At point of European contact Alberta’s trout were pretty well confined to the cold rushing rivers of the Eastern Slopes of the Rockies or the deep lakes of the Northern Boreal where lake trout thrived. How times have changed.
A vast majority of Albertans are now within an easy drive of a trout fishery and the same is true of residents of other western provinces. Thanks to the intervention of the hatchery truck in Alberta alone over 240 lakes are stocked annually by Alberta Environment and Protected Areas with an additional 65 waterbodies stocked by the Alberta Conservation Association with funds derived from an annual conservation levy assessed to provincial angling and hunting licenses and partnerships with municipalities and corporations.
Stocked trout fisheries produce large numbers of catchable trout.
Described as an "integral part" of Albertans’ sport fishing experience, the programs’ primary objectives are to "provide sport fishing opportunities in areas where fishing opportunities are limited." Brook, brown, tiger and cutthroat trout are all stocked but the vast majority are hard fighting rainbow trout in various strains to match local water quality conditions.
Three waterbodies in particular - Blood Indian Reservoir near Youngstown, Chain Lakes south of Calgary and Carson Lake north of Whitecourt receive tens of thousands of fish each year in numerous stockings to assure there’s always a good population available.
Most stocked trout fisheries are managed with a 5 daily no size limit harvest regulation but several waterbodies strategically located throughout the province are designated as "delayed harvest" or "trophy" fisheries either as catch and release or a one fish over 20 cm. limit.
AEPA hatcheries raise and release an incredible 2.1 trout annually while the ACA contributes a further 122,800.
Most near urban centres "making them accessible and popular for families and anglers of all ages."
While several hatchery expansions are underway to increase stocked trout capacity even further.
Hard not to agree with that.