Intro | South Ram River | North Ram River

Although it lies completely in the Rocky Mountain Forest Preserve, access to the South Ram River is limited due to the rugged canyon wilderness and lack of roads. Backpacking from the Forestry Trunk road (Highway 732) is one way to gain access to this river but helicopter tours are also an option.

Quick Facts Season: June 16 - October 31 Regulations: Catch-and-release Best Fishing: Stonefly hatches of June and July Quiet Off-Season fishing: September Gear: 5-weight rod, weight-forward floating line, and 9-foot 3X-4X leaders Access: Public water accessible from Forestry Trunk Road

he Alberta foothills and mountains have become renowned the world over for their exceptional beauty, charm, and mystique. The rivers that flow through them have a subtle charm that etches fond memories deep in the emotional centers of our fly fishing hearts.

The rolling forested hills, rugged mountain peaked backdrops, breath-taking canyonlands, and blazing sunny days combine for endless moments in stunning scenery. It is this combination of the scenery with the delicate nature of strong fisheries that hold a place in our minds, longing to cast to these trout, as they eagerly rise to large stoneflies or await a neatly drifted tiny mayfly nymph.

The Ram River is one of these places. It is an exuberant, beautiful river that spills into the North Saskatchewan River long before you hope it to be finished carving the foothills of central Alberta. The northern, high elevation location of the Ram creates an interesting balance of limited habitat with older, slow growing trout that have the ability to grow very large.

The Ram is Alberta's last great trout water as you venture north. It teeters on the cusp of the productive waters to the south and the stark, unproductive waters to the north. It shares many of the characteristics of each, which makes managing its fishery an art form.

The lower reaches of the watershed hold high populations of trout while upper reaches produce a few, exceptionally large cutthroat trout due to the low availability of wintering habitat. The low availability of winter habitat condenses trout into few wintering pools each fall that can only sustain a given number of fish for the winter due to the low availability of food and holding structure in pools.

The Ram's cutthroat endure little threat of disease due to clean and cold water each year, which, when combined with their slow growth rates, allows these trout to live longer. There are a few honest 24" cutthroat trout in the system and these trout are upwards of 13 or 14 years old. In these circumstances, if one 20inch trout is removed it will take 6 to 8 years to replace it. The South and North Ram rivers are catch-and-release to protect these fish and as a result, no stream north of Calgary comes close to matching the cutthroat population of the lower Ram.

Insect hatches are heaviest on the North Ram due to the higher nutrients and slightly warmer water from springs that seep into the river. While heavier hatches occur on the North Ram, the hatches follow the same sequence and timing on both forks. The water temperatures are still cold when the river opens June 16. The region also gets the majority of annual rainfall during June, and the cloudy, wet, cold weather keeps things cool through late June.

During this time, March Brown mayflies and tiny black stoneflies hatch. A few cutthroat take notice on the North Ram and observant anglers will land a handful of trout on dry flies.

The July Canada Day long weekend marks the start of the Golden Stonefly hatch as water levels begin to ease. A box of #8 Yellow Stimulators is a must from the first week of July through mid-August. Mid-July to the end of August, Pale Morning Dun mayflies hatch each afternoon. In late July, trout slash at large grasshoppers in faster currents on warm, sunny afternoons. Trout will feed on hoppers through early October. Early August triggers Green Drake and Flav mayfly hatches. While not as prolific a hatch as the PMD, trout love these larger insects. In late August the Slate-winged Olive and Blue-winged Olive mayflies begin to hatch, continuing through the end of October.

The North Ram River (above) runs through a wide valley and an easy walking trail runs downstream from Highway 732. Westslope cutthroat trout are the only fish species in the Ram River watershed above the Chutes.

 

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The entire Ram River system was devoid of fish above the "Chutes" of the Ram, which is an impassible series of waterfalls and tight chutes one mile downstream from the junction of the North and South Ram rivers. Below the Chutes, the Ram is also home to whitefish and bull trout. The Ram eventually flows into the North Saskatchewan River. Above the Chutes are two of the world's best westslope cutthroat trout fisheries.

Dave Jensen is host of flyfishalberta.com and a professional fly-fishing guide and photographer. He lives in Red Deer, Alberta.

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