Central Alberta is host to a variety of small, spring fed streams that bubble out of the foothills and meander their way through beautiful mixed forests, into peaceful meadows and cow pastures. Most anglers simply pass them by without a second glance, headed for more famous streams such as the Bow River or the Red Deer River.
Do not let these small streams fool you! They are home to some truly monster brown trout and provide an angling experience unlike any other found in the region, so long as you don’t mind being consistently humbled.
EARLY SUCCESS
During my first ever experience hunting for spring creek browns, I had dumb luck. I had driven three hours to the famous waters of the North Raven River (also known as Stauffer Creek) to have my first go at the legendary brown trout rumoured to patrol this timid stream.
It was early spring, and I hoped the browns would be voracious following a long winter. I tied on a big streamer and walked down the first pool nearest the bridge.
“As I stripped my first cast through the pool, a massive brown trout revealed his broad golden flank and attacked my streamer, and I was hooked into my first ever brown from the Raven.”
Surprised, exhilarated, and even confused, I tried to keep my composure as the hulking fish tore off towards the nearby logjam. I did the best I could, but within a minute the large fish had outwitted me, and my line had gone slack. For the next 12 hours of fishing, I hadn’t seen a single sign of another fish. That was my introduction to Alberta spring creek fishing.
A LIFELONG OBSESSION
Luckily, I did not give up, for in the decade that has followed I have caught hundreds of browns and these streams have become a lifelong obsession. The honest reality though, is that most days are just like the first one. After a long day of fishing, I return to the car with nothing to show for my efforts except the lingering memories of trophy browns I came oh-so-close to catching. I have learned to accept this reality, and in fact it is the reason these streams are so addictive. There is always a reason to go back.
SMALL STREAMS CAN HOLD BIG FISH!
The brown trout in these streams can grow to be 25” + in length, however, these are exceedingly rare. If you do land one, they are a culmination of rigorous effort and profound luck.
On average, you can expect to find browns in the 14”-18” range with most days giving you an opportunity for bigger fish. Landing fish in the 20” + class in streams that often measure no more than two to three meters across is a completely different story. This part of the chase often includes a bit of luck.
“My brother often tells me that I become possessed when I chase brown trout in small streams. And I get where he is coming from. Between the dense willows, sucking mud, finicky fish, and the ambiguous legality of the access points, keeping your sanity while pursuing these trout is a challenge.”
Time ceases to exist as you get sucked deeper and deeper, the meandering creeks doubling back on themselves, making you question where you are and whether you’ve been there before. Fish seem to disappear into thin air, and only the most perfect of casts will be rewarded. These combination of challenges is what makes it so uniquely rewarding when it all comes together and you’re holding a beautiful brown trout in your hand.
FOR THE HARDCORE
If you’re reading this article and still not deterred from chasing these fish, then you probably have what it takes. The most earnest advice I can give is to lower your expectations, and to be patient. Spring creek browns can go from consistently rising on every bank to completely disappearing for hours. Conditions will make a dramatic difference as to what kind of experience you will have. But, if you stay patient, wait out the slow stretches, you may be rewarded when the next hatch starts up.
Springtime is perhaps the best season to target these streams in terms of predictability. It is also a bonus that these streams are clear when most other streams are in run-off. This time of year, the fish are very hungry and very receptive to streamer patterns. Fishing the slowest deepest pools with mid-size streamers can be amazingly effective and can be the best time of year to take advantage of the big fish with their guard down.
TOUGHER CONDITIONS
As things progress into summer and fall, the waters get lower and clearer. This puts an emphasis on stealth and perfect presentation. If there is a hatch and you see rising fish, your best bet is to match the hatch and patiently watch pools before deciding where to cast. Common hatches include PMD’s, caddis, green drakes, and brown drakes.
If there is no sign of fish, I usually use an attractor pattern such as an ant, beetle, or grasshopper fished close to undercut banks to coerce fish from there hiding places. Streamers continue to be effective but can be difficult to fish without spooking the trout.
This time of year also comes with more challenges. Fine tippets and leaders (6x-8x) are essential for a good presentation that won’t spook the fish. However, landing a 20” fish on 8x in a tiny stream is next to impossible. If anyone has a solution to this problem, I’d love to hear it! Brown trout spawn in the fall and should not be targeted after September.
Next time you pass through central Alberta, don’t pass over these timid little streams. They offer a great challenge that will test every aspect of your angling ability. Just be prepared to battle through the shrubbery, lose a lot of fish, and feel possessed by the non-zero chance you might catch the fish of your life. Because really, we are all a little bit insane when it comes to fishing!
WHERE TO LOOK
Some of the best spring creeks in the region, from North to South, include Prairie Creek, the North and South Raven Rivers, Fallentimber Creek, and Dogpound Creek. Sundre is the central starting point for exploring the region. Access points can be difficult to find and require long hours of trial and error and exploration. Some landowners are not accommodating to anglers so try to get permission if you are unsure, or else avoid stretches that are well marked with no trespassing signs or have barbed wire across the stream.
A BIT OF HISTORY
Brown Trout were first introduced to the Alberta foothills in 1924 and have thrived in the cold, productive spring creeks ever since. While not native to Alberta, these are wild, self sustaining populations of fish and an important sportfish species across the central and southern regions of the province. Other species one might encounter in these streams include brook trout, rocky mountain whitefish, and northern pike. Brown trout though are by far the most dominant species.