Ice Fishinig on North Saskatchewan River

[Red Neck]

As an addict it is hard for me to be so near some of my favorite fishing spots, saddly they are on the river I am supper safe but yet I still find myself wanting to go give a couple of them a shot this winter?
Have any of you been out and tryed such insanity or am I out of my mind

Red Neck Out

[topgun]

I used to icefish the battle river by hardisty in winter, with some success. Ive tried in other spots with none though.

[Isopod]

Don't go on North Saskatchewan River ice. If you broke through, the current would carry you downstream and you'd never make it back to the hole. Stay safe so you can enjoy fishing it for many summers to come.

[gunner022]

Definitely not worth it. I grew up on a similar river in terms of current and winter temps. That river took a few lives every winter. The fish will still be swimming in the spring.

[Red Neck]

Just what if a guy new of a couple of holes just 3-5 meters off shore? And what if a guy was wereing a harness and tied off to his partner. Checked ice almost every step and did not venture around. Is a giant walleye or pike just waiting
I do agree go though the ice on the river and your burbot bait

Red Neck Out

[dodgeboy1979]

we set shacks up on the ice on the NSR out here. Just go to dropp off back eddy areas where there is no real strong current, your ice will be the thickest there.

[Richmuiz]

Originally Posted by Red Neck

Just what if a guy new of a couple of holes just 3-5 meters off shore? And what if a guy was wereing a harness and tied off to his partner. Checked ice almost every step and did not venture around. Is a giant walleye or pike just waiting
I do agree go though the ice on the river and your burbot bait

Red Neck Out

I did it in back channel off the main river about a month ago I knew there wasn't any current and was only ten fifteen feet out had a rope tied to shore and with a buddie.People fish frozen rivers all the time but there's the risk of certain death if you go in in the end it's your call but I'd have a buddie and a harness rope tied to shore.The sand and rocks in the ice might do a number on your blades to so keep that in mind as well

[Icefisher2885]

Dang...I've watched guys fish the SSR right in Medicine Hat a few times..I dunno, they caught fish, but I always get the willies watching guys on ice with that type of current running under it. I'm certainly no authority on ice fishing rivers though, it may be safer than I think.

[pike_king780]

This is probably the dumbest question I've heard yet. Believe me I hate ice fishing I miss the river so bad but I woulent even think of steppin onto that ice. It can go from over foot thick to mere inches due to varying factors that you can never see . If you fell through youd be swept down stream likely for miles with little chance of being found until open water at which point well, we all know the fate of lthis situation. Be safe man it'll be time soon!

[FishingFrenzy]

In some back eddies there are springs coming out of nowhere. I've seen a couple.

When I read the title I was like *facepalm*, don't do it. Is it really worth the risk? You can get the same species in lakes nearby Edmonton. Not something I would ever do, your reckless behaviour can and would put other people at risk, not to mention the grief suffered by your loved ones if something bad happened.

Long and the short of it. Dont. Freaking. Do. It.

[280remington]

Never been on the north sask in winter so no idea what the ice is like. But I've gone through on the sturgeon river before. Its not fun. Just my thoughts but wait for break up man!

[SNAPFisher]

Darwin's theory is alive and well...

[BeeGuy]

Read the regs.

[cujo1969]

Ice fished on the lower bow before long time ago even caught some big pike. Not much diffrent need to check make sure ie is safe. They drive trucks accross te ice at crowfoot.

[Fishnafterwork]

Originally Posted by BeeGuy

Read the regs.

X2....not to pee on your bonfire but I'm pretty sure your not supposed to ice fish flowing waters

[Cal]

Originally Posted by Fishnafterwork

X2....not to pee on your bonfire but I'm pretty sure your not supposed to ice fish flowing waters

I looked hard into that befor I tryed it, if you read carefully that typicaly only applyes to trout streams or streams in certain zones. Pretty sure the NSR by Edmonton is fair game but do check your regs.

I've never had much luck fishing rivers through the ice, IMO not worth the risk. Without the ability to see current seams and /or cover much water you REALY need to be intimate with your fishing spot. You can drill 100 holes and only a couple will produce while others mere meters away will not. The best fishing holes seem to have the least predictable ice due to their swirling currents so you need to drill holes every few steps to check the ice.

I am not a faint of heart type of guy, not too much about the outdoors scares me, but I deffinatly do not want to die trying to claw my way through a couple inches of ice that I got swept under after breaking through.

[troutmountain]

2 winters ago when it was cold out, I tied off with a spotter and drilled holes below that sand bar at the dawson hole. It was in march after the long cold winter and where we saw a deer trail crossing to the golf course by mcnally high. I went and punched a hole and I almost bottomed out the auger. Then kept working my way out about 20-30 yards. The ice was about 2-3 feet deep and good ice. Then the next day we went out and ice fished the area and didn't see a thing on the camera except a minnow. We fished a couple hrs. I was surprised that nothing was around there. The water was clear and about 9 feet deep. I would target a deep back eddy if I were do it again.

