Picture perfect fishing

Fat cutthroat trout from the Livingstone River in the mountains north of Coleman, Alberta.  
Photo, courtesy Mike Drew/Calgary Sun

Picture perfect fishing

The air was full of mayflies and caddis as I parked by a stretch of the upper river and rigged up the fly rod. Fish were popping in a pool close by and within 10 minutes I’d caught and released two fat 16-inch cutthroats. Perfect.

By Mike Drew

Calgary Sun

Saturday, July 21, 2012

Sometimes I head out to go fishing and end up doing something else and sometimes I head out to do something else and then end up going fishing.

This was both.

Read article here plus 15 very good photos

Looking back along the Bow River - Season 2011

Early morning launch in late September.  
Photo, Copyright Bow River Shuttles All Rights Reserved 2012

Today along the Bow River - July 2012

Saturday morning sunrise along the Bow River. Checking trailer wheel bearings.  
Photo, Copyright Bow River Shuttles All Rights Reserved 2012

Early Saturday morning launch along the Bow River.  
Photo, Copyright Bow River Shuttles All Rights Reserved 2012

Late Saturday afternoon take out along the Bow River.  
Photo, Copyright Bow River Shuttles All Rights Reserved 2012

For current Bow River conditions and weather forecast, click on this link:

Kananaskis Country "Parks Day"- July 22 2012

Click on poster for larger image

Kananaskis Country Parks Day

Celebrate Canada's Parks Day with Kananaskis Country! This is a fantastic outing for families - lots to do, see and touch. Parks Day offers a great learning opportunity for children and adults - all free of charge!

Kananaskis Country Parks Day

Looking back along the Bow River - Season 2011

Photo, Copyright Bow River Shuttles All Rights Reserved 2012

Today along the Bow River - July 2012

Click directly on photo for much larger image. 
Photo, Copyright Bow River Shuttles All Rights Reserved 2012

The flow rate of the Bow River has dropped almost 70 cms over the past 72 hours, and as a result, some of the gravel bars are beginning to show up again.

For current Bow River conditions and weather forecast, click on this link:

Bow River Fishing Report - from July 15 2012

Brent H. taking out at the end of his trip.  
Photo, Copyright Bow River Shuttles All Rights Reserved 2012

The trip was ok, as I'm sure you know the water level rose significantly over night and that pretty much killed the golden stone hatch.

I was still able to land 3 rainbows on nymphs, the biggest being 20 inches. Saw some risers but couldn't get any to take.

I'd say the water vis was probably about a foot and a half.

- THANKS TO BRENT H. FOR THIS FISHING REPORT.

Willows Music Festival 2012 (July 20 - 22)

Click on poster for larger image

Willows Music Festival 2012

Don't waste water!

Looking back along the Bow River - Season 2011

Photo, Copyright Bow River Shuttles All Rights Reserved 2012

We think the animal on the left is a mule. What do you think?

If it is, it's the only one along our Bow River shuttle routes. We see our fair share of horses and a few donkeys most every day, but no mules.

Today along the Bow River - July 2012

A late afternoon launch on the Bow today.  
Photo, Copyright Bow River Shuttles All Rights Reserved 2012

A High Streamflow Advisory for the Bow River and its tributaries upstream of the City of Calgary has ended

For current Bow River conditions and weather forecast, click on this link:

Bow River Fishing Report - from July 14 2012

Cody C's party. Early morning launch in smokey haze from northern Alberta forest fires.  
Photo, Copyright Bow River Shuttles All Rights Reserved 2012

"We had a great trip with very good dry action on Stones from 5:30-8:30 and then we flipped to streamers for the remainder of the float.

We got about 20 fish (all rainbows) to the boat with the bulk of them being 18-20”.

The largest rainbow was caught on the north side of the Highwood confluence on a black wooley bugger. It was 25”.

Thanks for the follow up and great service."

- THANKS TO CODY C. FOR THIS FISHING REPORT.

FIESTAVAL 2012 Calgary JULIO 21 Y 22 ...Te esperamos !!

Fiestaval is a 2-day FREE multicultural arts and entertainment festival highlighting the Latin American Culture. It is an opportunity to support Calgary’s Latin community while encouraging multiculturalism among all Calgarians. Central to its distinction is that Fiestaval is a FREE, family-oriented alternative for celebrating multicultural arts and entertainment in Calgary.

Fiestaval will take place in the heart of downtown Calgary at the Calgary Olympic Plaza on July 21 and 22 2012.

Fiestival Festival Latino

Looking back along the Bow River - Season 2011

Photo, Copyright Bow River Shuttles All Rights Reserved 2012

Today along the Bow River - July 2012

American Coot family near McKinnon Flats.  
Photo, Copyright © Bow River Shuttles All Rights Reserved 2012

A High Streamflow Advisory for the Bow River and its tributaries upstream of the City of Calgary has ended.

For current Bow River conditions and weather forecast, click on this link:

The Beginning of the End?

Click directly on charts for much larger images

Could we finally be witnessing the beginning of the end of our very long Bow River run off 2012?

A High Streamflow Advisory for the Bow River and its tributaries upstream of the City of Calgary ended this afternoon.

And the flow rate of the Bow River at Calgary declined 50 cms over the past 24 hours, from 356 cms to 306 cms.

Calgary prodigy gains global fame

Calgary prodigy gains global fame

Valerie Fortney,

Calgary Herald

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

He loves newer bands like the Foo Fighters and such old standbys as Rush.

When he went to a Pearl Jam concert at age three, lead singer Eddie Vedder - seeing the kid do some awesome air drumming in the crowd - gifted him after the show with the band's handwritten set list.

No wonder that at the tender age of seven, Jaxon Smith has big plans to become a drummer in a rock band.

Unlike most kids his age, though, the pint-sized boy already has a leg up on the competition.

"He started tapping to music when he was just a year old," says his dad, Kevin Smith. "By the time he was three, he was playing the drums like a pro."

The kid is good, really good.

Read more here

Looking back along the Bow River - Season 2011

Photo, Copyright © Bow River Shuttles All Rights Reserved 2012

Today along the Bow River - July 2012

Bow River flow rate at 351 cms midday today.   
Photo, Copyright Bow River Shuttles All Rights Reserved 2012

For current Bow River conditions and weather forecast, click on this link:

Bow River Fishing Report - from July 11 to 14, 2012

Photo, courtesy Eric Mac

Much thanks for the shuttle service on July 11th to 14th.

A quick fishing report.

Wednesday and Thursday the early morning dry stone fly fishing was very good.

Several nice browns were caught on large Stimulators, Skid Bitch and other similar large foam bugs.

Photo, courtesy Eric Mac

Friday the river started to rise and the fish did not seem to be looking up.

Streamers were successful in landing many quality fish. Black was the preferred color with the visibility about 18 inches. Mainly wooly buggers and the Bow river bugger.

Getting deep was important and our success was with sink tip lines and heavy, conehead, streamers. Stonefly nymphs drifted under an indicator was almost a sure bet if you hit the seams and drop off buckets.

Only rainbows were caught while nymphing.

Best nymphs were the Kaufman stone, Jimmy leg, Squirrel tail etc. Large breathable nymphs in size 8 to 4 and generally brown or black.

Photo, courtesy Eric Mac

Saturday the river was even higher with little or no surface activity. Fishing was slow with only 14 fish to the boat, the majority on streamers.

Cheers,

- THANKS TO ERIC M. FOR THIS FISHING REPORT AND PHOTOS