Cow Lake Derby

Sage · #1 02-14-2008, 10:11 PM

Their will be a fishing derby at COW LAKE this coming Sunday 17th for those of you interested. I guess a guy out of Brooks Ab won the derby last year. I don't know how big the fish was though.

Mish · #2 02-14-2008, 11:07 PM

Where can I get some info on it?

ballyboy · #3 02-14-2008, 11:12 PM

If you phone the Grandview Stage Resort, they will tell you what you need to know.

I believe it's $7/person or $20/family for admission. I don't remember all of the other details, but there is food served, however you have to go to the resort to get it.

Good luck to everyone!

duffy4 · #4 02-14-2008, 11:36 PM

Should be a fun family derby. Lots of perch to be caught and a there are relatively few but big brood trout. The derby is catch and release so if you are regustered in the derby you can not keep any fish. Pike are not included in the derby so do NOT take any up to be weighed.

The weather is supposed to be good and what better way to spend a day.

Robin in Rocky

donrock · #5 02-15-2008, 12:53 AM

Hey Guys,

I plan on heading out to the derby. Never been in a catch and release one and am wondering how that works. Do I need to bring a 5 gallon pail and put water in it? hope thats not a dumb question

#6 02-15-2008, 04:58 PM

Yep, fill er with water and your good. Once you weight it run it back and release it I think. I will be out there in a 2008 blue 4 door chevy silverado 3/4 ton. Come and say hi and have a bevie.

mud slug · #7 02-15-2008, 05:08 PM

thinking of heading out that way on sunday. hey tundra what do you charge for guide fees? never fished cow lake before.

Sage · #8 02-15-2008, 06:06 PM

Thanks Mish I wasn't sure of the details on the Derby.

Sage · #9 02-15-2008, 06:33 PM

Sorry Mish and Ballyboy I should have who gave the info. Thanks Ballyboy Sorry again Mish.

#10 02-15-2008, 07:41 PM

mud slug if you see me out there just come on over i'd be happy to help you out. We'll get you into some footballs.

Mish · #11 02-16-2008, 11:07 AM

I called Grandview to get some info on Cow Lake tomorrow. The lady on the phone was extremely nice, but she didn't have a whole lot of information on it. I think first prize is a 2 man tent, motorized auger, rod holders & a fish tv. 2nd is a 4 man tent and 3rd is a bbq, if I remember correctly.

It's a C&R derby, but she wasn't sure about pike. She said that the pike aren't nearly big enough to keep since they were only introduced two years ago...but if it is a C&R derby why would that matter?

The only thing I think we figured out for sure was that you drill your own holes, ice tents are allowed, and the derby runs from 10am-2pm. Wasn't even sure if we could drive out there.

Haven't figured out if I'll be going out tomorrow, but if I do I hope to see some of you out there.

YamahaMan72 · #12 02-16-2008, 06:54 PM

Will you be able to get on the lake with a car ?

ballyboy · #13 02-16-2008, 07:17 PM

Hey Yamahaman72,
I was out there today with a bunch of Cub Scouts. We had to stick to the north side of the lake where it has been plowed because I don't have a 4X4. The snow is pretty thick and crusty and was not easy to manoevre with my van so we stuck to the main trails and did fine. There is a bunch of open uncovered ice there on the north end. Most people stayed close today to the boat launch with the exception of a few near the middle part of the lake.

Fishing was slow for us. It's tough when you have that many kids who need help every time you turn around and then they are hungry etc. etc. The tube steak tailgate party was a real treat accompanied by some hot chocolate. The kids caught a couple of small perch today so it made it sort of worthwhile for them, and then after I was able to sit down, I finally caught my biggest perch ever. 14 incher. 9inch girth. A real beauty! The kids thought that was great. Some of these kids have never been ice fishing before (the same was true for me up until this past Christmas!) and now they are all very excited about the possibility of going again.

Oh yeah, by the way. For any of you who may have a hard time trying to find the turn off, there is a blue rubber ball sitting on top of the road side marker right at the turn off.

#14 02-16-2008, 08:57 PM

Good job, now thats what I'm talking about with Cow Lake!

YamahaMan72 · #15 02-16-2008, 10:04 PM

thanks for the info Bally

Mish · #16 02-18-2008, 11:03 AM

How did it go, for all you who were at the derby?

ballyboy · #17 02-18-2008, 11:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TundraBuck

Good job, now thats what I'm talking about with Cow Lake!

