Cold Lake 2021 Open Water Season

[OuttKastt]

Originally Posted by 58thecat

pink lady/diver to get down to 30-40' or so then a spoon would work just ensure you have multiple colors to change up.
I run all season 4" hot spot apex lures in various colors with lots of success.

https://www.hotspotlures.com/products_apex_troll.php

Hey @58thecat - What are your go-to patterns for Apex lures? We are heading out to Cold Lake Wed-Fri this week and have never fished it this early. Any advice would be awesome.

[OuttKastt]

Also, we have never caught walleye out at Cold Lake. Where are some good places to go on the lake for these? We have gone all the way to Martinow but never had any luck as it has always been later in the season.

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by OuttKastt

Hey @58thecat - What are your go-to patterns for Apex lures? We are heading out to Cold Lake Wed-Fri this week and have never fished it this early. Any advice would be awesome.

Rainbow trout pattern and melon colours produce on both overcast and sunny days for apex trolling lure.

I find the eyes may still be in long bay at this time and if not then hit the points off centre bay 10-20’ or so of water but then again ya gotta search those points and area...no rhyme or reason to these buggers.

Good luck!

[58thecat]

Seen very few boats out lately but the yak and I managed a few and lost a few too....bent rides, sore arms from paddling and dam afternoon ish winds limited me but still lots of fun

Getting a nice tan too

[mlee]

On my way for the weekend....should be fishing by 2.

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by mlee

On my way for the weekend....should be fishing by 2.

Ohhh boy got windy and rain but the wk-end looks promising.....heading out in the tinner right now.....

[58thecat]

So the lakers where very hard to get to cooperate....5 on and 5 off so after farting around we decided to chase the pike and we were not disappointed literally two hours of non stop action just as the overcast came in and the wind picked up.

Now French bay launch is really shallow and toss in the fact people are attempting to launch big boats there the sand bottom is soft and torn up.

I would avoid this launch if you have a bigger boat and at least have a four wheel drive truck....watched a few gong shows over the last three days there.

Tight lines!


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[mlee]

We got 2 hours in last night before the rain came....managed 1 in the boat lost 2 jigging in 130ft. Today....the morning was slow bust as the weather changed this afternoon I changed my tactics and we were rewarded. Hammered trout all afternoon in nothing deeper than 30fow tossing spoons. Most were caught in the 14-20ft range.
Hopefully the weather holds tomorrow morning.
This fish is a new PB out of cold lake at just under 34"

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[58thecat]

very well done sir!!!! Ya gotta give credit where credit is due...tossing spoons where the pike are for lakers well done

we hit large bait balls with little to no large marks off them....in 60-140 fow but got strikes in the 60' mark so should have wisened up and went into the shallows...come to think of it a few years ago we were catching early June in centre bay trolling rapellas and caught a beauty in 8fow....I should keep a log/records on this lake

[mlee]

Originally Posted by 58thecat

very well done sir!!!! Ya gotta give credit where credit is due...tossing spoons where the pike are for lakers well done

we hit large bait balls with little to no large marks off them....in 60-140 fow but got strikes in the 60' mark so should have wisened up and went into the shallows...come to think of it a few years ago we were catching early June in centre bay trolling rapellas and caught a beauty in 8fow....I should keep a log/records on this lake

Thanks. We had troubles getting bites out deeper....a few light hits and 4 or 5 lost fish so figured it was worth a go. I've fished la plonge July long weekend a few times and we always catch tons in that 20-30fow range so figured they could have definitely pushed up after the big pressure change. That was the only "keeper" size fish we found. The wife did get a 72-73ish cm but I'd say 20 of the 30ish fish we caught were 23-26".

[Weavster]

Well noticed that last week we had a lot more success finding the active fish up shallow. We were lucky enough to mark a bunch of bait up in that 35-50ft range and sure enough the lake trout were putting on the feed! Marked many suspended fish 10-15 ft under the boat and as soon as they seen your lure it was an aggressive strike.

[58thecat]

After this rain passes we might be on the hunt again as it might make them change again…..ohhh well all part of the fun!

