depth.

[Frank_NK28]

A pike right under the ice in 20’ of water. That’s very interesting to me. My old school ways always had me fishing about a foot of the bottom for pike, no matter what depth.

If you fish using an underwater camera you'll get a real eye opening experience the first few times out when you see how many species of fish cruise the water column a long ways from bottom, especially pike and trout.

[SamSteele]

I would add that if you use a flasher, pay attention to the faint marks high up in the water column. I’ve picked up quite a few pike and burbot that were a couple feet below the ice over 20-30 feet of water. Your sonar cone is quite narrow high in the water column, so if there is a mark showing it’s pretty well right below your hole.


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[trigger7mm]

Wow, that’s really interesting. Thanks guys.

[AlbertanGP]

All sorts of fish lurk just under the ice. ;) (http://www.outdoorsmenforum.ca/showthread.php?t=395347&highlight=burbot)

https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-6D9RXFK/0/eba406fc/X3/i-6D9RXFK-X3.jpg

[AlbertanGP]

Sounds like you came away with the heads up for Dief next time...#1 let the guide use his auger or #2 use an auger with a ripper blade flyte...:thinking-006:

Dief is just eating blades this year apparently...it's common knowledge all over social media according to my son. He bought a brand new 10" Eskimo gas auger on Sunday and the blades are done after 30-40 holes.

[AlbertanGP]

A pike right under the ice in 20’ of water. That’s very interesting to me. My old school ways always had me fishing about a foot of the bottom for pike, no matter what depth.

Where we caught that pike was a tiny ~800 sq.ft. flat on a long stretch of drop that was holding some whites...he had a good reason to be there. I've read a few accounts that predators (especially lakers) like to cruise just under the ice late in the season as they can hide in the sunlight filtering through the ice. Makes perfect sense and lakers just under the ice is a thing in Ontario in the Spring. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2mG472Sd-4) ;)

Come for the trout pictures. Stay for the knowledge bombs... :happy0180:

[Frank_NK28]

Where we caught that pike was a tiny ~800 sq.ft. flat on a long stretch of drop that was holding some whites...he had a good reason to be there. I've read a few accounts that predators (especially lakers) like to cruise just under the ice late in the season as they can hide in the sunlight filtering through the ice. Makes perfect sense and lakers just under the ice is a thing in Ontario in the Spring. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2mG472Sd-4) ;)

Come for the trout pictures. Stay for the knowledge bombs... :happy0180:

I grew up fishing in northern Ontario. Those who knew Lakers well like my Grandfather knew that in February and March when folks used to complain the fish weren't biting they were not down at bottom lazing around and just not feeding. They were up top aggressively feeding. My Grandfather taught me that at a young age and we caught a lot of Lakers right below the hole as soon as the bait cleared it. Gord Pyzer says the fish start to relate to the ice as in the same way as the bottom of the lake. He calls it bottoms up fishing. We never knew it by such terms and grew up w/o electronics but I can recall my Grandfather saying the Lake Trout push the feed up against the ice to trap it and when individuals try to break out of the school they get picked off which is exactly what Pyzer says about "bottoms up" fishing. Using my aqua-view the past few years has shown me a lot more than just Lakers display this habit. I never specifically fished for Pike or Rainbows until three years ago and they display the same habit as do the Brookies I have been targeting these past few years. I caught an 8 1/2 lb walleye years ago watching it swimming under the big hole in the office hut my buddy stored his bait in for his commercial ice fishing business on Nip****ing. I thought it was a fluke that a walleye would be a foot under the ice over top of 44 feet of water. I have since learned otherwise! Man that was a long time ago when I look at that pic! LOL

[58thecat]

And that is why you fish the water columns and change presentations/size too.

Fishing is not black and white but it’s like a 64 box of crayons and a kid who chews on the odd one!


