Tea with skimmed milk

22X/Fish Creek Park, Frid Apr 29 2011. Photo: Bow River Shuttles

I imagine we are going to experience quite a variety of water conditions as we move further in to spring. It is spring, isn’t it?? Continuing snowfall in the foothills, and a lot more in the mountains, means that we may continue to experience off-again, on-again, surface runoff prior to the major runoff from the mountain snow pack.

In any case, we noticed yesterday and today that the water colour in the Bow River had improved from a medium brown colour to the colour of tea with skim milk. (credit to SouthBow Fly Shop, who used that wording in a post of their own). Fish Creek, which had been running chocolate brown at bankfull stage, had receeded considerably.

Upstream of the Ivor Strong Bridge, the colour was looking better: a murky dark green.

The river flow charts from Alberta Environment River Basins confirm a fairly steep drop on Fish Creek, with a more moderate decline on the Elbow and Highwood Rivers.

Dancing Brown Trout

Monday April 25.
22X/Fish Creek Park to Policeman’s Flats

Well the day started out bright and sunny, then we hit the river and realized that Fish Creek was way up and muddy! Oh well we are here now, was our thoughts.

We hugged the east shore with the cleaner water and were rewarded with a couple nice fish. We were pitching streamer into the east shore and trailing them with a nymph.

There was several rises that we saw throughout the day, some that were stalked to until a jet boat roared past and scared them back down.

We only had two fish to the boat and missed a half dozen others, all browns that we could tell.

Best fish of the day being a 23" brown that did a nice tail dance across the surface before taking me to my backing.

Mixed visibility, on the east shore it was decent with about five feet at 22x and only 4" on the west shore. By the time we hit Policeman's Flats the river visibility was reduced to about 6" over the entire river.

Only really saw midges hatching in the early sun and nothing afternoon when the clouds rolled in.

THANKS TO ERIC M. (Blue Ribbon Explorer!) for the email report and pics.

Photos: Eric M.

Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge

Well wishers with flags surge along the Mall towards Buckingham Palace to celebrate the Royal Wedding of Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge at Westminster Abbey. (Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)

Couldn’t get up in the middle of the night to follow the royal wedding? Not to worry. The Big Picture captured it all for you.

Give it up for the Sheepdogs!

A Saskatoon band on the cover of Rolling Stone! You can help make it happen. Give @ TheSheepdogs 5 stars!!

http://www.thesheepdogs.com/

Via: Outdoor Walsh (Patrick Walsh-Editor of Outdoor Canada mag) on Twitter

TUC 'Tackle Swap' & BRS 'Used Drift Boat Sale'

TUC-Bow River Chapter "2011 Tackle Swap"

18th Annual Used Equipment Sale

*** Garage Sale Format ***

call now to reserve your own sale table

Sell your own used fishing gear:

• $20 table charge, some restrictions apply
• You sell, you get the best deal possible
• NO Consignment charge

Table Setup: 9-10 AM
Sale: 10 AM -12 PM
Cleanup: 12-1 PM

Saturday April 30th 2011
10 am-12pm
Location: South Calgary Community Association
3130 - 16 St. SW

To book your own table, or for sale information, contact:
Craig Robillard (403) 251-4803 h (403) 968-8788 c
craiglr@gmail.com


Photos: Bow River Shuttles

Bow River Shuttles - 7th Annual Used Drift Boat Sale

In conjunction with, and in support of,
the TUC-Bow River Chapter Tackle Swap 2011.
Same Date. Same Time. Same Location.

Saturday, April 30, 2011

Setup 9 - 10 AM
Sale 10 AM - 12 PM
Cleanup 12- 1 PM

South Calgary Community Association Hall,
3130 - 16th St. SW.

Fee: $20 per drift boat
Cheques payable to: "Trout Unlimited Canada-Bow River Chapter"

- You sell and get your best deal.
- No consignment charge.
- Limited boat stalls available.

To reserve your stall, contact:
Michelle Magotiaux
403-278-9165
michelle@bowrivershuttles.com

What the frack is going on?

Rosebud resident Jessica Ernst sets her well water on fire, in a demonstration for the news media in 2006. Photograph by: Archive, Calgary Herald

Jessica Ernst, who lives in the Rosebud River Valley area of Alberta, is taking on Encana, Alberta Environment and the Energy Resources Conservation Board.

She contends that coal bed methane drilling has resulted in the pollution of her well water, and she’s suing for $33-Million.

Jessica is quoted in a Calgary Herald article today as saying "I'm doing this case for all Albertans, and for our water. I'm not doing this for me".

You can follow the fracking issue, and Jessica's fight, on the blog Fracking Canada.

As it happens, there was blow out on a fracking operation in Pennsylvania last week. Fly fishing blog Chi Wulff posted an article ’Frack You’.

Still on the subject of fracking: An entry in the Calgary International Film Festival last year was ‘Burning Water’, also about the Rosebud River Valley.

