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2026 Alberta
fishr Season Report

Where did Alberta anglers focus their attention in 2026?

Explore the most-viewed fishing destinations on fishr, discover which lakes received the most fish, and uncover stocking trends across Alberta's watersheds and major cities.

Published Data updated Download the rankings (CSV)

01

Our first season, shaped by Alberta anglers.

2026 marks fishr's first season helping Alberta anglers find clear, dependable fishing information in one place. Since launching the platform in February, fishr has welcomed more than 30,000 visits. Thank you to everyone who has explored the map, checked a regulation, shared the site, or sent feedback. Your support is helping us build Western Canada's most comprehensive fishing database.

We're sharing the 2026 fishr Report to offer a clearer view of the season: which lakes and streams drew the most interest on fishr, where stocking activity took place, and how those patterns change across Alberta's watershed units and major communities. By making this information open and understandable, we hope to help anglers plan with confidence, encourage informed conversations, and give everyone who cares about Alberta's fisheries a useful picture of activity across the province.

02

Alberta by the numbers.

Aggregate, privacy-safe data from fishr page activity and Alberta stocking records.

fishr Visits27,831

Since May 1

Fish stocked1,909,209

Recorded in Alberta lakes during 2026

Lakes stocked270

561 stocking events

03

Alberta's Top Fishing Spots and Stocked Lakes

Alberta lakes and streams drew 17,907 views since May 1. Here are the most popular waterbodies in fishr, and the lakes that received the most fish.

Audience

Most popular waterbodies

  1. 01
    Cardiff Park Pond
    LakeWU PP2
    254page views158 visitors
  2. 02
    Dalemead Lake
    LakeWU PP1
    158page views84 visitors
  3. 03
    East Pit Lake
    LakeWU PP2
    152page views82 visitors
  4. 04
    Grotto Mountain Pond
    LakeWU ES1
    151page views91 visitors
  5. 05
    Red Deer River
    StreamWU PP2
    145page views77 visitors
  6. 06
    Dewitt's Pond
    LakeWU ES1
    116page views69 visitors
  7. 07
    Star Lake
    LakeWU PP2
    115page views65 visitors
  8. 08
    North Saskatchewan River
    StreamWU ES2
    106page views76 visitors
  9. 09
    Bow River
    StreamWU PP1
    106page views54 visitors
  10. 10
    Glenmore Reservoir
    LakeWU ES1
    104page views53 visitors
Stocking

Most stocked lakes

  1. 01
    Mcleod Lake
    WU ES3
    168.1K168,091 fish20 events · 1 species
  2. 02
    Chain Lakes Reservoir
    WU ES1
    147.5K147,458 fish18 events · 2 species
  3. 03
    Payne Lake
    WU ES1
    125K124,994 fish6 events · 1 species
  4. 04
    Blood Indian Creek Reservoir
    WU PP2
    63.3K63,294 fish7 events · 3 species
  5. 05
    Grande Cache Lake
    WU ES4
    60K60,045 fish5 events · 1 species
  6. 06
    Engstrom Lake
    WU NB4
    51K51,000 fish6 events · 1 species
  7. 07
    Lees Lake
    WU ES1
    47.4K47,395 fish5 events · 2 species
  8. 08
    Dillberry Lake
    WU PP2
    36.5K36,500 fish7 events · 2 species
  9. 09
    Swan Lake
    WU ES4
    30K30,000 fish2 events · 1 species
  10. 10
    Dickson Trout Pond
    WU ES2
    28.5K28,462 fish10 events · 2 species
04

Alberta's Most Stocked Fish Species

Here are the species that received the most fish in Alberta lakes this season.

Reach

Most lakes stocked

  1. 01
    Rainbow Trout
    347 events
    209lakes77% of stocked lakes
  2. 02
    Tiger Trout
    54 events
    46lakes17% of stocked lakes
  3. 03
    Westslope Cutthroat Trout
    64 events
    42lakes16% of stocked lakes
  4. 04
    Brown Trout
    47 events
    37lakes14% of stocked lakes
  5. 05
    Brook Trout
    49 events
    36lakes13% of stocked lakes
05

Top Watershed Units

Here are the watershed units that anglers viewed most on fishr.