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[Esox]

I grew up fishing in northern Ontario. Those who knew Lakers well like my Grandfather knew that in February and March when folks used to complain the fish weren't biting they were not down at bottom lazing around and just not feeding. They were up top aggressively feeding. My Grandfather taught me that at a young age and we caught a lot of Lakers right below the hole as soon as the bait cleared it. Gord Pyzer says the fish start to relate to the ice as in the same way as the bottom of the lake. He calls it bottoms up fishing. We never knew it by such terms and grew up w/o electronics but I can recall my Grandfather saying the Lake Trout push the feed up against the ice to trap it and when individuals try to break out of the school they get picked off which is exactly what Pyzer says about "bottoms up" fishing. Using my aqua-view the past few years has shown me a lot more than just Lakers display this habit. I never specifically fished for Pike or Rainbows until three years ago and they display the same habit as do the Brookies I have been targeting these past few years. I caught an 8 1/2 lb walleye years ago watching it swimming under the big hole in the office hut my buddy stored his bait in for his commercial ice fishing business on Nip****ing. I thought it was a fluke that a walleye would be a foot under the ice over top of 44 feet of water. I have since learned otherwise! Man that was a long time ago when I look at that pic! LOL

happens a lot on Lake Winnipeg. My biggest two greenbacks came from fishing where two pressure ridges met. The ice from the ridge underneath the surface provides good structure for baitfish to hide, especially on a lake like winnipeg that has little to no structure.

[AlbertanGP]

happens a lot on Lake Winnipeg. My biggest two greenbacks came from fishing where two pressure ridges met. The ice from the ridge underneath the surface provides good structure for baitfish to hide, especially on a lake like winnipeg that has little to no structure.

You're not the first person I've heard using that pattern on Lake Winnipeg. I hope to get out and try it myself someday soon.

[AlbertanGP]

Doesn't look like I'll make it out tomorrow, so my best for the past couple of days was this 21.75. I did well Thursday morning, but struggled like the rest on the lake this morning...very few interested fish to work with. It warmed up around 25*C over the course of the day. Could be a good bite Saturday morning. ;)

https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-V6nn4CZ/0/7c6ebfa8/X3/i-V6nn4CZ-X3.jpg

[Frank_NK28]

You get some nice size bows out of that spot you fish. Too bad all they stock is females. It would be cool to see you post some big coloured up kyped jaw males too!

[AlbertanGP]

You get some nice size bows out of that spot you fish. Too bad all they stock is females. It would be cool to see you post some big coloured up kyped jaw males too!

I have that covered for next season. I already planned a short trip out of province for exactly that mission. Maybe next season will work to get down to Eric Haataja in Wisconsin as well. And I have one more card up my sleeve for April as well. This thread may go on for years. lol.

[Twisted Canuck]

Just wanted to mention, I sure have been enjoying this thread. I pop in and check between making the rounds. Looks like you're been having a fun season. Looking forward to when you get The Big One. TC

[Frank_NK28]

I have that covered for next season. I already planned a short trip out of province for exactly that mission. Maybe next season will work to get down to Eric Haataja in Wisconsin as well. And I have one more card up my sleeve for April as well. This thread may go on for years. lol.

When this fellows head came into the hole this afternoon and I saw the big jaw and humped back I thought I had a male Rainbow. It made a twist in the hole and that's when I saw it's sides and the colours and realized I had a nice male Brookie. It measured 18" x 14" and pulled the Berkley Lip Grip scale to 4lb-3oz. I keep getting closer to my goal of a 5lb Brookie. No bows today, saw one small one on the camera and a half dozen or so 2 to 3lb Brookies. Caught this one in 5' of water but with almost three feet(34") from the top of the hole to the bottom of the ice it only left a two foot strip of water between the ice and the lake bottom. Got this one on the jawjacker with a clown slushbug tipped with a beetle pupa....:)

[goldscud]

Stellar Brookie.

Fish might get shallower in the late season due to oxygen concentrations falling off in deep water

[burbotman]

Just wanted to mention, I sure have been enjoying this thread. I pop in and check between making the rounds. Looks like you're been having a fun season. Looking forward to when you get The Big One. TC

Agreed on this. I check it out each day. I am pulling for the OP to get that 10 lb er! I plan on toasting his success with a nice bourbon

[AlbertanGP]

Looking forward to when you get The Big One. TC

Agreed on this. I check it out each day. I am pulling for the OP to get that 10 lb er! I plan on toasting his success with a nice bourbon

I don't know if I can handle this pressure. Wait...that's why I started this thread. :)

[AlbertanGP]

