Bentley Lake Fishing in County of St. Paul No. 19, Alberta

• Overview

  Bentley Lake sits in County of St. Paul No. 19, out in Alberta. Around the bank it is taiga. Surface area runs to roughly 1.42 sq km, so plan for one area rather than the whole. You are looking at roughly 6.9 km of shoreline, with plenty of water between access points. St. Paul is the closest place, 17 km off. Edmonton is the closest city, 168 km away. Rules can differ a short way off, since the county line is near.

• Where to Fish on Bentley Lake

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Survey and observation records for County of St. Paul No. 19 include yellow perch, Iowa darter, northern pike and white sucker. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. On Bentley Lake a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs -17°C to 16°C. The fishing year opens late and shuts early. Hard cover is dependable here; it goes around late April. In an average year the thaw lands around late April and the freeze near mid November. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. Bentley Lake runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  Our records carry no access rule either way. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. There is no mapped parking or launch nearby, which keeps numbers down. A wire trace and a big bright lure handle the pike; deep water asks for a heavier spoon. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. If the gate is shut, Chickenhill Lake at 6 km is the nearest alternative. Check the position on Bentley Lake before loading the car.