Trout Lakes near Lethbridge???

[matt04]

I would like to go fishing tommorow somewhere close to Lethbridge but I am new to Lethbridge and I am not familiar with many of the lakes around here. I plan on fly fishing so I would like to go to a lake with trout, I have no idea how to fly fish for pike. Info would be great. Oh yeah, I fished Mcvinny on monday night and didn't catch anything over 8".

[Pudelpointer]

Unfortunately there is nothing really close (besides a couple lakes within the city that have both trout and pike). If you don't mind a bit of a drive, there are a number of good trout lakes in the pass (Crowsnest) and to the south past Cardston.

What are you looking for? Big fish or something to eat?

[gprime27]

There's a small trout pond on the westside of the city in riverstone. It's fairly easy to find. It's stocked with trout.

Westside lake has Brown trout and eastern brook trout.

Fly fishing for pike is fun. Find a red and white streamer (whole sale sports) and go to town on henderson or the westside lake. Guranteed to find a whole slew of them :)

[matt04]

been to all the lakes in town, think I'm going to fish police lake today. My buddy told me about it and said it is a trophy lake. anyone fished it latley

[Pudelpointer]

Fished Police a month or so back, not a lot going on. There are a few decent fish starting to show up, but I think it will be another year or so before your chances of catching a 20 are anything but slim.

If you want to catch lots of good sized fish with the chance to take one home, try Bullshead, south of Medicine Hat. Same regs as Police, but has been that way for a few years, whereas Police just had the trophy regs implemented last year (IIRC). If you head out to Bullshead, be prepared to run into a few people, especially on a weekend. A boat is not necessary most days, but it can help get you away from the crowd.

Fishing can be decent at Payne (Mami) and Lees, but there are a tonne of little guys (over stocked IMO), same with Beauvais. There is a little hike in lake due south of the east end of Payne that I have always wanted to try - I have heard there are lots of small/med sized fish in it, but more importantly - no people.

Let us know where you end up and how you make out.

[matt04]

right on. thanks. You said there was a small lake south of payne that you have to hike into? That sounds like my style. What are you doing this afternoon? Let's check it out? lol

[npauls]

Police was fishing really tough last weekend. I was out all day and we ended up getting 5 little guys and they were all in the last half an hour. We tried everything we could think of but they just weren't hungry. A few guys in pontoons weren't doing any better either.



Little beaver dam is the lake above payne I think. It is not much of a hike in but have heard it can be a fun day trip.


Nate

[matt04]

well here's how my trip to police lake went today.....

I headed out for taround 5, it was very windy.
I waded into the water up to my knees, suprise i had two holes in my waders,awesome, but i wasn't gonna let that get me in a bad mood.
The fishin was really slow until about 8, then some of the fish started rising and that allways gets me excited. As soon as that happened I was changeing flies and i think my knot broke at least 8 times in a row when i went to cinch it up (I have yet to determine the cause of that problem). So finnally i get rigged up and i catch a little 10 incher on a Adam's irresistible(wholesale sports purchased fly so it was thrashed).
SO then guesse what? Fish are jumpin in front of me and I'm breakin line as i go to cinch my knot again. Still not that frustrated but I was gettin there.

Finnally Fly tied back on and I'm fishin again. I get my flie out on the water and then look down at my reel cuz something didn't feel right. The butt was falling off of the end of my rod. So I'm fiddling with that so my reel would stay attatched to my rod while my fly is sittin out on the water.

I know why the butt of my rod came off... My dad borrowed my rod last year and yanked the f***** thing off. He tried to glue it back on i guesse but that obviously didn't work. I will be sure to ask him what type of glue he used because that won't be the kind that i use to fix it this time!!

I could't even get the thing half assed on so I kinda blew up a little hucked the butt and my real by accident into the bushes. I gave up. I'm not proud of that one.

Just as I'm about to pull my line in through my disassembled rod a monster rainbow gulps my fly.He was at least 22" or better.WTF eh. So I'm fightin this fish while he is jumpin out of the water like crazy and runnin out my line, even though my reel was 20 feet behind me in the bushes. I think i fought this fish for at least 10 mins and i was finnally gaining on him and had him almost within reach of my net and he jumped out of the water one last time....... gone. My braided loop snapped off of my floating line. RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH.

So there I was, standing in the water with a rod in my hand without a reel on it and a busted line, No fish. If anyone could have seen this whole charade take place they would have either just shaken there head at me or laughed there a** off at me. All I could think about was "why are the fish gods punishing me like this?"

I smashed my hat against the water and started the search for what was left of my rod and reel. That was the end of my night.

What did I learn? No more braided loops and my Dad ain't touching my rod ever again.

WOW!!! That was an interesting trip:angry3::angry3::angry3::angry3:

[Fishfinder]

Ouch that sounds rough Matt. Nother lesson, always bring back up rod or at least have one in the ride:) Every dog has it's day though, I know I've had my share harhar. I'm sure you'll do much better next time! Funny story!
Cheers n GL!

[matt04]

definetly