Epic fishing in Alberta Part Deux

[Acountdeleted]

Well, due to a busy work schedule I haven't been able to get out fishing here nearly as much as I would like so when a co-worker mentioned that bunch of them were going to a spot to look for Arctic Grayling I jumped at the opportunity. Not knowing what to use to catch them with I was told to pick up some very very small spinners.

 

 

A bit of a drive through Albertas parkland country had us at our spot on the Pembina river. We spread out on a pristine patch of stream with tons of fallen logs and debris, the type of habitat you just drool over. Upstream one of my co-workers hooked into a whitefish. I missed one before feeling a massive tug on my rod.

 

"I don't know what it is. But its big!"

 

 

After a really good fight, I landed this.

 

 

 

My first ever Arctic grayling measuring at a full 14 inches (Huge for this far south).

 

After that the fishing was fast and furious. That was my only Grayling of the day but my co-workers managed to land another 8.

 

We also landed about 20 or so Mountain whitefish in total.

 

 

 

Some co-workers got them on the fly, my best luck was with a red mepps. All in all it was a great day on the water. Wading was a little chilly but landing some really cool fish that are not native to Ontario was defiantly a nice treat.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Musky or Specks]

Awesome, I would love to catch some grayling so theres at least one jealous Ontarian here.

[Rod Caster]

Grayling was one species I could not catch when I was in Alberta. Definitly not easy game to pursue in those areas with population pressures.

 

Pretty sure I caught a mountain whitefish in a river on the north shore of superior....

 

Great report! Two species we don't get to see very often!

[Moosebunk]

Some good "other" western species there Jer. Keep fishin' on dood!

[Acountdeleted]

Thanks guys. We really lucked out. The fishing trip was a bit of work for Trout Unlimited. They want to assist in bringing back the Grayling to their most southern habitats. Earlier in the year, guys had scouted the area and had seen a bunch so we knew if they were overwintering we had a pretty good shoot. Talk about getting to play the odds.

 

The whitefish looked delicious but I wasn't sure what the regs were for that area and I didn't want to help doing work for Grayling in one hand and then be loading up my freezer in the other hand. Turns out I could have kept 5. Ah well. Maybe another time.

[Twocoda]

Nice report ...good stuff...kinda missing Alberta