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pathfinder
08-27-2007, 01:57 PM
I would like to start fishing - have been fly fishing a couple of time, more comfortable with a spinner or a spincast. Trying to see if my 5yr old is interested. Thinking of going to Wedge Pond this weekend, any other lakes in Kanasaskis that are good for shore fishing that may be okay to try this time of the year? What kind of hooks, bait, setup, etc do I need? Thanks!

sheephunter
08-27-2007, 01:58 PM
Give Elbow Lake a try. Was by there last week and fish were rising and cruising everywhere. It's about a 30-minute hike up to the lake.

pathfinder
08-27-2007, 02:27 PM
Thx - but the 30 min walkin wont fly with the 5yr old - anything other good spots?

sheephunter
08-27-2007, 02:31 PM
It's an easy hike and loads of youngins do it but other than that it may be tough. Shore fishing on Wedge isn't great. You could try below the Seebee Dam for browns. I haven't stopped in at Mt. Lorrette Pond this year. It can be good when first stocked but likely getting pretty fished out by now. Maybe Allen Bill Pond? Haven't been threre for ages either.

pathfinder
08-27-2007, 02:43 PM
how about sibbald or upper/lower kananaskis from the shore?

ULTRAlite
08-27-2007, 04:20 PM
Sibbalds' a pretty good pond to start kids at - stocked...

Upper and Lower K can be hit and miss - good days are great but few and far between :)

Oh and x2 on Elbow Lake - seen lots of kids up there last time I was up.

Crystal Clear Water, and lots of fish to see and catch (beautiful scenery on the hike too)

pathfinder
08-27-2007, 10:49 PM
Thanks - for trout shore fishing, I setup my sons spincast with a small PantherMartin spinner, on a short leader and swivel. 6 pound line. My spinner rod is setup with a bobber, swivel, 5ft of 4lb leader and will try either a wooly worm, wooly bugger, joe's hopper, or muddler minnow (size 8 or 10 i think) - any other suggestions or am i even close to a right setup? Can we use bait at Elbow Lake - have powerbait trout pellets? I am going to hopefully try this out tmw at Dewwitts Pond, see if we have any luck. Any tips are most welcome!!

If I remember, Elbow Lake is just south of the K Lake turnoff, right?

Ray
08-28-2007, 09:56 AM
It's an easy hike and loads of youngins do it but other than that it may be tough. Shore fishing on Wedge isn't great. You could try below the Seebee Dam for browns. I haven't stopped in at Mt. Lorrette Pond this year. It can be good when first stocked but likely getting pretty fished out by now. Maybe Allen Bill Pond? Haven't been threre for ages either.

Can you still access below the dam there? I thought it was all blocked off now that the town of Seebe is being redeveloped.

sheephunter
08-28-2007, 05:10 PM
Can you still access below the dam there? I thought it was all blocked off now that the town of Seebe is being redeveloped.



Hmmm....haven't been there for a couple years now that I think about it. You could very well be right.

sheephunter
08-28-2007, 05:11 PM
If I remember, Elbow Lake is just south of the K Lake turnoff, right?

The parking lot is a few miles but it's well signed.

Unregistered user
08-28-2007, 06:20 PM
Mud lake, don't let the name fool ya, right by the Burstall / Chester parking area, many cutties.

pathfinder
08-29-2007, 06:06 AM
so my next question is, how to you setup up a spin rod to catch cutthroat or rainbows?

sheephunter
08-29-2007, 06:44 AM
They seem to like the colour orange....small spoons and spinners work well.

pathfinder
08-29-2007, 06:46 AM
i used 1/5oz panther martins with yellow powerbait yday for my sons rod at dewitts, didnt get a sniff. I have it off of a 5in wire leader - is this okay?

goose
08-29-2007, 03:13 PM
Try the Crossfield ponds, pickeral rig and orange power bait or worms 3-4 ft under a bobber ten feet out from shore on the edge of the weeds.
goose

ABwhitetail
08-29-2007, 04:00 PM
Firstly, I would suggest getting rid of the leader. I would do this for 2 reasons. Firstly, you don't need it. Trout do not have the teeth like a pike does and therefore won't "cut" the line. More importantly, it will inhibit the proper presentation and action of a small lure like a panther martin.

I would also say that the power bait is perhaps unnecessary on that particular lure. Not that it may keep fish from sticking, but it may be preventing the lure from getting down a little deeper...majority of the trout power baits float. A spinner is a lure that triggers fish to bite based on representing food like bait fish....so when a fish chooses to strike it, it is because it thinks it is just that, so bait isn't usually necessary.

That being said, if fish aren't very active, sometimes they won't chase spinners and other faster presentation (spoons, crankbaits, etc).

Especially for trout, sometimes you need to slow it down....leave the bait in the strike zone for a longer period of time. This can be especially true when you are shore fishing, because, depending on the water your fishing, when casting smaller lures, you bait tends to be in the striking zone of the fish for a relatively short amount of time.

