Trout Steam At Risk

Damage caused by off-highway vehicles in Fall Creek, an important bull trout fish spawning creek. Bull trout need clear and cold water to successfully reproduce. WAYNE CROCKER/ Alberta Environment and Parks

Trout Steam At Risk

by Mary-Ann Barr, Red Deer Advocate, August 22, 2015

— "You don't know what you've got till it's gone, they paved paradise and put up a parking lot." - Joni Mitchell, Big Yellow Taxi

Fall Creek, an important spawning water for the beleaguered bull trout — a protected native fish and Alberta’s provincial fish — is being damaged by people illegally driving their off-highway vehicles into it.
As well, the surrounding area is suffering from increased OHV traffic, enabled when logging in the area southwest of Rocky Mountain House started a few years ago.

Why should anyone care about the bull trout? After all, it’s just a fish and there are other kinds of fish. And there’s lots of wilderness for all users.

Actually, it’s about caring for native species that are part of our living heritage in this beautiful province, and it’s about the big picture — protect and respect the environment, or lose it.

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


From CBC Calgary today:

"The bull trout is not only Alberta's provincial fish, it's classified as sensitive and threatened under legislation. Now an important spawning stream for the trout is being damaged by people driving off-highway vehicles.

We spoke with Wayne Crocker, the backcountry co-ordinator for Alberta Environment and Parks, on alberta@noon today."

(Photo of Fall Creek in Central Alberta: Wayne Crocker)


Bow River Shuttles writes: The radio interview mentioned above will not be available on 'Past Episodes' for a few days. In the meantime, the article above is on the same subject, including comments from Wayne Crocker.


H/T to @Jordan Udo Pinkster (see blog 'Fishing Alberta with Pike Pinkster') who wrote: "I'm very pleased that the plight of Alberta's native trout species is finally getting some of the air time that it deserves. Scenes like this are all too common in our back country. It's time that we do something to address those that would seek to destroy some of Alberta's most sensitive habitats."

What Will Your Candidate Do to Support Mental Health?

What Will Your Candidate Do to Support Mental Health?

by Marvin Ross, HuffingtonPost.ca, Aug 18, 2015

""When the health system fails to treat mental illness, the justice system punishes the symptoms". Canadians should be pressing the parties to take a leadership position on the healthcare file and one aspect of that file that needs the most attention is mental illness." - Mood Disorders Society of Canada

Read more here:  http://huff.to/1ObMGCu

#‎mentalillness‬ | ‪#‎Canada‬ | ‪#‎health‬ | ‪#‎elxn2015‬ | ‪#‎canpoli‬

Alberta government bans logging, mining, and oil and gas expansion in Castle area

Haig Pass, coming out of the Flathead and looking into the upper West Castle — the heart of the area protected by the province Friday. For the Calgary Herald

Alberta government bans logging, mining, and oil and gas expansion in Castle area

 by Colette Derworiz, Calgary Herald, Sept 04, 2015

CROWSNEST PASS — The province is protecting the entire Castle area in southern Alberta as two parks, banning forestry and mining and and turning its focus to recreation and tourism in the area.

Read more here:  http://calgaryherald.com/…/alberta-moves-to-protect-vast-ca…

Image, courtesy Calgary Herald

Trout Unlimited Canada writes: 

"Today, Alberta Environment and Parks’ Minister Shannon Phillips announced the protection of the Castle Special Management Area in southwestern Alberta. This unique and special part of the province will be protected by expanding an existing Wildland Provincial Park and creating a new Provincial Park. The Castle is a special place for many Albertans. It provides important fish and wildlife habitat and forms a big part of the headwaters of the Oldman River Basin. The additional 1,040 square kilometers of Provincial Park is a great step towards the protection of our water resources. The park designation means there will be no more commercial logging within the area. There will also be a prohibition on surface rights access for new oil and gas leases. The park designation also allows the provincial government to create new campgrounds within the area. The province is looking to reduce the industrial impacts on this landscape and develop recreational and tourism opportunities.

Please visit the Newsroom on our site for additional links including how you can provide feedback."

CPAWS Southern Alberta | Crowsnest Café & Fly Shop | Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative | Alberta Wilderness Association| Castle-Crown Wilderness Coalition |

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.

Let's stop wasting water before shortages force us to

Let's stop wasting water before shortages force us to

by Karin Klassen, for the Calgary Herald, July 27, 2015 

One can’t help but notice, in this particularly hot, spectacular summer in Calgary, how water shortages are wreaking havoc on communities elsewhere. 

