Popular gamefish in prairie reservoirs near Calgary; excels in low light and cooler water. Not common in the Bow through the city.
Where to Catch: Pine Coulee, McGregor, Travers, and other nearby impoundments; points, rocky shoals, mid-lake humps, inlet/outlet current edges.
Best Time to Fish: Spring and fall; summer during dawn/dusk or when trolling deeper structure.
| Season | Activity |
|---|---|
| Spring (Mar–May) | Excellent post-spawn near rocks/inflows; jigs with minnows or plastics. |
| Summer (Jun–Aug) | Good at dawn/dusk/cloudy days; troll crankbaits or spinner rigs deeper. |
| Fall (Sep–Nov) | Very good; fish stack on breaks; jigs, spoons, live bait rigs excel. |
| Winter (Dec–Feb) | Good ice bite on points/saddles with spoons or live minnows. |
Peak Season: May–June and Sept–Oct.
Tackle & Tips
Lures: 1/8–3/8 oz jigs (plastics/minnows), crankbaits for trolling.
Bait: Minnows, leeches, crawlers (check bait regs).
Leaders: 8–12 lb fluoro; slip-bobber rigs for precision.
Gear: Medium spinning, 6–10 lb mono or braid + fluoro leader; slow, subtle presentations.
