64 Ridgemont Drive, Fernie, British Columbia V0B 1M2, Canada
Book your fly fishing trip today 250.423.8825
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I like to think of the area of Southeastern British Columbia and Southwestern Alberta as the Golden Triangle of fly fishing. With access to both sides of the Canadian Rockies, there are numerous fly fishing experiences to be enjoyed.
With no less than five species of wild trout, fly fish in mountain free stone rivers to prairie tail water rivers. All of these waters are within minutes reach from where you might stay.
Oldman river
The Oldman River, an excellent western Alberta prairie river, located below the Three Rivers dam is a tail water fishery consisting of Rainbow, Brown, and Bull Trout as well as hybrid species such as Cuttbows. The dam was constructed for irrigation purposes only, so this tail water fishery results in very consistent temperatures and flow rates thus providing for very strong hatches.
May tends to be a very good month for fishing on nymphs before the hot dry fly fishing commences in June and July. June brings great golden stone fly hatches that can be throughout the day. July offers fantastic PMD and Mahogany Dun hatches long with strong Lime Sally’s and some Western Green Drakes. Evening dry fly can be remarkable. Having private access to this remarkable fishery located just below the dam allows for some of the best access to great runs with very good dry fly fishing.
The river is open year-round below the dam where it is floatable by drift boat or raft. Lower reaches are accessible by jet boat only. The lower stretch of this river has proven to be remarkable, fishing mainly on dries and some very good streamer fishing.
It has excellent fishing above the dam for East Slope Cutthroats and some Rainbows in an area known as The Gap.
After the flood of 2013 this fishery has rebounded like no other with hard fighting fish. It usually has consistent flows and clear waters with great PMD hatches.
This is one fishery that you must put on your bucket list!
Trip cost
Oldman River Guided Trip
$895.00 CAD plus 5% GST (up to 2 anglers)
Includes:
- Lunch
- Flies
- Experienced guide
waterton river
The Waterton River flows 80 km northeast from the Waterton Lake located in Waterton Lakes National Park. We offer float trips on two areas of the river with two sections located above the dam and another two sections on the tail water section below the dam. It continues northeast dumping into the Waterton reservoir which is solely used for irrigation purposes. Once it discharges from the dam it is now a tail water fishery with little or no access.
Our guide service provides private access to some of the best brown trout and Rainbow trout fishing found anywhere. With the limited access you will encounter almost no other anglers.
The scenery is full of incredible mountain views with diverse habitats including prairie grasslands and aspen parkland. This very cold mountain river is best fished early in the season from June through to the end of July before the river levels drop to their lower flow rates. At this time, it can be floated by raft but has very limited access. The angler can experience excellent Golden Stone fly hatches in which the dry fly fishing can be spectacular. By August the flow rates have dropped so is best suited for Walk & Wade guided trips.
Dry fly fishing and streamer fishing will often surprise many anglers by giving up some very large Browns and Rainbows.
trip cost
Waterton River Guided Trip
$850.00 CAD plus 5% GST (up to 2 anglers)
Includes:
- Lunch
- Flies
- Experienced guide
St. mary's river
Another one of the gems in the golden triangle is this tail water fishery. The St. Mary's watershed originates in northwestern Montana near the Canadian border and flows northeast up into Alberta and into the Oldman River. It is located just south of the city of Lethbridge, Alberta, on the great plains. It is dammed for the sole purpose of irrigation so becomes an excellent tail water fishery.
This river provides plenty of great fishing but is especially noted for its fantastic streamer fishing along with summer Hopper fishing.
There is just one species of Rainbow trout and with the abundant food these fish can grow to enormous sizes. It is not uncommon to hook into fish that push 15lbs.
trip cost
St. Mary's River Guided Trip
$850.00 CAD plus 5% GST (up to 2 anglers)
Includes:
- Lunch
- Flies
- Experienced guide
crowsnest river
The mid-sized Crowsnest River begins at Crowsnest Lake which borders Alberta and British Columbia.
Commonly known to locals as the "CROW" this is one of the finest wild Rainbow Trout fisheries to wade with the average fish size being a healthy 14-16 inches and you may also find larger fish in the 22 inch range. The last number of years we have been seeing more Browns showing up in the lower reaches.
The Crowsnest River has many excellent hatches allowing for superb dry fly opportunities. This is one of the best Walk and Wade streams that can be fished as early as April through to late October and even through winter.
trip cost
Crowsnest River Guided Trip
$795.00 CAD plus 5% GST (up to 2 anglers)
Includes:
- Lunch
- Flies
- Experienced guide
columbia river
The Columbia River is one of two huge river systems that drain into the Canadian Rockies to the west coast. With multiple dams located on this river results in very clean clear tail water fisheries.
This exceptionally good dry fly fishery is a must to fish. Best times to fish are at the end of June for the remarkable Caddis fly hatches and then again mid September through the first week of October with the October Caddis fishing.
