Known or Suspected Winter Killed Lakes

[HunterDave]

With the low water levels last year it appears that we could lose allot of lakes this winter. I figured that I'd take my own advice and start a thread about known or suspected winter killed lakes. I guess that you can never know if ALL of the fish are dead in the lake but if the bottom is littered with dead fish that's a pretty good indication. A thread like this could help AO members out with planning their May fishing trips.

From my own experience I'll start off with a couple that I think are toast:

Morinville (West of Hwy 2)

Peanut Lake

[Tyangelo]

Good call on starting the thread.

I'm going to add Hasse for sure, and quite possibly Star.

My gut feeling also tells me that Spring and Mink aren't in good shape either, but I have no evidence.

I am going to have to agree with a fellow member who mentioned that winterkilling the stunted perch could be a good thing in the long run to bring back balanced fisheries, and perhaps be an incentive for f&w to look into planting some more trout trees in the loch...

[Speckle55]

I will add Obed two test net last year got 1yr old stock /oyxgen test March was really low .. i have a feeling too that we will lose quite a few and will have some that will be partial kills,, to much deep snow on ice for to long

[horsetrader]

Originally Posted by Tyangelo

Good call on starting the thread.

I'm going to add Hasse for sure, and quite possibly Star.

My gut feeling also tells me that Spring and Mink aren't in good shape either, but I have no evidence.

I am going to have to agree with a fellow member who mentioned that winterkilling the stunted perch could be a good thing in the long run to bring back balanced fisheries, and perhaps be an incentive for f&w to look into planting some more trout trees in the loch...

Fished mink late fall until ice up was starting to show some nice perch and some very large pike in the back hole. hopefully it has not winter killed but is quite posable. they closed fishing this winter so have no idea what it is like will have to see when break up happens. I believe Mayatan can be added the the list to.

[Donkey Oatey]

I heard that Cummings Lake at Fairview is toast. Good thing, get rid of those stunted perch. Maybe we can get some trout back in there.

[Tyangelo]

??? We fished there in December, which will never happen again. Paid $10 to barely be able to walk onto the lake. Nothing was plowed etc. But I agree, I used to get some nice fish out if the back basin, but all open water. Went in through the back way with a canoe.

[ghostguy6]

You can add Chickakoo and Sauer to the list as well

[Speckle55]

Can added Isle Lake too... rumor has it..ice out will tell the story

[Daceminnow]

Originally Posted by Speckle55

Can added Isle Lake too... rumor has it..ice out will tell the story

i really doubt it.

[HunterDave]

Originally Posted by Speckle55

Can added Isle Lake too... rumor has it..ice out will tell the story

Say that it isn't so! SRD just opened it up for walleye draw. Someone on here has to have fished that lake in the last little bit.

[Bigtoad]

Originally Posted by HunterDave

With the low water levels last year it appears that we could lose allot of lakes this winter. I figured that I'd take my own advice and start a thread about known or suspected winter killed lakes. I guess that you can never know if ALL of the fish are dead in the lake but if the bottom is littered with dead fish that's a pretty good indication. A thread like this could help AO members out with planning their May fishing trips.

From my own experience I'll start off with a couple that I think are toast:

Morinville (West of Hwy 2)

Peanut Lake

I guess you might have to go to those aerated, special elitist-type lakes with better restrictions to find any big fish this year hey Dave? Just make sure you don't enjoy them too much... or you might have to eat a little crow instead of your 5 fingerlings that you usually have for supper.

Seriously though, it is too bad that these winterkilled. More aerators on some of these lakes would really help, although if they put an aerator in, they should limit the regs to 3 or less. If not, what's the point really? Dave and his buddies will bonk most of them before they make it through the winter anyway and it'll have to be restocked the following spring.

Something to think about while we wait for the snow to melt...

Cheers.

[timsesink]

I've was out to Isle a few weeks back and it was completely and I mean completely dead, and dead fish all over the bottom from what i've heard... Sorry

[Daceminnow]

Originally Posted by timsesink

I've was out to Isle a few weeks back and it was completely and I mean completely dead, and dead fish all over the bottom from what i've heard... Sorry

lots of guys with cameras now days. somebody has had to have seen something this winter. anyone?

[Heron]

If any of the perch infested trout waters had total winterkill that would be a gift in the long run all right.

[Daceminnow]

Originally Posted by Bigtoad

I guess you might have to go to those aerated, special elitist-type lakes with better restrictions to find any big fish this year hey Dave? Just make sure you don't enjoy them too much... or you might have to eat a little crow instead of your 5 fingerlings that you usually have for supper.

Seriously though, it is too bad that these winterkilled. More aerators on some of these lakes would really help, although if they put an aerator in, they should limit the regs to 3 or less. If not, what's the point really? Dave and his buddies will bonk most of them before they make it through the winter anyway and it'll have to be restocked the following spring.

Something to think about while we wait for the snow to melt...

Cheers.

wrong thread Toad. yours is down a little further.