[BeeGuy]

Originally Posted by BeeGuy

Read the regs.

Originally Posted by Fishnafterwork

X2....not to pee on your bonfire but I'm pretty sure your not supposed to ice fish flowing waters

Originally Posted by Cal

I looked hard into that befor I tryed it, if you read carefully that typicaly only applyes to trout streams or streams in certain zones. Pretty sure the NSR by Edmonton is fair game but do check your regs.

I've never had much luck fishing rivers through the ice, IMO not worth the risk. Without the ability to see current seams and /or cover much water you REALY need to be intimate with your fishing spot. You can drill 100 holes and only a couple will produce while others mere meters away will not. The best fishing holes seem to have the least predictable ice due to their swirling currents so you need to drill holes every few steps to check the ice.

I am not a faint of heart type of guy, not too much about the outdoors scares me, but I deffinatly do not want to die trying to claw my way through a couple inches of ice that I got swept under after breaking through.

Page 19.

Additional Restrictions:

Angling is not permitted through the ice:
b) into flowing waters in Zone 1 (Eastern Slopes Zone)


Poorly worded but clear.

[BGSH]

I love ice fishing the n.s.r, i just don't ice fish it and look for open water spots to fish it from shore all year round leave your ice fishing rod at home and bring out your summer gear (you will need ice fishing line though) people are halarious that they would not fish the n.s.r during the winter, some of the best fishing on the n.s.r is this time of year

[jaystev]

open areas on the nsr are really good fishing right now. As for through the ice Ive done it the last two years and have had really good results. The ice gets pretty thick so where you think theres water go abit further so you dont bottom your auger. I try to stay out of the currents because its really hard to pull the fish upstream. be safe.

[waterninja]

i am planning on fishing the nsr tomorrow for a couple hours. hopefully i'll have some pics. to post.
last spring i had an edm. police officer come down to check me out by the bev. bridge due to calls that someone was on the ice. wasn't me but some kids playing with their dog but i can tell you from experiance that you cannot trust the ice along the river, not only because of flowing water but also the hot water outfalls.

[Red Neck]

Wow as always you have to watch out were you put a match, or fire storm may occer Great information and makes me feel beeter, apparently I am not alone with my affliction. Thanks to all of you I love the passion despite witch side of the fence you are on. Please note:

North Saskatchewan River from Highway 22/39 (Drayton Valley) downstream to the Alberta/Saskatchewan border
River Only
Open all year – Mountain Whitefish limit 5 over 30 cm; Walleye limit 0; Sauger limit 0 from Apr. 1 to May 14; Sauger limit 3 from May 15 to Mar. 31; Pike limit 1 over 63 cm; Burbot limit 10; Goldeye limit 10; Lake Sturgeon limit 0.
Kind of crazy because I never (almost never) keep fish,so why risk it

The problem is I work beside the river, I have time and I do know my spots intimately. Have been wanting to do this for a few years.
I will be watching waterninja. Do be safe.
I got a bad feeling I will be taking a shot at them this winter I will be following all of the good advise regarding safety:
Shows how nuts we all are, worried about our blades not our lives

Red Neck Out

[greylynx]

Originally Posted by BGSH

I love ice fishing the n.s.r, i just don't ice fish it and look for open water spots to fish it from shore all year round leave your ice fishing rod at home and bring out your summer gear (you will need ice fishing line though) people are halarious that they would not fish the n.s.r during the winter, some of the best fishing on the n.s.r is this time of year

Shawn is correct.

Walleye do not go to sleep come winter.

[NSRfishing]

Around esso no ice all year

[dodgeboy1979]

we drive vehicles across the NSR east of Lloydminster in the winter.

[Kgz]

People have been driving across the ice at ferry crossings forever. The Prince Albert winter festival has been held on the river for many years. Going out on the ice near a major city would be iffy at best IMO.

[saskfly]

Used to remember going out on the Sask River in Manitoba as a kid. There was always plenty of ice and the current was particularly strong. Used to be a bunch of shacks on the river. Fishing was good.

Ice fished the North Sask near Lloyd. Back eddies = Big eyes...nuff said!

[pike_king780]

Originally Posted by BGSH

I love ice fishing the n.s.r, i just don't ice fish it and look for open water spots to fish it from shore all year round leave your ice fishing rod at home and bring out your summer gear (you will need ice fishing line though) people are halarious that they would not fish the n.s.r during the winter, some of the best fishing on the n.s.r is this time of year

Never said i dont fish river in winter time, I just dont go drilling holes and ice fishing it... Big difference

[Marvel]

Tying yourself off with a rope just makes recovering your body a little easier.... If you think you will have the strength to pull yourself out of a moving current up through a hole in the ice you are sadly mistaken. If you tie yourself off to a buddy chances are he's going in too (if the current is moving even the least bit). Why would someone risk their life to catch some small walleye?

Don't do it.

[bsmitty27]

Fish open water from shore.
If your on the ice in the city your probably going to get a welcoming commity of 3 fire trucks and an ambulance.
Brad