DonAndersen

A friend andcI were playong in the front yard today with a bevy of 8’>8’3” rods in 6 weight. These are big river or lake rods. We were putting cast out well over 70’ without much double hauling. Three of the four were solid and one was hollowed. All were six strip. Good fun on a winter day. Don

I couldn’t resist. There are more bamboo rod builders today than most might suspect. The builders exist in B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec and perhaps more further east. In Alberta, I am aware of 7 builders which is a record. When I started some 35 years ago, there were two. Unlike years past, most builders build to suit themselves with only a few selling rods. These builders are pushing the material and designs into some really interesting places exploring ideas that folks who are driven to feed families often don’t have the resources. This has resulted in rods of two, three, four, five, six, eight and twelve strips as well as inside out rods, truncated triangle rods, hollow rods and on and on. While some of the following is not new ideas, the ideas are being explored. Like most crafts, web sites have appeared. There are a number of videos on UTube showing the hows and whys of building a rod. A dying craft, it isn’t. I started FFing with bamboo some 60 years ago and then traipsed along following the newest and bestest finally realizing some 30 years ago I had it right the first time. i still fish plastic rods for coarse fish. Don Bamboorods.ca

Not accurate. Cow Lake has not been aerated for many years. Don

Maybe as many as seven. Don

Been pondering new places and over the past couple of days ran a list of streams/lakes I’ve fished over the past 60 years. A rough list shows 60 lakes or ponds with a further 80 streams and creeks. The water bodies were from the 49 parallel to close to Peace River unfortunately not a lot of them were in tbe east or NE part of Alberta. Does anyone have any suggestions for any places in tbe eastern area. Regards, Don

Angler, Ashamed to admit that although I am third generation Albertan, I have not fished more places. Gonna change that. About some of Alberta, I haven’t a clue. Don

SD, Will be fishing a new bamboo taper. A hollowed out 8’3” 6 wt. Plus some different chironomids. Going to try some new places. Don

Is this the “shack nasties” season? Hope it leaves fast. Don

Jayhad just rose and hooked his first riser for 2019. Now if he had the same skill playing and releasing them. Don

Merry Christmas and a Happy Healthy New Year to all, Don

We have similar issues in Alberta. Difference - we do nothing. Don

Sounds like you fished Phyllis Lake, Don

error - got wrong survey -comments incorrect.

Smitty, i realize the province does little. Municipalities seem not so comptose. Both done with tax $’s. Clearly, if one waits for tbe province nothing will be done. the only solution is raising the money elsewhere. i don’t discount any method. Don

Smitty, Seceral munipalties have poisoned lakes to remove invavsives. Some near Edmonton. Even Fosheries staff did one lake near Ft. Mac. Lots of examples of dealing with invavsives. it can be done. Don

Sparkplug, in order for browns to be large enough to become effective predators, they need food. Perch & Prussian Crap decimate the food resources. No grub means very littel growth. Don

According to Global. Happened this afternoon. Sad to hear. Don

Bron, you ever caught one of those lard assed brooders. I have by accident. Sad excuse for a trout. Don

Sparkplug, the concept of dumping pike into lakes after some idiot illegally stocked perch started with Cow Lake. Other stockings of pike again rewarded illegal actions. We have lost 6 lakes in tbe Rocky area to illegally stocked perch with no end in sight other than the Govt rewarding illegal stocking. Don

Unfortunately the belief still exists that removal of invavsives can.be accomplished by browns. Never worked in Phyllis and it won’t work in Blood Indian for exactly the same reason. The lake has to be capable of raising larger fish but as the food resources have been depleted by overstocking and invavsives, thereis nothing left to raise trout much beyond 12” Brooders are fish used to being feed pellets and not hustling the butts for groceries. They generally die soon after stocking. Don

From where we get 30% of the cost and no benefit. Don

Bron, Thr weight of the fish will depend on the lakes where they are placed. The overstocked lakes in Alberta will never give them a chance to see what they can do. There are however several lakes where they might do very well. Police or Bullshead come to mind. Don

Call the Biologist in Rocky. She may know. i suspect the rainbows may be part of the rainbows thrown in nearly everywhere.during last 80 years which are related to the rainbows in tbe Bow. Don

Bron, They exist in very tough conditions near tbe farest north end of trout habitat. Tough trout. I’ve often wondered if the cutthroat stocking in tbe rivers north of the Bow should not have been Athabaskas. After all, cuts are moving into a tougher region than they are used to whereas the Athabaskas are getting softer conditions. Don

I am excited! For many years it seems like the trout lakes in Alberta have been stocked based on tradition. Starting with Mitchell Lake and an angler request for a fall spawners [browns or brookies] to complement the spring spawners [rainbows], Brown trout were stocked in 2003. Angler acceptance of the mixed species resulted in a further experiment in Birch Lake with Brook, Rainbow and Brown trout stocked in 2013. At the request of many anglers, after either experiencing the Tiger Trout fishing in Manitoba or seeing the pictures, Tiger trout are now being stocked in several places throughout Alberta. After many years of catching Brown Trout from Europe, Brook Trout from some bog from in a New England state and Rainbows from British Columbia or the US, we are now on the cusp of a brand new mostly made in Alberta Rainbow. In conversation with Craig Copeland, Fish Culture Manager of Alberta Environment and Parks, I learned that a different Rainbow Trout is now being cultured for stocking . These Rainbow Trout, which are near 95% purity of Athabasca Trout, are one of the Native Trout of Alberta. The brood stock came from an end pit lake in an active coal mine. Clearly, as the trout are not 100% purity, they cannot be called Athabasca Trout for the purposes of identification. To reflect their mixed linage, they are designated as PLPL species in the stocking reports. Mr. Copeland also related that some of the PLPL strain have been added to East Pit Lake near Stoney Plain. He anticipated that somewhere between 100,000 > 150,000 PLPL trout would be stocked by 2020. Personally, as a third generation Albertan, I’m excited as hell to get a chance to catch a Rainbow raised in Alberta from Alberta stocks. My thanks to all involved to make my dream come true. Don Andersen Here are some pictures of the Athabaskas - I know - I know - I'm not supposed to say that but......