Dace

[HunterDave]

Originally Posted by timsesink

I've was out to Isle a few weeks back and it was completely and I mean completely dead, and dead fish all over the bottom from what i've heard... Sorry

That's a tough one. Allot of people are not going to be happy with that one for sure. I wonder how SRD is going to deal with that lake especially with a walleye draw for it this year. Does anyone think that there's a possibility of cancelling the draw or will they just restock it with no one having the possibility of filling their tags? I put in for Ste Anne and Lanonne.

I like the optimistic thinking about ridding the lakes of the undesirable fish but starting all over from scratch is tough.

Lake X is doing fine but I won't know about Lake Y until May.

[deadeye]

Originally Posted by timsesink

I've was out to Isle a few weeks back and it was completely and I mean completely dead, and dead fish all over the bottom from what i've heard... Sorry

I was out at Isle and Chip a couple weeks ago, a couple hours each with a camera. Didn't see any dead fish but didn't see any live ones either at either lake.

[pipco]

I'd concur with Chickakoo, Peanut, Sauer, maybe Star, fished Hasse this winter once for about two hours three weeks ago with no success but that doesn't mean it winterkilled, don't know about Isle and not likely Mayatan. There are some very deep holes in Mayatan. Interesting that Nakamun did not this winterkill this year as it has in the past.
There is talk that even with aerators Muir may have had complete winterkill as well but this is only speculation.

[jacenbeers]

Pine Coulee Reservoir, Travers, Mcgregor, Newell and Chain Lakes all winter killed.

[chubbdarter]

Originally Posted by jacenbeers

Pine Coulee Reservoir, Travers, Mcgregor, Newell and Chain Lakes all winter killed.

was at travers at 530 am......they are swimming good for being dead

[HunterDave]

Originally Posted by chubbdarter

was at travers at 530 am......they are swimming good for being dead

Zombie fish?

[chubbdarter]

Originally Posted by HunterDave

Zombie fish?

looked like quality fish

[Willowtrail]

Isle had dead perch by silver sands about a month ago but we also saw 2 fish on the cam, they were in the distance, were biggger than perch, probably walleye.

Mayatan's southeast lake is definetly dead. recorded a video to prove it. The main lake where the launch is is acting very weird. was there 3 weeks ago and 10 days ago. Nothing bitting but thousands of perch on the camera at all different depths but not interested in eating. Even the pike were acting weird, weren't interested in the same bait we've been using all year. Maybe not winterkilled but seems like low oxygen and close to a collapse.

[Snap Shot]

Nakamun is going to be in trouble i suspect... Every fish still alive is 2ft under the ice and doesnt leave that depth...

[Chris K]

Originally Posted by Daceminnow

i really doubt it.

I don't doubt this at all, especially with the lake level being as low as it is. Isle has always been susceptible to winter kill.

Chris K

[pipco]

[

QUOTE=Willowtrail;894045]Isle had dead perch by silver sands about a month ago but we also saw 2 fish on the cam, they were in the distance, were biggger than perch, probably walleye.

Mayatan's southeast lake is definetly dead. recorded a video to prove it. The main lake where the launch is is acting very weird. was there 3 weeks ago and 10 days ago. Nothing bitting but thousands of perch on the camera at all different depths but not interested in eating. Even the pike were acting weird, weren't interested in the same bait we've been using all year. Maybe not winterkilled but seems like low oxygen and close to a collapse.[/QUOTE]



Are we talking about the same lake? Mayatan lake ? The one that is west and south of Star lake ? I just want to clarify.
thanx,
stan

[Kim473]

Isle will have some winter kill. Has some deep holes tho so wont completly die. No Perch this winter but that may becuase they were all in really deep water. Overall the fishing sucked this winter. Winter kill may be a good thing for some of the lakes.

[SwampShark]

[QUOTE=Tyangelo;893437]
My gut feeling also tells me that Spring and Mink aren't in good shape either, but I have no evidence.
QUOTE]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't Spring have aeraters in it somewhere? Can anyone confirm the status of Spring Lake (aka Edmonton Beach; aka Cottage Lake).

Thanks

[Willowtrail]

Originally Posted by pipco

[

QUOTE=Willowtrail;894045]Isle had dead perch by silver sands about a month ago but we also saw 2 fish on the cam, they were in the distance, were biggger than perch, probably walleye.

Mayatan's southeast lake is definetly dead. recorded a video to prove it. The main lake where the launch is is acting very weird. was there 3 weeks ago and 10 days ago. Nothing bitting but thousands of perch on the camera at all different depths but not interested in eating. Even the pike were acting weird, weren't interested in the same bait we've been using all year. Maybe not winterkilled but seems like low oxygen and close to a collapse.

Are we talking about the same lake? Mayatan lake ? The one that is west and south of Star lake ? I just want to clarify.
thanx,
stan

[/QUOTE]


Yes Stan, we are talking about the same lake.

[FishingFrenzy]

I wonder how Coal Lake will fair.. Not a very deep lake.