Research For Next Season

Steve fly guy · #1 11-04-2012, 10:29 PM

Hey fellow fly guru's,
I am starting my resaerch for next years planned trips and was plotting out the Nordegg area. More specifically Blackstone and the Ram systems.
Blackstone:
if you were to camp at Chungo or blackstone Rec Area, how accecible is the river upstream from there ( truck or quad) and are the river banks too steep to walk down.

Then North Ram or South Ram:
which system has a better camping area ( Family hospitallities) yet still gives you good access to the system. South Ram has both hummingbird and Ram Falls as camp sites along the river.

We have camped at Shunda lake and loved the area, I am not apposed to day trips from there either. I would love your feed back and any other area fishing spots.

fish gunner · #2 11-04-2012, 10:46 PM

ram falls is a good spot to camp. it can get busy be there on wednesday or thursday for a weekend stay. lots of ditch gypsy spots near by. the south ram is not exactly easy access. if your lucky you will find the quad the ditch gypsy sent over the falls a few yrs ago. lol… it would be funny other than the class of fish that dwell below the falls. good luck hope that helps.

mikeym · #3 11-05-2012, 11:11 AM

the north ram no longer has any pay campsites on it. the campgrounds at the FTR crossing were shutdown about 3 or so years ago after the flood wiped them out. never re-opened after that. lots of random campsites along the stretch tho if that is your thing. the N Ram is a lot more accessible then the S Ram as the road runs along it for about 10 - 15 k from the FTR and about 3 or 4 km upstream also (the road runs quite aways upstream from the FTR, but as far as i knwo you are not allowed to take trucks and maybe even ATV's pass the first crossing). it's been a long time since i have camped at S Ram Falls, but at that time it was a nice campground and there was a store there at that time also, not sure if it is still there.

the Blackstone is a very nice river. the Rec area is in my opinion a better palce to camp as the river is more accessible from there then from Chungo. there is a road that follows the river upstream all the way to the gap if so inclined. the beginning part of the road is washed out, but there is another road that bypasses it and hooks up with this road a little farther upstream from the campground.lots of access areas upstream and some very, very good fishing in that area.

rgds
Mike

mikeym · #4 11-05-2012, 11:16 AM

forgot one thing about the rec area on the Blackstone, it is not very big campground and is more set up for tenters then trailers. i think there is only 4 or 6 trailer sites and they are up the hill a bit. the ones down by the river are tent sites. still a very nice campgound tho.

rgds
Mike

Steve fly guy · #5 11-05-2012, 05:31 PM

hey guys,

thanks for all the reports on the two areas, I really apprieciate the input and the fishing access tips. I will have to put some time in bushwacking to find the good spots to fish but I cant wait, hense the planning of trips in November!!

Thanks again and any further info is always welcomed!

Flyfisher87 · #6 11-05-2012, 05:33 PM

The select few times I have fished the North Ram, I came in from southwest of Rocky Mountain House and stayed at the Strachan rec area along highway 752 and drove north to the river from there. Haven't done it for about 10 years however.

Bhflyfisher · #7 11-05-2012, 08:45 PM

Google Earth is your friend....

mikeym · #8 11-06-2012, 01:06 PM

strachen campground is a very good option also to consider. Prairie Creek is right there, very good brown fishing, travel up North Fork and you hit the Ram River before it enters the N Sask, farther down N Fork road is the North Ram (it is around 60km before you hit it though on gravel, so aout 45min to 1hr) and all its tribs. you can also head down 732 and hit the upper Prairie, hit the FTR and Elk Creek, Clearwater, head north to S Ram Falls and all the other tribs there. and it is quite a nice little campground also to stay at.

Mike

Sedativ3 · #9 11-07-2012, 12:22 PM

The chungo road on blackstone is a very good spot to explore. There are quite a few spots you can easily get down to the river that are fished a little less than near the rec area. The blackstone area is awesome to explore. Wapiabi, brown, and chungo are all worth a day or more of your time, in fact I enjoy fishing them more than the blackstone itself. You could easily spend a week in that area and fish new waters everyday. There are also lots of brookies in the smaller creeks in that area, and you can find some really nice ones anywhere there are beaver dams. One of my favourite areas easily.

