Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Blood Knot Magazine – “Off the Grid Issue"


In ‘What’s Hot’, Jason Duong reviews Confluence Films’ latest movie “CONNECT”.

After you’ve read it, you can purchase tickets right here for the Canadian Premier of the movie on January 13, 2012.

They’ll make great stocking stuffers for the fly fisher in your life… or for yourself. :-)

A shameless plug I know. :-) 

Now, back to the magazine!

You’ll want to check out some short stories like ‘Finding the Unexpected’ or 'Parallel Lines' as well as the interview with Jim Klug, co-founder of Confluence Films.

But mostly, you’ll want to get right to the 'meat and potatoes' articles and photos which take you ‘off the grid’ to places like South Africa, India, Bolivia and Thailand.

Looking back along the Bow River - July 2011

Loading up The Osprey. Photo: Copyright Bow River Shuttles 2011

Monday, November 28, 2011

Sunday, November 27, 2011

Looking back along the Bow River - July 2011

Michelle chatting with shuttle client. 
Photo: Copyright Bow River Shuttles 2011

This drift boat can quickly be converted to allow for a wheel chair up front.

Remembering Jimi Hendrix


JIMI HENDRIX The wind Cries Mary by avajra

Jimi Hendrix was born on Nov 27, 1942. Had he lived, he would have been 69 today.

Saturday, November 26, 2011

Looking back along the Bow River - July 2011

A Lesson.  Photo: Copyright Bow River Shuttles 2011

"CONNECT" : Yellowstone


Connect Yellowstone from Marshall Cutchin on Vimeo.

Here is a brief clip from one of the 'CONNECT' segments, courtesy of Midcurrent.

The Canadian Premier of CONNECT is happening on Friday Jan 13 @ 7:00 pm @ The Cardel Theatre.

Tickets are now available online and at all the Calgary fly shops.

$10 in advance, $15 @ the door.

A couple of tickets would make a great stocking stuffer for your favourite fly fisher... or for yourself! :-)

Friday, November 25, 2011

Looking back along the Bow River - July 2011

Photo: Copyright Bow River Shuttles 2011

Propane for fracking?


The process known as fracking has been met with fierce opposition. It has been suspended or banned in some parts of North America and in other countries.

A couple of documentaries – Gasland and Burning Water (Rosebud Alberta) - have increased the public’s awareness of this topic.

Some of the concerns relate to water. Both the huge amounts of water that are required in a frac job as well as fears that the process will end up damaging aquifers and ground water.

A new approach, using propane instead of water, was in the news the other day.

It may (or may not) solve one of the problems, but I doubt this is the end of the story.


Calgary-based GasFrac offers propane substitutes for water in shale fracking

By Anna Driver,
Reuters
Calgary Herald
November 22, 2011

HOUSTON — Many controversies surround hydraulic fracturing of underground shale deposits in the quest for oil and gas, but a small Canadian oilfield services company has pioneered a way around one of them: the use of prodigious amounts of water in the process.

“Fracking” generally involves blasting millions of gallons of water down a shale well to free up oil and natural gas, and then the water needs to be disposed of because it may contain toxic drilling byproducts like heavy metals.

Much of the water required for a so-called frack job is sourced from lakes, rivers or city water systems, and water is in short supply in some drilling areas, such as drought-plagued Texas.

Calgary-based GasFrac Energy Services Inc is winning customers, including Chevron Corp, by using a flammable propane gel instead of the water, chemicals and sand typically blasted into rock or tight sand formations to release trapped oil and gas.

One benefit of the growing technology is that no water is used.

Thursday, November 24, 2011

Looking back along the Bow River - July 2011

Photo: Copyright Bow River Shuttles 2011

TUC Bow River Chapter 'Fall Splash 2011' Sold Out!

All photos: Copyright Bow River Shuttles 2011


Trout Unlimited Canada - Bow River Chapter is reporting that their 20th Annual 'Fall Splash', which goes tonight, is a complete sellout!

