St. Mary Angler

Report #8 (August 15, 2026)

The Elk River is Perfect!

We just got settled into summer and “bam!”, September is just around the corner! It’s crazy how fast this summer has flown by!

We have remained lucky here in the East Kootenay region with no large fires looming around us, unlike some other areas of the Province. With the cooler mornings now upon us, it is a strong signal that fall is around the corner.

On this day we fished the Elk River near Fernie; the bottom section to where we take out at Elko. There was some smoke in the morning, but it mostly cleared out by early afternoon. This section of the Elk River is very scenic as it moves away from the highway, improving the look and feel. The Rockies are like eye candy … and in Fernie you are right in the Rockies so it is an amazing landscape to float thru.

Temperatures in the morning started around 15°C (60°F) reaching a late afternoon high of 28-30°C (80-85°F). The Elk is in great shape now and the fish are feeding on dries from the get go!

As normal, the guides cycled through the ‘usual suspects’ of candidate patterns, always including a few beetles and ants in the rotation. In addition to these standbys, they also tried; the Klinkhammer, Purple Haze, Stimi Chew Toy, Chubby Chernobyl, Green Drake and caddis and foam patterns.

When it comes to one’s personal fly box, our advice is to slowly build it up over time with various types of foam patterns, small dries, larger traditional fly patterns, nymphs and streamers. It is nice to be able to look into your box at any point in the day, and depending on the conditions, pull something promising out!

After launching, the guys floated downstream, fishing along the bank edges, behind rocks and along structures where the fish hang out and feed. They were running rods set up with a 9 foot, 4X or 5X leader and tippet. If they fished smaller patterns, they just added more tippet to make the leader portion up to 10 feet. This allowed the smaller flies to get a longer drift. The fish can be quite drift sensitive on the Elk so the proper setup and diligent mending can be the key to success. On the float each angler caught and released around 15 fish… all on dries! The average size was 15 to 17 inches. A few smaller guys were mixed in, but there were some really nice and chunky fish too. These fish have been eating well!

On the lower section of the Elk they got to see a bit of wildlife including a series of eagles and ospreys flying about. They also got a closeup of a doe with her fawns. Ever notice how deer are always feeding…. as much as they can to fatten up for winter! It is always a treat to see wildlife from a quietly drifting boat…

Well another season is going by fast. If you can get out and fish the rivers, do it! It is ‘good for the soul’, they say. Everyone needs to get out into nature and relax and enjoy themselves. We all work so hard in our daily lives!

Please pop into the shop on Cranbrook Street if you need help picking out flies, or if you are just starting fly fishing as we will help you out!

Tight Lines,

Kelly and Karen

St.Mary Angler

PS Give us a call at 1-800-667-2311 to talk to about available days this fall.

Report #7 (August 6, 2026)

The Bull River is Clear and Fishing Great!

August is here and we are wishing it would just rain sometime! B.C. is having a tough time right now with smoke rolling in from fires originating from both within B.C. and from outside in Washington State. There are no fires threatening us here, but the smoke is real.

On the bright side the weather service is calling for some rain this week, so hopefully it will happen.

Today we had a couple people booked on the Bull River. The guides decided to float from Camp 6 down to the take out, about an 8 kilometer (5 mile) run.

On a clear day the views are absolutely stunning from up on the Bull. On this day the smoke was light in the morning, decreasing by the afternoon, so we had some nice views.

Anglers love the drive up to the Bull River. It is on the back side of the Rockies and provided an exciting drive up the road spotting a few deer along the way. Upon arrival at the access point the raft went in the River along with the rods set up to dry fly fish.

Soon after the launch, the fish were very active with the 12 to14 inch cutties aggressively hitting the dries. One lucky angler hooked a nice 17 inch cutthroat, which is huge for the Bull! It was very exciting for the guide, never mind the client…”fish on!” We rarely see big cutthroat trout way up on the Bull. The clients caught and released around 20 fish each, with each cutthroat looking healthy and fighting hard!

It is such a beautiful and amazing float down the Bull River. It has a lovely blue tinge to it and is very clear, and it has finally dropped enough to fish great!

They fished behind rocks, along bank edges and beside logs to see if they could fool a cutthroat into looking up, and eating a fly.

