Alberta ice fishing
Canadian travel, tourism information

Ice fishing in Alberta, Canada

Alberta, Canada ice fishing is as simple as drilling a hole in the ice, dropping a fishing line into the hole and then waiting for the fish to bite. And, funny enough, it is the waiting with friends and family, sharing stories and laughs, that is the best time.

Alberta travel, tourism - Ice fishing Ice fishing is enjoyed on most of the waterways in Alberta, Canada during the winter season. There are over 600 lakes in Alberta with natural breeding populations of fish and there are 300 or so stocked lakes where the fish population is managed by provincial revitalization programs. There are over 240+ rivers and 300+ spring fed creeks and streams.

Depending on the cold temperatures, ice fishing usually begins in December and ends in late April. But more likely... the season starts as soon as the ponds, rivers and lakes have frozen over in Alberta.

When in Alberta, Canada one can ice fish in many different environments including the Rocky Mountains, the northern tundra, the southern Canadian Badlands and throughout the central foothills and prairie grasslands.

You can ice fish in a shack or out in the open air. Some anglers set up temporary shacks with wood stoves on the lakes and rivers while others, simply bundle up, drill a hole and drop a line in the water.

Ice shacks vary. Some are deluxe with sleeping quarters, generators, heaters, fridges and cooking utensils while others are more basic equipped with only a lawn chair, a thermos of coffee and a wood stove. The tour operators provide a higher quality ice shack.

There are fishing guides, fishing outfitters and fishing lodges operating in the province of Alberta. The fishing operators provide the expertise, knowledge and equipment. All fishing in Alberta requires a fishing license.

Alberta provides an opportunity to catch many types of fish including the arctic grayling, lake and mountain whitefish, walleye, yellow perch, sauger, northern pike, burbot and all kinds of trout like brown, cutthroat, lake, brook, rainbow, bull and golden.

Some of the rivers for fishing adventures in Alberta include the Milk River, Crowsnest River, Old Man River, Bow River, Red Deer River, Peace River and the North and South Saskatchewan River.

In the Rocky Mountain parks of Alberta there are adventures ice fishing in the Banff National Park, Jasper National Park, Kananaskis Country and throughout Crowsnest Pass.

North Alberta fishing destinations include the communities of Fort McMurray, Grande Prairie, Lac La Biche and Slave Lake.

Some of the destinations to consider when fishing in the Central Alberta region include the Pigeon Lake Provincial Park near Edmonton; William A. Switzer Park near Hinton; Sylvan Lake Provincial Park near Red Deer and the Crimson Lake Provincial Park and Twin Lakes Park near Rocky Mountain House.

Ice fishing destinations in South Alberta include Fish Creek Provincial Park and the Bow River near Calgary; Ghost Reservoir Lake near Cochrane; Oldman Dam Recreation Area near Fort Macleod; Cypress Hills Interprovincial Park southeast of Medicine Hat and Waterton Lakes National Park located in the southwest corner of the province.