What are my chances?

KGB · #1 08-12-2021, 11:04 AM

We are heading to Cold Lake for a day of fishing. Want to fish for lake trout and want to be able to bring home one so wife won’t make fun of me….
What are my chances- REALISTICALLY - of landing a big one, the keeper, over 75 cm long? We will be going with a local guide…

HuyFishin · #2 08-12-2021, 11:07 AM

imo they are always an inch short from being a keeper LOL

In experience atleast.

58thecat · #3 08-12-2021, 11:59 AM

My personal experience this year has been four keeper size with 34” being the largest….lots of dinks but we stay in those areas cause I like catching more than fishing…if you want a keeper have your guide get you into another area if you keep hammering dinks and smeadiums….they are out there.

Good luck

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CBintheNorth · #4 08-14-2021, 11:19 PM

Realistically, about 0.5%

You'll catch 20-60 or more in a full day depending on how hard you fish and how well you know the lake, but the average fore most people this time of year is about 1 legal trout for every 200 (roughly) landed.
Other times of year differ.

-JR- · #5 08-15-2021, 04:53 AM

The Big Lakers bite before the sun come up ,then they get smaller around 7 am

KGB · #6 08-15-2021, 11:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by -JR-

The Big Lakers bite before the sun come up ,then they get smaller around 7 am

We are planning on starting at 6 am, so I hope we get at least 1 keeper!

-JR- · #7 08-15-2021, 03:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KGB

We are planning on starting at 6 am, so I hope we get at least 1 keeper!

Jigging is the way to get them . Just go in the dept around 70 ft of water and let the jig drop under the boat . Once the hook hits the bottom of the lake start reeling up . They like like the chase . Some times they hit right on the bottom and sometimes half way up . Then let the hook drop again , some lake trout like to grab it on the way down . Its a lot of work, but sure is fun when they hit .
Good luck !
Don't be disappointed if you don't get a keeper .
I think its only a 5 % chance of getting a keeper .
Last year it was 1 %

Teamprotz · #8 08-15-2021, 07:52 PM

We landed 18 today. Including a 78 and a 77 and I had one on that I could barely move off bottom then hook pulled.

OL_JR · #9 08-15-2021, 09:54 PM

Who cares what your chances are, if you get into a good bite I guarantee you will not be dissapointed if you don't take one home and the wife gives you the gears lol. If you aren't familiar with lake trout you will be suprised how well they pull even if they are under the 75cm mark.

With that said if going with a guide it might be fruitful to mention that you are after some some size although that may mean more moving around to find better age classes.

KGB · #10 08-15-2021, 10:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by -JR-

Jigging is the way to get them . Just go in the dept around 70 ft of water and let the jig drop under the boat . Once the hook hits the bottom of the lake start reeling up . They like like the chase . Some times they hit right on the bottom and sometimes half way up . Then let the hook drop again , some lake trout like to grab it on the way down . Its a lot of work, but sure is fun when they hit .
Good luck !
Don't be disappointed if you don't get a keeper .
I think its only a 5 % chance of getting a keeper .
Last year it was 1 %

Thanks man, will do what you said! And believe me, we won’t be disappointed in any way. It’s going to be a day of fun fun fun!

mlee · #11 08-16-2021, 07:05 AM

We spent Saturday and half of Sunday on the lake. 3 keeper size fish (all released) biggest was 80cm. Roughly 120 fish in the boat so I'd say 1 in 40 is a keeper lol.

KGB · #12 08-19-2021, 09:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mlee

We spent Saturday and half of Sunday on the lake. 3 keeper size fish (all released) biggest was 80cm. Roughly 120 fish in the boat so I'd say 1 in 40 is a keeper lol.

Well we spend 9 hours on the lake, from 6 am till 3pm. The morning was gloomy but the sun came out around 1pm. We got 26 fish in total, lost probably 6-7 more( one of my buddies was a first time fisherman and was just learning the ropes).
Not a single keeper, bummer…. Some were around 27-28”, really fat and chubby but too short to be legal….
Ended up going for a fish and chips at the local eatery by the marina and it was actually very good!
Had lots of fun, got home dead tired but happy!

