Author Topic: Lake Diefenbaker 2022-2023 (Read 19980 times)

burbotmachine · « **on:** Nov 10, 2022, 12:35 PM »

Are the bays or coulees froze up yet? i heard that blackstrap got 4 inches of ice

ToonFisher · « **Reply #1 on:** Nov 11, 2022, 12:56 AM »

usually December 20ish

small-town-fisher · « **Reply #2 on:** Nov 28, 2022, 11:38 AM »

Good morning guys just curious on what the ice conditions are looking like at coteau bay?

Hatandboots · « **Reply #3 on:** Dec 08, 2022, 12:46 PM »

Anyone know if anything near the north end has frozen up enough to walk around on?

Hotwheel · « **Reply #4 on:** Dec 08, 2022, 03:15 PM »

Anyone walking on coteau bay yet?

ToonFisher · « **Reply #5 on:** Dec 10, 2022, 12:39 AM »

8 inch of ice in Coteau Bay. There were some fishermen before me.

The main lake froze over already at Gardiner Dam. But I did not check ice thickness. It looks very thin in the main lake.Thanks to the recent deep freeze, one should be able to walk on in the bays near the dam.

Dwightster1 · « **Reply #6 on:** Dec 18, 2022, 02:36 PM »

Just curious if anyone has any info on how much snow is on the backroads connecting to Lake Dief near Riverhurst

Run-n-gun Walleye Chaser · « **Reply #7 on:** Dec 20, 2022, 10:28 AM »

I was out last Wednesday on Coteue bay. Hit the perch pretty good at 19 feet, was hoping for something to come feed on them but no dice. Ice was very thick in side places 12" plus, others as low as 8". Snow cover in the bay on the ice, but the main lake was iced but clear. After this freeze the main lake might be good.

Anyone willing to trade some lake info for some beer? I have no experience in a lake Like Dief so would appreciate safety tips, water depth for fish, hell I don't even know if there are still rainbows or brookies here!

Tight lines and thick ice all!

Dwightster1 · « **Reply #8 on:** Dec 20, 2022, 10:42 PM »

One thing I have consistently heard on this forum is that the ice thickness can vary a lot from one area to another....so Never never "assume" that it is Save or the same thickness everywhere.!!! And apparently there's several places where there used to be gas wells prior to the lake being formed by the dam that are still "bubbling" up and creating shallow ice/ soft spots that are not marked and are Dangerous.... ALL just hearsay on here But I chose to ONLY drive in areas where I can SEE tire tracks in the snow and even then I still stick close to the bank....where I KNOW the ice " should" be 12 inches plus

Run-n-gun Walleye Chaser · « **Reply #9 on:** Dec 21, 2022, 06:52 AM »

I hadn't heard about the gas areas, but I'll keep that in mind! I'll make sure to follow the tracks. Thanks!

farmboy · « **Reply #10 on:** Dec 21, 2022, 11:47 AM »

Yeah be very cautious walleye chaser. The south end typically has more gas wells than the north end but there are also gas wells on the north end.

Ice can be as thin as a couple inches mid February where these gas wells exist. The tricky part is that once there’s a skiff of ice over the gas wells, there’s no way of spotting them until you find them by accident.

There is even a gas well in Coteau Bay. It’s straight out from the boat launch. Dief is a tricky one…..

Tight lines and be safe

speckspotter · « **Reply #11 on:** Dec 21, 2022, 12:31 PM »

Adding my two cents on this topic......

I have fished a spot around Riverhurst for a number of years now. I too follow the existing truck tracks that have pulled permanent shacks out.

Last year, I was fishing late in the season on ice well over two feet thick when I kept getting strange marks on my
flasher. They would rise off the bottom at a constant rate and come to the top of the water column. When one "burped" in the hole I was fishing, I realized these must be gas bubbles. This was the first time I experienced this in six years of fishing the spot. A sobering conversation with one of the locals on the topic reinforced the unpredictability of thin ice on this lake. I am not so sure that these gas releases aren't more random than we think.

I don't think one can be too careful on Diefenbaker.

saskbucks · « **Reply #12 on:** Dec 21, 2022, 09:42 PM »

Very good points Farmboy and Speck. I have fished Dief for several years and quite regularly drill a hole that has bubbles constantly showing up on my sonar. A couple years ago in the middle of winter I was walking on a spot I had fished in previous winters and almost walked into open water. Totally freaked me out. Be very careful.

Hatandboots · « **Reply #13 on:** Dec 22, 2022, 08:43 AM »

Yikes. Almost wondering if there would be a way to mark these spots. Doable on online mapping at least.

shawno · « **Reply #14 on:** Dec 22, 2022, 11:06 AM »

Anyone know what the ice conditions are around Elbow Harbor area? Hoping to get down there after Christmas. Thanks.

