Mountan trout streams Alberta

[Welshmike]

Coming over mid July for 3 weeks and would like to fish the Eastern mountain streams. Which maps showing access and any other useful info should I look for.

Seen the famous book on Trunk Rd but am put off by the $500 price tag.

Any advice appreciated

[creekside]

https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/product/9780978478612-item.html?mkwid=sKLCrs73h_dc&pcrid=44154474422&pkw&pmt&s_campaign=goo-Shopping_Books&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIl6mL2JX61gIVnLjACh3I4g5SEAYYASABEgIjjvD_BwE

 

If your in the Jasper area send me a pm.

[Welshmike]

3 hours ago, creekside said:

https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/product/9780978478612-item.html?mkwid=sKLCrs73h_dc&pcrid=44154474422&pkw&pmt&s_campaign=goo-Shopping_Books&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIl6mL2JX61gIVnLjACh3I4g5SEAYYASABEgIjjvD_BwE

 

If your in the Jasper area send me a pm.

Hi Mate

 Got that book, very, very good. I will most certainly contact you nearer the date.

Thanks

Mike

[scel]

7 hours ago, Welshmike said:

Coming over mid July for 3 weeks and would like to fish the Eastern mountain streams. Which maps showing access and any other useful info should I look for.

Seen the famous book on Trunk Rd but am put off by the $500 price tag.

Any advice appreciated

Barry Mitchell's book is probably the definitive guide, but Jim McLennan's runs a close second.

If you are running solo, once you are in Alberta, a Backroad Mapbook for Southern and/or Central Alberta and Google Maps will take you to most of the great trout streams in Alberta and get you sorted with good local camping information.

The famous Forestry Trunk Rd is mostly crown land, so access is generally limited by vehicle power and/or personal willpower.

[danhunt]

Hi Mike,

Do you have a rough idea of which portion of the east slopes you're looking to fish?  Forgive me if I'm stating the obvious, but depending on how you define the East Slopes you're looking at 5 or 6 major river basins.  Even if you're only talking about the Oldman River basin (which is arguably the most popular area in the province) you're looking at a drainage basin that is 26 700 square kilometers with hundreds of kilometers of fishable water.  I'd narrow it down by what species you want catch, what kind of size of fish you want, what kind of water you want to fish (small, medium or large rivers), what your personal fitness level is and what kind of over-all experience you want.  For example, the Ram River Canyon has some great opportunities for a large cutthroat, but if you're not reasonably fit with some prior experience in the wilderness I wouldn't recommend it. 

Regards,

Dan

[Kodak101]

Wait, $500? I'm pretty sure I picked up a copy at The Fishin' Hole for 20 bucks a couple years ago. I'm sure if you look around you should be able to find a copy online.

[Nachako]

Check this out..

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/offer-listing/0968860303/ref=dp_olp_used_mbc?ie=UTF8&condition=used

[Welshmike]

12 hours ago, Kodak101 said:

Wait, $500? I'm pretty sure I picked up a copy at The Fishin' Hole for 20 bucks a couple years ago. I'm sure if you look around you should be able to find a copy online.

I checked Amazon, look at Nachako post, and Ebay. Nothing much below $500.

Mike

[Welshmike]

14 hours ago, danhunt said:

Hi Mike,

Do you have a rough idea of which portion of the east slopes you're looking to fish?  Forgive me if I'm stating the obvious, but depending on how you define the East Slopes you're looking at 5 or 6 major river basins.  Even if you're only talking about the Oldman River basin (which is arguably the most popular area in the province) you're looking at a drainage basin that is 26 700 square kilometers with hundreds of kilometers of fishable water.  I'd narrow it down by what species you want catch, what kind of size of fish you want, what kind of water you want to fish (small, medium or large rivers), what your personal fitness level is and what kind of over-all experience you want.  For example, the Ram River Canyon has some great opportunities for a large cutthroat, but if you're not reasonably fit with some prior experience in the wilderness I wouldn't recommend it. 

Regards,

Dan

Hi Mate.

  Forgive my ignorance, I forget how big a State Alberta is ( I am from Wales ). I will be based in Calgary, will have a 4wd and willing to drive wherever necessary. Wish to wade fish for trout, and my trophy fish days are over. Experienced, but not so keen on long hikes or bush bashing. Advice would be humbly accepted.

Mike

[BurningChrome]

2 hours ago, Welshmike said:

I checked Amazon, look at Nachako post, and Ebay. Nothing much below $500.

Mike

It's a good book but it certainly isn't required to find fish on the eastern slopes. The McLennan book should have all the hatch charts and everything else you need.

