Tiger Trout around Edmonton, help!

[pixe1334]

Anyone have any luck with catching any tiger trout at lakes within 1.5-2h radius around Edmonton?

I've been trying to catch one for 2-3 years at this point but the closest I got was a 6" tiger staring and taunting 2ft from me at Cardiff.

Let's not even talk about random anglers I talk to at the lakes I visited. I got the "oh yea, I got one earlier today" way too many times LOL.

I tried streamers and nymphs (and some dry flies when they were jumping) at all depths and speeds and 99.5% of the trout I caught were rainbows with the 0.5% being some small brooks.

Anyone have any tips or something specific that I could do to entice a tiger (provided my flies are seen by one) to bite?

For lakes, I tried everything within ~45min of Edmonton including the black nugget pit which is around 1hr but this was a complete bust. When I went there, the campground people invited someone to investigate why no one had any bites for weeks.

Tomorrow or Sunday I'm thinking of going to Dolberg lake (depending on weather+winds). Anyone have any experience with it? Can I fish from shore or with a belly boat?

[Don Andersen]

Belly boat is fine.

Originally Posted by pixe1334

Anyone have any luck with catching any tiger trout at lakes within 1.5-2h radius around Edmonton?

I've been trying to catch one for 2-3 years at this point but the closest I got was a 6" tiger staring and taunting 2ft from me at Cardiff.

Let's not even talk about random anglers I talk to at the lakes I visited. I got the "oh yea, I got one earlier today" way too many times LOL.

I tried streamers and nymphs (and some dry flies when they were jumping) at all depths and speeds and 99.5% of the trout I caught were rainbows with the 0.5% being some small brooks.

Anyone have any tips or something specific that I could do to entice a tiger (provided my flies are seen by one) to bite?

For lakes, I tried everything within ~45min of Edmonton including the black nugget pit which is around 1hr but this was a complete bust. When I went there, the campground people invited someone to investigate why no one had any bites for weeks.

Tomorrow or Sunday I'm thinking of going to Dolberg lake (depending on weather+winds). Anyone have any experience with it? Can I fish from shore or with a belly boat?

[nimrod]

Black nugget should still have tiger trout don't know for sure never caught any my self

[Mr Flyguy]

Originally Posted by pixe1334

Anyone have any luck with catching any tiger trout at lakes within 1.5-2h radius around Edmonton?

I've been trying to catch one for 2-3 years at this point but the closest I got was a 6" tiger staring and taunting 2ft from me at Cardiff.

Let's not even talk about random anglers I talk to at the lakes I visited. I got the "oh yea, I got one earlier today" way too many times LOL.

I tried streamers and nymphs (and some dry flies when they were jumping) at all depths and speeds and 99.5% of the trout I caught were rainbows with the 0.5% being some small brooks.

Anyone have any tips or something specific that I could do to entice a tiger (provided my flies are seen by one) to bite?


For lakes, I tried everything within ~45min of Edmonton including the black nugget pit which is around 1hr but this was a complete bust. When I went there, the campground people invited someone to investigate why no one had any bites for weeks.

Tomorrow or Sunday I'm thinking of going to Dolberg lake (depending on weather+winds). Anyone have any experience with it? Can I fish from shore or with a belly boat?

They're in a whole bunch of lakes within your radius...try minnow patterns, nymphs, chironomids, backswimmers and boatman in the fall.

[flyrodfisher]

Originally Posted by Mr Flyguy

They're in a whole bunch of lakes within your radius...

YES....check the stocking reports and you will find all you need to know.
The popular ones like Dolberg and Chain will be a gong show this weekend....fill yer boots....

[pixe1334]

Originally Posted by flyrodfisher

YES....check the stocking reports and you will find all you need to know.
The popular ones like Dolberg and Chain will be a gong show this weekend....fill yer boots....

That's what I've been doing. I went to every tiger stocked pond around Edmonton.

Well I'll get one eventually, just gotta keep grinding out rainbow trout until a tiger hits lol

[pixe1334]

Originally Posted by Mr Flyguy

They're in a whole bunch of lakes within your radius...try minnow patterns, nymphs, chironomids, backswimmers and boatman in the fall.