As usual, the guides cycled through flies until they found what worked best. Some of the flies that worked well included; Sparkle Purple Haze, Royal Wulff Haze (a new fly in our shop), the Klinkhammer and the red Fat Albert.

The rivers this year are holding their water levels pretty well and this bodes well for fishing this fall. The water temperatures are also holding nicely, despite the conditions. We had a sizable snowpack in the higher sections of the Rockies that has held on, and the smoke has actually lowered air temperatures also factoring in to the water temperatures.

On the float along the Bull, they saw many bird species including the big raptors (osprey and eagles) on the wing and hovering over their nests.

A wonderful time had by all.
Before you head out, check in with the shop to hear what flies are working well on the rivers and be sure to enjoy the outdoors!

And pray for a little rain to scrub the skies clean!

Tight Lines,

Kelly and Karen

St.Mary Angler

PS Give us a call at 1-800-667-2311 to talk to about available days thru the fall on our East Kootenay rivers.

Report #6 (August 1, 2026)

As We Enter Wildfire Season, All the Rivers are Fishing Well.

Well, we have entered the 2026 wildfire season. Our little area of the East Kootenay region of B.C. has recently seen a number of forest fires. Fortunately, our amazing firefighters have so far been able to manage things. The town of Kimberley was on Evacuation Alert for a week before it was rescinded. We have seen a fire up the St. Mary valley, but it is not threatening the city of Kimberly anymore.

Very recently we had a scare up by Wasa Lake and Tata Creek, another fire and again the fire crews worked all night to get control of the it. Thank goodness!

So that being said, the fishing business is still cruising right along as the St.Mary has been fishing very well.

Today the temperature in the morning was quite cool starting at 10°C (50°F), only reaching a high later in the day in the mid 20's°C (70’s°F).

Lately we have had smoke from the wildfires coming up from Washington State, as well from the back-burns they were doing up in the St.Mary Valley. Fortunately, by noon the wind has blown it away, like it did today.

Our destination stream today was the bottom section of the St. Mary River; from the St. Eugene Mission down to Fort Steele near the confluence with the Kootenay River.

The water levels are normal for this time of year and the trout have found their summer lies… feeding away.

The anglers started off nymphing in the morning. As the sun hit the water the cutthroat trout started to look up for their food and the fishers switched to dry flies. The guides cycled through many patterns till they found some that consistently brought the fish to the surface. The flies they used with most success were; the Parachute Adams, Purple Haze, Stimi Chew Toy, Foam Patterns (such as Chubby Chernobyl Ants), Fat Alberts, beetle and ant patterns. The nymphs used included the Prince Nymph, Copper John, Lightning Bug and Hare's Ears.

The anglers had a good morning with lots of hookups. Just after 1 p.m. the fishing slowed right down so the guide pulled the boat over for their shore lunch. On the day they landed 12-15 fish each, with an average size of 13-15 inches. That said, they did catch a couple outliers at over 18 inches! The bigger fish were rainbows, and they came up for dry flies. It’s an exciting time when you hook into these fish and they respond by jumping multiple times and fighting hard.

As they floated down towards the Kootenay River the group watched ospreys and eagles spin overhead looking for their next meal. They saw merganser ducks along the edges of the River. The bottom float on the St.Mary is beautiful as you float the braided reaches moving towards the Rockies. Such an amazing view! We are so lucky to be able to host anglers in this part of the world.

In addition to the St. Mary, the Elk and Bull rivers are all fishing very well now. The dry fly fishing has been awesome on these rivers. If you can, go out and check them for yourself!

If you are heading into the back country, make sure you know the regulations. Also check for the latest update on wildfires in the area you are destined for. If you want to get a little intel on what is working on the water, wherever you are going in our region, come into the shop and we will help you out.

Do have fun out on the rivers this summer and stay safe! The time to enjoy summer is now as it is flying by quickly for sure!

Tight Lines,

Kelly and Karen

St.Mary Angler

PS Give us a call at 1-800-667-2311 to talk to about available days for August thru the fall on our East Kootenay rivers.

Report #5 (July 15, 2026)

The St.Mary is ready to go, while the Elk is still on its way.

Summer is moving along very nicely as many anglers are coming out to fish with us here in the East Kootenays. With the rivers still running high in the first half of July, we are sending anglers off to the smaller creeks around the area. It seems everyone wants to get out and get the line wet now.

