Any tips for a new Albertan?

[Coast2Coast]

Hi all, I just moved out here from New Brunswick where I was spending a ton of time fishing before I was hired to come work out here. In NB I spent most of my time hiking or atving to remote lakes and streams, sometimes with canoe in tow, chasing after brook trout, which is native all over the province there. I also sometimes fished for striped bass, atlantic salmon, smallmouth bass, pickeral, land locked salmon, among others. Smelt was the only fish legal for ice fishing.

I would love to begin exploring some of the area and getting some lines in the water in the Athabasca area or within a couple of hours drive. I don't have a boat, or a truck yet so are there any easy access shoreline fishable lakes or streams that you can recommend?

[BeeGuy]

All the info you could ever want is archived on this site.

Familiarize yourself with the watersheds of interest, search some of the specifics using the search function, and then go exploring.

And let the good times roll.

[OneGirlWolfPack]

I don't have any good tips but welcome to Alberta :)

[Got2fish]

I'm sure a back roads map book and a stocking list will get you started.


Chain lake is near athabasca, the southern lake has unedible bows but fun to catch.

[Coast2Coast]

Thanks for the ideas,

I'm researching away here when I get time. I did pick up the northern and southern AB map books when I stopped in at Bass Pro Shops last weekend (AWESOME store). I've been picking away at those as well.

Some pretty interesting fish are lurking around this province! I've never seen a greyling, brown trout, bull trout, Lake trout, rainbow trout, cut throat trout, golden trout, pike, or walleye before and am very much looking forward to seeing each of those at some point.

Thanks OneGirlWolfPack for the welcome!

Got2fish, what do you mean by "bows"?

Edit: Rainbows huh, gotcha

[-JR-]

Welcome to Alberta
What part of Alberta are you in .

[Got2fish]

Bows=Rainbow trout.

[Rob S]

Where from in NB? And you are in athabasca area now?

[Doc]

A copy of Barry Mitchell's Alberta Fishing Guide is invaluable to new Anglers in Alberta. Some of the information may not have been recently updated but most fisheries in Alberta along with directions and species are in the guide. The articles are pretty good too. Welcome to Alberta, Coast2Coast, from one 'down homer' to another.

[Fishfinder]

All the info you could ever want is archived on this site.

Familiarize yourself with the watersheds of interest, search some of the specifics using the search function, and then go exploring.

And let the good times roll.

X2, make sure to "search this forum" as opposed to the "search" option. It will help fine tune whatever info your looking for. Don't type "lake".
Welcome to Alberta. Go Oilers!:).... Er go Barons...I guess....siiiiiiiigh.

[Fishfinder]

Hi all, I just moved out here from New Brunswick where I was spending a ton of time fishing before I was hired to come work out here. In NB I spent most of my time hiking or atving to remote lakes and streams, sometimes with canoe in tow, chasing after brook trout, which is native all over the province there. I also sometimes fished for striped bass, atlantic salmon, smallmouth bass, pickeral, land locked salmon, among others. Smelt was the only fish legal for ice fishing.

I would love to begin exploring some of the area and getting some lines in the water in the Athabasca area or within a couple of hours drive. I don't have a boat, or a truck yet so are there any easy access shoreline fishable lakes or streams that you can recommend?

What are pickeral..?:budo:

[Lefty-Canuck]

What are pickeral..?:budo:

If you have seen a pickeral....then you have seen a walleye :)

LC

[Fishfinder]

If you have seen a pickeral....then you have seen a walleye :)

LC

I've never seen either, u got a pic? HeeheeMeh, I was just having a ill west/east fun. Wait a sec, Alberta.....somewhere in the middle, let's call em "pickeyes" or perhaps " wickeral". Omg, dejavu.....:)

[C & C]

A copy of Barry Mitchell's Alberta Fishing Guide is invaluable to new Anglers in Alberta. Some of the information may not have been recently updated but most fisheries in Alberta along with directions and species are in the guide. The articles are pretty good too. Welcome to Alberta, Coast2Coast, from one 'down homer' to another.

IMO i would skip buying the book, i am new to alberta fishing this year and found it really lacking in info that I was looking for. I found looking up lakes in the map books and then googling them or searching on here was way more helpful.

I am not familiar with your area at all but right now the rivers are nice and low and easy to scout. I went to highway bridges, parked and then hiked up and down stream to find holes to fish. Easy to drive too and if you hike a bit farther up or down stream theres a lot less people fishing.

I also used the Ifish app and looked at lake reviews around my areas to find lake fishing. Its a great app and well worth the money. Provides tons of info, people post updates all season on how certain lakes are doing and even mark "hot spots". The app is less expensive and i found it 1000 times better than the alberta fishing guide book.

[Mmtobias]

My advice is fish whenever you can because you never know when winter is going to hit!!

[thumper]

My tip is to include your new home town in your AO public signature, so that others have an idea of where you are. That way, they are more apt to respond to your questions for assistance.

[Coast2Coast]

Where from in NB? And you are in athabasca area now?

I'm living in Athabasca now. I'm from Grand Bay, which is next to Saint John in New Brunswick.

Thanks to those with welcomes and tips.

To the fellows that talked about pickerel and walleye it's a term that gets mixed up from what I've seen. What we call pickerel in NB most closely resembles a northern pike. There are several species with different colour patterns but they all have the alligator head and teeth like a pike. They rarely exceed 18" long. We also have musky (muskellunge) in NB but only in a certain stretch of one river so I've never fished those. Ive watched lots of shows and seen lots of pics of the walleye, but it is a completely different critter from this and I have heard several people from different parts of the country call it a pickerel. Don't ask me why?

Counting down the days till my fishing stuff arrives here from storage...

[vcmm]

Welcome to gods country. Have a nice stay.