Pigeon lake

[Gbuss]

Let me start this post off by saying I grew up fishing lake of the woods a lake with loads of structure and if you know how to fish that you can produce lots of fish. With that being said. I have been to pigeon lake a couple of time now. I have noticed their isn't much structure to the lake. The odd gradual humps no real steep drop offs were it will go from 10' to 25 30' in about 20 yards. That being said I have only been able to ice 2 walleye so far. I have fished the pp in about 18fow and mill Hurst in 16fow.

What the heck do they hold on i. That lake during the winter with little to no structure?? This is not a complaint just trying to figure them out and yes i get away from the crowds as i dont like to crowd up.


Gbuss

[HuyFishin]

This lake kills me everytime i go. I have been here 5 days straight and skunked. I feel like this place is just an oversized pond and they dont know where to swim most of the time haha. I go to the Provincial Park drop off and i barely see fish. They dont seem to swim in schools like the fishing shows online haha.

Yesterday i fished at the provincial park, arrived at 7:30am had the morning walleye bite with 5 walleyes, sat on the bucket all the way till sunset till i got one more bite. let me tell yah, i could have gone home after the sunrise and drove back for sunset haha. I was using a buckshot and the slab rap on each rod.

[RACKER]

I’ve found they move out of the PP trough come January. Middle of the lake produces but not sure how thick the ice is out there. East side always has been good for me. The walleye hang out near rock structures and that’s where I’ve had luck. This is where the camera is a great tool. Also a jig and minnow for me catches a lot more fish than any spoon or rap that I’ve tried. Now only if I could drive out there.

[SNAPFisher]

I'm largely just echoing what HuyFishin and Racker are saying.

I was at PP last Saturday based on your post of seeing shrimp. You were correct! I found lots in certain areas there. I came for the whites and didn't see a single one. Like HF, I nailed 6 wallies first thing in the morning and then it died off for me and everyone else it seemed. I was in 10 FOW of water though. I find that early season I can get them and visually fish them in 9-10 FOW. By mid-day I was out in 25 FOW and managed 3 more. All mine were caught on jigging spoons. Lots of raising up to the top and fluttering and and vigorous jigging. I adjust the action based on what I'm seeing. 2-3 of the walleye in the morning were caught by dropping the spoon to the bottom and only slightly jigging it once in a while. Like Racker, I find they move out of the more shallow water once January hits.

FYI, looks like much colder air coming to central later next week if the forecast holds. Lots of wind to remove any snow cover and then lots of cold. That will grow some ice!

[Gbuss]

Originally Posted by RACKER

I’ve found they move out of the PP trough come January. Middle of the lake produces but not sure how thick the ice is out there. East side always has been good for me. The walleye hang out near rock structures and that’s where I’ve had luck. This is where the camera is a great tool. Also a jig and minnow for me catches a lot more fish than any spoon or rap that I’ve tried. Now only if I could drive out there.

I need to find these rock structure you talk about. I would love to find that and fish it.

Gbuss

[riderprider]

I’ve found that for the most part at Pigeon if you’re not fishing either morning or evening it’s pretty slim pickings. PP is mostly a waste past Christmas.

[HuyFishin]

Originally Posted by Gbuss

I need to find these rock structure you talk about. I would love to find that and fish it.

Gbuss

when people talk about structure they are referring to that one lonesome stone in the middle of the lake lol

[Gbuss]

Originally Posted by HuyFishin

when people talk about structure they are referring to that one lonesome stone in the middle of the lake lol

When I talk about structure I want to see mother earth come up to about 2fow and drop down to 25fow in about 10 yards.

Gbuss

[Brandonkop]

Pigeon does have structure, hard to find but when you do it is usually fish on. But still most days i would say early morning or sunset to night bite for walleye. I drove out to the middle last could days. 10 to 11.5 inches. Fishing was slow for us. Only whites we found were deep. Got one walleye out deep and 6 on structure after sunset yesterday. Thats a pretty slow days. Usually do better out there. You'd be surprised though sometimes the shallow sand to the west of mulhurst can be good for walleye too. Fun when theyre cruising 3 feet of water.

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[Gbuss]

Belive me I will find the structure on that lake. Once I do it will be fish on. But I am glad alote of people have the same frustrations as I do lol so it is just not me. To that I will be out sometime soon in hops to try a few new spots.


Gbuss

[SNAPFisher]

Originally Posted by Gbuss

Belive me I will find the structure on that lake. Once I do it will be fish on. But I am glad alote of people have the same frustrations as I do lol so it is just not me. To that I will be out sometime soon in hops to try a few new spots.

Gbuss

The pic looks great actually. For me, if I find rocks like you are seeing, I'll find the edge where either they thin out or abruptly disappear and fish that. Usually I find the fish cruise that more than directly on top of rocks. Same thing for weeds for me, find the edge. With little structure, fish seem to relate to these areas.

