Lake Minnewanka Tips in August?

[GooseSlammer]

Hi everyone,

I have never fished Lake Minnewanka before but I have it in my plans for the last week of August.

I have a 14' Jonboat and a 9.8 HP engine, along with a downrigger.

Any suggestions on how or where a guy should try to get some Lakers that time of year? I would really appreciate any advice.

Thanks!

[Ackleyman]

Being inexperienced many years ago, i put my 14' Lund with small Merc on that lake. Never again......ever.

[Who Da Fisherman]

Use the search button, lots of info Minnewanka, here is one.
http://www.outdoorsmenforum.ca/showt...ght=minnewanka
and yes the wind can come up quick...
WDF

[chucklesthe3rd]

Originally Posted by GooseSlammer

Hi everyone,

I have never fished Lake Minnewanka before but I have it in my plans for the last week of August.

I have a 14' Jonboat and a 9.8 HP engine, along with a downrigger.

Any suggestions on how or where a guy should try to get some Lakers that time of year? I would really appreciate any advice.

Thanks!

Go early and leave at the first signs of wind or you'll be in a world of fun! I've had some luck with small to medium sized spoons in 70-80ft of water on the downrigger.

Chuck

[TROLLER]

Watch and notice where the guide boats are fishn. Some are using a fly and drifting while others are jigging in deeper water. I used to set my down rigger at 50-70ft and troll a Dick Night.

And with a Jon boat if the wind comes up at all get off the lake as quick as you can. Once it starts to blow it is not a fun time.

[GooseSlammer]

So I have a couple of follow up questions...

I have heard that warning before about the wind coming up quick, and having experienced that a couple of times on other lakes (and scaring the crap out of me!) I do take that very seriously now.

So with that in mind, ideally if I can get out onto the water and stay relatively close to the boat launch, that would be ideal. Looking on Google Earth and at several photos online, it is obviously a massive lake!

Here are my follow up questions:

1) Is the typical windstorm coming from the West? That's just an assumption, but I'm wondering if there is a common pattern there?

2) I know the old joke that "no matter where you launch your boat, the best fishing is on the far end of the lake" But in this case, I would prefer to stay on that West half for sure for safety reasons. I see some structure on the NW end that looks interesting on Google Earth. Is the fishing relatively similar from one end of the lake to the other if I'm trolling in 60-80 feet of water? Or are there parts of the lake that are significantly better than others? (Feel free to direct message me too if you don't want to advertise it! I won't be a regular fisherman there down the road I'm sure).

3) Are flashers helpful for attracting Lakers in this big water? I've always been curious about that strategy, but haven't seen much of it when doing my research.

Thanks everyone. Hoping to get my old dog out for a new fishing adventure. Probably his last season.

[Albertadiver]

watch out for divers at the submerged dam and the townsite. They should have a floating flag but some don't always use them.

[TROLLER]

You can head west and then into the bay the river flows from, not too deep and there are rocky mt.white fish to be had. And not far from the launch.

I always when trolling would start right across from the launch and work my way to the far end of the lake. My preverence was always the very far end but when the wind comes, because the lake is so narrow it creates quite large waves, many times I would be ducking under the windshield because the waves were busting over the bow. So if the wind starts it is best to leave early to avoid the ride.

[guru fisher]

Just fish later on ( after supper time ) where the cascade river comes in not far from the launch. Dont have to go far to catch some big lake trout. Brother caught a 18 lber there years back in 60 feet of water. White 2 ounce tube jig

[GooseSlammer]

Thanks for the input everyone.

Good to know about the diving sites. I had no idea that was there.

Also, I like the idea of trying the mouth of the river because that just makes sense (at least in theory) for a natural feeding location.

If I catch a big one I'll post a pic, but I have realistic expectations as Lakers have always challenged me more than most.

Any more tips please feel free to keep posting. I won't be heading out for another week or so. Cheers.

[TROLLER]

When jigging I always liked the Chubby Dartar. As mentioned lakers feed early till about 11 or later say 5 to 8

Remember no lead or bait and jigs also have to be lead free, if you don't have any they sell em at the Fishn Hole where you can most days pick up a park license

[EZM]

Agree on dangers of that lake as the wind gets amplified as it's pushed through the narrow valley like a funnel causing absolutely unimaginable conditions as the valley is positioned "perfectly" to collect the wind in the incoming direction (the wider side) and squeeze it down the funnel like a blowing a trumpet backwards. Scary lake when the conditions are bad.

I've fished the lake since I was a kid in the 80's. Trolling all the typical hardware like spoons off the rigger work. Jig the typical (lead free or over min size) tubes and they will also produce.

