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I’ve been fishing the Bow lately and the Stone’s have been active.

This week my interview is with Jeremy Wade of “River Monsters” fame. You may remember the episode where he caught a huge arapaima on an Orvis H3 and Mirage reel. He doesn’t always use a fly rod, but he does enjoy everything from those giant fish in exotic locations to a small wild brown trout river near his home in the UK. We talk about lots of things other than river monsters—what he enjoys about fly fishing, how he stays in shape for fighting those beasts, and about the pleasures of getting to know a water intimately instead of the pressure of having to produce for the camera. He has a new TV show and a book coming out soon—you’ll learn all about them on the podcast. In the Fly Box this week we have some great questions: What is the difference between wild, native, and holdover trout? How do I get small beads on hooks when they don’t want to go over the bend? What is the correct way to “haul in a fish”? Will upgrading my rod make me a better angler? Would it make sense to overload my 8-weight rod for pike and musky with a 9-weight line to throw those bigger flies? What is the best way to collect insects from my local river for reference? Who are some older authors you recommend for pleasure reading? Can I use my “saltwater” fluorocarbon leaders in Alaska? What things currently restricted by the rules of competitive angling would competitors use for their own fishing? And finally, yet another great tip by a listener on how to keep Thing-A-Ma-Bobbers from slipping on thinner sections of leaders View the full article

Over the past year there has been considerable debate over the decline in Bow River trout populations. Fingers have been pointed at every possible direction & cause, but no agency or government department is making moves to tell us what is responsible for the decline and possible ways to stop it. One can argue that more research is needed before action is taken to correct the decline. But at the speed government works there is a possibility the the Bow River trout population will have gone below the threshold level for sustainability before they react. The Bow River Water Management Protocol is one component of fish management that can and should be changed to support the fishery. There is more than enough data available across North America to support a change. The following article by Bow River Trout Foundation addresses The Impact of Bow River Water Management on the Fish Population. The modifications to water management policy to protect the City of Calgary certainly have and impact on the sports fishery and may well have impacted the decline in trout populations. We are hopeful that a change in water management will take place. https://bowrivertrout.org/2019/03/27/the-impact-of-bow-river-water-management-on-fish-populations/ With the extremely low snow pack in the Bow River headwaters (see following charts) should there be any flood mitigation protocol this year? If we don't get a substantial dump of rain over the next month and Ghost Reservoir has been emptied - river flows will be extremely low in August and September. Keep in touch with the Bow River Trout Foundation website to river flow forecasts and current information of water management directives www.bowrivertrout.org Thanks Bow River Trout Foundation Bow River Trout Foundation

FishnChips, The marginal cost of generating electricity by burning gas is material (natural gas price x the heat rate, or amount of gas burned to generate a MWh of electricity). The marginal cost of operating hydro is virtually zero. Thus, hydro will always be used (dispatched) first to respond to price compared to gas, economically speaking. The only thing that can possibly mitigate/change TransAlta's operation of these hydro facilities is regulation, through greater restrictions on their operating licenses. A case would have to be made to AEP that it is in the public interest to have these facilities re-regulated (i.e., operated in more of a run-of-river mode, subject to much tighter daily fluctuation limits) to protect/enhance fisheries, as a priority over TransAlta's economic interests.

I’ve put three 200lb guys and two dogs with cooler and gear in my 10 foot spratley. Tight but still fishable. I’m sure the 12 is huge.

Music to my ears: With less than 5% of TransAlta total Alberta power generation capacity derived from the Bow River hydro plants, an alternate peak demand power generation source should be considered. Decommissioning the Bow River Basin’s hydropeaking facilities or modifying their operation protocols would not only enhance the rivers ecosystem and add to the sustainability of threatened and endangered species of fish but contribute to the recreational fishery and Alberta’s economy. Leadership is needed to make a change – now is the time to do so if society is to continue to enjoy the Bow River’s beauty and the fish that depend on a sustainable environment. My (admittedly uneducated) guess is that the dams in place would still be used to buffer stream and river flows to prevent flooding, and some electrical power could still be produced, but this peak demand scenario would be mitigated by an alternative source for power? Or would all the hydro-electric machinery be removed? Would some of the dams be removed too, and if so, what might be proposed? As a slight thread drift, my electrical power shunts on/off so frequently that I am very displeased with the Transalta system. I am re-setting clocks, under-floor heating thermostat clocks, microwave, oven and desktop computers regularly as a result of disruptions to service. As a paying consumer and water conscious sportsman I am disappointed entirely with this state of affairs. Thanks for the link fishteck. While heartened by the report and the sincere effort of the foundation, I am dismayed that Federal and Provincial authorities are ineffective at data gathering, analysis, and regulation of these matters. The alliance between business and supposedly responsible government is simply an affront to common sense and responsibility. Mind, if common sense were common everyone would have it.