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| Photo: Bow River Shuttles |
Monday, August 15, 2011
Today along the Bow River
The Contemporary Sportsman - Summer 2011
I would start with the letter from the publisher “Paradise Lost”.
Although the focus is on South Florida, it could be about your own ‘home waters’ anywhere on the planet.
Next, you could go to the Kispiox River in B.C. with “The Sea Run Angle”.
After that, you can take your pick from 296 pages of great photos and stories!
We had limited expectations
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| Photo courtesy: Mark G. |
Sunday we floated Policeman's to McKinnon and we were in around 8 AM.
I have never seen so many trailers in the parking lot! Almost full!
We had limited expectations following such a parade but we were pleasantly surprised.
Nymphing for a good part of the day in green water with about 1-2 feet visibility produced nice 18 - 20 inch rainbows on worms, pheasant tails and copper Johns.
Later Hopper produced another few rainbows.
Beautiful weather, mild breeze and sighting a pair of beautiful bald eagles made it an awesome day.
The Bow River
Policeman’s Flats to McKinnon Flats
Sunday August 07 2011
THANKS TO MARK G. FOR THIS EMAIL FISHING REPORT AND PHOTO!
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Moose on the loose at Mac
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| All photos: Bow River Shuttles |
Coming down the final switchback at McKinnon Flats, we saw the moose on the old McKinnon homestead site.
As we watched, he jumped the fence, crossed the road, and loped along, heading west, directly beneath the road we were on.
Big Sugar
Big Sugar got back together in 2010 and they’ve been crisscrossing the country in 2011.
Their many recent gigs included the Capital Ex in Edmonton.
You can catch Gordie Johnson’s Daybreak Alberta interview (July 07) on their website. If you’re a fan, this is 18 minutes of pure gold.
Saturday, August 13, 2011
Today along the Bow River
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| All photos: Bow River Shuttles |
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| Packing up after a three day camping trip on the Bow River |
Now this is summer!
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| Photo: Bow River Shuttles |
Barometer dropping. Sunny weather. All spelled out for a good day on the river. And so it was.
The first hook-up came early in the float, before the first stop. Three more came and went as well until the fifth fish finally fought and lost and was captured.
Plenty of action though on and off until mid afternoon when the fish stopped any bites and the last two hours became only a pleasant ride down the river.
The odd stone fly was seen crawling up on to the rocks but none of the fish were eating the pattern. Hoppers too were boisterous on the bank in the afternoon heat.
Fish were caught mostly on a prince's nymph and sometimes on copper johns.
Markedly lower water this week and lots of clarity.
Best fish was a rainbow, 20 inches on a stretch.
Now this is summer!
The Bow River
Glenmore Trail to Policeman’s Flats
Tuesday August 09 2011
THANKS TO STEVE S. FOR THIS EMAIL FISHING REPORT.
Friday, August 12, 2011
Landed more rainbows than browns
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| Photo courtesy: Scott I. |
The float went well. Caught most of our fish on nymphs and streamers. Landed more rainbows than browns.
The Bow River
Policeman’s Flats to McKinnon Flats
Wednesday August 03 2011
THANKS TO SCOTT I. FOR THIS EMAIL FISHING REPORT AND PHOTO!
Spawning ground ‘joyride’ = $2,000 fine
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| Click directly on photo for larger image. Photo of Jesse Bertram's pickup truck stuck in Waiparous Creek on May 21, 2011, northwest of Calgary. On Thursday in a Cochrane courtroom, Bertram was hit with a $2,000 federal fine for driving through the creek, which is home to critical spawning habitat for threatened trout species. Photograph by: Courtesy, Government of Canada, Handout |
Calgarian fined for spawning-ground 'joyride'
By Kelly Cryderman,
Calgary Herald
August 12, 2011
COCHRANE — Jesse Bertram says he was just trying to get his 1987 Dodge pickup truck to the other side of Waiparous Creek during the first full day of camping on the May long weekend.
But Alberta Fish and Wildlife officials were not in a forgiving mood when they came across the Calgary man’s truck stuck in waters up to its hood — smack dab in the middle of spawning grounds for threatened trout species.
“Joyriding at the expense of the environment” is how federal Crown prosecutor Erin Eacott summed it up in a Cochrane courtroom
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Working on reading water and navigating
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| Photo: Bow River Shuttles |
Trip was great! I most was trying a hopper dropper and was likely too early as didn't have any luck.
Still working on generally reading water and navigating.
Trip was very quick due to river. Managed to just miss the boat launch at Policeman’s Flats but understand that is a common occurrence when river moving so quick, not much room for error there as you have mentioned. Nothing a bit of rope couldn't solve!
My wife has taking a liking to being the oarsman so I hope to have a bit more time to focus on the fishing.
Also met some great folks on the drift that were very friendly and helpful.
The Bow River
Glenmore Trail to Policeman’s Flats
Monday August 01 2011
THANKS TO DOUG B. FOR THIS EMAIL FISHING REPORT.
Spray River Drainage Update – From TUC
Local guides and anglers are concerned with the spilling of water over TransAlta's infrastructure at the Canyon Dam spillway into the Spray River drainage. One of the two generators at the Spray plant has been down for maintenance since February. In late May the second generator unexpectedly failed, resulting in high water flows down the Spay River along with large amounts of siltation being pushed through into the Bow River.
A project is currently underway within the Spray River system to mitigate the negative effects of silt accumulation. Recently, Alberta Biologist Brian Meagher, along with representatives of Parks Canada, TransAlta and DFO attended a meeting to talk about and work through a mitigation plan. Members of the local guiding community as well as Alberta Environment and Alberta Parks also participated in the meeting via conference call.
