3. North Saskatchewan River

For those of you not from Alberta, we know what you are thinking right now. “Wait, what? A river named Saskatchewan in Alberta?” Indeed, there is a river with such a name. And it is one of the best rivers in the province for fishing. Not only is it in Alberta, but it runs through the city of Edmonton. How’s that for accessible?

The river produces lots of fish with many trophies included. The species list includes walleye, pike, sauger, burbot, goldeye, mountain whitefish and even sturgeon.

Some good areas to access the river are near bridge crossings, incoming creeks, boat launch areas, designated walkways and trails. There are also some picnic sites that are perfect for indulging in some shore fishing.

There is a lot of accessible water for shore-bound anglers on the North Saskatchewan River.

4. Muir Lake 

Muir Lake is located due west of the city of Edmonton. It is a rehabilitated lake with restored shoreline and a winter aeration system turning it into a fantastic habitat for the stocked rainbow trout which now inhabit the lake.

In 2018, Muir was stocked with 3,500 rainbow trout. With the practice of good catch and release methods, many of these trout have grown to trophy-sized proportions.

There are excellent facilities along the lake and a boardwalk making shore access for anglers easy and convenient.

Click here for more information on fishing Muir Lake.

5. Crawling Valley Reservoir

What a great name for a fishing destination. We love it! 

Crawling Valley Reservoir is a water storage reservoir in the Eastern Irrigation District and the County of Newell, located almost due east of Calgary. This man-made water body is just under 18 kilometres long, has a maximum width of four kilometres, and covers an area of 25 square kilometres.

When the reservoir was filled, it covered Barkenhouse Lake and the “South Reservoir,” a pond just south of Barkenhouse Lake. 

The maximum depth of Crawling Valley Reservoir is around 16 metres (approximately 52 feet), with most of the reservoir being relatively shallow. 

The Bow River is the primary feed source of the reservoir. 

Years ago, Crawling Valley Reservoir was stocked with rainbow, brown and brook trout. Back then, it provided an outstanding sport fishery for these species. Today, the reservoir has turned into a fantastic walleye and pike producer.

For those looking to overnight in the area or to split their time between fishing and other family activities, there is a campground facility on the reservoir. Crawling Valley Campground provides campsites, a day-use area with picnic tables, tap water, a telephone and a boat launch.

In Conclusion

There you have our Top 5 spots for shore fishing in Alberta. If you have time, you should really check any of them out. In our comments section, please let us know if you’ve fished any of these spots and how well you did. If you venture out to any of our recommended spots, come back and let us know—we love to hear from you.

Likewise, if we’ve overlooked one of your favourite shore fishing destinations in Alberta, let us know in the comments. Maybe we’ll visit your picks!

Best of luck.