Sight-Fishing A BIG BULL TROUT, Dry fly fishing Cutthroat and Rainbow Trout Fly fishing in Alberta

Fly fishing with dry flies or sighting trout before you cast are two incredible experiences when fly fishing! We head out on a SW Alberta, Canada trout river early in the season and enjoy dry fly fishing for cutthroat and rainbow trout, as well as sight-fish to a HUGE BULL TROUT. Some beautiful scenery blended in with great early season fly fishing!
Have you been watching our videos on small to medium-sized trout streams and would love detailed information on how we are so successful - so you can enjoy fly fishing these streams and have great success? We share a ton of information in our email video course at our website. Sign up for your free course at www.jensenflyfishing.com/
Rod: Orvis Helios 3F 9 foot 5 weight
5wtReel: Orvis Mirage Lt
Line Orvis Hydros Trout DT
Boots: Orvis ultralight wading boots
Leader & Tippet: Orvis Superstrong+
Back pack: Orvis Bug Out
Sunglasses: Smith Optics Low Light Ignitor
Cameras: Panasonic GH5; Mavic Air 2; GoPro Hero 9
Lenses Oly 14 - 150; 75 - 300; 60mm macro
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[@mattokeefe691]

Thanks Mr. and Mrs. Jensen. Loved the drone shots.

[@jensenflyfishing]

Thanks Matt! Some spectacular countryside there for sure:)

[@mwcarl2004]

Thanks for your explanation of your opinions on bull trout!

[@jensenflyfishing]

Well, it's not easy to share them publicly because they are my own and certainly not popular. It's one thing to identify and use a native species as habitat indicator but if the government is going to go full steam ahead on habitat altering/destroying industrial use on one hand and then limit angling opportunities on the other, how can we continue to have our way with them on all fronts? We continue down the slope of being artificially forced by our desperate government to choose between having healthy ecosystems and fish populations or a false economy based upon coal mining, logging, and water extractions for irrigation systems.

[@martysmith76]

I enjoy fishing for bulltrout and understand the importance of protecting our native species.. Always enjoy getting to land one but also educating friends about fish handling and catch and release.. Thanks for the video guy's!!!

[@jensenflyfishing]

Good on ya. Having your own preferences on the water is what drives each of our fishing and enjoyment of it. Glad you enjoyed it and thanks for watching:)

[@gregbelcamino7239]

Love the conservation message about the bull trout.

[@jensenflyfishing]

hopefully it is received in the light of the bigger picture of things. Cheers!

[@brianpeace7585]

Loved it. The wind down here isn't always easy you made the best of it. Glad you had fun on some of my favourites!

[@jensenflyfishing]

Suspect you might have walked a km or two through there for sure. Funny we've avoided it all these years. Fun sighting and rising trout for early April - of course look at the wx this wkd! 🤣❄❄❄💩

[@ageorge7140]

I'm still in physical therapy from shoulder surgery still not able to fish but,I am able to tie a few flies. Your videos sure have made the healing a lot better. Thanks so much for sharing your experiences and knowledge.

[@jensenflyfishing]

Ouch. These things take time and none of us escape months off fishing at some point in life - not that it makes it any easier but usually when you get your "time out" you get a solid, great run soon after - so you'll have that to look forward to! Do the physio work in time & be patient! :) Great to hear these are helping a little along the way :)

[@loydtruss]

You guys have carried trout videos and landing impressive trout to a new level!!! ----thanks for sharing

[@jensenflyfishing]

Hopefully it comes across as helpful as to how we do it and shares some of the beauty of where we toss our flies :) That's our main goal so hopefully that shines through. Hope you're getting out!

[@martinpalmgren9024]

these videos are fantastic with the drone shots, back forth angles on the cast take from 2 different perspectives and superb fishing and attitude a delight!

[@jensenflyfishing]

It's awesome to hear you're digging our adjusted approach to these videos this season. Thanks for watching.

[@kathleen.muste.no.nonsense]

wonderfull views back drop...just wow

[@jensenflyfishing]

gorgeous reach of river! :)

[@Spencer2513]

One of my all time favourite spots in the spring. Glad you guys had a great day! I fished it on opening day and could barely stand up straight from the wind lol

[@jensenflyfishing]

We might have lucked into a great bit of weather on that day - or maybe picked the day to go play! :) Fun water. Funny tho, even tho we'd never walked below the access what we saw matched the mind's eye from Google Earth :)

[@InternalFrequency]

Beautiful drone work! Always love watching your videos. And for possibly the first time ever I'm 100% certain I know where you are 😆.

