Thanks fishteck. "The largest percentage of fish are caught annually by guided anglers that equals the combination of non-guided boat and shore anglers" So the greatest angling stress (by far) comes from guiding....that sounds like exactly where the government needs to focus it's attention when it comes to limiting angling. If we see anything different than this there needs to be a lot of screaming coming from the public

Before Christmas I found myself walking around Crossiron Mills in an effort to kill time. I had travelled down from Edmonton and was waiting to meet a guy about a drift boat in the parking lot. Like many other Canadians I try not to support big box outdoor stores, given there effect on local economy and low quality of products, but when you have nothing but time to kill, the flash of one of these stores is hard for any angler to resist. So after doing a few laps of the mall I walked through the turn style and into the multi billion dollar corporation that I now feel is destroying not only local economy but our fisheries as well. Call me a wet blanket, call me a downer but just see where I’m coming from until you pass judgement. After entering the store I went where most people using this forum would go, the fly shop. I spent about 10 minutes looking around at the far inferior selection that put a Canadian born chain out of business two years ago, all the while thinking we lost that for this? That may be a matter of personal opinion as these things usually are, but it’s what I saw at the check out that for lack of a better term “really pissed me off”. Near the front of the store at the exit displayed so proudly was a one of the many old black and white photos of “the good old days”. Now just to be clear I have nothing wrong with eating an occasional fish but the display of a picture with 15-20 trout on a stringer seems inappropriate to say the least. And it’s not like it’s just one they are all over the place, picture after picture of dead fish. We all know those are not the fisheries we have today, my argument is that it’s because of the “good old days” we are dealing with such fragile an venerable fisheries today. The scenario that happens way to to often in our province is this. There’s a guy watching tv, he sees an ad for one of the many big box outdoors stores, he thinks “well fishing looks pretty fun”. What’s his next stop? You guessed it! So he walks into one of these stores, takes away from local economies, walks to the register to have one of these pictures staring him in the face. This is a person Who knows nothing other than what the store staff just told him and what is displayed on the walls. We have all heard the guy “what do you mean catch and release”, or “it’s not even worth the time if I can’t keep fish”. Well I think it’s this mind set that is a contributing factor to the decline of our fisheries. So I have just thrown out a lot contentious arguments and I’m not asking for any kind of conflict I’m more just wondering if this bugs anyone but myself? Solutions? Well I know it may sound silly but I think you have to look at where the problem starts and no I do t think it’s the pictures hanging on the walls of a store. Education! It’s always the answer and it should come from the start. The reason hunting education courses are mandatory is to promote safety and CONSERVATION. So would it really be a bad thing if we did the same for fishing? No this won’t solve the problems we have now days but the the problems we have will not be solved by any one thing. Long winded, I know but it’s something I felt had to be said.

Unfortunately the presentation did not get into the details or analysis of the Bow River Trout Population Survey since the data analysis is not complete. Therefore the focus of the presentation was on the 2019 creel survey that was interesting in itself: There is a 15% increase in angling pressure since the previous creel survey reported in 2006. This falls in line with Alberta's human population increase in the same time period. The Bow River is considered to be at "High Risk" on AEP sustainable index methodology and could go higher without fishery management change. Catch rates were reported to be generally higher by guided anglers, as compared to non-guided and shore anglers. There is no evidence of Whirling Disease present in the lower Bow River based on the 2018-19 fish population survey size class estimates. The Bow River angling pressure is one of the highest of any fishery in Alberta. And all ES1 Zones trout streams are under extremely high angling pressure. Although there are many influencers that have an impact on the sustainability of Bow River trout population, it is unlikely that those outside of angling pressure can be changed by AEP Fishery Management Policy. The Bow River trout and whitefish fish populations continue to decline and without intervention, principally on the angling pressure front, the sports fishery will continue to decline. Southern Alberta's fishing regulations will change - just how fast and what approach will be taken is hard to define. But it is clear AEP has very few options at hand. It is extremely important for all anglers to complete the AEP Fishery Management Survey that is now on their website. If you do it before you go to the ongoing open forums this coming week you will have a better idea of what AEP has focused their attention on for the future of Alberta's sports fisheries. https://talkaep.alberta.ca/aep-fisheries-management

I am hoping to put a summary of the presentations together before the weekend in preparation for the upcoming AEP Fishery Management Forum in Calgary on January 21. By the way the times of the AEP forum were removed from their website. Its an open discussion forum 4:30 to 8:30 at each location.

