Cranbrook and Invermere areas

[cjlawren]

Hello, I'm going to be visiting BC over the last week of December, and was hoping to take the family out for some ice fishing for at least a day or two. We're staying in Fairmont, and I figure that between the Cranbrook area and Windermere, there might be some good fishing opportunities.

  I've done some research, and it looks like my first choice, Whiteswan Lake, is closed (too bad). Instead, I'd like to know if Windermere is usually frozen over by this time of year, and if so, what is the fishing like?

  Also, I've heard that there are perch in Wasa Lake. I've also heard there are lots of springs under the lake, making the ice somewhat dangerous. Do people icefish this lake in late December, or do they wait unil later in the season?

  The other area that might work out is down by Cranbrook, where maps show a series of smaller lakes that are supposed to contain fish ( ie: Suzanne, NorthStar, Tie Lake).

  If anyone on this board knows a bit about ice fishing in these spots and could tell me whether or not I should bother bringing out the gear, I'd really appreciate it. We'll be buying licenses and following the regs, so no need to worry about giving info to an irresponsible fisherman.

Happy Holidays,

Caleb

[Josephs Prairie]

I live in Cranbrook, and yes Whiteswan is closed til Jan 3rd. Windermere lake has ling cod but I could not tell you if it is going to have ice in December. Wasa does have perch and bass in it, but because it is a warm lake it to might not be hard. I heard the other day that Suzanne is open still. If I was you I would try Lazy lake above Wasa, it is frozen last I heard and folks are doing well there. Lazy has some big rainbow in it. Tie lake has lots of Perch, perch all day long, as many as you want to catch. But I don't know if it is frozen, I would guess and say that it probably is. I can find out tomorrow from a guy I work with that lives near there. Good luck!

[cjlawren]

Thanks for the advice! I'm always looking forward to trying out new spots. If things go well, I'll post results on the board when I get back.

[TGF]

If you ever want to really icefish come a little more north.

[Josephs Prairie]

Probably more West for this guy Terry. I think he is from Alberta.
We have good ice fishing here too you know. The kootenay and Elk rivers are world renowned, Duck Lake has some of the biggest Bass in the west, and even Loon Lake is fished every year by the editor of the BC Outdoors Mag. Shelly and Courtney have came and fished the St. Mary river for their TV show and a few other places like the Bull River etc.

[TGF]

I know JP. I was just trying to give you a hard time. You do have bass which we don't have. Do you have any BIG lakers down your way? Lake sturgeon?

[Josephs Prairie]

We don't have any lake stergeon but the fisheries is try to rebuild the population of white sturgeon in the Kootenay river along with the Montana fisheries.
Lakers as in Lake Trout, not really but we have Brown, Brook, Bull, Rainbow, and Westslope Cutthroat, Trout. As well as Whitefish, Dolly varden, Kokanee, Perch, smallmouth Bass, and Burbot around here. And there are even a few hybrids as well, like the Blackwater rainbow, and the Kamloops.

[TGF]

Ya you stole some of our blackwater rainbow heh. Do you have any luck catching kokanee down there? I have little sucess up north. I've been trying with a small bloodworm imitation.

[Josephs Prairie]

I believe the blackwate rainbow was strained here at the east kootenay fish hatchery, Terry. But I could be wrong. I can go out any day in the summer and catch kokanee but they don't get real big here like they do around Sand Point ID.
I use a small leaf gang troll, and a 12-18" leader then a red wedding ring with a couple maggots to catch Kokanee. Of course you will need to troll this from a boat, and a zig zag pattern works real good around here.

[cjlawren]

   Thought I'd let you guys know how our trip to BC went. We tried fishing in Wasa and Windermere. Unfortunately didn't get to try more lakes, but had fun all the same. Caught several of what looked like small rocky mountain whitefish in Windermere Lake, and some strange ugly thing on a tip-up in Wasa. I've never caught a bass before, so maybe that was what it was, but it didn't look like any I had seen on TV before. Had fun all the same though!

Ice was good on Wasa (~7") and Windermere (~8"). People were driving out onto Windermere, which I wouldn't have thought to be smart.

Beautiful area to fish in, hopefully we'll be back this winter, and this coming summer.

[TGF]

Glad you had some fun in BC. Maybe you caught a burbot as they can be ugly. Did it look like this?
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[TGF]

I believe the blackwate rainbow was strained here at the east kootenay fish hatchery, Terry. But I could be wrong. I can go out any day in the summer and catch kokanee but they don't get real big here like they do around Sand Point ID.
I use a small leaf gang troll, and a 12-18" leader then a red wedding ring with a couple maggots to catch Kokanee. Of course you will need to troll this from a boat, and a zig zag pattern works real good around here.

Yeah I have no problem catching them in summer on a kokanee troll and rubber snubber, but have a difficult time thru ice. Have you caught any thru ice JP?

[cjlawren]

Not a burbot... I've caught those here in Alberta before. As I recall, this fish was dark green to black on it's back, silver underneath, large fins, largish mouth, teeth weren't very noticeable. No distinct stripes or spots, but I didn't examine it long since it was quite cold out. It's body shape was somewhat like a walleye. We snapped one quick picture, but haven't developed it yet. When I do, I'll try to remember to post a scan here.

[Josephs Prairie]

You probably caught a Squaw fish. I am surprized you didn't catch any sun fish at wasa lk as there are lots of them there, bass as well are present and quite large a buddy from there tells me. But he says to fish for them in the spring there. There are burbot in Windermere lk, Terry. Also I have caught kokanee thru the ice Terry, at Monroe lake we do pretty good catching them.

[TGF]

Oh yes, the dreaded squaw fish(aka northern pikeminnow), its trying to take over the province. Hope you culled it. The conservation boys like to see them removed. How did you catch your ice kokanee JP?

[Josephs Prairie]

With a hook  Ha Ha! LOL!
I use a small glow hook and some maggots and corn or mealworms tied to my line on the fishing rod that I have set down in the water after I cut a hole through the ice with an ice auger. I give the presentation a little jig once in a while to make it look like it is alive and yummy to the fish and they seem to try to eat it and get hooked in the mouth and then I reel em' up.
How's that for an explanation Terry! LMAO!

[TGF]

Great explanation. Tried that method. Didn't catch any though. Even tried pinky maggots (which are pink and 1/4 size of normal maggot and not availible in northamerica) on a size 26 hook. Which I thought would catch but still no luck. Tried bloodworms, no luck. Just thought you may have a little trick up your sleeve that would help. Don't get many up here fishing for them. But I like the change once in awhile. Good luck organizing your derby this weekend

[Josephs Prairie]

Hey Terry we have pink maggots here. Don't like em' Lots of people use them on the Arrow Lakes, can't even buy plain magots there.
Organizing is pretty much done for the derby. Just have a couple more prizes to pick up and get the stuff loaded on my truck and trailer and I am set to go. I have over 70 prizes again this year! I even have some guys from the US coming up to fish and hang out for the weekend.

[TGF]

Yeah we have pink maggots here too, which are just dyed regular maggots. I don't like them either. Not the same as pinky maggots from Sweden though. Can keep them for long periods.
Have fun at derby.