Fly Fishing in Alberta, Canada

In 2002, the Province of Alberta stocked 296 bodies of water with rainbow trout (3.3 million), brook trout, brown trout, cutthroat trout and golden trout. Fish fed in captivity will seem disoriented when released and may not respond initially. When fly fishing in Alberta, move around the stocked lake that will likely be fished by the public.

  1. Rainbow Trout

    • Rainbow trout are leaping fighters when hooked. Trout from streams usually weigh less than one pound, while those from river and lakes range from two to five pounds, according to Fisheries and Oceans Canada. Skin color may be bluish to olive green. Sides look silver green with a stripe of light pink to reddish purple along the length. The underside is white. Dark spots fall on the sides, tail and dorsal fins.

      Diet includes larvae, plankton, insects, leeches, snails and larger crustaceans. In some sites, rainbow trout eat other fish and fish eggs. Spawning occurs from approximately mid-April to late June.

    Lake Whitefish

    • Lake whitefish is one of Alberta’s most valuable freshwater species, according to Fisheries and Oceans Canada. This cold-water fish has a small head and blunt snout that overhangs the lower jaw. Lake whitefish feature a greenish brown back with silver sides and silvery white underside. More mature fish have a bump at the shoulders. They can be caught with a small hook baited with a minnow or shiner.

    Westslope Cutthroat Trout

    • Westslope cutthroat trout live in headwater or river systems, such as the Bow and Oldman rivers. Cutthroat trout average 12 to 15 inches in length and weigh up to 17 pounds. They feature a large mouth and rounded snout. Each side of the lower jaw has skin folds with two yellow or orange to red lines. Body color is yellow-green with red on the sides of the head and front of the body and belly.

    Brown Trout

    • Brown trout grow rapidly and reach up to 10 pounds. Difficult to catch, the brown trout can fight, run, jump and dart about. Its carnivorous diet includes insects, larvae, crustaceans, frogs, mice and voles. Mature brown trout feed at sunset and into the night. On cloudy or rainy days, the fish linger in the shallower water; on sunny days, the fish retreat to deep waters where downstream presentation includes large flies or lures.

    West-Central and Southwest Alberta

    • Alberta's Bow River scenery attracts sport anglers.

      Bow River offers a top trout stream downstream of Calgary. Upper Bow River toward Banff features fast-moving cold water for Brown Trout. Consider a nine-foot travel rod, floating line and flies purchased locally.

      The Crowsnest area of southwest Alberta has a winter and spring catch-and-release program. Consider using light tackle and small flies and eight- to nine-foot fly rod with three-, four- or five-weight floating line. Crowsnest also features a strong whitefish population.

    Headwaters of Rockies

    • The North Ram River features Alberta’s first catch-and-release program, according to Fly Fish Alberta. “Alberta’s Trout Highway,” set in the headwaters of the Rockies in west-central Alberta, has cold, high water in mid-June. Cutthroat often linger in areas of log jams and debris at the floodplain river. Dry fly fishing for cutthroat trout is popular by the end of June when levels allow wading.

    Central Alberta

    • Central Alberta offers streams, spring creeks and freestone waters just right for brown trout: Stauffer Creek, Dogpound Creek, Prairie Creek, Little Red River, Raven River and Fallentimber Creek. Anglers wade through undercut banks, spruce and pine forests, according to Fly Fish Alberta. Dry fly activity occurs March to mid-April, with better opportunities in mid-April to early July. Midsummer heat offers good hopper fishing.