Cold Lake

[Grayling1]

I am planning on fishing Cold Lake next week does anyone know how deep the lake trout are?

[Coiloil37]

I spent a week there over May long and caught them all between 70-120’. I didn’t spend much time looking in the shallow water but found lots where I was fishing.

Take some northern king spoons. They outfished everything else I tried.

[EZM]

I don't buy the "absolute rule" they are deep in summer and shallow in spring on many lakes including cold lake. Mark fish and drop and drag your gear there. Might be 20' or it might be 90'

Ice off the lake - early season - many many years and we are down 60'-90' and catching fish best at that depth.

Summer on a lake that size and the thermocline isn't that deep, and I've caught tons of lakers in August down only 25' or 30' (longer set back).

I've also caught them casting a spoon into "the soup" and jerking it on the surface in low light as they drive bait to the surface in the middle of summer.

I've also nailed on a fish down 120' off the rigger and then one on the planner board on a deep diving rapala (maybe down 20') like 4 minutes apart.

Lakers go where there is food. Mark them and fish where you see the fish.

[58thecat]

If you have electronics as in fish liar use it, hunt for the bait balls with hits just off of them, get the depth and go get them, they are lake trout and are very easy to catch using various techniques but sitting in the middle of now where with not an indication on the fish liar gadget is like winking at a beautiful woman in a dark room, you know what your doing but no one else does....good luck eh!

[RavYak]

I most often catch them in 50-120 fow and some suspended over deeper water.. The depth will depend on the location, time of day, weather and likely a number of other effects.

As others have said move around until you see fish on your fish finder. Then target them at whatever depth they are at. Shallower fish are usually more active, you can't always find shallower fish though.

[Grayling1]

Thx for the Info I tried fishing twice for Lake trout on the weekend they seemed to be at every level but none were biting. (Most people I talked to were having little luck) We did manage to fill our over 50cm tags from Wolf Lake. (beautiful big lake with few boats on the water)

[RavYak]

Originally Posted by Grayling1

Thx for the Info I tried fishing twice for Lake trout on the weekend they seemed to be at every level but none were biting.

Lake trout can be picky. Once you find them then you need to dial them in. If you are marking fish they are looking at what you are offering so keep switching things up regularly until you start catching.

Moving around to find more active fish can be effective too. If I am marking fish but can't get them to bite or chase jigs etc then it often isn't worth wasting time trying to catch them. Just move and find some fish more interested in feeding.

[Big Thumper]

Originally Posted by Grayling1

Thx for the Info I tried fishing twice for Lake trout on the weekend they seemed to be at every level but none were biting. (Most people I talked to were having little luck) We did manage to fill our over 50cm tags from Wolf Lake. (beautiful big lake with few boats on the water)

We fished Sunday from 8 AM to 4 PM with a couple hours off in town for lunch. Two of us brought 63 lakers to the boat. Took us an hour or so to find them with only two fish the first hour and a few bites. Three were legal with the biggest at 82 cm. Only a couple under 5 lbs. They were a bit shallower than we find them in July . They were on or near bottom(within ten feet) on a shelf at 55 to 75 ft, give or take. First fish of the day was in 80 ft but suspended at 40 ft. It was the best fishing I've seen this early with us hooking up as soon as we were back on bottom. Weather was perfect, hardly a ripple on the water!

[ROA]

Originally Posted by Big Thumper

We fished Sunday from 8 AM to 4 PM with a couple hours off in town for lunch. Two of us brought 63 lakers to the boat. Took us an hour or so to find them with only two fish the first hour and a few bites. Three were legal with the biggest at 82 cm. Only a couple under 5 lbs. They were a bit shallower than we find them in July . They were on or near bottom(within ten feet) on a shelf at 55 to 75 ft, give or take. First fish of the day was in 80 ft but suspended at 40 ft. It was the best fishing I've seen this early with us hooking up as soon as we were back on bottom. Weather was perfect, hardly a ripple on the water!

Sounds similar fishing strategies I used but a bit better results then I had a few weeks ago out there. I can tell you one thing about the lake, it’s not nearly as good as it was even a few short years ago. Guys have to work for it harder now and lots get skunked. Pro tip for the newb.....down size from what you think/read/heard/seen on TV......try a jig and minnow pretend you are fishing for finicky walleye but in deeper water.....Your welcome....