Burning Water Trailer V.1 from Bunbury Films on Vimeo.

Fishing the Bow River – Apr 28 2011

Photo: Bow River Shuttles

Don’t let a little spring snowstorm hold you back.

Get off my land!!!

Click on image for larger version

A local couple, Amber and Brendan of FOR THE FLY, have reconfirmed the public’s right to access our rivers and streams. They had to take on a landowner to do it. And they won. Here’s their story.

Fish Creek today

We began to notice some colour on the Bow River yesterday, below the Fish Creek confluence. That continues today.

The Environment Alberta River Basin's real time guage for Fish Creek is not yet in operation, so we don't know what the flow rate is.

Easter Monday at Legacy Island

Looking upstream


Further upstream


Downstream


Further downstream


Side channel crossing



Boat ramp


Looking upstream


Looking downstream



All Photos: Bow River Shuttles

Calgary Hook & Hackle Club - Annual Auction April 27

Annual Auction - April 27

Coordinators - Gerry Thompson & Mary Zolmer

This is your invitation to come out to this special event. You don't have to be a club member.

It's a fun event, supporting a great club, and you will have the opportunity to bid on many items and trips.

6:30 pm: Doors open for viewing items & to register for live auction
7:00 pm SHARP: Live Auction begins

There will also be a bucket draw and a silent auction for a number of items.

In addition to items donated by club members, you will be able to bid on gear donated by local fly shops, fishing retailers and other fly fishing related businesses: Fly rods, fly boxes, tying material, fishing vest, books, Deluxe wooden tyer's bench & tools and more!

A large donation of used flyrods, reels, lines and gear from a former avid fly fisher - so there is a lot of choice for anglers.

Also under the auctioneer's gavel are fly fishing lessons, Bow River drift boat float trips, plus a number of walk & wade trips to the Bow River and Livingston River.

Bow River Shuttles is donating a full service one day drift boat rental.


Why support the club and this event?

Club members provide much sought after boxes of flies for fundraisers, such as TUC, Casting for Life and others.

The club promotes fly tying for both adults and youth by providing volunteer tyers for local fly fishing shows and outdoor trade shows. And it provides club members with lessons in fly tying.

And that's in addition to providing its members with a year round list of events and activities dedicated to fly fishing and fly tying.

Calgary Hook & Hackle Club

Photos: Bow River Shuttles

Kinjo Brothers

The Kinjo Brothers played the Casting for Life fundraising event earlier this spring.

Great entertainment – folk, funk, soul! We thought we heard a touch of Reggae in at least one song. :-)

You can catch them tonight (Mon April 25) at the Ironwood Stage & Grill.

If that’s a bit too short notice, they’ll be back at the Ironwood on May 30.

Tripping Back to 1971

Here is Ocean’s chart topper from 1971.

CBC Radio’s Michael Enright interviews the former band members this morning on The Sunday Edition.

“Some Kind of Magic - Easter is not only a time of heartfelt religious observance, it is also a time of joyful music.

In our First Hour, we bring you a splendid Canadian example of what we're talking about.

"Put Your Hand in the Hand" was written by Prince Edward Island songwriter Gene McClellan and by the end of 1971, it had sold close to four million records worldwide.

It was performed by a band called "Ocean" who - until their hit - was used to playing in high school gyms and church basements.

Decades later, this gospel anthem still gets played regularly. But the band faded away some time ago.

With our documentary - Some Kind of Magic - we look back to a tumultuous and special time."

Fighting Goliath

The mega load battle south of the border in Idaho and Montana made the front page of the Calgary Herald’s Business section a few days ago. That’s the second time this month.

This time, a Montana judge issued a temporary injunction against Imperial Oil.

The article also mentions another group doing battle against this move, ‘Rural People of Highway 12’, which includes a number of unlikely allies.

More information can be found in an article ‘Megaloads tread on Idaho values’ written last month by Kevin Lewis of Idaho Rivers United.

Earth Day April 22 2011

The Mountain from Terje Sorgjerd on Vimeo.

From TSO Photography

Via: Tides Canada

Good Friday at McKinnon Flats

Does oil and water mix?

What’s up with this??

Water research is Alberta is now going to be directed by energy industry execs: a former Syncrude CEO, a former senior vice Pres of Petro-Can, a former CEO of Nexen, and a senior vice-pres of Capital Power.

Here’s the story:

Experts warn water research could be hindered

EDMONTON - Water research in Alberta was dealt a blow this week when an important institute received news its work will now be directed by a board with energy industry priorities, water experts say.

The experts fear this means some basic research about the health, maintenance and reclamation of wetlands, rivers, lakes and watersheds won’t get done.

The Alberta Water Research Institute is headed by Lorne Taylor, a former Conservative environment minister. Taylor, who spearheaded the province’s Water for Life strategy, built the institute into a highly regarded organization that garnered praise for its independent international panel.

