Late June in SW Alberta. A Cutthroat stream. Clear water. Cold water. The weather was suppose to be mainly sunny today but for the most part it was a mixed sky. Mainly cloudy with some sunny breaks. It made wet wading chilly. My feet quickly became numb. River temperature was 49f in the shallows. It felt much colder in the deeper water when I crossed sections of the river when making my way upstream. Sunny breaks heated the riverside sand and fine dry gravel beds. I knelt down in these soft spots absorbing the heat radiating from the ground and watched a number of pools for rising trout. I only saw two slight surface disturbances all afternoon. Fine Cutthroat they were.
There were a variety of bugs but not a lot of anything. The sum total of PMDs, Drakes, Yellow Sallies and the odd Golden Stone was not enough to entice many fish off of the bottom. Not enough for the river to come alive. Hopefully that will change in several days when the water temperature breaks through the 50f mark. I’ll come back then.
I covered a mile or so searching the clear water. The Cutthroat were caught on a size 12 Drake dry tied on an emerger hook; body of the fly breaking the surface. The river was low for this time of year. All rivers are low. I fished barbless for a quick hook release. I’ll do that all season. Alberta once had a barbless policy. No more.
trout on dries 
Those are some big fat cutthroats. Amazing. Me and Les first saw this post last night standing on the windy banks of the Henry’s Fork waiting for the non-existent brown drake hatch. We both went wow! And in color!!
Jim: Local tailwaters not looking that good. Low, starving flows for the great browns and bows in them. So going up in mountains and finding some healthy trout. Good luck on Fork. Never fished a good brown drake hatch. Say hey to Les. You’ve been catching some fine Browns on other water. Continued success. Thanks for commenting.
Bob
Do you ever consider night fishing for those big tail water browns?
Does anyone get into the mousing game in AB?
Rick: I’ve never been one to night fish but have done it when I was a kid on a trout stream in upstate NY….and caught more than during daylight. I’m sure some people do it. Some people target Bull trout with a mouse pattern; some with success; although a large streamer is the preferred fly. Bull Trout are probably the most prevalent large trout in our region…but there are also some big brown trout.
Thanks for commenting.
Bob
Just got back from Michigan where night fishing was pioneered in the 1920’s. Most faMOUSEly. on the Ausable River and it’s sister, the Manistee R. They’re not much into mousing, but rather the giant Hexagenia mayfly hatch which starts before dark and continues ’till about 1 AM. Not so good this year. Oddly, lots of bugs but fish not taking them. Maybe totally gorged out on the nymphs? Just a guess…..Amos G.
Amos: The Ausable is a very famous river as is the hatch of Hexagenia. A lot of famous anglers fished that river. Neat you travelled there. Tight lines this season. Thanks for dropping in.
bob
Bob, good idea publish a color picture to that Cutthroat! Nice…
Humberto: Thanks for comment re: color photo. Hope you are doing well…
Bob