[Grayling1]

Good to hear you were catching fish Big Thumper I wish I would have been where you were we fished Sunday from 8 to 10 am when we ran out of battery power for the trolling motor also trying depths where you had luck.

[58thecat]

Was out Sunday from 10-12, caught four lakers using a pink lady, willow leaf attached to it and then three feet behind that a 4" apex hot spot rainbow trout pattern. Approx 30 feet down, just farting around then went for pike after....was too hot out for my liking and the freeking big fly's were disgusting so packed it in but the trout were hitting

[-JR-]

Originally Posted by Big Thumper

We fished Sunday from 8 AM to 4 PM with a couple hours off in town for lunch. Two of us brought 63 lakers to the boat. Took us an hour or so to find them with only two fish the first hour and a few bites. Three were legal with the biggest at 82 cm. Only a couple under 5 lbs. They were a bit shallower than we find them in July . They were on or near bottom(within ten feet) on a shelf at 55 to 75 ft, give or take. First fish of the day was in 80 ft but suspended at 40 ft. It was the best fishing I've seen this early with us hooking up as soon as we were back on bottom. Weather was perfect, hardly a ripple on the water!

Fishing been getting better every year at Cold ,numbers are getting up there.
Having the days where the water is like glass sure is nice ......Thanks for sharing.

Group of us are heading up July Long . I hope the weather is the same.

[lromanchuk]

Originally Posted by -JR-

Fishing been getting better every year at Cold ,numbers are getting up there.
Having the days where the water is like glass sure is nice ......Thanks for sharing.

Group of us are heading up July Long . I hope the weather is the same.

I would have to disagree. I've seen a pretty steady decline in number of fish and quality of fish in the last decade. You can still have descent days of catching 10+ each and the odd 85+ cm slob, but its fewer and farther between. Defiantly more fishing pressure now, and I think its starting to show.

[RavYak]

Originally Posted by lromanchuk

I would have to disagree. I've seen a pretty steady decline in number of fish and quality of fish in the last decade. You can still have descent days of catching 10+ each and the odd 85+ cm slob, but its fewer and farther between. Defiantly more fishing pressure now, and I think its starting to show.

I catch 10+ lakers most days while fishing in my kayak and have had 30+ fish days. If you are using a boat 10+ should be easy.

Catching big fish is hit or miss, mostly just low to mid 20's(inches) and a few high 20's/low 30's.

[35 whelen]

Originally Posted by lromanchuk

I would have to disagree. I've seen a pretty steady decline in number of fish and quality of fish in the last decade. You can still have descent days of catching 10+ each and the odd 85+ cm slob, but its fewer and farther between. Defiantly more fishing pressure now, and I think its starting to show.

I would have to agree been Fishin cold Lake for about 12 years now and that's what I've been finding smaller fish and not as many

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[Grayling1]

Originally Posted by Grayling1

Thx for the Info I tried fishing twice for Lake trout on the weekend they seemed to be at every level but none were biting. (Most people I talked to were having little luck) We did manage to fill our over 50cm tags from Wolf Lake. (beautiful big lake with few boats on the water)

I'm giving Cold Lake another try next week does anyone have some updated
Information, I bought some of the big Cold Lake jigs I am going to try, any information on how to use them and what bait to use?

[-JR-]

If you are jigging ,you should get a min 150 ft rope at princess auto so you do not drift .Set your your sonar up by removing the fish ID ,you will locate them better. Jigging for lakers is just like jigging for Walleye.

Tip it with a minnow and hold it 1 foot off the bottom.
Tube jigs are ok ,better yet is a Bondy Bait from fishing hole .
Burbit colour seems to be the best at cold lake. $25.00 each.
They work 10x better than a tube jig in summer only.
Never had luck in winter with them. Deadly in summer!
http://www.bondybaitcompany.com/buybaits.html

[58thecat]

And don't forget to bang the bottom, stir up the sediment etc

Sometimes a bang quick reel up, wait, drop, repeat but maybe change how many reals up if they are on hang on.