The weather generally has been very nice, with only a few overcast and windy days thrown in. Now that we are in the middle July we are experiencing a few wild fires in our area with some days of smoke. Fortunately, the wind has been blowing much of the smoke away.

The temperature in the mornings is now around 12-13°C (53-55°F) reaching highs of 27-28 °C (81-82°F) by late afternoon, with a few days over 30°C (86°F)

So far, we have been guiding mostly on the St. Mary River with just a few trips over to the Bull River. The Elk River has been high and dirty, but is finally coming down and clearing up so we will be heading over there soon. The Skookumchuck and Bull rivers are also clearing up with flows coming down every day.

Today we floated the upper St. Mary River from the lake down to Mathew Creek. This section of the St.Mary feels like one is winding through a remote forest. On this leg you will see a lot of trees down along the shore caused by the spring freshet and winter storms. So, if you decide to venture down one of the side channels you can encounter sweepers that can be challenging, if not dangerous. Our guides will keep you in the main channel of the River to avoid any such problems!

The guides are now setting the rods up for dry fly fishing as the wild Westslope Cutthroats are readily coming to the surface to feed. As soon as they put in at St.Mary Lake they started fishing along the bank edges, close to log jams and behind rocks in the middle of the stream looking for fish.

At the beginning of the day the guides will cycle through many of their favourite flies to find out which one is working best. So, if you cast 3 or 4 times in a great spot and nothing comes up to the surface to eat your fly… change it up!

On today’s float the fish never really became active until the sun was beaming fully on the water. So, they switched over to nymphs for a short while, catching a few fish. Then one cutthroat came to the surface and tried to eat the indicator! At that point it was off with the nymph and on went the dry flies!

The anglers landed around 15-20 cutthroat trout with an average size in the 13-15 inch window. Because they were fishing on the upper part of the system all the fish caught were wild Westslope Cutthroat trout.

On this section of the Mary they spotted a mother Elk with her calf, at a distance… so cool. Further downriver they saw a brown bear and a coyote. It was a full day packed with fish and wildlife!

If you are heading out to fish be sure to check the fishing regulations and make sure you have the proper licensing. If you feel you can benefit from some knowledge about what rivers are fishing well and what flies are getting hookups, stop into our shop. Our friendly and knowledgeable staff will answer your questions and provide you with any equipment or accessories you desire.

It’s summertime now, so get out and enjoy the back country! Have fun and stay safe out there.

Tight Lines,

Kelly and Karen

St.Mary Angler

PS Give us a call at 1-800-667-2311 to talk to about the available days on our East Kootenay rivers.

Report #4 (June 27, 2026)

The Season is in Full Swing as Conditions are Rounding Into Form!

We started guiding on the St.Mary River on June 16th and are now rolling right along. Everyone is eager to get out on the River to fish, and we are ready to make it happen.

As it is early in the season the St. Mary River is in the process of clearing up everyday with the flow dropping steadily. Since the St.Mary River has a headwater lake, it clears much faster than some other rivers in the East Kootenay region. The Elk River is still running a bit dirty and high.
The Bull River and Skookumchuck rivers are clear, but running very high. As we move into July all the systems will drop and clear up fast, so it won’t be long before we are in full-go mode.

With the St.Mary motoring along quickly with the higher water, the guides have to search to find the slower back channels were the fish will hold and where one can throw a dry fly. Cutthroat trout need to be able to spot the fly and have a chance to eat it. So, the water can't be moving so fast that the fly gets pulled away from them faster than they can recognize and grab it!

Even with the higher flow rate today, the anglers still managed to land 12-15 trout each. The guys casted along the bank edges, behind rocks and along structures where the fish were holding. If one could get the fly to float long enough so the fish could see it… that was half the battle.
The fish were caught on dry flies, nymphs and small streamers. They caught pure cutthroats, cut-bow hybrids and a few full strain rainbows. While rainbows sure like to jump, the cutties like to pull just like little French bulldogs! The average sized cutthroat today was between 13-15 inches, with some of rainbows breaking 20. You never know what you are going to catch on the St. Mary River. Currently, the cutthroats are finishing up spawning and on their way back to their summer runs as they form up in the River.

