Pigeon Lake Whitefish

burbotman14 · #1 04-11-2011, 07:20 PM

I decided to head out to Pigeon on Saturday to see if I could catch one of those elusive jumbo whitefish. The weather was great and the black tent felt like room temperature. It was around noon and we already caught a pike and a couple walleye. I did not see any whitefish so i decided to move out into about 8-10 feet of water. I drilled a hole and started fishing outside. No more than 15 minutes later i felt a tap on my marmish rod but that was it. I thought it may have just been a walleye but I decided to put my coat over my head and look down the hole. About 30 seconds later I saw this huge whitefish descend on my hook like a submarine, I set the hook and the fight was on. I only had my marmish rod so I had a long battle ahead of me. Every time I got it near the hole it would turn it's head and take off. After about 3 minutes I was starting to get impatient because I knew the hook wasn't all the way in it's mouth, but after about 2 more minutes the fish gave up and the victory was mine. The whitefish weighed in right on 5 pounds. We also ended up catching 6 more walleye and a pike to end the day. I was very happy, it being the biggest whitefish for me to date. Now I just have to figure out how to get more than one.

Wolverine Boy · #2 04-11-2011, 07:38 PM

Nice.........what a fatty!

I just picked up a Marmish rod and I am looking forward to using it next year; it's nice to know you can bring in the big fellows with one.

Congrats.

Jwood 456 · #3 04-11-2011, 08:02 PM

Awesome white. Congrats.

The whitefish in that lake seem extra fussy, though when they bite the fish are usuall big and fat.

P.S. So far, my only method to catch those white fish buggars out of Pigeon is to use dynotmite.

goober · #4 04-11-2011, 08:04 PM

Fine looking white!!

chubbdarter · #5 04-11-2011, 08:09 PM

nice fish

looks like you reeled it in with a fly tyers bobbin

SNAPFisher · #6 04-11-2011, 08:13 PM

Nice!!! Congrats on the good day. I was out on Sunday and heard the same kind of experience from an fellow who had fished Saturday. He had a great afternoon like you. Sounds like the day to be there. Sunday was much, much slower. I still managed a 4.2 lber though and it had a pronounced hump.

One more week left.

Good luck out there.

burbotman14 · #7 04-12-2011, 07:19 PM

I find it challenging at pigeon because I only seem to locate a couple whites in one spot, but i haven't found a spot that I see a fair amount in one day, at least the big one's anyway. I guess if you explore the lake enough you can find some great locations to catch more than one white. I think next year (hopefully none will die in the summer) I will have to spend a little time on the lake to find a spot with some consistency. On an interesting side note, when I was filleting the whitefish I found 9 of the aquatic bug's that make their home in a wood like structure in its stomach. I was surprised considering that kind of material must be difficult to digest.

Tyangelo · #8 04-12-2011, 09:25 PM

I plan to be there Friday and/or Saturday. Probably the PP. Look for the green Woods or black Ameristep tent.

Rockymtnx · #9 04-12-2011, 09:31 PM

Congrats on a the white Burbotman.
But thats just average for Pigeon. They come a lot bigger than that too.
I would like to get out on Friday too and catch a few more.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tyangelo

I plan to be there Friday and/or Saturday. Probably the PP. Look for the green Woods or black Ameristep tent.

Saturday might not be such a good idea considering that the lake closes for fishing on Friday.

Dust1n · #10 04-12-2011, 09:31 PM

great catch i havent caught any of those gold 4 hook spoons yet. only pike/walleye so far

Rockymtnx · #11 04-12-2011, 09:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fish Hunter7

great catch i havent caught any of those gold 4 hook spoons yet. only pike/walleye so far

The Wetaskiwin Special is the hook to have when you hit Pigeon!

Dust1n · #12 04-12-2011, 09:38 PM

soo thats what they are i googled em with no results now i know what there called lol thanks

Daceminnow · #13 04-12-2011, 10:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fish Hunter7

soo thats what they are i googled em with no results now i know what there called lol thanks

didn't know about a wet. special? finally stumped Billy the Kid!! there's an altered version in gold i make up that the blade is wired to the hook. real slow fall and bounced in the sand shallow at pigeon is killer.

BEL · #14 04-12-2011, 10:57 PM

FH7--Castaway has them and many other colors. BEL

burbotman14 · #15 04-13-2011, 04:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rockymtnx

Congrats on a the white Burbotman.
But thats just average for Pigeon. They come a lot bigger than that too.
I would like to get out on Friday too and catch a few more.

Saturday might not be such a good idea considering that the lake closes for fishing on Friday.

