Alberta

Crowsnest River

Alberta·Southwest Alberta·49.58° N, 114.38° W

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About Crowsnest River

The Crowsnest is the river many southern Alberta fly anglers learn on, and the one they keep coming back to. It leaves Crowsnest Lake near the BC line and runs roughly 55 km east, past Coleman, Blairmore, Frank, Hillcrest and Bellevue, out into the foothills at Burmis, and over Lundbreck Falls to the Oldman Reservoir. For most of that distance it is about 15 m (50 ft) wide, easy to wade, and never far from Highway 3. Wild rainbows are the fish here, from the lake outlet to the reservoir, and a 35 to 40 cm (14 to 16") fish is common. Below Lundbreck Falls the river adds brown trout and the odd bull trout. The mainstem from the lake outlet to the Cowley Bridge is open all year with a bait ban, and every trout and whitefish you catch there goes back.

Read the Frank gauge, in the middle of the Pass. In winter and early spring the river runs low and clear, and the fishing is midge and small olive nymphs and slow streamers in the deep runs. Blue-winged olives and March browns hatch from late April until runoff. Runoff usually starts in mid-May and lasts into late June. Then the river runs high and brown, often above about 10 m³/s (350 cfs) at Frank, and the only fishing is big stonefly nymphs along the edges, where salmonflies and golden stones crawl out from late May into July. As the river drops back under about 6 m³/s (210 cfs), usually in late June or early July, the best dry-fly weeks of the year begin: golden stones, yellow sallies, western green drakes into mid-July, PMDs, and caddis in the evenings. August runs lower and clearer and the fish get picky, so go small with ants, hoppers and tiny olives. September and October wake the river up again with olives, October caddis and big fall caddis. Browns spawn below the falls in October and November, so watch for redds and stay off them.

Plan for three things. Access is easy in the Pass, where town bridges, the Crowsnest Community Trail and Highway 3 pull-offs reach the river. Below Burmis the river runs through private ranch land: reach the water at bridges and road allowances and stay below the high-water mark, or ask the landowner. The Crow is popular, and the town water and the pool below Lundbreck Falls see anglers most summer days, so be ready to share or walk. And in a hot, low summer the province can close ES1 streams from 2 pm to midnight, so check the advisories before a July or August trip.

Species

Rainbow Trout
Primary · Jun-Oct · 12-18", some over 20"
Wild, and the fish the Crow is known for. Found from the Crowsnest Lake outlet to the reservoir, in both the mountain and the foothill reaches. Catch and release only on the mainstem above the Cowley Bridge.
Brown Trout
Common (below Lundbreck Falls) · Sep-Nov · 14-22"
Introduced, and found mainly below Lundbreck Falls. The bigger fish come to streamers in fall. They spawn in October and November, so stay off the redds. Catch and release only above the Cowley Bridge.
Mountain Whitefish
Common · Year-round · 10-16"
Native and found throughout. They take small nymphs all year, and in winter they are often most of the catch. The mainstem limit above the Cowley Bridge is 0.
Westslope Cutthroat Trout
Uncommon · Jul-Sep · 10-14"
Native, and listed as Threatened. A few turn up in the river, mostly in the upper reaches and tributaries. Catch and release only.
Cutbow Trout
Present · Jun-Oct · 12-16"
Rainbow and cutthroat hybrids turn up among the rainbows. They count as trout and go back on the mainstem.
Bull Trout
Rare (protected) · Release only · 16-26"
Native and listed as Threatened. Found mainly below Lundbreck Falls. Zero harvest in Alberta. Keep them in the water and release them quickly.

Species	Abundance	Best Season	Size
Rainbow Trout	Primary	Jun-Oct	12-18", some over 20"
Brown Trout	Common (below Lundbreck Falls)	Sep-Nov	14-22"
Mountain Whitefish	Common	Year-round	10-16"
Westslope Cutthroat Trout	Uncommon	Jul-Sep	10-14"
Cutbow Trout	Present	Jun-Oct	12-16"
Bull Trout	Rare (protected)	Release only	16-26"

Sections

6 reaches

Crowsnest Lake to Coleman

WadeCutthroat · Rainbow Trout · Whitefish

The smallest water on the river, from the Highway 3 bridge below Crowsnest Lake down past the Allison Creek confluence to the bridges at the east end of Coleman. The lake at the top settles the flow and clears it sooner after runoff than the reaches below. Rainbow trout hold in the pocket water and under the banks, with mountain whitefish in the runs and the odd westslope cutthroat trout. Highway 3 and the Coleman streets are close, so short walks reach most of it.

Best for: Short sessions for rainbow trout on small dries and nymphs, from July into October.

Coleman to Frank

WadeRainbow Trout · Whitefish

Town water through Blairmore, where York Creek and Lyons Creek join, down to the Highway 3 bridge at Frank. The Crowsnest Community Trail, town bridges and Lost Lemon Campground put the river a short walk from the road, so it sees anglers most summer days. It still holds good numbers of rainbow trout and mountain whitefish in the riffles and bend pools. The Frank gauge sits just below the bottom of this reach.

