Friday, September 30, 2011

Today along the Bow River

All photos: Bow River Shuttles

1 in 5 fly fishers…

1 in 5 people will experience mental illness.

Fly fishers are not immune.

Mental Illness Awareness Week 2011 is October 2-8, 2011

Stigma remains the number one barrier to seeking help for individuals with mental health issues. CMHA - Calgary Region believes by encouraging conversation and allowing people who have faced challenges to come forth and speak about it, we can erase this stigma and allow those who need help to seek it.

Join us for The Truth About Mental Illness: Personal Journeys to Mental Health
on October 3, 2011!

Mental Illness Awareness Week was created to raise awareness about mental illness, and to help combat this stigma. Click here for information and to register for events during the week!

Thursday, September 29, 2011

Today along the Bow River

Michelle meeting new shuttle clients today.
All photos: Bow River Shuttles

Angels





Lindi Ortega, known for her voice that has been described as a blend of Dolly Parton, Johnny Cash, and Emmylou Harris, has spent nearly a decade as an independent artist in the Toronto music scene.


Her new album, Little Red Boots, was released this summer.






Lindi Ortega - Little Red Boots sampler by Last Gang Entertainment

Streamside Canada - Fall 2011




Check out one of the feature articles ‘Home Waters’ by Tim Chir, who is an Alberta fly fisher.

You can also find Tim at ‘Western Sport Fishing.ca Journal’, which is listed on our blog roll.

Streamside Canada – Fall 2011

It's about our water, stupid

Click on map for larger image

Many of the protestors in Washington DC a couple of weeks ago, and in Ottawa earlier this week, seemed to be using the proposed Keystone XL pipeline as a proxy for their concerns about the Alberta Oil Sands.

But for the locals in Nebraska, it’s about their water. Specifically, the Ogallala Aquifer, which supplies 80% of Nebraska’s water.

This vast, yet shallow, water table aquifer is one of the world’s largest, covering 450,000 square kilometers in portions of eight states.

Many Nebraskans are asking why the proposed pipeline can’t follow the same route as the existing Keystone pipeline, which skirts the eastern edge of the aquifer.

This story was in yesterday’s Calgary Herald: “Emotions bubble over at pipeline hearing”

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Today along the Bow River

Economic Opportunity or an Environmental Error?

Click on map for larger image

This morning on The Current, we heard from both sides of the debate over the proposed Gateway Pipeline.

Colin Kinsley, Chair of the Northern Gateway Alliance, makes a case for the economic benefits that would result from the construction of the pipeline.

Frank Wolf, an environmental documentary filmmaker, spells out how this pipeline would affect ecosystems and communities along its path.

It’s well worth a listen here

Read more here

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Today along the Bow River


Photo: Bow River Shuttles


Feel the love


Wilco’s new album “The Whole Love” dropped today.

They were interviewed by Jian Ghomeshi this morning on ‘Q’. They performed “Born Alone” from that album.

Mike Bell reviewed the new disc in today’s Calgary Herald.

Fracking pushback opens up energy firms


The topic of fracking and its possible effects on groundwater continues to show up locally, nationally and internationally.

There was an article in yesterday’s Calgary Herald and there have been several other articles in the Alberta media during September.

Fracking pushback opens up energy firms

Fear of losing access to resources spurs firms to action

By Braden Reddall,
Reuters/Calgary Herald
September 26, 2011

John Pinkerton, who runs shale gas producer Range Resources Corp., has no time for fracking secrecy, and his notoriously tight-lipped industry is opening up a bit for fear of a regulatory crackdown.

Much of the public concern surrounding hydraulic fracturing stemmed from the scanty disclosure of the chemicals in the frac fluid that makes it all work. Oilfield services companies cite proprietary reasons for holding back their recipes.

"That whole competitive thing is the biggest bunch of bunk I ever heard, and I think the services companies ought to be ashamed of themselves," Range's chief executive told investors this month. "It has nothing to do with competitiveness."

Read more here

Fracking lawsuit could set precedent

Intimidation charges laid against Blood Tribe trio over oil fracking site protest

Lethbridge locals protest fracking

Monday, September 26, 2011

Today along the Bow River

Photo: Bow River Shuttles

Sanctioned abuse of Bow River shocks officials on boat tour

Photo: Courtesy Christina Ryan, Calgary Herald 
Sanctioned abuse of Bow River shocks officials on boat tour

Event intended to highlight care of ‘precious’ resource

By Deborah Tetley,
Calgary Herald
September 24, 2011

A handful of civic, provincial and federal employees spent an exceptionally hot Friday afternoon in shorts and sandals enjoying a lazy float down the Bow River talking about rock snot and eating cookies and peaches.

Not a bad day at the office. Despite the optics, the group was hard at work learning about the impact of the city's industrial and residential development on the banks of the Bow River - from the "river's perspective."

Read more here

Sunday, September 25, 2011

Today along the Bow River


Sunrise on the Bow River - Sunday Sept 25 2011
All Photos: Bow River Shuttles
 

Catherine MacLellan - Stealin'



You can catch Catherine MacLellan's performances over the next few days in Calgary, Jasper, Bragg Creek and Canmore.

 Catherine MacLellan

Saturday, September 24, 2011

Friday, September 23, 2011

Today along the Bow River

All photos: Bow River Shuttles


Calgary International Film Festival – Sept 23-Oct 02, 2011

















The Calgary International Film Festival opened last night.

This year, there are two films listed under the ‘environmental/green’ category: The Chocolate Factory and Weibo’s War.

 Two other must-see documentaries with strong Alberta conections include ‘Theo Fleury: Playing with Fire’ and ‘Wolves Unleashed’.