Being a very large river, we use row-able jet boats to provide our clients to access amazing runs with wild Gerrard Rainbow, and Red band strain of Rainbow Trout.
trip cost
Columbia River Guided Trip
$850.00 CAD plus 5% GST (up to 2 anglers)
Includes:
- Lunch
- Flies
- Experienced guide
kootenay river
Fly Fish for huge trophy sized Bull trout on the Kootenay River. Guided trips are available from the end of March through April and then again from September through all of October. Experience the best Bull Trout fishing in North America.
From its source high in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, the scenic Kootenay River rushes southward through forested valleys and narrow gorges, passing through strewn meadows and towering hoodoos on its journey to the lowlands of the Rocky Mountain Trench.
The Kootenay River is home to Westslope Cutthroat trout and Bull trout with Rocky Mountain Whitefish. The river is fed by many glaciers and is very glaciated through the summer months so the best time to fish Kootenay River is when it is low and clear from March to the end of April and then again in late August through October.
Our row-able jet boats are the best way to access and fish this river. We generally start early in the morning and drive upstream to some of the best fishing runs that can only be accessed by jet boat or raft. Here we can either drift the runs and fly fish or spey cast on these excellent runs. The jet boat allows us to not only access the river but also provides opportunities to fish a run and repeat fishing the run versus using a raft where it’s a one and done experience.
Fall brings lower waters as the glacier melt slows and the result is usually gin clear waters. Most of the time you will see the fish eat your fly. A primary food source for these predators are the Rocky Mountain Whitefish and the Kokanee Salmon. The Kokanees Salmon run up the river in September and October to their spawning grounds as do the Bull trout. The Bull trout will spawn and then head back into the river in which they are very hungry. This makes for very aggressive behaviours.
Gearing up for these large predator fish is with 7 or 8 weight fly rods. These fish can reach sizes of over 25 lbs so a heavy weight fly rod is essential for landing these fish without stressing them. We are using dry fly lines and some sink tips at times. We use large flies that represent Kokanee Salmon and Whitefish in which Bull trout will typically ambush their prey so this makes for some really explosive takes.
We usually like to provide a hot shore lunch as it can be cold fishing with fall weather. I custom tie all our flies and include these with every guided fly fishing trip.
trip cost
Kootenay River Guided Trip
$995.00 CAD plus 5% GST (up to 2 anglers)
Includes:
- Lunch
- Flies
- Experienced guide
elk river
The Elk River is known as one of the finest dry fly fishing rivers in North America and holds the largest population of pure strain Westslope Cutthroat left. The colour and spotting of these fish, especially the hefty ones are truly spectacular.
Situated on the British Columbia and Alberta border, the Petain Glacier sits regally on the continental divide beside iconic Mt Joffre. The glacier's ancient ice and winter snow accumulation provides the seed water that feeds into Elk Lakes. The lakes, in turn, seem to provide a-cleanse of sorts from the typical glacial sediment that makes many glacier-fed rivers murky and aqua marine blue, resulting in the Elk River being gin clear and ready for trout.
From the town of Sparwood down, the river enters the main valley, meets Michel Creek and gains some momentum and girth. Several consecutive sections each provide a good day's float and many walk-and-wade opportunities. Each section has its own slightly different character and several honey holes. Grassy overhanging banks, long deep runs, buckets, boulders and corner holes. Count on some spectacular spots to pull over and have lunch on a sandy beach or beside a creek outlet.
The Elk River is home to the Westslope Cutthroat Trout where they thrive in some of the most scenic and wild places. No other trout spends as much time looking up for flying insects. No other will spend as much time in a day or almost any season attacking the surface of the water with reckless abandon. If you are partial to dry flies and love the mountains, this is probably your trout of choice.
The early season starts with a terrific Golden Stone fly hatch; early summer sees Green Drakes and Yellow Sallys and as the water clarity improves in late summer, terrestrials are added to the menu, Black ants, Hoppers, and Beetles are all fair game. If you experience a rain shower at any point, get Blue Winged Olives out, size #14-16. In late summer small mayflies will be rewarding and later in the fall October Caddis and Blue Winged Olives work well. Green Drakes and Deer Hair Caddis are something to have on hand most of the summer.
The Elk River is also home to the mighty Bull Trout. They represent the top of the aquatic food chain and like to throw their weight around. The Elk River's healthy population of Bull Trout seems to make themselves known in surprising moments. It is not uncommon to suddenly find one attached to and trying to swallow your Cutty. Fighting two fish, one of them enormous, on a small dry-fly set-up can be a bit crazy. These river sharks have a tendency to dart out of the shadowy depths at unexpected moments startling an angler and providing moments of adrenaline. Although they are known to take the odd Stonefly off the surface in early summer, big weighted streamers are usually the way to go.
The Elk River and its tributaries comprise a lifetimes worth of exploration and quality fly-fishing. The aesthetic beauty of the Rocky Mountains, rugged wilderness and clear trout streams leave one enchanted by and addicted to the place. This certainly is one of the gems of North American Fly Fishing and should be on your list.
trip cost
Elk River Guided Trip
$850.00 CAD plus 5% GST (up to 2 anglers)
Includes:
- Lunch
- Flies
- Experienced guide