buffalo lake,....advice thread.

[mooseknuckle]

Hello All,

talked into renting a cabin at buffalo lake (stettler area I think). Anyways being lazy and wanting peoples secret honey holes as well as a few reg. questions.

Seriously anyone been. worth taking the boat (Prefer pike, walleye, perch).

Yep clueless yet desperate to fish.

[troller]

You won't find walleye or perch. Pike is hit or miss, you will have better luck owning a boat than from shore IMO. Also, if you go swimming make sure you rinse off, it has been known as a "hive" lake later in the summer when the weeds get a little thicker. Never bothered me but I know a few people who it did bother. We usually boated out to the middle to swim. This was on the South/East side, Ol Macdonalds, Rochon, Narrows, Boss Hill areas. Never really ventured over to the Bashaw side of things.

[Geezle]

Hello All,

talked into renting a cabin at buffalo lake (stettler area I think). Anyways being lazy and wanting peoples secret honey holes as well as a few reg. questions.

Seriously anyone been. worth taking the boat (Prefer pike, walleye, perch).

Yep clueless yet desperate to fish.

Desperate to fish? Come to the river...at least a dozen pike between two of us yesterday afternoon :cool: It ain't Wab, but it'll do in a pinch :fishing:

[troller]

Desperate to fish? Come to the river...at least a dozen pike between two of us yesterday afternoon :cool: It ain't Wab, but it'll do in a pinch :fishing:

:happy0180:

I'd rather fish the river than Buff any day :)

[mooseknuckle]

Thanks folks, I have a boat so no issue there. Truth be told I'd rather fish the river too it's a family get together at the ol mcdonald campsite not my first choice but it's more for the kids I just thought hey, there's a lake why not wet a line and see what happens.

Jay I do have to get down to the river with you soon, I've hit Wab 3 times since friday (opening day) endless pike but nothing over 3lbs. Not sure why thinking maybe water temps or something the big girls are laying low right now?

So I'll make you a deal let me know when your going down next and I'll meet up with you but you have to join me on the boat at wab next time.

[nicemustang]

Buffalo lake....not a bad pike fishery actually if you have a boat. And there are walleye and perch, just not to many of them. My neighbour has a cabin there, a real nice place.

As for spots, fish the narrows and in and out of that bay. Trolling is your friend, raps or spoons (especially red + white) should do the trick. I have been out twice with him, both times in June/July last year and the first time we caught 20 + fish each with mostly 5-8 lbs. Second time we only got 15 but 5 were over 10 with one over 20 (I didn't catch it). Get the map from here (http://srd.alberta.ca/MapsFormsPublications/Maps/PrairiesAreaBathymetryDepthMaps/ColourBathymetryMaps.aspx) and have fun. We aslo fish near the two islands with good sucess.

[mooseknuckle]

Buffalo lake....not a bad pike fishery actually if you have a boat. And there are walleye and perch, just not to many of them. My neighbour has a cabin there, a real nice place.

As for spots, fish the narrows and in and out of that bay. Trolling is your friend, raps or spoons (especially red + white) should do the trick. I have been out twice with him, both times in June/July last year and the first time we caught 20 + fish each with mostly 5-8 lbs. Second time we only got 15 but 5 were over 10 with one over 20 (I didn't catch it). Get the map from here (http://srd.alberta.ca/MapsFormsPublications/Maps/PrairiesAreaBathymetryDepthMaps/ColourBathymetryMaps.aspx) and have fun. We aslo fish near the two islands with good sucess.

DUDE!!! Thanks man, really appreciate the tips, I've heard good things about the narrows and understand there's a 0 keep limit as apposed to the rest of the lake 3 Pike 63cm, just incase the water temps are still low so maybe one for the BBQ? we'll see.

Again thanks Mustang.

[nicemustang]

ya for sure, there is a reason why there is a 0 limit in narrows :)

[decker]

Buffalo lake....not a bad pike fishery actually if you have a boat. And there are walleye and perch, just not to many of them. My neighbour has a cabin there, a real nice place.

As for spots, fish the narrows and in and out of that bay. Trolling is your friend, raps or spoons (especially red + white) should do the trick. I have been out twice with him, both times in June/July last year and the first time we caught 20 + fish each with mostly 5-8 lbs. Second time we only got 15 but 5 were over 10 with one over 20 (I didn't catch it). Get the map from here (http://srd.alberta.ca/MapsFormsPublications/Maps/PrairiesAreaBathymetryDepthMaps/ColourBathymetryMaps.aspx) and have fun. We aslo fish near the two islands with good sucess.

I highly doubt there is any Walleye or perch in this lake, and make sure you check the regulations as to where you can keep Pike it's not just limited to the Narrows.

Right now it's pretty dirty and they have started pumping water in through the creek so it will take a month to clean up on the west side. There has been some really big pike caught in the last few years.

[mooseknuckle]

I highly doubt there is any Walleye or perch in this lake, and make sure you check the regulations as to where you can keep Pike it's not just limited to the Narrows.

Right now it's pretty dirty and they have started pumping water in through the creek so it will take a month to clean up on the west side. There has been some really big pike caught in the last few years.

According to the regs 0 limit Pike 3 burbot in the narrows and 3 over 63cm for the rest of the lake!! Thats all it says?? If there are more restrictions on other parts of the lake I can't find them?

[DBP]

Lived there for 8 years and always had luck. I mainly trolled just east of Rochan Sands just below the farm house in between Rochan and White Sands. The Narrows are really good in the mouth by the white post in the water, I've caught some good gators out of there. Good Luck

[decker]

There is a set of white markers on the north and south side of the lake in the mouth of the Narrows which is about 1 Mile into the main part of the Lake which would be the 40-22-W4 anything to the west side of these markers is catch and release for Pike.

