Northern Alberta is made for anglers who enjoy the journey as much as the catch. Along the highways, familiar fishing lakes offer boat launches, campgrounds and the chance to get on the water without a complicated plan. Follow the backroads farther, and the crowds thin out as forest gives way to quiet shorelines and lakes worth spending a few days exploring. For those ready to travel farther still, a fly-in trip opens up some of the province’s most remote fishing country.
The variety is just as compelling as the distance. Cast for walleye and northern pike on broad boreal lakes, seek lake trout in deeper water, or build a weekend around fishing, camping and exploring a new corner of the north. These lakes offer a starting point for every kind of Northern Alberta fishing adventure, from an easy family getaway to a trip you will remember for years.
Bistcho Lake
Bistcho Lake is for anglers ready to make the journey part of the adventure. Reached by plane, this far northwestern Alberta lake offers a fly-in escape centred on walleye and northern pike, with boreal shores and long summer days setting a relaxed pace. Tapawingo Lodge can take care of the logistics so you can devote your time to exploring the water. Bistcho Lake delivers the sense of distance and solitude many anglers come north to find.
Calling Lake
Calling Lake is the perfect destination when you want to spend more time fishing and less time arranging the trip. North of Athabasca, the provincial park provides a boat launch, fish-cleaning facilities and a place to camp beside the lake. Start early, cast the open water for northern pike, burbot, perch and walleye and return to shore with time left to settle in for the evening. Its easy access and lakeside facilities make Calling Lake a welcoming stop for anglers planning a first northern Alberta fishing weekend.
Northern Alberta Backroad Mapbook - map page 24
Cold Lake
For anglers drawn to deep water, Cold Lake is one of northern Alberta’s signature destinations. Lake trout are the headline catch, but northern pike, walleye, yellow perch and burbot give you plenty of reasons to keep exploring. Launch from the community of Cold Lake, spend the day working a vast stretch of water and come ashore to the comforts of town or a provincial park campsite. Bring a plan for changing wind and weather. This is a large lake that rewards preparation as much as patience.
Gregoire Lake
Just a short drive south of Fort McMurray, Gregoire Lake is a quick option for anglers looking to get onto the water in search of northern pike, perch, burbot and walleye. Launch a boat, explore its forest-lined shore and make camp at Gregoire Lake Provincial Park, where a beach and nearby trails add variety to the trip. Additional lake access at Anzac and the south shore gives anglers options for planning their day. With the city close by, it works equally well as a spontaneous outing or a planned overnight destination.
Gregoire Lake
Grist Lake
Grist Lake offers a change of pace from northern Alberta’s broad, shallow fishing waters. Small and deep, it draws anglers for lake trout, lake whitefish and northern pike, with sandy shorelines and a secluded setting that encourage a longer stay. Cabins and camping at Grist Haven Lodge offer a base for fishing by day and slowing down by the lake after dark. A four wheel drive is recommended for the rugged access roads.
Lac La Biche
Lac La Biche makes it easy to build a fishing getaway around more than the catch. Head out after walleye, northern pike, lake whitefish or burbot, then return to the forested islands of Sir Winston Churchill Provincial Park for an evening by the water. The park’s boat launch and camping options make this a natural base for a few days of exploring. If you visit in winter, the lake takes on an entirely different character, with ice fishing and long northern nights adding to the appeal.
Lake Athabasca
Lake Athabasca is Northern Alberta fishing on a scale all its own. Its immense waters reach toward the Saskatchewan border, with lake trout and a long list of other fish including northern pike and walleye drawing anglers who dream of a true northern expedition. Summer access to Fort Chipewyan is by float plane with the reward of the trip, in addition to the fishing, being the huge horizons, remote shores and a powerful sense of place.
Lesser Slave Lake
Lesser Slave Lake should be high on almost any Northern Alberta fishing itinerary. Its broad waters offer anglers the opportunity to pursue Arctic grayling, walleye, northern pike, yellow perch, burbot and lake whitefish, while towns and campgrounds around the shore make it easy to turn a day on the water into a weekend away. Explore a sheltered bay, plan a trip toward the Narrows or return in winter for a different kind of fishing adventure. This is big-lake angling with plenty of ways to make the trip your own.
Lesser Slave Lake
Pinehurst Lake
Pinehurst Lake offers a relaxing stop for anglers exploring Alberta’s Lakeland Provincial Recreation Area. The lakeside campground, easily reached by road, makes it simple to turn a day of fishing for northern pike and walleye into an overnight trip, with time to enjoy the water long after the day anglers have departed. Bring a boat to explore more of the shoreline or use Pinehurst as one stop on a road trip through the region’s many lakes. Its appeal lies in that flexibility, arrive for a few hours, stay for a weekend or see where the next backroad leads.
Seibert Lake
Seibert Lake belongs on a Lakelands itinerary for anglers who prefer the freedom to explore several waters on one trip. Its vehicle access campground offers a base on the east side of the Lakeland Provincial Recreation Area, while nearby Touchwood and Pinehurst Lakes make it easy to vary the fishing from day to day. Plan a quiet morning on Seibert angling for northern pike and walleye, return to camp for a meal and decide which lake to try next. This is a destination for slowing down and enjoying the rhythm of a northern Alberta fishing road trip.
Northern Alberta Backroad Mapbook - map page 13
Touchwood Lake
Clear water and a forested setting make Touchwood Lake a perfect destination for a Lakelands fishing weekend. Set up at the vehicle accessible campground on the north shore of the lake, launch a boat or spend time casting near shore for northern pike and walleye, then use the fish-cleaning station to get dinner ready before settling in for the evening. A pier and beach give companions plenty to do while anglers explore the lake. Touchwood is easy to pair with nearby lakes in Lakeland Provincial Recreation Area, making it a useful base when you want several fishing options without changing campsites every night.
Walleye
Two Lakes
The journey to Two Lakes is part of the experience. Southwest of Grande Prairie, a long industrial gravel road leads into forested foothills and two stocked trout lakes, with hiking and camping nearby. Fish the lakes, soak up the scenery and enjoy a destination well away from city lights. Alberta Parks recommends a four-wheel-drive vehicle for the often-rough approach, especially when wet weather makes the road more demanding.
Winefred Lake
For an extended backcountry fishing trip, Winefred Lake makes an excellent option. Remote forest roads lead to a quiet stretch of Lakelands water home to Arctic grayling, lake trout, northern pike and walleye. Wild camp along the south shore or take advantage of the cabins at Winefred Lake Outfitters, the choice is yours. A reliable four-wheel-drive vehicle or SUV is required to navigate the rugged access roads.
Tips for a successful trip
Before you cast a line in Northern Alberta, get the right licence and check the rules for the specific lake you plan to fish. Most anglers need an Alberta sportfishing licence, available through albertarelm.com. The current Alberta Guide to Sportfishing Regulations at albertaregulations.ca lists fishing seasons, bait rules and catch limits, including exceptions for individual waterbodies. The Backroad Maps app allows anglers to download the area they plan to fish before heading beyond cell coverage. If you are bringing a boat, canoe or kayak, clean, drain and dry it between lakes and follow any required watercraft inspection directions to avoid fines. Details are available at alberta.ca/CleanDrainDry. Check weather and launch conditions before setting out, especially on large lakes where conditions can change quickly.
These lakes are just a few of the many great fishing destinations in Northern Alberta. Our new Northern Alberta Backroad Mapbook has plenty of new lakes, expanded fish species information and enhanced stocking charts while our Backroad Maps app for IOS and Android offers hundreds more Northern Alberta fishing destinations to discover.
