2020/2021 Cold Lake Ice and Fishing Reports

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by -JR-

How thick is the ice for parking a 1 ton truck at the Prov. boat launch

You will be ok, we had a small parking lot going on yesterday there.

[58thecat]

Well yesterday was slowwwww....run and gun style for me as I was alone...managed 6 total one on the jaw jacker and the rest with the TC Moto jig....white body and a pink skirt.

Trucks driving across from p.p. Out to garnet looking at 11" of ice in the open areas but as little as 9-10" in the big body of water....little suv's driving all over the place too....areas last week I had 10" of ice are now 15"....ran into a few fella's from Edmonton who are staying in the ice for three days....-27 this morning just hope they had enough propane

This cold snap for the week will make the ice even more safe for travel now...quad had it last day yesterday now it's truck time

[Worm]

What are snow levels like, did it all blow away in that wind last week? Prefer to use the snowmobile where I can.

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by Worm

What are snow levels like, did it all blow away in that wind last week? Prefer to use the snowmobile where I can.

no issues getting around the lake at all with a snowmobile...small pockets of drifts here and there but there is a few ice ridges to be very careful as the ice chunks are the size of a stove and there are a few rough areas too but if you take your time there will be no issues travelling on the lake.

good luck...my thoughts is the bite is slowing down...or maybe they just dont like my stink.

[-JR-]

Right on . Just might drive around the lake with my 1 ton if the ice keeps getting thicker for the long week end . Are there any big heaves .

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by -JR-

Right on . Just might drive around the lake with my 1 ton if the ice keeps getting thicker for the long week end . Are there any big heaves .

there are two that I know of kinda running from the pp to garnet and then another one kinda running from the marina area out towards garnet too....rough areas in the middle of French bay but hopefully we get more snow to cover those buggers over....

[Jawjacker]

At the marina yesterday there sure was a lot of flood water where we were. Walking on was okay. But the minute you step hard you would go through the snow into the flood water . Fishing was soooo Slooowwwww as mentioned earlier. Some guy at the marina tried driving out a bit in a 1Ton dually and sank himself deep in the slushy flood water snow. Took him a bit to get out.

[Binati]

Very happy there's a long stretch of cold before I make the trip.

[58thecat]

Well chatted with a few that ventured out in the frigid temps....nothing...or one in a 6 hr sit.....one group from Edmonton spent two night out there and nothing.....hope this is not like last year and the bite just dropped right off!

[35 whelen]

Could be a tough tournament ,ill say 30in wins big fish,

[OL_JR]

Originally Posted by 58thecat

Well chatted with a few that ventured out in the frigid temps....nothing...or one in a 6 hr sit.....one group from Edmonton spent two night out there and nothing.....hope this is not like last year and the bite just dropped right off!

I don't spend near as much time on that lake as you would but from what I've seen February hits and the bite starts dropping off a bit every year for the most part. Add a weather system that just moved in the fish might need a bit more time to get settled. Lakers can be especially sensitive to changes in barometric pressure.

[astepanuk]

Finally have a trip planed to come fish Cold lake Feb 6th really looking forward to finally wetting a line and posting pictures on this thread..

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by 35 whelen

Could be a tough tournament ,ill say 30in wins big fish,

ya Friday I was running and gunning all over the place to find fish to cooperate...80-140' of water...still had more success in the deeper water maybe because I had various water columns to play in? Bait was all over the place...chasers but would for the most part just bugger off....I knew the -35 days I was not going out...things tend to break on me at those temps

[Afrayedknot]

Originally Posted by 35 whelen

Could be a tough tournament ,ill say 30in wins big fish,

lol agreed. February is always brutal. Last Feb we went up for a weekend and spent 26 hrs on the ice and got 2 fish.

[trouty]

Originally Posted by Afrayedknot

lol agreed. February is always brutal. Last Feb we went up for a weekend and spent 26 hrs on the ice and got 2 fish.

Been my experience too. Last couple times weekend around Feb 20 and it was slow. Seems like as soon as it ice ups it’s good and slows when you can drive on.

