Pigeon lake

[Gbuss]

Let me start this post off by saying I grew up fishing lake of the woods a lake with loads of structure and if you know how to fish that you can produce lots of fish. With that being said. I have been to pigeon lake a couple of time now. I have noticed their isn't much structure to the lake. The odd gradual humps no real steep drop offs were it will go from 10' to 25 30' in about 20 yards. That being said I have only been able to ice 2 walleye so far. I have fished the pp in about 18fow and mill Hurst in 16fow.

What the heck do they hold on i. That lake during the winter with little to no structure?? This is not a complaint just trying to figure them out and yes i get away from the crowds as i dont like to crowd up.


Gbuss

[HuyFishin]

This lake kills me everytime i go. I have been here 5 days straight and skunked. I feel like this place is just an oversized pond and they dont know where to swim most of the time haha. I go to the Provincial Park drop off and i barely see fish. They dont seem to swim in schools like the fishing shows online haha.

Yesterday i fished at the provincial park, arrived at 7:30am had the morning walleye bite with 5 walleyes, sat on the bucket all the way till sunset till i got one more bite. let me tell yah, i could have gone home after the sunrise and drove back for sunset haha. I was using a buckshot and the slab rap on each rod.

[RACKER]

I’ve found they move out of the PP trough come January. Middle of the lake produces but not sure how thick the ice is out there. East side always has been good for me. The walleye hang out near rock structures and that’s where I’ve had luck. This is where the camera is a great tool. Also a jig and minnow for me catches a lot more fish than any spoon or rap that I’ve tried. Now only if I could drive out there.

[SNAPFisher]

I'm largely just echoing what HuyFishin and Racker are saying.

I was at PP last Saturday based on your post of seeing shrimp. You were correct! I found lots in certain areas there. I came for the whites and didn't see a single one. Like HF, I nailed 6 wallies first thing in the morning and then it died off for me and everyone else it seemed. I was in 10 FOW of water though. I find that early season I can get them and visually fish them in 9-10 FOW. By mid-day I was out in 25 FOW and managed 3 more. All mine were caught on jigging spoons. Lots of raising up to the top and fluttering and and vigorous jigging. I adjust the action based on what I'm seeing. 2-3 of the walleye in the morning were caught by dropping the spoon to the bottom and only slightly jigging it once in a while. Like Racker, I find they move out of the more shallow water once January hits.

FYI, looks like much colder air coming to central later next week if the forecast holds. Lots of wind to remove any snow cover and then lots of cold. That will grow some ice!

[Gbuss]

Originally Posted by RACKER

I’ve found they move out of the PP trough come January. Middle of the lake produces but not sure how thick the ice is out there. East side always has been good for me. The walleye hang out near rock structures and that’s where I’ve had luck. This is where the camera is a great tool. Also a jig and minnow for me catches a lot more fish than any spoon or rap that I’ve tried. Now only if I could drive out there.

I need to find these rock structure you talk about. I would love to find that and fish it.

Gbuss

[riderprider]

I’ve found that for the most part at Pigeon if you’re not fishing either morning or evening it’s pretty slim pickings. PP is mostly a waste past Christmas.

[HuyFishin]

Originally Posted by Gbuss

I need to find these rock structure you talk about. I would love to find that and fish it.

Gbuss

when people talk about structure they are referring to that one lonesome stone in the middle of the lake lol

[Gbuss]

Originally Posted by HuyFishin

when people talk about structure they are referring to that one lonesome stone in the middle of the lake lol

When I talk about structure I want to see mother earth come up to about 2fow and drop down to 25fow in about 10 yards.

Gbuss

[RACKER]

Originally Posted by Gbuss

When I talk about structure I want to see mother earth come up to about 2fow and drop down to 25fow in about 10 yards.

Gbuss

This is a crappy photo /screenshot of aqua vu but it shows what i look for at Pigeon.The PP has a big drop off that carries for a long way but doesnt produce as well in the winter.My truck and quad have taken a beating over the last 3 years finding good spots so I understand its not that easy.

[HuyFishin]

Originally Posted by Gbuss

When I talk about structure I want to see mother earth come up to about 2fow and drop down to 25fow in about 10 yards.

Gbuss

i wish we had that, its all just sand flats. When i go to wabamun fallis area thats what i dream of for this place haha
(photo credit from stringtheoryangling website.)
There is a huge drop right where this ifish pro is, it is also filled with 12 inch walleyes

IMAGINE IF WE HAD ALL THAT STRUCTURE UNDER WATER!!



Quite rare for most our lakes.

[Brandonkop]

Pigeon does have structure, hard to find but when you do it is usually fish on. But still most days i would say early morning or sunset to night bite for walleye. I drove out to the middle last could days. 10 to 11.5 inches. Fishing was slow for us. Only whites we found were deep. Got one walleye out deep and 6 on structure after sunset yesterday. Thats a pretty slow days. Usually do better out there. You'd be surprised though sometimes the shallow sand to the west of mulhurst can be good for walleye too. Fun when theyre cruising 3 feet of water.

Sent from my SM-G960W using Tapatalk

[Gbuss]

Belive me I will find the structure on that lake. Once I do it will be fish on. But I am glad alote of people have the same frustrations as I do lol so it is just not me. To that I will be out sometime soon in hops to try a few new spots.


