Bear Pond / Big Iron Lake
 

I was hoping to hear if anyone has ventured up to Bear Pond or Big Iron Lake to see how bad the winter-kill was?

I am guessing they will all be dead. I fished it last winter but two similar lakes to bear pond that I have fished just at last ice are totaly dead. It is totaly to bad all it would take is somebody to keep the snow blown off parts of those little lakes and the fish would probably make it. But knowbody can get to them in the winter with a snow blower so they just die and restart the stalking program.

Yeah it would be hard since the road is closed in the winter... perhaps an aerator would be easier.

Would think they would protect the grayling since they are probably more expensive to stock and are found in far fewer lakes.

I really enjoy fishing Bear Pond too, it's a nice place that's not too far from home compared to some of the places I like to go. I hope that things aren't as bad as everyone is expecting, but it seems like a prime year for winter kill.

Ice is 2/3 off of Bear Pond as of yesterday

Did it look like a total loss?

No idea, I was looking down at it from the ridges to the south

Cant remember which one but on one of our Facebook groups someone posted the other day he was there and floaters where everywhere. He guessed full loss but who knows.

Took a look today, you could smell the rotting as you neared the top of the trail to bear pond. Hundreds of floaters along the south shore.

Enough that I thought I was looking at ice that wasnt quite off yet and was just pushed up against the shore, it was all grayling belly up. Roughly from the shore to 6'-8' out was solid fish on the south side.

What a shame ... would guess the same for the other lake as well

Damn, they were finally back to a good fun size too. What a shame. 2-3 years for a restock again, like last time?

Someone needs to fish it to prove it was a complete winterkill.

Well, reports of 6-8 feet of stenchy rotting dead grayling along the shoreline sure don't make me rush out to go fishing there when the lake has already been known to have winterkilled in past years.

Yes is a shame;;But how about this; The lakes will need replacing of stock.Fisheries used to do a catch & gather of the females.Why not help them out.They used to do this when Jim Stelfox wsa around,Jenny don't no if she is around. NOTE.When they gather the other way net them there are a fair amount of those brooders that perish from the egg gathering.So put your foot forward give a call,help out the fisheries .Especially if you choose to pursue Arctic Grayling

Helped out a few times. Lots of fun.

Any word on conditions
 

Hey all,

I’ve never been out to either of these lakes but would love to give them a try this year. Any word on if they have been restocked and worth the trip in? I understand they winter killed in 2018.

How hard would it be to drag a kayak into Bear pond?

Thanks in advance.

Cheers

I don't think it was restocked.

Eggs were gathered at Wedge pond this year with the help of consultants. Hopefully this means there will be young grayling to stock in the future

Thanks! That’s what I was looking for. I also heard that there are grayling in Goat Pond off Spray lakes. Any truth to that rumour?

They are in Quarry lake up the hill a bit in Canmore.
I don't think you will find any in Goat pond

2021 Update?
 

Has anyone been up there in recent years?

Curious what its like, if the rotten smell and all the winter kill how thick are the bears?

I was planning on going in to Big Iron for a little overnighter, in todays world was more of an excuse to get out in the hills.

Any information would be greatly appreciated.