Trout Town of the Southwest

Trout Town of the Southwest

We drifted along the lazy outside track of an oxbow on the Waterton River as the evening’s glow settled on the horizon. We’d caught a few and cast to many more, but it had been a hot mid-summer day.  The bank had sloughed and left a large pyramid-shaped clay mound coming up on our port side.  Dan laid out a proud H & L Variant with surgeon-like precision along the foam line that curled around the mound.  The fly slowed as the two seams rubbed and a shadow lifted coming from the outside edge. It slurped the take but showed just enough head for us both to recognize a true predator.   This was a fish, a good-sized brown with ample pull to keep us guessing for the next 10 minutes!

There are destinations around the globe with an evolving notoriety as fishing Mecca’s.  They’re whispered on social media with reverence and passion, inspiring forays to far-off lands with freshly bought tackle you didn’t know existed a month prior. Crystalline rivers and hard-bodied salmonids are common-threads from one hub to the next.  If pressed to name such a location in western Canada a few come to mind, and the Crowsnest Pass would be among them. From rippling high-country streams to meandering main-body stems, the area has dozens of lotic waters that will appeal to all.  Cutthroat, rainbow and bull trout are the main offerings, but you’ll find browns lurking in a few spots as well.   

With the Crowsnest Pass as the heart, you can access dozens of flowing waters within roughly an hour drive. The biggest problem faced by a new-comer is choice - and a lot of it. There are so many rivers and streams, and sections within those same flows that it can be difficult to know where to start. 

This is a free-stone system regulated by snow-melt and rain fed from high-mountain streams.  There’s an annual pattern of flow rates and temperatures that influence trout, and not surprisingly these conditions can change on a dime with the weather.  I frequently compare the daily flow and water temperature to the five-year norms (rivers.Alberta.ca), along with checking current weather patterns to develop a plan. Similar to Goldilocks, trout and the bugs they eat prefer their water neither too hot or cold with 11-16 C just about right (52-60F). 

Elevation adds variation to the mix, but sorting a plan becomes more straightforward if a few basic guidelines are considered. First, begin the season lower down where water temps are first to rise. As runoff flags in early July, flow rates drop and the mid and then upper areas become more fishable.  However, as we move into August any prolonged hot-spells can amp mid-day water temperatures to dangerous levels for trout.  When this occurs consider adjusting your own schedule to take advantage of cooler water well before noon.

I like to think of fishing as a journey, where a transient style helps to match location and strategy with the changing conditions that characterize each day on the water.  As such, I’m a nomad when it comes to fishing - often on the move but with the anticipation of a teenager on grad night. It’s great fun exploring the backroads and overlooked spots, and who doesn’t love a few curves in the trail to keep it interesting?

Netting a fish on your can be tricky, but it helps to have a net with a longer handle.

Eventually all the water in the southwest finds it’s way into the Oldman River, and while I’m drawn to the mid and upper sections, the tailwater is a great place to loosen up in spring. Only 40 minutes from the Pass, the tailwater by definition isn’t a free-stone river, but rather is regulated by controlled flow from the dam and therefore ideal during any near flood events in May and June. There is good access below the dam to the campground, and again at the Summerview bridge downstream.  The drift from bridge to bridge with raft or canoe is a lazy 2-3 hr float. This stretch is also an underrated gem well into summer as water temps rise across the southwest, yet the cool water from the dam keeps these fish happy and provides dry-fly action as well.  I often run a dry up top with a smaller nymph 12-24” below (e.g., 14-16 pheasant tail or hare’s ear).

As runoff calms into July the mid-section of the Oldman has more than 70 km of shoreline to explore from the reservoir to where it joins the Livingston River north of The Gap. There are a few obvious access points near bridges and where the river runs near the gravel road, although there are dozens of additional km of shoreline that require door knocking or a modest hike. The montane landscape warms nicely in summer providing plenty of bug life through the full range of staples - stone, mayfly, and caddis.  The heat also brings terrestrials in mid and late summer. I’ve had wonderful days laying out beetle and ant (size 14-18) patterns in the slower slick water when nothing else seemed to work.

Racehorse, Vicary and Daisy are just a few of the creeks worth exploring on the west side of The Gap roughly 60 minutes from the Pass. The are many other lessor known tributaries, some with fish and others less endowed. A source of information worth considering are the reports on the Alberta Conservation Association website (ab-conservation.com). With assessments going back 20 years you can look up the size class and abundance for most lotic waters in the area.

Changing weather is a safe bet so come prepared for wind, sun and rain on the same day. Building thunder clouds are common place but also tend to precede a hatch.   I’ve had some wonderful stints with green drakes on the Livingston following a few thunder claps and a 5 min downpour. A 3-4 wt rod is plenty on creeks, but a stiffer 9’ 5wt is handy on more exposed water when the wind kicks up.

After dinner on the third day of our annual trout-safari, I wet-waded to the far bank of the Crow while Dan worked in the shadows just up from a big hole. We were only 40 m apart but that’s a world of difference here.  He was layering into the riffle 10 m up from the head of the pool when it took. It was great fun watching from that angle with a front-row seat as it all played out. He landed a full-bodied rainbow after three strong runs, and I could see that he struggled to lift the net with one hand. We went on to catch a couple more in the same class that evening supporting the Crow’s well deserved reputation.

The Crowsnest River is a 40 km stretch of mystery around every bend, with riffs and runs, and holes big enough to hide a Prius. The full length could be taken in by a keen cyclist, especially the stretches that flow near the bike path around town. Those that focus on catch rate likely nymph and streamer their way from run to hole, although for me the Crow is usually a dry-fly pursuit doggedly trying to coax those chunky rainbows to slurp an ant or PMD. There are literally dozens of public access points from the lake to the reservoir, and a stop at one of the two neighbouring fly shops will provide insight on where to start (crowsnestcafeandflyshop.com; crowsnestangler.com).

The Castle River flows northeast toward the Oldman reservoir and has a surprising range of opportunity. I like the lower stem below the rodeo ground off Hwy 507 in early July. Only 25 min from town, there are a few public access points centred around bridges.  The 2 km stretch of canyon-water off the bridge on RR 20 is exciting and worth the hike for those inclined. As we move into summer, don’t forget the mid and upper sections that are fed by a deep bench of tributaries worth exploring (Carbondale, West Castle and South Castle rivers; along with Lost, Lynx and Mill Creeks). 

Clear water and hungry trout make a great combination.

Moving south 60 minutes from town the Waterton eases out of the mountains at a lazy pace with many kilometres of near-perfect holding water, particularly for browns. It can be challenging to find public access beyond the bridges and without a raft or canoe, so if you plan to walk’n wade leave time for asking permission. This charming serpentine river flows through one of the most spectacular landscapes in Canada, with wildlife a common sight. In fact, shortly after landing that nice brown mentioned earlier, we glided around the bend to find a grizzly at the waters’ edge, who seemed as startled as us at the intrusion.

The Pass is a friendly community with at least 20 eateries. Accommodation has never been easier, with more than a dozen airbnb.com options in addition to hotels, cabins and campgrounds.

With more than two dozen rivers and tributaries to explore within an easy drive of town, you could fish every day through summer without covering the same water twice. Start low and work up in elevation as the summer progresses and the water temps rise. Your path holds more promise if you find the need to clean your windscreen on the way to the water!