Goodridge Lake Fishing Guide, County of Barrhead No. 11, Alberta

• Overview

  Goodridge Lake lies in County of Barrhead No. 11, in Alberta. It lies 639 metres above sea level. At some 1.84 sq km it is far too large to cover on foot in a day. Shoreline length is close to 7.7 km, and each section fishes a little differently. Some 34 km away sits Barrhead, the nearest settlement. Westlock lies 39 km off, Athabasca another 70 km. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Goodridge Lake

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Open biodiversity records for County of Barrhead No. 11 list northern pike, white sucker, brook trout, Iowa darter and perch. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. Goodridge Lake gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about -17°C in January to roughly 16°C in July. Open water is the exception rather than the rule here. After late April the shallows warm and the fish move up. Average temperatures cross freezing around late April in spring and again near mid November in autumn. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. On Goodridge Lake the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. If the gate is shut, Nelson Lake at 10 km is the nearest alternative. Nothing on Goodridge Lake should be assumed from this page alone.