Which Lake had the bigest White fish in central Alberta

[Prvallee]

Just noticed the size of the whitefish i have been catching in Sylvan lake seem to be getting smaller every year. Just wondering which lake has better whitefish, not looking for anyone's honey hole or specific spot on a lake just general lake. How is everyone finding the white fish on Gull lake, have you noticed the size and number getting smaller every year or are there still some 2-3 lb fish in there. Hope everyone is having a safe start to the 2023 ice fishing season. PS was out on Sylvan today about 250-300 yards from shore nice dark 7.5-8 inches of ice almost time to bring out the ice shacks..

[Red Bullets]

Central Alta lakes that have big whites are Pigeon, Battle and Buck lake. The Alberta record white comes from Buck lake. Almost 12 lbs. Not very common but you can't keep any from Buck. A little further north is Smoke lake by Whitecourt. Caught a few whites around 9 lbs there. Was fishing in 2 feet of water. My guess is that the next record whitefish will be caught in Pigeon Lake.

215 years ago David Thompson weighed a white fish from Lac St. Anne that was netted. It weighed 18 lbs.

[SNAPFisher]

Originally Posted by Prvallee

Just noticed the size of the whitefish i have been catching in Sylvan lake seem to be getting smaller every year. Just wondering which lake has better whitefish, not looking for anyone's honey hole or specific spot on a lake just general lake. How is everyone finding the white fish on Gull lake, have you noticed the size and number getting smaller every year or are there still some 2-3 lb fish in there. Hope everyone is having a safe start to the 2023 ice fishing season. PS was out on Sylvan today about 250-300 yards from shore nice dark 7.5-8 inches of ice almost time to bring out the ice shacks..

I've noticed just the opposite for Sylvan. Average size is getting bigger. Snapped off a 4 lber last year.

Thanks for the ice report, that actually surprised me it would be anywhere near 8 inches.

[RDFisher]

Whitefish are freshly spawned out, so they need some time to put the weight back on. Pigeon Lake definitely has bigger whites, but the ones from Sylvan are a perfect eater size if that's what you're after.

Perch are definitely getting bigger in Sylvan. A lot of fishing pressure on them though, so who knows how long that will last.

[Smoky buck]

I have only seen them well fishing for pike but there is some good size whitefish in fickle lake

[Macdrizzle]

Pigeon, then gull

[fish99]

my best whitefish at pigeon last year was 9 lbs , my sons best last year was 10.39 lbs . there are bigger ones in there for sure.

[Red Bullets]

Originally Posted by Smoky buck

I have only seen them well fishing for pike but there is some good size whitefish in fickle lake

I agree. I was trolling a 5 inch sub surface silver rapala behind a canoe 4 or 5 years ago at the end of October. A 9 lb. 2 oz. whitefish smacked the rapala.

[Jims83cj5]

Loose lips sinks ships

[Smoky buck]

Originally Posted by Jims83cj5

Loose lips sinks ships

It’s Alberta there really isn’t that many lakes and it’s not like it’s hard to find out about any of them. Especially when talking central or southern Alberta. Now if you were getting into remote northern Alberta it would be different

Google search, back roads map book and Barry Michele fishing guide will expose basically every central Alberta lake lol

[Jims83cj5]

Originally Posted by Smoky buck

It’s Alberta there really isn’t that many lakes and it’s not like it’s hard to find out about any of them. Especially when talking central or southern Alberta. Now if you were getting into remote northern Alberta it would be different

Google search, back roads map book and Barry Michele fishing guide will expose basically every central Alberta lake lol

If you remember back a bit there was a gentleman on here that generated literally 100’s and 100’s of posts over several seasons about wire worms he made for fishing for whitefish at sylvan. Anyone who knows that lake knows the fishing pressure exploded after that, it’s just starting to calm a bit last year. You know how many people just had the thought “ hmmm, big white fish at pigeon me and my 5 minivans full of friends are on our way”

[Smoky buck]

Originally Posted by Jims83cj5

If you remember back a bit there was a gentleman on here that generated literally 100’s and 100’s of posts over several seasons about wire worms he made for fishing for whitefish at sylvan. Anyone who knows that lake knows the fishing pressure exploded after that, it’s just starting to calm a bit last year. You know how many people just had the thought “ hmmm, big white fish at pigeon me and my 5 minivans full of friends are on our way”

There is no central Alberta lake that isn’t being pressured.

