Cold Lake 2023/24 Hard Water Season.

[58thecat]

Again just as you head out to more open areas or more than 500 yards from shore I would be drilling
To verify ice thickness for at least a few weeks or so.


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[hamster]

Fantastic, thx again for the update, can't wait to get there this weekend 😆👌

[Deebs]

First day on the ice. Ice was singing all day!


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[58thecat]

Don’t tell me you were using those airplane jigs like last year

Heard they are hard to find locally cuz you bought them all

[Deebs]

I think we used everything but those airplane jigs. Not enough real estate inside the shanty to not get snagged on each other. These Bite Rite rattle baits were hot for a few hours in the afternoon when the bite slowed down and landed the only fish over 75cm. Chartreuse Wonder Bread Riplash. Looking forward to their 7/8 oz rip n glide spoons coming in stock, could be deadly for lakers!

In other news, a jet cracked the afterburners over top of our shelter flying really low and the whole ice sheet popped so loud and sent a wave thru, I swear our seats lifted an inch. Most terrified I’ve ever been on the ice


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[58thecat]

Yeah I hear ya on tight spaces...I was ripping a Len Thompson spoon to get the lakers going...it worked but having three of us in the Eskimo 450 resulted in tangled lines....even happened when using the Cold Lake special tube jig as they dart a few feet when jigged....if I was to have more people in the tent and to minimize tangled lines I would go bigger Esk 650 comes to mind but its a rarity and going forward I will space out the holes better too.

[58thecat]

Huge ice heave about 150 yards out from of the marina, runs west/east for about 2 km’s.

Things to think about later on when heading out as this will be covered in snow.

Seen many trucks hung up last year on these heaves leading to broken drive shafts,transfer cases etc


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[Wapiti340]

Originally Posted by 58thecat

Huge ice heave about 150 yards out from of the marina, runs west/east for about 2 km’s.

Things to think about later on when heading out as this will be covered in snow.

Seen many trucks hung up last year on these heaves leading to broken drive shafts,transfer cases etc


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Walked out from the marina today and 100 yards past that giant ice heave there is a little over 12” of ice where I was fishing. Landed 12 on the ice which is my best day yet and lost easily another 12. Once I added a stinger I was staying hooked. I sat on baitfish in the same spot all day and lakers would roll through every 15-20 minutes from 9am right till 4pm it was awesome. Usually there is a lull but everytime I looked away something would be cruising through. Chartreuse was the ticket today. Good luck out there!

[Hartly]

I’m wanting to bring my two children to Cold Lake. Am I safe to walk them out from the marina and onto the lake? Is the ice safe enough to fish infront of the marina?

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by Hartly

I’m wanting to bring my two children to Cold Lake. Am I safe to walk them out from the marina and onto the lake? Is the ice safe enough to fish infront of the marina?

Reports says your good to go but there is an ice heaven so just be careful, drill and check as you go.

Good luck!


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[58thecat]

Sometimes ya just don’t know what they want as we have had chasers but this Lure got picked off right away and it was not my idea to change, go figure,




And we sit for more to come on by!!!

What a great place to be right now.


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[58thecat]

Originally Posted by 58thecat

Reports says your good to go but there is an ice heaven so just be careful, drill and check as you go.

Good luck!


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Picture sent to me from a member here of the ice heave out front of the marina, people are walking over it but she is wet and if she opens up more it can get sketchy real quick.

Be safe.


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[58thecat]

Dead stick dinks

Bait is almost as big!!!!


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[Egymcara]

Fished english bay today, 17" of ice, quite a few people out that way. Fishing was slow, managed maybe 10 fish in 5 hours in 95' of water. Quite a few nasty heaves out there, 2 are really bad way further out. Ice was extremely noisy, little to no snow, some rough broken ice areas.

Stopped at the marina and drove out, 14 inches of ice but the heave there makes vehicle travel impossible.

Cheers

[Egymcara]

Just off the lake again, fished 55' today, ice was a lot more quiet. Bite was mediocre at best but my buddy definitely had the hot hand. I caught the first fish and he goes off for 14 in a row after that on a lure I tied for him . It was all good though, enjoyed filming instead. All the fish were just small guys, no big mommas rolling around at all. Tried many depths and lures but that 55' with a hair jig seemed to be the ticket today.

Good luck out there

[58thecat]

Well bite was slow yesterday for me, got out and drilled and dropped on many areas all through French bay and out around the PP, 14” of ice was the norm and more in some areas, ice travel is opening up with many heading out to open spaces

Got a member from the forum here and we are going to work various areas over the next few days in the trucks but after that it’s go time for the skidoo and get out to far hidden gems....