Audience

Most visited watershed units

View ranked listHide ranked list10 units
  1. 01
    Watershed unit PP2
    Parkland-Prairie Zone494 pages
    4,468page views25% of all views
  2. 02
    Watershed unit ES1
    Eastern Slopes Zone403 pages
    3,607page views20% of all views
  3. 03
    Watershed unit PP1
    Parkland-Prairie Zone169 pages
    2,010page views11% of all views
  4. 04
    Watershed unit ES2
    Eastern Slopes Zone207 pages
    1,822page views10% of all views
  5. 05
    Watershed unit ES3
    Eastern Slopes Zone201 pages
    1,598page views9% of all views
  6. 06
    Watershed unit NB1
    Northern Boreal Zone241 pages
    1,542page views9% of all views
  7. 07
    Watershed unit NB2
    Northern Boreal Zone173 pages
    986page views6% of all views
  8. 08
    Watershed unit ES4
    Eastern Slopes Zone164 pages
    775page views4% of all views
  9. 09
    Watershed unit NB3
    Northern Boreal Zone170 pages
    622page views3% of all views
  10. 10
    Watershed unit NB4
    Northern Boreal Zone131 pages
    477page views3% of all views
Stocking

Most stocked watershed units

View ranked listHide ranked list10 units
  1. 01
    Watershed unit ES1
    Eastern Slopes Zone51 lakes · 106 events
    442.2K442,215 fish23% of all fish
  2. 02
    Watershed unit PP2
    Parkland-Prairie Zone69 lakes · 171 events
    433.8K433,780 fish23% of all fish
  3. 03
    Watershed unit ES3
    Eastern Slopes Zone30 lakes · 58 events
    270.2K270,177 fish14% of all fish
  4. 04
    Watershed unit ES4
    Eastern Slopes Zone17 lakes · 29 events
    180.7K180,678 fish9% of all fish
  5. 05
    Watershed unit ES2
    Eastern Slopes Zone29 lakes · 57 events
    173.1K173,101 fish9% of all fish
  6. 06
    Watershed unit PP1
    Parkland-Prairie Zone21 lakes · 45 events
    107K107,020 fish6% of all fish
  7. 07
    Watershed unit NB1
    Northern Boreal Zone15 lakes · 34 events
    88.7K88,688 fish5% of all fish
  8. 08
    Watershed unit NB2
    Northern Boreal Zone13 lakes · 22 events
    87.6K87,585 fish5% of all fish
  9. 09
    Watershed unit NB3
    Northern Boreal Zone21 lakes · 30 events
    69.8K69,765 fish4% of all fish
  10. 10
    Watershed unit NB4
    Northern Boreal Zone4 lakes · 9 events
    56.2K56,200 fish3% of all fish
06

Top Fishing Spots by Watershed Unit

The most popular waterbodies and most stocked lakes within each watershed unit.

Eastern Slopes Zone

Watershed unit ES1

Eastern Slopes Zone

Watershed unit ES2

Eastern Slopes Zone

Watershed unit ES3

Eastern Slopes Zone

Watershed unit ES4

Northern Boreal Zone

Watershed unit NB1

Northern Boreal Zone

Watershed unit NB2

Northern Boreal Zone

Watershed unit NB3

Northern Boreal Zone

Watershed unit NB4

Parkland-Prairie Zone

Watershed unit PP1

Parkland-Prairie Zone

Watershed unit PP2

07

Top Fishing Spots Near Alberta's Cities

The most popular waterbodies and most stocked lakes near Alberta's eight major cities.

1,612,834 residents · within 150 km

Fishing near Calgary

Stocking

Most stocked lakes

  1. 01
    Chain Lakes Reservoir
    WU ES184.9 km from centre
    147.5K147,458 fish18 events · 2 species
  2. 02
    Dickson Trout Pond
    WU ES2108.2 km from centre
    28.5K28,462 fish10 events · 2 species
  3. 03
    Cow Lake
    WU ES2149 km from centre
    24K24,000 fish3 events · 1 species
  4. 04
    Strubel Lake
    WU ES2143.8 km from centre
    12.8K12,800 fish1 event · 1 species
  5. 05
    Birch Lake
    WU ES2120.2 km from centre
    12K12,000 fish4 events · 3 species
1,238,295 residents · within 150 km

