Planning Fishing Trip

[Blackant]

Hi Guys,

 

I am planning a fishing trip for the weekend up North sometime late August . I will be staying at some hotel. I need some guidence/advice for this trip.

If you were to plan such a trip,

Which city would you choose and why.

 

1. Grand Prarie area

2. FortMcMurry

 

I am looking to target Graylings, and possible bulls, maybe some big pike.

Ideas on what waters to target?

I will be renting a vehicle so I will be mobile.

I will be only doing walkin wade

 

Thanks

 

Black Ant

[BBBrownie]

Based on your species list I wouldn't suggest Fort McMurray as a destination for a number of reasons, including the fact that there are no bull trout anywhere near Fort McMurray. There is decent pike and grayling fishing, however the development and traffic up there would completely nullify any positive aspects of the fisheries, unless you plan on a fly-in trip in the area. Walk and wade- nope. Also, hotels are astronomically expensive and often difficult to find a room.

Grande Prairie is near some excellent grayling/bull trout/pike waters. There are a large number of great fisheries out that way, my experience primarily involves the Kakwa and Smoky Rivers, I would recommend either. There is also great fishing in the little smoky, simonette and a number of others. Much more walk and wade friendly.

[Smitty]

Black Ant:

 

First: ditto what RileyS said!

 

Only fair for me to admit my ignorance and bias: although I am a "northerner" (Edmonton), I have never really fished the Fort Mac area. What I know is only what I've learned through Neil Waugh's Sun and AFG articles (like fishing for grayling on the House river).

So, keeping that in mind, I am obviously going to point you - quite biasedly - in the direction of Grande Prairie for the following reasons:

1. It has a greater variety of water available for you to fish, with a greater variety of species. Generally, you won't find cutts or rainbows or browns (East Dollar) in the Fort Mac area, but you can in Grande Prairie. So you have more choices.

 

2. Speaking of more choices, there are more lakes for you to fish as a back-up plan ( know you said walk n wade) if the waters are blown out. Grande Prairie offers everything from stocked trout lakes to the typical pike-walleye-perch-whitefish lakes, Fort Mac really only has the latter (maybe 1 or 2 stocked ponds with trout).

 

3. GP offers tons of variety for grayling; most creeks in the Kakwa watershed have them; there is just miles and miles and miles of grayling water there.

 

4. Speaking of the Kakwa; it also has one of the remaining intact populations of bull trout. And though I haven't fished them personally, the Wapiti and Narraway rivers have bulls too. Ditto for Simonette river. And the Big Smoky. Did I mention variety?

5. Variety in landscapes; you can fish right in the mountains south of GP, or fish more of the boreal areas. Fort Mac just has boreal.

Big pike would be a tougher goal in terms of walk n wade fishing; but again, I'd still go for GP. All the big rivers have pike in their lower reaches as they eventually meander towards the town of Peace river and it's namesake river. Fort Mac has the Atha-B of course. Have no idea to either location as for your realistic opportunities to fish for pike on foot. Naturally, stillwater pike fishing is available in both cities - I think it's a wash here.

There just so many roads, trails, and waters to explore, Grande Prairie would be my choice (I've probably made that obvious, lol).

Smitty

[Blackant]

Thanks for the advice guys and taking time to post your thoughts. I think GP will be my destination of choice. After reading your comments and doing some additional research I think GP is definitly a landslide winner.

The only thing left is to figure out which waters to target now.

Bulls and Grayling are going to be my first choice, but more after some good fun with grayling.

If one only had about 1 day of fishing, which place would you go?

I am looking for good size and 1/2 decent numbers. I certainly do not want to spend 1/2 day and only catch 1 fish, mind out if it was a 40" bully that would make my trip.

I was looking at the smokey and following the #40 south.

 

• Kakwa, possible tribs
• Simonette river
• Big Smokey
• Little Smokey

I

 

Thanks

 

Black Ant

[Smitty]

Black Ant:

 

If I had only one day, I'd probably fish Sheep creek (north of Grande Cache), or Muskeg river (south of Grande Cache). Sorry I couldn't give you somewhere close to Grande Prairie.

 

Undoubtedly, The Little Smokey river is an excellent choice in numbers and size. And you aren't limited to the classic spot where the gravel road from Fox Creek crosses it a 2nd time near Grizzly junction. There is good water in it's upper and upper-middle stretches.

 

My problem with the Kakwa is that it can have stretches of fairly featureless riffle water. Could be lots of walking involved. The river has more woody logjams and corner stuff in it's upper reaches (try south of the Two Lakes, near dead horse meadows if you have 4x4). I can tell you - by all means, someone correct me here - when I fished it twice along the highway 40 crossing, it was a pretty flat river.

Wish I could tell you more; but honestly, been years since I've fished south of GP. I have fished more around the Grande Cache area. I'd stay away from the Big Smoky unless it is gin clear. Big Smoky usually fishes better in Sept-Oct, right into November when the bulls return from spawning. Plus, you probably gotta know where to go when fishing bigger water like that. Undoubtedly, it does contain some big bulls, but they'll probably start staging in the tribs late August...

Hmmmm....out of your list, best bet probability wise is Little Smokey. Most fun exploring would be Kakwa, upper reaches. Simonette (could be a sleeper) report here: http://albertaflyfish.createforumhosting.com/simonette-river-report-t4208.html

Smitty

[trailhead]

I fished a tributary of the Simonette two years ago and the three of us caught over 100 grayling in the day. Mind you the average size was 8 inches, but it was all on the dry and just a hoot. There were some bigger ones just to keep it interesting. The Simonette is a bit of a drive from GP though.

[Guest Sneaky]

There is no fly fishing north of red deer.....

[yonderin]

Little Smokey for grayling. Loads of the eager little things in there. Most are not that large but did land a 14 inch a couple years ago (some might not be impressed by that). Stood in the pool at the Grizzly Junction bridge near Fox Creek and had them nailing a dapped fly. A few hours drive from GP. If you want to hit there, stay in Fox Creek or Whitecourt which is about an hour south of FC.

 

Same time of year and Stims were working really well.

 

No results for myself on the Sheep but I'm new to targeting bulls. Local Fish Cop did say it was a good place to try for them.

 

Be advised the upper Kakwa is quite a drive from GP and will require a 4X4. Along the way you could try the Torrens but my one day attempt didn't produce much.

 

Have you checked out Mitchell's book?