Author Topic: Ice updates (Read 165177 times)

broadstbullie · « **Reply #90 on:** Jan 30, 2011, 09:00 AM »

-20 this weekend should help

maheden · « **Reply #91 on:** Jan 30, 2011, 05:17 PM »

The ice at Utikuma isn't very great and is in between 2 feet to less than a foot. We went on with skidoos. There was lots of overflow. Fishing was meh.

CMMahy · « **Reply #92 on:** Jan 30, 2011, 06:35 PM »

I tried South Buck yesterday morning, this is from the park in town looking up the lake:

About 14" of loose drifted snow, no trail that I could see other than the half buried one in the pic, and no huts as far as I could tell. I didn't check the ice thickness, and only rode out to about the middle of the lake before turning back, but didn't find any slush. Pretty much snowmobile or tracked ATV only at this point, unless you've got a 4x4 with big tires and a sense of adventure.

ryanlookingforperch · « **Reply #93 on:** Feb 01, 2011, 07:26 AM »

So I am back in 10 days (to Alberta/Edmonton) and am asking around about ICE depth and driving on to lakes with the truck.

My buds have all been busy training and have not been out....but they are saying we have lost alot of ice, due to alot of flood water and snow insulating the ice.

I know 10 days is a long time...but have we been loosing enough ICE to really start back at checking the lakes as you drive on (IF YOU EVEN CAN DRIVE ON)....like I would early season again??

Any observations/tips are appreciated....just want to be safe, and "UNSTUCK"...lol

Cheers!

swampy45 · « **Reply #94 on:** Feb 01, 2011, 05:27 PM »

hey Ryan. i highly suggest NOT driving on. on a few local lakes, even after we had this BS -30*C for a few days im finding open areas under the ice/floodwater. ice is generally a solid 24+ inches, but i wouldnt risk it. i havent driven on a lake in Alberta or BC yet this year.

ryanlookingforperch · « **Reply #95 on:** Feb 01, 2011, 06:46 PM »

I will take that Advice to heart forsure. Thanks!!

Man I have fixed (with alot of help) my eskimo skin, ice gator and am still looking to fix my jiffy 30 10" bit (has a bend in it that no one can seem to fix)....all to possibly get very little fishing in when I am back, looking at th weather and the results since I have been gone.

Hope mother nature wakes up, gives her head a shake and realizes how much she is screwing us all!! Lol

Cheers!!

oldtrout · « **Reply #96 on:** Feb 01, 2011, 10:26 PM »

Feb-1-11, out on Coal today for a few hours. Drove on with no issues other than the ruts, 4x4 access for sure. No issue with flood ice or slush but a fair amount of snow, I didn't go far off the main drag and only went down a mile or so. Was having trouble with my auger last time out so I tuned it up and wanted to give it a try, runs like new now! A few hammer handles, nothing exciting but was good to get out.

luv4fish · « **Reply #97 on:** Feb 10, 2011, 09:45 AM »

Good day all. Living in the Spruce Grove area and looking to do some perch fishing this weekend. Does anyone know where to find them and is within an hour of driving? Also what the ice is like as I don't know the area yet but looking forward to learning

thanks.

Haukki Hunter · « **Reply #98 on:** Feb 13, 2011, 09:04 PM »

I was out last Thursday (Feb. 3rd) and was able to drive from Wilson's Beach right out to my shack on a pretty well established road. What a difference a week makes! I tried to go out on Friday (Feb. 11th) and didn't make it 80 yards onto the lake before I was stuck. I had followed someone else's track, but realized too late that they had stopped about 100 yards past where I was too. The warm weather gave me no traction on the snow, and even though I wasn't "hung up" I could not budge my 4Runner. There was nobody around, and eventually my brother in law came out and one with one little tug I was out.

I went out there today on my way into work, to check conditions, and winched out another guy right at Wilson's landing. Some snowmobilers/fishers said that they had come across quite a bit of flood waters out on the open ice too. Not looking good for truck access to the lake unless it gets a fair bit colder for a while, or somebody plows a road out there.

