So you like sitting quietly in a boat all the long day, wearing your lucky hat and watching the smooth water as it ripples, eh? How about roaring campfires under clear starry skies exchanging stories about the monsters you netted and then ate all up. What? You like that too? Then here are four fine fishing spots in the Tri-region and where to camp nearby.
Image from Get Hooked Fishing on Facebook. Find the best spots on a guided catch and release fishing tour with Keith from Stony Plain – and all you’ll need to bring is your lucky hat.
Wade to the walleye
The Pembina River Provincial Park is an hour and 15 minutes due west of Edmonton just past Entwhistle. The park has a shallow pebble beach for the kids and is a popular place for tubing over bubbling waters and under deep gorge cliffs. You can take a Pembina River tubing tour or bring two cars and park one downriver at the campground where you’ll end up.
This area has good whitefish, pike and walleye. The campground side of the river is nice and shallow – so wade across and follow the shore to the waist deep waters where the walleye are. Book a site in the upper loops of the campground for private spots in the wooded forest and clean your dinner at the fish cleaning station on-site. There are limits to the amount of fish you can catch so be sure to check out the fishing guide before the fish start biting.
Sail, waterski and fish
Head an hour west of the city to Wabamun Lake Provincial Park for waterskiing, windsurfing and sailing. Good thing you’re staying over to fit it all in – you’ve still got all those fish to catch.
Once you get down to business, you’ll find Pike, Walleye, Lake Whitefish, Burbot and Perch in the lake. Set your boat in at Moonlight Bay in the provincial park, scoot across the lake and follow the shore. This is popular water – so get to the launch early to avoid a line-up. Remember though, Wabamun lake is all catch and release so make sure to put back any fish you might catch – good luck!
There’s a sandy beach at the big provincial park campground with spaces for tents and RVs. The sites have lots of trees, fun playgrounds and Trestle Creek golf course nearby. Better stay three days.
Where those in the know go
Muir Lake is a stocked pond tucked in the Glory Hills with big 20-inch rainbow trout. This is a stillwater fishery with aerators that keep oxygen in the water over the winter and allow the fish to grow nice and big. And it’s where the anglers in the know go for the ’bow.
Set in at the staging area, pass by goose island and head to the back bay of this peanut shaped pond. Or stay on land – there are plenty of shore fishing spots too.
The Stony Plain Lions campground is just 15 minutes away – with fully serviced sites and lots of mature trees.
Family fishing trip
Settle in to your powered (or unpowered) site at the Mink Lake RV park and campground, send the kids to $2 mini-golf and head down to the pier and get to the fishing already. You could also set yourself up on the shore or dock – and soon you’ll net perch and jack and be home in time for dinner.
The resort is great for families and you can bring the dog – he wants to come so bad. They have a sandy beach, play area for climbing and sliding, tether ball, horseshoes and a shady grassy day-use area with lots of flowers. Visit the on-site store for groceries, gas and firewood, laundry, games room and free showers.