[-JR-]

I find it will not get good till March, kinda a sucks for all those that are entering the fish derby. But then again if you catch a fish chance are you won !

[Binati]

Been out last two years in February, skunked each time, keep getting earlier every year, but I'm blaming warm weather for this year. 8 days til I go

[Afrayedknot]

Originally Posted by trouty

Been my experience too. Last couple times weekend around Feb 20 and it was slow. Seems like as soon as it ice ups it’s good and slows when you can drive on.

Exactly. I even went up the middle of January this year thinking I could beat the slow down. Only landed a few in 3 days. Burbot bite was hot at the marina though. I'm up there for the long weekend in Feb anyways so I figured I might as well pay the $50 and fish in the tourney and maybe get lucky. Now I'll have to make sense of these depth charts for the big lake. Don't think the Marina or French Bay will be very productive with the amount of people up there that weekend. Gotta find some new spots lol

[SamSteele]

Feb can be pretty good too.

[58thecat]

awesome...what was the numbers? heard the bite was slowwww over all....early Jan, 20-30 a day and then ohhhh wait that was last Feb...still not pushing 20-30 a day but if ya stuck it out ya can manage half a dozen...great pics!!!!!

[Binati]

So I know to look for drop off but am having trouble picturing how steep they are on the map. Going to be a lot of test holes. Where do I set up when I find it? Bottom of the slope middle or somewhere near the top.

[astepanuk]

I’ve never fished Cold lake but like fishing any lake drill holes from shallow to deep watch the flasher. Mark fish start fishing.

[Binati]

Weather is going to be nicer this year so going to try a bit of that but have the shack for base which is a camper and not planning on moving that a bunch.

[Afrayedknot]

Originally Posted by Binati

So I know to look for drop off but am having trouble picturing how steep they are on the map. Going to be a lot of test holes. Where do I set up when I find it? Bottom of the slope middle or somewhere near the top.

Lol same thing I am trying to figure out too. When are you going up next?

[Binati]

Heading up on Wednesday. So going to ask obvious or dumb questions to up my chances as much as possible to break the skunk streak on the lake.

[rasbok]

i'm no pro on cold lake that's for sure but a flasher in my opinion is a must i wouldnt even fish cold lake with out one

start at 80 ft and see if you mark any fish. I use navionics and look for shelves and drop offs I always try different depths till you mark work the whole column of water sometimes they are 2 feet of bottom and sometimes they are cruising at 20-60 feet (seems like those ones are hungry ) If you get a chaser reel right to the ice. sometimes they will bite 10 feet under the ice

I typically use a white tube jig but have luck with white and red paddle tails and of course chartreuse is always a good option if white isn't working i haven't tried len thompson's but read that some guys have good luck (just takes forever to get to 80-100 feet.

I normally put a minnow on. This year i've tried sucker belly and it stays on good.

Good luck

Originally Posted by Binati

Heading up on Wednesday. So going to ask obvious or dumb questions to up my chances as much as possible to break the skunk streak on the lake.

[Binati]

Been two previous years and have always seen fish but getting them to bit has been an impossible task for me. Threw everything in the tackle box down different baits no bait fast slow still fast. I got a bit last year in three days and counted that as a win. Was looking more an area to park the trailer for at least a couple days to have half decent odds. Will drill and look before setting up shop have flashers. Weather looks decent enough that I can be mobile outside.

[lromanchuk]

Originally Posted by Binati

Been two previous years and have always seen fish but getting them to bit has been an impossible task for me. Threw everything in the tackle box down different baits no bait fast slow still fast. I got a bit last year in three days and counted that as a win. Was looking more an area to park the trailer for at least a couple days to have half decent odds. Will drill and look before setting up shop have flashers. Weather looks decent enough that I can be mobile outside.

I highly recommend using a stinger. 90% of my lakers are landed on the stinger. I like to fish off humps. Hump comes up to about 70 and ill walk off that hump to about 100 ft. That's my sweet spot.

[Binati]

That is good, forgot about stingers have to make some up.

[Binati]

K hope picture works. Should I use fluorocarbon for stinger then. And do you leave the hook flopping at the end or attach it to lure/bait