Saddle Lake?

Tizmosia · #1 07-26-2017, 11:04 PM

Hey guys I'm new to the bonneyville/ St Paul area and was wondering if anybody could tell me more about saddle lake fishing. I really want to try this lake out, but don't know about the restrictions with the natives and/or whether the lake is tecnically theirs or not. Anything would help as I'm just looking for more insight to fishing here. Thanks!

Talking moose · #2 07-27-2017, 12:08 AM

Even if you could, you wanna leave your vehicle on a lake on the reserve? I know I wouldn't.

dodgeboy1979 · #3 07-27-2017, 08:31 AM

you will have to ask the band to access the lake

Blastoff · #4 07-27-2017, 08:52 AM

Most likely you will get harassed and or vehicle damaged. Not sure I would go there unless you go with a local First Nation.

BiggieB · #5 07-27-2017, 03:46 PM

I've wanted to go fishing on saddle for years because I have heard rumours of big ol piggie perch..... but to my understanding the town of saddle lake on the reservation uses the lake for drinking water, so they are not a fan of people fishing on it.

Also since they have the rights to the lake you have to obtain written permission from the band chief to go fishing on the lake. (This is all information from Ifish Alberta I have never actually made contact with the band chief.)

Why not contact both the local fish and wildlife department and the chief of the saddle lake reservation and find out from them they would definitely have the answers you are looking for.

Talking moose · #6 07-27-2017, 04:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BiggieB

I've wanted to go fishing on saddle for years because I have heard rumours of big ol piggie perch..... but to my understanding the town of saddle lake on the reservation uses the lake for drinking water, so they are not a fan of people fishing on it.

Also since they have the rights to the lake you have to obtain written permission from the band chief to go fishing on the lake. (This is all information from Ifish Alberta I have never actually made contact with the band chief.)

Why not contact both the local fish and wildlife department and the chief of the saddle lake reservation and find out from them they would definitely have the answers you are looking for.

People have contacted the band. They say no, it's for drinking water. Not sure if they have the legal right to say no but I wouldn't push it. Just read a link on ice shanty or ifish that people have been shot over out on the lake.

dodgeboy1979 · #7 07-27-2017, 04:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Talking moose

People have contacted the band. They say no, it's for drinking water. Not sure if they have the legal right to say no but I wouldn't push it. Just read a link on ice shanty or ifish that people have been shot over out on the lake.

The reserve owns the land to access the lake so you would need permission to get to the lake. They do use the lake for drinking water for the community so i can see it being a touchy subject.

Nikanit · #8 07-29-2017, 10:30 PM

We have ice fished it a few years back. My husband's crew all lived there and we were allowed to. As long as you know someone (a Cardinal haha!) and you let the band office know that you are a friend, there wasn't any problem and we had zero issues. I had caught a goodly sized pike from there

singleshotom · #9 08-01-2017, 10:14 AM

We fished Saddle for years both Summer an winter. They charged a small fee per day per vehicle.
This as in the 70;s and of course some people f----d it up......
About 79 or so, in the winter a few groups of people were out fishing on the ice an one of the people decided to change oil in his truck. Dropped the used out right on the ice and the native care taker (Ernie) came out and told them to clean up the oil, which they told him to F*** off, well that incident went to band council an the end came to outsiders fishing at Saddle Lake.........
One or two *******s screwed everyone.......
sst

3blade · #10 08-02-2017, 11:15 AM

Interesting, I had heard something about oil in that lake. They do not allow outsiders to fish in the lake at all, that I can confirm.

Regarding that area, let me put it this way...I would happily drive 100 miles in the wrong direction just to avoid driving through saddle lake reserve. Unless I was in a tank. Even then, I wouldn't be stopping to fish. It's a pretty harsh place and life is cheap.

singleshotom · #11 08-02-2017, 01:01 PM

Honestly, we used to camp out there on the north end of the lake and never ever had a problem.
I'm sure we fished there close to a 100 times over the years an not one did we have a problem....... with the people they treated us very nice.
Ernie was the care taker an he would assure us no one would bother us or touch a thing.
For a few years I used a canoe and they all laughed how crazy I was to go out on the lake when it was really rough, he called me a crazy white guy......
We all really enjoyed the time there over the years.....
I remember once going to moose lake an waking up in the morning an 11 boats were sitting without motors, ours was not touched probably because it was too old...... My cousin said to me never again we will now only go to saddle Lake lots safer....
sst

pikeman06 · #12 08-04-2017, 03:54 PM

Oh ya. Park your stuff right by your trailer or whatever you sleep in. Put a chain on your outboard. It's probably organized if they getting 10 boats at once and don't blame it on the native folks. I lived there when it was pretty wild west and I treated them like the humans they are and throw out a "good morning" and have a conversation and a good laugh and I never had an issue and I would leave my truck for days while we camped on islands with no cell phones. Made many good friends up there. Just show some respect. You don't leave your stuff laying around at home I bet. I load up every night got it down to a science and it's easier on your boat then sitting on rocks all nite.