Sylvan Lake Report

[Zip-in-Z]

Opening day has finally arrived, went back out to RR23 to start the season, got there around 8:30ish to find some guys scratching their heads wondering if the ice was safe enough to walk out on. Advised them of the conditions then backed down the launch, unloaded my stuff and off I went with everyone following behind.

I knew a spot that was about 300 yds out that I wanted to try with a weed bed close by, it was a slippery walk, wish I had ice cleats, it would have made it much easier to move around on the crystal clear dark ice. It was interesting walking on this stuff, just like walking on clear glass, you can see almost everything below you in 5-6 fow. It was a bit unnerving over deeper water when the ice went snap-crackle-pop, I was happy I dragged out Bwackwabbit's sled/boat that would float, if I needed it!

Drilled a number of holes in 4-5 fow got set up and was sight fishin for Whites …. 10 minutes later, nothing, haven’t seen one yet … moved to a new hole with more sand and less weeds, finally seen some fish, but not interested in my W/W. Moved a bit deeper and started seeing more fish, finally got a small one on a Brass w/w, and then it slowed down again, moved a bit deeper and tried a green color, had more activity.

I was in 14 -16 fow couldn’t see the bottom so I added a jigging spoon & tied the w/w about 12” higher, had some left over fried shrimp from our trout fishin trip so tipped the spoon with a small piece. Moved a bit deeper to 18-20 feet over a sandy bottom, not all that far from the fellas who walked out with me. They had 7 whites & 1 Walleye we were all using a similar set-up.

Caught a bunch sent 2 really small ones back kept 5, one was a female and her eggs squirted all over the ice, guess they haven’t all spawned out.
One of the fellas who stayed in the shallow water all day managed to get 4, he said he really didn’t see many, they were all about the same size.
Didn’t see any Pike or Perch, all-in-all had a fun day, it was warm, very little to no wind, the Mrs. was happy to see me, with fresh fish for dinner tonight.

Stopped at Norglenwold on the way home, there was one group fishin.

Hope others did well today, enjoy the pic's .....




Z-z























Fishing Tip - Jigging Spoon & Bright Green W/W tied 12" above spoon worked today!







Only these guys were out at Norglenwold



Unfortunately this one didn't spawn yet.

[spinN'flyfish]

Nice trip, great fish. For the spoon is the hook small around #10, I think have some but the hook seems big for pike, trout, and perch. Also its a treble one, but the hook doesn't really matter 'cause you can change it. Well also looks like you've some bait for the future!

[bwackwabbit]

Great Start!!!

[Fishslayer99]

Great pictures, looks like you guys made out not too bad at all. hope the ice holds up for a few more days I will be heading out to Sylvan on Saturday. I will be a happy camper if I can catch a few of those elusive whites...they always give me a hard time! Thanks for the great post and info!

[1bluZebec]

Awesome job and congrats on your success. Thanks for the good pics and info. Definitely looks sketchy in places but that's what makes it even more exciting

[Zip-in-Z]

Originally Posted by spinN'flyfish

Nice trip, great fish. For the spoon is the hook small around #10, I think have some but the hook seems big for pike, trout, and perch. Also its a treble one, but the hook doesn't really matter 'cause you can change it. Well also looks like you've some bait for the future!

Here's a close-up .... it's a 10 or perhaps a 12. Caught 2 small Whites on it tipped with a tiny piece of shrimp. The other fellas had a very small Williams Ice Spoon & caught 3 Whites & the 2 lb Walleye on his. It's a great fish "Call" to get them to come over & have a look at & inhale one or the other.




Z-z

[Zip-in-Z]

Originally Posted by 1bluZebec

Awesome job and congrats on your success. Thanks for the good pics and info. Definitely looks sketchy in places but that's what makes it even more exciting

Tks for the reply, it looks worst than it really is .... if the ice was snow covered no one would really pay any attention, it's just so clear, you expect to see fish swimmin under you. Perhaps that's why the Whites were out deeper, it was a bright sunny morning, it must be scary for them or they must be shy!



Z-z

[waterninja]

Wow! great report and pics. The lake sure looks cool with no snow on it. Congrats on a great day.

[CanadianBadass]

Awesome report ! Thanks for the share !

That ice sure looks cool !

[fish gunner]

Great report think ill bring skates out on sat lololo

[BPman]

My party was a km north of the two anglers seen off Norglenwold - guess you didn't see us. We hit the ice at 08:30 and had no action in 5 -7 fow so quickly moved out to 8-10 fow and were into action immediately on Wetaskiwins. The bite was fast and furious until the sun hit the ice then it slowed right down but still was fairly steady all day. We quit at 4 PM and between 3 of us had iced 21 whites but kept only 10. Probably had as many more shake off at the hole. Saw one little pike but had no pike action on the big baits. Didn't see any other species. Ice was 10 - 12" thick and hard enough that I think a light truck would be safe out there. What a fabulous day to be out on the ice - almost no wind and warm enough to fish bare-handed all day and we had coats off for a couple of hours around noon. Great way to kick off the season!!

[spinN'flyfish]

Originally Posted by Zip-in-Z

Here's a close-up .... it's a 10 or perhaps a 12. Caught 2 small Whites on it tipped with a tiny piece of shrimp. The other fellas had a very small Williams Ice Spoon & caught 3 Whites & the 2 lb Walleye on his. It's a great fish "Call" to get them to come over & have a look at & inhale one or the other.




Z-z

Thanks, looks like I need to put a new hook on the split ring. Shrimp is a great bait and very universal found this out this summer. Sounds great

[FreshAirGetter]

As always a very detailed and thorough report Zip...greatly appreciated! You're a definite credit to these forums...thanks buddy!

