Cold Lake Walleye

[Teamsasky]

Hello all, new to the site....

So we moved here (Cold Lake) last summer and got completely hooked on fishing for lakers. Bought some downriggers and had a blast. I like to think I have a pretty good handle on catching them now and am ready for a new challenge.

I have always loved walleye fishing but have only done it in small lakes 10-20ft of water. I hear there are walleye in Cold Lake but I have no clue where to start. Would someone mind steering me in the right direction where to go? I'm not asking for your hot spot but some help would be greatly appreciated.

I have "heard" that you can only catch them early in spring and that they're deep. Is this true?

[fluxcore]

Just a heads up walleye areas on cold lake are highly protected due to the keep limit, This being said be observant its oveous guys aren't targeting walleye at over 200ft so check out other boats around the lake. I found a spot last year and had a 50-100 fish afternoon with an awsome fish fry each night and plenty I brought back home. I caught mine in July

[-JR-]

Been looking for those walleye also at Cold lake ,everyone is very hush hush on were they are.
Would like to hear how you are catching the lakers ,how deep what type of tackle etc.

[Teamsasky]

K thanks. Wow 50-100 fish in an afternoon is a solid day of fishing. Sounds like you were in shallow water and catching them in July leads me to think you can catch them year round.

I've heard of people being in 200ft of water catching them at 30-40ft. I'm not sure where. How would you tell them from lake trout? Are the only spots near the river mouths or are there other areas on the lake to catch them?

[pickrel pat]

Originally Posted by Teamsasky

K thanks. Wow 50-100 fish in an afternoon is a solid day of fishing. Sounds like you were in shallow water and catching them in July leads me to think you can catch them year round.

I've heard of people being in 200ft of water catching them at 30-40ft. I'm not sure where. How would you tell them from lake trout? Are the only spots near the river mouths or are there other areas on the lake to catch them?

i know of people catching walleye on the east side at the river mouth.... i think the river connects to peirce lake...... not sure though.

[pickrel pat]

i know a guy fortanute anough to fish primrose lake to the north....... awsome walleye fishery appearently..... would love to be able to fish it!

[Teamsasky]

Originally Posted by -JR-

Been looking for those walleye also at Cold lake ,everyone is very hush hush on were they are.
Would like to hear how you are catching the lakers ,how deep what type of tackle etc.

I found if you got the right equipment that lakers are very easy to catch. Not much of a challenge to honest....if you got the right stuff. Using downriggers are key, although I did catch a lot with divers when I first started out. Its just a lot more work and time consuming setting depth, etc.

As far as depth goes, Ive caught them at all depths at all times of the year. From 30ft to 150ft. Yesterday I pulled out a 10lber at 70ft when the water was only 3 deg. I started out at 30ft thinking they would be shallow but little did I know. I've caught them at 40ft in August also when the water is 15-20 deg.

For lures, I've tried alot of different ones and I think if they're biting, they'll bite just about anything. Spoons, spinners, cranks. Troll, jig, don't matter

[208prov]

Originally Posted by pickrel pat

i know a guy fortanute anough to fish primrose lake to the north....... awsome walleye fishery appearently..... would love to be able to fish it!

He commercial fish primrose??
Lake been closed to angling for about 17 years.

[Teamsasky]

Originally Posted by pickrel pat

i know a guy fortanute anough to fish primrose lake to the north....... awsome walleye fishery appearently..... would love to be able to fish it!

Yeah fishing Primrose would be nice. I'm not sure how he gets on there but that would be awesome.
I think the river on the east side is where Cold River enters. I might have to go try it over there. Wonder if they're in deep or shallow water?

[pickrel pat]

Originally Posted by 208prov

He commercial fish primrose??
Lake been closed to angling for about 17 years.

he was a local i talked to at the marina in cold lake. older fella. not sure if he commercial fished it or angled it or worked for govt doing testing. really couldnt tell you. he said its the best walleye lake around but i couldnt fish it.

[208prov]

Originally Posted by pickrel pat

he was a local i talked to at the marina in cold lake. older fella. not sure if he commercial fished it or angled it or worked for govt doing testing. really couldnt tell you. he said its the best walleye lake around but i couldnt fish it.

It is by far the best lake around. My dad has a commercial liscense there for past 40 some years and i have been fishing it with him since i was litttle. We had lots of 10 lbders last winter, We will be fishing it about the 23 of december this winter again. We set 45-60 nets and have caught up to 10000 lbs of walleye in a 5 days b4. Also dad pulled a 22 lb walleye in 1979. i cant wait till christmas to go again.

[npauls]

Why is this primrose lake closed to recreational angling but open for commercial netting?

[pickrel pat]

Originally Posted by npauls

Why is this primrose lake closed to recreational angling but open for commercial netting?

i think its on the air weapons range.

[208prov]

Originally Posted by npauls

Why is this primrose lake closed to recreational angling but open for commercial netting?

Its in the air wepons range,
Real reason was to many people abusing it years ago, Going out catching there limit 3 times a day, More that a couple of groups, Base commander had complaints about whole fish being thrown away not touched at the base, My friends dad used to collect the garbage and this is where it began, but i know there probabally is more to it that just this, We had 9 10 lb plus walleye last winter in 1 net.