Keeping Walleye close to Edmonton

[SwampShark]

My 87 year old Grandpa wants to get out fishing for a day-trip in a couple of weeks. He is oldschool so likes to keep what he catches. I also don't want to take him too far because he can't sit in my little boat for very long.

Is there anywhere <2hrs from Edmonton where you can keep a Walleye? (not including tags).

Thanks

[tbosch]

Lesser SLave I believe you can still keep 1 a day

[SwampShark]

Isn't Slave about 3 hours away? Also, where would I go with a narrow 12ft. alumn. boat with a small engine and not run the risk of making the drive and not getting on the lake? (wind)

[scott_edmonton]

go to south buck lake, you can keep 1 of 43cm or +

[SwampShark]

South buck sounds reasonable. I have never been. Any tips? btw... I will likely be baitfishing with a jig-minnow set-up. The old guy doesn't really have the coordination for crankbaits anymore.

[sirmike68]

He does not need a liscence at 87 years old so I would buy the $9 underprescribed tags for pigeon and he can keep 3 under 43 cm. If he can only sit down for a few hours at least he'll have alot of action at Pigeon and its only an hour away. Look under "Underprescribed Tags"

http://srd.alberta.ca/fishwildlife/fishingalberta/pdf/2009_Special_Walleye_Licence_Draws.pdf

[Cal]

If you cant get on the lesser slave lake the river also has decent fishing and you can keep 3 a day over 50cm. I thought you could also keep fish from fawcet lake, correct me if I'm wrong cause I could be. Thats a little bit closer and smaller.

[Wulfespirit]

If you cant get on the lesser slave lake the river also has decent fishing and you can keep 3 a day over 50cm. I thought you could also keep fish from fawcet lake, correct me if I'm wrong cause I could be. Thats a little bit closer and smaller.

You're right about Fawcett - however catching a walleye over 50cm there can take days. Lots of walleye, no doubt, just all between 30 and 45cms. Buck or Pigeon gives you a better opportunity to take something home.

[SwampShark]

Thanks. Good Info.

I'll let ya know where I end up going and how we make out.

[Bammer]

Rock Island Lake is a great walleye lake. I go on a trip every year and always catch lots of keepers. It is just past Calling Lake.

[Antelopeous]

Calling lake is only 2 hours away, you can keep one and no size limits. I caught a 7 lb 33 inch wally there on Sat.

[JessePat]

I agree with Calling Lake. I was there the other weekend and we brought home 3 over 4lbs. There are definitely some hogs in the lake. The only thing I don't like about it is the 40 or boats that head out 200m from shore that just jig. They are 10 feet of each other. What is the fun in that? A little too bit like shooting fish in a barrel if you ask me....Pembina river also has walleye you can keep and it is where the Alberta record for walleye was caught

[mooseknuckle]

South buck for sure!

[walker197]

the pembina, 45 min from edmonton west, i think the limit is 3 over 50cm, but check on that. pickerel rig with worms, leaches, or minnows

[smitty9]

Well, Calling is a good choice, but I've never fished it since the regs were changed.

If it were me though, and my 87 yr old Grandpa, I'd try to stick as close as I could to the city. I would be inclined to get the tags and go for Pigeon.

Smitty

[SwampShark]

I tried the Pembina on Saturday (not with the old man). Caught 3 little walleye. A fish cop said he gets 4-5 a day and has never caught one legal size. Maybe I'm in the wrong spots.

I think I'll take the old man to South Buck.

[walker197]

certainly the wrong spot, ive seen them 6+ lbs closer to barrhead. usually catch more than our limit of legals, but have only ever kept one

[SwampShark]

Yeah, I was near Sangudo and later by Entwistle. Are you talking near HWY 654 or HWY 33?

[-JR-]

Rock Island Lake is a great walleye lake. I go on a trip every year and always catch lots of keepers. It is just past Calling Lake.

Rock island used tobe Zero for walleye ,have they changed it for this year.

