Clear Lake today

[WayneChristie]

Met up with Sandalius out at Clear today, who cares if the weather sucked. Started off with a bang, line starts peeling off the reel, soon as I locked up to set the hook the pike decided it wanted to be elsewhere, straightened the snap on my leader like it was thread and kept going.
http://i787.photobucket.com/albums/yy156/rollinghillbilly/0123001124.jpg
Saw a bunch checking out our baits, I landed 2, lost 2 or 3 more. Steve managed to land one, and had the same thing happen , snap straightened out and hooks gone. Im starting to think there may be a runaway Russian submarine or something in that lake. Last time it was Jeff who ran into it. Lots of fun tho, even watching the crazy snowdrifts building up behind the car as we fished. Two visits by a very friendly CO and finally the long windy drive back home. Fortunately the blowing snow only lasted as far as Champion so it wasnt a bad drive at all. Now I have two lakes with moby pike I want rematches with. Oh and the wife got skunked, about time , I switched chairs with her this trip and took the lucky side:evilgrin:

[baitfisher83]

Don't get used to it, she'll be back to outfishing you in no time..lmao too bad it looks like I wont get out tomorrow

[bucktaker]

how was the ice out there? still pretty thick i would imagine. thinking about heading out in the morning.

[DarkAisling]

How about we give that sucker chase next weekend if I'm not working :D

I'm working on some new leaders.

[WayneChristie]

its plenty thick. lots of drifting with this wind tho, but the drive on at the north end is fine.

[bucktaker]

was debating on badger or clear in the morning but they say that there is a snowfall warning. going to hit one not sure witch one though.

[WayneChristie]

Thats a deal Shelley. Im sticking to steel leaders til I see how that stuff works tho. should be getting my lure gear and some wire leader material in the mail this week. And I landed one and lost a couple with the headless smelts today :) One took off running, I missed him and ended up hauling up Karens bait on my line, it grabbed hers on the way by too, too bad neither one hooked it.

[jts1]

Good to hear you guys had a good day , one of us is going to pull out a monster out of there soon. I was going to tag along today but been doing 14 hr days this week and my body shut down to play some catch up. Its only a few weeks till the gathering so will see ya soon.

[WayneChristie]

I thought the little woman was practicing with the soon to be whip and wouldnt let you go play :evilgrin: I am going to get that big one next weekend, unless I think about it all night and go back in the morning, , just might happen. :D

[bucktaker]

heading out in the morning possibly with another member lol

[WayneChristie]

weather network says not too cold and light winds for Stavley tomorrow, and blizzard for us, so I think I will go back and try again. :) I want my hooks back!!!!!!

[bucktaker]

picking up someone in the morning lol. I will be in a gold dodge extended cab.

[WayneChristie]

got a very muddy blue cavalier. I will be the one jumping up and down swearing in the pike. and yes it works :D

[calgarygringo]

Wayne
A couple of us are going to ice fish there for the first time Monday. I have only summer fished and got on at the boat launch. Where is this north end drive on? Is it just off the hiway at the north end or do you have to go down the road that turns into the lake. Might be better that than driving up the lake from the boat launch.

Thanks
Ken

[Sandalius]

I was going to tag along today but been doing 14 hr days this week and my body shut down to play some catch up.

I call BS, you got up this morning and put on some lace panties instead of long johns ...:lol:

I want my hooks back!!!!!!

I want mine back too !!!

I will be the one jumping up and down swearing in the pike. and yes it works :D

Does this work - I don't know for sure, but it is highly entertaining to watch all the commotion:lol::lol:

[baitfisher83]

Haha I wish I had a video camera for this, will be out there myself watching for Wayne's little dance...

[WayneChristie]

Ken you drive on right beside the outlet structure just off the highway at the north end

[Drano]

Good to hear that the fish are starting to bite now.

[madatter]

I plan on hittin Clear Monday as well,probably be there early again and try the same spot that worked so well on Friday.....north end
Muddy silver chevy ext cab with the golden retriever runnin around.

[calgarygringo]

I will see you up there as well. Green silverado with topper towing black shack in sig. Moby pike is calling me.....

[DarkAisling]

Thats a deal Shelley.

Craig just said he'd like to go. :eek: Cool.

That means we'll need to find a babysitter, so we won't have quite as much time. It is only 1.5 hrs from us though.

