Kananaskis Ponds

[jacenbeers]

How are the small lakes and ponds in the Kananaskis as far as ice right now? Anybody driven by or been fishing? Champion, Allen Bill, Mclean, Wedge, Grotto, Sibbald?

[commieboy]

Allen Bill and McLean were icing up last week, but very sparsely. I think they would still mostly open water, or very thinly iced. Lot's of white fish hanging near the bottom of Allen Bill, but not a trout in sight!

For Sibbald, Wedge and Grotto, check this link:

http://www.tpr.alberta.ca/parks/kana...ailreport.aspx

It SOMETIMES gives information regarding the water, but it is mainly a hiking trail condition report. As of last week's report, Wedge was still completely ice free.

[hanayalator]

Do these ponds still have fish through the winter or do they die off?

[the local angler]

i'm still surprized that there is still a big school of the rockies in allen bill. because of this i am wondering if there is a size limit for them from the general regs for that body of water since they are not suppose to be there before the flooding.

[ak-71]

I thought the only fish you can catch in these ponds is what they put there - rainbows in this case. Am I wrong?

[jacenbeers]

Most of these places just have stocked rainbows. Allen Bill always has whites at this time of year. Last year I was catching Rockies there in the fall. They are in big schools. Sibbald has more than just stocked rainbows. It has brookies as well that live and thrive in the creek and in the beaver ponds.

As far as winter kill goes, I know that some of the ponds have issues but Sibbald meadows pond does well through the winter and so does Wedge and Upper Champion. Lower champion got winter killed last year.

[commieboy]

Maybe AK-71 is referring to the following passage in the regulations.


The following list of lakes, reservoirs and ponds identifies sites that are frequently stocked with rainbow trout, and some with brook trout, brown trout or cutthroat trout. Water bodies appearing below are open all year with a trout limit of five. The harvest of species other than trout from stocked trout waters is not permitted. Stocked waters where the harvest of other species is allowed or where bait restrictions apply are listed under "Lakes and Streams Listings" for each Watershed Unit.
Several additional sites stocked with rainbow, brook, brown, cutthroat trout or arctic grayling are not identified in this section, but appear with special regulations under "Lake and Stream Listing" for each Watershed Unit.

Allen Bill, McLean and Grotto are subject to this.

Thus, even though there are Whitefish present in Allen Bill, they CANNOT be removed. I'm not clear on whether or not trout OTHER than the stocked species may be harvested or not.

Went by Wedge Pond today. FROZEN. some open water on the edges only.

But definitely, there are other species to be found in many of the stocked ponds.

[Flyfisher87]

Originally Posted by jacenbeers

How are the small lakes and ponds in the Kananaskis as far as ice right now? Anybody driven by or been fishing? Champion, Allen Bill, Mclean, Wedge, Grotto, Sibbald?

I don't have a report on lake ice for you. But I had to cross the Highwood twice yesterday on a day hike. The ice held me, but barely.

[leggacy]

just drove through powderface trail all the ponds look frozen over i was suprised... sibbald meadows pond looks very thick. There are holes drilled in the ice already for fishing and defiantly safe to walk on.

[Flieguy]

I drilled a hole on Mclean yesterday, solid 4" of ice. but they didn't stock as many this year so fishing should be slow. also, i wouldn't keep any out of there due to the 4x4 activity upstream

[jacenbeers]

Originally Posted by leggacy

just drove through powderface trail all the ponds look frozen over i was suprised... sibbald meadows pond looks very thick. There are holes drilled in the ice already for fishing and defiantly safe to walk on.

Looks like I might be going to Sibbald then.

[AK47]

What you can catch on Sibbald?

[commieboy]

Originally Posted by AK47

What you can catch on Sibbald?

Stocked annually with rainbows, but there is also a population of brookies.

[Pike'n'walleye]

Originally Posted by jacenbeers

How are the small lakes and ponds in the Kananaskis as far as ice right now? Anybody driven by or been fishing? Champion, Allen Bill, Mclean, Wedge, Grotto, Sibbald?

I was down at sibbald today its all frozen with a good 6 inch layer of ice

[slivers86]

Originally Posted by commieboy

Stocked annually with rainbows, but there is also a population of brookies.

is it a good spot for ice fishin, just if you have an hour or two and need something to do?

[commieboy]

Originally Posted by slivers86

is it a good spot for ice fishin, just if you have an hour or two and need something to do?

Don't know about ice fishing, having never done it myself. But I know I have never been skunked there. Even late in the season when people were saying it was fished out, I still managed a couple of fish.

To clarify, as it looks like it hasn't come up yet... I'm talking about SIBBALD MEADOWS POND. Not Sibbald Lake.

[jacenbeers]

I was ice fishing at Sibbald Meadows Pond yesterday and both Upper and Lower Champion. All had plenty of ice. The only sketchy spot was at Sibbald where the water flows into the culvert under the road. Rainbows were biting a lot in Upper Champ and I caught a brookie at Sibbald.

[slingshotz]

What thickness was the ice in Upper champion? Was thinking of trying it for ice fishing this year, didn't think the ice would be good enough already. Catch any keepers?

[jacenbeers]

Upper CHampion had about 3-4 inches. Only took a few seconds to punch a hole through but it as solid. No keepers this time around. They have to be over 50 cm to keep out of there.