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Fishing Banff National Park

Grab Your Pole and Catch Your Dinner or Just Kick Back and Relax while Fishing the Rockies

It was Thoreau who said “time is but the stream I go a-fishing in. Fly fishing in Banff, Alberta, in the Canadian Rockies.Its thin current slides away, but eternity remains.” But then someone else said “a bad day’s fishing is better than a good day at work.” Whether you see trout fishing as a spiritual exercise in self renewal, or just a good way to relax while on holiday, the Canadian Rockies are an excellent place in which to do it. Naturally there are some excellent spots for fishing in Banff National Park.

The upper Bow River, running directly through Banff National Park, is known worldwide among anglers for opportunities to catch brown trout (up to 10 lbs/4 kg), Rocky Mountain whitefish (to 5 lbs/2.2 kg), and the occasional cutthroat, brook, and bull trout.

Lake Minnewanka, the largest lake in Banff National Park, located just minutes northeast from the city of Banff, is another well-known destination among lake trout anglers.

Banff TravelSeveral local guides and outfitters are available to lead angling trips, including Banff Fishing Unlimited, Alpine Anglers and Lake Minnewanka Boat Tours. A National Park Fishing Permit is required. Angling season runs April through October.

Fly Fishing

The fly fishing season begins in May and runs through to October. Dry fly fishing peaks in July, August, and September. Fly fishing guides include Tightline Adventures, Hawgwild Flyfishing Guides, Banff Travel, Alpine Anglers, Upper Bow Fly Fishing Company, and Banff Flyfishing.

And remember: “There will be days when the fishing is better than one’s most optimistic forecast, others when it is far worse. Either is a gain over just staying home.”

Want first hand advice on where the fish are biting? New to fly fishing? Let the folks at Banff Travel arrange your fishing trip in Banff National Park. Walk and wade or drift in a boat, the choice is yours.

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Banff, Alberta