Bow River paddling pleasure spoiled

Reader Joel Duncan writes to say a canoe trip last Sunday on the Bow River was spoiled by “morons in speed boats.” Duncan is urging the province to ban all powerboats from our rivers. Photo, courtesy Jenelle Schneider/Calgary Herald/Files

Bow River paddling pleasure spoiled

Calgary Herald, Aug 29, 2015

Last Sunday, a friend and I made a canoe trip on the beautiful Bow River from Fish Creek Park to McKinnon Flats. The sun was bright as pelicans, cormorants, eagles, ospreys and gulls soared over and around us as we passed through. Warblers and catbirds sang from the willows and poplars along the way. Fish were jumping. Magical!

What was no fun at all was the utterly rude and inconsiderate behaviour of morons in speed boats (none wearing life-jackets, natch) who blasted past us only 20 feet away, throwing up a huge wake and nearly throwing us over twice! They did not give a damn. One boater looked back and smiled as we struggled to stay upright.

We passed many small fishing boats and they were terrific, but why does our province even tolerate big, honking powerboats on our rivers? If I’d caught up to the idiots at the takeout, there would have been consequences.

It’s gone too far. Ban all powerboats from our precious rivers.

Joel Duncan, Calgary

http://calgaryherald.com/…/lett…/letters-for-saturday-aug-29

KeepEmWet Movement

A look at how this whole ‪#‎keepemwet‬ thing came to be...

 By: Bryan Huskey 

It started several years ago, back in the days when Facebook was transitioning from a college student message board to general public communication. During this time, a ton of fish photos began to populate my news feed. A lot of those photos came from local waters that I personally knew and loved, and often the fish pictured were undergoing some pretty rough handling. It wasn't uncommon to see fish photographed up on the bank, laying in dry grass, leaves, or rocks. A few hung from their gill plates in classic harvest pose. Some such images had comments about catch & release regulations specific to the area, to which the angler would reply something like, "Relax, it's all good. I released that fish!"

Over time nearly every angler packed a camera phone, and the "hero shot" profile photo became standard angler protocol. I simply couldn't help but wonder what impact social media and camera phones were having on all kinds of fish that were caught, photographed and then released. It bothered me. A lot.

Read more here:  http://fishpondusa.com/the-pond/keepemwet-movement

Cooler water temperatures lead to fisheries reopening

Cooler water temperatures lead to fisheries reopening

All previously closed streams are now open to angling except for the St. Mary River downstream of the St. Mary Reservoir and its tributaries.

Read more here: http://alberta.ca/release.cfm?xID=38435349357A6-FBE4-1FCA-63A5ADB7E9C8A4E2

#bowriver | #flyfishing | #yyc | #KeepEmWet

In the Know about the Bow - Sept 19, 2015

Photo, courtesy Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park

In the Know about the Bow - Sept 19, 2015 

How much water do we really have to use on the Blue Planet? Where does our water come from? Who has the right to water from the Bow River?

Find out the answers to these questions and much more tonight at our Speaker Series at the Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park with the Glenbow Ranch Park Foundation and CPAWS Southern Alberta Education Director Jaclyn Angotti.

Learn more here: http://bit.ly/1Kwz6Uq

‪#‎bowriver‬ | ‪#‎flyfishing‬ | ‪#‎yyc‬

Trout struggling to breathe in Alberta's warm rivers and streams

The bull trout are particularly susceptible to high water temperatures in Alberta's rivers and streams. Alberta Environment / Calgary Herald archives

Trout struggling to breathe in Alberta's warm rivers and streams

Colette Derworiz, Calgary Herald, Aug 17, 2015

As the province closes streams and lakes in southern Alberta to fishing, scientists say the high temperatures in the waterways could still be deadly for some species — particularly trout.

Officials with Alberta Environment and Parks have closed more than 18 fisheries in the past week to protect fish populations in areas with water temperatures rising as high as 24 Celsius from the normal 15 to 18 C.

It’s the first time in recent memory that streams and rivers have been closed for temperature-related reasons.

“Considering some of the extremely hot temperatures that we’ve seen this summer, combined with extremely low flows of our flowing waters, we’ve taken the step of closing angling in some streams where we think the impact of even catch-and-release fishing on fish populations could be problematic,” said Paul Christensen, senior fisheries biologist with Alberta Environment and Parks.

Read more here: http://bit.ly/1NBSMJR

#‎bowriver‬ | ‪#‎flyfishing‬ | ‪#‎yyc‬ | ‪#‎KeepEmWet‬ |

Continued high water temperatures lead to additional fishing closures

Continued high water temperatures lead to additional fishing closures

from Alberta Environment and Parks, August 14, 2015

Temporary closures of additional fisheries are needed to safeguard fish populations in areas that have exceeded temperature thresholds.

Low water flows combined with hot weather have resulted in high water temperatures in several rivers and streams throughout Southern Alberta. Angling in these areas presents a high risk to fish populations and may result in mortalities, even when using catch and release practices.