The weather was all over the place on this day with sun, cloud and rain. The temperatures reached a high of 15°C (60°F). A typical spring day on the St.Mary.

The wildlife was abundant along the river today. There were eagles and osprey flying above, a moose sighting along the river’s edge and a big beaver doing renovations to her den. The mountain views of the Rockies were amazing as well. Such a beautiful place to visit!

This summer looks like it is shaping up to be amazing. We still have snow up in the Purcells and on the Rockies, which bodes well for summer flow conditions on the rivers. The weather service is calling for rain all this week which is awesome for the rivers as well.

Summer is almost here, so get out and do some fly fishing, or at least start thinking about it!

Remember to review the fishing regulations and have your licence on hand when you go into the backcountry. The rivers are starting to round into form and will fish better and better as we enter July.

Tight Lines,

Kelly and Karen

St.Mary Angler

PS Give us a call at 1-800-667-2311 to talk to about the available days for your summer float trip.

st.ma

Report #3 (June 7, 2026)

A Trip to Whiteswan Lake Before the Guiding Season Really Kicks In!

We are just a week away from all the small streams opening after the April 1st to June 15th closure for spawning and runoff. We have been observing the conditions on the St. Mary River daily and it has been coming down steadily and clearing up accordingly.

The St. Mary River currently has about two feet of visibility now and should be fishable after the 15th. The St. Mary will still be high after the opening, so walking and wading will still be difficult due to the early season conditions.

While everyone waits for the rivers to open, the lakes are still fishing well.

Whiteswan Lake:

We recently spent three days camping and fishing up at Whiteswan Lake Provincial Park. We fished both morning and evening sessions. Each morning started out nice and calm with the weather moving in as the day progressed. On the second day the weather peaked in the afternoon with winds gusting up to 60 km/hour with rain… how about that for a little “spring” weather in the Rockies?

On the last night at the campsite it was snowing up on the Rockies. It is definitely spring weather now, always changing throughout the day, and day to day!

The temperature ranged from about 4°C (40°F) in mornings, reaching a high of 12°C (54°F) in the afternoons. Brrrrr!

We would start each morning fish at around 9:00 a.m. The first thing we would do is head to either end of the Lake and look for fish in the shallows. On this day we cruised down to southern end around Pack Rat Point.

Once we spotted a couple fish, we anchored up both ends of the boat and measured the depth. Today the fish were in around 10 to 15 feet of water. Then we looked for any bug activity. We did not see any chironomids coming off at first, which was no real surprise as the hatches are definitely slowing down now. After our initial observations we opened the fly boxes and started experimenting! What ended up working were the dragons, damsels, scuds, copper johns, blobs and bo***es. A hatch of sized 18-22 chironomids did come off later in the day and we responded with chromies, which worked well.

In terms of the catch, we landed around 20 trout in our two hour morning session. The average fish caught was in the 14-16 inch slot, with a few in the 20 inch range.

At around noon, we motored back to camp for lunch. After some food, relaxing and warming up we headed out for our afternoon session. In the afternoon we headed north to Home Basin and fished the water in that area. Again, searching for cruising fish before we anchored up. After a little while the wind picked up and the weather got pretty intense, so we motored back to our campsite for hot chocolate!

Overall the fishing on Whiteswan during the three days was very good. It was really nice for us to get a few days of fishing in before the guide season really kicks in and becomes all-consuming for us!

We have heard that Premier Lake has also been fishing quite well, both in terms of trolling flies and running chironomid setups. Flies such as doc spratleys, half and full backs, woolly buggers and leeches (trolling), as well as balanced leeches and chironomids (when there is a hatch) are also working work well.

The wildlife up in the mountains now is nothing short as amazing. We saw eagles protecting their nests and cruising for prey, merganser ducks swimming about with their chicks, beavers swimming by of our campsite in the mornings and loads of song birds. There is so much to see and hear while out fishing and camping at Whiteswan.

Before you head out onto lakes of the east Kootenays to fish, feel free to come into our fly shop in Cranbrook for a chat. We can help you with your fly selection, techniques and let you know where the fishing has been best.

Remember to have your fishing license on your person and know the regulations before you head out to enjoy the Kootenay outdoors. We are lucky to have this place in our back yard, but visitors are very much welcomed! That is why people travel from all over the world to see what we see and experience every day.

