Alberta Stillwater Adventures
Where Fly Fishing Adventures Begin
Fly Casting Lessons 101
Introduction To Stillwater Fly Fishing Clinics
Guided Stillwater Day Trips
Welcome
You're probably here for one of three reasons.
1.) You've always wanted to learn how to cast a fly rod.
2.) You're interested in learning techniques and tactics to be successful fly fishing stillwaters or
3.) You're an experienced caster and want to catch some fish on the fly at one of our trout lakes.
Yes? Then let's begin!
Fly Casting Lessons 101
Private 2 hour beginner fly casting lessons for stream or stillwater anglers (includes the use of a rod & reel combo)
What You Will Learn:
• Overhead Cast
• False Cast
• Roll Cast
• Shooting Line
• Line Mending
• Line Management
• Changing Casting Direction
Equipment Overview:
• Fly Rods
• Fly Reels
• Fly Lines
• Leaders
• Tippet
• Simple Knots
Lessons are private and available for kids 11 years or older and adults of any age. No Alberta sport fishing license is needed for casting lessons.
Casting lessons take place from May to September on Tue, Wed or Thur evenings at Muir Lake just minutes north of Spruce Grove.
Introduction to Stillwater Fly Fishing Clinics
Private 8 Hour One On One Stillwater Fly Fishing Instruction (weekends only).
Guide Boat:
Clinics take place in our super stable Marlon, 14ft. jon boat specifically setup for stillwater fly fishing. This boat has tons of room and is very comfortable.
Equipment:
Rod/reel combos, flies and terminal tackle are supplied or bring your own. All you'll need to bring is a pad & pen, lunch/refreshments, clothing to match the weather conditions, your rain gear, a hat, polarized sunglasses and your fishing license.
Entomology:
An introduction to the aquatic life forms that trout rely on throughout the year and what time of year they are most important.
Techniques & Tactics:
Retrieving your flies, fly line selection, understanding structure, where to cast, wind drifting, choosing your depth and more.
Fly & Equipment Review:
You'll learn pattern selection, knots for flies and leader construction. We'll also cover rods, reels, lines, leaders, tippet and how they all work together.
Casting Mechanics:
We can spend as much time on fly casting as is necessary but if you're proficient at casting or just want a refresher, we'll get right to the information and out on the water.
Fly Box & Custom Tied Flies
Complimentary fly box featuring six productive stillwater patterns.
Guided Stillwater Fly Fishing Trips
*for intermediate or advanced casters only
All guided trips take place on the weekends, 1/2 day trips may be accommodated on week nights during the late evenings of summer as daylight allows.
You'll thoroughly enjoy the comfort of our super wide Marlon SP14 guide boat, specially set up for stillwater fly fishing. Full day trips include a sandwich lunch with soft beverages, 1/2 and full day trips both include fly rod and reel combos with flies and terminal tackle or you can bring your own.
Trips can be booked from May - October and are designed for the intermediate or advanced fly angler that wants to catch fish at one of our local trout lakes while learning setups, techniques and tactics that apply to the time of year you're booking. (If you're looking for casting instruction, please see our casting lessons and our clinics).
Pricing
Private Introduction to Stillwater Fly Fishing Clinic
8 Hours
$525
Includes fly box & six assorted stillwater flies
Add One Person
$150
Maximum 2 People Per Clinic
*ask about 2 day clinics for even more time on the water
Guided trips outside the greater Edmonton area:
There are several trout opportunities outside the greater Edmonton area that can offer superior stillwater opportunities over our local lakes. If you would like to take advantage of these fisheries, mileage fees will be added on to your rates and accommodation fees may apply, depending on travel distance. We'll try our best to give you a full eight hours on the water. Please inform us if you are interested in exploring these trout fisheries and we can discuss your options.
Payments
Payments can be made via e-transfer or *cash. A 50% deposit is required to hold your date. If you cancel your booking a minimum 60 days before your booked date, your deposit will be refunded. Deposit is non-refundable within 60 days of your booked date but we'll try our best to reschedule a new date for you.
*cash accepted only when paying in person
Testimonials
Read what our clients are saying
I just had a beginners lesson a few days ago and am addicted! Mike is an excellent teacher and very reassuring when you don't get something right away. By the end of the course I walked away with great knowledge that has helped me start a new path in the outdoors! Very Pleased, thanks again.
Awesome intro to fly casting. It's been a while since I have done it and Mike helped me get back into the rhythm and get better than ever at my casting. I recommend it to anyone who is looking at getting into fly fishing. Thanks Mike.
Mike, Melanie and I had great time and you are an excellent instructor. We are heading to a park this weekend to practice what we learned. Next stop, trophy fish :) Cheers, Scott
Doc, rewarding clinic, thanks again for your patience. You provided so much information and instruction that had I known, I would have booked a second day back to back. Definitly worth the money and time well spent.
Excellent clinic and I would highly recommend it to anyone interested in fly fishing. Mike is very knowledgeable and, most importantly, patient guide and teacher. You can't help but come out of the course inspired to get into fly fishing.
Mike is a great instructor, and takes the time to explain how to fly fish properly, and walks you through the whole process. Highly recommend him.
I was fortunate enough to have Mike teach me some fly fishing basics recently. While I have years of bait fishing experience, I have never had the opportunity to learn about fly fishing. Mike shared his wealth of experience and expertise to provide me with an introduction to the world of fly fishing. Mike was able to provide some immediate feedback to improve my casting. Mike also showed me some concepts on leader construction that resulted in a vast improvement on the number of hits I was getting. Mike's knowledge of entomology is amazing. Pairing this with his knowledge of fish behaviour and fishing techniques resulted in non stop action. The end result was a personal best rainbow which along with all the other catches, were safely and carefully released back to the lake. I would highly recommend Mike to anyone looking to learn or improve their fly fishing skills.
I am a complete novice when it comes to fly fishing. It has always been a skill that I wanted to learn. There is a lot of information to digest in fly fishing and I decided to look to a professional to help me understand. Mike was a fantastic instructor. Very thorough going through all the different gear and techniques, while allowing me time to ask questions. He was a great casting coach and will let you know what you’re doing right (and incorrectly) and will let you know how to improve. I had a great time learning the basics and I am looking forward to practicing and improving. I would highly recommend Alberta Stillwater Adventures.
For our son's 14th bday we were able to book a fly fishing lesson with Mike, it was fantastic! For our son it was a HUGE door opener. After the lesson, his main comments were about how knowledgeable and kind Mike was. He absolutely loved this experience and is inspired to do more fishing. Thanks Mike!
I had the pleasure of meeting Mike Monteith this week. I found him to be a fountain of knowledge and remarkably skilled. The relaxed way he goes over complex concepts is awesome and really made the experience stand out. Hands on teaching with simple yet effective rules and analogies. I highly reccomend his 101 course to anyone interested in learning or perhaps those who jumped in without enough knowledge.