So Slow on Lac St Anne Ice

[russ]

Went out to LSA this weekend, very pretty lake... couldn't find any fish. Lunch was okay, just not fish...

[curtis_rak]

It’s been slow for several weeks - this year is probably the slowest ice fishing season I’ve seen there in a few years now.

Don’t know if it’s the back and forth weather or what’s going on.


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[JohninAB]

First winter fishing Lac Ste Anne as I have walleye tags for there.

Started off great as was not on the ice for more than 30 minutes on my first trip out Jan 2nd and had a 49.5cm walleye on the ice.

Next time out, 2 weeks later, caught and released 2 more legal walleye (44 cm class) but was greedy and wanted 48 cm or bust size.

Since then, other than a couple of pike landed and the very rare walleye visitor on camera, I cannot catch a cold out there. Have seen a few whites cruising on the camera as well.

Be back out there this week looking for 1 more walleye, not going to be greedy, if it is legal it is coming home. Learnt my lesson.

[Penner]

I don't know if it is just me but to me it has been slow everywhere I've fished this year and by that I'm referring to several different water bodies. Seems like this happens every 5 years or so. Some sort of cycle and the weather likely isn't helping.

[russ]

Everyone I've spoken too say it's slow. Coronation Dam & Buffalo, I've been hearing the same.

[lmtada]

Yup. Was out early January we caught one walleye 52cm (too big). Slotted as “B”. Still waiting for more walleyes. Caught few small pike. Yes overall is slow.

[RACKER]

This year has been the worst ice fishing season at Pigeon for me in a long time .I only fish for walleye and have fished 5 different parts of the lake from 5 fow to 25fow and have hardly seen any fish.I dont mind if you see fish that are cruising and not interested but not seeing anything is weird.Sounds like alot of other lakes are experiencing the same thing.Hopefully come March things will pick up.

[SNAPFisher]

Originally Posted by RACKER

This year has been the worst ice fishing season at Pigeon for me in a long time .I only fish for walleye and have fished 5 different parts of the lake from 5 fow to 25fow and have hardly seen any fish.I dont mind if you see fish that are cruising and not interested but not seeing anything is weird.Sounds like alot of other lakes are experiencing the same thing.Hopefully come March things will pick up.

Ehm...same here. 0 for 10 on whites. Last year I couldn't keep them off and this year is different. One thing about Pigeon for sure, it does not give up anything without a lot of work and learning. And, you cannot rely on same spots for any length of time. True for a lot of lakes but Pigeon will amaze anyone on how quickly it can turn. Of course I'm likely preaching to the choir here

[trigger7mm]

When s the best time to ice fish for walleye. Is late March one of the better times.

[SNAPFisher]

Originally Posted by Penner

I don't know if it is just me but to me it has been slow everywhere I've fished this year and by that I'm referring to several different water bodies. Seems like this happens every 5 years or so. Some sort of cycle and the weather likely isn't helping.

I'm in the same boat. I've been to a lot of lakes this year and put up more goose eggs than I can remember. At least I'm getting out though

[Mayhem]

Originally Posted by SNAPFisher

I'm in the same boat. I've been to a lot of lakes this year and put up more goose eggs than I can remember. At least I'm getting out though

Opposite for me - at least I feel less bad for not being able to get out.

[Penner]

Originally Posted by SNAPFisher

I'm in the same boat. I've been to a lot of lakes this year and put up more goose eggs than I can remember. At least I'm getting out though

Agreed bad days fishing still better than a good day at work. Hoping weather stabilizes and fishing picks-up in March. Been banking some points with the lady boss to be used for a few March outings.

[pikeman06]

At least we can agree on that...its slow, I think the summerkills are finally starting to show the decline of our beloved big whites. I'm doing a lap around my favorite central lakes on a whitefish hunt this week too. Camera and flasher and put some real effort into it, I don't mind not catching if they are cruising around suspended, at least there's hope, but if it's a total ghost town the ol wireworm looks pretty small down there. Good luck guys.

[SNAPFisher]

Originally Posted by Mayhem

Opposite for me - at least I feel less bad for not being able to get out.

Good on ya mate!

Things have been turning around this week. Finally! I'm just whining about the 15-16 trips prior
Actually, one of the first skunks in December was exploring 3 brookie lakes in one day. It was a fun day driving around and exploring. I'm excited to get back to some of them in open water times.

[Mountain Guy]

Slow year for me as well. Fishing for whites. Took till day 4 to get one on the ice. Had 1 full day without seeing one. Weird...thinking summer kill as well.

[CNP]

You need to use your leftover lunch as bait

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPzNuDyUzU8

[roper1]

What are the thoughts on how this might affect open water fishing. I sure prefer to hear stories how good the fishing is, not there's few to be seen or caught.

Interested to hear the opinions of some experienced guys. Thanks!

[AlbertanGP]

They're around. I have a friend who's been fishing the usual haunts on our lake and getting skunked relentlessly. Today he went over to where we normally fish in March and caught 37 walleye in an hour with a friend. Things are just off this season with the weather and poor ice conditions making mobility an issue. I wouldn't panic about open water fishing where getting at them isn't an issue.