When this fellows head came into the hole this afternoon and I saw the big jaw and humped back I thought I had a male Rainbow. It made a twist in the hole and that's when I saw it's sides and the colours and realized I had a nice male Brookie. It measured 18" x 14" and pulled the Berkley Lip Grip scale to 4lb-3oz. I keep getting closer to my goal of a 5lb Brookie. No bows today, saw one small one on the camera and a half dozen or so 2 to 3lb Brookies. Caught this one in 5' of water but with almost three feet(34") from the top of the hole to the bottom of the ice it only left a two foot strip of water between the ice and the lake bottom. Got this one on the jawjacker with a clown slushbug tipped with a beetle pupa....:)

Those sure are some fat fish in that water body you're fishing. I need a few mutants like that in my lakes to get me over the hump. ;)

[Twisted Canuck]

I don't know if I can handle this pressure. Wait...that's why I started this thread. :)

It could be worse. Imagine being McDavid and having an entire city that expects you to win them a Stanley Cup? Fishing seems way more relaxing!

[AlbertanGP]

It could be worse. Imagine being McDavid and having an entire city that expects you to win them a Stanley Cup? Fishing seems way more relaxing!

You're not wrong Tom. ;)

[Frank_NK28]

Those sure are some fat fish in that water body you're fishing. I need a few mutants like that in my lakes to get me over the hump. ;)

Last year it coughed up two 10lb and one 13lb rainbow right after ice out(not my catches but I saw the pics of them) and a fellow flyfishing from a belly boat caught a brookie not 40' from me as we worked the same shoreline that was just under 7lbs. They are in there, I just need to connect. Lost a rainbow this winter right at the hole that would have gone 8+. Last winter our best bow was 6-12 and so far this winter 6-3. 5lb is the brookie goal and like you 10lb for the rainbows. Weather starting wednesday is looking good for a few days on the ice.

[AlbertanGP]

Hmmm...if this weather holds up above freezing for the next couple of weeks as forecast, it might put a real dent in fishing options. I rely on driving out on one of the lakes I'm looking for a big fish in. I also have yet to make a trip out for a nice colored up male cutthroat (spring spawners) and I'm fishing Obed sometime in April yet as well. It could be a furious end to the ice season.

[Frank_NK28]

Hmmm...if this weather holds up above freezing for the next couple of weeks as forecast, it might put a real dent in fishing options. I rely on driving out on one of the lakes I'm looking for a big fish in. I also have yet to make a trip out for a nice colored up male cutthroat (spring spawners) and I'm fishing Obed sometime in April yet as well. It could be a furious end to the ice season.

As much as I enjoy ice fishing I'm looking forward to spring. It's time for some ice out trout in the boat and to get out in the fields and hunt snows. :)

[Frank_NK28]

Well didn't get'r'dun today. Best I could muster was this 19.75"/4lb-3oz bow. Managed a 13" bow and a 14" brookie which I set free to grow. Kept the larger bow for the smoker. Beautiful day on the ice today. Not a cloud in the sky, + 5 degrees and the wind was pushing 24k which pretty much ripped the last of the snow from the ice. It's clear sailing now until the end.

[roper1]

Hmmm...if this weather holds up above freezing for the next couple of weeks as forecast, it might put a real dent in fishing options. I rely on driving out on one of the lakes I'm looking for a big fish in. I also have yet to make a trip out for a nice colored up male cutthroat (spring spawners) and I'm fishing Obed sometime in April yet as well. It could be a furious end to the ice season.

Keep hustling, it'll work for you. If it doesn't, still better than working:) Best of luck!!

[WayneChristie]

I saw a brace of 8 pound bows come out of a local stocked spot. know of another with huge trout thats also local, or at least according to a fairly reliable witness :bad_boys_20: I wouldnt know, girlyfish are my last resort :shark: and all those are stocked broods so probably not worth a tug anyways:fighting0030:

[AlbertanGP]

I saw a brace of 8 pound bows come out of a local stocked spot. know of another with huge trout thats also local, or at least according to a fairly reliable witness :bad_boys_20: I wouldnt know, girlyfish are my last resort :shark: and all those are stocked broods so probably not worth a tug anyways:fighting0030:

That's enough from the slough shark posse. I wonder about you guys that touch those fish anyways... :love0025:

But yeah. Again, I think there are lots of lakes that hold big fish. You just have to know how to catch them and get through the larger numbers of smaller fish. Sorta like those long slimy spotted things lurking around weed beds. ;)

[Frank_NK28]

Arrived at the lake with a trapshooting buddy around 1pm. We put two on the ice so far. A 21" kype jawed Rainbow and a 16" Brookie. Hopefully we'll tie into something bigger before the day is out. Seeing fewer fish on the camera today but better quality. Some of you trapshooters may recognize the fellow with the Brookie...

