NSR around Edmonton
 

How’s the fishing?

Not sure, but I just drove over the Quesnell Bridge and there must have been a dozen people fishing at the mount of Whitemud Creek

Myself and a buddy went to Goldbar last night after supper and between 7:30-9 we were seeing some decent action. Around 12 bites, landed 4 lost 4 more right at the shore. Caught the same sickly looking little pike twice in an hour. The other 2 were walleyes, average size.

Spoke to a fella down there who landed a Rocky Mountain whitefish on a pickerel rig the other day. I’d never heard of guys catching whitefish this far downstream before.

Fishing within city a couple weeks ago we got 20 one day and 23 another day. All on pickeral rigs and minnows. Mostly smaller walleye with some 2 1/2 pounders mixed in, odd goldeye and pike.

I have caught lots of rocky mountain whites in the Edmonton reach. They like the area right above the high level bridge. I have also caught a few during the winter at goldbar discharge. They like white flies or maggots on small hooks.

Out by Shando Bridge, we catch sauger on every cast well almost every cast, must be a a great hole in the NSR there

Thanks for the info. I’ll bring my ultra light set up with me next time and see if I can snag a few.

Not as many replies as I was hoping there would be.

Didn't there use to be frequent updates about the river by one or two people?

I can't seem to be able to bring up NSR in threads seems to be too generic a term or something and spelling it out gives me too much of the wrong info.

I also have no idea where to go.

any pointers would be appreciated.

A 2 or 3 lb. rocky in the current has strong shoulders. 4 lb. line would be a real challenge.

The river can be bad for snags in different areas but bouncing the current will produce rockies. Rockies like the current, that's probably why they aren't caught as much. Most fishermen are fishing eddies and back water holes.

A 3 way swivel 8 inches from bottom with a long pencil weight at the bottom then trail the white fly or maggots 1 or 2 feet off of the 3 way swivel. Bottom bounce where there is enough current to bounce the rig along. Keep the line tight to feel the bite. Rockies have a light bite. If using maggots only use 2 maggots on a size 10 hook.

I fished the river a few times this weekend around 5-9:30ish PM, and found it to be on the quiet side in a few different spots I checked out, but I’ve managed to foul hook 3 sturgeon on various jigs jigging for walleye, that’s never happened in the 10 or so years I’ve been fishing the river, I managed to see one of them before the hook popped out.

If you have a bike my advice would be to hit the trails and go for a ride. I live in fiulton place and this year I took the bike out, followed the river and noticed many areas of intrest. Fishing has been on the slow side but still caching. The bank along the Sunridge ski hill has always produced fish but it’s a 10 min walk.

I found a decent enough spot and tried jigging for a few hours.
And got skunked again.

I am O'fer for the NSR lifetime and have never had so much as a bite.

Beauty advice. I’ll grab some maggots and try it out on Thursday if the rain ends. I’ve got a spool of 6lb floro looking for a home, maybe I’ll set up a lighter weight river rig then my walleye/pike rig I usually use.

I feel your pain. I went out with a couple buddies yesterday and we all got skunked.

It seems when the bite is on you can’t keep them off your hook, and when it’s not you just become food for the mosquitoes.

This year I’ve caught all my NSR fish off spoons. Red devil and alligator patterns. I usually do well with a wild eye Perch swim bait with the orange belly.

The bite has been slow for me at WM creek and GB. Ive been out several times and have caught only walleye. Lost a few pike. Using pikerel rigs, jigs, spoons and crank baits.

Where is this? Ive never heard of Shando Bridge. Don't worry, Im not looking for spots just curious.

The river is doing well. You just need to put your hook in the right piece of water. I always take a few casts with my baitcaster and a 2 once sinker. Check the depth. Holes fill in and clean out differently with every year. Dont be afraid to use lures vs rigs. I try and take a setup for both. Some days the hard tackle wins sometimes the bait does. Two nights ago the minnows beat the jigs. A month ago the jig beat the bait. Stay versatile. 😀

NE, downstream of Edmonton about an hour drive.