FISHING ON ICE IS A GREAT EXPERIENCE FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY

Fishing on ice is unlike any other type of fishing. Ice fishing or hard water fishing is quite obviously catching fish in the winter through the ice.

Personally ice fishing is my absolute favorite type of angling. I would spend the entire winter from ice up to ice out on a frozen lake if I could.

I have about 10 favorite lakes in Southern Alberta. Each offers their own fishing experiences. Lake Newell is the closest lake to my home and that is why I fish there more in the winter than other lakes in the area.

I fish for Northern Pike at Lake Newell, Crawling Valley Rock Lake and Badger Lake the most in the winter.

Walleye fishing is done at Crawling Valley , Cowoki Lake and “J” Reservoir. Trout and Perch are also often targets through the ice. Mostly at the Brooks Aquaduct Pond , and the Bow City Ponds which are both stocked annually with rainbow trout.

Depending on the lake I will pull out my home built ice fishing shack or my ice fishing tent . If I am fishing a multi day tournament I will drive out the RV, and at other times it’s simply me and my Chevy.

Many people from warmer areas of the world think that we ice angles must have a brain injury to be out on a frozen lake with a fishing line.



In Alberta we wait all year for ice up.

At 4 inches of good ice I will walk out on a frozen lake to go fishing.

At 6 inches of ice I will take a quad or sled out onto the lake.

At 10 inches of solid ice that’s the key for the truck and shack to hit the water.

Here is Southern Alberta there is typically 15 to 36 inches of ice over our lakes.

Rules for Ice Fishing Safety

When fishing through the ice there are just as many opportunities to catch the fish of your dreams and more.

In the winter the fish start to move into shallower water and feed more aggressively as they prepare to spawn. Female fish are bigger and heavier because they are usually loaded up with the eggs they will lay as spring approaches.

Ice fishing most certainly requires different equipment than angling in open water. When fishing on ice you are dropping your ice fishing bait or ice fishing jig through a hole drilled in the ice.

It can be extremely cold on a big open lake so be sure to have appropriate clothing and footwear.

In Southern Alberta ice fishing walleye is very popular and my personal favorite game fish to go after in the winter. Ice fishing for Pike, rainbow trout, perch, whitefish and Burbot are also very popular.

More ice fishing resources

If you want to try something new, ice fishing is a great time, get out there, fishing on ice is something you will fall in love with!





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