Fishing near Edmonton

Stocking

Most stocked lakes

  1. 01
    Spring Lake
    WU PP242.3 km from centre
    27.1K27,135 fish7 events · 3 species
  2. 02
    Peanut Lake
    WU NB276.8 km from centre
    20K20,000 fish2 events · 2 species
  3. 03
    Cardiff Park Pond
    WU PP224.3 km from centre
    19.6K19,550 fish4 events · 3 species
  4. 04
    Black Nugget Mine Pit
    WU PP273.2 km from centre
    19.5K19,500 fish5 events · 2 species
  5. 05
    Hasse Lake
    WU PP245 km from centre
    17.5K17,500 fish4 events · 2 species
115,409 residents · within 150 km

Fishing near Red Deer

Stocking

Most stocked lakes

  1. 01
    Dickson Trout Pond
    WU ES244 km from centre
    28.5K28,462 fish10 events · 2 species
  2. 02
    Spring Lake
    WU PP2140.2 km from centre
    27.1K27,135 fish7 events · 3 species
  3. 03
    Cow Lake
    WU ES280.9 km from centre
    24K24,000 fish3 events · 1 species
  4. 04
    Black Nugget Mine Pit
    WU PP2136.1 km from centre
    19.5K19,500 fish5 events · 2 species
  5. 05
    Hasse Lake
    WU PP2137.1 km from centre
    17.5K17,500 fish4 events · 2 species
113,671 residents · within 150 km

Fishing near Lethbridge

Stocking

Most stocked lakes

  1. 01
    Chain Lakes Reservoir
    WU ES1111.6 km from centre
    147.5K147,458 fish18 events · 2 species
  2. 02
    Payne Lake
    WU ES187 km from centre
    125K124,994 fish6 events · 1 species
  3. 03
    Lees Lake
    WU ES1101.8 km from centre
    47.4K47,395 fish5 events · 2 species
  4. 04
    Beaver Mines Lake
    WU ES1110.2 km from centre
    18.2K18,162 fish3 events · 1 species
  5. 05
    Beauvais Lake
    WU ES195.1 km from centre
    18K18,000 fish2 events · 1 species
96,731 residents · within 150 km

Fishing near Airdrie

Stocking

Most stocked lakes

  1. 01
    Chain Lakes Reservoir
    WU ES1112.7 km from centre
    147.5K147,458 fish18 events · 2 species
  2. 02
    Dickson Trout Pond
    WU ES282 km from centre
    28.5K28,462 fish10 events · 2 species
  3. 03
    Cow Lake
    WU ES2126.8 km from centre
    24K24,000 fish3 events · 1 species
  4. 04
    Strubel Lake
    WU ES2122 km from centre
    12.8K12,800 fish1 event · 1 species
  5. 05
    Birch Lake
    WU ES298.7 km from centre
    12K12,000 fish4 events · 3 species
75,670 residents · within 150 km

Fishing near St. Albert

Stocking

Most stocked lakes

  1. 01
    Mcleod Lake
    WU ES3150 km from centre
    168.1K168,091 fish20 events · 1 species
  2. 02
    Spring Lake
    WU PP236.7 km from centre
    27.1K27,135 fish7 events · 3 species
  3. 03
    Peanut Lake
    WU NB262.3 km from centre
    20K20,000 fish2 events · 2 species
  4. 04
    Cardiff Park Pond
    WU PP212.1 km from centre
    19.6K19,550 fish4 events · 3 species
  5. 05
    Black Nugget Mine Pit
    WU PP286.9 km from centre
    19.5K19,500 fish5 events · 2 species
71,896 residents · within 150 km

Fishing near Grande Prairie

69,486 residents · within 150 km

Fishing near Medicine Hat

08

Key Findings

Here is what stood out this season!

  1. All 10 of the waters anglers looked up most on fishr are within 90 km of Calgary or Edmonton.

    Cardiff Park Pond topped the list: it's 24 km from Edmonton and was stocked with trout 4 times this year. The Red Deer, North Saskatchewan and Bow rivers made the top 10 too.

  2. 147,458 trout went into Chain Lakes Reservoir, more than any other lake within 150 km of Calgary.

    It received rainbow and westslope cutthroat trout in 18 stockings, the last on October 8. Near Edmonton, Spring Lake led with 27,135 brown, rainbow and tiger trout.

  3. 209 of the 270 lakes stocked this year got rainbow trout, more than any other fish.

    They made up 78% of all fish stocked. Tiger trout were next, stocked in 46 lakes.

  4. 6 of Alberta's 10 most stocked lakes got fish in October.

    Mcleod Lake, the most stocked, got 168,091 rainbow trout in 20 stockings, the last on October 7. The latest stocking on record was October 9.