This is where bait can be a key. Like mentioned in previous posts....bobber or "pickerel rig" fishing can produce. In these cases you are leaving the bait in the "face" of the active fish for longer periods of time.

You can use bobbers....try varying the depths you are fishing until you get bites. Bait can very...try worms, power bait, cheese, maggots....all these work.

They other method is a pickerel rig. I prefer using a lindy rig to the pickerel rig, since it lets you adjust the depth you are fishing from the bottom....bait choices stay the same, but in this case you want to use baits that float. Marshmallows, power bait....I look to use a combination of worms with a floating bait....

Anyway, hope that helped.......

pathfinder
08-29-2007, 08:31 PM
awesome advice - thanks...i had tried to get the spinner lower with split shot, but i was only guessing. With the Lindy rig - can you use any kind of lure on the end of it? Does it matter if you put a sliding bobber as an indicator on the line as well? What exactly is a pickerel rig?

ABwhitetail
08-30-2007, 09:18 AM
With a lindy rig, my personal choice is just a bait hook #6 or #8. If you use a good chunk of power bait with a small chunk of worm, that will be enough to float the hook. Now you can adjust the length of line from the hook to the swivel to change the depth at which you are fishing. My personal choice is to run about 3-4' of line....that is usually enough to get the bait up out of the weeds. Keep in mind that for every lake this changes. You shouldn't need a bobber with this rig. Cast it out and let her sink. Then tighten your line until you feel the tension of the weight. Either put the rod in a rod holder, or leaned against a forked branch stuck into the ground. You don't want a ton of tension on the line. The advantage with a lindy rig is as the fish takes the bait...the line will slip through the weight, so you don't want to counter act that by have your main line really tight. As the fish takes the bait...your rod tip will be the indicator....as you see the strike, pic up the rod, bring up the slack, and if you can still feel him on there....SET THE HOOK!

A pickerel rig is a simple set up that you attach to your main line....at the bottom of the rig, there is a clevis for a weight....then about a foot up from that, there is a wire that you attach a short piece of line to with a bait hook (or snelled hook provided)...then another 8" or so up from that another wire for a hook. You can ask for these rigs by name at any tackle store. The idea is basically the same as the lindy rig...BUT....as a fish bites, he has the tension of the weight attached to the bottom of the rig.

Don't get me wrong...the pickerel rigs work! But sometimes when the fish are not hitting aggressively, you get a bite...and as soon as the feel any tension, they'll drop it (A lot like finicky Walleye's)....with the lindy rig you can open the bail and let them take the bait with out any resistance...you don't have to give them lots of time...usually just a few seconds....

I caution you to one thing though...these bait rigs are not great system if you are planning to catch and release....anytime you give these trout a little line, the hook usually ends up in the throat...if your planning on keeping a few to eat...GREAT...if your planning to let them go...I would set the hook as soon as possible....

pathfinder
08-30-2007, 10:31 AM
AB - thanks again, will try that tonite. One more question - what aout casting a nymph behind a clear casting bobber? If these are stcoked fish, do they feed up top or stay low? If i were to cast the nymph, what basic nymph works this time of year? Caddis?

ABwhitetail
08-30-2007, 11:14 AM
A casting bobber with a nymph is also a great method.....sometimes watching a bait rig just sit there can get boring...when your using a method that involves casting....you can work the shoreline and keep busy......

Stocked fish will feed all through the water column....depends on temp and food. The choice of fly really is more to do with what the fish are feeding on...If you notice any small minnows swimming around shore.....I guarantee you that the trout are feeding on them....so minnow patterns are a good choice...

In terms of nymphs, there are lots of good choices....if your are not seeing fish rising....a bead head nymph is a good choice....pheasant tail bead heads are one of my favorites....otherwise you best bet is to observe what is in the water and try to match....backswimmers, caddis, leech patterns, woolly buggers...the list goes on.....

GOOD LUCK....

I am heading out tonight for the NWT....for a fishing trip....so I'll have to wait until Wednesday to see how you made out....

pathfinder
08-30-2007, 09:55 PM
SUCCESS!! Thanks for the advice - my son and I caught our first fish tonite at Dewitts Pond - a 14" rainbow using my own Lindy rig setup, #6 red bait hooks, and a big glob of yellow powerbait to float the hook off the bottom (had about 2-3ft of line between the slip sinker and bait hook). Had lots of nibbles and bait stolen, but I finally got the hang of aggressively setting the hook when my line went taught and the bell made noise! My son was so excited - ran to get the net, ran to get a stone to bonk it with (we had to keep the first one)...cheered me on - we both loved it and will have a nice little fish fry tomorrow night!

I also tried the casting bubble and fly setup - again, had a few nips, but was too shy in setting the hook - gonna take awhile to figure all this out, but you guys have been a great help!

ABwhitetail
09-05-2007, 08:22 AM
GLAD TO HEAR!!! looks like things are going in the right direction for you and your son....