Thanks, I'll try the backswimmers and boatman.

I think the issue is that all these ponds have some tigers but they are severely outnumbered by rainbow + all the people going with the 5 gallon buckets on the day of stocking (not saying that there's anything necessarily wrong with taking fish, but they do it before I even find out that the lake was stocked).

That's one of the reasons I wanted to go to dolberg lake. Can't take any under 50cm.

[rusbo09]

Well... it goes against all my fishing intuition to name names but given the rate fish are leaving these damn lakes I guess its not doing much harm.

I caught my first tiger ever this year at star. If you are able to put a little distance between yourself and the dozen or so rods onshore from dawn to dusk I found many more tigers to be active than the rainbows in there when it comes to activity and willingness.


Something seriously needs to be done with hasse, star, chickakoo, east pit, etc etc. There's a few weeks of decent fishing and then by the end of the year its fished out again. something so demoralizing about wanting to go c&r on a 3 wt and watch groups of people leave with 10-20 fish daily.

[Mr Flyguy]

Originally Posted by rusbo09

Well... it goes against all my fishing intuition to name names but given the rate fish are leaving these damn lakes I guess its not doing much harm.

I caught my first tiger ever this year at star. If you are able to put a little distance between yourself and the dozen or so rods onshore from dawn to dusk I found many more tigers to be active than the rainbows in there when it comes to activity and willingness.


Something seriously needs to be done with hasse, star, chickakoo, east pit, etc etc. There's a few weeks of decent fishing and then by the end of the year its fished out again. something so demoralizing about wanting to go c&r on a 3 wt and watch groups of people leave with 10-20 fish daily.

C&R with a 3wt??? If you run in a 20 inch 'bow or tiger and have to play it for 20 minutes do you think it's going to survive?

I caught 3 tigers today on bruised leech, 14 to 15 inches, but I ain't sayin' where.

[smitty9]

Originally Posted by rusbo09

Well...

...Something seriously needs to be done with hasse, star, chickakoo, east pit, etc etc. There's a few weeks of decent fishing and then by the end of the year its fished out again. something so demoralizing about wanting to go c&r on a 3 wt and watch groups of people leave with 10-20 fish daily.

Did you phone RAP?

[SNAPFisher]

Originally Posted by smitty9

Did you phone RAP?

I'm pretty sure he is meaning a 5 fish limit over a group of people adds up. Just a guess.

[Mr Flyguy]

Originally Posted by SNAPFisher

I'm pretty sure he is meaning a 5 fish limit over a group of people adds up. Just a guess.

Well yes, perfectly legal as long as everyone in the group has a fishing license, but looking at some groups I wonder. And are you going to go over to question them, I doubt it!

[Sundancefisher]

Simple fix for fished out out and take quality or put and take lakes. Decrease the limit to match retention rates.

[pixe1334]

Originally Posted by Mr Flyguy

C&R with a 3wt??? If you run in a 20 inch 'bow or tiger and have to play it for 20 minutes do you think it's going to survive?

I caught 3 tigers today on bruised leech, 14 to 15 inches, but I ain't sayin' where.

That's definitely fine! I don't expect anyone to reveal their places because I know that if you do, next year that spot is probably dead. Even when sharing images online it's probably a good idea to make sure there's no gps locations or anything like that in it.

Congrats on the tigers !

[SNAPFisher]

Originally Posted by pixe1334

That's definitely fine! I don't expect anyone to reveal their places because I know that if you do, next year that spot is probably dead. Even when sharing images online it's probably a good idea to make sure there's no gps locations or anything like that in it.

Congrats on the tigers !

There are lots of stocking now. Take a look at the stocking report. I think there are over 35 lakes and ponds now stocked with tigers. Lots really close to Edmonton. Start checking off the list
Should be able to find your own honeyhole.

Use minnow patterns, leeches (as mentioned) and hopefully you run into a chironomid hatch.

[pixe1334]

Originally Posted by Sundancefisher

Simple fix for fished out out and take quality or put and take lakes. Decrease the limit to match retention rates.

