ice conditions alberta PLEASE READ AND POST

savagencounter · #1 12-18-2010, 09:11 PM

Please post ice thickness and lake or waterbody you have been out too. This hopefully will keep fishermen safe. also post if ice is suitable for quad, skidoo, truck or foot only. Also note snow depth and acess locations. Thanks and everyone have a safe and happy holidays.

example. Pigieon lake 12inche ice, approx i foot powder snow, suitable for foot or snowmobile. trucks still not recommended. acess 4x4 needed. i havent been there yet so this is just an example. BE SAFE OUT THERE. DROWNING UNDER ICE KILLS ALBERTANS EVERY YEAR. lets work together to prevent unnessary casualtys.

cochranenite · #2 12-18-2010, 09:19 PM

seen 6-7 trucks a couple quads and about 6 ice fishing shacks on gost lake off the 1A past cochrane, seen it today coming back from work

mooseknuckle · #3 12-18-2010, 09:40 PM

Great idea.... In theory. If someone says oh yeah I drove on no problem I wouldn't just go ahead and follow. Use common sense and although it takes anlittle extra time drill a few test holes. Some peoples ideas of safe conditions are pretty radical. IMO. But a good thread none the less there can never be too many warnings on the subject I for one don't want to become a statistic.

Wabamun is around 12" plenty for a sled or quad, risky with a vehicle. That being said the amount and quality of snow probably won't allow a common
4 x 4 or quad.

bloopbloob · #4 12-19-2010, 07:09 PM

coal lake - 13", went on with the car, saw a few 1/2 tons out there too,
lake isle - 12"
wabamun - saw open water 400ft from shore

35 whelen · #5 12-20-2010, 08:44 AM

cold lake ,frenchmans bay 7-8in floodwater

JJMorrocco · #6 12-20-2010, 09:13 AM

Gull lake NW near golf course - 14" ice, 2" crusty snow. around 15 trucks on ice.

Maverick112 · #7 12-20-2010, 09:17 AM

PCR = Pine Coulee Reservoir. Was there on saturday. couldnt catch fish for first hour and a half , but then went to south side and the walleye went crazy! they were biting until we left. Ice about 8-10 inches thick.

Chain Lakes = was there a week ago and caught nice trout all the way until we left, except for the last half an hour. Ice was about 10 inches thick

Happy Fishing,
Maverick112

DeanP · #8 12-20-2010, 09:27 AM

10-12". Floodwater and about 18" of snow coverage. Some trucks out on ice...I walked.

Sundancefisher · #9 12-20-2010, 09:49 AM

Lake Sundance...10-12 inches of ice on the lake. One person broke through a long freaky thin spot on Friday...but lived.

Lakes can be unpredicable. Rotting vegetation, tributaries, springs, shallow spots can all cause problems...

Be safe

kabaner · #10 12-20-2010, 03:56 PM

On Sunday I was out at Carson it had 12" of good ice (50m from shore) and about 10" of snow. Some trucks (1/2ton and 3/4ton) on the ice. Others walked out. CO was ripping around on a sled checking guys, he was a pretty nice guy.

pikehunter1989 · #11 12-20-2010, 05:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bloopbloob

coal lake - 13", went on with the car, saw a few 1/2 tons out there too,
lake isle - 12"
wabamun - saw open water 400ft from shore

where on the lake was this? me and mooseknuckle were out there sunday straight out from the marina in town and there was a good 12-13 inches.very spotty ice though..one hole would be 4 inches of crappy white ice and the rest clear with alot of air pockets. but 10 ft away it would be 13 inches of solid clear ice..we could see eachothers bait through the ice in 10 ft of water..it was pretty cool.

bloopbloob · #12 12-20-2010, 06:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pikehunter1989

where on the lake was this? me and mooseknuckle were out there sunday straight out from the marina in town and there was a good 12-13 inches.very spotty ice though..one hole would be 4 inches of crappy white ice and the rest clear with alot of air pockets. but 10 ft away it would be 13 inches of solid clear ice..we could see eachothers bait through the ice in 10 ft of water..it was pretty cool.

straight out from the pier and to the right, must have been a couple hundred square feet of open water

Fishfinder · #13 12-20-2010, 08:03 PM

Harhar not to sure too many people are gonna mention where they been fishing, especially if they're having luck, but I like the idea of this thread.