[58thecat]

Well done!


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[AlbertanGP]

Nice fish Frank. The slow trend up here has continued this weekend. I only managed four fish Friday and I went out this morning and caught three. I only saw another 4 or 5 come through on the LiveScope that didn't hit. I may have to get out of my comfy lawn chair and figure this debacle out. lol. Gonna head the other direction next weekend first though.

[Frank_NK28]

Never saw one on the camera all day yesterday in the new spots I tried. I finally managed one fish on a jigging jawjacker with a customized wiggle wheel installed in the same location I took my trapshooting buddy. Fish came out of 6.5 ft of water on a large weedy flat not far from a culvert where meltwater is starting to trickle in and turn the shoreline snow to slush. A clown slushbug jig tipped with a darkling beetle pupa caught the attention of this 22" 5lb-15oz beautiful kype-jawed male. The colours on this one were spectacular. I let it go hoping it might not get caught again until it reaches 10lbs! :)

[58thecat]

Very nice !


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[AlbertanGP]

Super looking fish. Big congrats! :happy0034:

[Stirlingville]

great fish!

[Frank_NK28]

I received a call yesterday to return to work on the TMEP project this coming weekend so I figured I better get out for one last shot at trying for that 10lb Rainbow or 5lb Brook Trout.
I didn't catch either but I did manage to catch a limit of Rainbows the largest of which was 20" and a real girthy chrome sided hen that weighed 4lbs-7oz. I kept all three, fileted them on the ice and on the way home dropped by a fellow AOF member's house and offered them to him which he gladly accepted especially when I offered to take the larger fish home and throw it in the smoker for him.
The larger fish was chocked full of beetle larvae and a couple were still alive and moving so I hooked one and tried it but no hits on it. All three came on a jigging Jawjacker with one of my customized wheels with a darkling beetle pupa on a clown slushbug jig. All three fish came in 7.5 to 8 fow. Not a strike shallower or deeper.
Well the 10lb Rainbow will ahve to wait until the ice is off now which may come quick! We've lost 6' ice in three days and the shoreline had water showing by the time I drove off this afternoon. I saw ducks for the first time this spring in sheet water on a field on the drive home and several sloughs were open and had geese swimming and fighting over nesting grounds that only a few days ago had them standing on ice but when the temps are soaring to +12C during the day with wind and sun mixed in the ice goes out FAST! Here are a few pics from today including the stomach contents from the larger Bow today.

[waldedw]

I received a call yesterday to return to work on the TMEP project this coming weekend so I figured I better get out for one last shot at trying for that 10lb Rainbow or 5lb Brook Trout.
I didn't catch either but I did manage to catch a limit of Rainbows the largest of which was 20" and a real girthy chrome sided hen that weighed 4lbs-7oz. I kept all three, fileted them on the ice and on the way home dropped by a fellow AOF member's house and offered them to him which he gladly accepted especially when I offered to take the larger fish home and throw it in the smoker for him.
The larger fish was chocked full of beetle larvae and a couple were still alive and moving so I hooked one and tried it but no hits on it. All three came on a jigging Jawjacker with one of my customized wheels with a darkling beetle pupa on a clown slushbug jig. All three fish came in 7.5 to 8 fow. Not a strike shallower or deeper.
Well the 10lb Rainbow will ahve to wait until the ice is off now which may come quick! We've lost 6' ice in three days and the shoreline had water showing by the time I drove off this afternoon. I saw ducks for the first time this spring in sheet water on a field on the drive home and several sloughs were open and had geese swimming and fighting over nesting grounds that only a few days ago had them standing on ice but when the temps are soaring to +12C during the day with wind and sun mixed in the ice goes out FAST! Here are a few pics from today including the stomach contents from the larger Bow today.

