Harps

That's quite racist and irrelevent to the tread!!

And as we speak the treatment plant on the Crow is getting an upgrade... a new pond to reduce the effluent releases even more. Need more flooding habitats- Trees falling in, wet meadows, nearby marshes, vegetated banks, and maybe a beaver pond or 2.

Great post. The University of NB is looking at adding nutrients to Atlantic Salmon streams in NB... same idea. I think first studies need to be undertaken to look at the invert populations and find out what is available to trout. If biomass isn't the limiting factor, then what is? Could be habitat (available spawning, cover, overwintering, etc), could be temperatures (I think this is the big one), or could be fishing pressure. I don't know what work has been done on Elbow Inverts?

Sundance, did you work on the "weirs" or the armouring? The Crowsnest is to straight.

It's easier to shut down industry, plus I think rec-users are as big of a problem. I think it's easier to control industry... they have strict rules they are suposed to follow... Yes there are impacts, but they minimize them, often will do habitat restoration work, and the systems recover quick. O&G has some stream crossings and permanent infrastructure, but relatively minor footprint (in terms of fisheries... much bigger problem with cutlines and roads). Loging impacts can change the whole hydrology of a watershed, but modern techniques (not scarifying) can reduce overland flows. the biggest impacts are from poor roads that have been constructed in the past 70 years. Now, even if those roads are set for reclimation, users and OHV groups are pushing to keep them open, and contribute significantly more traffic than the industrial users. It is the poor road maintenance that is the cause of a large percentage of fish habitat woes... The only real solution is to shut down all non-essential raods and trails near watercourses. Allowing walk-in fishing would limit angler presence (improve the experience) while reducing road and trail runoff would improve habitat.

Canadensis You can't compare the Bow and some of the higher montan streams. You also can't compare Montana Rivers with the same streams. Southern Alberta's rivers in crown land have much less flow, less nutrient, and lower temps, resulting in smaller fish, slower growth, and possibly smaller populations. Impacts to these systems take longer to recover from. (Most of Alberta is north of the great trout habitats. The Bow has tailwater dams which means better summer and winter temps, nutrient imputs from urban centers, and a low gradient with good trout temps. Montana has great flows, good nutrients and excellent temps all round. Both have excellent bugs and foarge fish.) The area is too busy AND unregulated to be provide a quality experience that is not dependant on speed and noise. It needs less people or better regulations, or both. Fish sizes are likely similar to what they've been and who knows about populations... its not like the Alberta government is forward thinking in terms of resource management... Montana and BC have us beat hands down.

Except for Lethbridge... All gentlemen and fine ladies here!

I posted this before... In the Oldman send complaints need to go to the Oldman Watershed Council, as well as the local MPs and MLAs, plus the ministers. For all the talk and all the crowding there aren't letters going up. The letters need to be coherent and to the point. State a problem you see, then ask how the government is fixing it or offer suggestions. If you offer suggestions request a reason why those suggestions aren't in place. Copy the letters to all, but specifically adress certain people or departments if you want a response... they will pass the buck if they can. Also mention that angling has a sustainable benefit to the economy, while a ruined landscape is not used. Also by reducing random camping, you bring dollars to communities with lodging and restaurants. The groups are fine, but lots of individual voices are needed too. Local MD of: Pincher Creek Crowsnest Pass Ranchland Foothills Oldman Watershed Council MLAs Look at the Electoral Maps to see the relevent MLAs, and make sure you address them specifically regarding questions on local economy and how regulations including fines and increased use of community lodging could help the riding (most ATV users in the Crowsnest do not reside there). Provincial SRD-Minister Ted Morton (Ask about foresty, land use, and fish and wildlife) Alberta Environment (Water Protection- including water taking at camps and all crossings and works on the water) Minister Rob Renner Tourism, Parks, and Recreation Minister Cindy Ady Federal Fisheries and Oceans Minister Gail Shea (Ask about habitat protection, monitoring of works, pollution caused by quads, killing fish in redds, and protection to COSEWIC listed Westslope Cutthroat. Environment Canada Minister Jim Prentice (from Calgary guys). Ask about pollution from quads, RVs, Migratory bird protection, and wildlife at risk. Other concerns should be forwarded to Trout Unlimited, Ecojustice, the F&G, the ACA, etc to make those groups aware that more anglers have concerns. Plus while you are out, don't forget these numbers: Report A Poacher 1-800-642-3800 #3800 (on Telus Mobility) Environmental Hotline (Call in all complaints- quads in stream, bad roads causing dirt, RV's taking water or dumping waste, littering, etc) 1-800-222-6514 No excuses now, I want to see complaints and responses posted here. As a group, we can help with follow up quetsions too.

Oil in water = charges Call 1-800-222-6514 and complain... request Alberta Environment or Environment Canada sends out an officer to the site as it is a violation of Sec. 36 of the Fisheries Act. It is the gov'ts responsibility to keep our waterways safe and clean. Better yet complain to the ministers that the local environment folks don't have enough staff, support or budget to protect your drinking water. Cleaning hydrocarbons (oil, gas, etc) from drinking water is expensive... having front line protection would save cities and municipalities money (and save you tax dollars), plus fines could go back into protecting and reclaiming the resource. Sick of this crap.

Lynn, I broke my Maui Jims and had excellent service, similar to yours! The quaility of the lens and the service have me sold for life (I now have 2 pairs for different conditions).