An event like this takes many months of preparation. TUC staff members, along with a great many Bow River Chapter volunteers, pull together to create a successful event.

Here are a just a few of the volunteers and staff who were on hand early this morning to make this all happen.





Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Looking back along the Bow River - July 2011

Photo: Copyright Bow River Shuttles 2011

Skiff-style drift boats are gaining traction on the Bow River.

Winter fishing on the Bow

Kevin Peterson.   Photo: Copyright Bow River Shuttles 2011

Saturday, November 26 @ 10:00 am - Winter Fishing On the Bow with Kevin Peterson.

Kevin will show off his favorite winter ties and discuss techniques and tips for fishing in the “off-season” along with gear, equipment and safety.

Project Healing Waters



Voters chose Project Healing Waters as the Toyota Halftime Handoff for Week 7. They'll be receiving a $10,000 donation to promote the soothing and therapeutic nature of fly fishing to help our nation's wounded warriors. Fly fishing education and outings are provided for disabled veterans as a way to enable recovery and rehabilitation. Congratulations!

PLEASE NOTE: The information related to this video refers to Project Healing Waters in the United States. If you would like to support, or donate to, our local Canadian organization, please go to Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing Canada (PHWFFC).

Please also note that the upcoming events, 'CONNECT' - Canadian Premiere (Jan 13) and Back Cast Fly Fishing Film Festival 2012 (Feb 25), sponsored by Michelle Magotiaux of Bow River Shuttles, will benefit PHWFFC.

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Looking back along the Bow River - July 2011

Michelle meeting a shuttle client.  Photo: Copyright Bow River Shuttles 2011

Fly Fusion Magazine - Winter 2011

Fly Fusion mag was in our mailbox when we returned from a few days away.

Great to see the photo essay from Calgary’s Faceless Fly Fishing. ‘Plan B’ was a perfect name for their response to local fly fishing conditions in 2011.

April Vokey paints a wonderful mental picture of the ‘winter stealheaders’. Very descriptive writing.

Great interview with Tim Rajeff. Although it was interesting to find out why the KGB had an interest in him, the best part of the interview was when he described his ‘perfect cast’.

That’s all we’ve had time to read. We’ll save the rest, including the eight page TUC ‘Currents’ insert, for the weeks ahead. :-)

Monday, November 21, 2011

Looking back along the Bow River - July 2011

Photo: Copyright Bow River Shuttles 2011

The Guiding Life: Amelia Jensen from Fly Fish Alberta

Amelia Jensen.  Photo: Courtesy Orvis & Fly Fish Alberta



This Tom Rosenbauer podcast features interviews with a couple of top fly-fishing guides, including Amelia Jensen, about what it’s like to be a guide and how to get into guiding: how a guide prepares for their day, what they agonize over, and what stories are worth repeating.

Sunday, November 20, 2011

Looking back along the Bow River - July 2011

Photo: Copyright Bow River Shuttles 2011
It was -21.0 °C at 9:00 am this morning! A good day to be "Looking back along the Bow River. July 2011". :-)

Saturday, November 19, 2011

Looking back along the Bow River - July 2011

Follow the Leader.  Photo: Copyright Bow River Shuttles 2011

Megaloads downsized

Photo: TOM  BAUER/Missoulian.  A megaload travels east on Interstate 90 near Drummond on Monday. Trucks hauling the equipment bound for the oil sands of northern Alberta are becoming more common on the freeway as the state is allowing more than one a day to move.

Although Imperial Oil received the go ahead back in October to apply for permits to haul their ‘mega loads’ up the two lane Highways 12 and 200, they appear to be shying away from doing so. Instead, they have applied for, and been granted, permits to haul broken-down versions of the equipment (to fit under interstate bridges) along Interstates 90 and 15.

Their original plans were to truck gigantic loads (hence “megaload”) up the scenic, narrow Clearwater and Lochsa River canyons into Montana and from there a controversial route through Missoula and into Canada for use at the Kearl oil sands project.

