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  #331  
Old 02-12-2023, 12:38 PM
Egymcara Egymcara is offline
 
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Out this morning again for another fish. I chained up my Toyota FJ and broke trail to my spot. Flood water everywhere! My pucker factor was 8/10 for the first few KM then it got 100% better. Fishing was slower then yesterday but still managed quite a few. They loved the rod at first then as the sun came up, dead baits took over totally.

Cheers!
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  #332  
Old 02-12-2023, 02:55 PM
Jaylive Jaylive is offline
 
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Originally Posted by Egymcara View Post
Out this morning again for another fish. I chained up my Toyota FJ and broke trail to my spot. Flood water everywhere! My pucker factor was 8/10 for the first few KM then it got 100% better. Fishing was slower then yesterday but still managed quite a few. They loved the rod at first then as the sun came up, dead baits took over totally.

Cheers!
How much ice you find off the beaten trail?
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  #333  
Old 02-12-2023, 03:07 PM
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I am sitting on 13 inches of ice out about 2km’s off of garnet.

Little bit of flood water here and there too.

Don’t notice it much with the skidoo as it seems there is a layer of ice 2 inches thick then about 6-8 inches of flood water sitting on the good ice.

This all has a crust of 8 inches or so of snow on top too.


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  #334  
Old 02-12-2023, 03:11 PM
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The 3 inch white tube is catching, 140 fow and working the water columns but most are coming off the bottom 10 feet or less.





Yup I caught bait!




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  #335  
Old 02-12-2023, 03:21 PM
AlbertanGP AlbertanGP is offline
 
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Originally Posted by -JR- View Post
That don't look 32inches !
His arms are bent and it's close to his body. Hold your arms straight out and have the cameraman stand back six feet. Then you can tell everyone it's 40".
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  #336  
Old 02-12-2023, 03:27 PM
Egymcara Egymcara is offline
 
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Originally Posted by Jaylive View Post
How much ice you find off the beaten trail?
Ice was easily 13-14" everywhere I went. Such a bad year to drive vehicles on the ice because of the hidden flood water everywhere. I wouldn't worry about safety, I would be prepared to get stuck without chains/winch.
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  #337  
Old 02-12-2023, 03:44 PM
Jims83cj5 Jims83cj5 is offline
 
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Anyone try the north side by the island
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  #338  
Old 02-12-2023, 05:41 PM
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His arms are bent and it's close to his body. Hold your arms straight out and have the cameraman stand back six feet. Then you can tell everyone it's 40".

Hey that’s my trick!



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  #339  
Old 02-12-2023, 06:31 PM
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Default Cold Lake 2022/23 Hard Water Season.

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Anyone try the north side by the island

You got the itch to make a run for it don’t you?

Where lunkers lurk.

Sorry can’t help ya there.


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Last edited by 58thecat; 02-12-2023 at 06:46 PM.
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  #340  
Old 02-12-2023, 09:23 PM
Jims83cj5 Jims83cj5 is offline
 
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Oh I’m going on wed. Packing the snow dog and sled
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  #341  
Old 02-13-2023, 06:04 AM
Egymcara Egymcara is offline
 
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Oh I’m going on wed. Packing the snow dog and sled
You shouldn't have any issues assuming you stay above the flood water. Hopefully you are light enough to cruise right over. Minimal snow cover in most spots, just a little drifted at times.
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  #342  
Old 02-13-2023, 09:21 AM
Afrayedknot Afrayedknot is offline
 
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Originally Posted by 58thecat View Post
I am sitting on 13 inches of ice out about 2km’s off of garnet.

Little bit of flood water here and there too.

Don’t notice it much with the skidoo as it seems there is a layer of ice 2 inches thick then about 6-8 inches of flood water sitting on the good ice.

This all has a crust of 8 inches or so of snow on top too.


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Those conditions are going to make things very interesting for the derby next weekend. I think we'll see at least half the people staying close to the marina
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  #343  
Old 02-13-2023, 10:30 AM
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Brovacs Brovacs is offline
 
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Fished Wednesday-Saturday in 85ft-135ft. Fishing was slower than past trips out on this spot. Averaged around 7 fish a day but managed to catch a bunch of nice fish in the 27-29” range and 3 over 32”.







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  #344  
Old 02-13-2023, 10:31 AM
Binati Binati is offline
 
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Yeah bringing truck and trailer and we're probably going to stay closer to people this year. Going to be lots of checking.
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  #345  
Old 02-13-2023, 12:02 PM
Afrayedknot Afrayedknot is offline
 
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Originally Posted by Binati View Post
Yeah bringing truck and trailer and we're probably going to stay closer to people this year. Going to be lots of checking.
Ya I think my plan will be similar, won't be going to far off the beaten path unfortunately. Oh well, probably meet some new people though so there's always a positive.
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  #346  
Old 02-13-2023, 12:02 PM
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Fished Wednesday-Saturday in 85ft-135ft. Fishing was slower than past trips out on this spot. Averaged around 7 fish a day but managed to catch a bunch of nice fish in the 27-29” range and 3 over 32”.







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Some really nice lakers, congrats.


