Bullshead report

drock0802 · #1 05-21-2013, 03:01 PM

Drove out to bullshead this morning to take the pontoon out.

It was packed there. besides the wind it was a beautiful day.

Had enough of the wind by 2 pm so packed up the toon and decided to fish from the bank. between me and a buddy we caught about 10 fish in a couple hours. PT nymphs were the winners.

Fish were about 18 and one pig that was a butterball 20 incher.

First time catching a fish not in a river and in a lake and wow they put up nice fights and make lots of runs.

The fish were consistently huge in bullshead. Can't wait to go there again!

Calgaryguy1977 · #2 05-21-2013, 03:14 PM

Ya, they do put up a great fight.....I was there a couple of days ago. The pigs like that love to run. It may just be me but the colder the water and the faster its moving the more they jump out though during the fight. I got some similar pigs on fiesta last week too!
Nice pics!

BeeGuy · #3 05-21-2013, 03:56 PM

nice fish

they look healthy

drock0802 · #4 05-21-2013, 04:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BeeGuy

nice fish

they look healthy

Dont mind my terrorist getup. i prefer wearing sun buffs rather than lathering in greasy sun block. these simms sunarmors are awesome, id even wear the gloves too but i don't wanna look that nerdy

Mitchthefisher · #5 05-21-2013, 07:51 PM

Nice fish!

BeeGuy · #6 05-21-2013, 09:15 PM

nerdy?

more like assassin-y!

I used to use an old white t-shirt. Just put your face through the head hole and tie the rest behind your head. You can cover everything but an eye slit.

Works exceptionally well for bugs too.

JReed · #7 05-22-2013, 10:07 AM

Damn Bandits, terrorizing our waters

Daceminnow · #8 05-22-2013, 04:57 PM

Nice. Most fish there do like to give you a run for your money for sure, it's fun. The bigger ones can have a real knack for a deadly surface roll too after getting hooked, can be tricky to keep buttoned up. I won't comment on your head gear, other than I'd hope most come on a fishing forum to look at fish, not Dudes. Keep posting the pics.

Dace

John_K · #9 05-22-2013, 05:34 PM

Gorgeous fish!! I like the getup stuff better than sun/bug juice too. Plus it looks pretty BA

I plan on heading down there tomorrow as long as the rain holds off. Was gonna go out today but the hurricane winds we are getting right now would ruin the fun

drock0802 · #10 05-24-2013, 07:13 AM

Thinking about heading out there on Saturday or Sunday if anyone wants to join

jts1 · #11 05-24-2013, 10:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drock0802

Thinking about heading out there on Saturday or Sunday if anyone wants to join

Myself and another guy are headed out from Airdrie at 0400 tomorrow morning for Bullshead. We are going to grab a campsite somewhere in Elkwater or if that is full Ressor and fish Sunday as well. Its just for the one night so friend is tenting it and I will make a bedroom out of the back of the truck with a foamy. Wht Dodge 1500 with a topper and beacon light. Will have the pontoons out there as well. Members be sure to say Hello or shoot me a PM it will come to my cell. There is always an extra cold beer for fellow fisher of men sitting around the fire and telling fish stories.

drock0802 · #12 05-25-2013, 11:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jts1

Myself and another guy are headed out from Airdrie at 0400 tomorrow morning for Bullshead. We are going to grab a campsite somewhere in Elkwater or if that is full Ressor and fish Sunday as well. Its just for the one night so friend is tenting it and I will make a bedroom out of the back of the truck with a foamy. Wht Dodge 1500 with a topper and beacon light. Will have the pontoons out there as well. Members be sure to say Hello or shoot me a PM it will come to my cell. There is always an extra cold beer for fellow fisher of men sitting around the fire and telling fish stories.

Sweet man ill be there tomorrow early in the am and will be around till early afternoon! If u see me say hi !

Swede · #13 05-26-2013, 07:46 AM

Man if that's what you consider packed than I need to drive a little longer to go fishing. You should see some of the central Alberta lakes at times.

Anyhow's great fish bro.

Sundancefisher · #14 05-26-2013, 10:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drock0802

Dont mind my terrorist getup. i prefer wearing sun buffs rather than lathering in greasy sun block. these simms sunarmors are awesome, id even wear the gloves too but i don't wanna look that nerdy

Do you see value in a quality fishery? Managed to allow for larger average sized trout?

drock0802 · #15 05-26-2013, 03:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sundancefisher

Do you see value in a quality fishery? Managed to allow for larger average sized trout?

Absolutely I do. It more fun catching bigger fish. One I caught today could be mistaken for a steelhead by it size. Will post vid later

Shawnlh · #16 05-26-2013, 03:45 PM

I wish there were more waters designated as quality fisheries.
Bullshead is by far my favorite local fishery. Cavan lake would make an awesome quality fishery as well, with a little effort.
Let the meat fishers go to Michelle and Reesor for 'bows.

pikergolf · #17 05-26-2013, 11:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shawnlh

I wish there were more waters designated as quality fisheries.
Bullshead is by far my favorite local fishery. Cavan lake would make an awesome quality fishery as well, with a little effort.
Let the meat fishers go to Michelle and Reesor for 'bows.

