ZONE 1 Eastern Slopes - ES4

The Eastern Slopes consists of the mountains and foothills that form the “Eastern Slopes” along the Rocky Mountains from Montana to the Grande Prairie region. Throughout this zone, tributary creeks flow into larger streams and into major rivers. These watersheds support numerous trout and mountain whitefish populations, as well as Arctic grayling populations in the north.

The Eastern Slopes four Watershed Units are the Oldman and Bow rivers (ES1), the Red Deer and North Saskatchewan rivers (ES2), the Athabasca and Pembina rivers (ES3) and the Smoky River (ES4).


ES4 WATERSHED UNIT REGULATIONS

The Smoky River watershed upstream of the 21st Base Line, and the Albright Creek watershed.

BAIT FISHING
● Fishing with Bait in ES4 streams is restricted. Check the ES4 regulation tables for site specific regulations.
● Fishing with Bait Fish in streams is NOT allowed except at portions of the Smoky and Little Smoky Rivers.
● Fishing with Bait including Bait Fish in lakes is allowed except at lakes listed with Bait Bans under the ES4 site specific regulations.

Alberta Fish and Wildlife may announce short-term emergency stream closures in response to low stream flows and warmer water temperatures. Sportfishing would be suspended and fishing not allowed for the duration of the emergency period.

Ice fishing: Angling is not permitted through the ice; a) into beaver ponds or b) into flowing waters in ES4. 
 
Mainstem of a river: includes the mainstem channel and any side channel, oxbows, riparian flow channels, and plunge pools below spillways. 

ES4 LAKE AND STREAM LISTINGS

For waterbody specific regulations, click the links below.

ES4 - Lakes, Reservoirs and Ponds
ES4 - Rivers, Creeks and Streams
 

ES4 Default Sportfishing Regulations
● The names of most ES4 lakes and streams are listed alphabetically in the site specific regulation tables on the following pages.
● Smaller streams may not be listed, but may be included as tributaries to a listed larger stream.
● If a listed waterbody does not have a season listed, it is CLOSED to fishing during that period.
● If a ES4 lake, reservoir, river, stream or species is not listed, follow the default regulations below.
● General regulation stocked trout lakes are listed here

DEFAULT REGULATIONS FOR LAKES

OPEN all year
Bull Trout limit 0
Arctic Grayling limit 0
● Trout limit 5
● Mountain Whitefish limit 5 over 30 cm
● Walleye limit 3 over 50 cm
● Northern Pike limit 3
● Yellow Perch limit 15
● Lake Whitefish limit 10
● Burbot limit 10
Bait except Bait Fish allowed 

DEFAULT REGULATIONS FOR STREAMS

OPEN June 1 to Aug. 31
● Bull Trout limit 0
● Trout and Arctic Grayling limit 0
● Mountain Whitefish limit 5 over 30 cm
● Walleye limit 3 over 50 cm
● Northern Pike limit 3 over 63 cm
● Yellow Perch limit 15
● Lake Whitefish limit 10
● Burbot limit 10
Bait ban 

OPEN Sept. 1 to Oct. 31
● Bull Trout limit 0
● Trout, Arctic Grayling and Mountain Whitefish limit 0
● Walleye limit 3 over 50 cm
● Northern Pike limit 3 over 63 cm
● Yellow Perch limit 15
● Lake Whitefish limit 10
● Burbot limit 10
Bait ban 

CLOSED Nov. 1 to May 31