ZONE 3 Northern Boreal - NB3
The Northern Boreal consists of a vast area of central and northern Alberta consists of boreal forest. Throughout the boreal forest, many of the streams are low gradient, brown water streams which in turn are part of the major drainage basins of the Athabasca, Peace and Hay rivers. The majority of the lakes in Alberta occur in the boreal forest zone.
The four Northern Boreal Watershed Units (NB1-NB4) are made of the Beaver, Athabasca, La Biche, Lesser Slave, Pembina, Peace, Wabasca, Hay, Christina, Clearwater rivers and Lake Athabasca watersheds.
NB3 WATERSHED UNIT REGULATIONS
The Peace River watershed, including the Wabasca and Birch rivers, the Hay River and Petitot River watersheds, and the Fontas River, Yates River, Whitesand River and Buffalo River watersheds.
BAIT FISHING
● Fishing with Bait in NB3 streams is NOT allowed except at portions of a few rivers under NB3 site specific listing regulations.
● Fishing with Bait in NB3 lakes is allowed, except at lakes listed with Bait Bans under NB3 site specific regulations.
● Fishing with Bait Fish is allowed except at locations listed with Bait Bans under NB3 site specific regulations.
Mainstem of a river: includes the mainstem channel and any side channel, oxbows, riparian flow channels, and plunge pools below spillways.
NB3 LAKE AND STREAM LISTINGS
For waterbody specific regulations, click the links below.
NB3 - Lakes, Reservoirs and Ponds
NB3 - Rivers, Creeks and Streams
NB3 Default Sportfishing Regulations
● The names of most NB3 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 NB3 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 May 15 to Mar. 31
● Lakes, reservoirs and ponds located north of township 104 are OPEN all year
● Arctic Grayling 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
● Trout limit 3
● Bait allowed
CLOSED Apr. 1 to May 14
DEFAULT REGULATIONS FOR STREAMS
OPEN Jun. 1 to Oct. 31
● Arctic Grayling limit 0
● Walleye limit 3 over 50 cm
● Northern Pike limit 3 over 63 cm
● Mountain Whitefish limit 5 over 30 cm
● Yellow Perch limit 15
● Lake Whitefish limit 10
● Burbot limit 10
● Bait ban
CLOSED Nov. 1 to May 31