Dore lake sask

wcbarker · #1 04-01-2018, 10:32 AM

Does anyone have any info or experience on this lake. Going to tower lodge in july. Just wanna know if anyone has been to this lake.

guru fisher · #2 04-01-2018, 01:27 PM

Decent fishing got some big walleye. When we went it was 35 degrees out. Water was warm and fish tasted soft. No northern over 10 pounds but lots of them. Got a few Wally’s over 70 cm. Big lake watch you don’t get caught out there.

Drewski Canuck · #3 04-01-2018, 01:42 PM

Yes I have fished Dore in late August and also in mid June.

This is a BIGGGGG Lake. It also can be a very rough lake (8 foot waves). Nothing to run out 10 - 15 miles to fish. MESSAGE: Bring lots of Gas. Yes Tower sells gas, but if they are out, you are out.

Next. prepare for long days on the water. MESSAGE: Bring lots of food, water, and most important sun screen, hats, and jackets.

Finally, this is a remote lake. There are some cabins and another outfit on the south and southwest corner, but you can go the whole day without seeing another boat, both good and bad. Cell phones do not work. Tower has a VHF set if I remember right, if you have VHF on your boat, but think about a Sat Phone. Make sure you tell the lodge where you are going so they can come find you if you do not get back at night.

Now for the flies. They will eat you, plain and simple. I don't care if you swallow U 235 before going on the water. They will eat you. Be prepared for eagle sized horse flies, etc.

As for the fishing, some things you don't talk about on a public forum, but make sure you bring the biggest Rattle Traps you can buy. Order them on line, as they are hard to get in Canada. As for the walleye, I have never caught so many 24 - 27 inch walleye one after another, numbering something like 50, before we quit to go look for big Pike.

Big Pike means BIG PIKE!!!!

Drewski

aulrich · #4 04-02-2018, 09:59 AM

What part of July? The first 2 weeks , depending on the year the fish can still be in a typical spring pattern, but when they switch over it can be tough to find anything over 30” , I suspect the bigger fish start to key on whitefish or the whitefish stop coming shallow. But I have not had the opportunity to test that idea. The last couple of years we have been timing the summer vacation for late June early July.

By mid/late July they move to deep cabbage as you would expect and by the August long weekend you will be hard pressed to catch anything over 30” (I learned to avoid going in August).

I don’t spend much time catching walleye, though I have started targeting them when we are tired from catching real fish.

As for gear, normal pike gear is fine pike are not that lure size dependant but that said my gear runs from #0 Len Thompsons (5’o diamonds and white with a stripe) to 8” bomber minnows or full sized Super Shad Raps. If you go latter in July make sure you have a selection of Mepps Cyclops spoons I forget the number, but we just use the bigger ones. They out perform LT’s as the water “Warms” up.

Rattle baits are an excellent option. With plugs I have found that bright is generally best for plugs so have lots of fire tiger and alike, but there are days when perch and silver/blue is the only thing they will touch, but those are rare.

Last year the bugs were especially brutal but it was also the wettest I have seen it in the 20+ year I have been going there. I expect that unless it is very dry it’s going to be just as bad this year.

Watch conditions, the lake is big and can churn up in a heart beat I have seen it go from slick flat to wild in 30 min.

I would not say it’s full of reefs but there are enough that you do need to know where you are going and they are surprisingly big and run a long way into the lake. At least the water is up, 10-15 years ago there were some mid lake humps that ate some motors.

Drewski Canuck · #5 04-02-2018, 03:11 PM

I should have mentioned that blue / chrome is deadly in August.

Lake is polluted with cisco and tulibee.

If you like having fun, go run a Canadian Wiggler with blue / chrome way back behind the boat.

There is a Bay across the lake on the West side which is always closed, but there is a point that runs south to north for miles that creates the bay.

Heavy rocks with deep water near by.

Too many pike in the 6 - 10 # range from trolling along this very long rock bar. You cannot see land on the other side of the lake, so you are easily 12 miles to the bay at Tower lodge. Then a few miles in the bay to Tower Lodge.

Just keep that in mind if it is a windy morning.

Drewski

mlee · #6 04-02-2018, 03:15 PM

My buddy Chad runs the campground there....Michael Point. Great guy..... he will know the hot spots and it's a good little campsite too.
Fishing always seems to be steady and like mentioned some huge walleye and pike in that lake.