[flygirrl]

Boo hoo boo hoo, my fishing buddy has been working for the last two weeks steady so I havnt been out boo hoo boo hoo.. Feel sorry for myself day.

[Cowtown guy]

I keep hearing about the pike in Clear but have no idea where it is. Anyone mind throwing some directions over. I have heard it was by Stavely???

[WayneChristie]

I keep hearing about the pike in Clear but have no idea where it is. Anyone mind throwing some directions over. I have heard it was by Stavely???

turn at Staveley, go past town and keep on going, not too far past it.
Shelley thats great, Im looking forward to meeting the guy who can put up with you full time :evilgrin:

[slingshotz]

Was out there on the Friday in the north end and boy the day started out really bad, didnt get out there until 2:30. Drilled a new spot and discovered it was like 3 feet. Moved to a different area and for some reason auger wouldn't even bite into ice. Thought it was wierd as the first hole drilled in no time and I didn't hit bottom or anything. Tried drilling for the next hour into different spots thinking it was the ice and not the auger. Not sure what was in the first hole but auger blades somehow got royalled screwed. We managed to drill one hole (took like 30 minutes) and discovered it was only 4 feet deep.

By now I was exhausted and we saw the guys fishing in the north leave so we drive up and use the holes they drilled before it got dark. Got absolutely nothing and decided to move further north to some other holes predrilled in hopes for some burb action. Discovered those holes were only 3 feet deep but at this point we are out of options. Setup the tipups and rods cook some dinner and as we finish a tipup goes off. It's now about 8pm so I'm thinking, great a burb finally. Start pulling the line and fish decides to take two long hard runs and luckily I was wearing thick gloves handlining.

Finally get the fish up in the hole and as it comes up the shock hits like a ton of bricks, a huge mouth full of teeth! 85cm and 12 pounds, best ever so far for me on the ice. Amazing how catching a nice fish can turn around the day and still shocked to catch such a big pike at night in 3 feet of water.

http://i677.photobucket.com/albums/vv137/limes8888/Clear%20Lake/P1000361-small.jpg

[fisherwoman]

Nice pike you got there! Funny how that one big fish can make the whole day better.

[calgarygringo]

Nice fish there Will. I hope your screwed up blade is on your hand auger not the new one I hear was coming. We are heading there after breakfast today for our first ice fishing trip there. Going to try the north end as well. We have caught a few in that area in the boat in the spring so I know they are there even though it is shallow. Hopefully me and my crew can catch a few monsters today.

[madatter]

Not gonna make it out today,little lady is felling pretty rough:(

[WayneChristie]

Will there were a bunch of people set up right off the shore when we were there, doubt they were in more than 3 feet also, only saw them pull one fish out. Nice pike, I decided to try closer to home because I wasnt feeling great, ended up landing one the exact twin of yours, 100 miles away :D sure fun to get thru the ice. Hope it was just your blades messed up and not worse

[dennisb]

Are you guys talking about "Twin Valley Res"???? I keep hearing about Clear Lake and i am just wondering if its the same lake???
Looking through the Regs, I cant seem to find either lake???
Any help would be great.

[WayneChristie]

Are you guys talking about "Twin Valley Res"???? I keep hearing about Clear Lake and i am just wondering if its the same lake???
Looking through the Regs, I cant seem to find either lake???
Any help would be great.

different lake, same area. if you go south from Calgary, turn left at Stavely, keep going up the road you will see the lake on your right. Clear is on TWP 142 Twin is over on 529
if this link works, Clear at the bottom, twin at the top
http://maps.google.ca/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=50.202506,-113.375816&spn=0.09768,0.227966&t=h&z=13

[dennisb]

Many Thanks Wayne

[madatter]

Will there were a bunch of people set up right off the shore when we were there, doubt they were in more than 3 feet also, only saw them pull one fish out. Nice pike, I decided to try closer to home because I wasnt feeling great, ended up landing one the exact twin of yours, 100 miles away :D sure fun to get thru the ice. Hope it was just your blades messed up and not worse

The good day I had on Friday at Clear was in very shallow water,under 5 feet of water...every time I had a bite and let him run I'd drag a ton of weeds up with it.
Only reason I fished where I did was because there were blood marks on the ice from the day before.....turned out to be a good move on my part:D

[WayneChristie]

no problem. pike seemed to be biting from shore all the way out, its not a deep lake.

[Drano]

Sounds like the bite is back on.

