DonnieM

Absolute sillyness. I'm down with the calling the Herald or Sun idea, let them do a feature on it. Definately an issue that needs to be hammered home, especially with our great city of Calgary getting larger by the day and the fact that so many people have such a blatant disregard for the beauty of our backyard which is slowly being turned into a trash heap.

I hate to be a one upper, but man, I have a story. A few weeks ago at the start of August I was fishing the Upper Highwood, about 30 kms past Longview there and as I started heading back it was pitch black. I'm going up 22 heading towards 22x and its so dark and I'm happy from getting into some beautiful fish and I see a motorbike coming towards me, and really dont think anything of continuing along at 130 in a 100 zone, I know its wrong, but there is nobody on the road, I'm happy and looking forward to getting back to Calgary to get some dinner and thinking there is no way its a cop, sure enough, its a Sheriff on a bike. 230$ ticket is my reward. He was very nice about it and saw my fishing rod and asked if I was at the Highwood, and we chatted for a minute but he still ticketed me, oh well. So I get onto 22x and start heading back Calgary way and I see a cop car in the ditch nailing people coming the other way, and I think to myself as I'm kinda pissed from just getting a ticket, damn, I got to give out a warning to the oncoming traffic, so maybe someone else doesnt get a ticket, and so .... as I get over the hill and a bit past the hidden cop car I flash my lights a few times to warn oncoming traffic.....AND GUESS WHO I FLASH MY LIGHTS INTO, an oncoming police officer who as quickly as if I had just shot somebody comes whipping across 2 lanes of traffic, through the ditch and up on my ass like I was a most wanted man. Gives me a huge tirade about coming to my job and not letting me do my job for a day because thats what I'm doing to him and his buddy in the hidden car back yonder, blah blah blah, and slaps me with a 115$ ticket. I havent got a ticket in years, and to get 2 in a matter of 10 minutes was quite funny. At least the fishing was awesome on the Highwood haha.

Sounds like an absolutely fantastic idea, and for a great cause. Definately count me in. As for suggestions, the logistics is a bit difficult I think, as the South Bow is a really tough location for a tournament based on walking and wading, I couldnt even imagine how to set up "fair zones" for only a 2 day tournament. All I can think is to set up 10 different zones along from Policemans to Mckinnons and mark them each with a flag of some sort and then jet boat 10 different teams of 3 or 4, whatever is decided for team total to the different zones and than at an agreed time, say 9 am everyone begins fishing there zone. Next day everyone gets a new zone, completely random of course and then same thing goes. You would need a few jet boats to transport for this way though. Just an idea...

2002, Mazda Tribute, Pretty sweet SUV, 4x4 and gets me into the bush, and not to bad on gas at all. But seeing as I work at a Dodge dealership here in Calgary it might be time to switch to a 1500 when I get back from my winter down south. 1500's have by far the best gas effeciency of any comparatably sized truck! And like they always say, RAM THE DAUGHTER AND DODGE THE FATHER! Amen.

Hey Mike, Yah what was said above. A 6 wt, floating set up is the norm out here, and all the flies listed above are great choices. I love October fishin and I have a truck so if you want to catch a ride around just let me know the days your around and we'll do some fishin, just throw me a pm! Cheers, Donnie.

Islander as well for me, I'm also a big fan of my reel song, zzzzzzzzzz zzzzzzzzz zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz! I've never owned a Hardy but I think it might be time to try a few out, I have really heard nothing but great things.

Had a few hours last night after work and decided to hit the lower bow. Drove down to the last bridge there before Dunbow and walked south for about 20 minutes past the big riffle there and slowly stalked my way up the bank hittin every seam I could find using a big hopper pattern. God I love it. Two monster browns, one 22 the other 24 and both of them just fat man, like big fat toads. I love it, huge strikes both times and lots of jumps, that kind of stuff just makes the season. I really miss when those hoppers dissapear!