Two events you should not miss in January:Calgary Fish & Game Association's Alberta Government Fish Management seminar at the Cardel Theatre in Calgary on January 15, 2019. The State of the Bow River fishery will be presented by AEP Fishery biologists and Fish & Wildlife Enforcement Branchhttps://www.eventbrite.com/e/alberta-government-fisheries-presentation-tickets-87049877527Alberta Environment & Parks Fisheries Management Engagement Forum at Bow Habitat Station on January 21, 2019. You will have the opportunity to engage with fishery management staff on what you believe are important to sustain local recreational fisheries.https://talkaep.alberta.ca/aep-fisheries-management

Fish Recipes Walleye - https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/223227/best-fried-walleye/print/?recipeType=Recipe&servings=4&isMetric=false Trout - https://www.primaverakitchen.com/garlic-butter-rainbow-trout-in-foil/ Pike (Fish cakes) - https://honest-food.net/fish-cakes-recipe-wild-rice/ Perch - https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/222336/brown-butter-perch/ The above are my (or more correctly, my wife’s) favourite recipes for cooking our most common fish. I believe she subs olive oil for vegetable oil in most cases. Please chime in with your favourites. Cheers, Neil

An Internet Link Index for the Alberta Fly Fisherperson Current as of Tuesday, December 24, 2019 Province of Alberta https://www.dropbox.com/s/rqiyty0bzn3i926/Brook%20Trout%20Stockings%20in%20Alberta.docx?dl=0 – Brook Trout Stockings in Alberta https://www.dropbox.com/s/f0nhhkadfy9ofcs/Brown%20Trout%20Stockings%20in%20Alberta.docx?dl=0 – Brown Trout Stockings in Alberta https://www.dropbox.com/s/b9nxt5nxp5tyn6w/Cutthroat%20Trout%20Stockings%20in%20Alberta.docx?dl=0 – Cutthroat Trout Stockings in Alberta https://www.dropbox.com/s/vpdw44fry2onivq/Tiger%20Trout%20Stockings%20in%20Alberta.docx?dl=0 –Tiger Trout Stockings in Alberta https://www.dropbox.com/s/em5lmpvfnurjiaw/ACA Winter Lake Surface Aeration.docx?dl=0 - Alberta Aerated Lakes Northern Alberta https://www.dropbox.com/sh/mhdk6iuotzvifhw/AADmDNsCZNq9ly9s5WlI6n18a?dl=0 – The Trout Lakes of Northern Alberta (76), Maps, directions etc. https://www.dropbox.com/s/b90ly7sidr6tnc0/Trout%20Stockings%20in%20Alberta.docx?dl=0 – Trout (All species) Stockings in 76 Northern Alberta Trout Lakes https://www.dropbox.com/s/hcisxzukojsca54/Campground%20Data%20etc.docx?dl=0 – Camping data etc. for 76 Northern Alberta Trout Lakes https://www.dropbox.com/s/cuz94mfcomyfok3/Alberta%20Lakes%20Fishing%20Regulations..docx?dl=0 – Regulations for 76 Northern Alberta Trout Lakes Alberta Fly-Fishing Clubs & Guiding Websites Northern Lights Fly Fishers :- http://www.nlft.org/online-forums/ _ Recommended home club. Meets once a week on Wednesdays Edmonton Trout Fishing Club :- http://www.edmontontrout.ca/ - Meets twice a month (First and third Tuesdays) Edmonton Old Timers Fishing Club :- (782)232-6261:- Meets monthly Calgary Women Fly Fishers :- http://calgarywomenflyfishers.com/ :- Meets monthly Hook and Hackle Club (Calgary) :- http://hookandhackleclub.org/index.html :- Meets twice a month (Second and fourth Wenesdays) Central Alberta Fly Tying Club (Red Deer) :- https://rdflytying.blogspot.com/ :- Meets once a week on Mondays Peace Country Fly Fishers (Grande Prairie) :-http://pcflyfishers.org/ :- Meets twice a month (First and third Thursdays) Southern Alberta Fly Fishing (Lethbridge) :-http://www.southernalbertaflyfishing.com/ :- Guiding service Alberta Fly Fishing Adventures (Coleman) :- http://www.albertaflyfishing.ab.ca/ :- Guiding Service Good Fly Fishing Websites and Fly Patterns The New Fly Fisher Magazine (Free) :- https://www.thenewflyfisher.com/ - A Canadian magazine with excellent contributors. Mid-current Fly Fishing News :- http://midcurrent.com/news/ - An excellent newsletter, with excellent contributors, out of Fort Collins, Colorado. The Global Fly Fisher :- http://globalflyfisher.com/ - An excellent European newsletter, with excellent contributors. Fly Tiers Page:- http://www.flytierspage.com/ - By Hans Weilenmann. 5,000 patterns by 267 tiers Neil’s Favourite 5 wet flies - https://www.dropbox.com/sh/9ghqzfoz68ydbgl/AAABoo3pBeLpw29OWpiFk5R_a?dl=0 – How to tie, etc. Videos of Common Bugs :- https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=bugs+of+the+underworld&qpvt=bugs+of+the+underworld&FORM=VDRE – Great videos Good articles by good authors Brian Chan – Fall Fishing :- http://www.bcadventure.com/adventure/angling/protalk/chan/fallfish.phtml Brian Chan – Chironomid Addict :- http://www.bcadventure.com/adventure/angling/protalk/chan/confession.phtml Brian Chan – Leeches :- http://www.gofishbc.com/Blog/Fishing-Tips/Blog-5-(2).aspx Ron Newman :- Damsel Flies :- http://www.bcadventure.com/adventure/angling/bugs/damselfly/damselfly.phtml Ron Newman :- – Dragon-flies :- http://www.bcadventure.com/adventure/angling/bugs/dragonfly/dragonfly.phtml Ron Newman – Caddis-flies :- http://www.bcadventure.com/adventure/angling/bugs/caddisfly/caddisfly.phtml Ron Newman – Trout Food :- http://www.bcadventure.com/ronnewman/food.phtml Gord Honey – Long Leaders : - http://www.bcadventure.com/adventure/angling/protalk/honey/lines.phtml Gord Honey – Shoals & Drop-offs :- http://www.bcadventure.com/adventure/angling/protalk/honey/shoals.phtml Phil Rowley :- Fly Angling :- http//flycraftangling.com/