They met very stiff opposition to their plans from locals in Idaho and Montana, especially from All Against the Haul and Fighting Goliath.

Imperial originally stated that the equipment could not be cut down in size for transport, but that’s exactly what they are now doing. An Imperial spokesman referred to it as ‘slicing and dicing’. In fact, instructions have now been given to the production plants in South Korea to build the equipment in smaller segments right from the get go.

Calgary Herald
Nov 08 , 2011

Bonefish, Tarpon & Permit @ Fish Tales

 David Blair demonstrating salt water fly

Saltwater flats fishing with David Blair

Join David for this session focused on saltwater flats fishing for bonefish, tarpon and permit.

David and his family have just returned from a trip to Cuba that included 2 days of fishing. Dave will share some stories about the trip and information that will help with planning for a saltwater fishing adventure.

What you can expect:

• Equipment recommendations and overview.
• Destination information with a focus on Cuba
• Species specific information
• Tips and tactics to improve your next saltwater flats experience.

Sunday November 20, 2011 @ 1:00 pm

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

Looking back along the Bow River - July 2011

 Photo: Copyright Bow River Shuttles 2011 

Final 'Call for Entries' for Back Cast Fly Fishing Film Festival

Photo: Copyright Bow River Shuttles 2011

Final 'Call for Entries'

Deadline for submissions: Nov 30, 2011.

Back in early June, Michelle Magotiaux of Bow River Shuttles was excited to announce that the 5th Annual Back Cast Fly Fishing Film Festival was open to submissions.

As you probably know, last year we changed the format of the film fest to include a friendly competition for charity, and to encourage development of fly fishing films locally.

We hope that all you fly fisher guys and girls fired up your cameras and have been out there collecting some exciting footage for the rest of us to drool over at the film fest this coming February.

LINK TO ORIGINAL 'CALL FOR ENTRIES':

Bow River winter fly patterns with Sean Britt

Photo: Courtesy Sean Britt

Join Sean for this session focused on tying some of his go-to patterns for the Bow.

Most of Sean’s fishing is done during the cold season (when he’s not doing field work in archeology.)

He’ll tie a few favorites and discuss tactics during this session.

Sunday Nov 13, 2011
1:00 pm

Casting in the Wind


McNeil - Casting In the Wind from Marshall Cutchin on Vimeo.

Fly fishing on the Bow River, or anywhere in Southern Alberta for that matter, often involves coping with the wind.

Here's some good advice from New Zealand casting instructor Carl McNeil.

Looking back along the Bow River - July 2011

The pointer. Photo: Copyright Bow River Shuttles 2011

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Bob Scammell: The Battle for No-Man's Land – Nov 18

Alberta Wilderness Association
Presents

The 2011 Martha Kostuch Annual Wilderness and Wildlife Lecture
and the
Annual Wilderness Defenders Awards

with

Bob Scammell: The Battle for No-Man's Land


Bob Scammell is known for his 45 years of writing a weekly outdoors column carried at one time or another by most of Alberta's main newspapers, and continuously by the Red Deer Advocate since 1966. On November 18, Bob takes us on a heartfelt journey through Alberta's public lands, and proposes a plan of action for responsible management of those lands going forward.

Two Alberta Wilderness Defenders awards and one Great Gray Owl award will be presented at this evening of celebration. The 2011 Wilderness Defenders Award recipients are Steve Herrero and Bob Scammell.

Friday November 18, 2011
Reception at 6:00 pm
Lecture and Awards at 7:00 pm
455 - 12th St. NW Calgary, Alberta
Members $30, Non-members $45

TUC Bow River Chapter – Fall Splash 2011

20th ANNUAL BOW RIVER CHAPTER FALL SPLASH AWARDS BANQUET & AUCTION

YOU ARE INVITED TO JOIN US for our 20th Annual Bow River Chapter Fall Splash to celebrate the Bow River and the volunteers that work to protect its world class fishery. This event is your chance to support conservation efforts along the Bow while bidding on unique art, fantastic trips, and top line sporting equipment in the company of friends.

