2021/2022 Cold Lake Fishing and Ice Reports

[AlbertanGP]

Those double hubs can be an adventure unto themselves. Looks like you had a great first outing!

[Elchinodiablo]

Originally Posted by 58thecat

We ended up tying the quad to the tent as the wind really made things interesting.
There was lots of people fishing but much closer to shore, we played the water columns from 140 fow up just to see what was happening and yup we had fun!


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Thats awesome. Question tho. What kind of set up do you use for the deadsticks. Cant wait to get up there.

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[Brodhead]

Spent all day working a drop-off in French bay between 30 and 80 fow. Aggressive chases up the column in the morning with solid bites. Tube jigs of various sizes and colors worked well.

Then the bite slowed down mid-morning and the dead stick and smaller presentations pulled up the occasional reluctant trout throughout the afternoon.

Only half of the bites happened as I was reeling/jigging upwards. The others hit when I slowly dropped the lure or laid it flat on the bottom.

All in all a great day despite the wind and snow

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[eman]

Jan 2, 2022
Cold lake French Bay , (once you get to french bay you will see a lot of tent ) that’s where I pick my spot .
Ice 13inch, handful half ton truck on the lake already. but i wont drive on till theres good 20'' solid ice. so i walked 900 yard.
Fishing depth 83ft
Bait : TC motos from fishing hole and some cheap amazon lures. as you can see
Landed 12 lakers all released lost about 6 ,
Fish roughly around 55cm-60cm
Biggest one i caught is 77cm.
Hopefully next time I can catch a bigger one when I can drive on the lake
Lots of fish mark on my helix
It’s a Great way to start newyear.
🤞

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by Elchinodiablo

Thats awesome. Question tho. What kind of set up do you use for the deadsticks. Cant wait to get up there.

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I use two treble hooks on 20lbs mono, hooks go in behind the 6” herrings gills and the other towards the tail end, about 12” of mono ties off to a swivel and a bell weigh to help get everything down to the bottom, I poke holes in the herring Tom air it out and get the juices flowing, once the weight is on the bottom I reel up just so the weight is off the bottom giving the line some tightness then set up the jaw jacker and wait.
Some days this just simply out fishes everything and many times the bigger ones too.

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by AlbertanGP

Those double hubs can be an adventure unto themselves. Looks like you had a great first outing!

welll....sooo the follow up to this outing was when the tent end got pushed in by the wind it hit the buddy heater, we both looked at each other and it was all hands on deck...smelt something that burnt but couldn't find where on the tent so went outside to secure tent to the quad but when taking the tent down we heard the dreaded snap...yup a pole had rested on the buddy heater and weakened it and when I was retrieving a dead stick there was a fish on that tangled two lines up so that was interesting and to wrap it up just as we were getting off the ice the sled tipped over and the tarp came off spilling all the contents...only 30 yards to go

but today the tent is fixed, lines all retied, watching the weather for the next outing....anyone want to follow us with a camera and film us could make a killing on YouTube

[AlbertanGP]

Welcome to my world. lol.

[SNAPFisher]

Yep, that is messed up for sure. Makes you wonder why we keep coming back for more

[eman]

anyone out Garnet ? thinking camping around there one night with my truck this weekend.

[Binati]

Seems like maybe more snow this year. Does most of it blow off the lake or does it stick around the whole water body.

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by Binati

Seems like maybe more snow this year. Does most of it blow off the lake or does it stick around the whole water body.

We just got a bit more snow but no issues with good tires and four wheel drive. Snow is starting to drift but momentum is your friend!
Have not seen anyone yet go across the lake in a truck but if I was going to head over to garnet I would just drive the shoreline around French bay and make my way to garnet starting at
The French bay boat launch.
This of course if others have not made the trip across the lake.
Another week is in store for cold temps so you might be lucky and have 12” or more across the lake!


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[splake0]

I seen a truck on the ice in front of the Marin’s today. It was 300-400 yards out.

[Brodhead]

I found a spot in French bay that only had 8.5 inches of ice. I wouldn't go anywhere on the lake with a truck yet

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[AlbertanGP]

Wasn’t it this thread where someone said 8” is perfectly safe?

[LJalberta]

Originally Posted by AlbertanGP

Wasn’t it this thread where someone said 8” is perfectly safe?

That would be the US Department of Natural Resources that says 8" of good, clear ice is enough to drive a normal passenger vehicle on, but what would they know right. They probably just use stuff like "science" to determine that.

[LJalberta]

Originally Posted by LJalberta

That would be the US Department of Natural Resources that says 8" of good, clear ice is enough to drive a normal passenger vehicle on, but what would they know right. They probably just use stuff like "science" to determine that.

http://lakeice.squarespace.com/bearing-strength/

An interesting little piece on ice strength. Ultimately, safety first is the best approach and to err on the side of caution. I think many underestimate the strength of good ice. That being said, it is difficult to determine if there is "good" ice or weakened ice in many situations.