I was starting to think I was one of very few anglers prepared to voice our belief that angling pressure is possibly the biggest contributor to declining trout populations across the whole of the four foothill east slope zones. But this conversation has given me some hope for the future. It is fair to say that regulations can be put in place to curb the declining trout populations. Most of which will have a sizable impact on the guided angler and just as much as other forms of fishing our streams and rivers: A conservation license to fish all foothill zones - $50/ year? And/or a special Bow River license of $50/year? Incremental increases for out of province and country anglers. License guides with mandatory reporting proceedures and restrictions where needed to protect specific fisheries. Catch-N-Release and barbless hooks on all foothill flowing waters. And to offset this, a Put-&-Take trout still-water fishing initiative with a daily license fee. Eliminate triple-hooks and mandate a one hook angling policy across all foothill zone flowing waters. This action within itself will most likely have the biggest impact on angling effort. These initiatives will increase revenue that should be directed towards policing, education and conservation initiatives. But most importantly these changes if enforced could reduce angling effort and possibly mortality rates by up to 50%

An event you should not miss on Wednesday January 15, 2020: Calgary Fish & Game Association's Fish Management Seminar In the spring of 2018 University of Calgary researcher, Chris Cahill reported that the World Class Bow River Trout Fishery was in a severe state of decline. Rainbow Trout populations were reported to have declined by as much as 45% over a 10 year period from 2003 to 2013. Subsequently, Alberta Environment and Parks embarked on a two-year Bow River fish population survey in 2018 - 19 to establish a baseline for further investigation. Preliminary results released in 2019 suggested that the decline in all Bow River sport fish populations continues. Calgary Fish & Game Association’s seminar this week, The State of the Bow River Fishery will present the Government of Alberta’s Fishery Management and Enforcement Branch overview of the fishery. Two presentations: • Paul Christensen, Senior Biologist, Alberta Environment and Parks, South Saskatchewan Region will present a report on the status of the Bow River Basin Fishery Management Objectives. • Scott Kallweit, Calgary Metropolitan District Sergeant, Fish and Wildlife Enforcement Branch, Justice and Solicitor General will be presenting enforcement issues related to our fisheries, as well as, an update on the Report a Poacher program. The event will be held at the Cardel Theatre 180 Quarry Park Boulevard SE, Calgary January 15, 2020 from 7 to 9 PM. Registration is required for this free event Go to: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/alberta-government-fisheries-p… Peter Crowe-Swords Calgary Fish & Game Association