This exceptional evening also includes:
• Live auction
• Silent auction
• Door prizes & awards
• Bucket raffle

Price: $100 per ticket.
Date: November 24, 2011.
Location: Coast Plaza Hotel, 1316 - 33 St. NE, Calgary AB.
Time: 5:00 pm

Caitlin Talks Gear

Caitlin Gifford (standing, rear left) presenting on fly fishing gear at CWFFC meeting Oct 20.
Photo: Courtesy Sue Kostyniuk, CWFFC

The next Calgary Women Fly Fisher Club meeting on Nov 17 (7:00 pm – 9:00 pm) features a guest presentation by Nancy Storwick of Fish Tales Fly Shop on saltwater fishing in Cuba.

Follow the Money

Click directly on map for larger image

News regarding the Northern Gateway Pipeline Project has been somewhat below the radar recently, with the Keystone XL Pipeline taking most of the headlines.

However, that won’t last forever. As Calgary Herald columnist Deborah Yedlin noted right up front in her article the other day, January 10, 2012 marks the beginning of panel hearings for Northern Gateway by the NEB and the CEAA.

Yedlin is generally a supporter of big business, and this article is no exception. It could be subtitled ‘Follow the Money’.

However, a couple of letters to the editor in yesterday’s paper (Nov 07) are just a sampling of what we’ll likely be hearing from the other side as this process moves forward.

And the video at the bottom of this post shows even more clearly what this proposal is up against.

We live in interesting times.

Does everyone have a right to complain at Northern Gateway pipeline review?

By Deborah Yedlin,
Calgary Herald
November 4, 2011

The countdown is on to Jan. 10.

That's when the joint review panel hearings by the National Energy Board and the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency into the proposed Northern Gateway pipeline project are set to start, somewhere in British Columbia (the actual locations of where the hearings will be held have yet to be released).

The question - with more than 4,000 individuals, companies and organizations registered to make a 10-minute statement - is whether it will be more of a filibuster than a hearing.

Although the math suggests about 95 days of hearings, assuming everyone shows up and the panel sits for seven hours each day, it's highly likely it will go on much longer.


Letters to the Editor

Paying the bill

By Paul Manly,
Calgary Herald
November 7, 2011

Re: "Does everyone have a right to complain?" Deborah Yedlin, Opinion, Nov. 4.

B.C. taxpayers will have to pay the bill and deal with the damage if an oil tanker carrying Alberta crude has an accident on our coast. Do we have a right to speak at the Enbridge environmental review? You better believe we do!

Paul Manly, Nanaimo, B.C.

Speaking up

By Sandy Slobodian,
Calgary Herald
November 7, 2011

Who will speak to the voracious multinational corporation that plans to use every means possible to push a project through? A plan that is not about creating jobs, but about ravaging the Earth to make a small number of people rich beyond belief and perpetuate carbon emissions. My family is Metis. My brother has supported his family for more than 30 years in the oil and gas industry. My sister, her daughter and twin grandchildren live in the Peace River region.

I was born and raised on Vancouver Island within sight of the coastal waters at risk. I have lived in Kitimat and Dawson Creek. My grandmother and her family were from Athabasca since before recorded Canadian history. I have contributed to the economy of this province, voted in the elections, volunteered and raised my family here. Who has the right to tell me I have no right to speak?

Sandy Slobodian, Victoria

Monday, November 7, 2011

Looking back along the Bow River - July 2011

Photo: Copyright Bow River Shuttles 2011

Michelle with one of her fly fishing guide shuttle clients (centre) and his client (right).

Fortress Lake Sight Fishing



Phil Rowley's presentation earlier this evening, just prior to the F3T show presented by The Fishin' Hole, was a great combination of education and entertainment.

He finished off his slides with a video presentation that contained some of the same footage (only more of it) as you'll see in this Jensen Fly Fishing video.  While this video is great to watch on the computer screen, seeing the same up on the giant screen was absolutely amazing!

