Spider Lake Fishing in Cardston County, Alberta

• Overview

  Spider Lake lies within the bounds of Cardston County, Alberta. This is lake country bush ground. Roughly 28 hectares: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. Shoreline comes to about 2.1 km, small enough to learn in a day. Most waters listed here for Cardston County are larger. Cardston lies 29 km from the water. Then North Browning, 48 km, and Browning, 49 km. The boundary is near enough that local access rules are worth double-checking.

• Where to Fish on Spider Lake

  Nothing in our records gives a depth for this one. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Records held for Cardston County cover longnose sucker, white sucker, mountain whitefish, mountain sucker and brown trout. Some of the species recorded here are protected or tightly regulated, so check what may be targeted before you fish. On Spider Lake a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about -8°C and August at about 16°C, the water has a wide range to work through. The year runs cold to warm and back, with clear transitions. Break-up comes around mid April, and the run that follows is short and strong. From about mid April to around late November, expect open water on the long-run figures. Just after the ice goes and just before it returns, the fishing lifts. On Spider Lake the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. No car park, ramp or path is recorded within easy reach of the shore. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Local rules can differ across the county line, so check where you stand. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. Goose Lake at 4.8 km is the sensible second choice. The position on Spider Lake is worth confirming on the day.