I agree. In my opinion more lakes should have rules where you can take 1 fish over 50cm, no bait allowed, and maybe fish for certain months of the year (like apr 1 - march 1 or something).

Taking the 6" trout is just so dumb imo, there's barely any meat on them.

[pixe1334]

Originally Posted by Mr Flyguy

Well yes, perfectly legal as long as everyone in the group has a fishing license, but looking at some groups I wonder. And are you going to go over to question them, I doubt it!

I don't generally directly confront anyone because some people get pretty angry (can't say I feel like getting into fights with people, although that's probably a rare occurrence), but I do report everyone that I think are doing shady things.

[pixe1334]

Originally Posted by rusbo09

Well... it goes against all my fishing intuition to name names but given the rate fish are leaving these damn lakes I guess its not doing much harm.

I caught my first tiger ever this year at star. If you are able to put a little distance between yourself and the dozen or so rods onshore from dawn to dusk I found many more tigers to be active than the rainbows in there when it comes to activity and willingness.


Something seriously needs to be done with hasse, star, chickakoo, east pit, etc etc. There's a few weeks of decent fishing and then by the end of the year its fished out again. something so demoralizing about wanting to go c&r on a 3 wt and watch groups of people leave with 10-20 fish daily.

I get what you're saying. I saw that with chicakoo and the hermitage pond in edmonton.

Besides the constant takes of any fish that is caught, winter kills a lot too unfortunately. These ponds are just terrible at holding fish.

[rusbo09]

Originally Posted by Mr Flyguy

C&R with a 3wt??? If you run in a 20 inch 'bow or tiger and have to play it for 20 minutes do you think it's going to survive?

I caught 3 tigers today on bruised leech, 14 to 15 inches, but I ain't sayin' where.

Well as always there’s differences of opinions, in cold water spring temps with a barbless fly, rubber net, and the fish not leaving the water I believe the survival odds are at least decent for a fish even if it gets to a 10-15 minute fight, that being said if I was hooking into that size on these lakes that winter kill nearly yearly then maybe my tactics would change. But yeah I C&R stocker trout on a 3 wt. sue me. I feel like there are better uses of frustration in our current fishing climate though

[rusbo09]

Originally Posted by smitty9

Did you phone RAP?

Always call rap when I see that kind of thing but I can’t say much comes of it. The lack of accountability is growing as people are seeing how consistently they can get away with stuff when the f&w presence is nil in this province

[thumper]

In a put & take fishery, I have no problems with family groups having good, clean outdoor fun, and as long as they follow the rules, they're welcome to take home their limits. That's exactly what these lakes are stocked for.

And it seems that Tigers are even more aggressive than Rainbows, and thus easier to catch! Expect more squealing kids lining the banks!!! Good on'em.

[pixe1334]

Originally Posted by thumper

In a put & take fishery, I have no problems with family groups having good, clean outdoor fun, and as long as they follow the rules, they're welcome to take home their limits. That's exactly what these lakes are stocked for.

And it seems that Tigers are even more aggressive than Rainbows, and thus easier to catch! Expect more squealing kids lining the banks!!! Good on'em.

Yea, I don't really care if people take take from stocked ponds since that's the purpose I guess, but taking 6" trout just feels weird to me...what do you even eat from that

[orvisman]

I have only fished a couple of lakes with tigers in them. Did catch a couple, but the ratio of rainbow to tiger was high. Got them on woolly bugger and zonker. I heard that they come into the shallows later in the evening hunting minnows. I’ve seen groups of minnows go ape**** when a tiger was chasing. Lots of commotion followed by...deathly silence. 🤭

[tallieho]

Caught & released lots.Using chironomids,chromies,blk/red & bloodworms.

[pixe1334]

Originally Posted by tallieho

Caught & released lots.Using chironomids,chromies,blk/red & bloodworms.

From what everyone is saying, it looks to me like it's pretty much the same flies as I would use for any other trout.

Looks like the key thing here is luck. Luck to drop the fly in front of a tiger haha