Bull trout
Know your fish
Bull trout
Salvelinus confluentus
Typical size:40–75 cm, 1–6 kg
- Olive-green with pale pink or orange spots; no black spots
- No worm markings on the back; white leading edges on lower fins
- Broad flat head
Looks like: Brook trout has worm marks and blue halos; Dolly Varden is nearly identical and shares the rules.
0255075100125150
cm
OK to keep
- Catch-and-release in most of BC and Alberta; some BC waters allow one over a size limit
Must release
- Everywhere unless the local reg says otherwise; a Species at Risk in Alberta
Best months
June, July, August, September
Fishing licences across Canada
Rig to tie
- 1Fly line 6 wt floating or intermediate line
- 2Leader 9 ft tapered leader to 8 lb tippet
- 3Fly Clouser Minnow olive/white size 4–6, Rolled Muddler, or epoxy sand lance; barbless
- 4Spin alternative Ultralight rod, 6 lb mono straight through
- 5Lure 1/8 oz Gibbs Croc, size 1 Mepps, or 1/8 oz pink jig for coho
How to tie and fish it
Tie it:Loop-to-loop the leader to the fly line. Tie the fly with a non-slip loop knot.
Fish it:Walk the beach on the first half of the flood at dawn. Cast along the drop-off and strip fast with pauses. Fish move with the tide, so keep walking.