In the realm of unparalleled service and unmatched reputation, our seasoned guides, long-term residents of the valley, boast an intimate knowledge of local waters that sets us apart.
Our Guides are licensed by the BC provincial government and we are fully insured
We Live in Fernie, and run a great fly shop year round.
We’re passionate about what we do and fishing isn’t just a job for us it’s a way of life!
The shop has been here for over 10 years and the total years of our guides local experience is over 180 years
Our guides stay with us because we are the best and there is no need to shop hop
Our Fly Shop Staff are very friendly, knowledgeable, and passionate about fly fishing
All of the staff and guides spend all year finding new fishing spots just for you! Preferred and Private River Access.
The Fly Shop has all you need including the Best Fly Selection in the Elk Valley
We’ll get it done for you! Just ask and we will do our best to accommodate your requests!
We have 7 different floats on the Elk River alone, and 100’s of miles of walk and wade fishing. Let us put together a fishing adventure of a life time!
Full Day up to 2 Anglers - Quoted in Canadian Funds Approximately $695 USD depending on exchange rate on our standard floats
All trips are based on 1 or 2 Anglers, and are subject to 5% GST (Quoted in Canadian Funds)
Full Day up to 2 Anglers - Quoted in Canadian Funds Approximately $695 USD for standard walk 'N' wade depending on exchange rate
All trips are based on 1 or 2 Anglers, and are subject to 5% GST (Quoted in Canadian Funds)
Full Day up to 2 Anglers - Quoted in Canadian Funds Approximately $695 USD depending on exchange rate
All trips are based on 1 or 2 Anglers, and are subject to 5% GST (Quoted in Canadian Funds)
Important information you should know
Elk River Guiding Company is a full-service Fly Shop that is open year round. We offer a wide range of fly fishing equipment and gear from the beginner fly angler, all the way up to the most seasoned angler! If needing any gear for your guided trips, feel free to pre-purchase it online at our new online store, or upon your arrival in Fernie! Call us for more details.
Gear Rental is Available (subject to availability)
Booking/Cancellation Policy:
Trips on hold are not guaranteed until a deposit is secured and may be released at any time. Upon making the reservation the guests understand that a BC Fishing License and Classified Waters License must be purchased by all anglers in the fishing party and is not included in the package cost. The dates reserved for guided fishing are non-transferable unless prior arrangements have been made and the date changes are approved by Elk River Guiding Company Ltd.
-50% deposit is due at the time of the booking to secure the trip date and guide. Payments can be made with a credit card, Visa, Master Card or Amex. The remainder of the balance is due 60 days prior to your trip date and will automatically be charged to the credit card on file unless otherwise instructed at the time of booking. If making the reservation less than 60 days from the arrival date the full amount is due at the time of booking.
If the reservation is cancelled 60 or more days to the guided trip date an administration fee of $100 (+5% GST) is charged per guide /per day to the account and the balance of the deposit is returned. Packages with third party accommodations are subject to the accommodator’s policy.
If the reservation is cancelled less than 60 days prior to the guided trip date no refund will be given. Absolutely no refunds are given on any accommodations if cancelled less than 30 days prior to arrival. If cancelling because of travel restrictions such as full border closures, we would prefer to reschedule your booking to a future date, however we will issue you a refund of all the payments made. Travel restrictions instilled on individuals for any reason are not eligible for refunds. Medical conditions, pre-trip injuries, etc. are all unfortunate and we suggest purchasing third party trip cancellation insurance if you feel it necessary.
Due to the nature of the fly-fishing activity, poor weather and or less than desirable water conditions are not accepted reasons for cancellations. In some instances, Elk River Guiding Company may move trips to different waters than requested. If deemed necessary to cancel trips due to unsafe conditions a transfer to a future date will be made. We will do our best to accommodate your guide requests, however, our guides operate as individual contractors and there may be changes for reasons beyond our control.
WE SUGGEST PURCHASING APPROPRIATE TRIP CANCELLATION INSURANCE!
Here are the most frequently asked questions we get. If you don’t see an answer you are looking for.
We usually recommend the last three weeks in July, throughout August, and the first two weeks in September. This of course is based on the weather, which as you know is hard to predict! The river’s open up officially to fishing as of June 15th every season. Depending on when the spring runoff is, we can have phenomenal dry fly fishing as of June 15th straight through into October.
This is at the client’s discretion, but we generally recommend a good starting point for Guides is 20% of trip cost. (A day trip per guide $200 Cdn)(ex: 2 Anglers = $100 each Cdn or 75$ Usd each). It is best to tip your guide directly, rather than paying with a credit card through the Fly Shop. Guides accept both Cad and USD currency.
There are 3 options. We usually suggest flying into Kalispell, MT or Calgary, AB as flights tend to be more cost effective. Most clients will then rent a car from the airport and drive to Fernie. If driving from Kalispell, MT please factor into your travel time the potential wait at the USA/Canada border.
Yes, a valid passport is needed when traveling from out of country.
Yes, you can. We usually recommend when going on a guided trip to purchase your Classified BC fishing license upon arrival at the Fly Shop. This way we can make sure that the appropriate rivers as well as the outfitter are selected. The general BC fresh water licence can easily be pre-purchased or at a minimum, register for your BC angler #. If you are fishing on your own then see the link on our Blog page for on-line purchase of BC fishing licences.
We recommend being “Bear Aware” when out fishing. We suggest making noise as well as carrying bear spray, and or bear bangers. Both bear spray and bear bangers are sold at Elk River Guiding Company. The Elk Valley is home to black bears as well as grizzly bears.
This depends on the time of year you are visiting, please feel free to review the hatch chart https://www.elkriver.ca/fly-fishing, but here are a few examples: