Cypress Hills Rainbows

First stop the tackle shop.

Brent explains where they will be fishing for the day.

Alex shoves off in his new River Guide Pontoon Boat from Water Skeeter.

With plenty of room to move around, landing a fish is a breeze in this Cadillac of pontoon Boats.

After several hours of fighting gale force winds Alex decides to pull out the spinning gear and try his luck casting a few spinners from shore.

Being the local expert Brent had no problem chasing down a few fish in short order.

One hard fought battle won by the angler.

Rainbow Trout are one of the most common species of trout in North America for several reasons. They grow fast, fight hard and adapt very well to a variety of habitats. When thinking of trout most would envision a lake, stream or river in the mountains or foothills. But to think of driving to the far south east edge of Alberta only a few miles from the Saskatchewan border one might think you were nuts.

The Cypress hills are a very unique piece of geography that were formed by the glaciers as they carved their path through the prairies, leaving an oasis amongst the coulees and flat plains. After a long drive through the typical prairie landscape, you will be amazed at your first sight of this heavily forested area that is comparable to the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. Not only is the landscape unique, but the wildlife also makes a drastic transition from typical prairie species like Gophers, and Antelopes, to an abundance of Elk, Mule Deer, and Wild Turkeys within the park.

At the foot of this spectacular area lie several lakes that were once used for holding ponds by ranchers for their livestock. Somewhere along the way they realized these might just be the perfect habitat for a healthy trout population. Rainbow Trout were stocked, and now these ponds are home to massive, hard fighting, Rainbows.

Brent Schlenker of Cypress Fly and Tackle made arrangements with the landowners to help manage the ponds in exchange for the right to offer guided trips to a limited amount of anglers each year. This allows Brent to strictly manage the amount of pressure each pond receives, and anglers booking with Cypress Fly and Tackle are provided with a golden opportunity for a great day on the water. To find out more, check out our schedule for the upcoming episode.