Planning for this season

[davesilva]

Just curious when are rivers like red deer river fishable with spring run off not till June?

[Bhflyfisher]

typically get a window on smaller creeks and rivers between field runoff and mountain run off, usually this is mid/late (depending on altitude) April-late may depending on weather/heat.

[davesilva]

Well at least Ive heard that lakes are fishing good once the ice is all off in spring guessing cause there is a large hatch in spring?

To be safe I'll start on rivers again in June

[Bhflyfisher]

The fishing can be very good during the runoff gaps. Anything that opens april 1st is typically a good bet to get into fish.

You get the best of both worlds if you put the effort in to find fish in april/may in rivers, then use the whole month of june while all flowing waters are chocolate milk, to hit the lakes. Ice off on lakes can be spectacular, but turnover will shut down the fishing for 3-7 days time which usually occurs a about a week or two after ice off. After turnover is when hatches go nuts.

Right after ice off on lakes, look into fishing flies that represent food sources available year round (leeches, dragon fly nymphs, bloodworms, water boatmen damsels). The only hatch you might see right after ice off is small chironomids, if you're lucky.