Loon Lake Fishing in Municipal District of Opportunity No. 17, Alberta

• Overview

  Loon Lake is one of the Municipal District of Opportunity No. 17 waters in Alberta. It sits at 511 metres above sea level. At 17.84 sq km you are fishing a fraction of it whatever you do. The shoreline runs to about 37 km, far more than one trip can cover. Head to Wabasca-Desmarais, 116 km away, for anything you forgot. Peace River is 119 km and High Prairie 138 km. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Loon Lake

  Our records hold no depth for this water. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Across Municipal District of Opportunity No. 17, recorded fish include yellow perch, cisco, walleye, Arctic grayling and lake whitefish. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. Read Loon Lake for ten minutes before the first cast goes out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, July reads 16°C and January reads -16°C. Ice holds for a long stretch, so the open weeks matter more here than further south. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around late April. Break-up near late April, freeze-up near early November: that is the shape of an average year. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. Plan any trip to Loon Lake around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Public mapping records no formal access here, so plan for a walk and soft ground. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Should this one be busy, Lubicon Lake is 37 km off. Check the position on Loon Lake before loading the car.