Author Topic: Slave Lake report (Read 3527 times)

Albertan · « **on:** Dec 21, 2009, 03:25 PM »

Well, I figured my favorite lake and second home deserved its own thread/report. As of today, there is 18 inches of ice at Joussard at the west end of the lake. There are around 35 ice houses out in front of town. Don't be fooled into thinking they are along any sort of drop though, even though they are mostly in a neat line. Everyone is fishing a large flat ranging from 19' to 23'. There are some bottom changes in the area, but a lot of fishing where the houses are boils down to sitting in one place and waiting for the fish to come to you. Currently, the best time to fish that area is around 1pm. I suspect the good morning and evening bites are up in 10' to 15' of water but have not had a chance to confirm that yet. The last two days we have been out and fishing has been strong from noon to an hour or so before sunset...again I think the fish are moving shallower to feed during twilight, especially this early in the season. Jigging spoons tipped with a whole minnow seem to be working best to attract them. Hope this helps. I have fish to clean...

BigJay · « **Reply #1 on:** Dec 21, 2009, 04:00 PM »

Thanks for the report - sounds like you had a good day on the water. Anything other than walleye around?

Wild-man · « **Reply #2 on:** Dec 21, 2009, 04:37 PM »

awesome!!!!!!!!
good on ya Albertan!!!!!
super jealous of your home location....
love that lake!!!!

Albertan · « **Reply #3 on:** Dec 21, 2009, 08:36 PM »

Quote from: BigJay on Dec 21, 2009, 04:00 PM

Thanks for the report - sounds like you had a good day on the water. Anything other than walleye around?

There are Burbot around there too apparently, although burbot fishing is best out by Assineau in the other basin. We used to go out for an evening after work back in the late 90's, maybe four of us, and by the time we went home there would be a pile of burbot guts (all you take off them are the "backstraps" so most of the fish goes in the trash) six feet in diameter and three feet tall. The area we fished looked kinda weird after a month of doing that every night. Of course, that was back when there were no limits on them.

When I go back this week (I just returned to GP do take care of some work), I'll fish in the evening for a bit and see if the burbot show up. But in a nutshell, it's typically more walleye than ling with perhaps the odd perch. Oh and my son and I caught two small pike today as well. Cheers.

BigJay · « **Reply #4 on:** Dec 21, 2009, 09:36 PM »

Thanks for the response. I'm going to have to drag myself up there in the next few weeks.

Albertan · « **Reply #5 on:** Dec 21, 2009, 10:08 PM »

If I'm out there I'll show you around. My son and I were out for four hours today and caught 10 or so legal walleye. Maybe we can even get a nice burbot out of a hole tail first wrapped around your arm by lantern light if we're really lucky. lol.

BigJay · « **Reply #6 on:** Dec 21, 2009, 10:33 PM »

Been there, done that.. its overrated.

fishtolive · « **Reply #7 on:** Dec 22, 2009, 01:24 PM »

hey Albertan ive never caught a burbot before wuts usually a good hook for them, bait aswell and how far off the bottom do u put the hook? id love to catch a burbot

lledra66 · « **Reply #8 on:** Dec 22, 2009, 04:33 PM »

I was wondering if you were driving a pickup on the ice?
thank you.

Albertan · « **Reply #9 on:** Dec 22, 2009, 10:00 PM »

I have quads and a Rhino at my cabin so no I am not driving with a pickup. But everyone else is.

When I went out Saturday afternoon, I saw a flatbed three ton with a large house on its bed. 18" of ice holds a lot of weight. There will be a trail leading out to the houses on the right (east) if it stops snowing and drifting over it. The flatbed was off in no man's land coming out from the marina.

Albertan · « **Reply #10 on:** Dec 22, 2009, 10:06 PM »

Quote from: fishtolive on Dec 22, 2009, 01:24 PM

hey Albertan ive never caught a burbot before wuts usually a good hook for them, bait aswell and how far off the bottom do u put the hook? id love to catch a burbot

I haven't fished for them specifically since the late 90's. We used to just use standard 1/4 oz jigs...I seem to recall white being very good...with a whole minnow. I'm sure there are fancier tactics that might even be more effective. Try the Burbot forum here for additional tips and tricks. As far as depth, I'm pretty sure the consensus will be that you want to be right on the bottom. Maybe not constantly sending up plumes of silt off the bottom. But I would say 6-8" off the bottom typically. In my experience, burbot tend to stay right on the bottom. Others may have something to add. Good luck! They are not the best fighting fish until they get up around 10lbs in my opinion, but catching a burbot is a life experience (you'll see when it starts coming up the hole

) and....gasp....most everyone I know agrees they taste better than walleye.

Boone2009 · « **Reply #11 on:** Dec 23, 2009, 09:28 AM »

Quote from: Albertan on Dec 22, 2009, 10:06 PM

I haven't fished for them specifically since the late 90's. We used to just use standard 1/4 oz jigs...I seem to recall white being very good...with a whole minnow. I'm sure there are fancier tactics that might even be more effective. Try the Burbot forum here for additional tips and tricks. As far as depth, I'm pretty sure the consensus will be that you want to be right on the bottom. Maybe not constantly sending up plumes of silt off the bottom. But I would say 6-8" off the bottom typically. In my experience, burbot tend to stay right on the bottom. Others may have something to add. Good luck! They are not the best fighting fish until they get up around 10lbs in my opinion, but catching a burbot is a life experience (you'll see when it starts coming up the hole ) and....gasp....most everyone I know agrees they taste better than walleye.

I really appreciate your updates on the conditions at Slave Lake, we are going to be making a trip up to Joussard in January, can you tell me how much snow is on the ice and would someone with a SUV (Nissan Pathfinder) have problems getting out to shanty town?

