Ice Fishing Hell in Alberta
Was SUPPOSED to be a high of - 5C yesterday in the Smoky Lake area yesterday.
Left at 6 AM to get on the first light bite on a small trout lake in the area.
Arrived to a BALMY -27 C!!! Not to worry, the day will warm up right?
With the secret bait in hand, I managed to fire up the ice auger and get 4 holes cut in no time as the sun started to rise. AND THEN .... nothing happened?
Bobber would "shiver" and the fish would drop the bait??? Bobbers were also freezing solid in the ice! Checked some hooks that were stripped bare and the bobbers did not twitch, as they were of course frozen!
Mid day, still - 27 C????? Truck thermometer had to be stuck, right?
Eventually, very small bobbers and quick reactions saw some trout get hooked. a couple 16 inch range, so some solace in this adventure. Lake is in a depression, and cold air sinks, not rises. Sun was not strong enough long enough to cause any thermal heating on the lake, and there was NO WIND!
As we drove out a couple of miles, temp rose to - 19 C, then as we got further to Edmonton, - 5 C????
Could have stayed in bed I suppose, but all in all a great time with my Nephew, and quite a few very light hits once we figured out what was going on.
These fish were simply not aggressive, but they were there. Just one of those days.
Drewski
|