[@jensenflyfishing]

:) We think there is a whole lot of that going on with this video! ;) :)

[@TheGibbons334]

So nice seeing some water I know well and enjoy every few yrs 👍 great photography and story telling as always

[@jensenflyfishing]

Glad you enjoyed it. Funny that we've never gone downstream of there. Always a want but never a go for some reason. We do have a lot of holes to fill and this was a perfect time to do it. :) Hope the bull trout message of "beyond the issue of the day" hits home for a few people - while we're obviously against coal mining the umbrella & most important issue is that the political system is allowed to perpetually change rules & regs of industrial use & expansion - if we don't change the political system we'll be forever tail chasing the issues of the day. Cheers

[@mikejessmax]

Beautiful area of the province and definitely one of my favorite rivers, thanks.

[@jensenflyfishing]

It's a gorgeous one! 😊😍

[@TheSilver9r]

Only discovered that spot a few years ago myself, beautiful area! Don’t recall the big boulder but probably didn’t go that far down.

[@jensenflyfishing]

That's awesome! It possibly could have looked quite different with more water in it too as it was ultra low when we were there. Happy for you as that day of discovery is always so good🙂

[@weederminb7091]

Beautiful video love it, wish I could be fishing I’m stuck on the van island fishings great too, bc love tight lines So sneaky with clear water thanks again 🍁🏔

[@jensenflyfishing]

Gorgeous weather and water that day! And man, yeah, BC lockdowns to your region... it'll get better soon. All the best there, hope our shares help pass some time happily 😊🍻

[@MidLifeFlysis]

Thanks for a great video and for bringing attention to the political issues faced by our native fish.

[@jensenflyfishing]

Absolutely. We see our role two-fold: either hit hard and initiate awareness and process to fisheries specific issues that need public boosts (emergency stream closures, specific watershed mgt plans or specific regs) OR to focus people to the tail-spinning by the gov AB away from the political system when that's what is causing issue. We can't get involved in things like the coal mining issue as that is a societal level issue that will have to run its course through the Alberta populace and not just through Fisheries Mgt process. We have to draw that distinction for ourselves right now in order to recoup from burning out in 25 yrs of heavy involvement. Hope this helps in the current coal issue fiasco and smoke-screen to what the GOA is really after.

[@montanastrongremodelrenova1632]

So glad you guys said that about bullies... I see them all over and I don't even target them anymore. The controversy behind them everywhere is touchy and the Googan wannabe fish bums who throw 12 inch white rabbit strips messing these fish up are the reason I have no interest in them anymore.

[@jensenflyfishing]

Glad it connected for you:) We understand your sentiment.

[@rickbobrick6573]

That is one beautifully bleak landscape. The drone work is spectacular!

[@jensenflyfishing]

It's incredible isn't it? Just amazing country. Beautiful. But damned stark, indeed. Add cold Canadian winters to that kind of arid landscape and the need for conservation is obvious - thankfully the Nature Conservancy and the Cattle Grazing Co-op came together on exactly that. :)

[@CrazyAboutFlyFishing]

That's a stunning spot, nice drone shots and some great fishing

[@jensenflyfishing]

It really is a beautiful place!

[@peirules154]

Another awesome video. My last trip out size 6 Kaufman stone with legs nailed a nice bull for me.

[@jensenflyfishing]

for all the huge bull trout fly slingers out there I'm convinced more would catch the big ones if using plain old nymphs :)

[@atislav]

Amazing video...again. Thanks.

[@jensenflyfishing]

Glass you enjoyed it! 😊🍻

[@cartergibb]

Awesome video guys!

[@jensenflyfishing]

It's great to hear you enjoyed it and thanks for commenting:)

[@dougbrien9836]

Great video! Love the music too!