[Red Bullets]

On the east end of Sundance beach there is a spot with lots of rocks in about 14 feet of water. And Birdsh*t island SW of Mameo has great structure with rock piles.

[338Bluff]

Originally Posted by Red Bullets

On the east end of Sundance beach there is a spot with lots of rocks in about 14 feet of water. And Birdsh*t island SW of Mameo has great structure with rock piles.

Isn't that Island pretty much straight North and slightly East of Mameo? You can see it on Google Earth.

[Red Bullets]

Originally Posted by Red Bullets

On the east end of Sundance beach there is a spot with lots of rocks in about 14 feet of water. And Birdsh*t island SW of Mameo has great structure with rock piles.

I just saw my screw up. Sorry. It was north and a bit west, not SW.

[SamSteele]

It was a slow day for us as well. Ended up with 3 for the 3 hours we were there. Lots coming in and checking things out on the flasher, but not a lot of takers.

[OL_JR]

Haven't fished pigeon in a couple of years but the drop off in front of Grandview has generally been pretty good to me.

Walleye have really short feeding windows in the dead of winter. I don't know how many times I've been on a walleye lake and everyone is heading out while the bite is just beginning. Generally pretty short and nuts for the most part. Fishing is fishing and nothing is 100% gospel but I feel if you aren't packing up well after dark you haven't given yourself the best shot.

If I'm just fishing for walleye and want to avoid a lot of dead time I'll avoid the morning bite, do something more productive with my day and head out in the afternoon. Getting into March I'm more willing to put a full day in. Just my two cents.

[caltheim]

Any one out to Pigeon this weekend? Wondering how the snow is, I heard that there was quite a bit after the snowfalls over the past week.

I assume that there is lots of ice now!

[SamSteele]

Originally Posted by caltheim

Any one out to Pigeon this weekend? Wondering how the snow is, I heard that there was quite a bit after the snowfalls over the past week.



I assume that there is lots of ice now!

Lots of hard drifts and floodwater in some areas. I took a sled and quad out. A guy drove to where we were with his truck but it looked like there were some tough points when I followed his tracks out.

[doublehaul]

I was at mulhurst Saturday, there is enough snow to get stuck. About 10” of settled snow.

If you have good tires and a good 4x4 you should be fine.

The problem is driving slow or when it warms up and the snow is heavier.

Take a shovel and drive at a steady safe speed

There is about 18” of ice

[Brandonkop]

Originally Posted by SamSteele

It was a slow day for us as well. Ended up with 3 for the 3 hours we were there. Lots coming in and checking things out on the flasher, but not a lot of takers.

Love the pic of the kids!

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[-JR-]

The walleye sure don't bite much come winter in pigeon.
It really is all about the lack of bait fish in this lake for them to go deep where every one things they are in winter.

Why do they go deep : water temp, and its darker as they do not like sunlight.

What pigeon is missing in this lake is bait fish for them to feed on in deep holes .

I have never heard of the government releasing minnows into our lakes to feed walleye in a catch and release lakes or at the least a lake like pigeon.

I also can not remember seeing any minnows in this lake like it used to be .

To find these walleye one needs to go where the bait is .
My guess, they are shallow beside the weeds just west of the provincial camp grounds.

Good luck and enjoy this weather .


JR

[buckmaster]

We fished by zeiner yesterday. We got 1 walleye during the day and managed to fill a few tags in the evening; the bite was very slow. Ice was measured at 16'' with some flood water and drifts.

[BigPapaBear]

Was out at Silver Beach yesterday and the walleye didn't even show up until an hour after sunset, then filled a couple of tags.

[l.c.mitchell]

*i got blown in


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[SNAPFisher]

I'm going to skidoo it this weekend. Just cause...

[dend]

Second day out on the lake. Mulhurst first afternoon, nothing. Sitting in the tent now trying to find tips to get some tags filled. Will stay late tonight seems to be a good strategy. Decided on PP today, and so did alot of others. So well see how the evening goes.

[FlyTheory]

Originally Posted by dend

Second day out on the lake. Mulhurst first afternoon, nothing. Sitting in the tent now trying to find tips to get some tags filled. Will stay late tonight seems to be a good strategy. Decided on PP today, and so did alot of others. So well see how the evening goes.

We got a 45cm walleye and nothing else

[RACKER]

Has anyone driven out to the point at Silver beach within the last few days?It was really bad 3 weeks ago and i was hoping there was some traffic out there to make a decent path.

[dr.crentist]

I’d like to hit Pigeon this weekend as well, any updates would be welcome. Just going to the Mulhurst side

[Bigwoodsman]

Went out to Pigeon Lake today. There is about 7 inches of crusted snow on top of a foot is sugar. I got out about 1 km from the Mulhurst boat launch and snow golf course and buried myself in a drift got high centred. Took out the shovel and dug myself out, after an hour or so was turned around and back on my track. Decide to come home. Was a nice drive and got away from the COVID 19 news for a few hours.

Now I need to find a snowmobile!

BW