[35 whelen]

They could do like they did on the Red River in Manitoba one trophy tag fish a year then have a slot size for eaters

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[MooseRiverTrapper]

Would it be shocking and upsetting to most if we took one of the few lake trout lakes in Alberta and made it C&R? It is the only trout lake in AB with a large town on its shore and a huge provincial park. Imagine a lake two hours away from millions of people that had catchable 30lb fish.

[Penner]

Originally Posted by MooseRiverTrapper

Would it be shocking and upsetting to most if we took one of the few lake trout lakes in Alberta and made it C&R? It is the only trout lake in AB with a large town on its shore and a huge provincial park. Imagine a lake two hours away from millions of people that had catchable 30lb fish.

I would support it 100% but would need to have a bait ban in addition. Lakers are poor table fair particularly the larger ones.

[Prophet River]

Originally Posted by Penner

Lakers are poor table fair particularly the larger ones.

I disagree, i think lakers are wonderful table fair, they are just are 'heavier' and recipes that work for walleye, whitefish etc may not work with them as well.

[LCCFisherman]

They should make it C&R on LKTR.... about 5 years overdue.

[Okotok]

Originally Posted by Prophet River

I disagree, i think lakers are wonderful table fair, they are just are 'heavier' and recipes that work for walleye, whitefish etc may not work with them as well.

Excellent smoked or grilled as well. I smoked a few a couple of months ago. Yum! Cook it like you would any Char.

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by Penner

I would support it 100% but would need to have a bait ban in addition. Lakers are poor table fair particularly the larger ones.

I agree on the larger ones, if I had a choice the 2-4lbs ones are great eating with little to no oil/belly fat etc.
Pierce lake is where I go for a eater.

[Okotok]

Originally Posted by 58thecat

I agree on the larger ones, if I had a choice the 2-4lbs ones are great eating with little to no oil/belly fat etc.
Pierce lake is where I go for a eater.

Out of a Territories or Northern Saskatchewan or similar lake under a ten pound range, they are delicious in my opinion.

[Teamprotz]

Lake has trophy potential but where are they ? A handful of 30’s a year for the pressure it gets makes me wonder, Manitoba is the other way , allowing fish under 65cm to be kept and no retention of larger fish. That has proven to work

[Penner]

Originally Posted by Teamprotz

Lake has trophy potential but where are they ? A handful of 30’s a year for the pressure it gets makes me wonder, Manitoba is the other way , allowing fish under 65cm to be kept and no retention of larger fish. That has proven to work

Will never work here. 4x the population 1/50th of fishable water bodies.

[thorne]

Originally Posted by Penner

Will never work here. 4x the population 1/50th of fishable water bodies.

This is where Alberta gets the crappy end of the stick unfortunately....all you have to do is take a quick look at Google earth to see that it has by far the poorest selection of lakes in Canada, but yet has high pressure use. Put those together and you have a very unique situation that the rest of the country doesn't have. Meaning the powers at be have to devise unique and most times, not to favourable regulations to manage the balance in order to try and balance on a very very thin line....I by far don't have the answers, but I do get the difficulty of the situation. We here in Alberta kinda have to come to terms with the fact that we got delt a bad hand from mother nature on the recreational fishing, maybe to off set the other abundance of natural resources that have benefited us more then the rest of Canada.

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by thorne

This is where Alberta gets the crappy end of the stick unfortunately....all you have to do is take a quick look at Google earth to see that it has by far the poorest selection of lakes in Canada, but yet has high pressure use. Put those together and you have a very unique situation that the rest of the country doesn't have. Meaning the powers at be have to devise unique and most times, not to favourable regulations to manage the balance in order to try and balance on a very very thin line....I by far don't have the answers, but I do get the difficulty of the situation. We here in Alberta kinda have to come to terms with the fact that we got delt a bad hand from mother nature on the recreational fishing, maybe to off set the other abundance of natural resources that have benefited us more then the rest of Canada.

Our fisheries will get better but we as anglers have to manage ourselves too.
Just because you can keep it doesn't mean you have to. enjoy the catch, the outing, the trip it's all part of the adventure.
Have fished with people in the past and it was a race, a competition, frustration and kept every bloody thing legally that they could....I asked why....they respond "cuz"....I mentioned how about a nice shore lunch and enjoy a fish...

Ref cold lake the lakers are slowly going deeper but I always fish at about 30-50 feet of water in and around the bait...the lakers will hit...