Fascination with this river comes easily, and for compelling reasons: a diverse and dramatic setting on the edge of the Rocky Mountains, a stunning abundance of trout water--nearly 100 miles all told--and a satisfying variety of fish and water types within that space.

Named for Na’pi, the great spirit and protector in Peigan native legend, the river chugs east out of the Rockies and eases onto the edge of the Great Plains draining 10,000 square miles of southwestern Alberta. After gathering a few tributaries--Crowsnest, Castle, St. Mary-- the Oldman flows through the city of Lethbridge and collides with the Bow out in the shortgrass prairie a little east of nowhere. The new river, called South Saskatchewan (no longer trout water), sets a course for Hudson Bay. It is the upper 70 miles of the Oldman, from its headwaters to the Peigan Indian Reserve, that intrigues fly fishers.

Upper Oldman
The river near its headwaters is tiny and clear. Native cutthroats dart over polished gravel in the moments they feel safe from apparitional bull trout that lurk beneath. The upper river lies within the Rocky Mountain Forest Reserve--government land open to public use--and is paralleled by an all-weather--or most-weather--gravel road, which provides easy access to the river. Camping is allowed in the Forest Reserve, and although the area is popular in the summer, most campers aren’t fishing.

Opening day on this part of the river is June 16, but it’s better to wait until late June or early July when runoff subsides and the fishing perks up.

The upper Oldman has bugs, but it’s not a technical, hatch-matching stream. Western Green Drakes, Golden Stones, and Pale Morning Duns are the most important insects, and a variety of other mayflies, caddis, and grasshoppers show up in good numbers through the prime July-October window. Most of the fishing, though, is a matter of searching for willing volunteers, whether they are rising or not. Attractor drys, often rigged with small beadhead nymphs hanging beneath, are popular and work well for the predominant 8- to 15-inch cutthroats. Be sure to carry size 10-12 yellow Stimulators, size 14 Parachute Adams, and size 14-16 Beadhead Pheasant Tail Nymphs.

The river flows generally south, with easy access via Highway 40 (the old Forest Trunk Road), a gravel road running north-south through the Forest Reserve. The Oldman is joined by the Livingstone River and several smaller tributaries near Trunk Road. It then meets Racehorse Creek, takes a sharp turn east, and in what seems an improbable move, dodges through a narrow opening in the mountain aptly called The Gap. For fly-fishing purposes, The Gap is the logical demarcation between upper and middle Oldman.

This article originally appeared in the July 2007 issue of Fly Fisherman.