Try to minimize all you handling time and keep the fish in the water for as much as possible. Take the hook out first thing, especially if you have a net. That way if you drop the fish (over water), it doesn't bungee and injure itself. Holding the fish upside down in the water will calm it down... You can then lightly grip it and lift it for the shot. A fish flipping away (to land in water) always tells a story of a lively fish... a fish staring blankly at the camera is boring. Check out this issue of http://www.thisisfly.com for some pointers on gripping fish. there is also the fish handling post pinned in this forum. For a shot of a decent fish when you are alone: Leave it in the net (In the Water), put the camera on a rock away from the water), pointed at you. Use the timer and take a picture. Gently craddle the fish with a loose hand below and a light grip around the narrow part of the tail (where the body meets the fin). You don't have to squeeze at all. When you hear the timer going quick, lift the fish outa the net into the shot. After the picture is taken you can leave the trout in the net in cold slightly flowwing water if you want to look at the picture. Better shots of average/small fish are taken from unique pespectives... or not at all (you don't need pictures of every fish). Low looking up, straight down, close-ups, etc. For these you need (okay, want) a waterproof camera or an SLR. Get a camera man who is at the ready- eye level with the fish. Rianbowhunter, there are some great fish in there!

One spring after a big flood we found a University of Calgary rental canoe wrapped around a tree on the Red Deer... 2 backpacks full of gear and clothes, a dry bag full of water and wet food. No body.

On a lighter solution note... Exxon has finally bought into the biofuel idea. Prelim research has shown that algae can produce large amounts of biofuels (suitable for diesel engines). Think of all the stormwater ponds that could have algae producing fuel instead of having perch from the bucket bozos. Everybody sell you gas cars, push for more diesel engines (bio-diesel ready) in N. America and push for the development of diesel hybrids.... better fuel efficiency, better torque- drive a little slower and pull more with less fuel consumption! There is a reason the diesel is big (as popular or more than petrol) everywhere else.

Starting their spawning runs. Bulls will be on redds soon and into September.

rainbows... redbands... same thing. O. mykiss in Alberta are so mixed you can't tell them apart unless you find a very isolated population. And you can't tell by colour... just like most species, there are variations within (and within subspecies). Also trout can change colour... they have pigment cells that adapt to background colours (shade vs open, red gravel vs blue rock). The parr marks will stay on a fish depending on how fast it matures, genetic variations, and other environmental conditions. There are species/subspecies that keep parr marks, but typically rainbows will lose them after a year or 2. 420, you're catching trout... westslope cutthroats mixed with rainbows from who knows where. Even distributed black spots, white tipped fins, no slash... The trout in that picture is a rainbow trout.

Taco, I don't think the crew made it up that way... I was sent the historic stocking reports (I can't find them though). I do recall that YCT were stocked in the creek. I'll look more. Keith... there is some interesting findings that show that there is a temperature barrier between native cutts and hybrids on one of the Creeks in the south... of course, a 1 deg change in average annual temp could wreak all that. And I don't think brookie supression works to remove brookies, just supress the population. I'd rather see cutties in all these streams, but I'm not sure it'll happen. WCT pops may be at that damaged point that we have to accept polluted genetics and cutts sharing with brookies. I don't think we can do much (fisheries regulations) to stop the Bows and brookies. We anglers as a group can't even get together and petition the gov't to make bigger buffers for logging cuttblocks and to make it illegal to drive OHV's instream, why would they care what we think about native fish... an issue that divides anglers. Back to the original topic... Brookies are mixing with bulls (an issue), but Bows won't.

There are species of bumble bees with orange marks... Carpenter bees too.

I'd recommend leaving them alone or Bee keeper if it's bees. Hornets... shop vac idea sounds great. But... I really like the idea with the snowsuit... just set up a video camera before you do it! Reminds me of my childhood....

Ditto, I have no problems with Wireless to the Wii (for a few years now). It's easier for us because our whole house is wireless. We can run a couple of laptops and then fire up the Wii with no issues.

http://www.itinerantangler.com/podcasts/podcasts/ Rod Episode Twelve: Why Are Fly Rods Getting More Expensive? with Jim Bartschi

I'm fishing with a Z-Axis this season and coughed up for a matching reel.... It was well worth the price to me. Smitty has it bang on> There is a range of prices and you pay for what you want, whether it's a high-end name stick (with quality to back it) or the lower-end stuff (quality still) that will still get you to where the fish are. (The Itinerate Angler has a couple of good recent podcasts on flyrod pricing and technology). Everybody could be driving Hyundai's and Kia's also, wearing $2 shoes, cheap cloths, and living in small 50 year old, 1 room houses. To be upset about the range of fly rod prices is silly when you look at how our society values things.

I would have no poblem with the execution of these idiots... This is something that will rally folks against hunting but also join the hunting community against these idiots. A step back in conservation and a step back in hunting rights. Unfortunately it happens all the time. They must have proud parents. People should have to have a license to have kids....

Just a quick idea... was on a forum that suspended people from posting for a month... maybe any idea. Three suspensions then block the IP.

The gov't buys the landowners out at most gov't constructed damns. For example, you'll see on county maps that the Oldman Reservoir has Provincial Recreational land and crown lease land aroung the outskirts.

Big Bow Trout, excellent leg work!!!