Where to fish??

[MitchSwiss]

Hi all!

I'm a 27 year old fishing freak from Zurich/Switzerland!
I love to go fishing for Pike, Perch, trout and Zander (it's an european Walleye).

I will come to visit Alberta in Summer. Starting from 1st of July for a 2 weeks trip. My cousin live in Lethbridge and my aunt in Sundre.

We will start our trip in Calgary and will go up in the north (Banff/Jasper/Edmonton). But also next to lethbridge, we would like to go fishing! Has seen the Keho Lake should be really ok.

Do you have some good ideas where to fish! I would mostly like to catch some nice trouts with hardbaits (Rappala). but also fly-fishing will be practised. But also a cool lake with Lake Trouts or Walleyes/Pike would be great!

If you would like so see some pictures of fishing in Switzerland, let me know!

Cheers and best regards
Mitch

[Albertafisher]

Your redfin perch are awesome!! Pictures would be really cool!
You'll definitely get some information from the south (I'm from the north so I can't help you that much). All I can say is that unless you're fishing the bow river, you will have a little bit of trouble catching trout in streams with rapalas.

[MitchSwiss]

Of course see below pictures of some Swiss Fish...

Why you think I should have problem to catch trouts in the stream?

Perch 38 + 36 cm



Pike around 70cm


Zander (similar to your Walleyes) 67cm + approx 75cm (released)


Trout 60cm (Here you call them "lake trouts" but it's the same as a Brown Trout which lives in the lake

[WayneChristie]

lots of places to fish around Lethbridge, for all sort of species, you can even fish right in town for big brood trout. Some very nice sturgeon in the river as well. Lots of members from there who I am sure will be glad to give you lots of tips and maybe even show you around.

[MitchSwiss]

So you mean the oldman river? Sounds great!
Is there "fly only" or can I fish with spinning gear?
My fly-fishing skills are no really good yet...but I'm learning!

Of course, it would be great to go fishing with a local fisher!

sorry for my bad english

[BeeGuy]

Hey Mitch,

Read the provincial sportfishing regulations here:
http://www.albertaregulations.ca/fishingregs/

You will learn a lot from it. You can spin fish anywhere in Alberta, but you can only use barbless hooks.

This site has info on just about every species and every piece of water in the province, use the search function and read the old threads and you will be an expert in no time.

In Alberta "Lake Trout" are a charr called Salvelinus namaycush. It is a different species from the Brown Trout. We have lots of Brown Trout here in rivers and lakes. If you are in Calgary you can catch one, no problem.

There are many species of trout in Alberta:
Rainbow Trout
Cut-throat Trout
Lake Trout
Bull Trout
Speckled (Brook) Trout
Brown Trout
and in some Alpine lakes, Golden Trout

There are also some hybrid fish which are crossbreeds between some of the above.

We also have 3 other salmonids:
Grayling
Lake Whitefish
Rocky Mountain Whitefish

The Rocky Mountain Hat-trick is a bull trout, cut-throat trout, and Rocky
Mountain Whitefish.

Probably one of the most unique fishing experiences we have here is the Lake Sturgeon which is found in some bigger rivers. Lethbridge is a good location to be to do some sturgeon fishing.

ciao

[MitchSwiss]

Thanks for your detailed answer!
I will read the regulations and lot more before I will come to Candada.
I always fish without barbs on my hooks! Most of the inshore waters in Switzerland is also only fishing without barbs allowed and that's really ok!

Yes, I know! We have also "Lake trouts" in Swiss Mountain lakes, it's not a domestic fish but keeped in our lakes since about 50 years! Here we call them "Namaycush" or "Canadian Lake Trout"!
I really like cutthroat trout, just googeled and saw it the first time! Looks a little bit as half Brown half Rainbow trout! Just amazing!

I think I do not really like Sturgeon fishing I more like active fishing... Some nice trouts would be great for me!