JareS · #7 04-02-2018, 03:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drewski Canuck

This is a BIGGGGG Lake. It also can be a very rough lake (8 foot waves)

Drewski

X2. This is not an exaggeration!!

guru fisher · #8 04-02-2018, 07:11 PM

It’s like an ocean when your out there some days. Wasn’t worth long traveling. Catch fish all over that big pond

Jim Gordon · #9 04-02-2018, 07:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JareS

X2. This is not an exaggeration!!

Relative to Reindeer,Wollaston and Athabasca,not really that huge but combine the lack of islands and the fact that it is a shallow lake and it can really roll when the wind gets up for sure. Things are a bit more protected over on the SW corner of the lake at Dore Lake Lodge. Excellent Walleye fishing right in front of the camp,early in June.

Albertadiver · #10 04-03-2018, 11:51 AM

Did two fly-in fishing trips to Michel lodge. Loved it. Lake is enormous.

waterhawk · #11 04-03-2018, 06:02 PM

Be prepared when you go out. I have a 18 foot Lund SSV with a 60 horse. Four years ago a friend and myself went to the north end of the lake to fish. The wind came up and we ended up spending the night on an island. I would advise taking a location device like a Spot.

wcbarker · #12 04-03-2018, 09:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aulrich

What part of July? The first 2 weeks , depending on the year the fish can still be in a typical spring pattern, but when they switch over it can be tough to find anything over 30” , I suspect the bigger fish start to key on whitefish or the whitefish stop coming shallow. But I have not had the opportunity to test that idea. The last couple of years we have been timing the summer vacation for late June early July.

By mid/late July they move to deep cabbage as you would expect and by the August long weekend you will be hard pressed to catch anything over 30” (I learned to avoid going in August).

I don’t spend much time catching walleye, though I have started targeting them when we are tired from catching real fish.

As for gear, normal pike gear is fine pike are not that lure size dependant but that said my gear runs from #0 Len Thompsons (5’o diamonds and white with a stripe) to 8” bomber minnows or full sized Super Shad Raps. If you go latter in July make sure you have a selection of Mepps Cyclops spoons I forget the number, but we just use the bigger ones. They out perform LT’s as the water “Warms” up.

Rattle baits are an excellent option. With plugs I have found that bright is generally best for plugs so have lots of fire tiger and alike, but there are days when perch and silver/blue is the only thing they will touch, but those are rare.

Last year the bugs were especially brutal but it was also the wettest I have seen it in the 20+ year I have been going there. I expect that unless it is very dry it’s going to be just as bad this year.

Watch conditions, the lake is big and can churn up in a heart beat I have seen it go from slick flat to wild in 30 min.

I would not say it’s full of reefs but there are enough that you do need to know where you are going and they are surprisingly big and run a long way into the lake. At least the water is up, 10-15 years ago there were some mid lake humps that ate some motors.

July 15-22

lakerman · #13 04-03-2018, 09:22 PM

My neighbour used to own tower lodge, I saw old pics. of the 60's and 70's laying around, piles of fish in the 20lb range for a few hours fishing, those were some amazing pics, that would be the dream. Don't know if they ever got that fish plant up and running again on that lake. If the wind gets up good night Irene! Think of a back up,of a smaller lake of where to go.
Still have nightmares of the big moose that got away, but that's another story!

fordtruckin · #14 04-03-2018, 11:16 PM

Been a few years since I was there but remember it fondly. My cousins family owns a cabin up there. Lots of big fish, it’s a big lake and yes the water can sure move when it wants to.

aulrich · #15 04-04-2018, 11:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wcbarker

July 15-22

Short of June "Prime fishing time" that is actually a good time frame
for vacationing.

With luck the bulk of the horse fly's are done by then, they are not too bad for humans as long as you are dry, but they sure can torment dogs.

The pike should be reasonably active IDK about the walleye.

Bring trout gear if it is too windy there is a stocked trout lake near by(you drive past it on the gravel) that grows some real lunkers 20"+. I typically only fish them May and October long weekends so I have no hints for summer time.

BloodHound70 · #16 04-05-2018, 10:51 AM

Went there for 6 days with 9 buddies for my stag back in 2007. Was unbelievable the amount of action and sheer size of the pike and walleye we were catching. Don't think we caught a single pike under 10lbs or a Walleye under 6lbs....Caught most on perch colored and blue/silver raps.

BH