I have been fishing at Spruce Coulee near the Hat here, 8-12 inches of ice everywhere. Walk on only. Need a 4x4 to make sure you get up n down the hills. minimal cell phone reception too, so make sure u have the means to get out or stay the night.
Roads are plowed regularly, but not till main roads have been cleared, usually the road to Spruce is last on the list. Travel at will.

Cheers!

Safety D · #14 12-20-2010, 08:19 PM

14 inches on Calling. Tons of snow. Need 4 by just to get to the provincial park boat launch. tough conditions for sure

pikehunter1989 · #15 12-20-2010, 08:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bloopbloob

straight out from the pier and to the right, must have been a couple hundred square feet of open water

Didn't see any open water on Sunday.when were you out there?That's pretty much right where we walked across. How far to the right? We were just a little to the right of the peir and about 150 yds out

kaleh01 · #16 12-20-2010, 09:20 PM

Dec.19 - Mitchell lake west of Rocky, 14 inches of ice, almost no snow but be sure to stay away from the aerators.

bobalong · #17 12-20-2010, 11:25 PM

We went to Pigeon at the PP today. We were only out about 4-500 yards (walked) and there was 14 inches.

tacklerunner · #18 12-21-2010, 10:08 AM

15 inches of consistent dark, solid ice on N end as of Dec 20. Drove on myself without issues or concerns. Saw vehicles on the W and SE parts of the lake too. Lake is scattered with small piles of drifting snow, maybe 6-8" deep but the are hard so nothing even a car couldn't handle. Looks like the lake got goose bumps from freeze up.

bukwild · #19 12-21-2010, 11:08 AM

Long lake Sunday had 14 to 16 inches just out from the public boat launch at 14 and 20 feet of water. lost 1 good perch at the hole 1 pike snapped a line and 1 white spit it out. Not a bad day of watchin fish.

savagencounter · #20 12-23-2010, 08:40 AM

14 inches drove on. Need 4x4 good skidoo conditions. Foot and half light powder snow. Tried on wend for a few hrs. Ice is great now. I used established vehicle tracks and the fishing was slow.

kevinhits · #21 12-23-2010, 08:44 AM

Anyone know how the ice is at Lake Newell

calgarygringo · #22 12-23-2010, 09:15 AM

Travers yesterday just out by Campground boat launch 14 inches.

John Deer · #23 12-23-2010, 09:23 AM

Anyone been out to Crawling Valley lately??

mayuan · #24 12-23-2010, 09:35 AM

Out on the ghost lake reservoir myself the ice was 15" and was able to drive on with my truck no issues. Also, several other trucks drove from the boat launch to the Village.

bigfro47 · #25 12-23-2010, 12:44 PM

North Wabasca solid 14" of ice as of Dec 17, Good access at the town launch for any vehicle.

bigfro47 · #26 12-23-2010, 12:50 PM

PERCHY · #27 12-23-2010, 04:25 PM

just got back from Gull lake(wilsons) 15 inches of ice no bites though

Willowtrail · #28 12-23-2010, 07:11 PM

Star Lake has 12" about a hundred feet off the boat launch. Someone drove across today but the ice was sure cracking. Theirs 12" of snow on top and the ice hasn't thickened at all from last Saturday to today.

I wouldn't be driving across it just yet. Fishing is slow too.

John Deer · #29 12-23-2010, 08:34 PM

Went to Crawling Valley today. Two Shacks on the ice close to the old boat launch. The Ice is around 16 to 17 inches thick in the boat launch area. I walked about a km in to the middle drilling holes (around a dozen). Most were in between 14 - 15 inches of black ice. Only one was around 13.5 inches.

bowness · #30 01-09-2011, 10:13 AM

How is the ice on Chain and PCR? Are trucks driving on?