[-JR-]

Originally Posted by AlbertanGP

They're around. I have a friend who's been fishing the usual haunts on our lake and getting skunked relentlessly. Today he went over to where we normally fish in March and caught 37 walleye in an hour with a friend. Things are just off this season with the weather and poor ice conditions making mobility an issue. I wouldn't panic about open water fishing where getting at them isn't an issue.

This time of year they go shallow near the weeds . just might be for the burbot eggs

[AlbertanGP]

Originally Posted by -JR-

This time of year they go shallow near the weeds . just might be for the burbot eggs

That's the area that's been getting him skunked without fail. Walleye don't spawn in weeds.

[roper1]

Originally Posted by AlbertanGP

They're around. I have a friend who's been fishing the usual haunts on our lake and getting skunked relentlessly. Today he went over to where we normally fish in March and caught 37 walleye in an hour with a friend. Things are just off this season with the weather and poor ice conditions making mobility an issue. I wouldn't panic about open water fishing where getting at them isn't an issue.

Thanks!

[-JR-]

Originally Posted by AlbertanGP

That's the area that's been getting him skunked without fail. Walleye don't spawn in weeds.

No but the burbot come very close to the weeds in 5 ft of water to spawn and the walleye come in to eat the eggs ..

Read what I said ,not what you want to hear !

[-JR-]

Originally Posted by AlbertanGP

That's the area that's been getting him skunked without fail. Walleye don't spawn in weeds.

No but the burbot come very close to the weeds in 5 ft of water to spawn and the walleye come in to eat the eggs in the late evening and so do the white fish ...... ..

Read what I said ,not what you want to hear !

[AlbertanGP]

Originally Posted by -JR-

No but the burbot come very close to the weeds in 5 ft of water to spawn and the walleye come in to eat the eggs ..

Read what I said ,not what you want to hear !

Friends have their shacks set up about 40' from a three acre-sized emergent vegetation island with submergent weed beds all around it on a driveway size pad of fist size and smaller gravel that burbot spawn on. They have been consistently skunked.

Are you consistently catching fish on the area you recommend? Or are you just dropping knowledge bombs for everyone to marvel at? I just told you I have people fishing the *exact* area you are recommending on a lake that should be easy to catch walleye by people that have caught them day in and day out for years and they are not catching them there.

Read what I said not what you want to hear.

[-JR-]

That hump you are talking about is in the middle of the lake . Not my go to area . Mine is on the edge of the lake . Just trying to be nice and guiding fishermen to try shallow not just deep and no not shallow around the island either but the edges of the lake ,thats where i get them when the whole lake is slow this time of year just as the sun goes down .

[Curtsyneil]

It has bin a tough year on pigeon for the big whites. Early January was good for about 10 days but not even close to what it was the year prior. Summer kill on the lake might have a lot to do with it but I’ve noticed a crazy amount of food in the deep water. Boat man’s and shrimp like crazy!! Hard to even tell where your hook is with all the clutter on the flasher. I believe there’s just so much food down there they don’t even see the hook, not to mention boatbman clinging to your line to make it stick out like a sore thumb. Walleye on the other hand haven’t found it tough at all to catch them at the right time at pigeon.

[SNAPFisher]

Originally Posted by Curtsyneil

It has bin a tough year on pigeon for the big whites. Early January was good for about 10 days but not even close to what it was the year prior. Summer kill on the lake might have a lot to do with it but I’ve noticed a crazy amount of food in the deep water. Boat man’s and shrimp like crazy!! Hard to even tell where your hook is with all the clutter on the flasher. I believe there’s just so much food down there they don’t even see the hook, not to mention boatbman clinging to your line to make it stick out like a sore thumb. Walleye on the other hand haven’t found it tough at all to catch them at the right time at pigeon.

Yep, saw the same. More food than I've ever seen. And they are everywhere out in the deep. Usually it is more sparse. So on the good side maybe they'll just get fatter!
Yeah, saw the same with the boatman clinging to the line.

[penguin]

Getting back to Lac Ste Anne...
It was ok for me today. Caught 2 walleye and 1 pike. This is really slow but a tiny bit better than the rest of February.
In January it was a lot better for me there.
Today I arrived really late and also had to leave early due to other commitments but even at 1pm I was seeing the odd walleye swim by.
They sure weren't hungry though.

[Ronji]

5 of us were out on Saturday. We all have tags and we have been on the lake a few times this year.

We caught 3 pike and 1 Walleye.

It was a slow day, and we tried everything.

Camera showed very little as well all day. No perch, no whites, or burbot were seen.

At least the weather was nice.

[skain11]

3 of us tried a new spot near Yellowstone Saturday...nothing landed just saw the same scar faced pike on the camera for about 4 hours...great weather indeed...did have a neat bombardier buggy drive by as well as a helicopter fly over at what seemed like less than a hundred feet.