Ice in Alberta?

[TeeDub]

Has anyone been out on the lakes around Edmonton in the last few days? Just wondering with all the mild weather we've had, how much ice there is. Anybody driving on them yet? Was hoping to get out and drill a few holes this weekend but got tangled up in a list of "honey-dos". Next weekend for sure!

most area lakes have about 10-14 inches, with lakes farther north reporting about 14-18 inches. I would still be VERY cautious if you are going to drive.

[TeeDub]

-26 C here tonight, so it won't take much of this to get a good base. I won't be first to drive on the lakes though. Thanks! Any reports on Perch?

[Pikeman]

I never drive on the ice. I guess some people have an incredibly long way to go, and i can understand driving then. But do you really want to take a chance of having one of your biggest investments (your truck) lost? Not to mention your life!

I never drive on the ice.
Pikeman

what is the address of you ice fishing board again pike?

[Pikeman]

http://members.boardhost.com/pikeman

[TeeDub]

.... but only on lakes that I know and only when there's two or more feet of ice, which is not at all uncommon in this neck of the woods. Many years I have to use an extension on my auger in order to get through. I don't advise anyone to drive on lakes that they're not fully familiar with. Underwater springs can be a real hazard!

i drove my chev out to the middle of pigeon lake and i caught some respectable perch. drilled through 14 inches of ice too. I was going to quad on but i was too lazy to unload the quad, so after walking on in the morning to a great walleye spot, and discovering lots of ice i drove on later in the day. you could go through the ice but would you catch as many fish if you walked on the ice. If it is minus 25 and blowing, i am not walking out a mile and freezing my *** off knowing the guy 100 yards from me can warm up in his truck any time he wants. although i like to drive on the ice i can agree with you about the fact of the hazard of not knowing what can lie ahead when driving on lakes-springs etc. so it is comforting to stay on shore when the truck is close by or if you have a snowmobile or quad on larger lakes. i just hope that this year it is possible to drive on slave.

[TeeDub]

Thanks for the report on Pigeon, Iceman. Was thinking of heading out there this weekend myself, or to Buck. If there's 14 inches on Pigeon, that's plenty. I imagine there were a lot of vehicles out there. Stick to the trails and there's no problem. Most of the Perch I've caught at Pigeon the last few years have been on the small side though. Takes a few to make a meal! Hopefully we won't get a lot of snow this winter... should make for some good fishing everywhere.

I talked to a guy last week who was at Slave.He said there was about 10-12 inches about 3-4 hundred yards from shore.He said he never walked out another quarter of a mile and there was only 2 inches.He slowly turned around and walked back in, caught a seven pounder though.