Lots more information and trailers at Calgary International Film Festival

The Chocolate Farmer



Weibo’s War

Saved water not flowing back to rivers


Saved water not flowing back to rivers

Province doesn’t always hold back when it comes to conservation


September 22, 2011
by Lindsey Wallis
Fast Forward Weekly


The City of Calgary has been telling Calgarians all summer to “do nothing to save water.” The campaign is aimed at conserving water by encouraging people to water their lawns less to “help reduce the strain we put on our rivers.”

But, according to environmental biologist Cheryl Bradley, the water Calgarians save by dutifully refraining from watering their lawns, taking shorter shower and installing (often costly) low-flow appliances, may not be returned to the river for the long-term. “People are told to save water because it’s good for the environment,” says Bradley, who is on the board of the Southern Alberta Group for the Environment. “But whether it is going back into the river, we have no guarantee of that.”

The Bow River sub-basin is closed to new water licences, but studies show the rivers in southern Alberta are already over-allocated. “I’m concerned with the health of our rivers,” Bradley says. “We have licensed parties to take more water than is healthy for the river.”

Read more here: Saved water not flowing back to rivers

Baconfest Canada - Sept 24 - Calgary


Not fishing tomorrow??? That doesn’t make sense!! But if that’s the case, here’s an alternative.

Baconfest Canada is a celebration of bacon. Bacon is our national meat and it's salty sweet goodness is reason enough to dedicate an entire day to it.

Baconfest Canada is a fundraiser for Inviti Jazz and Food Festival, an annual event that will launch in Calgary in August of 2012. Inviti is the world's most delicious jazz festival. We're about to begin a brand new tradition in Calgary where we eat with our jazz!

Please share Baconfest Canada with your friends. Plan a trip to Calgary to take it in.

Baconfest Canada

Thursday, September 22, 2011

Today along the Elbow River


Photo: Bow River Shuttles


The New Fly Fisher – Fall 2011


Don’t miss ‘Principles of Sight Fishing Part II: Catching’ by Dave Jensen of Fly Fish Alberta.

Those who attended my Back Cast Fly Fishing Film Festival earlier this year will recall Dave and Amelia’s film “Q the X” which received Best Feature Film Award.

The New Fly Fisher – Fall 2011

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

When things aren’t working

Photo: Bow River Shuttles

Fishing was really good yesterday for a change. I have had quite the dry spell on the river but that was ended with an active day from the fish.

The highlight of the day was an 18" brown caught on a prince nymph. When things aren’t working, the old prince nymph will never fail.

The Bow River
Glenmore Trail to Policeman’s Flats
Tuesday Sept 20 2011

THANKS TO COLIN J. FOR THIS FISHING REPORT.

Gender Benders: Contaminants in the Bow River - Sept 22


Thursday, Sep. 22 2011

7:00 - 8:00 pm

Fish Creek Environmental Learning Centre

(Access via 130 Ave SW and 37 St. SW)

Presented by Dr. Hamid Habibi, University of Calgary
Faculty of Science, Faculty of Medicine

The Friends of Fish Creek Provincial Park Society

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Today along the Bow River

All Photos: Bow River Shuttles

We had the whole river to ourselves

Photo: Bow River Shuttles

Nice day with lots of good sized rainbows, all caught on Fat Alberts.

No other anglers, we had the whole river to ourselves.

That’s pretty special in itself.

Not a soul. Nice.

The Bow River
McKinnon Flats to Carseland
Monday Sept 19 2011

THANK YOU TO MIKE M. FOR THIS FISHING REPORT!

Restoring Cutthroat Trout

Courtesy: Calgary Herald

Officials cull 'brookies' to restore cutthroat trout

Native fish edged out by interlopers

By Clara Ho,
Calgary Herald
September 19, 2011

Shelley Humphries dips a metal loop attached to a 20-kilogram backpack equipped with a battery into the coursing currents of an unnamed creek just below a waterfall in Banff National Park.

Her Parks Canada colleague Joanne Williams stands a few steps behind, net in hand, waiting.

As Humphries sends a weak electrical current into the water, two fish flop out and land neatly in the mesh netting, their muscles temporarily frozen by the "electrofishing."

Only the westslope cutthroat trout, named for the bright, orange markings beneath its jaw, will be spared.

Read more here:

Monday, September 19, 2011

Braids short listed for Polaris Music Prize


Although Calgary-born, Montreal-based Braids didn’t win the 2011 Polaris Music Prize tonight, just the fact that they were short listed for the award Is nothing short of amazing, given their relatively short time together.


Find more BRAIDS songs at Myspace Music

Today along the Bow River



All photos: Bow River Shuttles


Sunday, September 18, 2011

Today along the Bow River

Fish On!!
All Photos: Bow River Shuttles

One last cast before the truck & trailer show up

Brothers going fishing

Hook & Hackle Club - Fall Events

All Photos: Bow River Shuttles

There was a good turnout for the first club meeting after the summer break.

Plans for the Fall Fish Out (Sept 15-18), the Bow River Ironman Derby (Oct 15) and the annual Christmas Party were reviewed, followed by fly tying.
 

The Beginner Fly Tying course begins at the next meeting on Sept 21. No fee for club members.  



Saturday, September 17, 2011

We lost count of how many Bows


Photo: Bow River Shuttles


My boss and I had a great day on the Bow we lost count of how many Bows all on Stone flies or Brown Shenneils largest was 18" .


I got a 28" Brown on a Brown Shenneil and my boss got a 25" Brown on a Brown Shenneil,


I got mine just before Policeman's and my boss got his just after Policeman's.


The Bow River
22X/Fish Creek Park to McKinnon Flats
Saturday Sept 17 2011


THANKS TO KEN B. FOR THIS FISHING REPORT.

Today along the Bow River

All photos: Bow River Shuttles