Best for: Easy-access riffles and runs for rainbow trout, and winter nymphing for mountain whitefish.

Frank Slide to East Hillcrest

WadeRainbow Trout · Whitefish

The river cuts through the boulders of the 1903 Frank Slide below Frank, then swings past Hillcrest and Bellevue to the East Hillcrest Bridge. The slide water is fast, rocky pocket water with big boulders to fish around, and the wading is rough, so wear studs. Below it the river eases into longer runs past Bellevue. Rainbow trout carry the catch, with mountain whitefish in the slower runs. This reach reads the Frank gauge at its top.

Best for: Pocket-water nymphing and stonefly dries for rainbow trout in late June and July.

Lundbreck Falls to the Township Road 7-4A Bridge

WadeBull Trout · Brown Trout · Rainbow Trout · Whitefish

The lower Crow, from the pool below Lundbreck Falls past Lundbreck to the Township Road 7-4A bridge above the Oldman Reservoir. The river is bigger here than at Frank and wades harder. It is the only reach with brown trout in good numbers, along with rainbow trout, mountain whitefish and the odd bull trout. Lundbreck Falls Provincial Recreation Area gives easy access at the top, and the Highway 3 and Lundbreck bridges reach the rest. Most banks are private land, so stay below the high-water mark. Browns spawn here in October and November: watch for redds and stay off them.

Best for: Streamers for big brown trout in fall, and dries and nymphs for rainbow trout from July into October.

Highway 507 to Lundbreck Falls

WadeRainbow Trout · Whitefish

Foothill ranch country from the Highway 507 bridge down to the lip of Lundbreck Falls. Fewer roads reach the river here, and most of the banks are private land, so access is the hard part: start at a bridge and walk the bed and shore below the high-water mark, or ask the landowner. Anglers who make the walk find quieter water and wild rainbow trout, with mountain whitefish. Stop well above the falls.

Best for: Quieter water for rainbow trout, for anglers willing to walk from a bridge.

East Hillcrest to Highway 507 (Burmis)

WadeRainbow Trout · Whitefish

The river leaves the mountains here and runs past Leitch Collieries Provincial Historic Site and the Burmis area to the Highway 507 bridge. It has riffles, runs and corner pools, and the Pink Bridge near Burmis is one place to start. Rainbow trout are the main fish, with mountain whitefish. Highway 3 runs close above the river for much of the way. Some banks are private land, so use bridges and road allowances and stay below the high-water mark.

Best for: Hatch fishing for rainbow trout through the drake and PMD weeks, and hoppers along the banks in August.

At a glance

Ideal wading flow: 1.4–5.9 m³/s
Blow-out: >9.9 m³/s
Ideal water temp: 10–16°C

Best seasons

Read at the Frank gauge, which sits in the middle of the Pass and reads the upper river. Through winter and early spring the river runs about 1 to 2 m³/s (35 to 70 cfs), low and clear, and fishes slowly with nymphs and streamers. Runoff usually runs from mid-May into late June, often above about 10 m³/s (350 cfs), high and brown. It clears on the drop through 6 m³/s (210 cfs), usually in late June or early July, when the stonefly and drake weeks begin. About 2 to 4 m³/s (70 to 140 cfs) is the July to October sweet spot, clear and easy to cross at the tailouts. Under about 1.5 m³/s (50 cfs) in a dry August the trout get spooky, so go small and fish early. Below Lundbreck the river carries more water than Frank shows, from its foothill tributaries, so expect it to run a little higher and wade a little harder there. Trout feed best at about 10 to 16 °C (50 to 61 °F). The Frank gauge does not report water temperature, so carry a thermometer and stop above 20 °C (68 °F).

Regulations

The Crowsnest is in Alberta's ES1 watershed unit. The mainstem from the Crowsnest Lake outlet down to the Cowley Bridge is open all year with a bait ban, and the limit is 0 for every trout and for mountain whitefish. Below the Cowley Bridge the river falls under the Oldman Reservoir rules.

Mainstem from the outlet of Crowsnest Lake downstream to the Cowley Bridge: open all year, bait ban, limit 0 for walleye, northern pike, burbot, mountain whitefish and trout.
Crowsnest River downstream of the Cowley Bridge, part of the Oldman Reservoir listing: open all year, bait ban, mountain whitefish 5 over 30 cm, trout 5.
Tributaries except Gold Creek: open June 16 to August 31 with a bait ban, mountain whitefish 5 over 30 cm, rainbow and cutthroat trout 0, trout total 2. Open September 1 to October 31 with a bait ban and all limits 0. Closed November 1 to June 15.
Gold Creek and its tributaries: open June 16 to October 31, bait ban, mountain whitefish 0, brook trout 2, other trout 0.
Bull trout limit 0 everywhere in Alberta.
In ES1 you may not fish through the ice on flowing water.
In a hot, low summer the province can close ES1 flowing waters from 2 pm to midnight. Check mywildalberta.ca before a summer trip.
You need a WiN number and an Alberta sportfishing licence, sold through AlbertaRELM.

