Upper Therien Lake in St. Paul: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  St. Paul, Alberta, is where Upper Therien Lake sits. Everything around it is taiga. At some 8.36 sq km it is far too large to cover on foot in a day. Shoreline length is close to 14 km, and each section fishes a little differently. Head to St. Paul, 2 km away, for anything you forgot. After that come Elk Point at 26 km and Two Hills at 41 km. Local rules may differ a few miles either side of here.

• Where to Fish on Upper Therien Lake

  We hold no survey for this water; read the slope of the shoreline instead. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. At Upper Therien Lake the water rewards a slow, careful approach. About 5,700 people live in St. Paul.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July near 16°C and January near -16°C on the long-run figures. Long winters and short summers set the pattern. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from late April. From about late April to around mid November, expect open water on the long-run figures. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. Expect Upper Therien Lake to follow that timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing in our records says who may fish here. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Mapping shows an empty shoreline: no ramp, no jetty, no marked entry. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. Felix Lake sits 5.3 km off and takes the overflow. Nothing on Upper Therien Lake should be assumed from this page alone.