Pine Coulee: fly rod or ice auger?
 

Has anyone been there recently. I know it only opened on April 1, but what should I pack for a trip on Sunday? Fly rod or ice gear?

Probably still solid,perhaps both.Let us know what you see.

Over 30 inches of ice at most lakes so won't be open water fishing early this year.

With the warm weather and wind I assume the ice is most likely not safe at the shore.

Best to wait a few weeks and see. If you are itchn to fish then try Spray it usually stays froze well into late April.

Open water under the bridge.
Other place still ice.
Near the bridge it was 7.5" ice @ 14' deep on Apr 1, not super hard ice (or maybe my auger was too sharp).
Didn't try to move more closer to the open water. Some far away place was at 11" of ice if I remember correctly.

Thanks for the info everyone. I was gonna hit Stay, but the wind is supposed to be brutal up there on Sunday (shocker!)

I figured the seasonal closure of Pine Coulee was to limit ice fishing on there. Or is it to do with the spawn you think?

They are most likely thinking it is going to be a tropy trout lake thus the 50cm min on trout. Don't think there are too many of that size just yet.

Most lakes designated trout trophy have a minimum length as well as early closure to stop ice fising.

A good example of the ice fishing closure once they designate it trophy would be Police Outpost south west of Cardston. Great small lake and fun to ice fish but that was cancelled with the change from Ap to Oct. open only same as they have done to PCR

It's closed because someone or some organization thought it should a "trophy" lake and somehow it got through the regulation and consultation process.

^This.

And according to sources I've heard from Police winterkilled badly ...many deads seen on the bottom on opening day ...too bad the decision was made to not aerate as was done in the past,used to be ,who knows why the decision was made for a trophy lake . .[emoji25]

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Most likely local fish and game groups same as what happened at Keho. Fly fisherman mainly from Lethbridge could not stand the thought of any local seniors ice fishing. Only time they could without a boat cause of the weeds.

I spent many fun hours on that little lake caught several large trout but could count on one hand the numer of 50cm. Always thanked them for the fight and sent them back. My brother in laws favorite lake and he passed away there right after tying his boat onto the roof of his truck canapy RIP Earnie

What have the local fish and game groups done to Keho that has got your panties in a twist?

Keho Lake Includes inlet canal to the first drop structure OPEN MAY 8 TO MAR. 15 l 1 fish 50-
55 cm
1 fish 63-70 cm
10 fish 10 fish

There’s lots in there that size,,,Gerard’s

Pics? Saw 2 after they stocked it, but sounds like they were broodstock.

They stocked it with regular rainbows the first go round and I would imagine the walleye and pike gorged them selves on all those fingerlings, then they stocked with gerards, to big for the pike and walleye to eat in a short time frame, they don’t really live that long but they are in the 9-12 lb range now. They are sterile fish and not broodstock. They generally only put gerards in new res. this is the first time I’ve heard of them putting them into an established water body. But until the pike and walleye numbers get thinned out the fingerlings won’t survive.

The ones you saw were most likely gerards

I am curious where all this information about Gerard stocking in pine coulee came from?

When were they stocked and what size as well?

I’m not sure TBH, from 2019. Feels unlikely.

It’s been stocked with triploid.

Fast forward to 21:33.
https://www.youtube.com/live/Q5I6nv-NR9k?feature=share

So most likely just commonly available strains that the eggs were pressurized before hatching creating tripliods not Gerard’s. Truthfully Gerard’s would be a poor choice strain compared to other available options with faster growth rate and lower stocking costs.

Starting to think the large 9-12 lb fish posted about earlier in the thread would be retired broods.

Well, page 7 of this tells us that they stocked the tltlj strain and the legend at the bottom says that’s trout lodge jumpers.
https://open.alberta.ca/dataset/be2e...jan02-2018.pdf

Google that and we get this, could be a red herring just does provide some good media to digest. Have a look at the growth chart 16 months can produce a 5lb fish. We probably arn’t optimal growth but some of those fish have been in the lake for 6 years now
https://www.troutlodge.com/en/trout-...t-eggs/jumper/

I have been told by sources that they did dump in some of big brood hens but I don’t know what strain those where and I know people that have caught some large trout in there. Whether they are still there now who knows I don’t have a boat to access the hot spot I’ve been told produced them.

Trout lodge jumpers makes a lot more sense then Gerald’s and more cost effective

5lbs under optimal conditions in 16months would be under aquaculture conditions where temp, oxygen levels, and feed quality is much better than what will be found in nature. The Jumper strain is not really a big fish strain. Most in aquaculture are actually achieving more often in the 3-4lbs range in 16 months because many of them can’t achieve optimal conditions either

I worked with a different strain(a mutt strain created within B.C. aquaculture) that often produces better growth rates and in 16months I was probably averaging 4lbs. My growth rate was often effected by hot summers slowing them down. I also didn’t run tripliods which effected my growth rate

I would say that it’s just an ok strain being stocked in pine coulee

Is there a campground there ?

There are a few one at the south end one next to the boat launch plus one near by on willow creek provincial park.

Even if they only grew .5lbs per year we should have some 2-3 lb trout in there now. Has potential to be a pretty fun lake close to town with a good boat launch.

The South end is group camping only.

I don’t envision a big trophy trout lake but it could definitely provide entertainment for those who enjoy stocked rainbows. Not my thing but I respect fishermen enjoy a variety of different fisheries so there needs to be waters managed with different goals in mind

After 10 years of working with them I personally have no interest in fishing for stocked rainbows

Personally I want to see what giant pike is hiding in there eating stocked trout lol

That’s what I assume too (used up broods). Haven’t personally witnessed any half decent trout come out of it. Not to say it can’t happen though. Have caught larger at Chain (in contrast to the stocked trout at PC) believe it or not.

the one at Willow Creek is a lot nicer for camping or used to be anyways