And I thank you for the fillets last night, going to make a great feed for supper tonight, as for the one you offered to smoke for me well ....... that's something I could never turn down, smoked trout is the best, I'll make sure you get a big tub of borscht when I crank out the next batch, be safe at work, hopefully we get at least 1 good snow goose shoot this spring

[Frank_NK28]

And I thank you for the fillets last night, going to make a great feed for supper tonight, as for the one you offered to smoke for me well ....... that's something I could never turn down, smoked trout is the best, I'll make sure you get a big tub of borscht when I crank out the next batch, be safe at work, hopefully we get at least 1 good snow goose shoot this spring

Just like smoked fish I'll never turn up your homemade borscht! I'm sure we'll get out for spring snows. My rotation is 14/14 this time around so that should afford time to get under some snows!

[AlbertanGP]

Good looking fish again Frank. :happy0034:

I have to run to Edmonton for the day on Friday, so I'll have to brave the masses Saturday morning I guess. I think at this point I'll just stay where I've been on the lakes I fish (7.5' in one and a 13' weed edge on the other) and take what the Fishing Gods give me. As soon as the ice comes off, I'm jumping in the boat and mapping the unmapped one for next year. I need to find a weed edge on it. ;)

[Frank_NK28]

Good looking fish again Frank. :happy0034:

I have to run to Edmonton for the day on Friday, so I'll have to brave the masses Saturday morning I guess. I think at this point I'll just stay where I've been on the lakes I fish (7.5' in one and a 13' weed edge on the other) and take what the Fishing Gods give me. As soon as the ice comes off, I'm jumping in the boat and mapping the unmapped one for next year. I need to find a weed edge on it. ;)

Smart man!! Mapping pays off in huge dividends!! Hope you get that 10 pounder before this years ice is out... :happy0034:

[58thecat]

Good luck, look forward to some pics


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[AlbertanGP]

Smart man!! Mapping pays off in huge dividends!! Hope you get that 10 pounder before this years ice is out... :happy0034:

Watch me catch it while mapping the first open water weekend. I’d feel so dirty…

[Frank_NK28]

Watch me catch it while mapping the first open water weekend. I’d feel so dirty…

:sHa_sarcasticlol:

[fish99]

thanks for posting enjoy the pictures

[AlbertanGP]

Whelp slow weekend for fishing. I got back from Edmonton later than I wanted and headed home rather than to the lake...a friend told me the bite was slow Friday morning, so I slept in Saturday. Around 4pm I was ready for another nap, so I hopped in the truck and headed in a different direction to check on a new-to-me lake about an hour away stocked with brookies. I managed ten or so in a couple of hours, but nothing of any size. Stuck around home today trying to get a new truck specced the way I wanted so I can get the order in this week.

Things are slowing down when they should be picking up. At least I kept my streak alive of fishing every weekend since I first fished on Remembrance Day. I do have one more surprise left before the season ends...maybe two...I haven't been cutthroat fishing yet either. Stay tuned. ;)

[roper1]

Be a heck of a story to get the brute last day on the ice. Great thread you have going here, 4 pages of me reading who ain't real fond of the ice.:):)

Hope you get him. Good luck!!

[pikeman06]

Yup I concur...good luck not so sure how many honest ten pound rainbows exist this spring up your way. A few years ago maybe but this last summer was hard on the big old trout. I'm east central and they grow fast if they make it thru a winter or two but the 40 degree heat and the water levels dropping 4 feet prior to freeze up really did a number on our local trout. Hope you get one buddy.

[AlbertanGP]

I may yet have to settle for 7lbs this year...can't really complain with that. Still though, gotta aim high. :happy0034:

[58thecat]

I may yet have to settle for 7lbs this year...can't really complain with that. Still though, gotta aim high. :happy0034:


Nah you will never settle, once
You get the ten pounder then it’s the quest for a 12 pounder, ya got the sickness [emoji23]


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[AlbertanGP]

Nah you will never settle, once
You get the ten pounder then it’s the quest for a 12 pounder, ya got the sickness [emoji23]

It's like we've met... :happy0180:

[AlbertanGP]