Tight Lines

Kelly and Karen

St.Mary Angler

PS Give us a call at 1-800-667-2311 to book your summer float trip today.

Report #2 (May 16, 2026)

The Lakes and Columbia are in Full Go-mode now!

Spring is happening all around the Kootenay Region of S.E. British Columbia. Everyone is out camping, fishing and enjoying the great outdoors! It is nice to see so many people out fishing now that the lakes have turned over and the fish are moving closer to the shore.

Imitation chironomids and callibaetus are working when the hatches are coming off. This usually happens periodically throughout the course of the day. As we are half way through May now, pretty well everything is hatching on the lakes. In addition to the chironomids, we are also seeing dragon and damsel nymphs moving up along the shoreline where the fish are feeding on them.

We expect to see the black ant hatch when we get a couple of really hot days in a row. When this happens, it becomes mayhem out there! Dry fly fishing for trout during the black ant feeding frenzy is a real treat!

Whitetail, Whiteswan, Premier and Lazy lakes have all been fishing very well lately. Many people have been telling us they have been making regular trips out already. Of course, there will be the odd tough day thrown in, but generally we are so spoiled in the East Kootenays as ten fish day on these lakes is considered a slow day!

The flies that are working include; the small chironomids (18 - 20's), damsels, dragons, blobs, bo***es, doc spratleys, half and full backs, balanced leeches, wooley buggers and black ants (when hatching).

Most of the lakes opened very early this spring except for those up the valley by Golden. They usually come clear in first week of May, but have only recently iced off. So, there is still lots of lake fishing left to do.

The Columbia River

The Columbia River fishing has been very productive this spring as we have been out guiding clients most days. We have a few days open in the last week of May, so give us a call if you want to fly fish the Columbia.

The flows in the Columbia have been rising as the runoff starts to build now. Along with the increase flows comes more debris and logs on the water which you have to be aware of while boating. That being said, the fish have moved out into the big back eddies and are feeding there.

When on the water, you will see the caddis flies depositing their eggs on the water surface. One would think the fish would key on these females, but in fact the trout like the nymphs when they rise to the surface and fly off.

Today the guys fished the bottom section of the Columbia River; from the Beaver Creek boat launch towards the border. While the average fish caught is usually in the 17 to 21 inch range, they found them to be a bit bigger today. On this outing they caught quite a few rainbows in the 20-23 inch slot. That makes these fish on average, 3 to 4 pounds in weight which makes for some very nice fish. Moving between the big eddies on this lower stretch, the two anglers landed 15 to 20 fish on the day. They fished both streamers and nymphs under an indicator. The fish were a little picky as the weather was moving in, but they still managed to catch quite a few.

There was lots of spring wildlife active on the Columbia including; eagles, geese, turkeys and many swallows and other songbirds. Overall the Columbia is fishing very well, and the anglers are having a blast!

When in the fly shop we often have customers come in and ask, “what is the one fly that is working out there now?” As fly fishermen we all know deep down there is no silver bullet. One has to put in the time and try different patterns out on the water as trout can be quite selective. One fly that works great today, may not work at all the next. So we advise to try many different patterns and experiment, that will narrow the field down for sure. And the experimentation, is what makes flyfishing challenging and exciting!

Just a reminder to review the fishing regulations before you head out and have your B.C. Freshwater Fishing License with you at all times.

If you want to learn more about what’s going on out on the lakes, stop by the fly shop and we will help you out.

Tight Lines

Kelly and Karen
St.Mary Angler

PS We still have a couple of days open on the Columbia in the last week of May so call us at 1-800-667-2311 if you want to book one.

st.ma

Report #1 (April 27, 2026)

The 2026 fishing season has begun!

Southeastern British Columbia has endured typical spring weather this April. We have experienced rain, snow, sun, wind and… who can forget… hail!

One-day it is up to 20°C (68°F) and the next day the temperature is 0°C (32°F) with snow! It’s that crazy time of the year when you get up in the morning look out the window and say…Holy Cow!

The snowpack for this region of B.C. was above normal on April 1 and we have been getting lots of snow up in high country since. Our next snow update is on May 1 and we will pass it on in our next report. Okay, so what about the fishing… let’s go around the horn.

