Funell Lake in County of Grande Prairie No. 1: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Funell Lake falls in County of Grande Prairie No. 1, part of Alberta. The water sits 799 metres up. At about 18 hectares, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. The edge runs 1.6 km or so, easy to work in an afternoon. Start from Beaverlodge, 12 km down the road. Further out sit Wembley (31 km) and Westlake (52 km). The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Funell Lake

  The records we hold are silent on depth, so plan to find it yourself. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Records held for County of Grande Prairie No. 1 cover longnose sucker, white sucker, largescale sucker, Arctic grayling and mountain whitefish. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. Fish Funell Lake where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about -12°C and July at about 15°C, the water has a wide range to work through. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. The lid usually goes in mid April, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. Ice usually gives way near mid April, and forms again about mid November. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Funell Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. No car park, ramp or path is recorded within easy reach of the shore. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. If the gate is shut, Lowen Lake at 0.7 km is the nearest alternative. Signs at Funell Lake carry more weight than any list.