trailhead

That's a common meeting place for people going hiking or skiing depending on the season. And also for workers heading west and there is a bus that drops and picks up there so a variety of reasons. I have noticed that the amount of cars does decrease when the weather is poor, and in the shoulder seasons.

Last time I got skunked on the Bow I saw a Osprey dive down and pick up a decent Rainbow (12") Then a immature Bald Eagle chased the Osprey to try and get it to drop the fish. I never saw the outcome as they flew off upstream and around the bend.

Yes it is very trendy to go to the Calgary Farmers Market. It's a nice place with lots of pricey vehicles in the parking lot. I prefer the Crossroads one, and there you have opportunity to buy from the grower, whether it's one of the Hutterite colonies or the East Indian families from BC. I have also noticed the prices are lower too.

That's the place.

What kind of nymphs would you swing?

You have to go to an SRD office and they tell you where you are allowed to cut the wood. The office I went to is on the west side of the city, on the road to the Bearspaw dam. Off Nosehill Drive NW, don`t have the exact address.

Looks like a Dolly Varden, from Kootenay Lake.

That is a real tough experience. I can believe that would happen up in that area. Just so you feel better I have been up there twice now and still have no goldens to show for it.

I think I've seen that guy on the Bow.

Yea me and the boys came upon what we thought was a black bear feeding on the huge crop of Sasks that are out this year due to the optimum growing conditions, ie lots of rain. Didn't see it but for a flash of black and the crashing of bushes. And not in that high of country either, the Crowsnest along Hwy 3.

Looks like a great trip, thanks for the stories and pics

No those are flavors that come from the ageing process, and also from the sugarcane that the molasses that rum is made from. Kind of like how different locales will produce a different flavor in wines made from the same type of grape.

Yes in Calgary we are incredibly fortunate to have two fine trout streams.

Playground zones always start at 8:30

RUB UP! DRINK DE RUM RUM RUM! Ah yes the rums of the Caribbean are truly one of the gifts of the gods. I like many of your suggestions here; Flor De Cana, Cruzan, Gosling, Mount Gay all excellent. I also like Coruba, the standard which I am sure most true rum lovers started with. I have been to the distilleries in Bdos ( Mount Gay & Cockspur) found Coskspur to be more interesting and the rum a bit more spicy. Then hit the St Vincent distillery and the extra strong rum the locals drink with a water chaser is very smooth but very potent. My favorite was the St Lucia Distillery and the Admiral Rodney and the Chairmens Reserve; both splendid. Lots of vanilla, spice, smoke, butter and coconut flavors. I am sure if you visited any of the reasonably larger islands you would find a local distillery that would blow your socks off.

Having had a few Banks with the Bajans I have to say from my experience Bdo's is more about the flying fish than fly fishing. Beautiful beaches, friendly people and rum rum rum. It's the furthest east of any island in the area and so you don't get the tarpon type situations. The best bet for you might be on the Caribbean (west) side of the island. Might be some snook, or bones over there cause it is shallower and doesn't have the pounding surf of the Atlantic side. If you get out you have to post some pics, hell if you don't get out post some pics.

This is a step in the right direction, though I noticed that there are no direct proposals that address water quality abuses. I put my comments in the appropriate boxes in that regard and maybe that will raise some attention on that issue.

Both Lakers and Brookies are not common in the Bow, but not totally unusual. I have caught brookies, but no lakers yet. The brooks come in from the Elbow, upper Bow etc. The Lakers are in the Ghost reservoir and also in the Bearspaw reservoir.

nice report and pics, thanks. That the kind of fishing is so rewarding.

And I behold once more My old familiar haunts; here the river blue. The same blue wonder that my infant eye Admired, sage doubting whence the traveler came- Whence brought his sunny bubbles ere he washed... Here is the rock where, yet a simple child, I caught with bended pin my earliest fish, Much triumphing,---and these the fields Over whose flowers I chased the butterfly... Me many a sigh. Oh, call not Nature dumb; These trees and stones are audible to me, These idle flowers, that tremble in the wind, I understand their faery syllables, And all their sad significance. The wind... I feel as I were welcome to these trees After long months of weary wandering, Acknowledged by their hospitable boughs; They know me as their son, for side by side, They were coeval with my ancestors; Adorned with them my country's primitive times. And soon may give my dust their funeral shade

I think that it's people that don't know how to drive on gravel roads. They stay in the middle because they are afraid they'll slide into the ditch and they drive too fast and don't slow down because they are stoopid. Basically just poor drivers. What is it I once heard when I was getting the mud dug out from the chassis of my old Landcruiser? Oh yeah, 80% of 4X4's never leave pavement. Get one of those drivers on gravel and they just sh*t themselves.

I would recommend the Highwood, as you drive along going west from Longview watch out for the yellow Fishing Regulation signs. Those indicate access points to the river. The Elbow where you are and the Sheep upstream from Turner Valley are tough rivers to catch fish. There are also some smaller streams scattered in that country that are worth your time to explore. That's one of the best part of flyfishing, finding a nice place to fish using your own wits. Good luck and have fun.

I just drove through it, worst part of the hail was happening in West Hilhurst. Golf ball sized hail put a nice new crack in my windshield. There's supposed to be another cell coming by just in time for the drive home. The rain was pretty intense too, and in fact made driving more difficult than the hail. Damn droughts.

In K-country proper you are on crown land and are allowed to go wherever you want, however there are a couple of areas that are historical ownership. Notably along the Sheep about 8 km west from the Bluerock Campground. But there are trails through there including the one up to Burns Lake, and I have not had any problems going through there. Now south of K-country in the grazing lease areas you are in a different situation and remember K-country starts about 30 Km west of Longview so most of the land along the Highwood is also private, and I have had some people down there tell me that they own the rights to the riverbank.

Try Chris's in old Coleman, great burgers and quart sized milkshakes that they serve in in the big metal mixing jug, along side of your glass.