[walleyeminded]

not hearing much about the burbs out there anybody catching any i caught one about 2 weeks ago 31 x 17 nice fish but i didnt get no pics of it caught a few pike but mostly smaller ones how is it to fish in the summer

[tacklerunner]

Been following your forum for info on Badger Pike recently and decided to join. Not sure if it's cool to jump in on a thread but got some good tips from you all and will post my results and info respectively. Fished Badger twice this year. Nothing huge (landed that is). Biggest 8 lbs. Look forward to trying Clear Lake. Never heard of it before.

[WayneChristie]

Been following your forum for info on Badger Pike recently and decided to join. Not sure if it's cool to jump in on a thread but got some good tips from you all and will post my results and info respectively. Fished Badger twice this year. Nothing huge (landed that is). Biggest 8 lbs. Look forward to trying Clear Lake. Never heard of it before.

welcome to the forum. When you fish clear make sure your knots are tight, some hogs in there too.

[tacklerunner]

Thanks Wayne. Will keep you posted.

[The Fisherman Guy]

Hey Wayne, I have had the same problem with pike smacking the leader clasp open, and taking off. What about making your own leaders? I started making my own for my tipups and have not lost a fish from a failed leader yet... The only draw back is that the leader needs to be cut for the hooks to be changed...

[WayneChristie]

These were home made leaders, but I didnt have the good snaps on them, Im making a bunch more this week, and using the coast lock snaps so they cant pull them open. Have to go back for round 2 with moby pike next weekend :) Now I have one close to home I want a rematch with too :) So many fish, so little fishing time :D

[enzo]

These were home made leaders, but I didnt have the good snaps on them, Im making a bunch more this week, and using the coast lock snaps so they cant pull them open. Have to go back for round 2 with moby pike next weekend :) Now I have one close to home I want a rematch with too :) So many fish, so little fishing time :D

They should'nt be too hard to identify. They will have a gang of treble hooks stuck in them.

[WayneChristie]

They should'nt be too hard to identify. They will have a gang of treble hooks stuck in them.

thank you for your as always intelligent and helpful comment. Have a nice day!

[tacklerunner]

Even on the good ball bearing swivels, just pinch the clasp with a pair of needle nose pliers so it folds over the wire a bit. If you can release it with your hands, certainly a Pike has no problem if he hits it just right, per chance. This way, you don't have to cut your leaders to make a change but you will need those needle nose pliers to open the clasp again. Hasn't failed me yet.

[CountryRoadz]

Does anyone have any updates from Clear this week? Iam thinking about heading that way Sunday for the first time and from what I can gather the lake is shallow, start fishing early in the day, there's a few big pike and the lake is OK to drive on.

Oh ya and bring extra leaders

CR

[swishsmurf]

Went out on monday got there around noon, it was a slow go all day and then my buddy hooked it to this little 13 lb beauty i had told him about this forum on the drive down, we got the picture, then he said post that one on your forum! ha ha so here it is!

[tacklerunner]

Does anyone have any updates from Clear this week? Iam thinking about heading that way Sunday for the first time and from what I can gather the lake is shallow, start fishing early in the day, there's a few big pike and the lake is OK to drive on.

Oh ya and bring extra leaders

CR

Was out there on Tuesday. Released a pair of 28 inchers. Tonnes of bites. Suspect there are some smaller ones in there nibbling away. Used big bait and big hooks. Woulda tried a smaller smelt or something if I had just to see what was biting. Never got the big hit the guys are talking about. 4 of us on the lake total. None over 10lbs. Bite was pretty steady all day. Maybe a bit better 1st thing in the morning. CO snuck up on me on a ski doo. Nice guy for once. Said the lake was heavily fished last couple years so.... I fished 5 feet water all day. Guys were catching everywhere so just look where there are groups of holes and pick a spot and you'll get something, hopefully the big one. Ice about 2 feet thick. Very little snow. Nice little accessible lake. Good Luck.

[CountryRoadz]

Was out there on Tuesday. Released a pair of 28 inchers. Tonnes of bites. Suspect there are some smaller ones in there nibbling away. Used big bait and big hooks. Woulda tried a smaller smelt or something if I had just to see what was biting. Never got the big hit the guys are talking about. 4 of us on the lake total. None over 10lbs. Bite was pretty steady all day. Maybe a bit better 1st thing in the morning. CO snuck up on me on a ski doo. Nice guy for once. Said the lake was heavily fished last couple years so.... I fished 5 feet water all day. Guys were catching everywhere so just look where there are groups of holes and pick a spot and you'll get something, hopefully the big one. Ice about 2 feet thick. Very little snow. Nice little accessible lake. Good Luck.