[2tall4u]

I tried the Pembina on Saturday (not with the old man). Caught 3 little walleye. A fish cop said he gets 4-5 a day and has never caught one legal size. Maybe I'm in the wrong spots.

I think I'll take the old man to South Buck.

I fished the Pembina at Sangudo 2 times last week and only caught small walleyes.

[walker197]

try closer to Minola, you might have to go off the beaten paths though, i usually don't fish anywhere near the bridges, although they are fun, you won't get anything legal. pick up a "backroads" map they really help

[SwampShark]

try closer to Minola, you might have to go off the beaten paths though, i usually don't fish anywhere near the bridges, although they are fun, you won't get anything legal. pick up a "backroads" map they really help

I'm sure you are right. The Pembina really isn't that big. I always go as far from the roadways as possible when I go stream fishing but for some reason don't think it applies to Walleye and Pike.

Good call Walker!

[SwampShark]

Rock island used tobe Zero for walleye ,have they changed it for this year.

Actually, they opened up Rock Island last year. It got hammered pretty hard too. I fished it a handful of times last summer and consistently caught 4-5lbers. Reports have been much slower this year. Although it had virtually no pressure over the winter because of flood ice. Calling is a better bet if its not too windy.

[I-Love-Eyes]

Definitely, go to South Buck Lake! We were there this past weekend and the fishing was great! We caught a lot of walleye. Most averaged about 46 cm but I did land a nice 52.5 cm. Were were on the far southwest side of the lake, close to the campground on the west side. The boat launch is pretty good, but the channel is very shallow--about 2.5-3 feet of water until you clear the weeds. Our method of choice was bottom bouncing with a leech and the depth that seemed to produce the most fish was about 14 - 16 feet. Hope this info is helpful. Good luck!!

[JohninAB]

Rock Island was changed to 1 over 50 last year JR.

[Penner]

Lesser SLave I believe you can still keep 1 a day

I agree with Slave Lake. Pretty tough to beat. Beaver up in Lac La Biche is awesome as well.

However as a reminder the limit is NOT 1 per day. The limit is the number of fish you may possess at the end of a fishing trip, regardless of the number of days fished, is equal to a 1 day limit for the water body fished, including fish stored at home (a.k.a one would not be able to on a weekend trip be able to keep a fish caught Saturday eat it Saturday night at your campsite and then on Sunday catch and keep another fish to take home with you).

[Bammer]

Rock island used tobe Zero for walleye ,have they changed it for this year.

It has been changed for a couple of years now. 1 at 50cm. It is nice to be able to keep them, but there is more people at the lake now than there used to be.

[SwampShark]

Went to S. Buck on Saturday. We each caught a handful of small walleye (+ 1 slough snake). Only one keeper about 46 cm. The lake was really busy with both fishermen and tubers. I am not surprised at the smaller fish based on the pressure the lake must get. Sure was tasty though and the old man had a good time. Looks like the algae is starting to bloom pretty good.

[hockey1099]

Buck lake is a slot size lake? 43-50cm? i have not been this year but though it was over 50 to be a keeper?

[nicemustang]

Negative, 1 over 43 cm.

Buck Lake & tributaries and the portion of the outlet located in 3-47-6-W5
May 15 to Mar. 31 – Walleye limit 1 over 43 cm; Pike limit 3 over 63 cm; Perch limit 5; Lake Whitefish limit 10; Burbot limit 3.
Apr. 1 to May 14 – CLOSED

[hockey1099]

Negative, 1 over 43 cm.

Buck Lake & tributaries and the portion of the outlet located in 3-47-6-W5
May 15 to Mar. 31 – Walleye limit 1 over 43 cm; Pike limit 3 over 63 cm; Perch limit 5; Lake Whitefish limit 10; Burbot limit 3.
Apr. 1 to May 14 – CLOSED

thats great. i may have to go. i though it was over 50 and those are hard to come around in lakes that arent catch and release.

[nicemustang]

I've only been once, and both the wife and I caught 1 keeper each, in about 3 hrs of fishing. Only landed a dozen walleye and a couple pike, so I consider myself lucky that day.