Yeah! I was sure pumped!! I caught it on a glo-jig with 3 fake "Gulp" maggots. Since we had no shelter with all of those boys, I resorted to laying on the ice on top of a blanket with a extra jacket over my head to see! Call me crazy, but I helped! One of these days I'll either buy myself a hut or make one. Anyone out there have some directions to make one? I'd like to build one for 2-3 people. Is plywood the best option? I don't own a truck either so it would have to go on top of my van on the racks.

#18 02-18-2008, 11:39 AM

I'd get one of those 2 man pak shaks, they fold up just like a camping chair, thats all it is is 2 camping chairs together and then canvas that folds overtop. I use an eskimo quickflip II and I love it, lots of room, but I am thinking about getting a 6 man eskimo for even more room!

We managed to do fairly well, weighed in a few fish the biggest one we got was only 12 inches but it still won a prize.

Mish · #19 02-18-2008, 12:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ballyboy

Yeah! I was sure pumped!! I caught it on a glo-jig with 3 fake "Gulp" maggots. Since we had no shelter with all of those boys, I resorted to laying on the ice on top of a blanket with a extra jacket over my head to see! Call me crazy, but I helped! One of these days I'll either buy myself a hut or make one. Anyone out there have some directions to make one? I'd like to build one for 2-3 people. Is plywood the best option? I don't own a truck either so it would have to go on top of my van on the racks.

bally, this is the one I have

http://redrockstore.com/Catalog/inde...on=show_detail

You can easily fit 3 people in there if one doesn't mind sitting on the ice. I like sitting on the ice better anyway...can yell at the fish better that way.

mud slug · #20 02-18-2008, 12:14 PM

sorry i didn't make it out yesterday had to go on a hot shot to fox creek hope everyone had fun.

gramps73 · #21 02-18-2008, 12:40 PM

thinking of heading out to Cow tomorrow, how much snow is on the lake with the weather we are having.
Gramps

#22 02-18-2008, 05:33 PM

Snow is receding, 4x4 will make it without a problem and a 2wd should be ok as long as you stay on a trail. Heading to Jackfish Lake between Nordegg and Rocky tomorrow in search of some of those big pike and walleye.

donrock · #23 02-18-2008, 11:44 PM

Hey Tundra,

Good luck tomorrow and post how you do when you get back. Looking forward to hearing.
Donny

#24 02-19-2008, 07:29 PM

Hey donrock we caught a couple walleye from 2 - 4 pounds, got 1 guy's limit of keeper perch, and a couple hammer handles. Haven't fished there in 10 years, was nice to get out. Forgot how neat of a lake it was. Went for a drive north of there after getting off the ice, and guess what we saw? A cougar!!!!! That's the third one I've seen so far this fall/winter, saw one in september in 429 on thunder mountain, one in october in 328, and now a third one in 328. Jeepers, kind of keeps you on your toes.

#25 02-19-2008, 07:30 PM

Also forgot to say that the cougar we saw on thunder mountain just stood there and watched us for a good 2 minutes, then slowly walked off into the bush. It had a collar on it. We phoned F&W and reported the sighting and they were very happy to hear from us. Reported the other in 328 too and I will phone this one in tomorrow.

donrock · #26 02-20-2008, 06:39 PM

Hey Tundra,

That sounds like a good days fishing and then topping it off with a cougar sighting is even better. I live north of Wildwood by Chip Lake park and have never seen one. Lots of our neighbors have seen them and a couple have been shot because they were to close to the home. Thats one animal I'd love to see though. Seen just about everything else.
I'm done down here at Caroline so I'll be heading home now and doing most of my fishing at Chip Lake for pike and burbot. I'll let you know if I'm coming down again for a day. Would be nice to see how you get all them footballs. Good luck to ya

#27 02-20-2008, 08:11 PM

Yes donrock, we will have to hook up, if not this winter you can come out for a day or week LOL on the 20 footer and we'll do some perchin! Anyone else that would like to come out this summer and do some fishing around Rocky is welcome to just reply back to this post, I got July and August off!

ballyboy · #28 02-20-2008, 08:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TundraBuck

Yes donrock, we will have to hook up, if not this winter you can come out for a day or week LOL on the 20 footer and we'll do some perchin! Anyone else that would like to come out this summer and do some fishing around Rocky is welcome to just reply back to this post, I got July and August off!

Hey that would be great! I'll have to bring my 10 year old kid with me though! He just loves having a rod in his hands. Would like to learn a few more tricks of the trade too!!

#29 02-21-2008, 06:10 PM

For sure, tons of options. Every type of trout in Alberta, besides golden, we can target and probably catch, along with mountain whitefish, pike, perch, walleye, etc.

livesnorth · #30 02-21-2008, 08:14 PM

Hi,I live in Sylvan and hadn't heard of this jackfish lk by Rocky,any chance of some directions to this spot?