The difference between this lake, and others like Cold Lake, is the population and density of the Lakers. There are simply a fraction of the fish there that you might see on sonar in other lakes. Recruitment (spawning numbers and survival rates) is low, the surviving fry and juvenile fish that do make it are forage for the bigger ones (as there are few other sources of food compared to other lakes) which creates a tough lake to produce high catch numbers.

Having said that, the scenery is spectacular. Enjoy the time on the water, don't expect to catch numbers unless you really get on a great spot and hit it lucky.

Area around hippy wood is good this time of year (end of season).

[barbless]

I have also heard that if you even have lead weights of small sizes in your tackle box and you get checked you get busted with a fine. Just what I heard though. Use to fish there many many years ago. 60 to 80 ft depth. Biggest fish Father in Law and his friend caught was near 44 lbs. Be careful out there for sure. It can get real crazy even for the best of experienced boaters.

[EZM]

Originally Posted by barbless

I have also heard that if you even have lead weights of small sizes in your tackle box and you get checked you get busted with a fine. Just what I heard though. Use to fish there many many years ago. 60 to 80 ft depth. Biggest fish Father in Law and his friend caught was near 44 lbs. Be careful out there for sure. It can get real crazy even for the best of experienced boaters.

Yes, I guess officially since the regulations say "possession of" they could pinch you, but I doubt they would search your box. More likely if they came up to you and they can see it in plain sight you might get fined ..... maybe.

I doubt anyone would be such a jerk to climb aboard and toss your boat trying find an illegal lure that you weren't using. But who knows.

I bet dollars to doughnuts, even if I cleared my boat of all my walleye jigs and other tackle trays, there's going to be one or two of those jigs somewhere in some crevasse or misplaced in some other tackle tray in my boat!!!

[tallieho]

oh hoho back one day .When the barbless thing was in play.I got checked,with a piece of panty hose dragged over the barb area, When a ball buster thinks he/she has your number..I was shocked Dickson trout pond,in my pram flyfishing

[I’d rather be outdoors]

Originally Posted by EZM

Yes, I guess officially since the regulations say "possession of" they could pinch you, but I doubt they would search your box. More likely if they came up to you and they can see it in plain sight you might get fined ..... maybe.

I doubt anyone would be such a jerk to climb aboard and toss your boat trying find an illegal lure that you weren't using. But who knows.

I bet dollars to doughnuts, even if I cleared my boat of all my walleye jigs and other tackle trays, there's going to be one or two of those jigs somewhere in some crevasse or misplaced in some other tackle tray in my boat!!!

Word of friendly advice. Keep a separate tacklebox if you fish the park. They can & will search your tackle box & boat for lead.

[Jamie Black R/T]

Originally Posted by I’d rather be outdoors

Word of friendly advice. Keep a separate tacklebox if you fish the park. They can & will search your tackle box & boat for lead.

I can also confirm this. Its low hanging fruit yes...but they will look for it and write the ticket.

They didn't find anything on my boat...but they sure as hell did board us and dig for lead.

[EZM]

Originally Posted by I’d rather be outdoors

Word of friendly advice. Keep a separate tacklebox if you fish the park. They can & will search your tackle box & boat for lead.

Originally Posted by Jamie Black R/T

I can also confirm this. Its low hanging fruit yes...but they will look for it and write the ticket.

They didn't find anything on my boat...but they sure as hell did board us and dig for lead.

Well I guess, it depends on who comes by to check your boat. The guys that came by when we were there were pretty cool and calm, asked a few questions, including what lures we were using and if we knew the lead lure regs, and went on their way.

I guess it's the same outside the park with fish cops, most seem pretty good, a few bad apples out there with self esteem issues who play the tough smart guy role.

Honestly, I would likely be offended if they boarded and tossed my boat looking for lead if there was no "reasonable grounds" (suspicion) to search ...... but I guess tyrannical behavior like that creates the "bad blood" between people and LEOs.

I'm not sure what the law is on how to interpret the "may search, board, etc... assuming reasonable grounds" is interpreted by the courts, but it's not really the point I guess.

Too bad to hear that you both had a bad experience.

xxxx excerpt of legislation below:

Search without warrant
93 A conservation officer or constable may, without a warrant,

(a)search a person whom he or she believes on reasonable grounds has in his or her possession any wildlife or fish killed, taken or possessed in violation of this Act or the regulations, or about to be illegally exported,

(b)stop and search a motor vehicle, private or chartered aircraft, boat or other conveyance, in or on which he or she believes on reasonable grounds that wildlife or fish is being carried by a person, and

(c)enter and search a shop, public market, storehouse, garage, restaurant, hotel, eating house or camp, in or on which he or she believes on reasonable grounds that wildlife or fish is located.