Mystic Lake Fishing in Improvement District No. 9, Alberta

• Overview

  This water sits in Improvement District No. 9, Alberta. The country here is rolling bush. Small at around 8 hectares: two anglers spread out cover most of it. Nearest town is Banff, 17 km off. The big place round here is Calgary, 119 km distant. More in the same country: Elk Lake within 6.5 km, Rainbow Lake about 8.9 km, Tower Lake within 13 km, Rockbound Lake about 13 km and Bourgeau Lake within 16 km. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Mystic Lake

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Open biodiversity records for Improvement District No. 9 list brook trout, bull trout, cutthroat trout and mountain whitefish. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. Fish Mystic Lake where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 9°C, the coldest about -13°C. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. Once it clears, about late May, the fishing comes on quickly. In an average year the thaw lands around late May and the freeze near late October. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. Time your trip to Mystic Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. A camping area sits within 1.2 km of here. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. If the gate is shut, Elk Lake at 6.5 km is the nearest alternative. Ask locally about Mystic Lake if anything is unclear.