Headed out to wizard lake this morning with my boy for a nice day out on the hard water. Got out to lake around 9:00 and there was about 5 others out in the vicinity. Entrance onto lake (boat launch) was a mess of rock hard frozen snow and the lake was just pure ice with no snow. Just like a skating rink. One 3/4 ton truck on the ice just a ways down from us and the rest walked on. Ice was 16" with 8" being good n black and the other 8" was crappy white ice. Great day with a little wind here and there but for the most part near perfect started out in about 15' of water just west of launch and had one tip up and two rods going all with smelts. Tried raps and then jigs, spoons, quickstike rigs and plain jig heads, as long as they had a smelt or bait on it they would bite after about 15 min we landed our first lil fellow and snapped a shot and put him back. The fish seemed to take turns at which hook they wouldhit cause they kept us busy between running out of the tent then back into the tent till 1pm when we decided we had a great time and packed it in. Missed at least 10 and managed 4 my boy caught two and I caught two. Great day out can't wait to go again. Zero flood water and snow just f'n slippery bare ice.
Very nice pics. Wizard has a special place in my heart. I caught my first fish there as a young lad like your son. That was 50 years ago. In all those years my best fish are... a 14 lb. jack, 1 lb. perch, and a 4 lb. sucker.
I know of 2 fish caught over 20. My recent best was 10 lb. Not far from where you were fishing.
Very nice pics. Wizard has a special place in my heart. I caught my first fish there as a young lad like your son. That was 50 years ago. In all those years my best fish are... a 14 lb. jack, 1 lb. perch, and a 4 lb. sucker.
I know of 2 fish caught over 20. My recent best was 10 lb. Not far from where you were fishing.
I've heard quite a few good stories of wizard and have now only been there twice and so far it would have to be probably the second best trip of the season. I'm sure my son will remember for a long time too. The lake reminds me of Coal lake both very long slender lakes. Average size pike to the odd large 36"+ fish. I'll be heading back hopefully with some further out ventures
I've heard quite a few good stories of wizard and have now only been there twice and so far it would have to be probably the second best trip of the season. I'm sure my son will remember for a long time too. The lake reminds me of Coal lake both very long slender lakes. Average size pike to the odd large 36"+ fish. I'll be heading back hopefully with some further out ventures
Here is a depth map for Wizard. Watch out on the south side near the narrows 2 miles down from the park launch. Springs and small creek comes in there. There are spots on the lake that ice can be thinner.
Where you were fishing is just as productive as anywhere for the pike in winter.
I have spent a lot of time fishing in Wizard also....we have also caught some nice burbot in there over the years and I like to fly fish for hammer handles in the spring.
Many of the lakes - with this weeks warm weather have melted down the snow to create some smooth ice. Makes it easier for smaller SUV's and cars to get on the ice .....
It should also strengthen up the ice a bit as the chill comes on this week.
Looks like a great day with your son .......... I have not been to Wizard, but heard it's a fun lake to keep busy with small pike ..... perfect for the kids .... kind of fun for us aldults too ...
Of the bigger perch I have caught in wizard all of them were filled with 1 to 2 inch shiner minnows. I have only caught the bigger perch on small 4 cm. minnows. And not very many.
I read a book written by the kid of the very first white pioneer settler in the wizard lake area in 1895. He was 12 at the time. His name was Clarence Stout. The book he wrote is called "Backtrack", 79 years in Alberta. Only 400 copies printed in 1973. He said it took a few tries for them to get to the east end of wizard lake because there was so much water. They built a raft and caught about 50 pike in an afternoon. The average size of pike then was 5 to 8 lbs.
In the 1960's the average size pike I caught was 4 to 5 lbs.
And now the average size seems to be 1 to 3 lbs.
Wizard lake outing and conditions
started out in about 15' of water just west of launch and had one tip up and two rods going all with smelts. Tried raps and then jigs, spoons, quickstike rigs and plain jig heads, as long as they had a smelt or bait on it they would bite
after about 15 min we landed our first lil fellow and snapped a shot and put him back. The fish seemed to take turns at which hook they wouldhit cause they kept us busy between running out of the tent then back into the tent till 1pm when we decided we had a great time and packed it in. Missed at least 10 and managed 4
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