Maligne Lake, Jasper, Alberta. Reindeer Lake, Northern Saskatchewan. Langara Island, Queen Charlotte Islands, BC. Lake of the Woods, Manitoba (and Ontario).

If you were a contestant on Jeopardy and the preceding answer was given — what would be the question?

How about: “What are four fishing paradises in Western Canada?”

For me and most other fishing guys, it’s not necessarily just a question of where the biggest or most fish lie. Fishing is Zen. It’s about peace, it’s about friends, and sometimes it’s about solitude. Above all — it’s about nature. That’s why few places can compare to the stunning beauty of Maligne Lake, Jasper — and the brook trout within. Or the Queen Charlotte Islands, where you can try your hand at salmon while a humpback whale breaches in the distance. Or any of the other places I listed, and the thousands of fish-filled paradises I didn’t list — from a fly-in lake to a hidden pothole.

I don’t know where your thoughts lie, but I could sit in a canoe on Maligne Lake all day long without a single bite and still claim a great day on the water.

I also don’t know where you live — but for me, Maligne Lake is 400 km away. The Queen Charlottes are a plane ride. Reindeer Lake takes a four-day weekend. I’ve never actually fished Lake of the Woods because for me it’s a 16-hour drive and there are a lot of lakes in between. In fact, being that I live in Alberta’s capital city, I can’t claim to be next door to anywhere I’d dub a true “fishing paradise.”

That’s where reality sets in — paradise lost, if you will. During these long days of summer, as I toil Monday to Friday and have commitments on weekends and evenings that range from slow-pitch to golf to whatever-She-wants-to-do, getting away for a day of fishing doesn’t happen as often as I’d like.

Fishing paradise may be around the bend — however the fish are close at hand.

It was this idea that gave birth to our special feature, “Urban Fishing in Edmonton,” on page 34. Now, the one million people who live in Alberta’s capital region can find out where the pike, sturgeon, goldeye, whitefish and walleye lurk just a stone’s throw from their home or work. Before you know it, you’ll be like me — catching a couple hours' fishing on some muddy bank after work. Edmonton is a great city that way — I can’t think of any other large city in Alberta that has a world-class fishing river running through its core.

OK, fine. There’s one other million-plus city that does. Home to a one-Cup-winning hockey team whose name I can’t recall.

But that brings me to my last point — if you don’t live in Edmonton, don’t despair. I happen to know that great urban fishing exists in several other large downtown cores. Winnipeg’s Red River; Saskatoon’s Saskatchewan River; Vancouver’s Capilano River; and, all jesting aside, everyone knows Calgary’s Bow River is an incredible spot to fish for rainbow and brown trout. That’s just the short list! With a little exploration, urban-dwellers might be surprised where they can catch a fish. (Rural folks are permitted to scoff here.)

Sure, the wishy-washy sound of a storm drain outflow combined with the tick-tick of car tires speeding over bridge girders might not equal paradise, but for me, a summer evening on the banks of the NSR whipping a dry fly for rising goldeye sure beats watching Jeopardy.

And it keeps me in practice for the days I get away for some real fishing.