The radiance of artistic brilliant colours that the countryside takes on and the still serene afternoons of fall equinox both conspire to bring on elusive shorter days with dissipating warmth. The morning sunrises of fall are at times frosty but brilliant; the afternoons can be quite unpredictable ranging from warm, sunny and calm one minute then quickly immerse the day with heavy cloud, damp moisture or even snow. These same unpredictable ranges in atmospheric conditions are also what bring on the tiny insect hatches of the fall fly-fishing season. These are the sights, sounds, smells and ambiance that bring the most avid anglers to their favourite streamside haunts. Hanging on incredulously to those last few precious hatches that will provide the only remaining and most difficult as well as the most rewarding match the hatch fishing of the year. These last few extraordinary hatches of tiny Mayflies from the family Batidae specifically the genus Pseudocleon as well as the genus Baetis and Midges combined with low clear water urge large trout to feed heavily on the stream surface for the last few binges at the dinner table before winter sets in.

The anglers urge to prolong the dry fly season, as well as the sights and smells of fall; the trout’s affinity to feed at or near the stream surface on these tiny aquatic insects stirs an inner urge. Combine this with the complexity of fishing light rods, long fine leaders, tiny fly patterns in low clear water over extremely spooky/selective trout that feed in specific areas that make it difficult to obtain drag free natural drifts and the ultimate fly-fishing challenge is set. These qualities and challenges are what attract the dedicated angler back to specific streams that produce the tiny hatches of fall again and again every year. Combine all these virtues with lower percentages of success and the feeling of great satisfaction when one succeeds and you have what every dedicated angler dreams of. These hatches, beautiful settings and special trout of the fall season will pull anglers that truly love fly fishing away from even the busiest daily routines. Every fall these late season fanatics frequently break away from daily life for some much-needed spiritual rejuvenation. Choosing to focus their time and efforts on those special streams and selective fish of late fall they have come to enjoy and find irresistible. For many of us here in Alberta the Crowsnest River is the crown jewel of the fall fishing season and many of us can think of no better place to end another fishing season.

<< Back to Pictorial <<