ZONE 1 Eastern Slopes - ES1

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).


ES1 WATERSHED UNIT REGULATIONS

The Oldman River watershed upstream of Secondary Road 509 near Coalhurst and the Bow River watershed upstream of Highway 24 near Carseland.

BAIT FISHING
● Fishing with Bait in ES1 streams is NOT allowed.
● Fishing with Bait is allowed at lakes without bait bans. Check the ES1 regulation tables for site specific regulations.
● Fishing with Bait Fish is NOT allowed in ES1 except at the following waters: Payne (Mami) Lake, Lees Lake, and Ghost Reservoir.

Alberta Fish and Wildlife may implement time of day angling restrictions in this watershed unit in response to low stream flows and warmer water temperatures. Please see the Important Information page and My Wild Alberta webpage for more information.

Ice fishing: Angling is not permitted through the ice; a) into beaver ponds or b) into flowing waters in ES1. 
 
Mainstem of a river: includes the mainstem channel and any side channel, oxbows, riparian flow channels, and plunge pools below spillways. 

ES1 LAKE AND STREAM LISTINGS

For waterbody specific regulations, click the links below.

ES1 - Lakes, Reservoirs and Ponds
ES1 - Rivers, Creeks and Streams
 

ES1 Default Sportfishing Regulations
● The names of most ES1 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 ES1 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
● Pike limit 3
● Perch limit 15
● Lake Whitefish limit 10
● Burbot limit 10
Bait except Bait Fish allowed 

DEFAULT REGULATIONS FOR STREAMS

OPEN June 16 to Aug. 31
● Bull Trout limit 0
Arctic Grayling limit 0
● Trout limit 2
● Cutthroat and Rainbow over 35 cm
● 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 ban 

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

CLOSED Nov. 1 to June 15