Trolling lakes around Calgary

Roderek · #1 08-25-2016, 01:33 PM

Hi,

My brother in law just got a downrigger and electric trolling motor for his boat at the fishing hole, we want to test it out this weekend. Somewhere within an hour and a half of Calgary, which lake would be the best to try it out on?
I was thinking
Ghost
Little Bow
Glennifer
Dickson trout pond, can you take boats on there?

Open to other suggestions as well

Thanks in advance for your replies.

Newellknik · #2 08-25-2016, 01:38 PM

North end campground by big dam and Milo , 1hr and a bit , pm me and I'll
Tell you how catch some eyes on those D riggers ...At least there
You will be able to let out 40 - 50 ft of cable .

TROLLER · #3 08-25-2016, 02:46 PM

First off no you cannot take your boat in Dixon, elec. motors only.

The best place to use your down rigger is for sure Spray Lakes above Canmore.

Set them for starters around 35-40ft. and then adjust downward from there depending on what your sonar is showing.

huntsfurfish · #4 08-25-2016, 04:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Newellknik

North end campground by big dam and Milo , 1hr and a bit , pm me and I'll
Tell you how catch some eyes on those D riggers ...At least there
You will be able to let out 40 - 50 ft of cable .

Really shouldnt be fishing for walleye in water over 30 feet. Even the fishing guide does not recommend over 23 feet.

Roderek · #5 08-25-2016, 04:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by huntsfurfish

Really shouldnt be fishing for walleye in water over 30 feet. Even the fishing guide does not recommend over 23 feet.

what is the reasoning for that, I have never fished for Walleye?

TROLLER · #6 08-25-2016, 04:29 PM

Unlike lake trout the walleye cannot empty their swim bladder. If you pull them up from 35ft. you can see their guts coming out of their mouth.

Please do not fish walleye deeper than 25ft.

fish99 · #7 08-25-2016, 05:52 PM

lake minniwanka would be go one with lots of deep water and no mid lake humps to loose gear.

nevercatchmuch · #8 08-25-2016, 10:13 PM

Dickson trout pond is ok for electric only. In the midst of a big algae bloom though.
Glennifer has lots of depth changes and has been quite busy with water sports.
Spray lake by Canmore is great but if you are electric only, be careful as the wind comes up very fast.

Newellknik · #9 08-26-2016, 07:29 AM

Walleyes usually don't bite that well in 30 ft or deeper in these reservoirs
At anytime . If you catch them bring them up very slowly , stop reeling
Half way up . Then finish slowly and into the net quickly . Release easy .
They will be fine .
With the mild winter I think the milfoil and other weeds started growing
In Feb . Because they been dying off for a month now . There s definitely
Some kind of oxygen thing going on in a few of these res. And a type of
Algae bloom I have not seen before .
I think the fishing guide is a govt publication , remember they do not want
You to fish at all , just buy a licence .

huntsfurfish · #10 08-26-2016, 10:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jet

Not deeper than 25ft for walleye. Bringing up slow or not, some will have the swim bladder in their mouth and some won't, but even those that don't are still likely damaged.

If you ever do it by accident, get em in and back down as fast as you can.

This^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

huntsfurfish · #11 08-26-2016, 10:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Newellknik

Walleyes usually don't bite that well in 30 ft or deeper in these reservoirs
At anytime . If you catch them bring them up very slowly , stop reeling
Half way up . Then finish slowly and into the net quickly . Release easy .
They will be fine .
With the mild winter I think the milfoil and other weeds started growing
In Feb . Because they been dying off for a month now . There s definitely
Some kind of oxygen thing going on in a few of these res. And a type of
Algae bloom I have not seen before .
I think the fishing guide is a govt publication , remember they do not want
You to fish at all , just buy a licence .

Sorry, not a secret, just bad advice.

Roderek · #12 08-26-2016, 10:51 AM

This may be a dumb question, however, "lakes with electric motors only"
Does that mean that since the boat has a gas motor as well as an electric I can't launch it?

I assumed it meant that I just couldn't use the gas motor, so if I used the electric trolling motor it would be fine. However, reading some replies I am confused now.

Newellknik · #13 08-26-2016, 12:44 PM

Or if a Alberta Govt biologist told you something about walleyes
you can't take that to the bank . I've never seen a bladder fishing
Fishing deeper than 30' .....so you must be doing it wrong . .

http://ontariofishingnetwork.com/201...in-deep-water/

And really if there was any kind of real danger to our precious fish stocks
the king of closures , the ESRD would be all over that . The RCMP would
Be confiscating your rods .

cube · #14 08-26-2016, 02:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by huntsfurfish

Really shouldnt be fishing for walleye in water over 30 feet. Even the fishing guide does not recommend over 23 feet.

Though it is perfectly legal to do so.

One just needs to decide where their own personal ethical line is.

Okotokian · #15 08-26-2016, 03:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Newellknik

North end campground by big dam and Milo , 1hr and a bit , pm me and I'll
Tell you how catch some eyes on those D riggers ...At least there
You will be able to let out 40 - 50 ft of cable .

Really? I've only boated McGregor a couple times, but swear I never went over an area deeper than 20 ft. Heck, sometimes I'm hitting 5 feet of water in the middle of the lake! Never figured McGregor for a downrigger lake.

huntsfurfish · #16 08-26-2016, 09:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Newellknik

Or if a Alberta Govt biologist told you something about walleyes
you can't take that to the bank . I've never seen a bladder fishing
Fishing deeper than 30' .....so you must be doing it wrong . .

http://ontariofishingnetwork.com/201...in-deep-water/

And really if there was any kind of real danger to our precious fish stocks
the king of closures , the ESRD would be all over that . The RCMP would
Be confiscating your rods .

Lots of info out there.

huntsfurfish · #17 08-26-2016, 09:27 PM

Fishing in deep water for walleye is not good. It is that simple.

Mortality rates increase with the depth of water.

Habfan · #18 08-27-2016, 02:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Okotokian

Really? I've only boated McGregor a couple times, but swear I never went over an area deeper than 20 ft. Heck, sometimes I'm hitting 5 feet of water in the middle of the lake! Never figured McGregor for a downrigger lake.

The lake is 35' down the middle from Milo to the causeway, I only marked a couple of spots that came up a bit, but it is pretty consistent. Keep in mind this is when the lake is full. Running shallow diving raps off of a downrigger in 20'- 25' would produce a lot of fish, it is easier with a 3 way but it would be a good way to test his downrigger !