Shore fishing Lesser Slave Lake

[Marlin07]

I have to head up to the Town of Slave Lake this week for a couple hours of work. Once work is done I hope to wet a line for a few hours. I know a few spots to fish from shore like the Weir and right where the lake turns to the river by the steak house. Anyone know of any other good spots to try around or close to town? I can’t tow my boat with me so I’m pretty much stuck on shore. I’m also not a big fan of “pickerel rigs” so any advice on different ways to fish in the fast current of the river would be great. I had good success using spin n glow walleye rigs on about a 10-12” lead tied to a dropper loop about 16” up from a 3once pyramid weight. The only thing is it’s still basically a pickerel rig so I’m back to square one. Thanks in advance for the advice.

[sourdough doug]

Hi there Marlin, The only other place, I've ever tried over there , from shore would be out at the Northshore camp ground. To get there, head north, lol, out of town on hiway 88 and turn left to the golf course. Where the road turns right to go to the club house, carry on straight till you come to a "T"in the road.. Go to the right here and it will lead you to this camping area. It has been several years since I last fished from the shore here and on occasion found that if I got out in the water aways, I had better luck. It is somewhat rocky in places, so you might have trouble with jigs. At this time of year, they're generally deeper , but towards evening they may be in closer. Some nice pike taken there as well. Other than that , I can't think of anywheres else . There are also diff. places downstream from the wier, where I've fished . Just travel the river road to the east to any place that looks accessible and throw in a line .. Have a good one...

[sourdough doug]

Just me again, Either spoons or spinners, would work well in both locations and being as how you mentioned not caring for the rigs, this is what I would prob. use myself at these places...

[Marlin07]

sourdough, thanks for the tips. I never even thought of using spinners. I think I might try walking down the river and finding a deep hole when I make it up there later this week. I really have nothing against pickerel rigs it's just that I find I hook to many too deep. I think that rubber swim bait's might be a good option. Bass style tube jigs in pumkin seed colour have worked good for me from the boat, an added bonus is that they are relativly snag free.

I also heard there is a spot by the old Smith highway thats not to bad. Where is the old Smith highway located?

[abrigger]

You could just rent a boat. There is a place that rents just off the hiway, right on the river. I forget the price as it was a few years ago. Worth every penny though if you want to hammer walleye.

You might catch a couple shore fishing too though...

[Marlin07]

I have a boat at home, not really worth towing it up there for a couple hours of fishing though.:)

[sourdough doug]

The old Smith Hiway is the road you'd be on if you are fishing at the weir. There are two waters that enter downstream that are fishable from the banks. The 1st is at what they call Muskeg creek and from the weir is prob. 6 km from there. I should know more precisely where it is but there is a bridge at that spotand it enters from the left, can't miss it. The other spot is where the Ottawau River dumps into the Slave. That one is approx 20 km from town, again not exact. This one comes in from the other side of the Slave and a lot of feed comes down with it, hence some good fishing if the time is right. One has to pull off the road, down a little slope , to where at one time a person could put in a boat, prob still can. That should be enuff places for you to fish from, in fact you could do this last one on the way back to Edm. if you were not overniting. Just continue east on this road and you will end up in Smith (an experience of it's own) and then on to Edm .. rottsa ruck.. PS. Go straight thru on this road as there is one turn to the right which would get you back to 44 and therefore miss the Ottawau. Have I got you lost Yet???

[Marlin07]

Thanks Doug! You have lost me for sure but always looking for a new place to go. I will have to try the old Smith highway route. me and my buddies went up near Smith hunting last year and had a blast. Lot's of "different" people around there to say the least. We went into smith for supplies and peeked our head's in the wildcat saloon. Offered a fight almost instantly, what a good bunch of guys!. Thanks again for the directions, and your time.

Jeff