Fishing Big Lake in Edmonton, Alberta

• Overview

  Big Lake is an Edmonton water, Alberta side. It lies 647 metres above sea level. Surface area runs to roughly 9.54 sq km, so plan for one area rather than the whole. Some 34 km of shoreline means conditions can differ from one end to the other. Nothing else we list in Edmonton covers more water. Westview Village sits 5.1 km from here and is the nearest stop. After that come St. Albert at 6.7 km and Secord at 7.1 km. Being near a boundary, it pays to know which side you are fishing.

• Where to Fish on Big Lake

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Reported across Edmonton: mooneye, walleye and goldeye. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. At Big Lake light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put July at about 16°C and January near -15°C. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. Hard cover is dependable here; it goes around mid April. Climate averages put the opening at about mid April and the closing near mid November. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. Plan any trip to Big Lake around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. This sits inside Lois Hole Centennial Provincial Park, so read the reserve notices first. Pike mean a wire trace, no exceptions; big spoons and jerkbaits do the searching. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. Horseshoe Lake, 3.5 km away, makes the obvious fallback. Check the position on Big Lake before loading the car.