Wabamun

[anorthernhunter]

Heading out to Wabamun Sunday morning for some gigantasaurous Jack ...

Send a note if you are out that way.

Northern

[darren32]

I have not been out but looking at my camera there appears to be some drifting from that wind we had this week. Don't get stuck

Also looks like it is going to be pretty nice!

[Poppa]

^^^ Jealous of that view! Must be a beauty in the summer!

[darren32]

Originally Posted by Poppa

^^^ Jealous of that view! Must be a beauty in the summer!

Thank you. It does look a bit different in the summer

[Poppa]

faaaaaack......like a sheet of glass. Gorgeous. We have a similar set up back home on Lake Winnipeg. Nothing like cottage life!

[does it ALL outdoors]

Originally Posted by anorthernhunter

Heading out to Wabamun Sunday morning for some gigantasaurous Jack ...

Your about ten years too late for that

[tangledangler]

plenty of big ones still left just takes a little patience

[sureshot]

Originally Posted by darren32

Thank you. It does look a bit different in the summer

Those stairs look like a killer. Beautiful view though

[SKSniper]

Wab had some big heaves all over the lake this year. Be careful driving. Lake is loaded with small walleye now and most pike are anorexic twigs. Still lots of action. Good luck!

[JohninAB]

Seeing quite a few whites on the camera today.

[kennedy]

so, why is Wabamum not producing big pike anymore? Is it because of the introduction of the walley?

[Weedy1]

Originally Posted by kennedy

so, why is Wabamum not producing big pike anymore? Is it because of the introduction of the walley?

It's due to the shut down of the Wabamun Plant. No more warm water discharge keeping abnormal freaky plant life and bugs available for digestion year round.

[FISHBATTEREDBEER]

Originally Posted by Weedy1

It's due to the shut down of the Wabamun Plant. No more warm water discharge keeping abnormal freaky plant life and bugs available for digestion year round.

The warm water theory is bs,explain why the northern lakes have more giant pike and are much cooler then the southern lakes.Trophy pike seek cold water near the thermocline zone in the summer,in the winter the water is the same temp throughout the lake and your chances of a large pike are greatly increased.The spill and intro of 11 million walleye both happened prior to the decline of big pike numbers.I have read this warm water theory all over the net and think its false.I believe the big pike may have entered the warm area to feed but I don't think its responsible for the lack of big fish numbers.This lake was good for huge pike 10 yrs ago but has steadily went down hill for big pike.

[huntsfurfish]

Originally Posted by FISHBATTEREDBEER

The warm water theory is bs,explain why the northern lakes have more giant pike and are much cooler then the southern lakes.Trophy pike seek cold water near the thermocline zone in the summer,in the winter the water is the same temp throughout the lake and your chances of a large pike are greatly increased.The spill and intro of 11 million walleye both happened prior to the decline of big pike numbers.I have read this warm water theory all over the net and think its false.I believe the big pike may have entered the warm area to feed but I don't think its responsible for the lack of big fish numbers.This lake was good for huge pike 10 yrs ago but has steadily went down hill for big pike.

You are both partly right, and also mortality rates/fishing pressure.

[ddddd05]

huntsfurfish has a good point that you are both right.

FISHBATTEREDBEER, the epic pike fishing peaked after the spill when the lake went catch and release.

13-20lb pike were common until the the plant closed. I hate to say that because I hated the plant. The water never froze in front of our place and the weeds grew to the surface.

Heavy pressure is also an issue. Wabamun became very popular. Those big pike would have been caught hundreds of times. One deep hook can kill a 10 year old fish easy.

The winter before the plant closed my friend and I launched a boat to fish the open water. We didn't catch a thing, but we saw 10 or more huge pike in the shallow water.

One interesting thing though is that most big pike were caught at Fallis, which is pretty much as far away as you can get from where the open water was.

I catch 3x as many walleye as I do pike these days.

[Findaway]

How was the fishing last Sunday? I'm headed out this Sunday for some burb and pike with a few boys, first time on wabamun for all of us!

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[anorthernhunter]

We were out last Sunday.

Spent 6 hours out by Seba Beach and caught 8 pike, one nice big one and had about 6 more hits that didn't get hooked.

We were using tip ups and not jigging.

To be fair to the lake, we didn't move around simply because I have a hand auger and with 24 inches of ice punching a bunch of holes was a lot of work.

If we had a power auger (on my list) we would have moved around and probably hit some good structure.

Also, no camera ... we did it "old school".

We were only after pike ... looking for a "big one". There were a bunch of guys after walleye and whitefish ... I am not sure how they did.

Good luck!

Northern

[NSR_RAT]

Has anyone been out on the lake in the last few days since it got warm out? Just wondering if I should be concerned about ice conditions, and driving on the lake in the warm weather stint.

[Findaway]

Right on, Appreciate the insight! We don't use cameras either though we do rely on navionics to find our spots.
If you decide to try again this weekend, I've got a 10" gas auger id be happy to share if you can point us in the direction of the chubby girls!

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[darren32]

Originally Posted by NSR_RAT

Has anyone been out on the lake in the last few days since it got warm out? Just wondering if I should be concerned about ice conditions, and driving on the lake in the warm weather stint.

I personally would not be concerned about the ice. There was about 24" the last time I checked.

If you are not familiar with the lake there are a couple of spots to avoid all the time.

The train bridge near Wabamun and the point to the west of RR55

**This is not an all inclusive list, just the two that I know about, there could be more**



Have fun

And, yes I know people fish all the time near the point west of RR55 but in the last 5 years 2 vehicles have gone in there and I have hit water on my snowmobile NUMEROUS times there over the years. I know a guy that has lived near there for 30 years and he says there is a spring there. He tells me it was more consistent before trans alta dug highvale pit 4 but now it seems to be hit and miss.

EDIT also some big ice pushes out there this year that I would stay away from

[Findaway]

Thanks for the advice!

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[NSR_RAT]

Thanks for the advice as well greatly appreciate it!

[FISHBATTEREDBEER]

A friend went yest,the pike were all small and skinny.They managed several small walleye,he text and said Wabamun is done for big pike. We found a honey hole several yrs ago and it isn't any good anymore,the big pike numbers are waaaaay down.

[Findaway]

I had some decent success yesterday! Nothing seemed abnormal about size or health of the fish I brought in though it was my first time out that way.


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[Findaway]

Meant to say that last pic was the smallest of the day.

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[Habfan]

Originally Posted by kennedy

so, why is Wabamum not producing big pike anymore? Is it because of the introduction of the walley?

100% certain that walleye stocking is the problem !! Other programs in many states and other provinces don't put 10- 20- 30 million walleye fry in a certain lake. The province of Alberta should have stocked fewer walleyes in more lakes and would have been much more successful, not only in the size of the fish that were stocked, which are mostly stunted in stocked lakes, but the reduction of other species in the stocked lakes as well, due to lack of food. It is evident in every lake that has been over stocked in Alberta !!!!!

[TimeOff]

Originally Posted by Habfan

100% certain that walleye stocking is the problem !! Other programs in many states and other provinces don't put 10- 20- 30 million walleye fry in a certain lake. The province of Alberta should have stocked fewer walleyes in more lakes and would have been much more successful, not only in the size of the fish that were stocked, which are mostly stunted in stocked lakes, but the reduction of other species in the stocked lakes as well, due to lack of food. It is evident in every lake that has been over stocked in Alberta !!!!!

They should be stocking Perch! When small, they are a feeder fish for Walleye and Pike. Then we would have better Perch numbers, and the Walleye and Pike numbers would take care of themselves!