Kids Fishing in Calgary?

ian_george · #1 09-11-2010, 12:15 PM

I have a couple of kids who would like to go fishing somewhere close to Calgary - closer the better (we live in the Sandstone area).

I'd heard that there is a little stocked pond somewhere north of Country Hills Blvd, but not sure where it is.

Any suggestions on where I could take the kids so that they would have a decent chance of catching something? Any bait / lure suggestions for this time of year?

Thanks a lot for your help

DarkAisling · #2 09-11-2010, 01:01 PM

Dewitt's Pond is very close to Airdrie:
http://maps.google.ca/maps?f=d&sourc...=UTF8&t=h&z=12

Those directions are from the Esso.

You'll need to pan the map. Google maps has been misbehaving a bit. It is only 15-20 minutes from Sandstone.

I haven't fished it this year, so I don't have any suggetions for you (note, there is no public washroom).

boot · #3 09-11-2010, 10:54 PM

You could try Crossfield as well (it's a bit further north).

FishingMOM · #4 09-12-2010, 08:03 AM

We also do mitford out in cochrane

Today we will try Allen Bill. Just have to do some work first then off to fish.

Beekahs · #5 09-12-2010, 11:25 AM

Went for a drive and walked around Allen Bill yesterday, saw a whitefish but nobody was catching anything.

FishingMOM · #6 09-13-2010, 07:53 AM

someone caught something early on. We left when it started getting busy.
We drove out to Bowden. What a nice drive.
Saw my first moose, mind you he lost a battle with a vehicle.
Eaten lots of moose but never seen them outside of a Zoo.
Loved seeing the colours of fall up there.

ian_george · #7 09-14-2010, 05:23 PM

Thanks for your suggestions everyone
We ended up finding De Witt's Pond ok, but it was kind of cold and rainy and the kids got cranky after about half hour. I gave up after about an hour
Sad to see how much garbage and cig butts are left lying around out there, but it looks like the Fish & Game people have done their best to put garbage cans up for those thoughtful enough to use them.
I think we'll try Allen Bill next time -- I just googled it. Looks really nice
I also tried googling Mitford in Cochrane, but I read somewhere that you need to be a Cochrane resident to fish there. Is that right?
Winchell Lake might be an option too -- though a bit farther afield than I was planning to go
Does anyone happen to know the best time of year to fish these little stocked ponds? Do they get stocked around the same time each year? Better to fish them soon after or wait a bit?
Thanks again everyone
Ian

Fordman150 · #8 09-14-2010, 08:45 PM

If you really want to get your kids their first fish you may have to head a little further away from Calgary. This place is about 1.5 hrs south of calgary but should be worth the drive as it is usually an active Walleye lake. My 9year old son caught his first 14 fish there in about an hour. It's catch and release only. Use pickeral jigs baited with smelts or minnows. You can fish off the dock as long as you play nice with the boaters. Search "Pine coulee" and you should get all the info you need.

Pine Coulee Reservoir
6km west & 4 km south of Stavely Alberta on SH 527 then 1km east on Township Road 140 Follow the boat launch signs on good paved roads ( till you get to Pine Coulee) Good Boat Launch.
http://maps.google.ca/maps? find #2 highway, go south to Stavely ,.. west on 527 and you can zoom in on the lake real good L)

Sundancefisher · #9 09-14-2010, 09:03 PM

How old are the kids. Any kid under 10 will have diminished patience as they get of a younger age. At 5 years old...figure 15 minutes...then a break activity...throwing rocks at sticks in the water etc. Then fish. You may not want to push them more than 1 hour of fishing in an 8 hour outing. You also need snacks, games (soccer ball or frisbee etc.), prizes for just trying, camera for them to take pics. If you push them or they are bored...then you can turn them off quickly at an early age. As kids get older they get more patience but not for boring fishing. They need action and other stuff to do like toboganning, swimming floating boats etc.

Chain Lakes has lots of rainbows...but it is about 2 hours + away from you. Watch for posts come winter and I will have a Dad's and Kid's ice fishing outing and hot dog roast.

Fordman150 · #10 09-14-2010, 10:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fordman150

If you really want to get your kids their first fish you may have to head a little further away from Calgary. This place is about 1.5 hrs south of calgary but should be worth the drive as it is usually an active Walleye lake. My 9year old son caught his first 14 fish there in about an hour. It's catch and release only. Use pickeral jigs baited with smelts or minnows. You can fish off the dock as long as you play nice with the boaters. Search "Pine coulee" and you should get all the info you need.

Pine Coulee Reservoir
6km west & 4 km south of Stavely Alberta on SH 527 then 1km east on Township Road 140 Follow the boat launch signs on good paved roads ( till you get to Pine Coulee) Good Boat Launch.
http://maps.google.ca/maps? find #2 highway, go south to Stavely ,.. west on 527 and you can zoom in on the lake real good L)

The directions above are from Redheadedfisherman's tagline.. Thanks RHF!!

RHF. please see PM.. thanks

FishingMOM · #11 09-15-2010, 07:42 AM

Mitford.

No on the residency thing.
However only CHILDREN can keep (1) fish.
Which is just fine by me. It is right by the skate park, and there is a big soccer field there. (great if they need a break) and my son loves the "waterfall" they built to keep the pond water moving.

RayL42 · #12 09-15-2010, 08:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ian_george

Thanks for your suggestions everyone
We ended up finding De Witt's Pond ok, but it was kind of cold and rainy and the kids got cranky after about half hour. I gave up after about an hour
Sad to see how much garbage and cig butts are left lying around out there, but it looks like the Fish & Game people have done their best to put garbage cans up for those thoughtful enough to use them.
I think we'll try Allen Bill next time -- I just googled it. Looks really nice
I also tried googling Mitford in Cochrane, but I read somewhere that you need to be a Cochrane resident to fish there. Is that right?
Winchell Lake might be an option too -- though a bit farther afield than I was planning to go
Does anyone happen to know the best time of year to fish these little stocked ponds? Do they get stocked around the same time each year? Better to fish them soon after or wait a bit?
Thanks again everyone
Ian

I have lots of success in Winchell Lake on the fly rod or with bait (a combo or marsh mellow and power bait) I will use bait when I take my nephew. The issue with Winchell is the shore or lack of one, the lake is surrounded by a bog, there are a few abandoned beaver lodges you can stand on however with out a boat of some sort you will get your feet wet for sure.