Good luck to all.


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[58thecat]

Originally Posted by Weavster

Well noticed that last week we had a lot more success finding the active fish up shallow. We were lucky enough to mark a bunch of bait up in that 35-50ft range and sure enough the lake trout were putting on the feed! Marked many suspended fish 10-15 ft under the boat and as soon as they seen your lure it was an aggressive strike.

Looking forward to a video!


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[58thecat]

Well the lake was very hot for lakers yesterday but in 40-60 fow…..mark them and jig or troll it was a lot of fun….lots with only one came in at 33” but still what a blast.
Heading out for another round….


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[StiksnStrings]

Following

[58thecat]

Well was out the other day in the tinner and the wind picked so decided to head back in....well in the middle of French Bay the waves were 2' ish and I was putting in when about 50-70 yards I spot movement to my left well it was a fella in a yak....all dark clothing....dark colored yak...no problem other than the fact when he went down in a swell/wave he vanished...the only time I saw him was when he came to the top of the swell/wave or was actually paddling.
Fly a bright flag, invest in a beacon or something to make yourself visible to all boats out there...us yak anglers have to do our part too eh...I usually have a few spare rods on board and one is a back up to the back up a 7' rod with a very proudly flown Canadian flag attached to the top...can see that from a far distance even if I am jigging and enjoying a sammich

Now I know this fella was out in the calm but that dam wind picked up....

Just a friendly reminder.....be safe and tight lines!

[Frank_NK28]

Please ignore the goofy looking hat, lol. I bought it the other day after sun burning my ears and nose at a 3 day trap shoot a week and a half ago.

[58thecat]

goofy hats increase the catch count!!!!!

[StiksnStrings]

Originally Posted by 58thecat

goofy hats increase the catch count!!!!!

Well I hope my "Gilligan" hat, as my fishin' buddies call it does. The Cold L rookies hit the water tomorrow. Hope to see you out there 58thecat.

[-JR-]

Fish hard as you can ,a few more days and the lake will turn over or flip as some call it and the bite will be off until July .

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by -JR-

Fish hard as you can ,a few more days and the lake will turn over or flip as some call it and the bite will be off until July .

That’s when you head out to the shumps and work your way north then around the edges....50’ to 200’ under 50 yards.....shhhhhh.

[58thecat]

Well we made our way to English Bay to get out of some of the wind...ya right...we met another couple brave anglers doing the same...not sure how they made out but we got into them at 40-60 fow trolling the apex rainbow trout lure behind a willow leaf and pink lady....hard day on the water as the wind made things very interesting....perseverance.

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a few pics...I need a nap!

[shinpoe]

My friend and are in cold lake for the tourney but we only have a 22" bump board. Not too optimistic but anyone know where we could buy a 40" board in cold lake? Crappy tire has 22" and the local shops we visited don't seem to carry them

TIA

[mlee]

Originally Posted by shinpoe

My friend and are in cold lake for the tourney but we only have a 22" bump board. Not too optimistic but anyone know where we could buy a 40" board in cold lake? Crappy tire has 22" and the local shops we visited don't seem to carry them

TIA

Try Kim at anglers bait and tackle. I know he had a bunch at the winter tournament.

[SouthWestRanger]

It’s funny y’all mention the Lakers being shallow last week, in Shuswap lake last week I was catching plenty of Lakers in that 35-50foot range when they normally at least 20 feet deeper by now. Kind of cool that two lakes 1000+km away of totally different environments can fish similar

[-JR-]

Hows the derby going. Is there a site i can go to to see whats being caught .

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by -JR-

Hows the derby going. Is there a site i can go to to see whats being caught .

Anglersatlas.com
Scroll to bottom of page and links, click on tournaments.....active tournaments seventh one down....click on cold lake and then there is the leader board....

[-JR-]

Looks like Bruce Odell might have won it . looks like he caught a 26 pounder !

[58thecat]

That’s a pig….but two day tourney ya never know eh!


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[58thecat]

But it was not that long so how did it make that weight…..lead lunch!


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