Fishing at Pelican Lake, Municipal District of Greenview No. 16, Alberta

• Overview

  The Municipal District of Greenview No. 16 end of Alberta holds Pelican Lake. Mixed forest runs right down to the water. The water covers some 99 hectares, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. The margin runs to about 5.4 km in total. The closest town, Valleyview, is 25 km away. Edmonton sits 318 km out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on Pelican Lake

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Fish documented in Municipal District of Greenview No. 16 include longnose sucker, white sucker, Arctic grayling, largescale sucker and mountain whitefish. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. Pelican Lake repays a walk before the first cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from -12°C in January up to 15°C in July. Seasons are distinct, and each one fishes differently. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from mid April. Averages suggest open water from about mid April through to roughly mid November. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. It holds true on Pelican Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. We find no slipway, car park or made path within a short radius, so treat access as rough. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Swan Lake at 9.8 km is the sensible second choice. Check the current arrangement for Pelican Lake.