[Red Bullets]

Zip N Z...

With the whitefish that have eggs you could be making golden whitefish caviar.

[TJG]

Great post Zip, thanks again.
I have had my shack on Sylvan at RR23 for 8 years in a row. This year I'm going to Gull and perch fish most of the time, with the odd quick run to Sylvan.

[Zip-in-Z]

Tks everyone, for the positive feedback, the pics really tell the real story on the current ice conditions out here.

If you have some ice cleats don't forget to drag them out with you. I wish I had some the other day, picked up these this afternoon at Cdn Tire for $35.00, decent quality and if they prevent a fall and/or an injury, well worth the coin.

Wish everyone has a safe & fun weekend on the ice.



Z-z







.

[the local angler]

i have those exact ht spikes and they work awsome except for the odd screw on the bottom gets pulled out when its stuck to the ice. i noticed the odd one missing

[rafhone]

I often see the rubber ice cleats at value village for under 5 bucks if anyone is on a budget.

[Bassett]

Originally Posted by rafhone

I often see the rubber ice cleats at value village for under 5 bucks if anyone is on a budget.

On sale for 595 at princess

[Zip-in-Z]

Had toooo much fun fishin yesterday, had a few things to do this afternoon and bumped into a fellow I was fishin with on Thursday. He said he was back in his same holes on RR23 from 9:00 - 1:30, seen 4-5 none were interested in any of his w/w he got blanked, also said others fishin around him had nothing on the ice.

Took these pics from Lakeshore Dr of the guys fishin off Norglenwold about 1/2 hr ago.



Z-z

Was that you out here today ?

[Zip-in-Z]

Went back out to RR23 was the 3rd vehicle out, dragged my gear to the same holes I was fishin on Thursday in 18 fow. Sent the camera down, seen 1 White in the distance and a big Burb having a snooze about 10-15 ft away. The Green/Yellow w/w & Jigging spoon that worked the other day, didn't produce, started switchin up, including the jigging spoon & shrimp .... nothing. After 1.5 hrs decided to move shallower, got set up in 7-8 fow over sand/weed bottom and started seeing some Whites going through the hole.

Tried a number of my most productive w/w offerings not one would commit. Kept changing colors and finally got one to come in and inhale a brass/red, shortly after that I had a big White (Gull Lake size) come in and was blowing kisses at a black/glass bead w/w turned around and came back did the same thing but wouldn't inhale it. Came back a 3rd time and vamoosed when a good size Pike in the order of 6-8 lbs sneaks up and started staring at the same dark w/w, I put my jigging spoon down with a chunk of shrimp, nothing.

Short time later one small White come screaming in and inhales a brass/yellow w/w, thought thinks were going to pick up, I sat there for another hour and didn't see anymore fish ... now I was frustrated & departed at 3:30. Kept 2 for the Mrs. she's having them for dinner tonight.

On the way out I spoke to a fellow who was hoping to catch some Whites in the black shack & parked in 6 fow, he didn't have any. Lots of guys were out on the weekend, holes all over the place, one group must of brought a bag of sand with them & spread it all around their holes, not a bad idea, if you don't have ice cleats.

Stayin home tomorow, going to Gull on Wednesday with Bwackwabbit. Some pic's from today ... enjoy!



Z-z




Ice was cracking this one was approx. 2-3".



Those white piles of snow are old holes !



This combo produce Burbs & Pike on Gull ... but not today!



Tonight's Dinner!


The 1st & 2nd produced the 3rd got nothing but stares & !






,

[Bassett]

Always enjoy your reports, I was having very good luck with the trusty wetaskiwin at gull,

Enjoy!

[Zip-in-Z]

If your interested in making your own W/W creations I buy the components from Michael's the craft store & made the 3rd W/W which has been very productive!



Z-z

[spinN'flyfish]

Originally Posted by Zip-in-Z

If your interested in making your own W/W creations I buy the components from Michael's the craft store & made the 3rd W/W which has been very productive!



Z-z

awesome and simple. Tried this out back a few months, hope to try it out ssoon!

[FreshAirGetter]

Great report Zip! Sounds to me like you should try Norglenworl or whatever it was...the one guy claimed to catch a lot. I'm probably heading to Sylvan on Saturday and Sunday so hope to find a spot that has fish, and then figure out how to catch them..haha. I have 2 days there so I better fricken catch something!

[EZM]

Great report ...... good pictures really say a 1000 words ..... I am thinking Gull this weekend. I expect similar ice conditions.

[Zip-in-Z]

Originally Posted by EZM

Great report ...... good pictures really say a 1000 words ..... I am thinking Gull this weekend. I expect similar ice conditions.

Tks for your reply, ... we were fishin Brownlows on the weekend, ice there is approx. 10-11", that being said, these guys are out today at the town-site next to the pier getting the skating/hockey rinks ready. At the far end of the rink it's over 5 fow, ice must be good enough to hold that Deere & 1 ton, they're surface flooding which will also help. Last year, we never had any rinks, due to the bad ice with flood water conditions.

RR23 is a different story, there was only 7-8" ice were I was & most everyone else was fishing yesterday.




Z-z

[Bassett]

Wouldn't quite be taking a loader on it yet!! That's crazy. But it obviously can hold it.

[EZM]

Originally Posted by Bassett

Wouldn't quite be taking a loader on it yet!! That's crazy. But it obviously can hold it.

No kidding !!!!!! that's crazy ..... I'm thinking that area, if it's where I think it is, is maybe 3-4 feet deep out for a few hundred yards from shore, so it might be pretty safe ....... but yeah ...... I would be nervous driving that thing on the ice this early.

[TJG]

Wouldn't want to drill into that sand, bye bye auger blades