Elk River Or Lower Kananaskis..a Dilemma

[bigalcal]

I'm contemplating making a trip to the EK's next weekend and staying in Elkford. I would prefer to be in the Oldman/Livingston area but I don't think things will change there in the next week...Unfortunately!

Does anybody know how the Elk has been fishing? I will probably fish near Elkford and I would appreciate some idea's on where to fish, hatches, flies etc I would also like to know what the licence fees are for a season as I expect to head down there again in Sept. ie: Season licence for a non-resident.

I will be camping at the campground "downtown" and I assume there is a fireban on as the area 10 miles away as the crow flies is dry as a bone.

PM me if you have some advice..

 

My other option is my friend is coming west from Ontario to stay at his family cabin on Lower Kananaskis Lake. If you fish there or are familiar with K country you know where the cabins are. Where does one fish there without a boat or tube and what techniques/flies do you use. I am not a lake fisherman and would like some tips. Do you ned a sink tip? Big ass streamers?

My friend really wants to learn to fly fish and he already has learned the knack of casting.

 

Thanks in advice for your tips/advice

Humbly yours

Al

[DutchDryfly]

For licenses and other info check http://www.bcfishing.com/regulations/

 

For the lakes you have to wait for someone else to answer that one.

[lonefisher]

I would definately jump on the Elk river...... Lower K is pretty tough fishing now without a boat. But you can still talk the odd one on at the inflows and outflows of the lake...... If you fish it big ass streamers will likely be the way to go but catatonic leeching does work during the summer sometimes for me as well. I think though that you will get more bang for your buck on the Elk......... That said I have only its reputation to go on........ never fished it. SO someone else would have to give you a report on its conditions ect.

[monger]

I think the non-resident fee is around $60 (yearly)/$30(few days) and the daily classified license about $21.50

[Weedy1]

http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/fw/fish/licences/

[Taco]

Elk up there is very similar to OM and fishes about the same. Well worth the money as far as I'm concerned, low clear water, bright sunny days and big chunky cutts that like to look up... cutthroat days mang, cutthroat nirvana... do it!

 

Oh don't forget to check out the Fording and watch for bear sign.. prime time for them too.

[flyangler]

If you fish by the bridge in Elkford, watch out for the guy who says "I do this every day" as he proceeds to throw a stick for his dog right into the hole you're fishing.

[bloom]

I'm heading soon to the Elk, and the reports I've recieved are that it's fishing great right now. I usually have luck up that way with terrestrials, and my standard yellow foam humpy. The Fording is up that way and it's worth checking out.

[shredneck]

I just got back from 4 days at the Elk and various tribs.

They are all fishing extremely well. Your looking at $58 for out of province licence and $20 a day for "clasified water" licence. It can get quite pricy but the cutts are big and healthy. Lotsa HUGE bulls too if your willing to do some exploring.

[bigalcal]

If you fish by the bridge in Elkford, watch out for the guy who says "I do this every day" as he proceeds to throw a stick for his dog right into the hole you're fishing.

Not on my watch!!!

[wongrs]

MrB,

 

I was there a couple weeks ago. I found that on the lower sections the fish would come up and bump/sniff our dries (stimmies, hoppers, caddis etc) without any solid takes. We had some good hookups on smaller streamers in the 1.5-2 inch long range (clousers and bow river buggers).

 

The upper sections had more willing dry fly fishing. Once we moved upstream, we had lots of takes on the adams, stimmies, green drakes (they were killing a #10-12 dark olive green parachute adams a couple weeks ago with no hatch on).

 

I even nymphed after my friend went through with his dries and picked up a lot of decent fish that weren't rising. Good luck out there.

 

Rich