RESOURCE GUIDE

Pigeon Lake: a Walleye Goldmine

Author: Andrew Watt
About the author: Andrew Watt is our AQ Outdoors Edmonton Store Manager. He is an avid kayak angler with a penchant for multi-day paddling trips. When he's not on the water, you'll likely find him playing darts or adventuring with his pup.

Pigeon Lake is your stereotypical Alberta lake, as it is very bowl like in its design, and while it has more rock and water features then a lot of Alberta's other lakes, it lacks a lot of the lakebed structures found in other water bodies across the country. It is a fantastic spot to get the fishing kayak out to and have a great time!

Walleye are one of my favorite fish to catch and eat and are fairly abundant in Pigeon Lake with a population that is stable enough to support a limited harvest through a tag system (Applications due in spring). Whether I have tags or not, I try to hit Pigeon Lake for a fishing adventure at least once or twice a year. Below, you'll find some of my tips and tricks for fishing for Walleye's at this lake.

Sometime approximately 12000 years ago the Luarentide glaciers and ice sheets retreated from the surface of Alberta. This melt water helped create the rivers and lakes we’ve come to love.

Finding the walleye depends on the time of year. Its not to difficult, for the most part, as they tend to hang out on steep drop offs, river mouths, or rocky points either close to or right on bottom. They will be closer to shore in the spring, sometimes really close, and further out as the summer progresses. Often suspending mid water during the really hot days.

Sometimes you catch things besides walleye, like old fishing rods. Nice catch Gord!

Pigeon lake is one of the best spots to get hooked on walleye fishing, and provides a good time for the beginner and experienced kayak angler. A couple hundred yards off the Pigeon lake provincial park you will find the ledge where the lake drops sharply. It is a popular spot for walleye all throughout the summer.

If you have a depth finder is super easy to locate, and if you don't it's still quite easy as you will normally see anywhere from two to twenty other boats out enjoying some good walleye fishing there too. This is a bigger lake and can get wavy quick, be wary of the weather at all times.

Another one on the board!

Any medium rod setup will work for walleye on Pigeon, I use 15lb test with a fluorocarbon leader. Bait-wise, my go-to lately has been a long shanked 3/8s black jig, tipped with a dead minnow. (Live bait is prohibited within Alberta.) I like the long shanks as they put the hook further back on the minnow meaning you can get a hookset without the whole shebang being swallowed.

If you want to change it up, a swimbait that matches some baitfish within that lake on a 1/4 to 3/8 jig casted out and reeled in with jigging motion can be successful. Don’t forget about bottom bouncers, they are designed to bounce off the bottom trailing a minnow and can be really good for locating the walleye and can be lots of fun in itself with a pedal drive yak.

I landed a keeper, but no tags so back she goes

Bring an anchor, and once the walleye are found setup, and jig your heart out. Its a great time, the provincial park offers great camping and picnic areas. Make a week, weekend or day of it. You won't be disappointed.