Well, time is running out this season. Went on the lake that shall not be named and caught four fish on Friday, but nothing big. Went out this morning and managed one fish all morning...good thing this place is top secret. :sHa_sarcasticlol:

I'm not sure what's going on since March, but it may not be accessible by next weekend anyways. It's coughed up so many 5lb+ fish for me the past few years though that it's hard to complain. Now to order the PS30 and get it mapped for next season. My plan is to hit all the trout lakes first thing when the ice comes off, before they get too weedy. And then I'll go out again in October and mark all the weed lines in the Fall and I should be golden next season. I'll revive this thread next season and resume the hunt... :)

Still, I do have one more surprise planned for hardwater that I'll post here in the next week or two. As usual, I plan to ice fish one weekend and go straight to open water the next. I'd be on open water chasing lakers this weekend if the kid was home.

BTW, what do you do when you go out fishing in the morning and catch one meager rainbow? Pack up and head three hours into the foothills to hit the northernmost cutthroat stocked lake in Alberta. The wind was howling and I never caught any in an hour of fishing, but the scenery and the day itself were gorgeous.

https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-t7Ks28N/0/08a9ec00/X3/i-t7Ks28N-X3.jpg

https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-hR5Q6hK/0/94a1432e/X3/i-hR5Q6hK-X3.jpg

https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-J5zv9GL/0/93633905/X3/i-J5zv9GL-X3.jpg

https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-DBBgXbh/0/068591af/X3/i-DBBgXbh-X3.jpg

[Frank_NK28]

I was through GP today on way to Chetwynd, BC. Company asked me if I could fill in a slot for them on the Coastal Gas Link line instead of Trans-Mountain so here I am...it was my first time going NW of Swan Hills. Nice country.I thought about messaging you to see if you wanted to meet for a coffee but figured you'd be out slaying trout on one of your secret lakes! :thinking-017:
Not quite sure what to make of Dawson Creek and there is sure a few _ _ _ _ holes between the AB border and Chetwynd but this sure is a nice area here and the camp is right near the Pine River. I can walk to it from camp. Wish I'd brought a flyrod with me...

[AlbertanGP]

Too bad...I was in town around noon and could have been around longer. The trip out to Two Lakes was more of a drive for the day than a real fishing outing. I just figured I'd drop the LiveScope down for a bit and have a look since I was the only one out there, the Stetson Creek was open and flowing pretty good into the lake, and it's prime grizzly country. It just didn't feel safe to wander too far out alone.

Lotsa good fishing around Chetwynd. it's only a little over half an hour north to Dinosaur Lake which is open pretty much year round. You may have noticed the sign for Gwillim Lake just outside Chetwynd...another of my mapping projects this summer and it has a good population of apparently tough to catch lakers in it.

Shoot me a PM if you're up for a bit as we'll be heading that way soon fishing. Like I said, I would have been up there this weekend if the boy was home. Then I could really show you God's country. ;)

https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-zjRggT7/0/c2cf0c0b/X3/i-zjRggT7-X3.jpg

https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-TC8SPg9/0/2ac188ce/X3/i-TC8SPg9-X3.jpg

[Twisted Canuck]

If you ever need someone on overwatch for grizzly Dean, just give me a holler. I have several choices of shotguns I can bring along to watch your back. :)

Two Lakes sure is nice country, even with the Bruins around there to keep you nervous.

[Outbound]

Too bad...I was in town around noon and could have been around longer. The trip out to Two Lakes was more of a drive for the day than a real fishing outing. I just figured I'd drop the LiveScope down for a bit and have a look since I was the only one out there, the Stetson Creek was open and flowing pretty good into the lake, and it's prime grizzly country. It just didn't feel safe to wander too far out alone.

Lotsa good fishing around Chetwynd. it's only a little over half an hour north to Dinosaur Lake which is open pretty much year round. You may have noticed the sign for Gwillim Lake just outside Chetwynd...another of my mapping projects this summer and it has a good population of apparently tough to catch lakers in it.