Steve fly guy · #10 11-07-2012, 07:58 PM

Thanks alot boys,
The info has been really informative and helpful in planning some wonderful fishing trips next year. As I have used this forum a few times now, I owe it to you to update pics and trip logs from the up comming season.

Thanks again,

Steve fly guy · #11 11-13-2012, 11:36 PM

Hey guys,
I figured I would follow up with my next targeted area........ Highwood river and its tribs.
West of the HWY 40/ FTR there are a couple of camping area and at Cataract creek.
is the highwood better fished by driving /parking on the side of the road and walking a section then hoping to the next fishy section?
how accessible is cataract creek from either the camp site or the confluence, with the falls and all.
And is there any other creeks worth spending my time on once I head down that way.

Flyfisher87 · #12 11-14-2012, 08:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve fly guy

Hey guys,
I figured I would follow up with my next targeted area........ Highwood river and its tribs.
West of the HWY 40/ FTR there are a couple of camping area and at Cataract creek.
is the highwood better fished by driving /parking on the side of the road and walking a section then hoping to the next fishy section?
how accessible is cataract creek from either the camp site or the confluence, with the falls and all.
And is there any other creeks worth spending my time on once I head down that way.

In terms of the Highwood, I haven't spent a lot of time on it. Cataract I am more familiar with but only upstream of the trunk road. Had some good days in the past using dries but as with any stream, ended up skunked as well. I have yet to fish the stretch downstream of the campground. That is on my to do list for the coming year maybe.

Steve fly guy · #13 11-14-2012, 09:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flyfisher87

In terms of the Highwood, I haven't spent a lot of time on it. Cataract I am more familiar with but only upstream of the trunk road. Had some good days in the past using dries but as with any stream, ended up skunked as well. I have yet to fish the stretch downstream of the campground. That is on my to do list for the coming year maybe.

Do you stay at the Cataract cr. rec area and work your way from there?
I would love to stay here and fish from highwood to the falls one day, campground downstream and upstream another. Sounds like a Great trip to me!
When it happens I will through out an invite to the forum.

Flyrod1970 · #14 11-15-2012, 10:34 AM

The Highwood is easily accessed off the highway, and if you go there on the wknd you will see the spots that you can park and fish from as there will be cars parked at every single one! Cataract can be accessed at it's confluence with the highwood but other than the short section from the highwood up to the first falls the fishing is unpredictable. I have been hitting it pretty regularly for the last few years and have had spotty success. Cataract up where the forestry trunk road crosses it is better fishing, and if you like brookies there are lots up there.

Flyfisher87 · #15 11-15-2012, 06:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve fly guy

Do you stay at the Cataract cr. rec area and work your way from there?
I would love to stay here and fish from highwood to the falls one day, campground downstream and upstream another. Sounds like a Great trip to me!
When it happens I will through out an invite to the forum.

I have never stayed at the campground. I can be there in a little over an hour so it has been day trips thus far. It is quite a popular campground judging by the weekends I have driven through it. Tough to get a spot. Wouldn't mind staying there sometime next season. I quite enjoy staying at etherington creek just north of cataract, but as with most campgrounds in the area they fill up quickly.

fish gunner · #16 11-15-2012, 07:02 PM

the pool with the falln rock face should not be missed, dont want to give too many details. the highwood is a beauty river well worth exploration.

mikeym · #17 11-16-2012, 03:06 PM

if you are down there, you have to fish the Livingstone. it is in my top 5 of favoutite rivers in Alberta. basically anywhere from the campground at the falls down to the confluence with the oldman. just find a spot to pull off and fish. big cuts and monster bulls in that river. it gets busy but you have to at least spend one day on it.

rgds
Mike

Flyfishen · #18 11-18-2012, 03:09 AM

At the Highwood Canyon section here is what you can expect...It is definitely a Fly fisherman's paradise...