December 2018 – Western Canadian Fishing

Fishing Eagle lake Alberta First Impressions. My first introduction to fishing Eagle Lake Alberta was not a pleasant one. My wife and I went out to scout our local fishing hole. It was a somewhat windy summer day but, we decided against our best judgement to put the inflatable boat in anyhow. As it was summer the algae bloom was in full effect and the lake...stank. After getting blown halfway across the lake then finally getting to shore ( a few KM south of our launch). Then paddling through weeds and muck we decided to write off eagle lake for good. Luckily for me a few years later I decided to give the lake another try for the ice fishing season, literally discovering a gem in my backyard. Eagle Lake Strathmore Location Size Depth Eagle lake is located about a 30 minute drive east from Calgary, AB about 5 minutes east of Strathmore, AB. It is a great pike/walleye fishing spot if you are looking for fishing near Calgary. This is a High nutrient Lake fed by run off from local farms and the local nursery. It is prone to large blue-green algae blooms during the summer months. It certainly smells like a swamp in the July heat In my opinion Eagle makes a much better ice fishing spot. This is a fairly Shallow Lake with a very slow drop off. My first time there to check out the lake I was able to wade out several hundred feet in hip waders from the boat launch. The maximum depth I have found so far is 15 or 16 feet of water. The total area of Eagle lake is about 12 sq. km. In early December this area produced decent pike and walleye catches. Boat Launch The easiest public access is via the boat launch south on range road 245 off the east bound Transcanada highway number 1. The launch is only a few KM south on RR 245. There are several parking spots but, at peak times people just park on the side of the road. The launch itself is pretty shallow and the lake bottom drops off very gradually. If you have a larger boat I would certainly scout the launch first. Alternatively there is eagle lake RV resort on the west side with its own boat launch off of range road 243. Walleye and Pike sizes Decent size walleye up to five pounds can be caught here although the average size is approximately 2 lbs and 20 inches or so. Larger Pike over the 10 lb mark are possible from here with the average being a little over two feet and 3 or 4 lbs. If you want another great Northern pike fishing spot near Calgary check out this article I wrote here. This is still an improvement over Chestermere lake that seems to have an abundance of “hammer handle” pike probably due to you being able to keep some pike there. Ice fishing Multiple ice fishing techniques seem to work just fine here. The best bait seems to be smelt (colored or natural) or anchovies . A brighter jig head such as yellow or white with the bait fish on it does well I tend to favor a steel leader both Walleye and pike don't seem to mind. Alternatively you can dead stick with a pickerel rig or quick strike rig. Using a jigging rap, or jig with soft bait works fine for walleye. This is a very popular local ice fishing venue, I have seen upwards of 100 people fishing here on winter weekends. A very good spot to clear an ice rink and skate while you wait for your tip up flags! Eagle Lake Fishing Report Update Summer 2019 I have been out fishing on eagle lake three times since open water started. The Northern Pike and Walleye are hitting like mad. Just off shore in 5 or 6 feet of water seems to be a hot spot for both species. This is still several hundred feet off shore but, can be accessed with a pair of chest waders if you don't have a boat. They are hitting pretty much everything. Bottom fishing with minnows, float fishing with bait, jigs, spinners or crankbait. All three times I have been in June has produced 3-4 fish per hour! All my fishing this summer has been in the afternoon or early evening. So I am not sure what the dusk or dawn bite is like. If you need some ideas on the best walleye rod to use check out this article. Local Tackle and Bait, Other Amenities The town of Strathmore is only a few minutes to the west of Eagle Lake where you can find Canadian Tire. They have a decent selection of tackle and various types of live and frozen bait (earthworms, meal worms, maggots, smelt coloured and regular, minnows, anchovies and herring if you are going for the really big fish). There are also a number of 24 hour restaurants and hotels. Fishing Regulations and Ecology At the time I am writing this eagle lake is catch and release only for pike and walleye. This is obviously contributing to there being a good pike sport fishery. Both the pike and walleye I have caught there all seem to be of good body weight also . According to Alberta lakes , Eagle lake's natural fish species are ; Northern Pike, Yellow Perch, Suckers, Sticklebacks and, Fathead Minnows. The Walleye were an introduced species in the 60's and 70's. As always please consult the Alberta fishing regulations for current rules, Eagle lake is in PP1. The specific regs can be found on page 60 of the 2018 Alberta guide to sport fishing regulations. Good luck and tight lines!