alberta canada fishing planet unique lake trout

Not only do these mineral-rich Precambrian hills protect Tazin Lake, but they also have a long history with exploration in the region. Large, rocky outcrops jutted upwards as small wetlands filled in the low areas between them. We passed over Camsell Portage on the north side of the lake and soon the ground looked vastly different than the south side. A big body of water for sure, but not the one I was headed to. It covers over 3,000 square miles and sits partly in Alberta. Lake Athabasca is the 8th largest lake in Canada, stretching for 176 miles. It passes underneath us quickly and soon all that can be seen is water. The Athabasca Sand Dunes Provincial Park is one of the most northerly active sand dunes on the planet and extends for approximately 60 miles. An expansive sandy landscape spreads out below along the south shore of the big lake. As you approach Lake Athabasca, things get very interesting ecologically. While a few of the passengers took advantage of the ride to nap, I studied each and every lake we flew over, wondering what swam beneath its surface. I’d never been to Saskatchewan before and as I stepped on the floatplane, my eyes were wide-eyed as a kid on Christmas morning. My first experience at Tazin Lake Lodge took place in 2016. What I didn’t know then, was that over the course of the next six days at Tazin Lake Lodge, I’d end up hooking into more giant lake trout and northern pike than I knew what to do with, culminating with a 56-pound behemoth as the last fish of the trip. “We’ll get bigger ones,” he’d reassure me each time. As I admired the fight this strong specimen being reeled in gave me, he’d raise it from the water and with a quick flick of his wrist, he’d safely release it. Each time I’d catch a nice lake trout, Trevor Montgomery would respond with this short phrase describing the small size of the fish, compared to what he was used to catching at Tazin Lake.

Alberta canada fishing planet unique lake trout