South Ram River Heli-raft Fishing

Our company is tentatively working on heli-fishing excursions into high elevation lakes and the middle South Ram system located west of Nordegg Alberta for the 2007 or 2008 season. The heli-fishing trips into the South Ram will be float trips with rafts so we can cover a lot of water and fish all the best runs, riffles and pools. The lake heli-fishing excursions will be done with kick boats (River otters), or belly boats so we can reach the most productive areas within the lake. While at other times we will cautiously stalk trout by carefully approaching fish on foot along lake shorelines. The best fishing on these lakes is early in the morning and late at night so we suggest you book overnight excursions to ensure the best success.

Ahlstrom Air

The A-Star: $1222.00 per hour-load into Middle South Ram rating 1300 lbs

There are many issues the pilot and guide must consider when organizing a heli-fishing raft trip for clientele to ensure safety and satisfaction on every trip. The overall load weight on the helicopter is a critical factor that must be considered very carefully. This includes the pilots weight each trip members individual weight and every other contributing weight factor that will affect the lift of the helicopter. This also includes raft, frame and oars, fishing gear, fishing apparel, flies, food and beverage coolers, actual food, snack and beverages. This is a safety as well as regulation concern for the pilot and all passengers involved on every flight to and from each individual excursion. Every model of helicopter has an optimal and maximum weight-carrying capacity so these weights are adhered to by the pilot without exception.

The jet stream, atmospheric pressure, air temperature, cloud, fog, rain, humidity and even snow especially at the highest elevation the helicopter will ascend to on each trip all have an affect on each flight. Atmospheric circumstances, weather conditions, elevation along with load weight all combine to affect the lift of the helicopter. Particularly with the small Jet Ranger with its low weight capacity of 800 lbs weight versus fuel management versus customer cost per load, factor in heavily especially on trips involving higher elevations. The operator we are looking at doing business with has the A-Star model helicopter that will take a maximum of five passengers. The weight capacities vary with each model of helicopter but by taking advantage of the large weight capacities of the A-Star, this is less of a concern. The rates vary as well depending on the model of helicopter that is available or selected on a specific date or excursion. Our company feels that clientele safety, comfort and satisfaction far outweigh a little overall increase in cost in order to accomplish these objectives.

This decision provides us the assurance we always have some safety margins to play with concerning overall trip weight, customer safety, comfort and satisfaction. Our company is sure that clientele won’t appreciate a last minute surprise that can end a helicopter excursion before it starts. This can happen due to slight miscalculations on weight or extreme unforeseen weather conditions. Our company would like to keep these situations to an absolute minimum and then only due to uncontrollable conditions out of our control. We are aware of the incurred extra costs involved with this company decision however; clientele are assured of a safe, comfortable and enjoyable day out on the river or high elevation lake of choice.

Our Heli-Fishing trip rate on the South Ram for the 2007-2008 season as it stands right now will tentatively be $625.00 (CDN) per person plus G.S.T. with three anglers per trip this includes the helicopter charter rate and all guides fees. If only two anglers are going on the trip the costs goes up due to rate situations but the angler gets more individual attention on these trips. The rate per person with two anglers including guide fees and helicopter costs will run in the area of $925.00 plus G.S.T. per person.

Our Heli-Fishing trip rate for the lakes for the 2007-2008 season as it stands right now will tentatively be $750.00 per day per angler. All tent, camping supplies, food supplies and kick boats or float tubes are included in this price. These prices may seem exorbitant however; one must remember helicopter flights are expensive due to aircraft costs, pilot training, expensive fuel costs, and rigid maintenance schedules. We pay $1222.00 with G.S.T for the flight into the middle South Ram for the A-Star helicopter. The guide will have fuel costs transporting you out to the helicopter pad and back to Red Deer approximately $80.00. The guide also has insurance costs, wear and tear on equipment, their daily guiding fee $500.00 p/day, and meals to prepare as well as clean up after the trip.

Heli-fishing expeditions into the middle South Ram River usually start in late July and run through late September depending on snow pack and weather patterns. The middle South Ram fishery provides dry fly fishing for wild cutthroat trout averaging between 10”and 14” with a few reaching the 16”- 19” range. Anglers that are new to the sport can expect to catch between 20 to 30 fish per day. While the more experienced angler can expect to realistically catch over 40 fish a day. This trip is a real experience beginning with an exciting heli-trip in to a very secluded area that is intimate, personal, rough, wild and beautiful. This river system is jam packed with cutthroats that are surface oriented and love to gulp down big dry flies. This is a fishery that will provide a quality experience on every trip it is a sure thing.

North Ram River Quad Trips

The north Ram River is exclusively a Cutthroat Trout stream no other species of fish are present due to a large set of falls on the lower main Ram that create a natural barrier to upstream fish migration. The gradient of the North Ram is not as precipitous as on the South Ram and therefore experiences less scouring and flooding. This translates into a more productive environment allowing a broader range of aquatic insects to prosper. Therefore, insect hatches are more prolific, predictable and consistent than on the South Ram System. This is readily apparent when you see fish from the North Ram they are more liberally proportioned and generally larger than South Ram fish.

The only dilemma is the upper middle half of the North Ram is very accessible so angling pressure is much higher than on the less accessible middle section of the South Ram. Angler retention on the upper middle half of the North Ram even with catch and release restrictions is high. This disappointing situation appreciably reduces both overall fish populations and size on this section of the North Ram. However, this being said this section of the North Ram River has been known in the past for producing very large Cutthroat Trout and there is still some 20” plus fish present. The middle South Ram River has a much higher population of Cutthroats than the North Ram with fish that range from 12”-17” and a few fish may even reach 19”. The middle South Ram is best accessed by helicopter and the flight in is an exhilarating experience on its own. The middle South Ram is located in a canyon type environment that is rough, wild and ruggedly beautiful. This trip into the middle South Ram provides the ultimate in privacy and serenity in a natural setting with lots of catchable trout willing to take a big dry fly.

The decision to fish either the North or South Ram is a preference we leave up to our clientele based upon their budget and interest. The North Ram is a hunting type situation for large fish that on one day can be exceptional and the next day due to angling pressure can be somewhat slower. Our company is looking at transporting anglers into the less accessible lower North Ram and the adjacent proximity of the South Ram where both rivers converge. This will transport our clientele into the lower section of the North Ram, which is less pressured with considerably more and larger fish. This will be done by quad and trailer allowing excursion members to hop from pool to pool as we move down the river system. We will cover many miles in a day covering the best water for big fish and these big fish do love the dry flies. This is a trip where we suggest customers may want to stay right out on the river overnight either right down at the confluence of both rivers or at the upper entrance to the North Ram for efficiency and comfort. The drive into the North Ram is a 3-hour plus ride in and then three hours plus back out to Red Deer. The overnight-spent right out on the river allows as much time as possible to be spent on the river fishing right up until late evening.

The guiding season on the North Ram runs from mid July through to late September depending on weather patterns and road conditions. The rates for the North Ram River quad trip is $625.00 for two anglers not including G.S.T. and the rate for the overnight excursion is $750.00 for two anglers. Our company will provide all the camping gear including sleeping bags, snacks, beverages and meals; we will even include a hardy breakfast on the following morning. The North Ram is a small cold free stone stream that is a heart-warming place it lies situated in a setting that quickly cultivates a sense of peace and harmony in an anglers day. Many anglers have stood on its banks saying this is what a real trout stream should look like and have reveled at catching its big Cutthroats on dry flies. Our company would look forward to sharing time on this wonderful stream with interested clients sometime in the near future.

Click on any image for an englarged view

Click on any image for an englarged view