[@jensenflyfishing]

We thought it jived well with the feel of the video, so glad to hear others liked it as well. 🙂

[@kathleen.muste.no.nonsense]

hope one day you guys can visit australia ..get to fish my local lake lake wendouree. victoria...very smart trout here..exellent as always guys

[@jensenflyfishing]

Hopefully we can turn the next NZ trip into an extended one and include stepping onto Aussie soil and maybe Tassie as well. :)

[@matthewnuttall2667]

I love your cinematography

[@jensenflyfishing]

:) thank you. It takes us a little extra time but it adds a little to the video :)

[@thecatchtherelease8982]

I love the fact your passionate about not targeting bull trout, I’m really passionate about not targeting spawning fish or using egg patterns spawning fish should be left alone to reproduce. 🎣

[@jensenflyfishing]

There's a feel to what plight the fish are in at any point in the season and if they are in a negative energy or vulnerable place there's a point where there has to be a line in targeting them. That said there are 8B ppl on earth with 8B different perspectives on where that line is. But it sounds like our lines would be within a millimetre or two 😊🍻

[@thecatchtherelease8982]

@@jensenflyfishing definitely mate love your passion and merry Christmas from Australia 🇦🇺

[@kenlloyd5195]

those opening shots of the alps just like the south island nz

[@jensenflyfishing]

you're the second to comment on exactly that! Isn't it just remarkable? Swap that big bull out for a NZ brown and you could be fishing the exact same spot - though you'd never get away with my approach to that bull on a NZ brown ;) But remarkable resemblance isn't it? Not bad for 30 minutes from our front door :)

[@kenlloyd5195]

@@jensenflyfishing we are surely blessed just being in those environments can be enough

[@jensenflyfishing]

It is that! And both locations will get your attention with freight train winds of essentially the same origin concept in chinooks or NW 😊🤣

[@conorlinehan4434]

Is fishing more fun then doing the cinematography or do you guys like them both equally? I could see similarities in the two!

[@jensenflyfishing]

On days like that the camera might get the nod, certainly. :) Other days the rod wins. The best part is that at the start of the day you never know which one will shine most :)

[@MrEverettkolb]

Great video as always! Quick question. What type of knots do you use on the majority of your flys? Improved clinch knot? Non slip loop knot?

[@jensenflyfishing]

the majority on a simple, original clinch. we don't do much that's fancy. Cheers!

[@tickstudio1651]

Greeting, dear. Awesome Fishing Video💞😍

[@jensenflyfishing]

Thanks 👍

[@Toddcm]

Gorgeous fishing and scenery! Do your Smith Ignitors have glass lenses? Do either of you notice a significant difference between glass and plastic lenses?

[@jensenflyfishing]

It sure was! Yes, they are a Techlite glass lens and they're far more scratch resistant than plastic lenses and lighter than traditional glass.

[@jamesbunting7700]

Do you access this area of the river between the reservoir and the highway? Also, I didn’t know bull trout were there in the spring? I thought they went back to the head waters!

[@jensenflyfishing]

Waldrons 😊🍻 you have your seasonal directionality backwards 😊🍻

[@jnix112]

You make such a fantastic team! I wish I had a spotter!! One of my goals this year is to fish this system more. I learn so much from you in every video!

[@jensenflyfishing]

Thank you! A spotter certainly helps but you have to really be happy not catching fish and focused on the fish- not everyone wants to do it! Glad there's a few little helpers in our vids - that's why we make them🍻😊

[@keyvanmahmoudi8694]

We are the essence of the planet. News is carried by donkey, so it takes a year

[@dankochanek8056]

How do you find these fantasy places!! So amazing..

[@jensenflyfishing]

We've always had a big exploring spirit. Glad you enjoyed it.

[@craigbooker1503]

Hi Pretty trout. What wonderful scene and action packed as usual. I need to ask you what is a bull trout. Last time I talked to you the local rivers were dropping but now they really are low. I am still using the 3 half 4 foot dropper set up which is still working but not sure how long. All the very best to you both. Safe and happy travel. Craig

[@jensenflyfishing]

A bull trout is a char that is a native species here in Alberta and essentially the Pacific NW of N America. It's a slow growing, long-lived fish that eats insects and fry through its juvie years before turning predominantly on meat. It traditionally has a huge migration range from its wintering water to its spawning grounds but much of that has been interrupted by dams and weirs through its range. It spawns in tiny headwater spring influenced waters - but so do brook trout and hybridization became a huge issue. Because it lives in cold water it pretty much eats anything and everything - hence why when the first colonizers here in the west came through the population took a massive hit. They aren't spooky and essentially can be caught at will if you pursue them as you see in this video. They're essentially an indicator species of habitat health - if oil & gas or forestry roads cut off their migration; if forestry activities remove forest canopies and open tiny spawning & rearing streams to too much thermal radiation sending temps sky rocketing; if every bit of stream is opened to angling access; if oil & gas spills send toxins into our headwater springs... well, you get the point - these fish are in trouble. And we've done all the above in spades. Hope that helps.

