The Scoop on Hard Water Trout
► by Andrew Clough
When the colder days of early winter arrive and the streams and rivers of the east slopes are closed to fishing, it can seem like a long wait until the spring opener. But somewhere close to home, you can find a stocked pond loaded with trout that can be a great place to get your fishing fill before the spring season! People tend to think of ice fishing as an intimidating hobby—a big lake with cracking ice and anglers with every piece of electronics they can afford. With the underwater cameras, complicated sonar units, electric ice augers and hook-setting devices that have taken the ice fishing world by storm in recent years, it can seem daunting. However, these items are simply “nice to have,” not “need to have.” A hand auger and a basic ice fishing rod and reel setup are all that is necessary. Try to take advantage of two lines per person, which is legal only for ice fishing. The more lines you have out, the better your chances.
36
CONSERVATION MAGAZINE
Where? Choosing where to fish takes a little consideration. Finding stocked lakes in Alberta is easy using Alberta Conservation Association’s stocked waterbody map, found at www.ab-conservation.com/ stocked-lakes. However, not all of these lakes are created equal. Some lakes are managed as “put-and-take” fisheries and others as “quality stocked fisheries” (QSF). Put-and-take lakes typically have a five-trout, any size regulation and are managed to be nearly fished out by the next year’s stocking. Often, these lakes are prone to winterkill due to a lack of dissolved oxygen in the water. QSF lakes have specific regulations, have a more stringent harvest rate, closed seasons, and will have good winter survival. These are the fisheries you should focus your winter efforts on, which can be found in the Alberta Guide to Sportfishing Regulations. Some QSF lakes are only open during a short window at the beginning and end of the ice fishing season, so make sure you are up to date on the most recent regulations.
FALL WINTER 2021
Often lakes with good winter survivability will be stocked multiple times per year— typically, in the spring and again in the late fall, when water temperatures are most suitable. These lakes are also a good bet as there is a fresh batch of trout to be caught during the ice fishing season. Fall stocking wouldn’t occur on a lake unless there is a high likelihood of fish surviving through the winter. That means multiple age classes and bigger trout. Check the stocking reports on the My Wild Alberta website for the most up-to-date stocking information: www.mywildalberta.ca/fishing/fish-stocking/ default.aspx.
When? Now that you’ve chosen a lake to fish, what’s next? Depending on what part of the winter you’re in, the trout behave very differently.
Early winter By late November, some of the only options in the province for safe ice are the trout ponds. All you need is 15 centimetres, which can safely hold an adult