I'd rather see Michelle go to quality, it's a little more out of the way.

drock0802 · #18 05-27-2013, 06:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pikergolf

I'd rather see Michelle go to quality, it's a little more out of the way.

Of how about somewhere closer to Calgary. Yesterday I drove up from Calgary to get 5 hours of fishing in and drove back after. Long day that was

drock0802 · #19 05-27-2013, 10:03 AM

drove out yesterday at 4 am and arrived around 7:30. fished till 2:30ish and drove back

8 to the net, 2 on dries.

what a beautiful day it was, long day but totally worth it

will probably head there again next weekend

vid
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9uLscfljg60

jts1 · #20 05-27-2013, 10:24 AM

Well we did the trip down to Bullshead, we left Airdrie 330AM Saturday morning. Was around 8 by the time we got lakeside, but the wind was too much for our pontoons. So I thought we should head to Spruce Coulee for the day "that should be out of the wind" Well was I wrong.

The valley had funneled the wind and it was just as bad if not worse then Bullshead. So after fighting the wind for an hr with no luck on pulling in any Brookies. "We did see a few good sized fish breach the surface." It was decided that if we were going to fight the wind we were going to do it where the big fish were, so back to Bullshead we went.

Because of the wind I had to keep my hands on the ores at all times so I ended up missing 20 or so hits. But we did manage to pull in a dozen or so fish that afternoon. Biggest was about 24". Managed to meet a few forum members down there as well so it was a good day.

Day two was even better as the wind had died down and the fish were on. I managed 18 nice rainbows in 4 hrs before we had to leave. Olive leech pattern, Egg sucking leech with a green head, even a hopper with a 57 Buick under it, all worked great.

This little guy must have got a hook in the eye . Or they are growing a new kind off weed in the lake.

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He just started fly fishing, and had never been on a pontoon before. Turned into a little kid a xmas time when he landed the biggest Rainbow he has ever seen. Even if it looks like he is on his way to the dentist...

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Bhflyfisher · #21 05-27-2013, 01:31 PM

Curious as to why the fish are skinny. Still healthy looking, but they look more conditioned to be in a river. Not the fatties that i've been seeing on other lakes.

pikergolf · #22 05-27-2013, 02:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bhflyfisher

Curious as to why the fish are skinny. Still healthy looking, but they look more conditioned to be in a river. Not the fatties that i've been seeing on other lakes.

The longer fish are all thinner, fattest seem to be about 16 to 18". I have been wondering about the food supply in the lake, spent all afternoon and evening out in a boat peering into the water yesterday. Saw 1 damsel nymph and a few dead scud floating around. Aside from chionomids and backswimmers I have never witness a really strong hatch of anything on the lake. I've witnessed damsel, calibatis, small caddis, dragon, but none have be overwhelming to the point trout were going crazy. Closest to that was a caddis hatch that was very localized to one shore. I think the trout are finicky, not because there is so much food but because they have been caught so many times.

As a qualifier to this, as the lake calmed down last night a class of midges was returning to the water to lay eggs. Craziest thing I have ever seen on this lake, the water almost looked like a pot of water on slow boil. Lasted about 3 hr's, and I was shocked at the size of trout partaking, luckily they had no objection to sucking down the odd leech they encountered as they went.

In my opinion, this area or an area much closer to Cal. needs another quality fishery, this one gets pounded pretty good. Would love to see more Reservoir's made in a few creek bottom's but suspect that time has passed us by 60 yr's ago. Calgary people need to start pushing for a Quality fishery closer to home.

Bhflyfisher · #23 05-27-2013, 03:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pikergolf

The longer fish are all thinner, fattest seem to be about 16 to 18". I have been wondering about the food supply in the lake, spent all afternoon and evening out in a boat peering into the water yesterday. Saw 1 damsel nymph and a few dead scud floating around. Aside from chionomids and backswimmers I have never witness a really strong hatch of anything on the lake. I've witnessed damsel, calibatis, small caddis, dragon, but none have be overwhelming to the point trout were going crazy. Closest to that was a caddis hatch that was very localized to one shore. I think the trout are finicky, not because there is so much food but because they have been caught so many times.

Its just weird, because the fish that look to be 20"+ weigh as much as the 16-18" fish ive seen from the same fishery. Its not like that in many other lakes that i've noticed. A 20"-23" fish most of the lakes i frequent can run about 4-6lbs. Where as these fish look to be 2-4lb(MAYBE).

goldscud · #24 05-27-2013, 09:03 PM

Those diploid fish were stocked pre-2009 and perhaps they are on their last year of survival. I agree the old spawners are not looking very fit (perhaps she dumped her eggs already). She should put on some weight over the next month before the water gets too warm. I'm not sure when the first year of triploids went in, but that first cohort should be getting to a nice size this year.