SNAPFisher

Hey Steve! Nice pics indeed. Great stuff! Missed you by a hair. I was there from the 1st to the 4th. Ice was still on the lake on the 1st and 2nd. Some amazing fishing though - best I have seen there. Cheers!

I hate you ... Top notch pics Ayr! Some of those bones look huge to me. Thanks for the kick to the nards Cheers!

Thanks for the heads up Don. Have it on the calendar now. Cheers!

Thanks all. There were so many awesome entries I don't know if I ever would have decided if I was judging...no really There are truly some great photographers here unlike any other board that I frequent.

Took Friday off to fish Wab. The weather turned out just so-so but the fishing was worth it. Had one on my first cast with the ole 8 wt. I say "ole" but it is actually my 2nd 8 wt this year. Broke my first one back in May....along with 4 others....its been an expensive year. Anyways, managed to land 21 in about 5 hours. Some slow times later in the day but generally pretty consistent thoughout the day. The biggest was about 11 lbs. Headed back on Sunday. The wind was, of course, very annoying but none of us were cold. The sun was a big help. The fish though were very lethargic. Only the slowest and deepest presentation seemed to get them on. Best part of the day was mid-day. Anchored off a big weed bed next to the channel. Managed these two amazing specimens back to back on the 8 wt: Very plump 16 lber. Fight was amazing. After a bit of the adrenaline subsided I casted a couple of more times. The 2nd time I managed the same cast again and hooked up again. Didn't seem like much at first until the pike figured it out. I haven't heard sounds from a reel like that ...that I can remember. What an intense fight for the next 10 minutes. I didn’t think it was bigger than the fatty I just landed. Finally got a look at it and saw that this one was not as fat but much longer. Landed the beast and it turned out to be a new personal best by .5 lbs at 18.5 lbs. A great couple of days out there. I hope to sneak in another trip soon. Cheers!

Took this one North of Edson for a first time on the Berland River. After bush whacking down to the river we were greeted with the fall smells, mostly pine. The picture reminds me of what is to come with the ice showing but our will and the sun fighting it back for the time being. The mist started up as the sun hit the water.

Had an incredibly long and annoying work week...even though it was only 4 days. Took the weekend by storm and planned in some relax time. Saturday Ayr convinced me forget Sylvan and to try out Wab (twist my rubber...). The boat launch had some decent ice that others had already broken through. That cold spell really dropped the water temps. I was using an 8 wt which was adequate and Ayr had an awesome 10 wt that definately seems to be the right match. Things started out very slow with the odd hookup but they all seemed to get off. Slowly things began to pickup as the morning went on. By the time the first rays of the sun got through some cloud, it was almost a fish/hit a cast. Lots of 5-6 lbers with the odd monster following up. Early in the afternoon Ayr latched onto something that seemed substantial and it was: 17.5 lb monster from Wab By the end of the day we were both tied with sore shoulders and arms. We lost count but we ended wayyyyyyyyyyyyy up in numbers. A complete blast. Sunday morning I got up early and met up with my buddy Foldo in Spruce Grove. We got to Edson at 8 a.m. and then proceeded to leave North out of Edson. First time in that country and man, it was something. I've seen some spectacular mountain vistas this year but it is nice when you run into something you were not expecting. There are a ton of foothills to climb on a greasy, grimey backroad that ends up towering above the surroundings. I think one of the most spectacular things I have seen is from hill there called Crest Hill, looking South with Edson far below, kind of like hooville…., anyways, and all of the fall colors out as far as the eye could see. The tamaracks were in full color everywhere…the valley far below lead up as far as the eye could see to the Rockies standing in total white with snow cover…sorry to get a bit poetic but man…this is a view worth seeing. Had some fun 4 wheeling all the way into the Berland River. After some bush whacking we found it and looked for fishable water. A good unproductive morning took place but the fall pine smells and view made up for it: As the sun began to climb a mist started coming down the river. Made for a picture that is already a fav of mine. A Foldo in the rye…er…river We worked our way back to the Athabaska River. Found some holes and water clarity that I have never seen before on that river. Foldo was into some nice grayling right away. It wasn’t until the afternoon that I managed to land one but they came quickly for me then. Also had a huge bald eagle following our progress for the day, and, we ran into a family of river otters that moved to quick for a photograph. I think I found a place that I will return to… Great weekend to help put the week behind me.

Nice!!!!! The pics tell the story. Too many good ones to comment but rod bend over the head and bringing the fish around for landing stands out for me. Congrats on the great month. Bring on a warm fall!

One of the prints in the mud that you would rather see as a print than the real thing up close. Amazing scenary all the way back to LL. A storm to chase me back from the ice fields onward. Great country out there.

