Big Bulls?

[ximmix2007]

I'm looking to target big Bull Trout this year, any advice, river wise, on where to go? I know Muskeg and Kakwa are good starting points, not sure about terrain and access, quads? Anyone fish below Sunwapta falls to the AthaB? I've done well where the Maligne hits the Athabasca in Jasper, but far and few between fish. Just looking for some input.

[Big Bull]

I've fished the Sunwapta below the falls to the Athabasca and caught bulls, brookies and bows. I've had very good fishing further up the Athabasca, upstream from their confluence. We've caught and seen 4 to 5# bulls in some of the backwater sloughs. Actually, some of the bigger bulls that I have seen came from the Maligne/Athabasca confluence. A few years ago(before the ban), a local guy caught a 23# bull and ate it. I'm pretty sure that it would have been an Alberta record. There is photo of it at On Line in Jasper. That fish was caught by the bridge that crosses the Athabasca where the Maligne Lake Road turns off from hiway 16.

[ximmix2007]

When you say upstream from their confluence, where are you talking? Between the icefields and where the sunwapta enters? I helped a young kid a couple of years ago, bring in a 4 pound Bull, I think it was his first fish ever, had no idea what to do. Said he wanted to do it just like on a fishing show, my wife was mad, she was in the same spot a few minutes earlier.

[Big Bull]

We take mountain bikes on the Fortress Lake trail from Sunwapta Falls to Big Bend campsite(7km) and then fish upstream from there. Beautiful area, good fishing, and nobody around. Could be the best "unknown" fishing in the park!

[thumper]

The pool at the base of lower Sunwapta Falls is pretty good too. You can usually walk in pretty easy - even during the winter - for some open water.
My trick for luring cold water, lethargic bulls is to catch a little whitefish or trout first and play him through the deep water. THEN put on your big leech pattern or whatever to target the bulls. The sight of a 'prey' fish struggling seems to trigger the predatory instinct in the bulls and really get them going.

Note - don't over-play the little fish - just make sure that he's seen throughout the pool.

[theduke]

ive cuaght some hogs in the highwood, inbetween longview and k country (its the road u take from long viw to get to k country), and on the other side of there, there is a stream not gunna tell where that exactlyis :tongue2: :lol: cuz i can catch over 100 fish in a day cuts and bulls and bows, maybe one day ill show ya :evilgrin: but u wont go wrong in the highwood ithe that area, its an awesome area too always run into lots of wild life like elk and u getto do some fishing with some blackbears

[curtis_rak]

There are some decent sized bull trout in the Athabasca River just west of Hinton (between there and Brule Lake). I have yet to catch one, but have fished with guys who I seen catch the odd 5-8lber