Lake Diefenbaker -2020-2021

[Seige]

Good to know thanks Fishhead.

[Sparetimeangler]

When we fish for rainbows we usually set up in like 4 to 6 feet of water. There is rainbows everywhere in that lake just gotta be right place right time.

[DoubleHookSet]

Hey everyone,

Havent fished dief yet through the ice but intending to try. Any advice for lures or bait for rainbows?
Thanks!

[Trewlyfishing]

4 perch, two keepers out from mistusinne yesterday afternoon.  Saw perch and whites only

Fishhead, what was the ice conditions like out by Mistusinne?  I am looking to head out to that area this upcoming weekend if the weather holds out.

[Seige]

Was out at Tufts Bay yesterday fished 5'-33' fow managed to get 1 walleye and a pike. Lots on the flasher but not much interest.

[Joe Fishhead]

I am hoping to see vehicles on the ice at mistusinne on Friday.  I eyeballed roughly 10” last Friday and with another week below zero 🤞

[_CWG_]

Hi there
I know there are trucks out on the marina at sask landing but can you drive on the full body of ice yet. I’m in saskatoon so I need to know if I need to bring my sled or not. Otherwise I would just go check it myself.
Thanks

[BlueDevil]

How’s the ice at the Fish Farm or is it open water down there still?

[Trewlyfishing]

The latest update I got from my dad (lives in Elbow area) is that the ice is around 12"-15" in the harbour and at tufts bay as well as along the shoreline outside the harbour and bay.  Will be heading out there this weekend to check ice and hopefully set up camp for the season on the lake.

[Trewlyfishing]

Good morning all,
wondering about ice conditions around Elbow and Tufts bay after the wind storm the other night.   Usually I get my info from my dad, but he hasn't been in town the past few days.  Is the ice safe enough for half tons, shacks, etc.  Still planning to go out this weekend.

[Trewlyfishing]

Well the ice around the Elbow harbour and Tufts Bay is around 12"-14".  We were able to get out and set up camp and hopefully will be catching some rainbows in the upcoming days and weeks!  We are currently in about 5 feet of water and other holes with 10 feet of water. 

[daustman]

Well the ice around the Elbow harbour and Tufts Bay is around 12"-14".  We were able to get out and set up camp and hopefully will be catching some rainbows in the upcoming days and weeks!  We are currently in about 5 feet of water and other holes with 10 feet of water.

Let us know if you find any rainbows in the harbour.  All I've been seeing in cisco, pike and burbot.

[DBaz]

Hello all,  anyone know if Coteau Bay is thick enough to drive on?  Pump house Bay?

Any help would be appreciated.

[Burbot Master]

I was fishing at Coteau a couple of weeks ago and there was 11" of ice. We walked out because access wasn't good.

[DBaz]

Appreciate the info Burbot Master.

[Joe Fishhead]

This has never happened to me before.  When I hole hop I suspend my little revolution camera roughly three feet above the bait and jig. I like to see what is down there.  I did this Friday on Dief when the image went black then I saw the squirmy form of a burbot.  I quickly raised the bait to the camera level and the burb immediately went for the lure.  Now I am a little worried the small camera may be damaged or ripped off the cable if a burb decides it is not going to spit it out.  One of the risks of high tech fishing.

[ran7ger]

I've had them tasty buggers come up and grab my ducer in 50 f.o.w.

[Water Wolf]

I have had both burbot and pike try and make a meal of my underwater camera several times now. Tooth marks here and there on the camera and scratches on the cord.
I even had a ranbow trout whack the camera with it's nose.
I could see a small camera getting damaged by a pike,burbot or lake trout.


Wow ran7ger, that burbot was on a misson to eat.
It must have felt the pulses from the transducer and thought it was food.
I think that underwater cameras also give off an energy field that the fish sometimes home in on.

WW

[DoubleHookSet]

Anybody driving on in the bays yet??

[Seige]

Anyone know how the Rainbows have been biting around Elbow. I may head out from Regina this weekend.

[calgary-john]

I see most guys talking just about Trout in bays. Is the Walleye fishing not very good?

[gman51]

I see most guys talking just about Trout in bays. Is the Walleye fishing not very good?

    depends on where you go and who you talk to.  there are those that will be tight lipped on their success and where their catching. its been slow for me the few times out this winter so far for walleyes but haven't really got out to the areas i am planning on yet. ice thickness reports are looking good on parts of the main lake. 

