Fishing hot spots from fly angler and guitar virtuoso Jim McLennan

For our 2016 Fishing Special issue, Outdoor Canada recruited a supergroup of acclaimed Canadian recording artists, who also happen to be hard-core anglers. And these fishin’ musicians agreed to sing about their favourite Canadian fishing holes—74 in all. For the full list, see The Fishin’ Musicians.

As an expert fly angler, fly-fishing instructor and outdoor writer, Longview, Alberta’s Jim McLennan will be familiar to long-time readers of Outdoor Canada. But McLennan is also a composer, arranger and superb fingerstyle guitarist. In 2012, his Six-String Gumbo album, featuring some seriously impressive picking, was a finalist for Instrumental Recording of the Year at the Western Canadian Music Awards. McLennan performs at numerous folk festivals, often accompanied by his wife Lynda—also an expert angler—as vocalist. His hot spots draw on his 50 years of fishing in the Canadian West.

Learn more: www.mclennanflyfishing.com

Favourite fish: Rainbow trout

Favourite type of fishing: Dry-fly fishing in rivers

Favourite fishing song: “Deep River Blues” by Doc Watson

BOW RIVER, ALBERTA

GPS: 50.854, -113.970

FISH: Brown and rainbow trout

WHY: Big fish

BEST TIME: Early July through September

BEST FLY: Elk Hair Caddis

CROWSNEST RIVER, ALBERTA

GPS: 49.571, -114.363

FISH: Rainbow trout

WHY: Intimate, easily waded stream

BEST TIME: Mid-April to early October (avoid May runoff)

BEST FLY: Grasshopper

ELK RIVER, B.C.

GPS: 49.519, -115.059

FISH: Bull and cutthroat trout

WHY: Great mountain setting

BEST TIME: August and September

BEST FLY: Pink streamer (for bulls)

FORTRESS LAKE, B.C.

GPS: 52.372, -117.786

FISH: Brook trout

WHY: Best mountain setting anywhere, and largest brookies west of Labrador

BEST TIME: July to September

BEST FLY: Olive Flash-a-Bugger

OLDMAN RIVER, ALBERTA

GPS: 49.798, -114.150

FISH: Bull cutthroat and rainbow trout

WHY: Spectacular setting with (sometimes) eager cutthroats

BEST TIME: August and September

BEST FLY: Stimulator