Yes the average in pigeon is high but I wouldn't say it is five pounds. I think it is more around the 4 pound mark. In most other lakes the average is around 2 pounds. I was saying jumbo whitefish because it is hard to come by a whitefish that is 5 pounds in any other lake in alberta.

Dust1n · #16 04-13-2011, 07:12 PM

Sylvan has got some hogs if you know where to get them.

alodar · #17 04-13-2011, 07:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wolverine Boy

Nice.........what a fatty!

I just picked up a Marmish rod and I am looking forward to using it next year; it's nice to know you can bring in the big fellows with one.

Congrats.

I roped in a few decent sized jack on my marmish quite fun I have to say

Daceminnow · #18 04-13-2011, 09:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by burbotman14

Yes the average in pigeon is high but I wouldn't say it is five pounds. I think it is more around the 4 pound mark. In most other lakes the average is around 2 pounds. I was saying jumbo whitefish because it is hard to come by a whitefish that is 5 pounds in any other lake in alberta.

give gull a try sometime, you may be pleasantly surprised.

dragon · #19 04-14-2011, 08:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rockymtnx

Saturday might not be such a good idea considering that the lake closes for fishing on Friday.

Lake is open on for fishing on the 16th and closed the 17th which means if he fishes saturday still ok?

Penner · #20 04-14-2011, 08:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by burbotman14

Yes the average in pigeon is high but I wouldn't say it is five pounds. I think it is more around the 4 pound mark. In most other lakes the average is around 2 pounds. I was saying jumbo whitefish because it is hard to come by a whitefish that is 5 pounds in any other lake in alberta.

There are many lakes in Alberta with Jumbo Whitefish. My definition of a Jumbo Whitefish would be anything greater than 6lbs. Although Whitefish today in Pigeon Lake average 3 to 4lbs and there is the occasional 5 or 6lber around, you don’t seem them get much bigger than that very often, thus Pigeon for me doesn’t make the grade in terms of a lake containing Jumbo Whitefish. Quantity and quality of Whitefish in Pigeon is still great no question.

Rockymtnx · #21 04-14-2011, 01:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daceminnow

give gull a try sometime, you may be pleasantly surprised.

You will have to fish a LONG time in Gull to get many over that 4 pound mark.

JJMorrocco · #22 04-14-2011, 04:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rockymtnx

You will have to fish a LONG time in Gull to get many over that 4 pound mark.

Unless my scale was way off I beg to differ.

burbotman14 · #23 04-14-2011, 04:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rockymtnx

You will have to fish a LONG time in Gull to get many over that 4 pound mark.

I agree. I have fished there alot these past few years in the winter and out of all the ones I have caught myself and all the ones I have seen on the ice I must say I have not seen one over 4 pounds. Not saying you can't catch a few that size but Gull is more quantity over quality even though 2-3 pound whitefish are nice fish.

pickrel pat · #24 04-14-2011, 05:11 PM

i believe sylvan has the quantity and gull has the quality.

Daceminnow · #25 04-14-2011, 05:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rockymtnx

You will have to fish a LONG time in Gull to get many over that 4 pound mark.

Rocky, things may have changed in the last few years, which would be unfortunate but not unbelievable. not too long ago the whites we would catch @ gull placed head down in a 5 gal pail, their tails would hang over the top. i have never weighed a white ever, but they were definitely good fish. toothless, but nice whites none the less.

Dust1n · #26 04-14-2011, 07:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pickrel pat

i believe sylvan has the quantity and gull has the quality.

yeah and sylvan has some big ones but sylvan deffinaity has quanity and gull has quality

Rockymtnx · #27 04-15-2011, 12:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by burbotman14

I agree. I have fished there alot these past few years in the winter and out of all the ones I have caught myself and all the ones I have seen on the ice I must say I have not seen one over 4 pounds. Not saying you can't catch a few that size but Gull is more quantity over quality even though 2-3 pound whitefish are nice fish.

Yup nothing like that anymore. These are the last three I caught there before the season closed a couple of weeks ago. The biggest one that day was 2.2 lbs. But hey whos complaining, I was catchin fish and not workin!

eman · #28 12-31-2022, 03:09 AM

so can you share some spot ?????????????

SNAPFisher · #29 12-31-2022, 05:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eman

so can you share some spot ?????????????

See attached. Don't go crazy sharing it with everyone

eman · #30 12-31-2022, 06:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SNAPFisher

See attached. Don't go crazy sharing it with everyone

thx ! going to pigeon lake right now . hopefully ice is thick enough to drive on.