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  #347  
Old 02-13-2023, 02:49 PM
SKSniper SKSniper is offline
 
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I've been hearing very mixed reviews on the snow pack/floodwater situation. Has anybody pulled their camper shacks out onto the main lake yet? I have a half ton and a 12' enclosed trailer, and I'm hoping to make it out there in a day or two, but don't own tire chains.
I heard through a co worker there are people driving all over the place, and some replies here say there's next to no vehicle traffic. Any recommendations are appreciated.
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  #348  
Old 02-13-2023, 03:33 PM
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Originally Posted by SKSniper View Post
I've been hearing very mixed reviews on the snow pack/floodwater situation. Has anybody pulled their camper shacks out onto the main lake yet? I have a half ton and a 12' enclosed trailer, and I'm hoping to make it out there in a day or two, but don't own tire chains.
I heard through a co worker there are people driving all over the place, and some replies here say there's next to no vehicle traffic. Any recommendations are appreciated.
This may help some. Video released yesterday by a member here on Cold Lake conditions.

https://youtu.be/KP1Bmrlxp4s
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  #349  
Old 02-13-2023, 04:10 PM
SNAPFisher SNAPFisher is offline
 
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Originally Posted by JohninAB View Post
This may help some. Video released yesterday by a member here on Cold Lake conditions.

https://youtu.be/KP1Bmrlxp4s
That was nice of him to do that. Those last 2 looked like pucker moments. Yeah, not for me but at least he had it chained up right. Tough year on Cold!
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  #350  
Old 02-13-2023, 04:19 PM
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Originally Posted by SKSniper View Post
I've been hearing very mixed reviews on the snow pack/floodwater situation. Has anybody pulled their camper shacks out onto the main lake yet? I have a half ton and a 12' enclosed trailer, and I'm hoping to make it out there in a day or two, but don't own tire chains.
I heard through a co worker there are people driving all over the place, and some replies here say there's next to no vehicle traffic. Any recommendations are appreciated.
The other day I counted 13 campers out off the provincial park, lots of ice shacks too. Didn’t count the ones just in front of the marina .

People are moving campers/shacks in and around French bay too.

Didn’t see anything out towards the middle of the lake or around where I was yesterday.
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  #351  
Old 02-13-2023, 04:38 PM
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Originally Posted by 58thecat View Post
The other day I counted 13 campers out off the provincial park, lots of ice shacks too. Didn’t count the ones just in front of the marina .

People are moving campers/shacks in and around French bay too.

Didn’t see anything out towards the middle of the lake or around where I was yesterday.
There was a camper and 3 diesels out on Birch point yesterday and 14" of ice, I puckered and we were on a snowmobile.

We saw a lot of flood water and lots were a surprise under the snow. You could see old ones freezing back up but she's a nasty lake this year to say the least
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  #352  
Old 02-13-2023, 07:51 PM
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There was a camper and 3 diesels out on Birch point yesterday and 14" of ice, I puckered and we were on a snowmobile.

We saw a lot of flood water and lots were a surprise under the snow. You could see old ones freezing back up but she's a nasty lake this year to say the least

Crazy, we were out north of the hump and sitting on top of good ice but the overflow was hit and miss.
Skidoo sat on top of a few places but when you stepped off your sunk 10 inches in places especially when it warmed up come mid day.
All I can say is chain up or use the buddy system to get out of the soup.
Forecasted colder weather so hope that helps.


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  #353  
Old 02-14-2023, 02:35 PM
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Really nice pictures here. Makes me wanna go ice fishing again.

The last time I went was over 10 years ago but I remember it was fun, even though I only caught suckers and one rainbow trout.
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  #354  
Old 02-14-2023, 03:04 PM
MRfishnhunt MRfishnhunt is offline
 
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Default best time of year for Lakers in Cold lake

Any advise here? Thanks
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  #355  
Old 02-14-2023, 06:38 PM
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Any advise here? Thanks
August is always my best time
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  #356  
Old 02-15-2023, 10:24 AM
Binati Binati is offline
 
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Can I get another ice report before we head up tomorrow.
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  #357  
Old 02-15-2023, 03:41 PM
Weavster Weavster is offline
 
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Can I get another ice report before we head up tomorrow.
The least amount I had seen was 11" on the weekend and still lots of spots with flood water that the sleds were breaking through
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  #358  
Old 02-15-2023, 03:45 PM
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Top layers seem solid for ATV’s and snowmobiles.
For trucks etc areas you can still break though as there is about 2-3 inches of ice sitting on top of some flood water.
Problem is is you won’t know until your into it.
Good thing is the ice below the flood water is 12 plus inches.
I am out right now been out for the most of the day checking areas etc
And wetting a line or two along the way.


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  #359  
Old 02-15-2023, 03:47 PM
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Sorry sounded like this hidden overflow is the entire lake as it is not.
Just some areas.


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  #360  
Old 02-15-2023, 03:52 PM
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Catching lots through the water columns, sitting in 140fow, some I see some I don’t.
Big bait on the bottom seems to work too.
Who knows what they want tomorrow!
Lol.
Good luck to all you tournament folks, weather looks great compared


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