Baptiste Lake: Local Beauty

Local fishing authority and loyal R.F.A. member Denis Charron headed up to Baptiste lake a couple weeks back. He sheds some insight on the importance of fishing regs. and conservation... As the picture shows, he also demonstrated his mastery as an angler. This is what he had to say...

I had the chance to get out to Baptiste Lake a couple weekends ago. We stayed with some new friends at a cabin at White Gull, one of the five summer villages on the lake.

160 km out of Edmonton in Athabasca country, the popularity of this medium-sized lake raised concerns about its health, including its water quality, fisheries, shoreline condition, and water level. Initially, minimum size limits were imposed; however, these limits attracted more anglers to the lake, which increased fish harvest (both legal and illegal) and accidental hooking and handling mortality, putting additional pressure on the fishery. As a result, the walleye and pike fisheries collapsed and Baptiste Lake became a highly restrictive fishery (catch-and-release only for both Pike and Walleye).

As of today, and after just two years of zero limits for walleye and pike,Baptiste Lake’s walleye population is now recovered enough to allow a small harvest of walleye by draw and a limited harvest of pike. It’s important to follow the regulations in place at any body of water you encounter, and practice safe handling of caught fish. For more information on studies released for Baptiste Lake, see these articles.

That said, Matt and I had a wonderful time fishing walleye catching 30+ fish in the afternoon. The action was as hot as the weather, and the fish were strong and healthy the whole time. We also hooked into the occasional pike, including this giant. Knowing we were only interested in catch-and-release, we brought our camera (to prove our fish stories) and left the scales and rulers at camp. We’ve estimated this northern to be between 100 and 115 cm long and heavier than a 10lb sack of potatoes. What a beauty.