Freestone · Gravel · Alberta

Red Deer River (upper, near Sundre)

Red Deer River (upper, near Sundre) terrain map
Terrain map

The upper Red Deer near Sundre is a broad, productive foothills freestone — long riffles, gravel bars and good holding runs full of wild browns and rainbows, with bull trout and whitefish for company.

Species

Closed season

Season reopens 16 June. Plenty of other water available now.

Closed — confidence not applicable today.
Water temperature for bull trout
Ideal
8°C est.ideal 612°C
0°14°28°
The full read · show the working · for bull trout · confidence 75%
How the 0 is built — score × weight = contribution
Temperature100 × 28%28.0
Flow80 × 22%17.6
Clarity85 × 18%15.3
Feeding Time70 × 13%9.1
Pressure75 × 7%5.3
Insect activity47 × 12%5.6
Conditions total= 81
Can you trust it?
Water temperatureair-to-water estimateestimated
Level / flowon-river gaugeobserved
Prey activitymodelled from regional profilemodelled
Conditions
Live gauge
Level
1.99 m
Water temp
8.2°C
Estimated
Clarity
Slightly coloured
Clearing
Air temp
6°C
Wind
NW 12 km/h
Light breeze
Pressure
1016 hPa
Rain · 48h
0.9 mm
No meaningful rain
Rain · ahead
0.0 mm
No meaningful rain · next 48h

Live readings — water temperature is an estimate where the gauge does not record it.

Hatch timeline · todayQuiet day

Hatch predictions

Today's headline hatch shown — see all 5 active hatches hour by hour with Pro.

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Evidence
ModelledModerate confidence

Modelled from regional ecology — no survey or occurrence data for this water yet.

How to fish it · for bull trout
When
Nymphing can work through most of the day.
Where
Cover mixed depths.
Method
Start with tight-line nymphs and adjust if fish rise or drift higher.
Kit
9 ft #4 rod, floating line, 12 ft tapered leader to 4–5 lb fluoro tippet.
Through the year
0–3 scale · June highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Trout seasonSeason
1
2
2
2
1
Western Green DrakeHatch
2
2
Flav (Small Western Green Drake)Hatch
2
3
2
Mahogany DunHatch
2
2
American March BrownHatch
2
3
2

Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.

Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
  • Reach-specific gear/harvest rules; bull trout zero limit
  • Verify current Alberta regs (Zone ES1).
Directions
About this water

The upper Red Deer near Sundre is a broad, productive foothills freestone — long riffles, gravel bars and good holding runs full of wild browns and rainbows, with bull trout and whitefish for company. Less pressured than the Calgary-area rivers, it floats and wades well and fishes from summer through a strong autumn brown-trout run. Mind the bull trout: zero limit, always released.

Under the surface

The upper Red Deer around Sundre is a broad foothills freestone of long riffles, gravel bars and good runs, holding wild brown and rainbow trout with bull trout and mountain whitefish, and cutthroat higher in the system. Big enough to float in places and easily waded in others, it's a productive, less-pressured river that fishes well from summer into a fine autumn brown-trout season.

Wading: Strong current in the bigger runs, flashy after storms

  • Gravel
  • Partly confined
  • Pool riffle
  • Large river
Seasons & zones
  • Trout16 June → 31 October
Other water nearby · 2
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