wankykootiepooper

About a dozen years ago, I tried the spot just downstream of the treatment plant, downstream and on the west side of the Glenmore overpass. Just as I parked and got out, I noticed two guys unloading their rods and about 18 beer. They appeared to have drank the other 6 on their way to the spot. I decided to stick around and watch for a while. More to make certain that they were okay. They weren't hurting anything, and I figured they were looped enough that the fish really didn't have to fear these guys. Anyway, the one guy was busy talking to me over his shoulder as he was casting when I noticed that one of the seagulls that frequent that stretch of river was kind of flying off kilter. The guy starts yelling "Hey! I've got a Seagull!". About then, the bird falls out of the sky into the river. Buddy starts reeling the seagull in, and since I'm the only one nearby who isn't looped, I volunteer to help him with the bird, figuring he might have injured it. As he pulls it in, I can see that all that has happened is the line has wrapped around the bird a couple of times, and the hook has simply crossed over the line, creating a very simple slip knot. The seagull was not injured, but man, was it MAD. I put one hand on the bird to hold it's wings where the line was wrapped around, and then reached down with my other hand to undo the line. Snap! The dumb seagull chomps down on my thumb. Now I have to let go of the bird with my other hand, so that I have a hand to untie him. Both of the beer buddies are killing themselves laughing as the birds wings come free, and swat me a few time prior to it realizing it was free and flying off. Somehow, by this time, I had lost my desire to fish at this spot. I left feeling somewhat comforted that no dumb animals were injured in the making of this adventure.

My Orvis Guide weight waders are about a dozen years old. Orvis outright replaced (for free) the first set that I had, since I used them almost daily and they started to leak after three years. This pair was completely dry until I landed flat on my butt trying to walk down too great and incline, then the seams got loose. No one in Calgary appears to sell these any more and I don't know why. It seems that I've read something about new material for the boot foots that try to pass vapor. I've noticed that any neoprene boot foot will accumulate sweat if you hike a long distance in the waders. Anyone tried one of these?

I agree with everyone's comments here so far. But in my mind, the main issue you may be encountering is the amount of other fishing traffic on that river. I consider myself to be a good, solid, intermediate fly fisher. My focus over the past 7 or 8 years has been to try as many different types and locations of water that I can, in order to see how fast I can adapt to new water, both still and moving. My main reason for doing this is was a degree of personal boredom with the Bow, since it is my home water for about 30 years, in combination with the level of traffic on it from either rafters in the city or other fishermen on the lower Bow. The Bow was an excellent teacher when I got started. The more I'd walk it and try different sections, the more I learned about reading water and the habits of my slippery little friends. It is still a world class river that I consider lucky to have so close. But I remember my last outing about 7 or 8 years ago with a friend and at one point looking upstream and seeing no less than a dozen other fishermen, doing everything imaginable, fishing wise. The strategy we soon adopted was to try to figure out the spots that were not typical fish spots, since those had been over fished. We started having some luck in the white pockets in the riffles but the rest of the day was pretty slow. If you've read the hatch charts and had a few chats with the fishing store guys and gotten some advice, the only other advice I'd have is to try it on a cold, rainy day during midweek. The fishing pressure is lower and you can trust your water reading instincts a bit more. Also, keep in mind that figuring any fishing water takes time, and that is supposed to be the fun part. Hope this helps, Eric.

All, If there is anyone who has tested Sage warranty, it's me. I've got two Sages. One is about 12 years old now, the other about 9. Both have had tips replaced at least 3 times. Last year, I felt sorry for Sage, since I actually broke both and had both in for warranty at the same time. So, I bought one of the "replacement tips" for about $130. Best Service I've ever seen. I'd never buy another rod. Eric. ps. Never sent in any warranty cards....

Mark, Based on your description, it sounds like you're getting the fish close to you, but not in the net. Here are my thoughts, based on "not being there": 1. Are you playing the fish long enough? Obviously, I'm not a supporter of overplaying them, but if you're in a hurry, getting them into the net might be a challenge... 2. Is your net big enough for the fish you are getting? There are times I'm luck enough to have a similar problem... 3. When you are a beginner, it's better to have the fishing buddy you're fishing with do the netting. Holding the rod with one hand and netting with the other is a bit of a trick when you're new to it... Hope this helps. Eric.

I've got advice on what NOT to buy... Two years ago, I bought a LOOP brand vest. The shoulders were made of Neoprene. My initial impression was that this material would be very stretchy and do a good job of spreading the weight across the shoulders. Not only is this the hottest vest I've ever worn, the rest of the components don't hold up. The loop in the back where your net goes fell out last summer - it wasn't stitched in properly. Zippers have jammed on it as well. Before that I had a basic Columbia. Worked fine for over 10 years. Eric.

Conor, Obviously a bobber and perch would be a great choice, or perhaps a smaller lake with medium size pike, but both of these are a drive. If you're trying to stay in the Calgary area in the summer, I'd have to recommend up by the Bearspaw Dam from just after peak runoff through July and August. Most serious fly fishers hang around the lower Bow. In my experience, the section of the river just below the dam produces smaller fish, but provides more consistent outings. I can't say I've never gotten skunked, but it's pretty rare. If you were to perhaps start your daugher off with one of those surgical tubing bobbers and a #6 stonefly, and you're both willing to do the walk and cast to try a few different spots, you might surprised at what she finds. There are plenty of larger trout that are 5 feet from shore. There is also a good stretch upstream from the Shouldice bridge in Bowness, on the North side of the river. There is even a parking lot just off Home Road leading down, beside a church. The advantage of these two spots are that if you live on the west side of town, you can get in a couple of hours after supper on a summer evening. Both have plenty of trees and make for a nice outing / walk. Eric.