A WEALTH OF FLOWING WATER
Millions of years ago when the glaciers melted and the continents divided, the world’s lakes and river systems were formed. Flowing water was forced to cut its way through the North American landscape until it reached its final destination. As the landscape changed, water flow was cut off in some areas forming lakes. In other areas opened up and water was free to flow creating the rivers and stream systems as we know them today.
Alberta was a district of the Northwest Territories until being named a province in 1905. After the provincial borders were established, Alberta was left with fewer lakes than any other province or Territory within Canada. What Alberta lacks in numbers of lakes, it more than makes up for in thousands of kilometers of river systems. These were a lifeline for early native Canadians and settlers. Alberta’s river systems are also an angler’s paradise.
ATHABASCA RIVER
The Athabasca River starts flowing east, out of Jasper National Park. After thousands of kilometers and tributaries, eventually flows into the Arctic Ocean. However, the Athabasca River and its tributaries are home to a variety of fish species.
The most common within the Athabasca water flow are walleye, northern pike, whitefish, burbot, and goldeye. The Athabasca River and its watershed are also home to one of the few remaining native rainbow trout populations within an Arctic Ocean watershed. The river can be fished from shore or a riverboat and many of the Athabasca fish species can be caught in the same areas.
One of the most sought-after species within the Athabasca are the monster walleye. Walleye of all sizes can be caught using jigs, crankbaits, and even pickerel rigs tipped with bait, but be ready for a fight once you set the hook. There are fish available that can easily stretch the tape past the 60-centimeter range and it’s not uncommon to catch walleye in three feet of water.
NORTH SASKATCHEWAN RIVER
The North Saskatchewan River begins at the Saskatchewan Glacier in the Columbia Icefield. It runs for over 1,200 kilometers through Alberta and Saskatchewan before entering central Manitoba and spilling into the Hudson Bay. The North Saskatchewan River receives the most fishing pressure as it flows into, through, and out of Edmonton, Alberta.
A WIDE VARIETY OF FISH
The North Saskatchewan is abundant with fish species that are willing to bite an angler’s offering. Anglers can fish for all the same fish species as the Athabasca on the North Saskatchewan, with the addition of lake sturgeon. It’s not uncommon to see anglers fishing for any one of these species from a drift boat, riverboat, or the shoreline within the city limits of Alberta’s capital.
RED DEER RIVER
The Red Deer River is a major tributary of the South Saskatchewan River system. The actual Red Deer River itself flows for 724 kilometers before eventually joining up with a variety of other flowing water until it spills into the Hudson Bay. The Red Deer River doesn’t receive as much attention as Alberta’s major river systems. Anglers, camping at a variety of campgrounds along the river’s edge, have great success catching mountain whitefish and northern pike throughout the summer months.
GOLDEYE A HIGHLIGHT
The Red Deer River is one of my favorite rivers to catch an abundance of goldeye from its shoreline for the smoker. It’s a great place to take kids for an afternoon of fishing. A simple jig-head tipped with a white plastic grub is irresistible to the goldeye.
BOW RIVER
The legendary Bow River gets its water source from the Bow Glacier and flows for more than 580 kilometers picking up water along the way. Even the Elbow River spills into the Bow River as it winds its way through the city of Calgary. It meets with the Old Man River in southern Alberta where the Bow River and Old Man River then meet the South Saskatchewan River near Grassy Lake Alberta.
FAMOUS FLY FISHING WATER!
The Bow is famous amongst the fly-fishing community around the world for the monster rainbow and brown trout that swim within its glacier waters. It’s not uncommon to see anglers floating the river fly casting for scrappy trout but the Bow also holds an abundance of Rocky Mountain whitefish. The Bow River is one of my favorite rivers to wade-fish in early spring just before spring runoff.
OLD MAN RIVER
The Old Man River got its name from the Piikani Nation and was named after Napi, which they believe was the Old Man who was the creator of the earth and all its living inhabitants. The Old Man River flows for only 362 kilometers before it meets the Bow River at “The Forks” in southern Alberta. This makes up the South Saskatchewan River system. In the Rocky Mountains, where the Old Man River begins, swim some very impressive cutthroat trout and even the protected bull trout.
Regardless of the Old Man’s abundance of fish species amongst its breathtaking scenery, my favorite species to fish for on the Old Man River is the lake sturgeon. Lake sturgeon are abundant within the Old Man River system and can be fished from the shoreline, drift boat, or riverboat. From the season opener until freeze-up, lake sturgeon are swimming within the stained waters of the southern portions of the Old Man River and the South Saskatchewan River systems.
SOUTH SASKATCHEWAN RIVER
The South Saskatchewan is formed at what’s locally known as “The Forks” in Southern Alberta where the Old Man River and the Bow River join to flow into the South Saskatchewan River. From its headwaters, the South Saskatchewan flows for 1,392 kilometers until it eventually empties into Lake Winnipeg.
The South Saskatchewan is a great river to catch not only huge walleye and lots of fish, especially in the fall of the year. If you want the best chance to catch big sauger, the South Saskatchewan will give you plenty of opportunities. It’s also one of the most popular river systems for lake sturgeon and attracts anglers from all over North America. The river is so popular amongst local anglers that the town of Taber built and opened a boat launch in 2017 to make access to the river easier for everyone.
There are thousands of more kilometers of Alberta River systems and tributaries scattered throughout the province. Many of them provide anglers with some of Alberta’s best multiple species fishing opportunities.