Gbuss

[SNAPFisher]

Originally Posted by Gbuss

Belive me I will find the structure on that lake. Once I do it will be fish on. But I am glad alote of people have the same frustrations as I do lol so it is just not me. To that I will be out sometime soon in hops to try a few new spots.

Gbuss

The pic looks great actually. For me, if I find rocks like you are seeing, I'll find the edge where either they thin out or abruptly disappear and fish that. Usually I find the fish cruise that more than directly on top of rocks. Same thing for weeds for me, find the edge. With little structure, fish seem to relate to these areas.

[Red Bullets]

On the east end of Sundance beach there is a spot with lots of rocks in about 14 feet of water. And Birdsh*t island SW of Mameo has great structure with rock piles.

[338Bluff]

Originally Posted by Red Bullets

On the east end of Sundance beach there is a spot with lots of rocks in about 14 feet of water. And Birdsh*t island SW of Mameo has great structure with rock piles.

Isn't that Island pretty much straight North and slightly East of Mameo? You can see it on Google Earth.

[Red Bullets]

Originally Posted by 338Bluff

Isn't that Island pretty much straight North and slightly East of Mameo? You can see it on Google Earth.

Pretty well straight north of Mameo but not east. Mameo is on the east shore. Look at Pigeon's depth map and you can see where it is. Go to "Figure 2" in the write up for the map.
http://albertalakes.ualberta.ca/?pag...gion=3&lake=96

It is good in February there for lingcod too. Have caught walleye, whites and pike there.

[Tikka Hunter]

Interesting read Red Bullets, thanks for posting. My grandparents homesteaded 3 miles south of Ma-me-o beach. I have camped, swam, and fished in Pigeon Lake off and on most of my life. Grandparents are gone, but uncles still farm in the area...……..

[Red Bullets]

Originally Posted by Red Bullets

On the east end of Sundance beach there is a spot with lots of rocks in about 14 feet of water. And Birdsh*t island SW of Mameo has great structure with rock piles.

I just saw my screw up. Sorry. It was north and a bit west, not SW.

[pikeman06]

Still 2400 undersubscribed walleye tags left for pigeon guys and girls...go get em. St anne and gull too in central alberta.

[Red Bullets]

Originally Posted by Tikka Hunter

Interesting read Red Bullets, thanks for posting. My grandparents homesteaded 3 miles south of Ma-me-o beach. I have camped, swam, and fished in Pigeon Lake off and on most of my life. Grandparents are gone, but uncles still farm in the area...……..

Nice area. Just south and west of Pigeon. Sort of a hidden gem as far as the outdoors and lake life being close by.

[RACKER]

Hit silver beach today and the weather turned out a lot better than I thought. The wind died down and got calm after 2. As usual the walleye bite turned on at 430. Caught 14 between 2 of us. All but 3 were A class. There was hardly anyone out there.

[lromanchuk]

Has anyone landed a big walleye out of Pigeon in the last few years? Biggest I've landed is around 62-63cm. Nothing crazy. Has anyone landed anything in the 70-75 range?

Just curious if there's even walleye like that in Pigeon since the re-introduction program.

[Red Bullets]

Originally Posted by lromanchuk

Has anyone landed a big walleye out of Pigeon in the last few years? Biggest I've landed is around 62-63cm. Nothing crazy. Has anyone landed anything in the 70-75 range?

Just curious if there's even walleye like that in Pigeon since the re-introduction program.

I saw a 12 or 13 lb. walleye in a F&W boat at Pigeon that the F&W CO's confiscated from someone. When I asked how much of a fine the guy got I was told the guy lost his boat and had a court appearance. They took his boat because he has hidden the fish in it.

[SNAPFisher]

Originally Posted by Red Bullets

I saw a 12 or 13 lb. walleye in a F&W boat at Pigeon that the F&W CO's confiscated from someone. When I asked how much of a fine the guy got I was told the guy lost his boat and had a court appearance. They took his boat because he has hidden the fish in it.

Wow, big hit! And, big fish!
That is unusually large for Pigeon nowadays.

Iromanchuk, my biggest over the last couple of years have been 58-60 cm and only 2-3 fish if I recall correctly. I don't target them often unless I'm filling tags, and that is usually done on a single trip. Other than that I'm fishing for whites the remainder of the time.

[capper]

24” (60cm) is the biggest I can remember catching at pigeon. We fish it 2-3 times a summer for the last 7-8 yrs. not too many over 60cm in my opinion. it’s more of a quantity then quality deal from my experience. Not too many lakes you can boat 100eyes in a day. Great Lake for the kiddos

[Penner]

Past few index netting’s suggest a 60cm being about tops. I caught several 28”-30”ers back in the early 2000’s.

[Talking moose]

Originally Posted by Red Bullets

I saw a 12 or 13 lb. walleye in a F&W boat at Pigeon that the F&W CO's confiscated from someone. When I asked how much of a fine the guy got I was told the guy lost his boat and had a court appearance. They took his boat because he has hidden the fish in it.

In the 90’s?

[Red Bullets]

Originally Posted by Talking moose

In the 90’s?

Actually, around 2014.

[Poppa]

the lack of true trophy Walleye (~30") in Alberta is such a shame...

[SNAPFisher]

Originally Posted by Zip-in-Z

Pikeman .... what purpose does your post serve on here, really!

D.

Looks like my ignore list just increased by one Pikeman.

On another note, send us some of that warm air Zip. Looks like we are heading into a long cold snap ...shack wackies to follow!