Walleye on the Red Deer River

Today is overcast and drizzly! I wish we would get a proper all day rain here in Central Alberta. The last few years have been dry. Overcast dull days are my favourite for targeting walleye! 

I had a few hours to myself today so I headed to the Red Deer River to look for walleye! I usually don't have a lot of success early in the season but today, I definitely did! I tied up a silver minnow (silver minnow semi seal dubbing with a rabbit strip tied up balanced) that today worked well as did a Candy Corn (thanks Dave Green) and Todd Oishi's Vampire Leech! I like to slowly drift a silver minnow below a strike indicator (often 8-9 feet down) and occasionally jig it. The hits look like a bump but the walleye are there. Hits are not usually hard! It is finesse indicator fly fishing because you are trying to get a walleye to strike. I like the challenge although walleye are not hard fighters.

I had to remind some fishermen today that walleye and trout are Catch and Release on the Red Deer River. As always it is YOUR responsibility to know the regulations. You can check My Wild Alberta or drop over to Sportsman's Den and get a copy of the regulations!

Looks like showers will be around Central Alberta the next few days. 

Please join us as we plant trees at the Agricultural Area just south of the Red Deer Landfill on Piper Creek on Saturday from 10 am to 3 pm. You can sign up right here:

https://www.freshwaterconservationcanada.org/event-details/piper-creek-tree-planting-e-fishing-event

 

Another Great Day on the Water

As soon as I get up on a fishing day, I check the predicted weather in case we have to change our plan. An east wind blowing at 16 kph with some gusts was the predicted weather. Hmm, our day at Sylvan Lake should be just fine. Our initial plan was to look for walleye. Catching them on flies is definitely doable but not today. We headed east on Sylvan Lake from Sunbreakers Boat Launch! 

We had to pay the $20 to launch and park. We took a good look at the low water at Sunbreakers and we realized that my 1756 G3 would easily launch there. We had to be cautious motoring out of Sunbreakers because of the low water but we found a route and off we went on windless Sylvan. We headed to a point and set up to try to catch a walleye. Rick and I used full sink type 7 lines and a booby but we did not hook up. Karen meantime set up to catch lake whites and she was on fish right away! 

The wind quickly was amping up from the east so Rick and I switched to bloodworms and later chironomids. Soon after, when we all were looking for lake whites, Karen hooks up with a pike. She landed a mid sized pike on a blood worm. Later in the afternoon, Rick landed a pike on a bloodworm as well. We decided to move around searching but we ended back up on a point that had a sharp drop off. That was a good choice because we were into fish for the next several hours. The wind even settled mid afternoon. I switched to chironomids about 2 in the afternoon. I was constantly getting takes on a black and red ice cream cone and a Bloody Elvis Chironomid. Rick caught a monster whitefish on a chironomid while Karen hooked up lots with her trusty blood worm!

Ironically when we motored back to Sunbreakers Boat Launch, Sylvan Lake turned to glass.

We had an excellent day. We loved spending the day out on the boat. We will be back for another crack at walleye!

Bleeding Elvis Chironomid

On a Blood Worm? ...yep

A basic Black and Red Ice Cream Cone Chironomid

 

Tree Planting Day on Piper Creek Saturday June 14th at Agriculture Area Near Red Deer Landfill

On Saturday June 14th from 10 am to 3 pm we will be planting trees and doing some electro fishing on Piper Creek at the agriculture area just south of the Red Deer Landfill. It is a chance for everyone to give back to our land and creeks. Please come for an hour or two hours; what ever time you can give! All the details are below on the link and there is a place to sign up too so we know you are coming! We hope to see you there! This event is for everyone!

you can sign up right here:

https://www.freshwaterconservationcanada.org/event-details/piper-creek-tree-planting-e-fishing-event