I would support it 100% but would need to have a bait ban in addition. Lakers are poor table fair particularly the larger ones.

I disagree, i think lakers are wonderful table fair, they are just are 'heavier' and recipes that work for walleye, whitefish etc may not work with them as well.

They should make it C&R on LKTR.... about 5 years overdue.

Excellent smoked or grilled as well. I smoked a few a couple of months ago. Yum! Cook it like you would any Char.

They have already tried to put it on a tag system from my understanding. The only thing that stopped it was the fact that the lake is shared with Saskatchewan which had no interest in starting a tag system in their province. So they both just agreed to make the minimum retention size larger.

I agree on the larger ones, if I had a choice the 2-4lbs ones are great eating with little to no oil/belly fat etc.
Pierce lake is where I go for a eater.

Out of a Territories or Northern Saskatchewan or similar lake under a ten pound range, they are delicious in my opinion.

I would definitely take a northern pike over a lake trout any day especially over the far Northern regions

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Yup give me a pike out of cold water over any fresh water game fish.....hmmmm.....or pan size cutthroat trout....or....ah heck now I'm hungry!

Interesting how many people don't care for Lakers....I think they are fantastic! Just treat it like salmon and go fo it! I think they are awesome! Oh well to each there own...but if have never cedar planked a nice size lake...you are missing out!

I too am heading up there July 4th are the walleye hard to find in the there? Taking wife and kids and would like to get on some fish, don't want spots just wondering as its first time to the lake. We are staying at the provincial park.

I caught mine between 65’ and 80’ just off steeper drop offs. Slow in the afternoon, but they hammered between 5-7pm. No keeper sizes, but a really fat 63cm to the boat.


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This is where Alberta gets the crappy end of the stick unfortunately....all you have to do is take a quick look at Google earth to see that it has by far the poorest selection of lakes in Canada, but yet has high pressure use. Put those together and you have a very unique situation that the rest of the country doesn't have. Meaning the powers at be have to devise unique and most times, not to favourable regulations to manage the balance in order to try and balance on a very very thin line....I by far don't have the answers, but I do get the difficulty of the situation. We here in Alberta kinda have to come to terms with the fact that we got delt a bad hand from mother nature on the recreational fishing, maybe to off set the other abundance of natural resources that have benefited us more then the rest of Canada.

Our fisheries will get better but we as anglers have to manage ourselves too.
Just because you can keep it doesn't mean you have to. enjoy the catch, the outing, the trip it's all part of the adventure.
Have fished with people in the past and it was a race, a competition, frustration and kept every bloody thing legally that they could....I asked why....they respond "cuz"....I mentioned how about a nice shore lunch and enjoy a fish...

Ref cold lake the lakers are slowly going deeper but I always fish at about 30-50 feet of water in and around the bait...the lakers will hit...

Well out for a bit yesterday 1hr landed six, lost three, multiple hits...then the long wk-end Warriors woke up and hit the lake....honestly what possesses a person to rip by people in canoes, small boats etc all fishing not more than thirty yards away?.....so we packed up and went to the launch to head home just to see another group booze in hand all jump into a few high end boats with kids for another great long wk-end of potential disaster so we got the heck out of dodge:sHa_shakeshout:
Be safe out there.
Oh yeah caught in 150' of water on edges dipping from 50'. We were at 40'-50', pink lady, willow leaf and using apex trolling lure 3" and 4" blue melon....combination was deadly.

Some awesome info guys thanks. Ya the long weekend warriors are one of the reasons I do not venture out too often but I would be on the lake at day break and off by 11am then back out about 6 till 8 or 9pm. Just wondering about how long of a drive from Calgary? 25ft class C Motor home and 17ft boat. Would really like to head up there in mid August.

From Calgary not in a motor home its around a 6 hour drive. So in a motorhome pulling a boat plan for 6.5 to 7.

Started using those a few years ago, they do work very well. When bite slows down I've put on smaller 2" ones and have picked up more fish that didn't seem to want the bigger lures.

Thanks for the estimate of time. Will go for a week in mid Aug. I think. Should be an experience. I will search on-line for camp spots and good boat launch unless our members can suggest one :happy0034: . Maybe just before I go I will get your secret spots to fish at....:sHa_sarcasticlol::snapoutofit: LOL I will try searching back in the forums to get some help on lures and methods. I have downriggers, multiple rods, very wide assortment of lures (2 trunks full) to use for Lakers, Pike, Walleye, and more. Thanks to all

For campground and boat launch the provincial park there will meet both your needs. Very nice private campsites and a nice boat launch aswell

Thanks pikehunter1989 I will check it out.

English bay is another option. Lake is closer to the campsites there and you should be able to beach your boat so your not trying to launch it everyday with your motorhome. Keep in mind to get wood there it is only a few times a week and its in the evenings for about an hour, just an FYI.

What’s it like getting wood at main provincial park ? Do I have to pay or bring it from home ? Be there July 23-28 ( if I get a truck lol )

Thanks for the options of where to go and camp. I love options. Are the boat launches too steep or easy enough for the motor home to launch or take out my boat? Really don't like to leave my boat unattended or unprotected over night. All the insight of your experience's with this lake and camping at Cold Lake is very much appreciated. It will make for an enjoyable and hopefully successful fishing trip. :happy0180:

Provincial park has a steep/deeplaunch, French bay is shallow and sandy not sure about English bay.
Marina is steep/deep too.
You can launch at the marina and have someone drive around to French bay to camp and then take your boat and leave it in French bay, kinda protected there too then your not farting around with boat in/out etc during your stay.
Just a thought.

wood at prov park is easy. gate attendant there all day and its $10 for a blue tub (approx. 2 milk crates worth)

I'm giving Cold Lake another try next week does anyone have some updated
Information, I bought some of the big Cold Lake jigs I am going to try, any information on how to use them and what bait to use?

If you are jigging ,you should get a min 150 ft rope at princess auto so you do not drift .Set your your sonar up by removing the fish ID ,you will locate them better. Jigging for lakers is just like jigging for Walleye.

Tip it with a minnow and hold it 1 foot off the bottom.
Tube jigs are ok ,better yet is a Bondy Bait from fishing hole .
Burbit colour seems to be the best at cold lake. $25.00 each.
They work 10x better than a tube jig in summer only.
Never had luck in winter with them. Deadly in summer!
http://www.bondybaitcompany.com/buybaits.html

And don't forget to bang the bottom, stir up the sediment etc

Sometimes a bang quick reel up, wait, drop, repeat but maybe change how many reals up if they are on hang on.

A cheap trick for jigging if you need to stay in one spot and it's not too windy you can bring a couple 5 gallon pails and tie them to the side of the boat use them as a drift anchor are by drift anchors they're not too expensive either, never fish Cold Lake in the summer but fished lots of other Lakes for Lakers in the summer and jiggin works great.

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