2020/2021 Cold Lake Ice and Fishing Reports

[Captainkip]

Wind is 33 gusting 50km per hour. That pretty much takes care of that new ice. The temp is right at -27 tonight. The wind won’t help build ice But it’s knocking the heat out rapidly.

[58thecat]

Well French Bay looks like it is ice covered now, Centre Bay is almost completely covered but main body is still wide open....gotta get out and locate the winning fish for the upcoming tournament.


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-18 right now but is supposed to warm up

dam sideway pics but you can see the ice starting to take over.

top pic is French Bay and the bottom one is Centre Bay taken from the provincial park boat launch.

[Duramaximos]

Any ice thickness reports for Travers, Badger, McGreggor?

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[Captainkip]

She tried hard to freeze last night but still a lot of open water out deep. The wind in the next few days will take its toll on any new ice from the past 24 hours. It’s already breaking the new ice in front of the Marina.

[Captainkip]

Zero today and plus 40 winds. Center bay is open again. French bay still froze over as well as English Bay and North Bay. There is ice from Garnet all the way back North East to the Cold River. It looks like a line from Garnett to the island is froze over.

[-JR-]

Anyone fishing yet by the ski hill in french bay

[58thecat]

Nope...it just iced over for the most part.....I wouldn't chance it even walking out yet.

[Captainkip]

-15 and calm this morning. Woke up and can see the town glow across the bi go pond. Leaving for work and won’t have eyes on it in daylight until tomorrow. But let’s hope she’s a Freeze over for good.

[Captainkip]

Main lake still open. +1 forecast today.

Merry Christmas Everyone.

[lromanchuk]

Wow, still open hey. Might be hitting the humps in a canoe in February

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by lromanchuk

Wow, still open hey. Might be hitting the humps in a canoe in February

I got off Ethal today plus 5 was the temp reading in the truck....lots of ice on the smaller lakes but we need a week or two of -20 to get the big lake to freeze solid.

[lromanchuk]

I saw pictures of a guy claiming to be fishing French bay with about 6-8 inches of ice? Could this be true?

[Captainkip]

Cooler temps last night and today. -15 forecast for tonight.

Right now the lake is 90% froze over. Let’s hope the wind stays down.

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by lromanchuk

I saw pictures of a guy claiming to be fishing French bay with about 6-8 inches of ice? Could this be true?

if you walk out from the launch and go into the back bay a bit you might be good but verify ice thickness as you go out...might check it out later see what's up but having fun on the smaller lakes right now.

[35 whelen]

Should be good for the ice fishing tournament nobody will be able to fish till then on the main Lake.

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[58thecat]

Originally Posted by 35 whelen

Should be good for the ice fishing tournament nobody will be able to fish till then on the main Lake.

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you and I know mother nature is about to let loose and set us in a deep freeze soon enough....just long enough to give us 15" to 20" of very little snow covered ice would be awesome then shoot back up to -10 lows....here's hoping.

[35 whelen]

Originally Posted by 58thecat

you and I know mother nature is about to let loose and set us in a deep freeze soon enough....just long enough to give us 15" to 20" of very little snow covered ice would be awesome then shoot back up to -10 lows....here's hoping.

Yes you know it's going to be minus 30 for a while before middle of February.

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[Captainkip]

Guys were out on French Bay today Pretty far out too past the ski hill.

Some walking and one quad out there. I’d believe it if there was 6 inches out there.

[Captainkip]

The curtain has fallen on the lakes last act. Winter has finally won out over the big lady.

Total freeze over has happened!!

[OL_JR]

Originally Posted by Captainkip

The curtain has fallen on the lakes last act. Winter has finally won out over the big lady.

Total freeze over has happened!!

Excellent thanks for the report, hoping to go up third week of Jan weather permitting.

[58thecat]

6-8" of ice out in front of ski hill.....it's go time

[58thecat]

fella was buzzing around on a side by side 100-150 yards from shore so I will take out the quad and give it a go....stopped by Emma's and stocked up on bait....lots of bait
Wife said wtf and I told here its finger food for new year eve....

[rasbok]

Thanks for the update fellas. think i will be checking out French Bay next week with the sled.

question has any one tried sucker minnows or cisco? Yes i know cisco are illegal in Ab but they are legal in Sask.

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by rasbok

Thanks for the update fellas. think i will be checking out French Bay next week with the sled.

question has any one tried sucker minnows or cisco? Yes i know cisco are illegal in Ab but they are legal in Sask.

Even though the lake sits between two provinces the lake follows under Alberta regulations.....I use suckers,anchovies all various sizes for succes....tub jig and a minnow....

http://social.thefishinhole.com/inde...&articleId=376

Good article to read...

Cisco also called tullibee or lake herring are of the family Coregonidae and use of the whole fish as bait is prohibited. As Cisco are classified as a game fish the skin, fins, or eyes of cisco legally caught by angling may be used as bait similar to other game fish.

[rasbok]

Great read. Thanks.

Originally Posted by 58thecat

Even though the lake sits between two provinces the lake follows under Alberta regulations.....I use suckers,anchovies all various sizes for succes....tub jig and a minnow....

http://social.thefishinhole.com/inde...&articleId=376

Good article to read...

Cisco also called tullibee or lake herring are of the family Coregonidae and use of the whole fish as bait is prohibited. As Cisco are classified as a game fish the skin, fins, or eyes of cisco legally caught by angling may be used as bait similar to other game fish.

[Egymcara]

Originally Posted by Captainkip

The curtain has fallen on the lakes last act. Winter has finally won out over the big lady.

Total freeze over has happened!!

False, Cold lake still has many wide open spots as of 2pm on the 29th of Dec.

[58thecat]

Originally Posted by Egymcara

False, Cold lake still has many wide open spots as of 2pm on the 29th of Dec.

yup the middle is still open just looks like it is frozen over depending on the wind direction moving the ice around so be careful out there.

[35 whelen]

Originally Posted by Captainkip

The curtain has fallen on the lakes last act. Winter has finally won out over the big lady.



Total freeze over has happened!!

This is the problem so many people post reports of ice depths and everything you almost got to check it yourself, the Cold Lake ice fishing tournament will be doing ice reports soon I'm told

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[Captainkip]

Originally Posted by 35 whelen

This is the problem so many people post reports of ice depths and everything you almost got to check it yourself, the Cold Lake ice fishing tournament will be doing ice reports soon I'm told

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Oh so sorry. I didn’t realize that looking at the lake from my living room window everyday and reporting on its state was not good enough for you. It froze. It snowed and on the 28th the whole lake was white as the ice was covered in snow. Last night the wind came up and opened a section in the middle.

I never stated that it would not open up in sections or that the pressure cracks wouldn’t open or any thing. I stated that it froze over.

[35 whelen]

Take a chill pill

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