Lake Minnewanka

[spopadyn]

I am thinking of going there this weekend, is the ice all gone and does anyone know if they are catching any fish? (No, I am not asking for a spot just whether or not the Lake trout are biting)

[Albertafisher]

Well I was in Banff 2 weeks ago and a F&W said that it was thawed, I'm actually gonna head out there this weekend too. I don't know any spots because this will be my first time on this lake, but I'm sure using spoons and crankbaits will work for just about anything in the lake. If you aren't having any luck there try the bow river, it is very good at this time of year.

[Fishingnutter]

If I could figure out how to do google maps I could show you several places,, however; if you are in a boat, bring a pre measured line to 60 feet and try to stay on a spot that depth. If using a spoon, best colour I find is light turquoise or pale green with some white, work the lure at a ten foot range from the bottom as you would a buzz bomb, no leader and if you can get it, the Maxima Ultragreen 8lb test. If you wait an hour I should have figured out a crude map of a 60' deep area.

If they had a thermometer that you could lower down to a reading of 41 Farenheit that would be great,,, NOT 39F, 41.

[Albertafisher]

Wow, thanks a million! :sHa_shakeshout:

[Fishingnutter]

:sign0161:

[Fishingnutter]

OK,, the two crude yellow lines are a bit fat, just make sure that you are 200 yards off shore thereabouts.


http://www.outdoorsmenforum.ca/attachment.php?attachmentid=22619&stc=1&d=1274318732

[Fishingnutter]

make sure your lure is about 3 inches long, medium action rod, slow steady reel in on the uptake of slack and not overly aggressive on your pull up. if you are boating on this lake as a first timer, i suggest not to anchor at all, the wind and waves have fetch faster and bigger than the ocean and it's a very very frigid lake.

[Fishingnutter]

Many moons ago,, while waiting for my dad to show up with the boat, I was fudging about (as kids do) about midway on the dam. I put a Huge pike lure on, giant Len Thompson Red & White and caught a 9 pound Lake Trout. What made that Long weekend catch so much better, was the amount of people walking by saying I was wasting my time. I hate being smug but ooooh that felt good.

[Fishingnutter]

Just remembered why I stopped fishing for Lake Trout; when you bring them up from a depth, even 60 feet, they are bloated from decompression, and I felt terribly bad about this and stuck to fishing the more shallow breeds. Does anyone know if released fish from the depths fair well on release?

[Albertadiver]

Many moons ago,, while waiting for my dad to show up with the boat, I was fudging about (as kids do) about midway on the dam. I put a Huge pike lure on, giant Len Thompson Red & White and caught a 9 pound Lake Trout. What made that Long weekend catch so much better, was the amount of people walking by saying I was wasting my time. I hate being smug but ooooh that felt good.

A few years ago, I was diving off the 'cliff's' just on that point on the east end of the day use area. It was pretty choppy, so I guess people didn't see our air bubbles. Anyhow, this len thompson lure goes right past me, so I reached out and grabbed the line, wrapped around my hand (dry gloves) and gave er a few good tugs. Kept this guy fighting the 'big fish' for a while and surfaced. Had a good laugh over it.

[KyleM]

Its called "the bends" and fish, if brought up to fast will die eventhough they will swim away. Mortalilty rate increases ofcourse which is why its a good idea to C&R fish for Lakers in the spring when they arent to deep...During the summer its best to keep them IMO

Fishingnutter, they do have a therm. that is built into your downrigger line.
It gives you a thermocline read out which will definately aid you in catching fish, I used to use them all the time but theres not enough deep water out here to carry a downrigger with the line on the boat....mainly used them for Salmon as Im not a huge Laker fisherman myself.

You can buy the line with a sensor in it which is very pricey but will give you a direct graph of the lakes temp from top to bottom or you can go the poor mans route and attatch a remote thermometer to your downrigger ball....keep an eye on the read out for your change in temp and bingo-bango you got it.

[sheephunter]

Its called "the bends" and fish, if brought up to fast will die eventhough they will swim away. Mortalilty rate increases ofcourse which is why its a good idea to C&R fish for Lakers in the spring when they arent to deep...During the summer its best to keep them IMO

.

