Banff Fishing Regulations: What Anglers Need to Know
Planning a fishing trip in Banff? At Banff Adventures, we offer two guided fishing tours on Lake Minnewanka, perfect for anglers of all ages. Whether you’re travelling solo or with your family, you can enjoy a fun day on the water and hopefully come back with a good catch!
Planning a fishing trip in Banff? At Banff Adventures, we offer two guided fishing tours on Lake Minnewanka, perfect for anglers of all ages. Whether you’re travelling solo or with your family, you can enjoy a fun day on the water and hopefully come back with a good catch!
However, before taking the tour, visitors must follow a few regulations to support Parks Canada's efforts to protect the beautiful wildlife in our National Park.
We’ll cover a few essential Banff fishing regulations below, so keep reading to learn more!
Fishing License and Permits
To fish legally in Banff, you require a provincial fishing license. At Banff Adventures, our tour guides provide all the necessary permits for our guests!
If you’re travelling with the whole family, your kids can fish without a permit if they’re 16 or younger, provided you accompany them throughout the day.
Don’t worry about ordering a license before travelling- ours are included in the tours.
Catch and Possession
Besides Lake Minnewanka, other bodies of water in Banff require anglers to release any fish in the same place they were caught to prevent the spread of Whirling disease (caused by fish moving from one water body to the next).
Lake Minnewanka trout is the exception to this rule - however, you’re limited to only two fish per catch, one if the fish has been filleted. We require guests to come with a cooler and a plan for preparation.
Banned Practices and Gear
There are a few regulations and practices anglers are expected to follow while fishing in Banff and some to avoid! Some banned practices include:
- Wearing felt-soled boots (causes the spread of invasive species)
- Fishing by any other method than angling
- Using more than one fishing line at a time (per person)
- Using more than one artificial fly
- Leaving a line unattended
- Selling or trading any fish from your catch
- Feeding fish in park waters
- Harming/harassing fish cruelly
- Using bait
The gear that anglers use also has to follow Parks Canada's regulations. When assembling your tackle box, do not include:
- Natural bait
- Chemicals
- Lead tackle under 50 grams (flies, singers, lures, etc)
- A dual-catch line
- Bait
If you don't have your own equipment, don't worry! We provide rods, tackle boxes, and other equipment for our guests.
(For more detailed information about fishing regulations in Banff, you can visit the Parks Canada website.)
Choose Banff Adventures for Your Next Fishing Trip!
Now that you’re a qualified National Park angler, check out our guided fishing excursions on Lake Minnewanka! Home to wild Lake Trout and Rocky Mountain Whitefish, you’re sure to bring in a top-notch catch. You don’t have to be an expert, either- our qualified guides will offer plenty of tips and instructions for the perfect bait and hook!
Visit our Fishing Tours page to learn more about our excursion packages and to book your fishing adventure today!
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