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Untouched Wilderness, Crowd-free Fishing: Central AlbertaCopyright © 2007-2008 Travel Alberta, All Rights ReservedWritten by: Travel Alberta Whether you're a novice angler or an expert fisherman seeking to fly fish or explore lakes, the waters of Central Alberta offer opportunities that are among the world's finest. Alberta's spectacular waterways, from gurgling rivers to placid lakes, provide experiences suited to anglers of every skill level. Garry Pierce of Tailwater Drifters in Red Deer has been fly fishing Central Alberta for more than 40 years. One of his favorite spots is the Ram River system in west central Alberta, south of Nordegg. "I've been fishing on the Ram since I was 16," he says. "The Cutthroat is a great fish for a dry fly on a hot, sunny day." The North Ram is also an easier place for the novice to catch a fish, he says, and is considered by many to be an Alberta classic. The South Ram River has been called one of the most dramatic Cutthroat Trout rivers in the world. Originating at Ram Glacier in Banff National Park, the Ram River boasts a 1,400-ft. canyon of sandstones and shale, plus high catch rates, and is home to a population of Westslope Cutthroats. A series of treacherous falls called the Chutes of the Ram offer breathtaking scenery below the confluence of the North Ram, but demand caution. Enjoy No Crowds, Plenty of Fish For Gary, one of the most compelling reasons to fish in Central Alberta is the fact that most places don't draw crowds so large that the tranquility is impeded. "There are so few places now where you can go and still feel like you are in the wilderness," Garry says. But in Central Alberta, these kinds of opportunities are widely available. "There's not the over crowding problem here that you see in some of the more well known areas," Garry says. In these uncrowded areas, the fish aren't pressured by over-fishing, so the experience for the fisherman is different. And in many cases, the fish are self-sustaining, another factor that Garry believes impacts the experience. "These fish still have a wildness to them – it's a completely different fish than something that comes from a hatchery," Garry says. "Their genetics are strong." Damming and controlled flushing of several Central Alberta rivers has cleared off a lot of the river bottoms, and it's providing cleaner water for the fish. Garry and his wife Connie have been providing guiding services through Tailwater Drifters for almost 10 years. They spend one-half of the year fishing in Central Alberta, and for the other half, they move their business to Chile to providing guiding services there. Tailwater Drifters specializes in custom trips for fly fisherman, from the novice to the most experienced. Many of their clients come from long distances to take advantage of the pristine beauty and incredible fishing conditions in Central Alberta. U.S. Clients Love Fishing Central "About ninety per cent of our clients come from the US," Garry says. They have a large number of customers from California and Florida, as well as from New York State, Virginia and Tennessee. Their week-long packages are particularly popular. Garry also recommends many of the fishing holes around Rocky Mountain House, including Prairie Creek and the North (sometimes called Stauffer Creek) and South Raven. "I fish thirteen to fourteen rivers in Central Alberta alone," Garry says. Tailwater Drifters operates two drift boats plus a small inflatable craft and eight-wheel drive all terrain ARGO to get their clients to the best possible fishing spots. The North Raven is a popular destination, though it is acknowledged as being unpredictable. Located north of Caroline, it carves out a windy trail over 15 miles until it reaches the South Raven. The South Raven is slow, but is home to some Brown Trout that can be had, if the conditions are right. Trophy Fish Lakes, Fly Fish Rivers When it comes to Central Alberta fishing, Tom Windsor of Bow River Hookers is a fan of the lakes. Fishing at pothole lakes like Beaver Lake, Struble, Birch and Yellowhead, many in the Caroline area, provides a great experience for trophy fishermen. "Aerated lakes mean that the trout will winter over," Tom says. "And that provides a trophy fish for someone who wants to go out and catch a quality trout." Oftentimes, Tom's clients like to combine a fly fishing trip to the Bow River with a side trip to one of the provinces many other rivers and lakes. In Central Alberta lakes, a fisherman is likely to find Brook Trout, Rainbow Trout, and maybe some Brown Trout. While it's still a relatively new option, Tom hopes it's an area that will see greater interest in the future. "You can pick out certain lakes all over the province that are trophy fishing," Tom says. Ronn Cooper of Cap'N Ronn Charters is another fan of fishing Central Alberta lakes. His business, based at the Cold Lake Marina, provides four or eight-hour fishing trips for clients. Since there are a maximum of four guests per trip, everyone is assured of plenty of attention and hands-on training, as needed. "Cold Lake is one of the largest lakes in Alberta, and we have very good lake trout fishing," Ronn says. Though the lake is accessible, only a three-hour drive from Edmonton, the area is still relatively untouched. There's little habitation along the shoreline, and most of the areas are accessible only by boat. And there's certainly incentive to make a big catch. The largest fish landed by rod and reel in Cold Lake was 52.5 pounds when it was caught (by a woman) in 1927. The average size for a lake trout is 15 to 20 pounds, just for the record. "Our trips are very hands on. It's pretty easy fishing; people who have never fished before have caught fish and gone away happy," Ronn says. "I am totally focused on Lake Trout," he adds, but notes that Pickerel and Pike are also available for the taking. Since Cold Lake extends into Saskatchewan, fishing licenses from both provinces are recognized, though Alberta regulations apply to the entire lake. Try the Challenge of the Red Deer The other side of the coin to fishing the relatively placid waters of Alberta lakes is the challenge of conditions like those of the Red Deer River. Garry of Tailwater Drifters says that the technicality of the Red Deer River requires a high degree of skill to catch fish, making it the destination of choice for fishermen who are seeking a real challenge. Though there aren't as many Brown Trout as there are in the Bow River, the fish do grow to a large size. Many experts compare fishing the Red Deer to the experience of fishing in New Zealand. "It's very technical fishing Brown Trout off the Red Deer River," Gary says. "It requires a very high skill level." Tom Windsor of Bow River Hookers agrees. "The Red Deer is a gorgeous river," Tom says. "It's the kind of place to take an experienced fly fisherman who wants to spend the day fishing with the hopes of taking a trophy brown trout on a dry fly. It appeals to fly fishing purists." Something for Everyone Like several other Alberta outfitters, Tailwater Drifters offers the option of heli-fishing, where clients are flown in to the desired location, often high altitude lakes or canyon water. Regardless of the method of transportation, no two fishing trips are ever the same. "It's their trip, personalized," Garry says. The Central Alberta fishing season typically runs from May 1 to the end of September, though weather conditions and river closures affect the timing. Having guests visit his favorite Central Alberta locations gives Garry a new appreciation for what opportunities are available right on his doorstep. "It keeps my eyes open. When you live it every day, you sometimes take it for granted. But there's no doubt we are lucky with what we have here." The locations and outfitters described in this story can be accessed through Calgary, the international gateway city to the Canadian Rocky Mountains, and Edmonton, the international gateway city to the North. Both cities of about one million people are thriving urban centres that can be enjoyed on the way to fishing, and both have international airports. About The Author:
*** Digital Reprint Rights *** *** Author Notification *** We ask that you notify the author of publication of his or her work. Travel Alberta can be reached at: travelalberta@raremethod.com *** Print Publication Reprint Rights *** If you desire to publish this article in a PRINT publication, you must contact the author directly for Print Permission at: travelalberta@raremethod.com
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