Shoot me a PM if you're up for a bit as we'll be heading that way soon fishing. Like I said, I would have been up there this weekend if the boy was home. Then I could really show you God's country. ;)

https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-zjRggT7/0/c2cf0c0b/X3/i-zjRggT7-X3.jpg

https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-TC8SPg9/0/2ac188ce/X3/i-TC8SPg9-X3.jpg

I've been to Gwillim a couple times. Never caught anything though. Locals tell me it's a tough, moody lake. They also keep any knowledge of fishing it to themselves. It really seems like a lake you need to work at and earn the fish.

[AlbertanGP]

If you ever need someone on overwatch for grizzly Dean, just give me a holler. I have several choices of shotguns I can bring along to watch your back. :)

Two Lakes sure is nice country, even with the Bruins around there to keep you nervous.

Well, we should get together for a roam in the backcountry just on principle. ;)

Send me a PM any time you're heading out. The next couple of weeks should be fairly quiet for me until open water hits. I may not be great company in a boat unless I can remember how to catch fish. lol.

[AlbertanGP]

I've been to Gwillim a couple times. Never caught anything though. Locals tell me it's a tough, moody lake. They also keep any knowledge of fishing it to themselves. It really seems like a lake you need to work at and earn the fish.

Yeah we'll see. It's either legit difficult, in which case the mapping will come in handy to stay on productive water. Or it's a secret bonanza. Time will tell. It'll be hard to head out that way and not continue on to Williston and Dinosaur Lakes. But it's groundwork for next hardwater season.

[Twisted Canuck]

Well, we should get together for a roam in the backcountry just on principle. ;)

Send me a PM any time you're heading out. The next couple of weeks should be fairly quiet for me until open water hits. I may not be great company in a boat unless I can remember how to catch fish. lol.

That actually sounds like an idea. I will shoot you a PM. :)

[AlbertanGP]

Everyone can get all weepy-eyed at the thought of open water. I'm not done with the hardwater for a couple of weeks at least now with this week's weather.

This photo is from last weekend. That's not Adam and it's not Dief in the background. ;)

https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-C8X9j6w/0/9567c943/X3/i-C8X9j6w-X3.jpg

[trigger7mm]

Looks like Obed.

[Kokaneeranger]

Everyone can get all weepy-eyed at the thought of open water. I'm not done with the hardwater for a couple of weeks at least now with this week's weather.

This photo is from last weekend. That's not Adam and it's not Dief in the background. ;)

https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-C8X9j6w/0/9567c943/X3/i-C8X9j6w-X3.jpg

Id love to see the pic but cant see an attachment? Did you forget to attach?

[AlbertanGP]

Looks like Obed.

It does indeed look like the Destroyer of Souls...and 2/3's of all the other lakes in northern Alberta.

[AlbertanGP]

Id love to see the pic but cant see an attachment? Did you forget to attach?

Not sure why you can't see it. Don't worry though...no fish are involved.

[AlbertanGP]

Whelp, went out for a couple of hours for what feels like the last time this morning (although trigger7mm has me contemplating Obed now...:p). I could easily ice fish into May in my area. But I set foot on the ice back on Remembrance Day and haven't missed a weekend since (Boxing Day in -53*c wind chill still stands out). Most of the local aerated lakes are in full Spring Turnover mode now, and the rest will follow suit shortly as soon as they open up a bit and the wind can get at them. You can still catch fish but it's not terribly productive, and more an effort to prove a point than anything else.

In the end , it looks like my biggest bow this season will be the 25" fish I posted at the start of this thread. A couple of sixes, an awful lot of fives, and countless four pound fish kept things fun through the second half of the season when walleye lakes were off schedule. I also came to learn I like ice fishing for trout (especially lake trout:love::love::love:) more than native species.

So the hunt will continue next season. I think I'll start a new thread though, set some goals for several trout species, and get to work again. Cheers to all and good luck on the open water this season. I'm off to the shop to dig the mapping boat out of the corner. :happy0180:

https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-fgrW2bq/1/4fffd2eb/X3/i-fgrW2bq-X3.jpg

https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-Z8FLt76/0/793c1b1b/X3/i-Z8FLt76-X3.jpg

[SNAPFisher]

Nice work AlbertaGP! Fatties there for sure. I look forwards to updates on this thread. Would be nice to see again next season.

Good luck in the open water! I know I'm looking forwards to the chironie hatches, various dry fly hatches and the best imho the backswimmer hatch. Hope to put up some slabs of my own.

Cheers.