Safety first. Looking forward to hooking in to some lakers this weekend.

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by LJalberta

That would be the US Department of Natural Resources that says 8" of good, clear ice is enough to drive a normal passenger vehicle on, but what would they know right. They probably just use stuff like "science" to determine that.

This is alberta and a so called normal passenger vehicle starts and ends at black dodge dually, lifted, sled deck, toy hauler, etc

At the end of the day drill and verify the thickness, look at where a stream or river enters the lake and go from there.

Look for ice heaves, wet patches and be cautious....better off to take an extra hour to get out to a location then to not get there at all.

Your right safety first.

[AlbertanGP]

Originally Posted by LJalberta

http://lakeice.squarespace.com/bearing-strength/

I think many underestimate the strength of good ice.

That's because if you get it wrong you're dead...

8" is probably fine....for a small car. Who drives a small car on the ice? And if you're going to walk a line that fine, what do you suppose is going to happen when you come across a patch of snow and the ice is 6" thick under it.

Since you like graphics, here's one from Alberta. I'll just leave it at that, since this is a thread on Cold Lake not ice safety.

[58thecat]

Ohh so looking forward to this weeks forecasted temps as of Tuesday it’s go time!!!


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[eman]

Originally Posted by 58thecat

Ohh so looking forward to this weeks forecasted temps as of Tuesday it’s go time!!!


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Thanks for the helpful advice. i parked close to shore other day, no problem at all. thinking camping french bay or garnet(maybe not its kinda far) for one night with my buddy next tuesday. but next week is super warm is ice still safe to drive on?

[Egymcara]

Out on the Marina today, pretty damn cold out with that wind! Fishing was pretty slow, only landed 4 and it was tough to get a bite on any lure using all techniques! Fished 80 FOW, lots of bait fish on the bottom. Ice was 14 inches, lots of vehicle traffic now but also quite a bit of snow on the lake as well.

Cheers!

[mlee]

Anyone been out off the PP yet and onto the main lake? Heading up Friday...will have the snowmobile and will be spending the weekend on the ice.

[LJalberta]

16” on the tape out in French Bay where I was today. 141’ feet of water.

[Egymcara]

Fished for a few hours this morning! The bite was fairly slow overall, but it seems to be picking up a bit. Caught 9 and lost a few more, white was working best. Some fish were chasing, some were hitting near bottom. Lots of bait fish on the bottom 2-3 feet of the lake. Went off the beaten path today and drove fairly far out on the lake. Ice was 12 inches where we were and we fished in 55 FOW.

Cheers!

[58thecat]

Well just went on the ice for the first time with the truck and had no issues getting around.
French bay, out off provincial park and in front of marina lots of ice 12-14 but didn’t see a set of tracks heading over to garnet nor out in the middle of the lake so didn’t head out that far.
If I was to run the quad I would stop and verify ice thickness making my way out to the bigger body of water.
This week coming up forecasted for nice temps and the lakers are still actively chasing so it should be a blast.


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[jsmountainman]

So I‘ve done plenty of ice fishing in smaller lakes but completely new to the world of electronics/sonar for ice fishing and also never tried Cold Lake so pardon the newbie questions but: Are electronics necessary to get started? And if so what would be a good unit to start with? Also is there anything that can work on the ice in the winter and in the boat in the summer?


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[58thecat]

Originally Posted by jsmountainman

So I‘ve done plenty of ice fishing in smaller lakes but completely new to the world of electronics/sonar for ice fishing and also never tried Cold Lake so pardon the newbie questions but: Are electronics necessary to get started? And if so what would be a good unit to start with? Also is there anything that can work on the ice in the winter and in the boat in the summer?


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Bought this little unit, didn’t break the bank, have had it three years, use it in my boats and on the ice too.
When out on the ice or in the water just mark the waypoints, name them and return later. Not always gonna guarantee fishing success but gives you a starting point.

https://www.cabelas.ca/product/13449...RoCmCgQAvD_BwE

Ohhh they are not necessary but sure is nice knowing depths, what’s going on below etc.

[Afrayedknot]

Got home from Cold Lake last night. Man it sure was a cold weekend. Caught 27 lakers and 14 burbot. Where we were the lakers were lazy on Saturday. Jig or spoon with a minnow on the bottom was the ticket. Sunday they were chasing though. White and gold worked for us. Ice was 16 inches at the marina, even thicker off provincial.

[eman]

Originally Posted by jsmountainman

So I‘ve done plenty of ice fishing in smaller lakes but completely new to the world of electronics/sonar for ice fishing and also never tried Cold Lake so pardon the newbie questions but: Are electronics necessary to get started? And if so what would be a good unit to start with? Also is there anything that can work on the ice in the winter and in the boat in the summer?


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with a sonar its more like a video game .

[jsmountainman]

Thanks for the replies guys! Is it worth bringing a quad? or is there too much snow?


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