Cold Lake 2022/23 Hard Water Season. - Page 4

Egymcara · #91 12-28-2022, 04:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TroutingOuting

Does anyone have any updates on conditions of the main lake/English Bay? Walk on vs quad possibilities.

While I'm at it, any willing to share Marie Lake access and conditions - would be appreciated. Coming from west of Edmonton tomorrow. Just trying to decide if I should leave the quad at home or not.

Thanks in advance!

Marina is fine for walking or machines. I hear guys are getting on at Prov Park as well. English Bay was pretty sloppy when I checked, flood water and thinner ice.

You can pretty much walk or quad but with a machine you risk hitting flood water in quite a few areas.

-JR- · #92 12-28-2022, 05:03 PM

Not sure where you would get on at Marie Lake as I gather the private campgrounds is gaited closed . Maybe along the north shore where the cabins are might be the best .
If anyone in Edmonton needs a partner for a day trip to cold lake give me a shout I am more than willing to pay for some fuel as I am free now 7 days a week .

AlbertanGP · #93 12-28-2022, 09:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 58thecat

Ahhhhh got stuck down south in freezing rain etc so sat another day.

I was going to come to Cold Lake for a few days but we had two days of freezing rain up here, and its still tough just to get to local lakes. Oh well. Soon hopefully.

Egymcara · #94 12-29-2022, 12:48 PM

Out for a tour this morning... Marina had 5-6 groups fishing and Provincial Park had just 1 person on a sled. Prov Park launch is a mess and there is water basically in that whole bay. I could see 1 persons tracks, basically pure water where he tried to drive. Careful out that way!

58thecat · #95 12-29-2022, 12:58 PM

Going out to French bay tomorrow off the md campground area, hopefully not going to hit flood water, taking skidoo and two sleds attached.

Just got off pinske lake was going to groom for x country ski trails ya right 2 feet of flood water I had the skidoo pinned and got the heck off that lake quick.

Hopefully good to go in French Bay Area.

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pikeman06 · #96 12-29-2022, 05:19 PM

Holy 2 ft of flood water. Yikes. Might be a good winter for the fish not so good for the anglers. How much snow on average on the ice up that way if you don't mind me asking? Foot?

Egymcara · #97 12-29-2022, 06:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pikeman06

Holy 2 ft of flood water. Yikes. Might be a good winter for the fish not so good for the anglers. How much snow on average on the ice up that way if you don't mind me asking? Foot?

French bay has the most snow because it froze first, maybe 8-12" of snow. Main lake isn't nearly has deep minus a few spots, 3-8"? The flood water is soaking up a lot of snow and freezing. Will make driving anything with tires rather uncomfortable.

pikeman06 · #98 12-29-2022, 07:19 PM

Yes. Thanks for the info. Sounds pretty dicey. Floodwater sucks when you know there isn't much ice under that water and snow.

58thecat · #99 12-30-2022, 12:11 PM

Out in front of ski hill area
100 fow
About a foot of snow and solid 10
Inches of ice.
Some to little overflow coming out from the md campground boat launch
Took the skidoo and towing two sleds behind

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58thecat · #**100** 12-30-2022, 02:44 PM

Catching wee ones but somewhere is a bigger!

What I would call an eater!

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Weavster · #**101** 12-31-2022, 05:52 AM

Was out in front of the marina yesterday. Just a reminder to use caution as where I stopped and drilled only had 7” of ice 50ft away where my buddies were fishing there was almost 14”. Be safe out there

58thecat · #**102** 12-31-2022, 06:59 AM

Heading out today, gonna change tactics, fish a drop off hopefully mid shelf that drops from 40-80 fow going to hunker at the 60 fow Mark.....dead stick will be top and bottom of the shelf....come on big momma

Deebs · #**103** 12-31-2022, 04:00 PM

Caught 7 in 2 hours. Marked a tonne and lost a bunch of small ones

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58thecat · #**104** 01-01-2023, 08:03 AM

Great to see

Heard the marina area was tent city yesterday, good place to set up a chilli and hot chocolate shack

French bay by the MD boat launch is really ruff now from the over flow getting chewed up and the vehicles coming on the ice, overflow freezes into deep ruts.

Ran into a crew from lacombe yesterday who stopped by on their snowmobiles to chat, glad they did as their plan was to go across the bay then out to the open area of the lake in which I said not too.

They set up 100 yards from us and enjoyed the day, caught a few and lost a few.

We also chatted with two lads from Saskatoon who camped on the ice, took them 5 hours to walk out their gear and set up, spent three days out in the water best day was 14 caught, lots of hits etc....one fella from the lacombe group and myself loaded their gear up and got them off the ice when they were calling it a day....so thankful...told them to return the favour someday to another.

The bite is slow and inconsistent, turns on and off but that’s fishing

Happy New Year to all and please be safe out there.

Tight lines.

Bushmaster · #**105** 01-01-2023, 08:41 AM

Very nice of ya Cat. Good on ya!

Teamprotz · #**106** 01-01-2023, 09:20 AM

Son and I got 11 and missed 6 in front of marina yesterday in 6hrs. We went north on the pack in 86.5’. Biggest was 72cm and only seemed to get hit when bait thinned out. There was a LOT of bait. We had 11” of ice at the shack but like Mr Weaver stated , 50ft away there was 9”. We were on “dry” ice past the flood water.