DaHoleMan · « **Reply #99 on:** Feb 15, 2011, 02:51 PM »

Hey people,
my cherry post here and it's a pleasure to see all the wonderful posts and info, heading out to Mcgregor res, on the 22nd and just looking for 1 - an update on the thickness 2- any tips on hot spots ( been out twice, once we fished 150 yards from boat launch got nothing, second time we went to the dam about 100 yards from campground shore got 3 pike but 2 were small and the third was just big enough) thanks again guys/gals good luck to you all and have a good one...

CMMahy · « **Reply #100 on:** Feb 27, 2011, 07:13 PM »

Buffalo Lake @ Scenic Sands

22-24" of good ice, and anywhere from 8-12" of crusted over snow. Travel by truck off the beaten path would be pretty difficult, quads should be able to stay on top, sleds will have no problem. No slush that I could see anywhere.

Haukki Hunter · « **Reply #101 on:** Mar 09, 2011, 01:37 AM »

I hadn't been out to my shack for a few weeks, although not for lack of trying, due to the warm weather and poor conditions on the lake. FINALLY it got cold again, and I also picked up a set of V-bar tire chains for my truck. I took my boy out on Friday for a third attempt at making it to our shack (about 4km's north of Wilson's Beach). The chains were phenomenal...BUT the snow was just too deep in places to make the pass.

I kept the truck in 4 low and we were plowing and climbing up on top of the crust in places but averaging only about 10km/hr at best. The nice thing about the chains was...even when we got stuck going forward, we were able to get unstuck every time but once. 20mins of digging to get us un-high centered and we were on our way again. We ended up making it about 800 yards from the shacks before calling it a day. As I expected there was one fella on his way out following our tracks. We met him and chatted and he ended up turning back. We drove south of the landing to see if we could help what looked to be another guy stuck out there. He had been stuck 3 times, and eventually just unloaded a snowmobile and left his truck there, and went fishing, we presumed. While out there another guy drove out to where we were, and against our advice, decided to try it anyway. He was driving a stock Chevy, unchained, and made it about 80 yards past the truck we thought was stuck.

Call me a callous SOB if you will, but we had already unchained at the landing and when we left he was still shovelling. He said he had got stuck the previous week too, so I figured maybe he was just trying to learn his lesson again.

Moral of the story is...drive a bigger or lifted truck, with chains and you will likely make it out there, or have fun trying like we did. Or, snowmobile out. Or, we all go in and offer the fellow who owns the Bombardier track unit with the big plow on the front of it to make us a road out there. 13 shacks @ $30 apiece= convincing arguement. PM me if you would be on board with the idea, and I'll approach the guy myself.

skapper · « **Reply #102 on:** Mar 10, 2011, 04:12 PM »

A buddie of mine has a cabin om McGregor. told me he was drilling homes on the n.e end and said the ice was 3' thick.

that was last week may need an extention this week.

broadstbullie · « **Reply #103 on:** Mar 11, 2011, 10:25 AM »

I was down to the v on the handles and 'just' broke through on Ghost Lk yesterday. Be a VERY good idea to have extension this weekend.

iceduke · « **Reply #104 on:** Mar 19, 2011, 08:16 AM »

anyone know the ice conditions on chain lakes?

broadstbullie · « **Reply #105 on:** Mar 19, 2011, 05:09 PM »

31" today on Ghost Lake

shackless · « **Reply #106 on:** Mar 19, 2011, 05:16 PM »

Quote from: broadstbullie on Mar 19, 2011, 05:09 PM

31" today on Ghost Lake

Did ya get through with your auger?

broadstbullie · « **Reply #107 on:** Mar 19, 2011, 05:58 PM »

Heck ya! That cold snap stopped in time.......lol

imgonnamissher · « **Reply #108 on:** Mar 21, 2011, 09:56 AM »

My fishing season ended two weeks ago, partially tore my MCL in the left knee and am wearing a brace from the thigh to the ankle. It's gonna be a long time to heal....

bowriverbrown · « **Reply #109 on:** Mar 21, 2011, 10:36 AM »

