Go Back   Alberta Outdoorsmen Forum > Main Category > Fishing Discussion

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 05-02-2018, 05:32 PM
millsboy79's Avatar
millsboy79 millsboy79 is offline
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Calgary
Posts: 823
Unhappy Bear Pond / Big Iron Lake

I was hoping to hear if anyone has ventured up to Bear Pond or Big Iron Lake to see how bad the winter-kill was?
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 05-03-2018, 03:29 PM
raw outdoors raw outdoors is offline
 
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: calgary
Posts: 691
Default

I am guessing they will all be dead. I fished it last winter but two similar lakes to bear pond that I have fished just at last ice are totaly dead. It is totaly to bad all it would take is somebody to keep the snow blown off parts of those little lakes and the fish would probably make it. But knowbody can get to them in the winter with a snow blower so they just die and restart the stalking program.
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 05-03-2018, 04:18 PM
millsboy79's Avatar
millsboy79 millsboy79 is offline
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Calgary
Posts: 823
Default

Yeah it would be hard since the road is closed in the winter... perhaps an aerator would be easier.

Would think they would protect the grayling since they are probably more expensive to stock and are found in far fewer lakes.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 05-03-2018, 08:43 PM
Scott N's Avatar
Scott N Scott N is offline
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Calgary
Posts: 7,506
Default

I really enjoy fishing Bear Pond too, it's a nice place that's not too far from home compared to some of the places I like to go. I hope that things aren't as bad as everyone is expecting, but it seems like a prime year for winter kill.
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 05-13-2018, 09:43 AM
highwood highwood is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 672
Default

Ice is 2/3 off of Bear Pond as of yesterday
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 05-13-2018, 09:47 AM
millsboy79's Avatar
millsboy79 millsboy79 is offline
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Calgary
Posts: 823
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by highwood View Post
Ice is 2/3 off of Bear Pond as of yesterday
Did it look like a total loss?
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 05-13-2018, 11:43 AM
highwood highwood is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 672
Default

No idea, I was looking down at it from the ridges to the south
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 05-13-2018, 12:30 PM
calgarygringo calgarygringo is online now
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: calgary
Posts: 3,005
Default

Cant remember which one but on one of our Facebook groups someone posted the other day he was there and floaters where everywhere. He guessed full loss but who knows.
__________________
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 05-13-2018, 06:52 PM
freeride freeride is offline
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Posts: 999
Default

Took a look today, you could smell the rotting as you neared the top of the trail to bear pond. Hundreds of floaters along the south shore.

Enough that I thought I was looking at ice that wasnt quite off yet and was just pushed up against the shore, it was all grayling belly up. Roughly from the shore to 6'-8' out was solid fish on the south side.
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 05-13-2018, 07:13 PM
millsboy79's Avatar
millsboy79 millsboy79 is offline
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Calgary
Posts: 823
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by freeride View Post
Took a look today, you could smell the rotting as you neared the top of the trail to bear pond. Hundreds of floaters along the south shore.

Enough that I thought I was looking at ice that wasnt quite off yet and was just pushed up against the shore, it was all grayling belly up. Roughly from the shore to 6'-8' out was solid fish on the south side.
What a shame ... would guess the same for the other lake as well
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 05-22-2018, 01:32 PM
slivers86's Avatar
slivers86 slivers86 is offline
 
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Calgary, Ab
Posts: 2,835
Default

Damn, they were finally back to a good fun size too. What a shame. 2-3 years for a restock again, like last time?
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 05-23-2018, 05:19 AM
Sundancefisher's Avatar
Sundancefisher Sundancefisher is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Calgary Perchdance
Posts: 18,775
Default

Someone needs to fish it to prove it was a complete winterkill.
__________________
It is not the most intellectual of the species that survives; it is not the strongest that survives; but the species that survives is the one that is able best to adapt and adjust to the changing environment in which it finds itself. Charles Darwin
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old 05-23-2018, 08:17 AM
Pikebreath Pikebreath is offline
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 1,257
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sundancefisher View Post
Someone needs to fish it to prove it was a complete winterkill.
Well, reports of 6-8 feet of stenchy rotting dead grayling along the shoreline sure don't make me rush out to go fishing there when the lake has already been known to have winterkilled in past years.
Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old 05-23-2018, 09:15 AM
tallieho tallieho is offline
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: calgary
Posts: 1,216
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by millsboy79 View Post
What a shame ... would guess the same for the other lake as well
Yes is a shame;;But how about this; The lakes will need replacing of stock.Fisheries used to do a catch & gather of the females.Why not help them out.They used to do this when Jim Stelfox wsa around,Jenny don't no if she is around. NOTE.When they gather the other way net them there are a fair amount of those brooders that perish from the egg gathering.So put your foot forward give a call,help out the fisheries .Especially if you choose to pursue Arctic Grayling
Reply With Quote
  #15  
Old 05-23-2018, 02:42 PM
Sundancefisher's Avatar
Sundancefisher Sundancefisher is offline
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Calgary Perchdance
Posts: 18,775
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by tallieho View Post
Yes is a shame;;But how about this; The lakes will need replacing of stock.Fisheries used to do a catch & gather of the females.Why not help them out.They used to do this when Jim Stelfox wsa around,Jenny don't no if she is around. NOTE.When they gather the other way net them there are a fair amount of those brooders that perish from the egg gathering.So put your foot forward give a call,help out the fisheries .Especially if you choose to pursue Arctic Grayling
Helped out a few times. Lots of fun.
__________________
It is not the most intellectual of the species that survives; it is not the strongest that survives; but the species that survives is the one that is able best to adapt and adjust to the changing environment in which it finds itself. Charles Darwin
Reply With Quote
  #16  
Old 06-25-2019, 12:29 PM
Bigheaddoug Bigheaddoug is offline
 
Join Date: Jun 2017
Posts: 19
Default Any word on conditions

Hey all,

I’ve never been out to either of these lakes but would love to give them a try this year. Any word on if they have been restocked and worth the trip in? I understand they winter killed in 2018.

How hard would it be to drag a kayak into Bear pond?

Thanks in advance.

Cheers
Reply With Quote
  #17  
Old 06-25-2019, 12:34 PM
goldscud goldscud is offline
 
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 2,960
Default

I don't think it was restocked.

Eggs were gathered at Wedge pond this year with the help of consultants. Hopefully this means there will be young grayling to stock in the future
Reply With Quote
  #18  
Old 06-25-2019, 01:50 PM
Bigheaddoug Bigheaddoug is offline
 
Join Date: Jun 2017
Posts: 19
Default

Thanks! That’s what I was looking for. I also heard that there are grayling in Goat Pond off Spray lakes. Any truth to that rumour?
Reply With Quote
  #19  
Old 06-25-2019, 09:25 PM
goldscud goldscud is offline
 
Join Date: May 2007
Posts: 2,960
Default

They are in Quarry lake up the hill a bit in Canmore.
I don't think you will find any in Goat pond
Reply With Quote
  #20  
Old 05-19-2021, 08:40 AM
Carts27 Carts27 is offline
 
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: High River
Posts: 119
Default 2021 Update?

Has anyone been up there in recent years?

Curious what its like, if the rotten smell and all the winter kill how thick are the bears?

I was planning on going in to Big Iron for a little overnighter, in todays world was more of an excuse to get out in the hills.

Any information would be greatly appreciated.
__________________
If your not living life on the edge your just taking up space!!!!
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 12:50 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.5
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.