Sylvan and pigeon have been extremely well known long before forums were popular. Anyone with even a remotely small amount of effort could gain knowledge on theses fisheries

The real reason you are seeing an increase in pressure is people have shifted their focus to whitefish do to a decrease in opportunity on other species. This is what happens when you have poor management that doesn’t understand the concept of spreading pressure and lowering harvest through multiple tools

Really why are you even on a fishing forum if you are dead against sharing information or reports.

[Jims83cj5]

Originally Posted by Smoky buck

There is no central Alberta lake that isn’t being pressured.

Sylvan and pigeon have been extremely well known long before forums were popular. Anyone with even a remotely small amount of effort could gain knowledge on theses fisheries

The real reason you are seeing an increase in pressure is people have shifted their focus to whitefish do to a decrease in opportunity on other species. This is what happens when you have poor management that doesn’t understand the concept of spreading pressure and lowering harvest through multiple tools

Really why are you even on a fishing forum if you are dead against sharing information or reports.

I help people in here all the time, I just pm them. They are not asking for the world to know, they are asking for the info for themselves, so I pm

[munsterx]

I disagree it was not because someone came on here and let people have some advice on what he had success with and that the wire worm might work.That gentleman was just helping out fellow fishers.The reason it had blown up was mainly due to Covid and really what else were people to do at that time?Easy go to the lake and enjoy some fresh air and try to catch a fish.They pay the same as everyone else so really if they are public lakes who cares if they come in vans trucks or cars .I to have given a ton of advice and what to use but you still have to catch the fish.

Happy fishing be safe !!!

[Smoky buck]

Originally Posted by Jims83cj5

I help people in here all the time, I just pm them. They are not asking for the world to know, they are asking for the info for themselves, so I pm

Fair enough that is also the most common way I pass information on AO

[Smoky buck]

Originally Posted by munsterx

I disagree it was not because someone came on here and let people have some advice on what he had success with and that the wire worm might work.That gentleman was just helping out fellow fishers.The reason it had blown up was mainly due to Covid and really what else were people to do at that time?Easy go to the lake and enjoy some fresh air and try to catch a fish.They pay the same as everyone else so really if they are public lakes who cares if they come in vans trucks or cars .I to have given a ton of advice and what to use but you still have to catch the fish.

Happy fishing be safe !!!

Covid definitely caused a big increase in people out fishing and I have seen this with every location I fish

Some places I never see mentioned on AO tripled the amount of anglers since 2019

[munsterx]

Your 100 percent correct many lakes have doubled and tripled the amount fishing each and every day I would be curious to know as I have fished Pigeon,Gull and Sylvan most of my life and I know the limit of people is way up but that leads to the amount of fish being taken.Sylvan is slowing down for Whites the last few years and I think the limit should have been dropped from 5 to 3 but seems whoever makes the decision from there office not on the ice wants it to end up like Pigeon and Gull.I am for everyone being able to fish but without controlling the limit it going to decimate the numbers.

[Curtsyneil]

The reason there is so many people fishing sylvan and gull is the location. Reddeer, lacombe, ponoka, calgary all close so those lakes see the action of people and not to mention easier smaller whites to catch imo. Go ahead fill up the mini vans and come to pigeon and see how many whites they catch I bet one trip and they never come back. I’ve fished pigeon for years now and it doesn’t see nearly the amount of people sylvan and gull lake sees. It’s not cause there isn’t whitefish in pigeon it’s because they fish pigeon the same way they fish gull and sylvan and that doesn’t work at pigeon. Oh yes if you want trophy whites pigeon is the lake but if you want 1-3 pound whites gull and sylvan are popular lakes for those size whites for sure. Gull is fished out and sylvan will end up the same way if f&w doesn’t start writing tickets to people for over harvesting in March,( get a limit in the morning go home clean and come back for the evening) That’s why sylvan will soon become like gull lake not because some guy on a forum gave some tips and tricks to help others out.

[nick0danger]

Originally Posted by munsterx

Your 100 percent correct many lakes have doubled and tripled the amount fishing each and every day I would be curious to know as I have fished Pigeon,Gull and Sylvan most of my life and I know the limit of people is way up but that leads to the amount of fish being taken.Sylvan is slowing down for Whites the last few years and I think the limit should have been dropped from 5 to 3 but seems whoever makes the decision from there office not on the ice wants it to end up like Pigeon and Gull.I am for everyone being able to fish but without controlling the limit it going to decimate the numbers.