Quote from: broadstbullie on Mar 19, 2011, 05:09 PM

31" today on Ghost Lake

Fished Ghost Lake yesterday, 31" of ice, top 12-14" was good, approx. 18" on the bottom was rotten.

nailed a nice lake trout: 17lbs: http://www.iceshanty.com/ice_fishing/index.php?topic=193787.0

Fished Spray Lakes last weekend, 16" good ice, 2" flood water. 3 weeks earlier at Spray there was at least 24" and 1" flood water.

broadstbullie · « **Reply #110 on:** Mar 21, 2011, 07:55 PM »

Quote from: imgonnamissher on Mar 21, 2011, 09:56 AM

My fishing season ended two weeks ago, partially tore my MCL in the left knee and am wearing a brace from the thigh to the ankle. It's gonna be a long time to heal....

I can strap ya to my trunk and bring ya along.......prop ya up in the corner!....hahaha

hope you get better!

Shotgun · « **Reply #111 on:** Mar 24, 2011, 07:27 PM »

you still driving on Ghost? I was thinking of giveing it a go tomorrw but am leaning more towards using my quad rather than taking the truck on the lake

NGI

Shotgun · « **Reply #112 on:** Mar 24, 2011, 07:29 PM »

Almost forgot.

Was at Chain today (3hrs to get there) and there were still a few guys driving on. A good foot of snow cover but I didin't feel the ice was that good kinda coming out in chunks the further down you drill. Starting to rot I guess. But should be good for atv or walkin for a good while yet. BTW the fishn sucked.

NGI

broadstbullie · « **Reply #113 on:** Mar 25, 2011, 08:45 AM »

Quote from: NGI on Mar 24, 2011, 07:27 PM

you still driving on Ghost? I was thinking of giveing it a go tomorrw but am leaning more towards using my quad rather than taking the truck on the lake

NGI

Heck ya! Im out there every evening after work until about 7pm......Ice is awesome all over! Best I have seen on this lake at this time of the season in several years

swampy45 · « **Reply #114 on:** Nov 07, 2011, 03:07 PM »

If you havent seen the other posts, many lakes are iced over now. Chickakoo Lake is the only one i can report on at this time, and it is measuring 2-4 inches of solid, crystal clear ice. If it doesnt snow, take your skates. BEST way to cover the lake in a short period of time!

pikehunter1989 · « **Reply #115 on:** Nov 20, 2011, 11:33 AM »

Was at chikakoo yesterday. About 5 inches of solid ice. Tiny bit of flood water but not to bad.
Checked out bellis the other day aswell and there is a good 7 inches of solid ice out there. Surprisingly hardly even a dusting of snow in the ice.

fishingdrumheller · « **Reply #116 on:** Dec 01, 2011, 06:31 PM »

Went out NE of Drumheller to Michichi dam today. trout didnt want my bait but i was happy to see 8 inches of ice. I used a tape measure. I was on the campground side. Roads down are snow covered but not too slippery. Drilled 2 holes about 10 feet out and 2 more 20 feet out. Not even a nibble, just happy to drill some hard water. Good luck and fish safe.

koho9 · « **Reply #117 on:** Dec 08, 2011, 12:50 AM »

whats the ice looking like close to calgary alberta would like to go out sunday and only want to drive for about an hour any ideas

Capt_of_the_FilthyOar · « **Reply #118 on:** Dec 11, 2011, 11:05 AM »

Wabamun is consistently between 10 and 11 inches everywhere i checked

pikehunter1989 · « **Reply #119 on:** Dec 13, 2011, 08:46 AM »

Quote from: Capt_of_the_FilthyOar on Dec 11, 2011, 11:05 AM

Wabamun is consistently between 10 and 11 inches everywhere i checked

Where we were it was around 9 inches and VERY patchy on the quality of ice... Some spots were clear ice with some air bubbles, other spots looked like ice we get in spring and FULL of bubbles. I won't be driving on until there is atleast 18 inches of ice this year (last year I was driving on 14 inches in my truck) Even just walking the ice cracks a bit. Guy had a quad out there and could hear the ice cracking the whole way!

News:

Author Topic: Ice updates (Read 165177 times)