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Old 08-04-2020, 12:24 PM
skawtty skawtty is offline
 
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Default Calling lake algae?

I have been getting different reports saying it is like soup and another person said a day after it was clear. We are heading up tomorrow anyway but just wondering what the real story is.
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Old 08-04-2020, 04:05 PM
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Was up Sunday, the wind was around 20-30 from the south. The north end where I would call "Typical" for Calling...nothing exceptional.....the south end was the clearest I have ever seen that lake. Obviously what ever Algae there was was blown north, but that wasnt to bad at all. I wasnt in the most northern part of the lake...about a bit better then 3/4 the way up on the west side up past Volks Wagon point. So its gonna depend on the wind and where you are. Over all...no issues.
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Old 08-04-2020, 04:40 PM
skawtty skawtty is offline
 
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Thanks for the info, will also update when we get back tomorrow.
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Old 08-04-2020, 04:56 PM
guru fisher guru fisher is offline
 
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fishing is on fire their right now !!!!
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Old 08-04-2020, 06:43 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by guru fisher View Post
fishing is on fire their right now !!!!
Been a great fishery all year...one of the really good walleye lakes for sure. Sad though that the pike have really gone by the way side...
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Old 08-05-2020, 07:20 PM
skawtty skawtty is offline
 
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Just got back and ya the fishing is still incredible. We were told last week to fish in 30+ feet. We tried and a couple hits . We moved (drifted into 10-20 ft and game on!). They bit on blue green yellow pink dam even purple jigs with a minnow. The algae is as Thorne said normal. Wasn't bad at all. When we were cruising from the tower to vwp we hit a few thick spots which you could smell from far away. Tight lines all an enjoy while we can!
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Old 08-05-2020, 09:20 PM
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Yep, walleye in that lake like the shallows...fish the top of the drop offs and you will get tired of reeling...lol

Glad you had a great day!
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Old 08-07-2020, 09:20 AM
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Coltye Coltye is offline
 
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Good to hear as family and some friends are heading up there next week for a week, we have never been there before so pretty pumped. Was kinda disappointed to hear there is no beach there but the kids will swim off the boat. Does anyone know if there is a beach around the lake some where to hang out. Thanks
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Old 08-07-2020, 06:03 PM
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South of VWP on the west side has some sandy areas to hang out...use to shore lunch there. Shallow sandy bottom though....you may have to anchor off shore and wade in, but doable
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Old 08-07-2020, 06:27 PM
Drewski Canuck Drewski Canuck is offline
 
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For a beach at Calling, you can go north of the Park entrance on 813 and turn down Poplar Street. Go to the end and park. That is "Sandy Beach" that runs in front of the cabin section for a few miles.

IF you have a boat, and don't mind the 11 ish mile run to the North West end, go to Rock Island River. The point that forms the east side is all beautiful sand.

Bonus is that the water from Rock Island River comes through the muskegs and the change in PH keeps the Algae at bay for about 1 mile off of the river. Even in the worst algae blooms, and barring a South wind piling gunk to the north side, the water will be clear and enjoyable.

Sometimes a fish can be caught up there as well....

Drewski
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Old 08-07-2020, 08:14 PM
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What Drewski said. Lol...thats a much better place...
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  #12  
Old 08-07-2020, 10:45 PM
Barry D Barry D is offline
 
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I have a cabin up at Calling lake, and I can tell you this year, there is no beach at the mouth of the Rock Island lake. There is a bit of a beach at the end of Poplar street, but with the high water, it may be hard to social distance form each other. The best place for young families might be the community park just north of the bridge that crosses the Calling river about two km's north of the park entrance. Out houses, and kids play ground equipment, and a bit of a beach to boot.
As far as algae is concerned, it is fickle and changes by the hour. Remember there are many species of algae and each have their own preferred growing conditions, so that is why it changes from area, to area, and weather conditions. It typically dies over night and the water is clear in the morning, and then by noon it can be pea soup. Because Calling lake has so many acres of water under 15' is why it is a great fishery. A very strong food chain from the algae up to the biggest walleye around.
Calling lake is used as a "base control lake" by Alberta water watch council (they do water samples three-four times a summer) because it is pretty much untouched by human interference, especially when it comes to algae. There is no industrial run off, on Agricultural run off, very little residential impact, and all the inflow tributaries come from the same conditions. The old timers say they don't see any difference from 50-75 years ago for algae. Yes, some years are better or worse than others, but that is just like everything else in the natural world.
This is the highest I have seen Calling lake since 1997, and then it was a full 2' higher and south beach people had water around their cabins. We at north beach stayed dry, but barely.
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Old 08-09-2020, 01:54 PM
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Coltye Coltye is offline
 
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Thanks alot guys really appreciate it.
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  #14  
Old 08-10-2020, 12:44 PM
Drewski Canuck Drewski Canuck is offline
 
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Algae was not an issue this weekend, the wind was.

TWO straight days of wind, day and night, churning up the lake and pounding the shore and docks with as much as 4 foot swells at times.

This will aerate the lake, and should cool the water with the mixing from the intense wave action.


Drewski
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Old 08-10-2020, 01:18 PM
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Coltye Coltye is offline
 
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That's good to hear, not the wind but the algae. Thanks
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  #16  
Old 08-13-2020, 05:19 PM
SteezySmiley SteezySmiley is offline
 
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Lots of Algae on the SE corner by the cabins... moved back over the last two days.

Keep your dogs out!
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  #17  
Old 08-13-2020, 11:08 PM
Isopod Isopod is offline
 
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Blue-green algae advisory for Calling Lake issued on August 13...

https://www.albertahealthservices.ca...Page15595.aspx
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