Gull was for sure saw less fishing and ice fishing the last 2 seasons. I got a play in Raymond shores, and spend lots of time on the boats and sleds there.

That said the fishing is not as good since the new regs were introduced, however we are catching more and bigger perch (still not quite eating size), yet to see better and bigger pike numbers.

[Red Bullets]

Originally Posted by Smoky buck

There is no central Alberta lake that isn’t being pressured.

Sylvan and pigeon have been extremely well known long before forums were popular.

Really why are you even on a fishing forum if you are dead against sharing information or reports.

People think lakes like Pigeon are being hit harder? I doubt it. Back in the 1960's and 70's if you went to Pigeon there would be several hundred ice fishermen grouped together fishing for whites. Each beach area would have loads of fishermen 6 feet apart. And at the same time there would be commercial netting fishermen on the ice that were allowed 150,000 lbs. of fish per pull and there could be 2 or 3 pulls. Back then I am sure there were many times there would be up to 1000 ice fishermen on the ice on the weekends. I'd bet you couldn't count 1000 fishermen on Pigeon on any given day now.

[Drewski Canuck]

Before the walleye intro on Wabamun, the whitefish where fished very hard. Nothing to see a thousand vehicles on Wab on a nice winter weekend from end to end.

The amount of fish caught was very significant over the winter. Everything kept up until the pole oil spill in the lake, and then the walleye intro after the power plant was shut down.

Now even the pike are thinned out. Likely cause everywhere walleye are prolific is the walleye are eating the whites, perch, and pike.

So don't worry about fishing pressure on whitefish from sport fishermen. Even 100,000 kg commercial quotas did not make a dent.

Drewski

[DiabeticKripple]

Also remember that whitefish are basically not fished through the open water months. Not very many people targeting them.

Should see numbers and size getting bigger in both Sylvan and Gull with the walleye getting thinned out. Already seeing the perch start to rebound.

[chucklesthe3rd]

Originally Posted by DiabeticKripple

Also remember that whitefish are basically not fished through the open water months. Not very many people targeting them.

Should see numbers and size getting bigger in both Sylvan and Gull with the walleye getting thinned out. Already seeing the perch start to rebound.

This could be said for the central alberta lakes, but for some southern reservoirs it is almost the complete opposite. They get hammered in the summer but go with almost no pressure during the hardwater season.

[Pioneer2]

80% of a walleye's diet is perch

[pikergolf]

In my opinion the larger the whitefish the worse it tastes. Always preferred 1.5 to 2 lbs.

[fish99]

Originally Posted by Drewski Canuck

Before the walleye intro on Wabamun, the whitefish where fished very hard. Nothing to see a thousand vehicles on Wab on a nice winter weekend from end to end.

The amount of fish caught was very significant over the winter. Everything kept up until the pole oil spill in the lake, and then the walleye intro after the power plant was shut down.

Now even the pike are thinned out. Likely cause everywhere walleye are prolific is the walleye are eating the whites, perch, and pike.

So don't worry about fishing pressure on whitefish from sport fishermen. Even 100,000 kg commercial quotas did not make a dent.

Drewski

very true

[fish99]

Originally Posted by Red Bullets

People think lakes like Pigeon are being hit harder? I doubt it. Back in the 1960's and 70's if you went to Pigeon there would be several hundred ice fishermen grouped together fishing for whites. Each beach area would have loads of fishermen 6 feet apart. And at the same time there would be commercial netting fishermen on the ice that were allowed 150,000 lbs. of fish per pull and there could be 2 or 3 pulls. Back then I am sure there were many times there would be up to 1000 ice fishermen on the ice on the weekends. I'd bet you couldn't count 1000 fishermen on Pigeon on any given day now.

BE lucky if you see 100

[fish99]

Originally Posted by pikergolf

In my opinion the larger the whitefish the worse it tastes. Always preferred 1.5 to 2 lbs.

I know a lot of people say the only fish that gets better eating the bigger it is Is the lake white fish

[pikeman06]

So how's the hatch and spawn recruitment from these whites in pigeon or gull or buck or st anne or wabamun. Let's see some real data!!! Sure 30 years ago the lakes were alive with whites, we all have cameras, these lakes are toast!!! The old timers fishing pigeon and wab and gull weren't catching ten pound whites, they were fishing healthy year classes that are long gone boys.

[pikergolf]

Originally Posted by fish99

I know a lot of people say the only fish that gets better eating the bigger it is Is the lake white fish

I find the bigger they are the fattier they are.