He was too upset Wednesday to talk about what was happening.

Read the rest of the story here

Photo: Lorne Taylor. Source: Edmonton Journal

Guide Chronicles

Guide Chronicles is a Web Based Magazine brought to you by Worley Bugger Fly Co.

It features fly fishing articles written by Fly Fishing Guides who make their living doing Guided Fly Fishing Trips.

For fly tying, fly fishing, trout, steelhead, bass, fly rods, reels line, and all things fly fishing.

Guide Chronicles

Aaron Caldwell’s “Nics Vid”

Fish tales Season in Review 2010 Volume 5 Nic's Vid from Fish Tales Fly Shop on Vimeo.

Have a look at the latest from Aaron! He’s received kudos from all over. Here’s some love from across the pond at Le Mouching. :-)

Change the way you think

Change the way you think from WWF on Vimeo.

How much water for coffee?

We live on a finite planet and sometimes our impact on it is greater than we realize. The seemingly isolated actions we take every day—from our choice of morning beverage to our choice of business practices—are often links in a chain of unusual connections we would never have imagined.

The bottom line: The health of business is directly connected to the health of the natural world. And both can grow and flourish—together.

Streamside Canada

The new Spring edition of Streamside Canada's FREE online magazine is out!

Feature articles include Silver in Quebec, A Glimpse of Kamploops Rainbows and Yukon’s Top Stream for ‘Bows’.

Pike on the Fly was written by Tim Tchir of Western Sport Fishing.ca.

Streamside Canada

Phone etiquette for a chilly spring

Bow River - April 14 2011 Photo: Bow River Shuttles

“Fly fishing’s off season doesn’t represent the end of anything as much as it does a shift; instead of talking on the river, your little group of fly fishermen hold those same conversations on the phone. And as the winter slowly closes out, those phone calls turn to spring.

Naturally, there’s an unspoken etiquette when discussing the upcoming fly fishing season – especially when that season involves a record 170% of normal snowpack and a forecast for a cooler-than-normal spring.

First, you don’t come right out and admit the obvious: You’re screwed.

That’s considered poor form.”

Kind of sounds like our not-yet-arrived spring along the Bow River, doesn’t it?

Actually, it describes the current conditions in Northern California. It comes from yesterday’s Trout Underground post titled “An Underground Primer on Phone Etiquette For Fly Fishermen”

Amazing U.B.C. lipdub video

Nothing to do with fly fishing. But we don’t think you’ll mind.

A University of B.C. lipdub video, filmed in one long shot on the school campus March 26, has gone viral on YouTube, with more than 500,000 views since its April 9 release.

The filmmakers say proceeds from the YouTube views will be donated to charity.

Be prepared to be amazed as scores of students lip synch to Pink's Raise Your Glass and Marianas Trench's Celebrity Status. And below it check out similar videos from Univeristy of Victoria, Trinity Western University in Langley, Montreal University (more than eight million views) and UBC-Okanagan. Here goes ...



Watch the other videos here

Jim Stelfox at Calgary Hook & Hackle Club Meeting

A good turnout of Calgary Hook & Hackle Club members took advantage of the Jim Stelfox (Area Fisheries Biologist, Cochrane, SRD) presentation last night. Jim’s presentation centered on his proposed fishing regulations change for the Upper and Lower Kananskis Lakes.

Calgary Hook & Hackle Club President Daniel Young



Jim Stelfox


He finished up with a brief update on the Quirk Creek Brook Trout Suppression Project . He noted that “a brookie in the pan is worth two brookies in the brook”. If you would like to be part of the Quirk Creek Project, and learn how you can have lots of brookies in your frying pan, please contact Jim or Brian Meagher (Alberta Provincial Biologist, TUC).







Please click directly on poster for larger image

A Sign of The Times

This sign, regarding Didymo, appeared at the 22X/Fish Creek Park boat launch.

Felt soled wading boots and waders have been banned in a number of jurisdictions. New Zealand banned them in 2008.

According to Bio Security New Zealand, “It is an offence to knowingly spread an unwanted organism with penalties of up to 5 years imprisonment, and/or a fine of up to $100,000.”

Responsible fishing says good-bye to felt-soled wading boots

click directly on image for larger version

22X/Fish Creek Park Boat Launch News

Photo: Bow River Shuttles

The 22X/Fish Creek Park boat launch has opened.

However, with up to 10cms of snow being forecast for overnight Wednesday to Thursday morning, there is the possibility that it might close again.

News from McKinnon Flats

Thanks to one of my shuttle clients, Eric M., for sending along this brief report and photos.

“I always check the newsletter and blog but hoping the banks of river ice will disappear faster than possible ????

I dropped down to Mac on Sunday and saw the shelf. Still too high to easily pick up a drift boat.

Some washouts on the switchback road getting down, but solid enough for traffic (with relatively high clearance).”