Thanks for the detailed update. Congrats on the fish. Not sure when I will get out that way but if I do I will provide some info.

Folks, is this not what the intent of this forum is for? Sharing information and being sportsmen/women not playing hide and go seek.

Anyway...Good Day and Good Fishing

CR

[WayneChristie]

Looks like I will be on the lake again this Saturday. I was using small smelts, all I could find, then some bigger ones with no heads, both worked. I was watching the fish, had a quickstrike rig with 2 hooks, the pike would usually take the smelt in the middle, between the hooks so you had to give them time and line to turn it and take it by the end to hook them. the big one just took the whole thing at once :D Same last Sunday at a different lake, I watched 3 or 4 hammerhandles take the smelt by the middle from the side so they didnt get the hooks. First time I fished Clear I used one hook in the middle of the smelt, seemed to hook them more often that way. I agree the CO on Clear is a pretty decent guy, came by and talked to us a couple times.

[tacklerunner]

Looks like I will be on the lake again this Saturday. I was using small smelts, all I could find, then some bigger ones with no heads, both worked. I was watching the fish, had a quickstrike rig with 2 hooks, the pike would usually take the smelt in the middle, between the hooks so you had to give them time and line to turn it and take it by the end to hook them. the big one just took the whole thing at once :D Same last Sunday at a different lake, I watched 3 or 4 hammerhandles take the smelt by the middle from the side so they didnt get the hooks. First time I fished Clear I used one hook in the middle of the smelt, seemed to hook them more often that way. I agree the CO on Clear is a pretty decent guy, came by and talked to us a couple times.

That's what I noticed. Lots of baits with their bellies ripped open. Suspecting that I also tried a hook in the middle but bite was off so can't say if it was successful or not. Sounds like Clear is the new hotspot. Lots of action there that's for sure. Might have to try Beaver just to try swing the momentum again. Gotta feeling someone's going to get a monster at Clear this weekend.

[tacklerunner]

Thanks for the detailed update. Congrats on the fish. Not sure when I will get out that way but if I do I will provide some info.

Folks, is this not what the intent of this forum is for? Sharing information and being sportsmen/women not playing hide and go seek.

Anyway...Good Day and Good Fishing

CR

I'm a new member. Must say I quickly realized that Wayne Christie's threads were helpful. Don't know him but him and his friends seem like good genuine sportsmen/women who fish because it's fun and challenging. That's what it's about for me. Happy to share helpful info just as I have benefited from it. I read but stay away from the "bragging" threads or "debates" on barbless hooks etc. Respectfully, other's may not be as open and that's cool too. That's their right. Can't say that IF I ever do find that honey hole I'd be publicly posting it; maybe after time I would. I'm sure we'll all meet up on a lake sometime in the future and be able to shake a hand and put a name to a face.

[WayneChristie]

Thanks for the compliment, but I can say Im not a total :innocent: I do have my :evilgrin: days too. :lol: I dont mind sharing, I have hotspots I keep to myself for sure, or share in person, but the places that get fished a lot are already wide open so I dont mind helping if I can. I for sure dont know everything about fishing, but I do what I can and learn along the way. Lots of great people on this forum, met quite a few in person and had some really good times. Make it to one of the gatherings, you will see what I mean.

[pecker]

Looks like I will be on the lake again this Saturday. I was using small smelts, all I could find, then some bigger ones with no heads, both worked. I was watching the fish, had a quickstrike rig with 2 hooks, the pike would usually take the smelt in the middle, between the hooks so you had to give them time and line to turn it and take it by the end to hook them. the big one just took the whole thing at once :D Same last Sunday at a different lake, I watched 3 or 4 hammerhandles take the smelt by the middle from the side so they didnt get the hooks. First time I fished Clear I used one hook in the middle of the smelt, seemed to hook them more often that way. I agree the CO on Clear is a pretty decent guy, came by and talked to us a couple times.

