Calabogie trout fishing -- Report!

[matt_aid]

I left Ottawa yesterday at 9am in search of rainbows.  drove out to calabogie to find out that they got a nice dumping.  Jim, the owner of a bait shop in calabogie, told me that they got about two and a half feet of snow.  so i had to change my plans, so much for hiking into a secluded lake.  i found a lake near by a road, so i threw all my gear on top of my clam 2000 and started the trek to the lake.  well they got 2 1/2 feet of snow in calabogie, but in the bush it's much more.  i was walking in 3+ feet of fresh powder.  the clam was gliding over the snow, but not me.  what a workout.   so i got to the lake, and started checking ice conditions.  5 feet from shore, i punched a whole with about 10 inches of ice.  another 5 feet out, another 10 inches, things are looking good!!  so i managed to get out about 25 feet from shore, to find that the ice was 10 inches thick!!!  sweet!!!!  so i started to shovel out the snow and made two nice holes in about 22 feet of water.  popped up the clam, and blasted the heater.  so i fished from 11 am till about 4 and i managed couple bows.  one 14 inch, and another 16 inch.  both were very silvery.  the first one i caught him at 10 feet over 22.  and the other was at 17 feet over 22 feet.  all in all a great way to start the trout ice fishing season.  we also saw a nice fox on the way home, pretty cool.  but no coyotes!!!

heading off to petrie tomorrow morning.  will report when i get back

tight lines

Matt

[slugoman69]

Hey Matt, how are ya, I also fish the Calabogie area, I am from Renfrew, Ont.  I fish almost every lake in that country.  I caught my limit of both splake and bows last weekend, Hint, Hint, try Battery Lakefor splake and Limestone for Bows, both were stocked with over 2000 trout.  Good luck this year and keep in touch, my name is slugoman69. 

[matt_aid]

hey slugo, yeah i tried battery couple times but no luck.  any tips??

as for the bow lake, it's a nice one. been there many times, but i just wasn't able to hike in, too much snow.

i usually fish around blithfield, are you familiar with that area. 

well i might see you on the ice, i'm usually in calabogie quite often.

tight lines

matt

[slugoman69]

Yep, I fish blythfield area as well, are you familiar with oriole lake, bagot long, and I do a lot of fishing on White Lake in Sunset Bay.  Awesome spot for big eyes.  I also go as far as schooner lake for lakers and I love to fish Mair Lake for splake.  These are only a few of my favorites, its an awesome area to fish.  As far as Battery goes, the best tip I can give is to be there right at first ice 2-3"  its unbelievable!  Later in the season fish deep 30-60' of water. 

Hope to see you out there, If you ever see a Yellow skandic ski-doo, come say hello and ask for Bill.  Merry Christmas and Tight lines.

[Cali009]

Anyone got details on how to get to Battery lake. this will be my first trip in. so do i have to hike from the last road or is it best to get a friend with a sled or ATV?

[Sfraser88]

I use to live in renfrew and fished Battery lake alot in the winter. Heading that way soon.

[Cali009]

I use to live in renfrew and fished Battery lake alot in the winter. Heading that way soon.

how is the way in? hard long walk or easy? do you need a ATV or SLED?

[robebrz]

How's the snow up that way?  How's the ice?

[Cali009]

I spoke with someone in Renfrew at the CT gas bar. and saw photos of his week catch before. and looks good. just needt o know how to get in to the lake. is it a hike drive or atv,sled in?

[Cali009]

My trip was a bust. Batter Lake skunked me. There was signs of lots of others there holes drilled all over the outside of the lake. With a few DOUCHE BAGS leaving a mess of beer cans bottles and cigarette butts. We tried to clean up what we could.

The only good from the trip was the ATV ride in.

[Kingston K]

Heading up to either Battery or Limestone tomorrow, can anyone let me know if the lakes are accessible by truck? I've got a 4x4 Tacoma with good tires and the maps look like there are roads that lead right in to the lakes.

[Cali009]

I was at Battery last Monday Feb 1st. I got  halfway down with a car to a big clearing. No way you will get a  small truck down the rest of the ATV trail and be able to turn around. it is mostly down hill to Battery from the clearing.  the width of the ATV trail is big enough for a trunk but i would not risk it. ifi go back i would and will walk it from the clearing. i would say about a 30 min walk.

I will say I got SKUNKED on Battery Feb 1st. let me know if you had some lick there.

Belanger Lake is no prob to get the trucks up in there.

[Kingston K]

Ended up at Battery Lake over the weekend, 8" of ice....sadly I got skunked, but certainly worth the trip and I'll be back in the spring with my canoe. Very deep lake, 12' from shore and I was in almost 70' of water.

[Cali009]

Ended up at Battery Lake over the weekend, 8" of ice....sadly I got skunked, but certainly worth the trip and I'll be back in the spring with my canoe. Very deep lake, 12' from shore and I was in almost 70' of water.

How did you get into the lake? Did the truck make it all the way?

[Kingston K]

The path to Limestone is icy (about 3.5km) and certainly cannot be traversed in a truck in the winter, there were a few guys heading in with sleds. I ended up going to Battery Lake because I had the family with me and it was a shorter walk. You can get to within about 1km of the lake and it's not a bad little walk in. Lots of parking and accessible right now via car or truck.....another few days of snow and it will likely be truck only.

[Sfraser88]

I was on belanger yesterday. 8 inch of ice and caught my limit of brook trout.

[Cali009]

I was on belanger yesterday. 8 inch of ice and caught my limit of brook trout.

i take it you stuck close to shore. how big where your catches? do you think it is work the trip this monday? also how did you catch them? live bait? or spoons? just i will be bringing a buddy who really wants to catch trout through the ice

[Cali009]

The path to Limestone is icy (about 3.5km) and certainly cannot be traversed in a truck in the winter, there were a few guys heading in with sleds. I ended up going to Battery Lake because I had the family with me and it was a shorter walk. You can get to within about 1km of the lake and it's not a bad little walk in. Lots of parking and accessible right now via car or truck.....another few days of snow and it will likely be truck only.

how was the fishing? it is nice that you can get off the road and into the bush a bit and walk the rest. We to a TV in. but got skunked only cool thing was checking out the old hunt camp on the far side of the lake.

[Sfraser88]

I was about 15 feet from shore used live bait and small jigs. It was slow moved around a lot but got a few fish nothing big

[robebrz]

Anyone been out on the back country lakes?  What's the ice like. See on weather channel some snow is headed that way. We are headed up in a few days so any reports would be great.

[Cali009]

Anyone been out on the back country lakes?  What's the ice like. See on weather channel some snow is headed that way. We are headed up in a few days so any reports would be great.

I have not been on many back lakes. But battery and Belanger seem to have 8"  more then the big lakes. Just be safe and drill a hole close to shore or every few feet. 

[robebrz]

 Not nearly the amount I was hoping for but it will work. May have to just work the smaller ones harder. Thanks.

[Kingston K]

New Report.

Was out at Battery Lake in Calabogie over the weekend. Got a bunch of splake (all under 16"), all in all a great day on the ice. From the parking lot its about a 20min hike to the ice. Got the all the fish in about 60' of water about 10' off the bottom with small 1.5"-2" shiners. There is about 14" of mostly white ice right accross the lake.

[robebrz]

Spent a few days camping and fishing between Plevna and Calabogie. Lots of slush on top of about 10 to 12 inches of ice. Made for a tough few days of fishing. Only one northern to show for our troubles but it was still fun. Look forward to getting back up that way maybe next year.