I will definately check it out, thanks!

Man this hits close to my heart! I grew up in Cochrane fishing down below the bridge, and every weekend my best friend Andy and I would be down there scoopin a few Rockies before the water came up to bring home and my Grandpa would always fry em up for us. Really simple recipe, just dip em in milk and beaten eggs and lightly dust with flour, season, and in a hot pan with some oil fry em quickly, making sure to cook the flour out and finish with some butter and lemon juice and parsley. Also, I know you dont have a smoker, but man whitefish has to be one of the tastiest fishes we have around to smoke. Absolutely awesome! You can pick up a decent smoker at that big Outdoor store near Ikea for like 150$ Well worth it! Oh, and I just remembered, another way we would cook em up was to put them on a baking sheet that had been wrapped in tin foil. Shave some garlic, fresh parsley, fresh basil or rosemary from the garden, some lemon juice and olive oil over top. Season with salt and pepper and place some more tin foil over top wrapping it all up and place in the oven at like 350 C for 15 minutes or so until the fish is beautifully cooked. Finish with some nice butter and delicious! Damn, I'm getting hungry!

Hmmm really interesting. For some reason I was always under the impression that you could only have one treble per lure, and had to remove one if it came with two, such as most crankbaits in Alberta waters. I dont remember when or how that was put in my head but that is what I always thought as lawful.

Cheers thanks!

Hey guys, I figure its a bit of a longshot looking for a reccomendation on a Calgary flyfishing site, but I figure our fly world is pretty small I thought I would give it a try. My girlfriend and I are heading out to Ucluelet/Tofino/Port Alberni area next week for a week or so and I'm looking to get into some good sized steelies. I have spent way to much time in front of the computer trying to find some good guides, and I have tracked down a few but I'm hoping someone might know somebody or have a good reccomendation for me. I'm looking to do a full day float kinda thing and am really easy going and always up to guided suggestions on where to go. Thanks! Donnie

I would highly highly highly reccomend Joe Buck at Country Pleasures. My girlfriend and my mom went ahead and bought me a guided trip last weekend for my birthday and all I can say is "Awesome"!. Joe has been guiding for over 15 years on the Bow and before that on the Elk. Great guy, that definately knew how to get me into some big fish, and the best part was that he is not in any hurry at all, as we were on the water for 13 hours or so. And damn does he know the river well, especially where to pull out. The highlight would have to be about halfway through as afternoon was setting in and we pass this fat fat fat rainbow sipping trico's and caddis's in about 8-10 inches of water right beside the bank. So we pull out well down of her and slowly stalk our way up. Joe tied on one of his own ties, a #18 somethin or other caddis imitation and gets me to gently cast it up there. And wow, did she smash it, runnin and jumpin her way almost half a kilometre down stream and well into 3/4s of my backing before we finally landed her, and a beautiful fat 25 inch Rainbow was my reward, released of course but never in memory. But yah, that is the only time I have been on a guided trip on the Bow since I normally walk and wade by myself but it was quite a treat, and I would definately reccomend Joe to anyone. Good luck! Donnie

Always great to teach the younger ones! I would highly reccomend the Fallen Timber Creek on the FTR, great access, beautiful country, and some of the most gullible trout you can find around. Also better than that there is a few decent sized ones and always 1 or 2 in the spots you would expect to find them. Great for teaching how to read the water, and quite a bit of casting room. Good luck!

Hey guys! I grew up in Harvest Hills and have been up and down nose hill creek and I can tell you to not waste your time. There is some teeny weenies, but as was said above, tons of fertilizer runoff, random junk and pasture runoff. We used to tube down it years ago so maybe its changed but before it was just tons of leeches and really nothing swimming over an inch.

Yah definately as the guys above said, hit closest to the bank first and work your way out slowly with each cast, move up a bit and repeat. Yesterday was a perfect hopper day, cloudy, overcast and high pressure. Good luck!