To best protect fish populations, the following areas are closed to all fishing until further notice:

*Threepoint Creek and tributaries;
*Jumpingpound Creek from headwaters to the Bow River;
*Little Red Deer River and tributaries from headwaters downstream to Red Deer River, including Dogpound Creek and tributaries;
*Waterton River and all tributaries upstream of Waterton Reservoir, including Drywood Creek;
*Waterton River downstream of Waterton Reservoir, river only;
*Castle River and tributaries downstream of SH 507 to Highway 3, including Screwdriver Creek, Beaver Mines Creek and Mill Creek;
*Pincher Creek and tributaries;
*Oldman River from Highway 22 downstream to Secondary Road 510, river only; and
*Willow Creek, main stem and tributaries from Chain Lakes downstream to Pine Coulee Reservoir Diversion Head pond.

Read more here: http://alberta.ca/release.cfm…

‪#‎bowriver‬ | ‪#‎flyfishing‬ | ‪#‎yyc‬ | ‪#‎KeepEmWet‬

Fishing experts want more done to save the fish population

Fishing experts want more done to save the fish population 

The province of Alberta has put a fishing ban on some rivers in an effort to save the fish population from scorching heat, but as Doug Vaessen reports, some experts say it’s not enough.

View news story here: http://globalnews.ca/…/alberta-fly-fishers-divided-on-whet…/

@amberpayliss | @thebugparade | @AaronFeltham | Bow River Troutfitters | @MikeGifford | Country Pleasures Fly Fishing

‪#‎bowriver‬ | ‪#‎flyfishing‬ | ‪#‎yyc‬ | ‪#‎KeepEmWet‬

Trout Unlimited Canada comments on fisheries closures

Trout Unlimited Canada comments on fisheries closures

With the recently implemented fisheries closures on selected southern Alberta streams CBC News Calgary invited TUC CEO Silvia D'Amelio to speak on camera regarding TUC's perspective.

View news story here (00:50 to 06:00): http://www.cbc.ca/player/News/Canada/Calgary/ID/2673486171/

‪#‎bowriver‬ | ‪#‎flyfishing‬ | ‪#‎yyc‬ | ‪#‎KeepEmWet‬

Continued high water temperatures lead to fishing closures

Continued high water temperatures lead to fishing closures
 
from Alberta Environment and Parks, August 11, 2015

Temporary closures of certain fisheries are needed to safeguard fish populations in areas that have exceeded temperature thresholds. 

Low water flows combined with hot weather have resulted in high water temperatures in several rivers and streams throughout Southern Alberta. Angling in these areas presents a high risk to fish populations and may result in mortalities, even when using catch and release practices.

To best protect fish populations, the following areas are closed to all fishing until further notice:

*Sheep River from headwaters to Highwood River;
*Highwood River from headwaters to Bow River;
*St. Mary River, downstream of the St. Mary Reservoir and tributaries;
*Belly River, downstream of Secondary Road 800;
*Bow River from Bearspaw Reservoir to the W.H.D. Weir;
*Bow River from W.H.D Weir to the Carseland Weir;
*Bow River from Carseland Weir to Highway 24 bridge;
*Bow River from Highway 24 bridge downstream to Bassano Dam; and
*Elbow River from Glenmore Reservoir to the Bow River confluence.

Read more here: http://bit.ly/1J2zIVg

#‎bowriver‬ | ‪#‎flyfishing‬ | ‪#‎yyc‬ | ‪#‎KeepEmWet‬

Anglers urged to follow safe fish handling procedures

Photo, courtesy Alberta Environment & Parks

Anglers urged to follow safe fish handling procedures

by Alberta Environment & Parks, July 31, 2015

Ongoing hot weather combined with low water levels are resulting in high water temperatures in rivers and streams across Southern Alberta.

There is an increased risk to fish populations resulting from the stress of current conditions combined with catch and release angling. Until conditions improve, Albertans are encouraged to follow safe handling procedures to minimize fish mortality.

While anglers should be mindful throughout the Southern Alberta region, extra caution should be taken in the following areas:

• Castle River and tributaries from Highway 3 upstream to Westcastle River;
• Oldman River from Racehorse Creek downstream to Oldman Reservoir; and from Highway 2 near Fort Macleod downstream to Highway 3 in Lethbridge;
• Crowsnest River from Crowsnest Lake downstream to Oldman Reservoir;
• Belly River downstream of Secondary Road 800;
• Waterton River downstream of Waterton Reservoir;
• St. Mary and tributaries downstream of St. Mary Reservoir;
• Sheep River from Gorge Creek downstream to Highwood River;
• Highwood River from Kananaskis Country Boundary downstream to the mouth of Bow River; and
• Bow River from the Western Irrigation District weir to Bassano Dam.

To minimize risk to fish in Southern Alberta, anglers are encouraged to be mindful of the following angling practices:

• Fish in stocked ponds and lakes;
• Fish early in the mornings; and
• Minimize handling time and release fish as quickly as possible.

Alberta Environment and Parks staff will continue to monitor water levels and temperatures and may consider initiating angling restrictions if necessary.

Remove the Dams to Save the Salmon?

This short film from the producers of DamNation looks at the effects of four dams on the lower Snake River. It envisions how a future without those dams might bring back a resurgence of salmon to the area.