Fly Fishing Alberta's trout streams

[swabs24]

Hello people of this thread. I cannot help but notice that everything seems so doom and gloom these days when we talk of trout and whitefish populations in our streams and rivers. Being the new guy here to fly-fishing it feels very discouraging. Should I even bother to make the 2.5 hour drive from Edmonton (With these gas prices) to go fish a stream where I will likely catch nothing. Having just read through Barry's forestry trunk road this past winter it made me excited to get out this summer to fly fish and experience these streams and rivers. So I want to know is the experience that Barry writes about in his book from all those years ago similar to what is now? Or should one travel further afield in search of excellent fishing and adventure?

Cheers

Nick