Any period not listed for a tributary is closed. Bait ban means unscented lures and flies only. Bull trout and westslope cutthroat are both listed as Threatened, so release them quickly and keep them in the water. Brown trout spawn below Lundbreck Falls in October and November, so do not wade through redds. You need the landowner's permission to cross private land. Alberta allows travel below the ordinary high-water mark of a river bounded by private land.

Source: 2026 Alberta Guide to Sportfishing Regulations (ES1). Regulations change annually. Verify before fishing.

Getting there

Crowsnest Pass (Blairmore), AB

About 2 hr 30 min from Calgary to Blairmore by Highway 22 or by Highway 2 and Highway 3. About 1 hr 30 min from Lethbridge, and about 45 min from Fernie, BC. Calgary and Lethbridge have the nearest airports.

Fly shops

Iron Bow Fly ShopCalgary

Camping: Lundbreck Falls Provincial Recreation Area has a campground and day-use area at the falls. In the Pass, Lost Lemon Campground in Blairmore and the community campground at Bellevue sit near the river, and Chinook Lake, up Allison Creek, has an Alberta Parks campground. Coleman, Blairmore and Bellevue have motels, cabins and bed and breakfasts, and Pincher Creek has more.

Highway 3 follows the river the whole way, and the Crowsnest Community Trail runs beside it through the Pass towns. Town bridges, the Frank Slide area, Leitch Collieries Provincial Historic Site and Lundbreck Falls are common places to start. Below Burmis the river runs through private ranch land: reach it at bridges and road allowances and stay below the high-water mark, or ask the landowner. No First Nations reserve lies along the river. The rocks around Lundbreck Falls are slippery, so take care at the pool below it. Carry bear spray.

Crowsnest River

Alberta·Southwest Alberta·49.58° N, 114.38° W

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Fishing: Good
Flow: 2m³/s; Steady · normal; Crowsnest River at Frank
Water temp: —

Flow

2m³/s

Steady ·

Crowsnest River at Frank

Water temp

—

Normal range

1.6–2.7m³/s

Median 2 m³/s

Weather

7°C

Partly Cloudy

See the full conditions on the Crowsnest River

Flow and temperature charts for every station, the weather, and the days ahead. Free, with an email.

A free account also gets you

5-day Fish Index forecastSee how each of the next 5 days rates on every river and lake, from the flow or wind, water temperature, weather and moon forecasts.
A dashboard for your watersSave your rivers and lakes and compare them on one board, with the last week and the days ahead.
A logbook that fills in the conditionsLog outings and trips with photos, even with no signal in the app. Troutline adds the flow, water temperature and weather for each day.
Your angler profileSee other anglers' public outings, and share yours.

Already have an account?

Want history, unlimited alerts and more? , with the first 14 days free for new members.

Solunar · next 7 days

About Crowsnest River

Species

Rainbow Trout
Primary · Jun-Oct · 12-18", some over 20"
Wild, and the fish the Crow is known for. Found from the Crowsnest Lake outlet to the reservoir, in both the mountain and the foothill reaches. Catch and release only on the mainstem above the Cowley Bridge.
Brown Trout
Common (below Lundbreck Falls) · Sep-Nov · 14-22"
Introduced, and found mainly below Lundbreck Falls. The bigger fish come to streamers in fall. They spawn in October and November, so stay off the redds. Catch and release only above the Cowley Bridge.
Mountain Whitefish
Common · Year-round · 10-16"
Native and found throughout. They take small nymphs all year, and in winter they are often most of the catch. The mainstem limit above the Cowley Bridge is 0.
Westslope Cutthroat Trout
Uncommon · Jul-Sep · 10-14"
Native, and listed as Threatened. A few turn up in the river, mostly in the upper reaches and tributaries. Catch and release only.
Cutbow Trout
Present · Jun-Oct · 12-16"
Rainbow and cutthroat hybrids turn up among the rainbows. They count as trout and go back on the mainstem.
Bull Trout
Rare (protected) · Release only · 16-26"
Native and listed as Threatened. Found mainly below Lundbreck Falls. Zero harvest in Alberta. Keep them in the water and release them quickly.

Species	Abundance	Best Season	Size
Rainbow Trout	Primary	Jun-Oct	12-18", some over 20"
Brown Trout	Common (below Lundbreck Falls)	Sep-Nov	14-22"
Mountain Whitefish	Common	Year-round	10-16"
Westslope Cutthroat Trout	Uncommon	Jul-Sep	10-14"
Cutbow Trout	Present	Jun-Oct	12-16"
Bull Trout	Rare (protected)	Release only	16-26"