2020/2021 Cold Lake Ice and Fishing Reports - Page 2

Willowtrail · #31 12-02-2020, 05:32 PM

The is for the updates guys.

Can’t wait to get out there tomorrow morning. Bringing an ice chipper and spade shovel to break a little ice away on that hump. Going to be a wicked couple days.

58thecat · #32 12-03-2020, 08:01 AM

Cold mornings below zero but the mid day temps will be above zero and dead calm for the most part ohhh and sunny skies too...let us know how ya made out...good luck and catch'em up.

Willowtrail · #33 12-03-2020, 11:46 AM

We chipped the ice at the launch. I have photos but don’t know how to post them anymore. We have 13 landed in an hour. Just released an 81

58thecat · #34 12-04-2020, 12:44 AM

When you get time....general discussions has a thread on posting pictures...sounds like you are/had a good time out there....nice weather for this time of the month.

SamSteele · #35 12-04-2020, 08:22 PM

I’ll post a few up for Willowtrail from today.

SS

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lromanchuk · #36 12-04-2020, 09:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SamSteele

I’ll post a few up for Willowtrail from today.

SS

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Nice work!!

58thecat · #37 12-05-2020, 09:00 AM

Hmmmm your fishing right where I want to drill future holes....leave some for me

35 whelen · #38 12-05-2020, 09:42 AM

Do we need an extension yet

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Jims83cj5 · #39 12-05-2020, 09:50 AM

Were they deep?

Willowtrail · #40 12-05-2020, 11:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jims83cj5

Were they deep?

Both days I found them at around 65-70’ so I hit the anchor button and started there. Thursday I only moved once and only about 50’ to get to 78’ deep and 2 of us landed 42 and lost and missed at least that many.

Friday we picked up a mate on shore and went to the same spot. I didn’t even hit the bottom and bam, fish on, followed by the other 2 hooking up as well, triple header 30 seconds into the day.

I wasn’t able to charge my bow mount batteries Thursday night and sadly they died around 130. We started trolling and got some more fish but smaller size.

Day 2 was in the 50’s for fish landed. Some of us kept forgetting to hit the clicker and therefore were guessing but there were 48 on the clickers and likely 10 more.

Overall, close to 100 lakers in 2 days and under 5 hours fishing each day. Was an epic couple of days.

Boat launch is perfect now and the concrete ribs are even melting in the daytime sun now that we got some sand from the tires and water running on them. Pulling the boat up and out was no issue and the ice around the rocks at the launch help to get the truck driver into the boat with no docks.

-JR- · #41 12-05-2020, 04:00 PM

You know I have to ask ....any thing Big ?

Captainkip · #42 12-06-2020, 05:27 AM

Sounds like a good trip. Pretty standard for a few days on this lake. Usual catch is about 15 -20 per hour.

This lake needs some variety. I’d like to see Kokanee and Small Mouth in this lake. My chat with the fisheries biologist has confirmed this will never happen though. Who else would be interested in such opportunities in this lake?

Jims83cj5 · #43 12-06-2020, 08:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Willowtrail

Both days I found them at around 65-70’ so I hit the anchor button and started there. Thursday I only moved once and only about 50’ to get to 78’ deep and 2 of us landed 42 and lost and missed at least that many.

Friday we picked up a mate on shore and went to the same spot. I didn’t even hit the bottom and bam, fish on, followed by the other 2 hooking up as well, triple header 30 seconds into the day.

I wasn’t able to charge my bow mount batteries Thursday night and sadly they died around 130. We started trolling and got some more fish but smaller size.

Day 2 was in the 50’s for fish landed. Some of us kept forgetting to hit the clicker and therefore were guessing but there were 48 on the clickers and likely 10 more.

Overall, close to 100 lakers in 2 days and under 5 hours fishing each day. Was an epic couple of days.

Boat launch is perfect now and the concrete ribs are even melting in the daytime sun now that we got some sand from the tires and water running on them. Pulling the boat up and out was no issue and the ice around the rocks at the launch help to get the truck driver into the boat with no docks.

Thx for the detailed response, so glad you guys had a great trip

58thecat · #44 12-06-2020, 09:22 AM

What type of jigs were you using?

35 whelen · #45 12-06-2020, 09:36 AM

Lead

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SamSteele · #46 12-06-2020, 12:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 58thecat

What type of jigs were you using?