[outofbounds]

What are the snow conditions on the ice currently?

Judging by the recent pics, not to much snow on the ice.

Just wondering if I should bring the sled or the quad for a few days of fishing.

Thanks in advance..

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by outofbounds

What are the snow conditions on the ice currently?

Judging by the recent pics, not to much snow on the ice.

Just wondering if I should bring the sled or the quad for a few days of fishing.

Thanks in advance..

Well you can go anywhere on the ice with the quad easily but for general lake travel I would take a snowmobile.

Good luck.

[58thecat]

Warning to all targeting lakers I have filed a complaint with fish and feathers of the continuing harassment of burbot interfering with a legal angling activity…..

Laker bite was slow over the last two days, icing 6-8 per day and having many chasers etc

Now we had a low/high pressure systems, fished low tide, high tide, slack tide and that dam full moon but the burbot just gotta bugger off

I guess it could be viewed as a good thing to some












Still better than working!!!!!

Tight lines.


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[Macdrizzle]

Looks like you had a productive day.
How deep are you finding the burbs?

[58thecat]

The burbs were crazy at 50-60 fow on top off a hump that we sat on to catch lakers coming over the top to a drop that went down to 80 fow

Day bites and constant picking apart the dead sticks too

The fella I fished with stayed on the ice and said it was stupid for a few hours after sunset to the point he reeled up and went to bed.

Kept us entertained




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[outofbounds]

Originally Posted by 58thecat

Well you can go anywhere on the ice with the quad easily but for general lake travel I would take a snowmobile.

Good luck.

Thanks for the update

[-JR-]

delete

[Egymcara]

Out on the north end of CL today. Ice varies from 14-19" and its pretty smooth sailing anywhere out there. Bite was terrible and almost no lake trout in the areas I checked (tons of baitfish). I did not hit the island so no idea on ice thickness around it. Sounds like other areas are more productive currently from what I'm hearing.

Cheers

[58thecat]

Out sitting in the middle of the lake and we have had nothing but fish coming and going, biting, chasing and of course we are catching too but all dinks so far.
Cold lake special chartreuse colour (green glow) seems to be the juice!!!

Ohhh and one on the Len Thompson too.

Dead sticks have been just that so far but could turn on anytime.

10 inches of ice but around some of the ice heaves like 6 inches so be careful if you see jagged ice that is snow covered.

A few pics so far.







60 fow but steep drops all around us down to 170 fow

Going to check deeper tomorrow and see what lurks down there.

Always wondering


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[AlbertanGP]

Looks like you guys catch lots on the stinger hook. I just came back from Peerless and I lost more than I landed on a tube jig without a stinger. Apparently a thing with lakers so I'll have to figure something out.

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by AlbertanGP

Looks like you guys catch lots on the stinger hook. I just came back from Peerless and I lost more than I landed on a tube jig without a stinger. Apparently a thing with lakers so I'll have to figure something out.

You bet, stingers are the ticket on many days especially when they chase up and down the water columns....

Rip a spoon to stir the pot up and if no takers drop down a tube right away and nine times outta ten one will commit right way and the stinger is usually the hook that catches.

Luv it when they get into a pack mentality, worked up and just want to bite.

[58thecat]

Well yesterday was fun fishing wise but man pick up your crap out there on the ice etc....jeepers....

Talked to a few anglers that have mentioned too about dogs running around peeing on their ice tents, shacks etc so if your a pet owner be responsible....

Had a car yesterday on our way out to the ice in the park go by us doing mock chicken, just missed the trailer and bounce off the ditch and over corrected just to slide down the middle of the road sideways for a bit....please slow down to the posted speed or slower due to the road condition...areas get direct sunlight and with the warming temps get extremely slippery.

That’s my adult moment now back to being a kid

[58thecat]

Another great few hours checking spots out on the lake. 19 inches of ice where I was sitting. Fished the top and bottom of a shelf 60-170 fow.
Caught many in the 150 to 170 fow then went up to the top of the shelf and 40-60 fow did not disappoint.

Used cold lake special green 5 inch tube and yeah the stinger did its job.

Len Thompson spoon and TC Moto meat head with a paddle tail attached also produced but the TC Moto I need to put a stinger on as I had a few tails bit off!



.



No big ones but lots of smediums and dinks.


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[FAST_FREDDY]

What is the ice thickness in French bay? and what are the ice surface conditions like? planning a trip this weekend just wonder what to bring for transportation.

Thanks