Anglers Outlook, Friday June 28, 2024
West Central Alberta’s Current Water Conditions & Fly Fishing Report
The Upper Red Deer is surging again. This week we experienced flow increases in Yaha and Coal Camp areas into the high seasonal averages after Sunday afternoons storms systems moved through. Thursday morning many of West Central Alberta’s rivers came under high stream flow advisories and with the forecasted rain over the week we anticipate that flows will likely continue to hold high or surge upward as the rain falls, and we continue to see more high country snow melt and water enter our river systems. Generally, water conditions haven been decent despite the upward surging and the main stem has experienced normal seasonal chalky conditions post rain fall events and shows significant improvements in visibility 24 to 48hrs after heavy rains and storm events. The Upper Red Deer tributaries continue to produce good water conditions and have been fishing well over the last week. We anticipate this to continue through the next week however expect low visibility and flow surges post heavy rain and storm events. Mayflies, Caddis, Stones are all still hatching daily on the upper sections and the Drake hatches are now happening daily.
The Tailwaters of the Red Deer below Dickson Dam produced good water conditions and fishing in the last week. While dam flows have been sporadic over the last few days as the upper sections flows increase water conditions have held on nicely. Visibility has been excellent, and the dry fly fishing continues too be very good. The lower tributaries have been in the same boat and have experienced good water conditions and fishing has been great. Salmon Flies and Stone Flies have been present daily as well as Caddis, Dunns and Drakes. The bug life on the tailwaters is becoming extremely active and the daily hatches have been producing excellent top water eats.
On the Stillwater’s conditions and temps have continued to be stable. While heavy rains and storm events have been cooling things down periodically conditions have been pretty good. Damsels and leeches have been fishing well while chironomids continue to produce. This weeks forecasted rain while likely not heavily impact our local still waters.
In the West Country we continued to experience excellent water conditions throughout the last week. Higher elevation river and streams have been producing great conditions, hatches and fishing. The melt and forecasted rain that has triggered our high stream flow advisories will likely impact many high elevation rivers this week and it is likely we will see conditions deteriorate. However, the extent is difficult to predict, and we are hopeful that good conditions will continue to hold on.
In the West Country opening conditions are the best we have seen in recent years. Most streams have stable flows and are clear of ice and snow. Even with the seasonal temps being colder than normal bug life has been present and we have seen decent hatches daily
Remember it is worth checking out stream flows post rain events as snow melt can increase and some of our late spring and summer storms will bring local rainfall amounts can be much larger than forecasted. Check out the Alberta River App or give us a call at the shop for more accurate updates as the week progresses.
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