58thecat · #13 08-20-2021, 07:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KGB

Well we spend 9 hours on the lake, from 6 am till 3pm. The morning was gloomy but the sun came out around 1pm. We got 26 fish in total, lost probably 6-7 more( one of my buddies was a first time fisherman and was just learning the ropes).
Not a single keeper, bummer…. Some were around 27-28”, really fat and chubby but too short to be legal….
Ended up going for a fish and chips at the local eatery by the marina and it was actually very good!
Had lots of fun, got home dead tired but happy!

That’s what it Is said all about.....pinch the tails and pull on their lips to get that little bit more length

mlee · #14 08-20-2021, 12:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KGB

Well we spend 9 hours on the lake, from 6 am till 3pm. The morning was gloomy but the sun came out around 1pm. We got 26 fish in total, lost probably 6-7 more( one of my buddies was a first time fisherman and was just learning the ropes).
Not a single keeper, bummer…. Some were around 27-28”, really fat and chubby but too short to be legal….
Ended up going for a fish and chips at the local eatery by the marina and it was actually very good!
Had lots of fun, got home dead tired but happy!

Sounds like you were about 14 fish away from a keeper lol. The majority of the fish we caught last weekend were in that 26-28" range as well....which is a good thing moving forward. I just really hope someone gets smart and adjusts the regulations on this lake. As much as I hate the walleye tag system I believe tags could serve a purpose on Cold Lake....either that or a very tight slot of smaller fish. Because in 5-10 years all these 26-28" fish will be 30"+ and people will be filling limits daily.

KGB · #15 08-20-2021, 01:59 PM

It was nice to see that this lake holds a good amount of fish, that’s for sure! I agree with the tag system for the smaller size, I would love to be able to take home one at least in this 25-28” size. But it is what it is.
They say that the lake trout grows about an inch every year. We caught lots of pregnant females, full of roe I’m sure. I hope the fish population can sustain itself.

OL_JR · #16 08-20-2021, 07:21 PM

I would love to see a tag system on cold lake with a slot that protects big fish. Don't get me wrong it's a pile of fun as is but that lake could have it all if people who wanted to keep fish didn't have to bonk one over 75.

wind drift · #17 08-20-2021, 11:33 PM

I’m not a fan of lake trout for table fare, by and large. There are better fish to eat. In Cold Lake, they have more value alive than fried. Personal view shared.

SamSteele · #18 08-21-2021, 07:17 AM

Please, no more tags for fish.

58thecat · #19 08-21-2021, 07:34 AM

I would like to see a slot size in the size that makes best table fare….18” to 20” and only one.

Man this lake is getting real close to putting up real nice size lakers over the 30” mark more constant….just gotta give it more time and if we as anglers want larger fish then we even though legal need to keep tossing the so called keepers back….

This lake has it all as in a anglers paradise

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Chewie66 · #20 08-21-2021, 01:19 PM

I'll keep one or two a year for the smoker because that's about the only way to eat those bigger Lakers. Personally I'd love to see zero retention for a few years and then we would really see what that lake can produce. It's an incredible lake trout fishery.

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OL_JR · #21 08-21-2021, 07:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 58thecat

I would like to see a slot size in the size that makes best table fare….18” to 20” and only one.

Man this lake is getting real close to putting up real nice size lakers over the 30” mark more constant….just gotta give it more time and if we as anglers want larger fish then we even though legal need to keep tossing the so called keepers back….

This lake has it all as in a anglers paradise

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I think an open slot might work but my best guess is that the angling effort might be to high. It is a big lake but I think it's pretty apparent that the pressure is high judging by how many fish fall just short of that 75cm. I know some find tags a pain but on high pressured lakes I think it's a good tool although maybe the idea of strictly controlled harvest could be executed in a different format.