Lake trout are actually one of the few fish that can vent their air bladder. They can actually burp and release the pressure as it builds. If you bring them up slowly, they do fine when caught from the depths. Other fish not so much.

[KyleM]

Yeah which is why I said "to fast"

[spopadyn]

Ok, I got skunked 2 weeks ago (3 times at getting skunked) when I went after the lakers - but, I am going there again this week. The park staff at the boat launch said the fishing was real good (one laker in the 25lb range came out on opening day), but who knows. I have yet to catch one of these. I have forced two experienced fishing guys to come with me this week, but if any of you have any tips (what lures are working at Lake Minnewanka specifically and what depths etc) it would be appreciated.

[nicemustang]

60-70 feet so I hear.

[sheephunter]

Hope to get out this weekend myself. I'll be jigging. I suspect in less than 40 feet of water.

[nicemustang]

If you're jiggin, maybe try 25 feet or so.

[sheephunter]

If you're jiggin, maybe try 25 feet or so.

I'll be watching the sonar closely :D If you see them, you can usually catch them.

[walleyechaser]

sheephunter will you be jigging bondys or what if you don't mind m asking

[sheephunter]

Never tried them but likely will. I usually use white tube jigs or Fuzz-E-Grubs.

[The Fisherman Guy]

We will be out on Saturday as well, looking to beat the fish I pulled out last spring, 22lbs.

See you out there. We'll be in the Lund 1850 Tyee, stop by and say hello if you see us!

[sheephunter]

We'll be in a Tracker tiller with a stinky black and white dog in it :D

[Albertadiver]

If you see a big blob on the sonar, swimming rather slowly at about +/- 80 ft of depth, that could possibly be me...

[The Fisherman Guy]

Hey Diver, Don't be tuggin' on my Lenny!

[Walleyes]

Hey Diver, Don't be tuggin' on my Lenny!

I said parden ???

[sheephunter]

Don't forget to sterilize your boat before going. Even being in posession of lead weights or jigs or scented rubber baits is enough to get you a ticket. It doesn't have to be tied on your line. If your boat is like mine, there are always jigs laying everywhere in it...lol

We'll be out Sunday.

[Walleyes]

Don't forget to sterilize your boat before going. Even being in posession of lead weights or jigs or scented rubber baits is enough to get you a ticket. It doesn't have to be tied on your line. If your boat is like mine, there are always jigs laying everywhere in it...lol

We'll be out Sunday.


Whoe good catch there Sheep,, I never would of thought of that. I just went and checked the regs and yah it say that you can't even be in possession of such things.

I am hoping to get out to the lake this year and after reading what you wrote I was worried that I couldn't use the downriggers.. But the regs clearly state no lead bellow 50 grams so downrigger weights will be fine.

Thx and again could note..

[sheephunter]

Whoe good catch there Sheep,, I never would of thought of that. I just went and checked the regs and yah it say that you can't even be in possession of such things.

I am hoping to get out to the lake this year and after reading what you wrote I was worried that I couldn't use the downriggers.. But the regs clearly state no lead bellow 50 grams so downrigger weights will be fine.

Thx and again could note..

Ya, downrigger balls are no problem....I guess the Feds figure a loon would have a hard time swallowing one....lol

Be sure you have your safe boating card with you too.

I'm loaded up with bismuth jigs and non-scented rubber bodies so I'm ready to go! Fresh trout for dinner on Sunday night!

[Walleyes]

Ya, downrigger balls are no problem....I guess the Feds figure a loon would have a hard time swallowing one....lol

Be sure you have your safe boating card with you too.

I'm loaded up with bismuth jigs and non-scented rubber bodies so I'm ready to go! Fresh trout for dinner on Sunday night!

50 grams converts to 1.76 ounces. I know they are not common in this part of the world but there are jigs that are this and heavier. Not saying they would work nor that I would use them but I do have a few Hali jigs that would fit this bill..

[sheephunter]

We typically use 3/8 ounce jigs but I'm going to give the big Bondy Baits a try Sunday.

[Walleyes]

We typically use 3/8 ounce jigs but I'm going to give the big Bondy Baits a try Sunday.