[@craigbooker1503]

@@jensenflyfishing Very well explained reply thanks AJ & Dave Cheers Craig NZ

[@johngardiner9996]

Is that between the highway and the reservoir? I alway go up river might have to check out down river next time.

[@jensenflyfishing]

it is, but if you go make it for your own exploration's sake as the fishing isn't much different really.

[@akintomeatloaf]

Hi again! Is that the GoPro magnetic swivel clip mount?

[@jensenflyfishing]

Yes.

[@rhonda837]

Hi Shrek! LOL

[@jensenflyfishing]

Dare we ask?

[@akintomeatloaf]

Hello D&E, was wondering what your thoughts on Euro Nymphing are. Is it just the "next new thing?" More effective than other methods in certain situations? Would you ever switch to it exclusively (for ___ amount of time)? In all the media I've seen you both post, I don't think I've ever seen y'all use EN. (My local fly shop guy is old school and says it's just unnecessary haha. He says just tight line nymph with split shot on a "regular" fly rod.)

[@jensenflyfishing]

We've done a couple of videos on it back 2 years. We actually did tightline and naked nymphing as far back as the early 90s in canyon rivers using point fly and dropper fly setups to get to the bottom of deep pools. Would we do it exclusively? Yes in certain circumstances where we wanted to catch fish. But we're visual anglers and camera work is v important to us - we really don't fish to catch fish any more. But if there's an opportunity to catch gorgeous trout with a stunning backdrop to share a video scene or share a how to - absolutely :) It's essentially vacuuming a river and if you love to catch fish that's the way to do it :)

[@akintomeatloaf]

@@jensenflyfishing Ah, so it's the way to become a fish-catching machine, hey? haha. You've posed a good question for me to ponder though. Maybe my interest is piqued because it's a technique I haven't learned/tried yet...Thanks again!

[@jensenflyfishing]

@@akintomeatloaf it's definitely that. But you'll catch everything in the river :)

[@countryhick1011]

is the fishing just upstream of the bridge any good? i never really see anyone there always downstream of the parking drop off

[@jensenflyfishing]

There's only one way to find out - we'd say late August and low water... go get on those cliffs and look and see who's home and then hopper-dropper the riffles to find the ones you don't see! :)

[@sghitza1]

👍

[@jensenflyfishing]

🙂

[@evanhammond7305]

How do you avoid the bulls I catch them by accident all the time? Another question do you think they bulls are making a comeback? They seem more prevalent in my area then they where 15 years ago?

[@jensenflyfishing]

Try to avoid streamer fishing? :) In some waters there is no doubt about two things: First, despite the Gov AB's insistence that they are in severe decline, some watersheds have rebounded considerably - but it isn't politically expedient to admit that when your funding is based upon "saving" native species; nor is it expedient to admit that because of shortfalls in your funding your study periods and windows may force you to be in reaches of water bull trout won't be because they simply can't until levels rise or cool (ie - doing studies on the Ram in drought conditions early August). The second consideration is that we anglers are seeing more because the Gov AB has allowed access to open literally everywhere in the province and it has been a free-for-all for so long.

[@craigbooker1503]

Hey AJ you got that camera work so good.

[@jensenflyfishing]

thank you - loved that day :)

[@steveenoka7454]

Damn that was enjoyable,shades of mackenzie country in scape on an epic scale,

[@jensenflyfishing]

So glad you see it that way too! A touch of Canterbury tossed in by certainly feels like coming down to the Greys from the Haka too. Gorgeous countryside in both places. Arid country dried by tall mountains in both cases - and bloody wind prone too!

[@rickbobrick6573]

Race walking is an Olympic sport. Have you considered trying out for the Canadian team?

[@jensenflyfishing]

funny - we were actually laughing at how slowly we were going in waders compared to wet wading speed of summer! :)

[@lilkommi8977]

Is this the Oldman or Waterton river

[@lilkommi8977]

Or is it someplace else

[@jensenflyfishing]

Sorry. We don't name too many waters in our social feeds. Not too hard to fund tho so happy hunting!

[@evanhammond7305]

I'm curious if you guys go ice fishing?