Maybe a conservation licence of some sort where you punch a card when you retain a fish in the specified slot. It would obviously be more open to abuse but I think the majority of anglers are honest and a threat of heavy fines could deter the douche bags.

Other than that there is catch and release and frankly I don't think that would bother to many people at all but from what I understand the municipality is against that as they feel it would hurt tourism. I think the most value really is in the angling experience. Lakers over 75 are not that good imho and seems like a waste to cook up. I went into our last trip thinking hey maybe I'll try another one if we get a keeper and we did end up getting a few but just couldn't bring myself to bonk one, and I've done that over and over. When you actually catch one in that range I find it hard to keep as you just want it to grow into something special.

Just ideas, as mentioned I think this lake could have it all with some tweaks.

58thecat · #22 08-22-2021, 08:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chewie66

I'll keep one or two a year for the smoker because that's about the only way to eat those bigger Lakers. Personally I'd love to see zero retention for a few years and then we would really see what that lake can produce. It's an incredible lake trout fishery.

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That would be a great option too....two years no retention then one year slot size...rinse and repeat....just a thought.

Weavster · #23 08-22-2021, 03:23 PM

Something defiantly needs to change but judging by conversations that have been had in the past nothing is in the works anytime soon. The numbers are pretty clear from the data collected after the last two tournaments...

Like 58thecat mentioned rotate years you can keep fish similar to the new walleye strategy they are using or even go to tag system or at the very least just cap the over size into a slot so some of these fish can grow.

Positrac · #24 08-22-2021, 04:17 PM

Never been there but it sure sounds like a great fishery.

Teamprotz · #25 08-22-2021, 04:56 PM

Honestly the average size hasn’t been increasing and I’m seeing fewer big fish than 4-5 yrs ago. The problem with coming up with new regulations is that there has to be someone there to enforce it

HL_transplant · #26 08-22-2021, 05:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Teamprotz

Honestly the average size hasn’t been increasing and I’m seeing fewer big fish than 4-5 yrs ago. The problem with coming up with new regulations is that there has to be someone there to enforce it

Exactly......fish over 75cm were much more common 7 or 8 years ago. Its not hard not notice.

MooseRiverTrapper · #27 08-22-2021, 06:12 PM

You would think people are starving to death fishing out of 100k boat and 80k truck want a tag to keep greasy lake trout.

mlee · #28 08-22-2021, 09:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MooseRiverTrapper

You would think people are starving to death fishing out of 100k boat and 80k truck want a tag to keep greasy lake trout.

That's not the point. I've caught plenty of keeper size fish from cold but never harvested one and never will. In my opinion it's unethical and they are not good table fare. That said a large majority of people who do manage to catch a keeper will bonk it just to say they caught a keeper. I like baked char....but a 20" fish not a 30" fish. Being able to keep a fish doesn't come into play at all when I decide where I'm fishing on any given day....but for many people it does and keeping these mature breeder fish in the water is just smart conservation.

Teamprotz · #29 08-23-2021, 07:59 PM

Manitoba has proved protecting big trout works , allowing 1 or 2 under 65 cm to be kept depending on license held. Cold lake has the forage to produce big trout but is the genetics there anymore ?

alpineguy · #30 08-23-2021, 09:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Teamprotz

Manitoba has proved protecting big trout works , allowing 1 or 2 under 65 cm to be kept depending on license held. Cold lake has the forage to produce big trout but is the genetics there anymore ?

I find this an interesting comment. I had never thought about genetics being much of a factor in fish size. I just assumed fish size was dependent on forage, age and to some degree lake size and depth.
Question: We have a camp at a fly in lake in North central Sakatchewan and there is only 1 other camp that gets used. Also there is no outfitting so basically no pressure. The Lake is about 10 km long and gets to about 150' deep. We never seem to catch Lakers over 6 or 7 lbs (have caught a few but its rare). Do you think it's genetics because there is plentiful forage for them?