Elk River Guiding Company - BC

The Elk River holds a very healthy population of Wild and Native Westslope Cutthroat Trout, along with Bull Trout and Mountain Whitefish.

The Elk River is renowned for its abundant supply of Westslope Cutthroat (Onchorynchus Clarki Lewsi) Arguably, cutthroat are one of the most beautiful of all the trout species and their willingness to rise freely to a well presented dry fly makes them even more enjoyable to catch.

The other primary species is the Bull Trout (Salvelinus Confluentus). Bull trout are not actually a trout at all but a member of the char family. Often mistakenly identified as Dolly Varden, Bull Trout go for nymphs or streamers and occasionally dry flies. They are very aggressive and often will dart out of the darkness of a deep pool and attack a cutthroat that you have hooked up. 26” to 30” bullies are not uncommon and some areas host pigs up to 40”.

The summer season opens June 15 every year and carries through with dry fly fishing well into late October.
 

The Elk River Guiding Company is located in the town of Fernie, British Columbia, Canada. Fernie is about 3 hours from Calgary, Alberta and about 2 hours from Kalispell, Montana. There are shuttles available from Calgary, or you can rent a car and make the drive yourself. If planning to travel through Kalispell, remember the border crossing! You may not be allowed to drive a rental car out of the United States or your insurance may not provide the necessary coverage.  

Condominiums & Townhomes –Condo rentals in the Fernie area are a great way to experience your Rockies vacation. Reserve from a huge range of accommodation options - 1-bedroom to 4-bedroom, fully equipped units sleep from 2-10 guests.

Full Service Resorts, Hotels & Motels – Fernie hotels and resorts offer full-service with on-site licensed restaurants, pools, fitness centers and other amenities.

Bed & Breakfasts – There are several fine bed and breakfast options to choose from.
Private Chalets & Alpine Homes – Fernie chalets offer accommodation for larger groups or for those looking for more space to enjoy their vacation. Large, fully equipped contemporary and traditional mountain homes, some of which accommodate up to 16 guests, are available.
 

Most of the waters fished will be primarily by drift fishing. Working presentations along undercut banks and runs into pools prove to be very productive from a drift boat. You will also utilize the drift boats to access parts of the river that cannot be reached wading. This does not mean you can’t get out of the boat. There are plenty of runs, log jams, and structure that warrant getting out and working selected sections of water.

The smaller tributaries feeding the primary rivers are fished by wading. Access to many of these smaller waters is sometimes difficult and requires good wading boots along with a fair level of fitness. However, you will surely be rewarded with some exceptional fishing opportunities in some spectacular scenery.
 

Our specialty is tailoring customized packages to meet your specific needs.

Call us to schedule a trip with you and fishing friends, or ask us about joining our annual hosted group trip and enjoy special pricing and amenities.

If there are any special requests or additional activities that you would be interested in, let us know!