 

2 hours ago, Welshmike said:

Hi Mate.

  Forgive my ignorance, I forget how big a State Alberta is ( I am from Wales ). I will be based in Calgary, will have a 4wd and willing to drive wherever necessary. Wish to wade fish for trout, and my trophy fish days are over. Experienced, but not so keen on long hikes or bush bashing. Advice would be humbly accepted.

Mike

What do you consider a long hike and bush bashing? 4wd is nice to have but not required. 

[Kodak101]

10 hours ago, Nachako said:

Check this out..

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/offer-listing/0968860303/ref=dp_olp_used_mbc?ie=UTF8&condition=used

Hmm, must have gone out of print in the last couple years. I wouldn't give it too long before Mitchell decides to do a new edition, it's too popular a book to let it stay off shelves for too long.

[BurningChrome]

37 minutes ago, Kodak101 said:

Hmm, must have gone out of print in the last couple years. I wouldn't give it too long before Mitchell decides to do a new edition, it's too popular a book to let it stay off shelves for too long.

Depends on who owns the rights to the book since he passed away.

[Kodak101]

4 hours ago, BurningChrome said:

Depends on who owns the rights to the book since he passed away.

Oh, well damn. Happy I managed to pick one up while they were still around. That being said, it's a great book, but it's not "spend $1,000 on this" good. 

[Welshmike]

22 hours ago, BurningChrome said:

It's a good book but it certainly isn't required to find fish on the eastern slopes. The McLennan book should have all the hatch charts and everything else you need.

 

What do you consider a long hike and bush bashing? 4wd is nice to have but not required. 

Hi

  A 2 or 3 hour hike through bush is definitely not a favorite especially as with only 3 weeks fishing I am unlikely to be needing to seek out those hard places to get to.

Mike

[Kodak101]

3 hours ago, Welshmike said:

Hi

  A 2 or 3 hour hike through bush is definitely not a favorite especially as with only 3 weeks fishing I am unlikely to be needing to seek out those hard places to get to.

Mike

Totally not necessary. Google maps is your best friend in this province. I'll often just pick a point on a road near a river, drive out and start fishing. I rarely walk more than 20 minutes to get to the river. The trunk road really is a choose your own adventure road, just follow it on google maps on satellite view and you can see just how many rivers cross or border it.

The Highwood river is a favourite of mine and very easy to access west of Longview. Most of the land between the road and the river is public lease so crossing it isn't much of an issue.

Also, check your PM. 

[MattyTaylor]

Slightly tangential but related to Kodak, reserve a spot at the Longview Steakhouse on the day(s) you fish the Highwood. Some prime Alberta beef in the best steakhouse I've ever been to and an amazing view of the Rockies/section(s) you just fished. Such a good cap to a day on the water. Make sure you spend some time on the Bow too, that's a potentially great time of the year. Good luck!

[angler]

Mike. another member has

 

[Conor]

Mike, send a PM to me with your address and I will mail a copy of Mitchels book. Just need it back from you. 

[yonderin]

Never fished the Bow above Calgary but from what I understand it doesn't compare to the river from about Southlands on down.

You'll find in Mitchell's book that there's no point to even trying the Kananaskis River.  Only tried the Elbow up in the hills a couple of times and wasn't satisfied.  Others might disagree.

If you can manage a few days in Rocky Mountain House; from there you can try Stauffer, Prairie, Shunda and the Rams (and their tribs).  

[yonderin]

On 10/18/2017 at 3:43 AM, Welshmike said:

Coming over mid July for 3 weeks and would like to fish the Eastern mountain streams. Which maps showing access and any other useful info should I look for.

Seen the famous book on Trunk Rd but am put off by the $500 price tag.

Any advice appreciated

Should have snapped up the $500 copy.  I just went searching and the only copy I found was over $2000 US.

And at that price they still wanted $30 shipping.

[Jayhad]

I'll sell you a photocopy of the book for $250..... new business opportunity

[ÜberFly]

42 minutes ago, Jayhad said:

I'll sell you a photocopy of the book for $250..... new business opportunity

To hell with copyright laws, eh Jay!! 

[aaa]

On ‎4‎/‎27‎/‎2018 at 12:27 PM, Jayhad said:

I'll sell you a photocopy of the book for $250..... new business opportunity

If perhaps a shortlived one, there were a couple copies at the tackle swap, $20-$25.

Darn, we could have cornered the market!  

 

[Goggin]

i’ll sell my copy for $500 free shipping

[trailhead]

Went to a presentation by Barry a number of years ago. Should have got my copy signed. Wonder what that would be worth?