Michelle Joly & Amy Bishop
Michelle Joly and Amy Bishop are just two of the many performers, both local and from afar, who are strutting their stuff at the Central Music Festival this weekend in – where else- Red Deer!
Find more Michelle Joly songs at Myspace Music
Find more amy bishop songs at Myspace Music
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
The fish were sulking
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| Photo: Bow River Shuttles |
Had about 3 ft visibilty, no complaints there.
The majority of the day was hot and sunny, and the fish were sulking. Quite a few pmd's coming off and some caddis. We saw a couple of stone flies, but only in one isolated spot. No rising fish.
We caught some through the day chucking streamers and a couple on nymphs.
As soon as the sun got low, we found some fish rising against the banks, and just about doubled our production in about 45 mins. They were on caddis.
I think all together about a 12 fish day, not great, not terrible, but it was a long day on the water for that. 1 brown, the rest rainbows.
Biggest about 22'
Had 1 that my buddy caught on a pheasant tail jump right into the back of the boat!
The Bow River
McKinnon Flats to Carseland
Sunday July 31 2011
THANKS TO TIM M. FOR THIS EMAIL FISHING REPORT.
Fly fishers drown - BC & Montana
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| A helicopter searches the waters of Cheakamus River Sunday for a missing woman, believed to have drowned, after being swept away while fishing Saturday afternoon. Photograph by: Bonny Makarewicz, for PNG |
Several recent drownings in Southern Alberta prompted an editorial “Play it safe this summer” in the Calgary Herald earlier this week. None of the victims wore life jackets.
Further afield, several fly fishers drowned in two separate incidents over the past ten days.
In BC, a couple were 'walk and wade' fishing with a guide on the Cheakamus River. The woman hooked a fish, but slipped and fell in the river. Her male companion jumped in to help, but both were swept away. The man was found later and declared dead at the scene. At the time of this writing, the woman had not been found.
In Montana, longtime Livingston fishing guide Chester Marion was float fishing on the Boulder River with two clients. Their fishing raft capsized after hitting a cottonwood tree that had fallen across the channel. The woman managed to get to safety. However, her husband and the fishing guide drowned.
Afrikadey with Angélique Kidjo
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| Click on poster for larger image |
One of the headliners at Calgary’s Afrikadey celebration this week is Angélique Kidjo.
She is widely considered to be "Africa's premier diva", and is a Grammy-winning musician and noted social activist.
She is widely considered to be "Africa's premier diva", and is a Grammy-winning musician and noted social activist.
Angelique Kidjo from IMN World on Vimeo.
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
We had a splendid day!
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| Photo: Bow River Shuttles |
We had a splendid day! Thanks for the shuttle.
Caught four rainbows over 15 inches. Two on nymph rig, two on B & W streamers. The other six fish were caught by our friend who brought his pathetic spin caster with a small spoon. They were small fish but fun to catch.
River was up there with maybe a meter vis. For a bunch of beginners we are happy with our first major day on the river.
Biggest frustration was buddy boy and his jet boat going up and down the river between Policeman’s and part way to McKinnon.
Scary, dangerous and totally ruins the fishing for a while.
The reason I got a drift boat was to enjoy the peace and quiet. So much for that.
The Bow River
22X/Fish Creek Park to McKinnon Flats
Monday August 01 2011
THANKS TO RON E. FOR THIS EMAIL FISHING REPORT.
Species recovery plan in motion for Alberta’s cutthroat trout
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| Fly fishing and fish habitat on the world famous Bow River, seen here near Canmore, Alta., has been seriously affected by silt from a faulty TransAlta hydroelectric facility. Craig Douce, Globe & Mail |
NOTE: This Globe & Mail article from the weekend makes reference to the problems being caused to the Spray River cutthroat trout by the breakdown at TransAlta’s Canyon Dam.
Species recovery plan in motion for Alberta’s cutthroat trout
DAWN WALTON
From Saturday's Globe and Mail
Published Friday, Aug. 05, 2011
Simple pleasures once came with fishing for westslope cutthroat trout.
The brightly coloured fish, dotted with black speckles and so-named for the red-orange streak that runs under its mouth, swims and spawns in the cold freshwater rivers in some of the prettiest and most rugged places in Alberta. Cutthroats were once so plentiful that they could be carted away by the wagonload.
“They are pretty eager to hit a fly – dry fly or wet – they are easy to catch,” said Dale Meier, a long-time fly-fishing guide in the Rocky Mountains around Canmore, Alta. “We fished for them all the time back in the ’80s – the good old days,” he added.
But the truly good old days went back even farther than that.
When the railway came in 1885, so did over-fishing by irrationally exuberant anglers who employed everything from nets to dynamite. Industry soon saw the potential to harness the region’s waterways, and hydroelectric dams were built throughout the trout’s native range in southern Alberta, including the Rockies. But that flooded trout habitat and wiped out spring spawning grounds.
Meanwhile, misguided attempts to restock the province’s water bodies with exotic species such as rainbow and brook trout have muscled out and cross-bred with the native cutthroat populations.
“It’s extremely, extremely dire for them,” said David Mayhood, an aquatic ecologist Freshwater Research Ltd., who has reported on the cutthroat’s plight to both the federal and provincial governments.
Currently under way is a federal-provincial species recovery plan, which is expected to be completed this fall. But saving the cutthroat from oblivion won’t be easy, when man-made hazards lurk everywhere. A faulty hydroelectric generator, for instance, has left one cutthroat population in peril.
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