Wayne if you're at clear saturday--look for a white GMC pickup & a sky blue buick regal . drop in and say hi.etc. :wave::wave:

[WayneChristie]

Wayne if you're at clear saturday--look for a white GMC pickup & a sky blue buick regal . drop in and say hi.etc. :wave::wave:

shall do. I will be in the dirtiest car on the lake. so dirty the RCMP felt sorry for me last Sunday and cleaned my license plate off at the lake, because I forgot :D

[pecker]

shall do. I will be in the dirtiest car on the lake. so dirty the RCMP felt sorry for me last Sunday and cleaned my license plate off at the lake, because I forgot :D

we'll be lookin' for that dirty cavalier . ;):wave:

[DarkAisling]

we'll be lookin' for that dirty cavalier . ;):wave:

Look for the dirty Volvo too :) It should be pretty close to the dirty Cavalier.

#1 son and I will be there. Hubby might be there too . . . we're trying to nail down a nephew to babysit (can't reach him).

I'm looking forward to trying out my new fluorocarbon rigs, and my new fish TV (happy birthday to me! . . . still three weeks off, but got impatient). I have another toy being brought in by the Fishin' Hole, but I don't think it'll be here by then.

I also have a new portable toilet (glorified bucket, does not flush), and a privacy tent to put it in. Got a new bat too. :evilgrin:

I had mentioned that I needed to decrease all of the crap I bring. I've somehow wound up with more. :huh: It sucks to drag everything out, but it is quite a comfortable experience.

[WayneChristie]

I was wrong, you wont need a van, you will need a cube van pretty soon!!!! :D all that stuff, now you just need to figure out how to use it to catch a fish!:lol:

[WayneChristie]

I had mentioned that I needed to decrease all of the crap I bring. I've somehow wound up with more. :huh: It sucks to drag everything out, but it is quite a comfortable experience.

guess thats why you got the portapotty:evilgrin::lol:?

[CountryRoadz]

Looks like theres going to be a few folks out at Clear this weekend. I hope to be out Saturday if not Sunday for sure. As someone mentioned maybe there could be a big one there this weekend. If so post a picture if you can.

Good Luck and Good Fishing.

CR

[iliketrout]

I too will be there with a few friends. Red GMC, possibly a blue Chevy as well, and a black Frabill tent.

The big one everyone is talking about will be on display...well pics and/or videos of it at least :lol:

[swishsmurf]

I'll be there all day tomorrow i'll put the big ones back for the crowd heading out on saturday :)

[WayneChristie]

I'll be there all day tomorrow i'll put the big ones back for the crowd heading out on saturday :)

thanks, tell her I miss her too :D

[WayneChristie]

I too will be there with a few friends. Red GMC, possibly a blue Chevy as well, and a black Frabill tent.

The big one everyone is talking about will be on display...well pics and/or videos of it at least :lol:

all the pic will be missing is that strange looking dude in the background :lol:

[WayneChristie]

more I think about it the more I think I may go warm the lake up today. If you see the dirty blue Cav say hi. I will be the guy jumping up and down swearing in the pikes :D dont knock it til you try it, got me the 12 pounder last weekend :lol: keeps the neighbors entertained too :evilgrin:

[DarkAisling]

I was wrong, you wont need a van, you will need a cube van pretty soon!!!! :D all that stuff, now you just need to figure out how to use it to catch a fish!:lol:

Cheeky bugger ain't cha? :p

Let me know when you guys will be there, and where you'll be.

Our nephew has agreed to babysit, so we wont' be in the Volvo. We'll be in a '96, or thereabouts, tan/brownish coloured GM or Chev (don't remember the make :o) 1/2 tonne, ext cab, short box with a topper. Topper is the same colour as the truck. The truck has those "Euro" LED taillights.

[abab]

has anyone been to chain lakes in the past few days wondering how thick the ice is?

[WayneChristie]

Cheeky bugger ain't cha? :p

Let me know when you guys will be there, and where you'll be.

Our nephew has agreed to babysit, so we wont' be in the Volvo. We'll be in a '96, or thereabouts, tan/brownish coloured GM or Chev (don't remember the make :o) 1/2 tonne, ext cab, short box with a topper. Topper is the same colour as the truck. The truck has those "Euro" LED taillights.

now how am I going to see the tail lights, unless you back onto the lake? :rolleyes: :lol: see you there, Ive reserved my fish

[DarkAisling]

Okay, we won't be there today. #1 son and I have been struck by a really unpleasant intestinal thing.

As I need to live vicariously through all of you today . . . please post your stories and pics when you get home :)