Sunday, November 6, 2011

Looking back along the Bow River - July 2011

Photo: Copyright Bow River Shuttles 2011

Flyfishers Inc - Winter 2012


Issue #6 features some great winter photography contrasted with some great images of summer saltwater fly fishing around New Zealand. There is a review of Scott's S4s rod series by Micah Adams and a great article by Mike Davis on chasing spawning trout.

On the last page of the online mag, there is a link to download the pdf version. We recommend doing that. Easier to read and a much better display of the photography.

Party Boys and Trailer Trash - Babine River, 2011



Steelhead, jack-o-lanterns and good times from Kevin at SurfaceFilm!

Saturday, November 5, 2011

Looking back along the Bow River - July 2011

End of the day.  Photo: Copyright Bow River Shuttles 2011

Grasslands, potatoes & water policy


A couple of follow up items to articles that we posted recently.

During our search on these topics, we stumbled upon a cool blog site devoted to the grasslands of the northern Great Plains: Trevor Herriot's Grass Notes

How about our Blog readers? If you’d like to chip in with your thoughts on these topics, just go to the ‘Comments’ section below. We’d love to hear from you.

Letter to the Editor

By Jack Glenn, Calgary Herald November 3, 2011


Sure, like peace in the Middle East and a southwest ring road for Calgary. We've been hearing this for 40 years. Environment and Water Minister Diana Mc-Queen's bureaucrats appear to have convinced her that Alberta's water allocation system has worked well over the past 100 years. Before she buys into that advice, she should ask them to explain to her how it happened that the water in every major river system in southern Alberta is over allocated.

Jack Glenn, Calgary


Calgary Herald Editorial

The right decision on grasslands

Calgary Herald November 1, 2011

Premier Alison Redford deserves kudos for fulfilling her promise to stop the sale of 6,500 hectares of grassland habitat near Medicine Hat to be turned into a potato farm.

The land was put up for sale under the previous Stelmach government, even though it contradicted the advice of the province's advisory council, which it appointed to develop a land-use framework for the area.

Redford has all but confirmed this piece of Crown land, so vital for sustaining endangered species such as the burrowing owl and ferruginous hawk, will never come up for sale again. That comes as welcome relief for environmentalists, fish and game advocates and ranchers, who all opposed the sale.

The move is the right thing to do. This parcel was first the subject of controversy last fall, when it was revealed the province struck a secret deal with SLM Spud Farms. The deal was cancelled amid criticism it lacked transparency.

The Department of Sustainable Resource Development addressed the transparency issue by putting out a request for proposals in August, and required that any development be irrigated. Former minister Mel Knight, however, failed to acknowledge the sale contradicted the advisory council's recommendations to fiercely protect prairie grassland, categorized as "vulnerable habitat."

Redford's move shows she is listening, and importantly, suggests she believes in following the best process - in this case, waiting for the South Saskatchewan Regional Plan. A land-use framework guiding development of the South Saskatchewan region is tremendously important, as it is home to 80 per cent of Alberta's atrisk species, three-quarters of which live in the grasslands.

Patagonia Journal – Nov 2011


The fall issue of Patagonia Journal features hunting adventures, fly fishing with mouse patterns in Chile, and an Artist Profile on world renowned fly fishing artist, A.D. Maddox.

Friday, November 4, 2011

Streamers at Fish Tales - Nov 06

Kurtis' streamer collection

Several Calgary area fly shops sponsor fly fishing seminars during the off season.

Fish Tales Fly Shop was first out of the gate this year. They put together a ‘Spey-O-Rama’ along the Bow River a couple weeks ago and followed up with a session on nymphing last Sunday with Bow River Guide Todd Clark.

This Sunday (Nov 06 @ 1:00 pm) it’s ‘Streamers with Kurtis Giles’.

Join Kurtis for this session focused on tying and fishing streamers.

Discussion to include:

- when and why to choose streamer patterns
- how to fish them
- favorite patterns for the Bow and other nearby waters.