The Red Deer River is a unique fishery that offers very diverse and wonderful opportunities to dry fly fish for a variety of fish species. Dedicated Red Deer River anglers have become addicted to hunting down and stalking its huge Brown Trout. While more diverse fly fisherman, tend to angle for a wide variety of fish with dry flies, nymphs or streamers. The rivers pleasant nature offers up a slow flat spring creek like environment that is both shallow and slow offering up a situation that is tailor made for large trout to feed on the surface.

The river does have its faster sections as well, consisting of food producing riffles and long deep runs that provide habitat for forage food and minnows. This variety of microhabitats offers up a wide range of aquatic insect and forage food environments making the river food rich. These habitats support burrowing type insects, vegetable matter type feeders, water column drift feeders, clingers, crawlers, net builders and case making type insects. All the four types of important aquatic insects are present in a wide variety of species from Mayflies, Caddisflies, and Stoneflies to Midges. The large Salmonflies are present as are the Skwala Stoneflies, Golden Stoneflies, lime and Yellow Sallies also make an annual appearance. There are the huge Hexagenia Mayflies, Brown Drakes, March browns, Paraleptophlebia Mayfly, Epeorus, Heptagenia, baetis, trico and Mahogany Dun Mayfly species present as well. There are atleast 9 species of Caddisfly present in heavy numbers. Anyway we think you get the point for more information look in the hatch chart section of this website.

The river continues to fish well all season long on the surface for Brown Trout, a few Rainbow Trout and large numbers of eager Rocky Mountain Whitefish and Goldeye. The first notion of dry fly fishing for Whitefish and Goldeye may not sound appealing but they can provide hours of endless entertainment when the Browns can be hard to find. This river provides an opportunity to catch the Brown Trout of a lifetime on a dry fly, but make no mistake it is not for the impatient or light of heart. The trout numbers are not real high per mile so finding trout on some days especially dry hot days can take some effort. The real up side though is it also provides an opportunity to hunt down and cast to individual gulpers that can be enormous. Anglers that are looking for one specific Brown that has haunted their dreams for an eternity will really appreciate this river on an exceptional day. The angler that is purely interested in numbers of trout with no concern for hunting a specific fish one on one may end up very disappointed on a tough day.

The Red Deer River can be fished equally well from a boat or by stalking the stream banks for trout that are visibly working the stream surface. The river has very few weed beds is relatively shallow and can be crossed on foot in most tail outs and riffles. These attributes make it relatively easy to keep fish on a short line and have a chance at landing a huge fish even if you have to cross the river to follow them on a long hard run. The Brown trout on the Red Deer River are beautifully marked with blue halos on their cheeks, olive hues interspersed with black dots on the back, golden yellow lower abdomens and bright orange dots along the main torso. As well, the huge males can have massively aggressive snouts huge well-proportioned bodies with deep massive tail fins. Some of the bigger fish can be of medium build while others will teeter on the hefty side of very robust and healthy.

This river can be a bit of a chance if everything doesnt go according to plan on a slow day but there can also be huge rewards on a good day. On any guided trip, the angler must be prepared to accept fate by realizing that the total success of a particular trip cannot be based totally, on whether the results are exhilarating or a little disappointing. Big fish never come easy and lots of effort is usually necessary to nudge the odds of success in the anglers favor. We are willing to work hard for you but only you can decide if you’re willing to accept the odds and take the challenge. Our company would appreciate the opportunity to guide you on this special river sometime in the near future.

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Click on any image for an englarged view