Egymcara · #**107** 01-01-2023, 12:30 PM

Fished this morning for 2-3 hours and action was unreal! I couldn't get my lure down fast enough before 2-3 lakers were fighting over it. My poor 3/8 ounce hair jig got beaten into oblivion. I was northwest of the Marina in about 55' at a less travelled area. Snow was actually pretty deep, 12" and ice was only 7" thick with water overflowing 2" out of the holes. Be careful out there and Happy New year!

58thecat · #**108** 01-01-2023, 01:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Egymcara

Fished this morning for 2-3 hours and action was unreal! I couldn't get my lure down fast enough before 2-3 lakers were fighting over it. My poor 3/8 ounce hair jig got beaten into oblivion. I was northwest of the Marina in about 55' at a less travelled area. Snow was actually pretty deep, 12" and ice was only 7" thick with water overflowing 2" out of the holes. Be careful out there and Happy New year!

Any size or just dinks and smediums?

We need a good deep freeze for two weeks -20 or better.

Then get out to a few spots and pull big mommas off the bottom….March

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58thecat · #**109** 01-01-2023, 01:04 PM

The other day we had 4 inches of water in our tent and I dropped a laker just to watch him swim around the tent, yup we got soaked but had a good laugh!

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Egymcara · #**110** 01-01-2023, 01:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 58thecat

Any size or just dinks and smediums?

We need a good deep freeze for two weeks -20 or better.

Then get out to a few spots and pull big mommas off the bottom….March

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Most of the fish were in that 60-70 range, maybe only 1 below 60. I did manage a few of the native trout though, love the deep dark colors and aggressiveness.

Egymcara · #**111** 01-02-2023, 02:13 PM

Out again this morning with my fishing partner. Went back to the same 55' spot as yesterday and it didn't disappoint! Fishing action was non stop, ended up with 46 on the ice between 8 and 12. Lots of nice fish, a few small and a few around the 75 mark but all released of course. Smaller presentations seem to work best, 3/8 hair jig killed it and smaller tubes worked decently at times. Fish were all over the column from 10' to the bottom. Don't get too many days with action like today but keeps a guy addicted to lake trout!

Cheers!

58thecat · #**112** 01-02-2023, 02:55 PM

Huge wow factor there, one after another!
We found too over by the ski hill they wanted the smaller presentations and nothing to do with the big stuff.
Just gotta experiment a bit.

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Wapiti340 · #**113** 01-02-2023, 06:09 PM

How do you guys figure a SXS with extra ground clearance will do right now. I walked out once already and had some fun but, have a handful of marked spots I’d like to start trying.
Cheers

58thecat · #**114** 01-03-2023, 06:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wapiti340

How do you guys figure a SXS with extra ground clearance will do right now. I walked out once already and had some fun but, have a handful of marked spots I’d like to start trying.
Cheers

I seen a few out on the ice already, a few quads and snowmobiles too.
I just waited until 10 inches of ice was being drilled in areas a hundred yards or so from shore then took our skidoo out.
Never tried going across the lake etc but giving what we are seeing to date regarding ice thickness I would definitely do a lot of drilling and measuring ice thickness if I was to venture out.

SNAPFisher · #**115** 01-03-2023, 08:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 58thecat

I seen a few out on the ice already, a few quads and snowmobiles too.
I just waited until 10 inches of ice was being drilled in areas a hundred yards or so from shore then took our skidoo out.
Never tried going across the lake etc but giving what we are seeing to date regarding ice thickness I would definitely do a lot of drilling and measuring ice thickness if I was to venture out.

Yeah that lake in particular has always freaked me out. I've always stayed closer to the South side...
It would be fun to explore further on a nice weather day.

Good luck out there this season!!

Wapiti340 · #**116** 01-03-2023, 09:21 AM

Sounds good, maybe I’ll use it to work the edges and walk out the last few hundred yards. Definitely don’t want to take a dip. I don’t mind walking but, that flood ice and snow can be a struggle lol

58thecat · #**117** 01-03-2023, 11:06 AM

Well at the provincial park right now, trucks out on the ice and SUV’s too.
-20 last night and cold today so the ice must be getting thicker.
Access to ice looks great too so I guess it’s go time.

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hamster · #**118** 01-03-2023, 02:38 PM

Waiting for that report from u cat lol, heading out to PP on sat morning, with a rav 4 😅

Rshields · #**119** 01-03-2023, 05:48 PM

Went out on Monday morning out at the marina, drilled my holes and only found 6" of ice. Made the butt pucker a bit when I had the quad with me. I was in 60' of water. Had a buddy who was about 40-50 yards right of me in 50'ish and he reported 14". Make sure your checking and just not driving out. Be safe everyone

Egymcara · #**120** 01-03-2023, 06:31 PM

I drove my sled into provincial park area dec 29 and there was flood water all over. I find it hard to believe the ice and conditions have improved that much over 5 days? Not telling anyone what to do but I've been all over Cold Lake this year and driving a vehicle in most places almost seems idiotic. The lake got covered way too fast and that snow is putting a ton of pressure on the ice. Most years I'm the first person to drive on Cold Lake and I'm sticking to my machine for at least 2-3 more weeks. Make the right decisions and be safe.

Cheers