They look interesting,, I will be awaiting your prognoses on them..

Are you going to be using the 7 ounce version ???

[The Fisherman Guy]

Thank you for the reminder Sheep, I am heading out with a buddy who has limited experience on Minnewanka. We will sterilize the boat, and be ready to report for inspection.

Where do you find Bismuth Fuzz-E's? I have heard of a place in Canmore that has a decent selection of non-lead lures, can anyone please elaborate on which store will have the best selection?

[sheephunter]

Yup. Used them up on Athabasca with great results. I've had big lake trout hit small trout (3 pounds) that I was fighting many times on Minnewanka so I think they might work well for some of the bigger trout. Just have to keep them out of all the stumps on the bottom.......

[sheephunter]

Thank you for the reminder Sheep, I am heading out with a buddy who has limited experience on Minnewanka. We will sterilize the boat, and be ready to report for inspection.

Where do you find Bismuth Fuzz-E's? I have heard of a place in Canmore that has a decent selection of non-lead lures, can anyone please elaborate on which store will have the best selection?

I just bought some round heads at Wholesale and my buddy from Reelbait made me up some bismuth Walleye Flashers. You can buy Fuzz-E-Grub Bodies pretty well anywhere. I've got a few new rubber bodies I'm going to try out as well.

[The Fisherman Guy]

Thanks for the advice TJ, I looked at WSS today and must have missed the bodies, so I picked up a few that I will swap out with bismuth jig heads.

[sheephunter]

Thanks for the advice TJ, I looked at WSS today and must have missed the bodies, so I picked up a few that I will swap out with bismuth jig heads.

I haven't bought any there for a while but they usually have some bulk bins of bodies.

[thumper]

Minnewanka's been fishing poorly all week - cold weather and rain squalls pretty much every afternoon/evening. What fish have been caught have been in under 30 ft of water with slow presentations - and mainly in the a.m. before 10:00. Wind was from the east this afternoon/evening I was skunked on it tonight using a tube jig (bismuth head) and tried trolling an apex. The water is still pretty clear - saw the odd 'follow' - but no takers.

Should be better this weekend though. Good luck!

[The Fisherman Guy]

Just got in from the lake, no fish for our boat today. Great day on the water though, a few scattered showers but nothing to complain about. Not many people were hooking up with fish.

Do you drive a big cuddy with a blue canopy? If so, you're a dick. Just about swamped us out when you took off this evening out of the marina and passed us at about 40 yards going full tilt on our port side. If we were in a tin can, we would've been swimming to shore.

[Tuc]

Anyone been to L.M. lately. Hows the fishing?

Sheep have you ever used NO: 4 willow leafs with artifical worm in this lake. I'm sure you could fish deep with this setup on too. You also mentioned no lead in here, so I'm quessing a feller better leave those little round lead weights at home?

[Fenix_84]

Hey does anyone have information on how I can get to the boat launch?
Also the fees involved? boat launch fee?
Do i need a national park pass for the lake?

Thanks

[yeldarb]

If I could figure out how to do google maps I could show you several places,, however; if you are in a boat, bring a pre measured line to 60 feet and try to stay on a spot that depth. If using a spoon, best colour I find is light turquoise or pale green with some white, work the lure at a ten foot range from the bottom as you would a buzz bomb, no leader and if you can get it, the Maxima Ultragreen 8lb test. If you wait an hour I should have figured out a crude map of a 60' deep area.

If they had a thermometer that you could lower down to a reading of 41 Farenheit that would be great,,, NOT 39F, 41.
My 8 yr old son and I are going out next week (July 21 2011) for a week of camping. I usually bring my boat along and try for some lakers. I have had some luck on the north shore as most have at the first point, the first waterfall, and have had a bit of luck at the birch point about 1/3 of the way up the lake on the north shore. Just wondering if you might point me in the right direction for some other spots (and perhaps depths) to try as I have not caught a trout in over 2 years there, we have been going yearly for the past 8 yrs. Much obliged for any advice you might be able to offer.

Brad

[blackmamba]

spent all day on the lake today , fishing was good ... most of our fish were caught in 40- 65 fow.. we fished all over had action pretty much everywhere we fished ..

mamba,