I have Fly Fished the Bow for 5 Decades at least. Over 2,000 Float or Day Trips. The last decade has been the hardest to take. Guide boats fighting for position on every good bank. Cutting each other off, low holing, high holing. I have had the same "Guide" float a very small back channel 3 or 4 times in the last season. I was at the bottom, gently fishing dry flies, with a good friend as he rowed thru, while fishing and then asking me how is it going..15' feet wide.. How the **** do you think it is going ***hole ? Fishing in front of bank anglers.. etc etc etc etc. It is up to every angler to determine there own, lowest common denominator.. My advice to all anglers is to try to be invisible, make no impact on others. Be kind, laugh lots and enjoy the Day. To all the Hipster "Guides".. Maybe go back to school or get a part time job that doesn't effect the health of the Bow so much. The first and most important job and ethic of a "Guide" is to provide GUIDANCE. In all things, not just the total catch and Tip received.

Time to stop the 'this is how we've done it for 30 years'. Calgary's population has increased 2.2x since 1980 and 2x since 1990, so it's not just the introduction of corporate trips. This isn't the river of 30 years ago, yet we're still regulating guide services like the last 100, as in, we're not. Time to aim for a quality fishing experience with resident-priority, not just quality fish. Based on the definition of 'blue ribbon' including: - "Angling pressure: The water must be able to withstand angling pressure. " - " Natural reproduction capacity: The body of water should possess a natural capacity to produce and maintain a sustainable recreational fishery. " I think it's fair to say that we cant even attempt to call the Bow that anymore. That is what is stated above, and from typical experience, the truth. Guided anglers catch more fish then un-guided anglers. So yes, they have a bigger impact on a per-capita basis.

Any one who doubts the effect of Guiding on the Fisheries experience should take a float down river from McKinnons behind 5 to10 Guided boats from 2 well known Swathers. 1 cast every 5 or 10' of bank, every day for 3 months or more.. The gullible Fish get educated quick, the experience is sure not "Blue Ribbon . I have wondered why they don't spread the Love Around a bit better, but I guess Corporate Customers want to be together... Why not add 24 more "Guides" per season.. Gotta justify all those expensive Simms waders, Boats etc.. At what point does this become unsustainable? I would say we are past the threshold. So this is what unrestrained use has allowed.. Hoist the Jolly Roger and onwards towards Profit at any cost.

I didn't need to see the study to believe it.

Going.. I know it is cold out, but we fishers need to show up in numbers to hear what is going on, and what can be done. PL

This is a copy of a note I wrote to a I suspect these meetings are more than hot air. There has been a movement headed by a retired Alberta biologist and past Fish and Game Assoc. Provincial President to increase the kill fishery at several lakes in the NE part of Alberta. He has solicited support from many including Municipal Govts, Chambers Of Commerce and the like. The splatter effect has already been felt in Rocky by the Govt legitimizing illegal perch stocking at Struble Lake SW of Rocky. This allows fishermen to keep perch now. This seemed to be a sop to illegal stockers and will encourage more illegal stocking. Further, there was a lot of whining and yodelling when Dolberg Lakes were changed. The Barrhead newspaper attempted to sway public sentiment by publishing strange statements. One has to recall the incredible effort it takes to return to some decent fishing and for the anglers to risk jumping back to the past seems way past silly. With the change of Govt. I have no idea what to expect. I guess, doing nothing risks it all, Don

Link to information on trout fishing in Alberta The single link below gets you access to an internet index to Alberta trout fishing information. Please save this link if you wish to return to the complete index in the future. Please see instructions on how to print or transfer excerpts. Please feel free to comment (good or bad) to neilstuartsutherland@gmail.com https://www.dropbox.com/s/8fi3f0fndyd5me4/An Internet Index of links to trout fishing information.docx?dl=0

Here's where they are :- https://www.dropbox.com/s/lnahkih96wf1hm9/Tiger Stockings.jpg?dl=0

I’ve fished Whiteswan a number of times. Nearly every day near noon the wind comes up from the west which translates to 2’+ waves in the east end severely limiting where you can fish. The west end is not nearly as effected. For that reason I camp at Packrat. While there is road traffic by, it drops off in the evening. and overnight.. The flats at Packrat can readily accommodate a lot of boats with water depths from 2>20’. Chironomids, small leeches and pheasant tail nymphs all have been successful in the past. Don

I do wish they would figure out what going on with Heninger Reservoir and put some in there but it looks like I may have to hit Reesor the next time I do a Cypress trip. Thanks for posting