Looking for advice on CVR...new memember

[deeman]

Hey Folks,
Looking to take the kids fishing this weekend to CVR. We will be fishing from the shore and if anyone can help with a good location, I would be very appreciative.

Appreciate any advice you more experienced fishermen may have in order to help our day be more successful....Unless someone has a better suggestion of a place to take the kids??? Open to all advice...

Thanks to all for the great job and advice that I have been able to pick up through other threads.

Tight lines
D

[Hooker]

Crawling Valley Reservoir is a great place for kids to fish off the dam face by the campground. Lay a smelt on the bottom and it won't be long before you have some action. Spoons can also be used. Just don't let them go too deep or you will loose them on the rocks. There are other spots up the lake but you have to know the access roads and land owners so you may want to leave that one until you can do some exploring on your own.

[trapshooter]

Storm Wildeye are awesome!
I caught this pike with one, in a remote location on CVR.

http://s1188.photobucket.com/albums/z419/Photography_Hunting_Trapshooting/?action=view&current=IMG_2541.jpg

[iliketrout]

Can't help with shore fishing spots, I've only ever fished it in a boat. But bring LOTS of bug spray. I went last weekend and the bugs were horrible. The fishing was steady but we were trolling.

What species are you targetting? You may want to read the most recent Travers Reservoir thread. A member posted about fishing from the dock at the little bow provincial park and catching walleye - bait and techniques included. It may be a little more kid friendly.

If you do go to CVR, take a look at the Bathymetry. You'll be surprised at how shallow it is in certain spots hundreds of feet from shore. Keep that in mind when you pick a spot.

http://www.srd.alberta.ca/MapsFormsPublications/Maps/PrairiesAreaBathymetryDepthMaps/documents/crawling.pdf

[deeman]

Thanks all for the great tips....

Hey iliketrout, took the kids to travers last year just after opening of pike and we got skunked...traffic was so busy there after a while too...but thanks, I was wondering what Chain was like, I think there is only Bows in there???

trapshooter, nice fish...not gonna ask you for your secret spot, but how where the bugs when you went?

Thanks Hooker...haven't used smelts that much, so rookie question for ya...what size hook do you find to be the best and which way to hook the smelt on??

Thanks again to the three of ya's...great info and loving all the tips from other threads

Tight lines

Deeman

[iliketrout]

There are bows and suckers in Chain. I don't fish it so I can't offer tips other than I know the south end is popular and easy to access.

[Hooker]

Big smelt ... big Pike. As for rigging it ... keep it simple. Shove a bare treble hook up through its belly and snap it to your leader. If you can find a store that sells fresh smelt all the better. They're not as likely to break apart on you when you cast them out. If you can't find fresh smelt then use what you can find. Just cast them out easy. They don't have to go out that far as the water level drops off quite quickly by the dam. Remember to read the regulations before you go. Walleye are catch and release in CVR.

[deeman]

Report from CVR on Sunday....Weather was great, we got there around 9:45 and went straight to the weir. Found it to be really windy, but it helped with the bugs (I think they were aphids)...nothing biting and with kids not enough patience. After fishing about an hour or so in a couple different spots on the weir side and the kids driving me crazy...we went over to the camp ground. stuck one of the kids on the point of the canal where the boats dock and another down a little ways. Within about 10 mins my youngest who was on the point and who was not paying attention had a bite..."I said to him why is your bobber moving"...So he pulled up started to reel in and gave the fish slack and lost it....Oh well next one. :sign0161:

Within another 20 mins I was paying more attention and watching as the line was moving ever so slightly...pulled up on his rod to set the hook for him and he pulled in his first ever Pike...:sHa_shakeshout:...Mom got the pics about a 5 pounder and from that point on the happiest kid of the day...between the two kids though just sitting there on the point by the boat launch, they lost about 3 each...overall only the one fish got pulled in but a fun day outdoors.

Thanks to everyone for all the great tips...

Deeman

[Hooker]

Glad to hear your youngsters had a good time. Just as well the wind was there to keep the bugs down.