Ice fishing on a river in Alberta...what’s with that?

[Sundancefisher]

Interestingly enough it is only illegal in ES1 to ES4. In all other areas it is apparently legal.

I’ve worked on river ice and I would be very hard pressed to ice fish on a river in Alberta.

Just curious who has done it or would do it...and where in Alberta would there be good ice fishing through the ice.

From a conservation perspective, river pools are overwinter habitat. I would think it would be a bad move to encourage fishing for vulnerable populations.

[Talking moose]

You are misinformed

[Talking moose]

Straight out of pp2 (Edmonton area) 2020 regs.



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[Gbuss]

Originally Posted by Talking moose

Straight out of pp2 (Edmonton area) 2020 regs.



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The online regs only es1 to 4 you cannot fish in a river it has changed and the online regs are the correct ones. Unfortunately the paper copie isn't always right.

[Gbuss]

This is straight from the online regs


Tributaries and Beaver PondsTributaries to a lake have the same regulations as the outlet stream from the lake, unless stated differently in site-specific regulations.
Stream regulations do not apply to a lake or reservoir unless stated differently in site-specific regulations.
The same regulations apply to beaver ponds as apply to the streams in which the ponds are found.
Ice fishing: Angling is not permitted through the ice; a) into beaver ponds or b) into flowing waters in ES1 to ES4 management zones except the portion of the Lobstick River lying in 53, 54-9, 10-W5.


Gbuss

[Sundancefisher]

Originally Posted by Gbuss

This is straight from the online regs


Tributaries and Beaver PondsTributaries to a lake have the same regulations as the outlet stream from the lake, unless stated differently in site-specific regulations.
Stream regulations do not apply to a lake or reservoir unless stated differently in site-specific regulations.
The same regulations apply to beaver ponds as apply to the streams in which the ponds are found.
Ice fishing: Angling is not permitted through the ice; a) into beaver ponds or b) into flowing waters in ES1 to ES4 management zones except the portion of the Lobstick River lying in 53, 54-9, 10-W5.


Gbuss

Exactly.

So just the foothills flowing water and beaverdams is closed. According to the regs you could fish the North Saskatchewan River east of Edmonton.

Everyone agree?

[FlyTheory]

Originally Posted by Sundancefisher

Exactly.

So just the foothills flowing water and beaverdams is closed. According to the regs you could fish the North Saskatchewan River east of Edmonton.

Everyone agree?

Agree. Very straight forward regulations.

[Talking moose]

Originally Posted by Gbuss

The online regs only es1 to 4 you cannot fish in a river it has changed and the online regs are the correct ones. Unfortunately the paper copie isn't always right.

Yup I just looked online. Different than paper copy. She’s a go! Maybe

[Sundancefisher]

Originally Posted by Talking moose

Yup I just looked online. Different than paper copy. She’s a go! Maybe

Very strange eh. I find it odd the government would leave it open. Both from a high risk of a loss of life incident and to protect fish stocks concentrated in overwintering areas.

Looking close...yup...it appears open over winter.. weird.

[Talking moose]

Originally Posted by Sundancefisher

Very strange eh. I find it odd the government would leave it open. Both from a high risk of a loss of life incident and to protect fish stocks concentrated in overwintering areas.

I think the way they get around it is by listing regs for flowing waters which appears to all be closed over the winter.

So maybe by default...there is no ice fishing on flowing waters.

Wouldn’t be hard for them to say no fishing through the ice in Alberta...

Although you can flyfish in the Bow.

Ice fishing rivers isn’t dangerous. Thousands and thousands do it.
And I actually don’t mind it. It opens more options for people. Takes some of the pressure off lakes.
Most rivers are actually under utilized.

[Sundancefisher]

Originally Posted by Talking moose

Ice fishing rivers isn’t dangerous. Thousands and thousands do it.
And I actually don’t mind it. It opens more options for people. Takes some of the pressure off lakes.
Most rivers are actually under utilized.

You were quick to post a reply. The open dates

PP2

OPEN May 15 to Mar. 31
● Lake Sturgeon limit 0
● Walleye and Sauger limit 3
● Walleye over 50 cm
● Northern Pike limit 3 over 63 cm
● Trout limit 2
● Mountain Whitefish limit 5 over 30 cm
● Yellow Perch limit 15
● Lake Whitefish limit 10
● Burbot limit 2 (Burbot limit 0 Feb. 1 to Mar. 31)
● Goldeye limit 10
● Bait allowed

Open over winter.

[Talking moose]

Originally Posted by Sundancefisher

You were quick to post a reply. The open dates

PP2

OPEN May 15 to Mar. 31
● Lake Sturgeon limit 0
● Walleye and Sauger limit 3
● Walleye over 50 cm
● Northern Pike limit 3 over 63 cm
● Trout limit 2
● Mountain Whitefish limit 5 over 30 cm
● Yellow Perch limit 15
● Lake Whitefish limit 10
● Burbot limit 2 (Burbot limit 0 Feb. 1 to Mar. 31)
● Goldeye limit 10
● Bait allowed

Open over winter.

North sask river is open year round. On the past as long as you had open water(outflows) you could fish.

[Sundancefisher]

Originally Posted by Talking moose

North sask river is open year round. On the past as long as you had open water(outflows) you could fish.

After years fishing the NSR I never did fish it in the winter.

I had holes that were good for different fish at different times of year.

A pike hole

A burbot hole

A sturgeon hole

A walleye hole

A goldeye mooneye hole.

Sauger were hit and miss

A Quillback and northern red horse hole was limited and very short season.

[dodger]

Sooo, I was heading South on Deerfoot crossing the river at Douglasdale and on the river there were 2 guys laying on an ice shelf by the flowing water. I asked the wife what they were doing ( keeping my eyes on the road ) and she said they had fishing poles in there hands? Crazy !!

Is this considered ice fishing a river

Dodger.

[Poppa]

Originally Posted by dodger

Sooo, I was heading South on Deerfoot crossing the river at Douglasdale and on the river there were 2 guys laying on an ice shelf by the flowing water. I asked the wife what they were doing ( keeping my eyes on the road ) and she said they had fishing poles in there hands? Crazy !!

Is this considered ice fishing a river

Dodger.

Bow's open all year and people fly fish it 12 months... Always see people in there.

[Rock Doctor]

Ive ice fished a few rivers, usually looking for Burbot or Pike. Sometimes water comes gushing out of the holes you drill, that sucks... Sometimes you drill into a boulder, that's worse. Never had a lot of luck, but caught a few.

RD

[dodger]

Originally Posted by Poppa

Bow's open all year and people fly fish it 12 months... Always see people in there.

Yep river is open all year. Just wondering about the risk of lying on an ice shelf with moving water under you to hang a fishing pole over the edge. Just seems a little dumb to me, but that's just me.

Dodger.

[raw outdoors]

Just prepare yourself in case you fall in. Like most things in life if you are not prepared at all and something happens you suffer and sometimes don’t make it. If you are prepared then the worst is usually your only uncomfortable for a few minutes. Frozen lakes can be misleading as safe when they are not at all. At least river usually don’t ever look safe so people usually stay away unless they know what there doing. I would love to try fish the reddeer river for walleye and burbot in the winter.

[gazin16]

Pretty sure there's a vid on YouTube of a guy ice fishing the north Saskatchewan river.

[Talking moose]

Originally Posted by gazin16

Pretty sure there's a vid on YouTube of a guy ice fishing the north Saskatchewan river.

Yup there’s a few.