Buffalo Lake
the portion located in 40-22-W4 (the Narrows)
May 21 to Mar. 31 – Pike limit 0; Burbot limit 3.
Apr. 1 to May 20 – CLOSED


According to the regs 0 limit Pike 3 burbot in the narrows and 3 over 63cm for the rest of the lake!! Thats all it says?? If there are more restrictions on other parts of the lake I can't find them?

[nicemustang]

I've seen my neighbour in pictures at his cabin of him with walleye a fwe years ago. So yes they are/were there although VERY few and far between.

[decker]

I've seen my neighbour in pictures at his cabin of him with walleye a fwe years ago. So yes they are/were there although VERY few and far between.

First I ever heard of Walleye in Buffalo Lake and I have lived here for 40 years and have fished this lake for 35 of them, I would like to see them pictures.

[nicemustang]

I'll ask, maybe he's full of BS and it was caught elsewhere.

[DBP]

I'm with decker on this one, I've just about fished the whole lake, hard and open water, and have never caught let alone seen a walleye. Its the first I've heard of them in there. Must be a different Buffalo Lake

[marlin1]

we used to catch a ton of burbot in that lake through the ice . That was 20 years ago though , all I remember is there was a little village of cabins nearby and we fished as deep as we could

[turnpike]

fishin was slow for the long weekend at buff. water was dirty and in my opinion not quite warm enough (about 55-56 F last weekend) to get into the aggressive post spawners in and around the narrows. Ive found this lake to be much better fishing on the hardwater. There are some bruisers in there!

[mooseknuckle]

fishin was slow for the long weekend at buff. water was dirty and in my opinion not quite warm enough (about 55-56 F last weekend) to get into the aggressive post spawners in and around the narrows. Ive found this lake to be much better fishing on the hardwater. There are some bruisers in there!

I would attribute my lack of success for larger pike too lower water temps at the places I've open water fished so far this year.

But again it's the only chance I have this weekend so if I hit!!! awesome if I miss oh well.

Guys, I really appreciate all the feedback especially with all the "don't tell your spots BS" happening on this forum lately!! I just wanna a decent chance at afish or two, to get away from the family BS this weekend!:scared0018:

[alodar]

seems good spring fishing has been delayed at alot of places this year so next few weeks is gunna see some spectacular fishing

[Geezle]

Thanks folks, I have a boat so no issue there. Truth be told I'd rather fish the river too it's a family get together at the ol mcdonald campsite not my first choice but it's more for the kids I just thought hey, there's a lake why not wet a line and see what happens.

Jay I do have to get down to the river with you soon, I've hit Wab 3 times since friday (opening day) endless pike but nothing over 3lbs. Not sure why thinking maybe water temps or something the big girls are laying low right now?

So I'll make you a deal let me know when your going down next and I'll meet up with you but you have to join me on the boat at wab next time.

Sold! :fishing:

Where in the water column have you been getting those little guys? Maybe the big ones are still hanging down deep?

[mooseknuckle]

Sold! :fishing:

Where in the water column have you been getting those little guys? Maybe the big ones are still hanging down deep?

You may be right about that. the deeper I went the bigger they got not by much mind you but maybe a guy should hit 10 - 12 - 15fow rather than 2-8

[Geezle]

You may be right about that. the deeper I went the bigger they got not by much mind you but maybe a guy should hit 10 - 12 - 15fow rather than 2-8

Next time you head out there try a big heavy spoon...retrieve it slow so it drops deeper and see what happens :evilgrin:

[surface2feather]

Much of this lake is VERY SHALLOW so be aware in your boat. If you dont have any nicks in your prop now you probably will when your done at Buffalo...
S2F

[mooseknuckle]

Much of this lake is VERY SHALLOW so be aware in your boat. If you dont have any nicks in your prop now you probably will when your done at Buffalo...
S2F

Thanks for the heads up, my prop isn't pretty already and I always carry a spare. But I also pay close attention to depths especially when fishing a new lake... new to me anyways.

Thanks all for the advice we're leaving for the lake in about 10 minutes, I'll let you know how I made out.

[EdwardsZX]

X2 on the shallow lake comment, was out there with the Wife and the Dog last weekend, we were well over 150' off shore and hit bottom with our little aluminum boat. luckily no rocks just turned the water to mud behind us.

[EdwardsZX]

Right now it's pretty dirty and they have started pumping water in through the creek so it will take a month to clean up on the west side. There has been some really big pike caught in the last few years.

Is that why it gets so dirty on the west side? Been out there some times when it's clear and others when it's like it was last weekend. could never figure out why. Any more info on this? I hate going out there when its so muddy, it's an hour and a half drive for us.

[turnpike]

when getty was in he power he organized for a pipeline from the river to buff to keep water levels stable. Pretty sure it is used at times but not sure where it comes into the lake. This may be causing the dirty water.

[mooseknuckle]

Well not much to report... I didn't bring my ice auger. Lol stuck in the cabin watching the snow fall, forgot rain pants or else I might brave it. So beer time I guess.

[DBP]

Yes there is a lake stablization creek. It runs fron the red deer river to alix lake then to buffalo. It runs into the lake around mirror.

[decker]

Yes there is a lake stablization creek. It runs fron the red deer river to alix lake then to buffalo. It runs into the lake around mirror.

They actually pump water from the Red Deer River through a pipline to the south end of Alix lake it flows out the north end of the lake through Parlby creek which eventually flows into the Mirror bay on the ver west end of Buffalo lake.
There is a series of flood gates and fish ladders that were installed in the late 80's as part of the lake stabilization program.