Banff National Park of Canada

Fishing Regulations Summary

Mountain National Parks in Alberta and British Columbia April 1, 2011 - March 31, 2012

Open Seasons, Special Restrictions and Closed Waters

Banff National Park
Kootenay National Park
Yoho National Park
Jasper National Park
Mount Revelstoke and Glacier National Parks
Waterton Lakes National Park

Canada National Parks Act, General Fishing Regulations
Fishing Permits
How to Identify Your Catch
Catch and Possession Limits
Help Released Fish Survive
Fish Consumption Advisory (Mercury) Mountain Parks
Definitions

PDF Version (537 kB)

 

Banff National Park (BNP)

OPEN SEASONS

Year Round

Bow River - from Bow Lake outlet to east park boundary including associated backwaters and oxbow. No ice fishing on the Bow River.

May 15 to August 15

Owen Creek

May 21 to September 5

Lake Minnewanka, Ghost Lakes, Two Jack Lake, Johnson Lake and adjacent stream and beaver ponds; the Vermilon Lakes (3) and adjacent inflow connecting streams and beaver ponds.

 

July 1 to August 31

All tributaries of the Bow River.

 

July 1 to October 31

Cascade River, its tributaries and associated lakes above Lake Minnewanka (see definitions).

 

July 7 to October 31

Gloria Lake, Leman Lake, Marvel Lake, Owl Lake, Terrapin Lake, Spray River, and associated tributaries above the Spray Reservoir.

 

July 1 to November 1

All other waters except closed waters.

SPECIAL RESTRICTIONS

CLOSED WATERS - Year Round

• Castleguard River - that upper portion of the river located in the Zone I - Special Preservation Area.
• Cave and Basin marsh system.
• Fish Lakes - the two Fish Lakes nearest campsite Mo 18.
• Forty Mile Creek - vicinity of the water intake reservoir.
• Lake Agnes.
• Luellen Lake - outflow stream from fisheries' boundary markers, downstream to the confluence of the outflow stream and Johnston Creek.
• Marvel Lake - downstream from line formed between fisheries' boundary markers to confluence of Marvel and Bryant Creeks.
• All tributaries and associated lakes in the Clearwater and Siffleur River systems, excluding Isabella Lake.

Kootenay National Park (KNP)

OPEN SEASONS

May 20 to September 4

Cobb Lake, Olive Lake

 

June 15 to October 31

Kootenay River, Vermillion River

 

July 1 to September 4

Dog Lake, Kaufmann Lake

 

July 1 to October 31

All other waters.

SPECIAL RESTRICTIONS

• Kootenay and Vermilion Rivers: rainbow and brook trout. Minimum size limit 30 cm.

Yoho National Park (YNP)

OPEN SEASONS

Year Round

Kicking Horse River - downstream from the confluence of Kicking Horse River and Yoho River downstream to park boundary.

 

May 21 to September 5

McArthur Lake, Ottertail Lake, Wapta Lake.

 

July 15 to October 31

North bay of Lake O'Hara and Cataract Brook for 1.6km downstream from Lake O'Hara.

 

July 1 to October 31

All other waters.

Jasper National Park (JNP)

OPEN SEASONS

Rivers and Streams ---

Year Round

Sunwapta River.

April 1 to September 5 and November 1 to March 31

Fiddle River, Maligne River (below Maligne Canyon), Miette River, Rocky River, Snake Indian River, Snaring River.

 

July 30 to October 2

Fly fishing only: Maligne River from a point 420 m downstream from the Maligne Lake Outlet bridge to Medicine Lake including that part of Medicine Lake within a 180 m radius of a point in the middle of the Maligne River where it enters Medicine Lake.

July 1 to September 5

All other rivers and streams except closed waters.

Lakes ---

May 21 to September 5

Annette Lake, Beaver Lake, Dragon Lake, Long Lake, Lorraine Lake, Moab Lake, Mona Lake, No Name Lake (Hwy 93 south Km 48), Pyramid Lake, Lakes Three, Four and Five in the Valley of the Five.

May 21 to October 2

Maligne Lake, Talbot Lake, Edna Lake.