I was using the Jackall 3/4 oz Deracoup and the Mack’s Lure 1 oz Sonic Baitfish.

The other guys were using the 1 oz Freedom jigs with 5” swim baits. Sorry. I don’t have pics of them handy.

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lromanchuk · #47 12-06-2020, 01:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SamSteele

I was using the Jackall 3/4 oz Deracoup and the Mack’s Lure 1 oz Sonic Baitfish.

The other guys were using the 1 oz Freedom jigs with 5” swim baits. Sorry. I don’t have pics of them handy.

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Awesome. Thanks for the info. Always good to chuck a few new lures in the mix.

Watchdog · #48 12-06-2020, 05:18 PM

For those interested this was the ice at French Bay launch today....

58thecat · #49 12-06-2020, 06:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lromanchuk

Awesome. Thanks for the info. Always good to chuck a few new lures in the mix.

Exactly....now I gotta order a few of those beauts cuz when the ice is safe to be on man those trout are going to be going crazy

So best be prepared to give'em hell....

58thecat · #50 12-06-2020, 06:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Watchdog

For those interested this was the ice at French Bay launch today....

Ya this weeks gonna still be warm but starting Friday we will see colder temps

Willowtrail · #51 12-07-2020, 12:30 PM

Sam gave you most of the updates. Lots of bigger fish than summer, that’s for sure. I would day out of the nearly 100 landed 10 were over. 81cm on Thursday was the biggest.

I was using a few lures. Chartreuse tube jig, freedom heads with either Champ Swimmers or 13 fishing Churros. They were the ticket for the chasers. Those paddle rails thumping down there were killer.

We had over 6 triple headers Friday and one to start the day off, I didn’t even hit bottom. Got hit at 50’.

58thecat · #52 12-07-2020, 01:50 PM

Glad you guys got out...wasn't sure if you could launch a boat yet lone retrieve it afterwords...thought the launch was going to be to icy...thx for the info on lures used too.

Willowtrail · #53 12-07-2020, 08:22 PM

It wasn’t doable the way it was. We took 15 minutes with 2 ice chippers to get it good. The launch wasn’t icy driving up. That was part of my worry too.

58thecat · #54 12-12-2020, 09:11 AM

Starting tomorrow -15 so we will be getting closer to some ice fishing laker slaying

The little lakes are keeping me interested but the big lake is where my heart is.....

Captainkip · #55 12-13-2020, 05:05 PM

It’s happening. -22 today. Light winds. Lake is dumping heat fast all day and covered in thick fog. Can’t barely see 50 yards across it but the water I could see close to shore was thick slush.

It’s supposed to stay relatively calm and -24 over night. It could be froze over this week.

rasbok · #56 12-13-2020, 08:48 PM

thanks for the update. keep them coming. cheers

Binati · #57 12-13-2020, 08:48 PM

Thatd be great hope it closes over starts building. When was it froze over last year?

Captainkip · #58 12-14-2020, 05:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Binati

Thatd be great hope it closes over starts building. When was it froze over last year?

It froze on the 15th of dec. I was fishing in front of the marina 80 ft of water December 23 last year. I’ve heard at -20 it build 2’inches a day. So it will build fast this cold.

58thecat · #59 12-14-2020, 05:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Captainkip

It froze on the 15th of dec. I was fishing in front of the marina 80 ft of water December 23 last year. I’ve heard at -20 it build 2’inches a day. So it will build fast this cold.

Ya still only two days forecasted below 20 then warming up rest of the week...just hope the wind doesn't get crazy and bugger up the building of smooth ice....40km gusts on Ethel Saturday...tied the ice tent off the quad...

If those type of winds hit the big lake and she doesn't freeze over it can be a bugger to navigate later on....fingers crossed.

Captainkip · #60 12-15-2020, 05:14 PM

Well she’s a tough old B@tch. Northeast winds been keeping the ice on its heels. Center bay off the provincial park is about quarter frozen. It’s open from the launch across the bay. French bay didn’t look to have ice on it. The Southwest side of the provincial park has ice out to about 500 yards. Probably 60 yards of ice along lakeshore here by the Marina.

Forecast is ok for cold but not helping with -2 forecast for the weekend.