Fall Fishing in Alberta's Lakeland

[Alberta's Lakeland]

With the cooler days many anglers are hanging up there fishing tackle and pulling out their hunting gear. But, by doing this, they are passing up the best fishing of the year. The Lakeland is blessed with so many great lakes it is hard to pick just one for a fall fishing excursion. From giant pike to trophy walleye and trout, the Lakeland has it all. The campsites are not as busy this time of year and a few days camping at one of the local lakes can provide peace and quiet along with the chance for a fish of a lifetime. Pinehurst, Siebert and Wolf Lake are all within a hours drive of both Bonnyville and the City of Cold Lake and all offer the best chance at a monster pike in the fall. All of the lakes have well maintained campsites that get little pressure in the fall and, although the road to Siebert can be a slow go after a good rain, the rewards far outweigh the adventure to get there. Big pike are prevalent in all three of these lakes. And I mean BIG. With many fish over 20 lbs taken along with a few in the high 20s to topping the 30 lb mark. This is true trophy fishing at its best. Large crank baits along with large swim baits produce many giant pike this time of year, with trolling being the hot ticket for these aggressive fall pike. Work the outside edges of weed beds and the deeper water off the rocky points to target these fish. By deep, I mean 20+ feet of water which holds the really big ones as they follow the bait fish out of the shallow areas to main lake structures. Find the schools of cisco and spot tail shiners and the pike are not far behind. A heavy bait casting reel spooled with 50 lb braided line is a excellent combo for this type of fishing. It has the backbone to muscle these big fish out of heavy cover and is easy to control with a gloved hand which may be needed on a cool fall day. Favorite lures for this time of year include large rapalas in perch or silver and black , 6 to 8in swim baits in perch or white and, my favorite, a large spinner bait in yellow and white with a large willow leaf blade. Remember to practise catch and realease and keep a copy of the Alberta fishing regulations handy as these three lakes have specific regulations for each body of water. Get out in beautiful Alberta's Lakeland region and enjoy all the amazing fall fishing it has to offer!