July 1 to October 31

Medicine Lake (Fly fishing only).

 

July 1 to October 31

All other lakes except closed waters.

CLOSED WATERS - Year Round

• Maligne Lake Outlet,/Maligne River (the portion including the part of Maligne Lake within a 100 m radius of a point in the middle of the Maligne River where it leaves Maligne Lake, to a point 420 m downstream from the Maligne Lake Outlet bridge).
• Jacques Lake and Jacques Lake Outlet stream between Jacques Lake and the Rocky River.
• Mile 9 (Km 15) Lake, Hwy 16 (East).
• All streams emptying into Amethyst Lake.
• That part of Amethyst Lake situated within a 180 m radius from a point in the middle of the outlet stream from the southeast end of Amethyst Lake.
• That part of the Astoria River situated between Amethyst Lake and a point 400 m downstream from Amethyst Lake.
• Osprey Lake.
• The outlet stream from Moab Lake to its junction with the Whirlpool River including that part of Moab Lake situated within a 180 m radius of a point in the middle of the outlet stream where it leaves Moab Lake.
• The outlet stream from Beaver Lake to its junction with the Maligne Lake Road.

Mount Revelstoke and Glacier National Parks (MRGNP)

OPEN SEASONS

July 1 to October 31

All lakes.

CLOSED WATERS - Year Round

• All rivers and streams.

Waterton Lakes National Park (WLNP)

OPEN SEASONS

May 21 to September 5

Akamina Lake, Cameron Lake and Creek, Crandell Lake, Waterton Lakes (Upper and Middle).

 

July 1 to October 31

All other waters except closed waters.

SPECIAL RESTRICTIONS

• NEW! Boat launch permits are required for Waterton Lakes.
• Barbless Hooks only may be used. See "Definitions". Motor boats allowed on Middle and Upper Waterton Lakes only.

CLOSED WATERS - Year Round

• Sofa Creek, Dungarvan Creek, Maskinonge Lake & Inlet.
• Blakiston/Bauerman Creeks and their tributaries.
• North Fork Belly River and its tributaries.

Canada National Parks Act, General Fishing Regulations

When angling, it is unlawful to:

• Fish without a national park fishing permit.
• Fish with or possess within 100 metres of park waters the following:
  • natural bait and chemical attractants;
  • any lead tackle (sinkers, jigs, lures and flies) under 50 grams;
  • lures with more than 2 gang hooks;
  • a line capable of catching more than one fish at one time.
• Fish with more than one line at a time.
• Fish closed waters.
• Leave a fishing line unattended.
• Fish from 2 hours after sunset to one hour before sunrise.
• Allow your catch to spoil or to be wasted.
• Sell, trade or barter any fish caught.
• Place live fish or fish eggs in any park water or transfer them between bodies of water inside (or outside) the park.
• Place any food for fish in park waters.

National Parks Fishing Regulations

Fishing Permits

Anyone under the age of 16 may fish in the national parks without a permit if accompanied by a permit holder 16 years of age or older. However, their catch is then included within the permit holder's daily limit. They may also purchase their own permit and be entitled to the full catch limit.

NOTE:This brochure is NOT a complete listing of the National Parks Fishing Regulations and has no legal status. More information is available from park wardens and park information centres.

Definitions

Natural bait ban: you can only use lures made of feathers, fibre, rubber, wood, metal or plastic. No edible material, scented lures or chemical attractants are permitted.

Barbless Hook: this includes a hook the barbs of which are pressed against the shaft of the hook so that the barbs are not functional.

Fly fishing only: means only artificial flies may be used.

Artificial fly: this is a single or double hook on a common shank, dressed with silk, tinsel, wood, fur, feathers or other materials (no lead), or any combination thereof without a spinning device, whether attached to the hook or line.

Tributary: any water course which flows into another body of water. This includes a tributary to a tributary. Lakes are excluded unless otherwise specified.

Trout: for the purposes of this summary, the word trout includes char species.

WILDLIFE WATCH

Report suspicious activities.
1-888-WARDENS (1-888-927-3367)

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