East Kootenay Lakes:

Almost all the lakes have iced off by now and have started to turn over, if they have not already done so. The word on the street is that Whitetail, Whiteswan, Premier, Lazy and Echo lakes are all fishing well.

As you know, lake fishing can be hit or miss, so you have to get out on the water and experiment in order to figure it out. Cruising around the lake looking for fish is always a logical first step.

Once you have found a good drop off ledge, anchor up and start with a balanced leach pattern. They tend to work really well until the start of the chironomid hatch. At this point, switch to chironomids.

The chironomid hatches will occur throughout the day. But if there is no chironomid hatch coming off, then you have to move on to other patterns.

To set up a chironomid rig, first measure the depth so the fly sits a foot off the bottom of the lake. Run a leader/tippet section, swivel and indicator anywhere from the depth of 14 feet to as deep as wherever the fish sit. Some guys play at 40 feet.

Most people like it when the fish are in the 8 to 15-foot depth range. This happens when the fish start to move into the shallows and hang along the drop off edges. The timing for this is usually in May. However, we are still in April and guys have been fishing on lakes that have been opened since the end of March. So, we are in full swing right now with the lakes producing well. So, get out there as much as you can this spring!

Flies that work at this time of year include; Balanced Leeches, Scuds, Blobs, Bo***es and Chironomids (the small sizes).

If you are trolling use; regular Leeches, Wooley Buggers, Doc Spratleys, Half Backs and Full Back. For along the bank edges, try dragon flies and damsels flies.

The Columbia River:

We have been guiding on the Columbia River since early April and are in full-go mode now. We fish the section of the Columbia River from Castlegar down to the Canada/U.S. Border. The weather so far has been all over the place, typical for spring as we shake off the last vestiges of winter. One day you are wearing shorts and the next you have your winter coat on! One must dress in layers for sure!

The Columbia River can fish very well some days and be tough on others. The flow of the Columbia is currently at 1,970 cubic meters per second (CMS) which is 69,500 cubic feet per second (CFS). Flows will only increase now as the runoff builds in May.

With the building flow and increased volume of water the river channel is filling up and fish have all moved out from the runs into the emerging back eddies. The challenging thing about the Columbia is that you have to find the fish, then get that fly close to where they are feeding.
Today the guys used streamer rods and fished the pickle, sculpins and other streamer patterns of choice. They also tried to nymph a bit as well using the Purple Prince, Regular Prince, Copper Johns and Hare's Ears patterns.

On this trip the anglers each landed in the range of 6 to 10 fish. The rainbows averaged 16-20 inches in length and looked very healthy. They all pulled hard and jumped a lot as soon as they realized they were hooked!

As for wildlife, the eagles and ospreys are now busy with their nests when they are not looking for their next meal for themselves and their chicks. The Canada Geese and Merganser ducks are having their newborn as well. So everyone is very busy feeding and protecting their young from being someone else’s meal. The guys could also hear the turkeys from across the river rummaging through the grass and brush.

At this time of year, we can see the sturgeon lurking along the bottom of the River in some specific areas. It is so cool to drift over one of beasts and experience them from directly above through the clear water. And if lucky, we will get to see one of these bad boys jump out of the water!

We still have a few available days if you want to come and experience the Columbia River this spring. Call us at the shop at 1-800-667-2311 to discuss available days.

Fishing Regulations:

The system for getting B.C. Fishing Licences has changed. The old Angler Numbers have been retired and do not work anymore. You now have to go through the “Wildlife Information and Licensing Data” (WILD) system using your Basic BCeID or BC Services Card Account to log in to WILD. You will need to apply for a Fish and Wildlife I.D., which is a permanent number linked to your personal online profile in the WILD system.

All the rivers except the Columbia and Kootenay rivers are closed April 1st to June 15th for the spring freshet and cutthroat spawning.

So that’s some of what you need to know before you head out to enjoy spring time on the lakes and rivers. The rest is in the B.C. Freshwater Fishing Regulations which everyone should review now. It’s a beautiful time of year, a time of birth and renewal.

If you want to know more about the lakes, how to set up your leaders or where the fishing is great at the time of year, drop into our shop on Cranbrook Street. We will be happy to help you along on your fishing adventure!

Tight Lines

Kelly and Karen
St.Mary Angler

PS Call at 1-800-667-2311 to book your summer fishing adventure today.