[@jensenflyfishing]

no we don't. The past 14 years we've been in New Zealand for winters... well, except this year.

[@kentwakeman]

What river is this?

[@jensenflyfishing]

It's one in SW Alberta, Canada

[@CeazorsSnackSandwich]

Where's all the vegetation?

[@jensenflyfishing]

That's early spring in Alberta for you

[@CeazorsSnackSandwich]

@@jensenflyfishing Not many forests in the area?

[@jensenflyfishing]

@@CeazorsSnackSandwich I think the drone shows that! :) No, it's an arid region with grasslands and high wind, much like New Zealand high country, Patagonian pampas.

[@FishingWithDamon]

Nice catch’s I went fishing today I am going to actually post it soon on my channel but noeone really watch’s it cause I am a kid 😂 😂

[@jensenflyfishing]

time and persistence is the secret to life... :)

[@keyvanmahmoudi8694]

Your ages and spouse are great

[@jensenflyfishing]

Glad you enjoyed the video:)

[@hardcaliber19]

So tiresome with these snobby fishing channels and their "Frenchman's Creeks." I don't have a problem whatsoever with not giving away your particular access points or dropping a GPS pin, but there is absolutely no reason not to name the river you're fishing. Just reeks of elitism. You don't own these waters. They belong to all Albertans. Trying to somehow hide them from others is just childish. There are only so many water bodies that bear good fly fishing in this province. You're not protecting anything from anyone. Anyone that spends a little time travelling this province will eventually end up on this river as well. Notice the 5 trucks you spoke of? It's not some magical secret. Juvenile. Last one of your videos I'm watching.

[@jensenflyfishing]

Hi there and thank you for your reply. As the original Fly Fish Alberta Forum hosts and publishers of the Alberta Fishing Guide Magazine, on those levels we'd certainly understand and appreciate your sentiment. The trouble is that we've outgrown being Alberta-based and have a massive following globally. Part of taking ownership of having 220K direct followers on social media & being directly tied to a company like Orvis with 1.5M followers on their channels, is to consider who our audience is. We know our reach & impact and aren't looking to discourage or dissuade Albertans, by no means. We're simply trying to keep the masses that are in Montana and other states from coming here in droves and targeting that particular section on THAT river. As you & we all know, it's not remotely difficult to find. On that level then, if it is so easy to find, really, there's no secrets any more anyway and those who want to poke about can find it quite readily. Your reply here was quite hostile unnecessarily. That's on you, which of course speaks to your sense of entitlement that you want things your way instead of considering us, asking why we do things a certain way, and then while maybe not agreeing simply saying "hey, 8B people on the planet aren't going to do everything the same way". Hopefully you can appreciate differences in how the world turns. All the best, Dave & Amelia Jensen

[@hardcaliber19]

@@jensenflyfishing Mmm.. credential humblebrag, followed by follower count humblebrag, followed by sponsorship humblebrag, followed by passive-aggresive "entitlement" insult. Nice. MY sense of entitlement?? Please. I know exactly where you are fishing. It's the principle of the thing. I watch numerous Orvis BRANDED fishing channels, and they don't seem to have any problem mentioning the name of the river they are fishing, be it in Alberta, BC, or Montana. That is a pile of horse flop. No "droves" of fisherman are coming up from Montana to steal your Frenchman's Creek. Give me a break. If a fellow fly fisherman from Montana wants to spend the hundreds, or likely thousands, of dollars to come up to enjoy a few days on the water enjoying the natural beauty of Alberta's rivers and streams, I welcome that. Just as I would want to be welcomed in their neck of the woods. Or, say, New Zealand... You are not special. You are not a better conservationist, more responsible, or frankly *better* than any other fly fisherman out there looking to wet a line. Or are you suggesting that is indeed what you are, and I had you pegged from the get-go? I have no interest in watching a channel that treats its viewers like a bunch of unwashed neanderthals, incapable of not immediately killing every trout in their favorite stretch of river and filling it with crushed beer cans. If that's "how you do it"; trying to clutch onto your little secrets and hoard all the fishing to your chosen, enlightened few, then no, I don't agree. I don't support it. I think it's pompous and loathsome, and a perpetuation of behaviors that turns off the next generation of fly fishers (and by extension, conservationists to fight for THAT beautiful river and its watershed). Maybe one day NO ONE will fish THAT lovely river again. And then no one will care enough to preserve it. Mission accomplished. Good job. 👍