[armycat]

New to ice fishing and have never ice fished on Lake Diefenbaker. Interested in going to Coteau Bay. Can you drive on the ice from the Danielson Boat Ramp? I have heard the ice doesn't get very good near the shore. How much snow is one the ice, can a 2 wheel drive vehicle get on the ice?

Went to Lenore Lake but the depth of snow on the ice prevented us from getting more than a couple hundred meters from the access point.

Any guidance or advice anyone can provide is appreciated.

[speckspotter]

Fished Danielson for trout this morning and had no problems driving on and off with 4X4. Getting off might be an issue for 2WD.
The ice was at least 18 inches, plenty safe in the bay, but nobody ventured beyond the mouth.

Yet again the trout mocked our puny efforts. Tip ups were triggered, minnows were stolen and fleeting marks were observed.

We decided to pack up and head for deeper waters in search of walleye. This was a good plan as we found them between 25 and 42 feet of water. The bite in the afternoon produced some good fish, but the 5:00 to 5:30 period was down right hectic. We ended up catching nine, but losing a number of others. They were still biting at 7:00 when we shut it down. I got to see quite a few work the baits on camera.

I am thinking the Diefenbaker walleye is an entirely different species than those aloof Blackstrap fish that look the same but ignore all my lures. The Diefenbaker fish munched away on at least six different bait / lure combinations; sometimes slurping delicately, and sometimes charging in with reckless abandon. Good fun.

[armycat]

Thanks for the info. I think we will walk on to be safe. Sounds like you had a good day.

[Joe Fishhead]

5.5 hrs looking at the camera Friday, saw and caught one perch, another on the jacker.  Nice perch but...

[armycat]

We went done the road after the information centre and before the boat launch. There were a couple of tents on the ice. We spent 4.5 hrs on the ice. Saw a pike and perch. Managed to land a nice Walleye and Burbot. Fishing in 31 feet of water. Will be back to try this spot again.

[calgary-john]

Fished Danielson for trout this morning and had no problems driving on and off with 4X4. Getting off might be an issue for 2WD.
The ice was at least 18 inches, plenty safe in the bay, but nobody ventured beyond the mouth.

Yet again the trout mocked our puny efforts. Tip ups were triggered, minnows were stolen and fleeting marks were observed.

We decided to pack up and head for deeper waters in search of walleye. This was a good plan as we found them between 25 and 42 feet of water. The bite in the afternoon produced some good fish, but the 5:00 to 5:30 period was down right hectic. We ended up catching nine, but losing a number of others. They were still biting at 7:00 when we shut it down. I got to see quite a few work the baits on camera.

I am thinking the Diefenbaker walleye is an entirely different species than those aloof Blackstrap fish that look the same but ignore all my lures. The Diefenbaker fish munched away on at least six different bait / lure combinations; sometimes slurping delicately, and sometimes charging in with reckless abandon. Good fun.

Is beyond the mouth not safe to access by driving? Like is the ice not thick enough? Or it’s just featureless and all the fish in the lake just stick to bays?

[Lonestarsask]

Be careful driving anywhere on this lake. Be sure to check ice and know your exact route. In my experience the ice can very ALOT. There is changing water levels and gas wells. You can go from 2 feet of ice to just inches within a small area. Be careful if you don't know the lake. I've been fishing here for Years and I still rarely drive on.

[speckspotter]

Diefenbaker can be a very dangerous lake due to methane gas pockets that cause open water spots when all the ice around is thick and safe. There has been plenty of talk about these pockets on this site. I spoke to a local two days ago who warned me of such a pocket just a few hundred yards south of where we were fishing. He said he only discovered it last year. As we chatted, he told me he had put his truck through around an island years back. Another guy from the area dropped his truck into 12 feet of water and "saw the bottom of the lake". He made it to the surface, but his buddy drowned half way out the window.

Add pressure heaves to the equation, and that is reason enough for me not to tempt the fates. When I drive on, I want to see tracks to follow, and make sure they keep on going. Losing those tracks in poor visibility is a real concern if the wind picks up, the snow falls or one gets disoriented in the dark.

Until they invent a hover truck, I'll leave freelancing around Diefenbaker to those who know it far better than I.