fredo

As mentioned access to Bearspaw is limited to a walk in from the south side.Back in the day we canoed from Chochrane bridge to Bearspaw dam and portaged around landing at Bowness park.It was a trip suited to younger folk.It's still doable but you'll need portage wheels to get past the dam.Be aware the wind shifts against you in the late afternoon.Be prepared to paddle nonstop for the portage at the dam. Talking to a resident of Emerald Bay ,he has seen lots of people blown back uplake,land at Emerald Bay and beach their boats and call a cab. That being said,the fishing can be very good.Check out the channels as the river slows and enters the resevoir.Be aware at about noon the Ghost dam dumps water downstream raising the water level in the river by as much as 3 feet in a matter of an hour.Don.t get caught on a gravel bank when this happens.On the numerous floats we did back when we witnessed the water rise and scour the previously dry gravel shoals of insects/nimphs etc.At the bottom end of these daily events trout were waiting,conditioned to this daily smorgasboard.Lots of trout.So many rising/sipping it looked like it was raining. Anyone interested in the long term plans for Bearspaw resevoir should check Enmax Legacy Parks Fund Bearspaw Park Concept.There's a map and info.Quite an ambitious project including a bridge across the resevoir connecting to Glenbow Park.

Bob's right on the money as usual.Bad timing though.With the election coming up Redford won't want this to muddy her capaign.Addressing decades of mismanagement,patronage and corruption regarding these grazing leases may happen later if enough voters press the issue.Sadly,even if the lease revenues are redirected to government coffers,there's no guarantee that money will be used to rehab,improve access,reclaim wetlands etc.More likely those millions will end up in 'general revenue' a black hole that still has our best astrophysicists baffled.