I'm on beautiful country overload. Hard to boil down the past few days. How about, amazing country, okay fishing, great adventure [FSHN It was interesting trip kissing the wife goodbye as she went for the day to her work conference at the Chateau Lake Louise and I headed out at the local bakery at 6:30 a.m. for coffee and then to plan the day. It was pretty exciting each day to be heading out before the sun was up over the mountains. First day I went to Emerald Lake in Yoho Nat. Park. Definitely a picturesque lake. I started off fishing close by to the lodge that is there waiting for some light to show. I read that there was a creek flowing in the far side of the lake and soon found a nice foot trail that made it there. Fished where the creek flows into the lake and managed a half dozen small brookies and a small rainbow. From there the day is a bit of a blur as I scoped out the Kicking Horse (too high and chocolate colored), then the upper Bow river and finally Bow Lake. The upper bow from highway 1A back to Bow Lake is not that easy to find great access. I tried and did fish a number of what I thought would be decent holes but didn’t find a fish the rest of the day. I didn’t spend much time at Bow Lake but did give it a good scoping. Next day was all about heading into Jasper to fish the Upper AthB. Started at the AthB falls and worked my way back to the Sunwapta falls. Managed to find some teeny tiny bull trout…not the brutes I wanted…there were about 6-7 inches. Continued exploring some amazing country and did find a great hole eventually. Landed…about 15 in a couple of hours there. Nothing huge again but I did get to see bulls, brookies and rainbows out of the same hole. Did a ton of other searching and scoping that is way too much detail here. Suffice to say I feel like a gave it a real effort to look around. Quite the backyard we have to the West. Love it! Emerald Lake and the lodge there in the wee hours. Far side of Emerald where the creek(s) flow in. View looking down the lake from the creek side. Caught a bunch of these there. Out scoping the mighty AthB. AthB bow. One of the smallest bullies I’ve caught.

Smokin report and pics!! Wish I would have headed down to your neck of the woods...thought about it...but didn't Congrats on the great trip and memories.

Nice report Steve!! Looks like a stellar time in great country. A lot of nice brookies in those pics. You sure seemed to find them at both places and I think that is awesome. Agreed. Those are hard fighting bows indeed. Congrats on the success. Cheers!

Wow! There are a lot of tanks in those pics. Great post and a nice take on a lot of the pics. The entomology was a nice finish. Thanks for the candy.

Man, those are some awesome browns! Good on ya mate! Great report and congrats on finding some of the bigguns.

Oh yeah! This post is well titled. This is one nice looking bow alright. Congrats!

Yep, I don't know how you do it. I actually stopped keeping perch this winter as I just hate cleaning them. I'm always the go to guy for our family for cleaning any other fish. And, I actually enjoy doing it. But perch, I just can't do it. 50 would take me for ever. Of course I'll bet I'd get faster but I still wouldn't like it. Do you do anything to make 50 or so go faster? Curious.

Fantastic shots Jayhad. Made my day. So, if you don't mind me asking, how did the bear thing turn out? False charge? I know I would have the same look as Roach with the addition of something squishy in my waders.

I'm thinking the latter. How about "Ultra-super-mega-REDNECK-scum". Not to make too much light of this because, man, that is a disturbing video. If it was 10 year olds with pellet guns I think I would have some understanding of how this could happen. But, full grown adults with rifles... I agree with the comments here.

Great post! The pics have everything, great scenary, friends, experience, and the fish are awesome. Thanks for a great view.

Another great batch of pics! Looking forwards to the group of adventures.

Nice! Looks like a pretty fabulous outing. Congrats on the great day and thanks for the update.

I would like to shake your hand Jeremy. Not for the subject of this particular post but becuase you are the next generation and you have taken a huge interest in fishing, and, you obviously have a passion for it. I don't know a ton of young teens but I know that none of the ones I do know have any interest in fishing. .....say that last sentence 20 times really fast.... Anyways, it is people at your age that are going to carry forwards the interest into the next generation. Keeping an interest and concern for our fisheries is the only thing that will keep it alive, period. I encourage you to keep chasing your passion and don't get frustrated by others. Edit: Anglers of all sorts need to continue to generate the interest in angling. I know someone would call me on that too You are preaching to the converted on this board. True we might have different opinions about what effects our fisheries and how they should be managed but we really are all on the same team. I know, it really does sound corny but I believe it. Cheers to you!

I don't normally respond to these types of posts but Birchy's last post and especially Weedy1's still have me laughing. Thanks for making my day guys.

Some real tanks on those pics. Awesome! That lower jaw on that one bow is freakish. Thanks for the great update. Glad your finding some nice fish out there.

Spent the day with a buddy on a small lake fishing for cutties. Managed to get into some real nice ones right away on the troll. As soon as the sun got high enough and the breeze disappeared it was dry fly heaven! Had a complete blast landing nice cutty after cutty. We had many double headers and lost count on how many we landed. Managed a nice brookie later in the day. Great day out!