Heli-Fishing at its best!

The South Ram River originates high in the Canadian Rocky Mountains at Ram Glacier, tucked just inside Banff National Park.
Here, there is a lush open valley and small lake where the river flows out over the meadow before cascading off a small
rock ledge into the next valley. The river flows past two historic Forest Service cabins as it meanders through a wide,
open valley. Elk, deer, cougar, wolves, and grizzly bears are known to frequent this valley, as the summer forage
provides excellent habitat. The river is joined by Ranger and Hummingbird creeks as it meanders. There are several
horseback outfitters that provide wonderful pack trips into the upper Ram River drainage from outposts at
Hummingbird's confluence with the South Ram. Just below this, however, the river turns and cuts its way deep into
the landscape, as the canyon begins.

The canyon section of the South Ram River covers about 45 river kilometers, all the way past the North Ram River,and into
the treacherous "Chutes of the Ram." Historians note this as the location that nearly ended early explorer David
Thompson's journeys, as the impassible waters here took its toll on his crew as they waited out a very tough winter during
their explorations.

The canyon is home to some of the most remote and rugged, but extremely beautiful landscape few get to enjoy. Access
is limited to hiking or fly in heli-tours. Numerous waterfalls drop the river quickly as it races out of the mountains
and through the pine forested foothills. There is exceptional trout habitat as the river combines some of the best features for
a cutthroat trout stream: runs, riffles, pools, log jams, boulder gardens, broken rock bottom, and deep pools—some of
which are 20 feet deep. These deep pools offer excellent over-wintering habitat and shelter the trout during times of
high flow. When the water is dirty, if can be difficult to entice these cutthroat from their deep, sheltered lies.

It is a place where three or more mayfly species may be in simultaneous hatch/spinner fall, or where the Golden Stoneflies
are still hatching while the grasshoppers begin to emerge, providing an explosive dry-fly event. While only a few fish in excess
of 22" are seen each year, westslope cutthroat trout up to exactly 26" have been caught on the South Ram River.

Perhaps the finest attribute the South Ram River has is its reputation as the purest remaining population of westslope
cutthroat trout in Alberta. Originally stocked with trout originating in southeast British Columbia by Alberta Fish and Wildlife
in the 1960s, South Ram River cutthroat escaped the hybridization that came with the advancement of rainbow trout
in the Oldman river system in southern Alberta.

Today, the provincial government's mandate is to keep a healthy, thriving population of cutthroat trout in high numbers and
trophy sizes. With only two road access points legally open to the public, the short term future looks great for the South Ram.

This is a small river that turns into a torrent each June and it is a fragile fishery. Time will tell if the catch-and-release
regulations will be enough to maintain this exceptional fishery. Will this remote wilderness river remain the rugged,
intimate, world class site, or will it evolve into just another river?

Hatches on both the North Ram and South Ram rivers are similar, with an array of stoneflies, caddis, mayflies, midges,
and terrestrials. It is the stonefly hatches that are a big draw on this system, with Golden Stones often hatching into early
August. As well, several mayfly species hatch throughout the season, and terrestrials (hoppers, ants, beetles, etc) hit the
water later into the summer and into the fall.

This article made possible by Dave Jensen and published in:


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