“Ugly year leaves many crops dying and left dead in fields,” reads one B.C. headline, where parched forests are tinder to lightning fires that are ravaging the province. “Dry conditions bring need to conserve but also lead to much finger pointing,” reads another, where signs of green lawns pit whistle-blowing neighbour against water-ban-shirking, garden-greedy neighbour in Vancouver. 

And then there’s California. When it gets bad, it gets bad fast.

So how does the water supply fare in Calgary? Is this imminent? Is there something we should be doing to avoid this fate? 

We can answer these questions with some degree of certainty, thanks to an unlikely soothsayer.

Read more: bit.ly/1U3lzus

Skagit Spey Casting Clinic with Tim Arsenault (Calgary) - July 25

Out Fly Fishing Outfitters Fly Shop AKA West Winds Fly Shop is very excited to be hosting another Skagit Spey Casting Clinic with Tim Arsenault on July 25th. Tim is Canada's top ranked Spey Caster and a 2 time Spey O Rama (World Championship) finalist, but more importantly a phenomenal instructor and a great guy.

This is a 5hr on the water Skagit Spey Casting Clinic that is perfect for the new or intermediate spey caster looking to fine tune their spey casting techniques. This course will focus on the fundamental concepts behind Spey Casting and the application of these techniques in fishing casts.

Saturday July 25th
Time: 10:30am - 3:30pm
Place: Bow River, Calgary AB (meet at the shop at 10:00am. 9919 Fairmount Dr SE)
Cost; $150

Bow River - CPAWS presentation - Wed Jul 22, 7pm - Preregistration Required

Water - what could be more essential to life? Find out just how much fresh water there really is on our planet. Learn about our connection to the water we know personally, the Bow River, and the ways in which we use it. Find out what we put into our water. Learn how you can help contribute to looking after the liquid source of life that flows through our city. Join CPAWS for the Bow River Water Program at Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park.

 "We're so excited for the CPAWS Bow River presentation this evening! Have you registered yet? If not, all the info and registration is below!" @glenbowranch CPAWS Southern Alberta

https://app.etapestry.com/cart/GlenbowRanchParkFoundation/default/item.php?ref=715.0.117008439

Glenbow Ranch Park Foundation | CPAWS Southern Alberta | ‪#‎bowriver‬ | ‪#‎flyfishing‬ | ‪#‎yyc‬

And The Winners Are…

Jim Bartschi, President of Scott Rods is all smiles after wining both – Best salt water rod & Best of Show categories with the new Scott Meridian. Photo, courtesy, Angling Trade

Angling Trade writes: "People often ask me how I feel about the state of the fly-fishing market. There’s no easy answer for such a complex question. But here’s some food for thought. One of the most reliable indicators of the “health” of the industry is on display, once a year, at the International Fly Tackle Dealer trade show, in the form of the New Product Showcase. I’ve seen the tide ebb and flow. “Up” years indicate that the manufacturers are investing in research and product development. Some companies (usually the big ones) make that a priority all the time. But the companies that are living hand-to-mouth don’t have that luxury. They must make money to invest, and so on.

This year’s New Product Showcase featured nearly 250 products, literally hundreds more than I have seen in the past. It was an impressive collection of very sound, smart designs. The big hitters like Far Bank, Orvis, and Simms went large. Pure Fishing is pressing reintroductions of icons like the Pflueger Medalist reel, and Fenwick (and Hardy) rods. And a number of smaller, niche players really made statements. That tells me the doldrums from a few years ago are gone, and there is optimism looking forward. You have good reason, as a retailer, to share that optimism, and check these things out."

American Fly Fishing Trade Association | ‪#‎IFTD15‬ | ‪#‎ICAST‬

Here are the winners, in every category from the show:

The Making of a Marlin

Costa Brings Kick Plastic Message to ICAST, Commissions Nine Foot Tall Marlin Sculpture Made of Ocean Trash

Costa Sunglasses commissioned a sculpture made entirely out of Pacific Ocean trash collected from the beaches of Oregon to exemplify the problem of plastic waste in our oceans.

Read more here: http://bit.ly/1gFA1uy

And here: https://www.costadelmar.com/inside-costa/kick-plastic

American Fly Fishing Trade Association | ‪#‎IFTD15‬ | ‪#‎ICAST‬

In Current

In Current from YETI Coolers on Vimeo.