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[lophat]

Hey everyone, we are headed to the Kootenays in the summer and plan to camp around Kimberley. Anyone have some experiences to share on these rivers? Is it fairly accessible or would you recommend a guided trip? We'll be with another family of  fly fishers so it could be quite expensive. Would you feel comfortable in drifting it yourself sans guide? Any info would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

[lophat]

So no one ventures out of the lower mainland? That's a bit disappointing. I thought for sure there'd be some on here who have spent time on those rivers that could help out a noob to the area. 

[Fish or cut bait.]

Your answers will come.
Be patient.
Everyone around here is focused on Steelhead ATM.
Your talking next summer.
I know a few people who drift the Elk and have been invited to go along before but haven't yet.
Might even see them in the next couple weeks.
Will ask when I do.

[lophat]

Thanks FOCB,

I have to admit, I'm focused on steelies too but trying to book other stuff in as well. Amongst the holiday stuff as well, my patience is getting short, must reset. Deep breath in.......sip scotch..

[dave c]

In the early 90's I moved to Cranbrook from Ontario.  As most of the rivers are fly fishing only I had to learn to fly fish.  No internet back then but with the help of a VHS tape of Gary Borger I learned the basics and even started tying my own flies.  I found one spot in particular on the St. Mary's River about a half mile walk down stream from the highway bridge between Cranbrook and Kimberley which held large cutties.  I caught many on stone fly dries but most on bead head nymphs.  I also fished St. Mary's Lake (ice fishing).  Some brutes in there.  Did some float tubing in JimSmith Lake and a couple other lakes whose names escape me right now.  There was also a decent run right beneath the bridge but who knows what the river looks like now as it was 24 years since I was there.  That being said from what I saw there were decent runs to be had with a little leg work.  If you head to a local tackle shop I'm sure they will send you in the right direction.  Tight lines.

[clarkii]

There are fly shops in that area for a reason.  For starters they can tell you current conditions, two they know what's working.  Keep in mind if you buy something the info is better (doesn't have to be a 1000 sage one fly rod, 3 dry flies will suffice (or a couple sizes of what they recommend)

For the most part, information being passed along about regions 3 and 4 flows operates differently then that of region 2.  There is an expectation that a little legwork is required, and info that does come in will most likely come through a pm or email.  I understand you don't want to go that way for a bust, however how much effort are you willing to put in to turn your trip into a success?  This isn't the Vedder, Stave, Chehalis, Norris etc.  Do the legwork, you'll appreciate success a lot more and maybe even appreciate why guys have a bit of a tight lip.

I know I'm coming across as a jerk here.  The Kootenays are great and everyone should head out to fly fish there at some point in their life.  Just don't expect Internet hand outs once your talking beyond region 2.

[lophat]

Thanks Dave C, that is very great info. It sure helps to have a rough idea of what to expect and I'll be sure to pass it along to my camp mates so they can dig some too.

@clarkii, I understand what you are saying and be sure that this forum is not the only source I'll be chasing to improve our fishing experience. That is why I am starting now. I certainly was not expecting a golden goose to be dropped off on my doorstep. I grew up in the Kootenays on the Upper Arrow lakes and have fished with many of the old timers out there. We always welcomed newbies to the area and would share everything we could about specific lakes or rivers because we understood that no matter how detailed we described what to do and when, there would always be a learning curve that the newbie would still need to go through. Besides, conditions are always changing so what works one day, may not the next and we know this. The Ved, Chehalis, etc. well, we all know about the massive pressures put on these systems so tight lips are understandable.

I would buy the Sage One switch just to have....no proprietary info required.

[itosh]

How long are you going for?
If I recall all 3 rivers have hwy/roads/FSRs along side of them for a lot of their lengths and an idea of the distance between Kimberley and Fernie.
Get yourself the Kootenay Region Backroad Mapbook and you have a general idea of the road access.
As for drifting, only drifted the Elk and it is a fairly easy drift.
If you can, the best way to learn the river would be to get a guide to figure out how to fish it and what to use (unless you like that kind of stuff).  Elk River Guiding is a good shop and friendly staff in Fernie and there is a flyshop in Kimberley.
Nice area and lots of fish.

[lophat]

Thanks Itosh,

We're camping for a week and hopefully fishing for three or four days. All depends on family's desires. Plus our friends are coming from Calgary so it may be cost prohibitive to fish everyday. We are definitely considering a guide to shorten the learning curve and plan to drift the river for a day. From what I have been able to scrounge from the Internet, a lot of the river has limited access due to private property bordering the river. Hopefully there will some good spots with easy access. It will just be nice to be back in that part of the province with, hopefully, no one around while flicking dries to shaded waters!

[clarki]

I have never fished those streams, although some day I would like to, so I have nothing first hand to offer.

However, if you haven't already, I would suggest hanging around flybc.ca (am I allowed to say that?)

The search function will produce a ton of hits for you on those streams, as well you may find helpful anglers that will respond to posts     

[lophat]

Thanks for the helpful info Clarki! Much appreciated and you were bang on about the info and helpfulness! I feel much more prepared now and have a rough idea in my head as to how we'll approach it. I'll post pics later this summer! Thanks again!👍