Albertan · « **Reply #12 on:** Dec 23, 2009, 10:49 AM »

Well, the ice was mostly bare earlier this week. But it was drifting slightly when we were out on Monday afternoon. I don't think you'll have any problems with a Pathfinder. When you come off the highway into Joussard (take main entrance which is the West one that is better marked) just take the road straight into the village. This will bring you to a T intersection with Peace River Avenue, which is the street that runs along the lake. You will be able to get on the lake right at this intersection. Most of the ice houses are owned by people from High Prairie so most poeple get out to them by driving there vehicles.

HARRYFISHBALLS · « **Reply #13 on:** Dec 31, 2009, 12:55 PM »

SLAVE CAN BE GOOD BUT HAVE SEEN MANY BAD DAYS

Albertan · « **Reply #14 on:** Dec 31, 2009, 05:59 PM »

Just got back after spending the week at Joussard. Fishing is still best from 11:00-12:30 and then at sunset. There are probably closer to 100 shacks on the ice now and all access points in the town of Joussard are in good shape to drive out onto the ice. As mentioned in another thread, when Matt_aid and I fished Monday we saw walleye, perch, pike, burbot, and whites on the camera. Pretty hard to beat that. Two of us iced 30-35 walleye that day. And it remained good through the week althuogh I didn't spend as much time on the ice. Good luck when you head out!

Joe Fehr · « **Reply #15 on:** Jan 06, 2010, 03:09 PM »

Albertan,

You wouldn't know of who rents the overnight shanties out there would you? I am coming back from Australia on the 20th and want to get out for a couple days on Slave with the bro inlaw. Hope it is still fishing good.

BigJay · « **Reply #16 on:** Jan 06, 2010, 03:23 PM »

Quote from: Albertan on Dec 31, 2009, 05:59 PM

Just got back after spending the week at Joussard. Fishing is still best from 11:00-12:30 and then at sunset. There are probably closer to 100 shacks on the ice now and all access points in the town of Joussard are in good shape to drive out onto the ice. As mentioned in another thread, when Matt_aid and I fished Monday we saw walleye, perch, pike, burbot, and whites on the camera. Pretty hard to beat that. Two of us iced 30-35 walleye that day. And it remained good through the week althuogh I didn't spend as much time on the ice. Good luck when you head out!

Thanks for the repot, Albertan. How many whites are you seeing in a typical day?

Albertan · « **Reply #17 on:** Jan 06, 2010, 07:48 PM »

Quote from: Joe Fehr on Jan 06, 2010, 03:09 PM

Albertan,

You wouldn't know of who rents the overnight shanties out there would you? I am coming back from Australia on the 20th and want to get out for a couple days on Slave with the bro inlaw. Hope it is still fishing good.

There are likely a few poeple that rent them. Try calling the Joussard Superette. If they don't rent them out they will know who does.

Albertan · « **Reply #18 on:** Jan 06, 2010, 07:49 PM »

Quote from: BigJay on Jan 06, 2010, 03:23 PM

Thanks for the repot, Albertan. How many whites are you seeing in a typical day?

More whites than walleyes and we saw a lot of 'eyes. They looked to be of good size too. Biger than the 'eyes on average. Matt may chime in with his thoughts.

BigJay · « **Reply #19 on:** Jan 06, 2010, 08:10 PM »

They running with the walleyes or suspending upstairs somewhere? Curious if you dropped a wireworm for them..

lledra66 · « **Reply #20 on:** Jan 06, 2010, 11:07 PM »

Quote from: Joe Fehr on Jan 06, 2010, 03:09 PM

Albertan,

You wouldn't know of who rents the overnight shanties out there would you? I am coming back from Australia on the 20th and want to get out for a couple days on Slave with the bro inlaw. Hope it is still fishing good

Adventure Alberta does, Contact through internet.

lledra66 · « **Reply #21 on:** Jan 06, 2010, 11:11 PM »

Had caught two whites while fishing for walleye on Saturday they both hit on small jig and minnow. Could see them on the underwater camera.

matt_aid · « **Reply #22 on:** Jan 06, 2010, 11:26 PM »

Like Dean was saying, we did see lots of whities. And yes they were nice, bigger then the walleye or close to it.

The whitefish we did see were on the bottom. I'm sure a wire worm would be pretty good on them.

I have sinced tied a bunch of wireworms. I haven't tried them on whities yet, but they were deadly on Brookies last weekend!

Dean I drove out to Joussard last weekend, and had to turn around and go to the Swan Hills because of drifts. If you got the time, let me know of the road conditions on the ice. Through private message is fine !!

Take care Happy New Year all!

BigJay · « **Reply #23 on:** Jan 06, 2010, 11:41 PM »

Quote from: matt_aid on Jan 06, 2010, 11:26 PM

Dean I drove out to Joussard last weekend, and had to turn around and go to the Swan Hills because of drifts. If you got the time, let me know of the road conditions on the ice. Through private message is fine !!

Take care Happy New Year all!

You mean drifts on the highway?

I would've thought the ice near Joussard would be cleaner than the highway given all the traffic.

matt_aid · « **Reply #24 on:** Jan 07, 2010, 01:24 PM »

nope on the lake, the access road from shore onto the ice.

BigJay · « **Reply #25 on:** Jan 07, 2010, 02:31 PM »

Quote from: matt_aid on Jan 07, 2010, 01:24 PM

nope on the lake, the access road from shore onto the ice.

Not good! That was also on my list of possibilities for the weekend. Wonder if it'll be any better by Sunday.

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Author Topic: Slave Lake report (Read 3527 times)