Burbot Master · « **Reply #15 on:** Dec 22, 2022, 11:21 AM »

About 14" in the Harbour and about 7" at the mouth last weekend. Could be quite a bite more now with the cold weather we've
had.
Good luck and travel safe.

shawno · « **Reply #16 on:** Dec 22, 2022, 12:40 PM »

Thanks BM....maybe see you out there. I'll be in my Silver Tundra...pop by and say hello if your out!

shawno · « **Reply #17 on:** Dec 27, 2022, 08:57 PM »

Made it out today, but had to call it quits early when it started raining. Pretty consist 16-17” everywhere I drilled in the bays, but saw trucks driving out onto the main lake pulling permy’s, so I am assuming ice must be at least 12” out there, but I didn’t check, so be safe. Heard someone drove across the lake from riverhurst yesterday 😳

DoubleHookSet · « **Reply #18 on:** Dec 28, 2022, 09:46 PM »

Quote from: Hatandboots on Dec 22, 2022, 08:43 AM

Yikes. Almost wondering if there would be a way to mark these spots. Doable on online mapping at least.

I've read plenty of warnings and I believe it is methane gas that is released. I'm no biologist but has something to do with areas on lake bottom deprived of oxygen. That means that those spots aren't always consistent from year to year. I've personally seen the bubbles on my sonar. If you're not sure, I'd advise erring on the side of caution. Good luck and tight lines everyone.

Hatandboots · « **Reply #19 on:** Dec 29, 2022, 04:27 PM »

Whole Lotta snow out here now. I can't see any blue ice anymore. 4x4 is probably a good idea if you are driving on.

What's the trick for all these whities that never commit to a bite?

ran7ger · « **Reply #20 on:** Dec 29, 2022, 06:11 PM »

I know the geeks just lay a minnow on bottom under a jawjacker or dead stick.

Mikethi21 · « **Reply #21 on:** Dec 29, 2022, 06:29 PM »

Hey guys. How deep of snow are we talking in Coteau bay? Was hoping to drive on tomorrow. Ice should be thick enough around edges forsure. How about driving straight to the south side of the bay?? Haven't been on this lake for a while. So thanks in advance.

Hatandboots · « **Reply #22 on:** Dec 30, 2022, 02:01 PM »

The snow is not very deep in some spots, ( <6" ) but there are a lot of drifts that are a couple of feet deep that you gotta watch out for. Ice seems pretty thick everywhere, 14+ inches, but be careful. There are some major heaves showing up on the main lake now as well.

Hotwheel · « **Reply #23 on:** Dec 30, 2022, 08:23 PM »

Someone has to be the first to break trail onto the lake at coteau boat launch. It looks doable but i was pulling a shack so i found a path someone cleared at sandyshores at a park or something between two cabins. After a day of fishing some "bleep" of a cabin owner decided to block the path off the lake. It wasnt a lot so he had no right to block everyone from getting off the lake..even if he was the one who made it. We all had to find alternate exit right past someones cabin.

Mikethi21 · « **Reply #24 on:** Dec 31, 2022, 10:51 AM »

Thanks for the replies guys. Checked out coteau yesterday also and yeah no one had broken a trail. So I jumped over to the east side and went on from the shady lane campground. Solid 15in of ice. 4x4 and fairly new all seasons can get ya anywhere over there pretty easy.

cdnb · « **Reply #25 on:** Dec 31, 2022, 10:34 PM »

@hotwheel How dare a property owner impede your free access, across private property, to the lake. Unbelievable. Give your head a shake.

speckspotter · « **Reply #26 on:** Jan 01, 2023, 08:41 PM »

Access at the Coteau Bay boat launch is still a no go for wheeled traffic. A couple of enthusiastic fellas tried their best to break things open in their Chevy. They didn't get very far.

Walk on fishing was slow. Three of us managed a perch, a walleye and three whitefish. Plenty of marks on all the flashers; some which were quite enthusiastic - until it came time to actually bite.

One of those days.

Slamhound · « **Reply #27 on:** Jan 04, 2023, 01:38 PM »

Anyone know if the fairy road at Riverhurst is going in this year or if you can get on the lake there or into the bay going down the hill on the left side?

SASKaGUY · « **Reply #28 on:** Jan 05, 2023, 02:39 PM »

Anyone know how thick the ice is a the Elbow Harbor and what the snow/access is like?

small-town-fisher · « **Reply #29 on:** Jan 05, 2023, 02:58 PM »

Would anyone know if you can get on at coteau bay yet with a 4x4 truck?

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Author Topic: Lake Diefenbaker 2022-2023 (Read 19980 times)