hardwater whitefish and perch.... suggestions????
 

hey everybody just gettin myself all excited for the fast approaching hardwater season.... gonna introduce the girlfriend to my favourite winter sport and im wonderin if anyone knows of and lakes that still have strong numbers of good whitefish (since thats wat i learned to ice fish for).... i used to catch em like crazy in gull but in the last 3 years combined i think i have seen about 5 of them while i was jiggin some perch???

im also wondering if anyone can help me find some nice fat perch.... im hopin to pull somethin outta my hole thats 12 or 13" this year but i only seen one in gull that was that big last year (and the bugger didnt bite).... im plannin on goin to buck and burnstick lakes this year but im just lookin for some more opinions

thanks in advance for any info:wave:

I would like to say Gull again, try NW of the lake I caught some nice perch and whites there last year.

HAHAHA wouldn't we all LOL. Such a thing is very rare these days in AB and I don't think anyone is going to be rushing to send you info about where to go....

But you are on the right track. Burnstick has some decent perch in there, you can easily have a day of catching a bunch over 10"+ and some up to 13"+. They can be tricky to find and then they can be picky eaters...so it takes some patience...Remember...the hogs are usually in 6-10 FOW, and not where all the little ones are. You may only only see a few in a day, but if that's what you're after...that's where you'll find them.

You can also try Sylvan. Good for perch in the bay and on the NE corner (RR21). Also really good for whites in early winter 30 feet of the shore in the bay, on the west side.

like "nice mustang" said that information is hard to come. There are still lakes that hold the big ones you just need to put in the time to find them. Last yr my dad and I spent alot time on alot of diffrent lakes. here are a few pics to keep you motivated to search hard. The biggest we caught last yr was 1.11 lbs. good luck and great fishing.

Nice fatties there - They do still exist!!

Yep, those are nice...some of mine

http://i405.photobucket.com/albums/p...g/IMG_0193.jpg
http://img265.imageshack.us/img265/6989/perchqn9.jpg
From Summer: 1.2 lbs
http://i405.photobucket.com/albums/p...g/CIMG0700.jpg

!!!
 

me too!!!!
but....there ARE tough to find and impossible to share!!!
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1...1/IMG_0564.jpg

http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b1...1/IMG_0563.jpg

http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i2...y/DSCN1088.jpg
http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i2...y/DSCN1091.jpg
http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i2...y/DSCN1102.jpg
These are laid across a 2"x12"
http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i2...y/DSCN1113.jpg

Not as hard to find as you think, just gotta think outside the box and go where no one else is.

!!!
 

great pics!!!
more proof that long drives are worth it!!!!

Head north and get off of the beaten path!!:evilgrin:

wow thanks everyone... a lot of nice pics and i realize it is tough to share all the good info but im glad there is a few fellow hardwater diehards that can give a guy a little bit of a clue....

i just gotta throw out one last question.... anyone have advice on a good lure for the whites??? i have only ever caught them on the trusty old wire worm.... but i just dont trust it to entice them all the way in like something else might.... ive had some great sucess for perch with a small tube jig or twist tail tipped with a maggot.... just wondering if the whites need somethin special????

Whites, any southern res. off the dams or large rocky shore areas 4or 5 ft water wire worm make sure ice is safe but the earlier the better.

Small five of diamonds tipped with maggots...or a very small (2") plastic minnow texas rigged.

Those are great pics you guys have posted....Now I'm starting to get hard water perch fever

how north???

People are pretty tight lipped about real honey holes, understandably with the time and cost in accessesing them and our limited lakes in this province.
Here's a few lakes that generally produce well.(all around Valleyview)
Sturgeon
Snipe
Winagami(i have not fished this one in winter but am told it's good for pike and whitefish, the perch and walleye are a bit elusive but are there)
As a side note, ice fishing for trout in our stocked pothole lakes can be awesome most times of the winter)
Hope this helps
:evilgrin:Ken:evilgrin:

just wondering if any lake in the province doesn't have a limit on whitefish.

Max will be 10 under general regulation.

Unless you have a commericial fishing license.

Im in Calgary and I head about 7-8hrs North for Big Perch.

Kimowin (hook) lake

fished there a few times couple years ago caught lots of 10 - 13" perch
but they do have special regulations and limits on the lake. only way i know how to get there is to take the winter road. about 2 hour drive from fort mcmurray depending on the winter road.

thanks good to know... looks like im gonna be stuck up here workin near mcmurray for most of the winter anyways... i might have to spend a couple days out in the bush up here.... any idea how the perch and whitefish r like in christina lake up there by conklin????

[QUOTE=hard_azz;430108]hey everybody just gettin myself all excited for the fast approaching hardwater season.... gonna introduce the girlfriend to my favourite winter sport and im wonderin if anyone knows of and lakes that still have strong numbers of good whitefish (since thats wat i learned to ice fish for).... i used to catch em like crazy in gull but in the last 3 years combined i think i have seen about 5 of them while i was jiggin some perch???

im also wondering if anyone can help me find some nice fat perch.... im hopin to pull somethin outta my hole thats 12 or 13" this year but i only seen one in gull that was that big last year (and the bugger didnt bite).... im plannin on goin to buck and burnstick lakes this year but im just lookin for some more opinions

Here's an opinion. Learn to spell.

did you go with 30 people!?

About as good as your spelling in your user name :lol::lol:

Get bent if you have nothing good to say loser.

Only need 4 people for that catch....

At my home lake in SK, we net every year the weekend before xmas every year. We usually net 100+ fish each net for 2 days...only locals can go on that one weekend, good times.

Any tips for finding... or catching... whitefish on Wabamun specifically (esp. near the town of Wabamun)? Can pike and whitefish often be caught in the same location?

My family has a cabin at South Seba and I have, at times, just walked out about 200 yards and caught my limit within an hour. Other times I can be there all day and get skunked. Used to have consistently good luck at the Provincial Park side, but haven't been out there in many years. Used to have really good luck with bead-head brass or copper wire worms, no bait.

I have been to christina lake a few times have never fished for perch or whitefish there myself but did catch some nice pike and walleye there. but i have only fished that lake in the summer time.