2-3 hours from Calgary to keep a fish.

[ZigZag]

this is my first year fishing (alone) bought an inflatable and had a couple friends buy there licences. Had some fun at Chestermere and Sibbald L/P but I did C&R and I would love for my expensive habit to kinda pay off. I have not caught a fish I felt or regs felt I could keep and it would be awesome if one fish I caught could be eaten. (it will be eaten) any fish from any water would be prime I just bought my first car and anywhere from Calgary to Edmonton, or some of the Reservoirs south of Calgary would be great. East. West. South or North... Im willing to get the gas in and take a swim if the boat fails for fresh non costco nasty fish.

[Scott N]

Try Beaver Mines Lake for stocked rainbows. It's about 2.5 hours from Calgary, SW of Pincher Creek.

[jacenbeers]

What kind of fish are you looking for? Chain Lakes is a big lake that is fun to explore and it is full of stocked rainbows.

[Fivehole35]

Originally Posted by jacenbeers

What kind of fish are you looking for? Chain Lakes is a big lake that is fun to explore and it is full of stocked rainbows.

x 2

Chain Lakes is great because it has a speed restriction of 12km/h so you dont have to worry about guys in there wake board boats tipping you over.

http://www.albertaparks.ca/chain-lak...irections.aspx

lots of stocked rainbows

[Adwittoutdoors]

I think Epicangler has a cousin.

[BeeGuy]

Originally Posted by Adwittoutdoors

I think Epicangler has a cousin.

I think you're epicangler.

[32-40win]

Go to Innisfail, turn west. You will go past the turnoffs to Dickson Trout pond, Phyllis and Alford lakes, and the turnoff to Burntstick and Beaver lakes. There are campgrounds at all of them. All but Burntstick have trout, Burntstick has pike and perch, all are in the 2hr drive range. Beaver has a min size to keep one. If you feel like going a bit north towards Rocky, there is also Strubel with trout, and Cow Lk with perch. And Swan lk has trout.
All of those can be accessed by going west from Innisfail. You should get the south and central Alberta Backroads map books. They will help you immensely.

[ericlin0122]

Beaver is now c&r my friend.

[Winch101]

ROFLMAO ....

There is no end in sight ,

[Guitarplayingfish]

Originally Posted by Scott N

Try Beaver Mines Lake for stocked rainbows. It's about 2.5 hours from Calgary, SW of Pincher Creek.

Beaver Mines Lake has terrible tasting fish... Like most of the stocked lakes in Alberta, the fish grew up eating pellets and they turn to mush when cooked.

Personally I don't keep from stocked lakes anymore..I used to do 1-2 a year, but it has been a disappointment every single time.

I hear they are better if you smoke them. I would rather smoke salmon.

[LCCFisherman]

I fish keho lake every day, it has great tasting walleye and northern pike. Guys regularly catch pike to 30lbs and walleye to 15lbs.. WHAT A FISHERY!!!!

[Guitarplayingfish]

Originally Posted by LCCFisherman

I fish keho lake every day, it has great tasting walleye and northern pike. Guys regularly catch pike to 30lbs and walleye to 15lbs.. WHAT A FISHERY!!!!

Don't go to Keho. LCC is full of it.

Trollin'

[Scott N]

Originally Posted by Guitarplayingfish

Beaver Mines Lake has terrible tasting fish... Like most of the stocked lakes in Alberta, the fish grew up eating pellets and they turn to mush when cooked.

Personally I don't keep from stocked lakes anymore..I used to do 1-2 a year, but it has been a disappointment every single time.

I hear they are better if you smoke them. I would rather smoke salmon.

I don't keep many fish, but the ones that I've kept from Beaver Mines have been ok to eat.

[Guitarplayingfish]

Originally Posted by Scott N

I don't keep many fish, but the ones that I've kept from Beaver Mines have been ok to eat.

You pan fry them or oven? Or smoke them?

[Scott N]

Originally Posted by Guitarplayingfish

You pan fry them or oven? Or smoke them?

I bbq them usually, wrapped in foil with butter, garlic, etc.

[Nakoda boater]

Nice body of water with keepers well over 30cm. Just there this past weekend, beautiful bows and the odd brown.

[LCCFisherman]

Another GREAT and I mean GREAT fishery close to calgary is the Milk River Ridge reservoir, now that sucked has TANKS!

[ZigZag]

thanks for the info guys. hit up Chesermere for the 100th time caught 3 18-25" in a hour, then to Crawling Valley Res and caught 7 pike all around the same size only one snapped cause I was dumb and grabbed the line to pull it out of the water as the fish thrashed, I wish I had the secret Metallica songs those pike have.. they thrash harder than a 300 pound guy listening to seek and destroy.

[JustBen]

Originally Posted by ericlin0122

Beaver is now c&r my friend.

The creek is limit zero, but I'm positive the lake is still limit five.

I caught a few smaller rainbows this morning at Allison/Chinook, but the fishing was slow. Not sure how it has been at Beaver Mines Lake.