trailhead

I like it here too. Plus I have met and fished with some you , and I can say it has always been a pleasure. Also whenever I run into people fishing I ask if they are from the board, and it works like a charm. Thanks to Dave et al.

Maybe a Burbot too. A buddy of mine hooked one that was over 30 inches long, and the thing wouldn't stop running. He fought it for about 20 minutes before we even saw it, couldn't figure out what it was at first we thought pike, laker, bull, then finally burbot. But it took off again and again, he even handed me the rod to spell him off. I told him to get it closer and I would net it, which we tried, but it was too big for the net. Then it took off to the middle of the river, and busted off. Took the worm too.

Yeah all those are factors, but in the old days the human factor had a lot to do with fish size. People would keep everything they caught or just the bigger ones, and that was why the fish remained small. They never got past 6 inches in size before someone ate them. As for predation by larger fish, I can't recall ever catching a bull trout back in those days, well except on the Wildhay River upstream of the FTR.

Where's the Shack?

I agree with Tako, the less pressure the bigger the fish. There is a middle section of the Oldman that has some real nice cutts, (see avatar) I have seen very few anglers on this stretch, but it is rather unexciting looking and you gotta walk. The only time I have seen other anglers they were hanging around fishing at the access point. I also think that the "catch & release" mentality does increase the size of the fish, but they get wary. I have a story that illustrates this; in 1981 a few us were camped along the Oldman by the falls, and the average size of the fish was about 6 inches, I released every fish I caught, and I got one on just about every cast of my royal coachman. A whole family group of about 5 walked up and kept every fish they caught. It was all legal, because I believe at the time the limit was 5 or 10 fish. Anyway I did say something and their response was that they were having a fish fry. They did leave though, but I think that their mentality at the time kept the fish pretty small. I have been back to that spot and the fish aren't as big as down lower but the average size now has to be around 10 to 12 inches, but I don't catch as many. So maybe we have less fish but they are smarter & bigger?

It's all in jest, and we need something to do besides tie flies, arrange our tackle and dream of sunny days. Calgary is a big target and usually we take it with a grain salt. But sometimes we fire back.

Well I spent over 20 years in Edmonton and the lakes are better there, mostly because there is more of them and that's where I started to flyfish. Now I have spent over 20 years in Calgary and the mountains are better here, mostly because they are closer. As for the rivers there is just as much junk on both of them, it's just that the NSR is silty so you can't see the "floaties" but it does have some good evening hatches for Goldeye and you can catch sturgeon in the city. The Bow is a trout river and as it has been labelled "blue ribbon". Which I personally wish had never happened, because now we get all them dam tourists from BC. I am glad that I live in Calgary though, mostly because it's more of a white-collar town. In Edmonton I was involved in too many fisticuffs for my liking, more of the blue-collar thought. I still like going out to some of the pothole lakes around Edmonton after ice-out, it's pretty sweet. Then once the mosquitoe migration occurs I'm in the foothills west of Calgary casting to rising trout. So tomato-tomatoe, potato-potatoe whatever. I say all the fly fishers from both cities should target the central Alberta area and really tick off the Red Deer and Rocky Mtn House guys.

It is as most of the reponses here so far, there is limited fishing in fresh water anywhere in S.Cali. There are some reservoirs that have stocked trout, but the seasons are very different. Open at odd times, variable access and also a ton of anglers. If you wanted to flyfish there is some in the salt.

Yes those are ospreys. A few years ago some friends and I hiked into Rockbound Lake. When we got to the lake we split up with half fishing each side to the far end. I saw an osprey doing the same thing, diving into the water and coming up with a fish just about every time. It's interestong to see that they always hold the fish headfirst in the direction they fly. So I walked up to where I had seen the osprey picking off fish and there were two of the group sitting on some rocks. I was all pumped to cast and they grumbled, there's no fish in this lake. Then they walked off and I cast out and landed a nice brookie, I did share with them later and we all did very well. So if you are out fishing and you see osprey picking off fish, move and crowd them off their water, they don't catch and release.

First I've heard of this, WTF?

Wish I could go, the boss has booked us to go away for the weekend.

Hey Don you are right on that Edmonton can do it and Calgary can't. There's just too much money in Cowtown, so they have two fundraising dinners for TU, and it costs big time. I know I can't afford it.

Once in like 1976 on Hasse Lake by Edmonton, about 5 years ago and 3 years ago on the Bow, and then two years ago on the Carbondale. Trailhead

The one on the lake will be a tough sell, it is windy, the water is cold; and the market that wants to be on water is into waterskiing etc. However the River Run development across the highway from the Crowsnest Golf Course is well on it's way. It is right on the river, and looks to have many of the same proposed amenities as the lake. Plus the golf course may not be world class as far as the clubhouse goes but the locale and the holes are pretty sweet. So I think that will be the start, after all in 1986 nobody in their right mind wanted to buy in Canmore, or Fernie. Let's hope that the developer delivers on his environmentally sensitive promises.

You have a lot of excellent points Mike, and what most of it comes down to is that a few bad apples ruin it for the rest. Unfortunately when someone abides by the rules and doesn't create any problems, no one notices. But when you get a bunch of drunken offroaders burning cars and "tearin it up" everyone notices. It's the same for any other groups be it , flyfishers, hunters, logging companies, oil companies etc. The only real solution is extra policing, and then the freedom activists start in with the "big brother" scenarios and with the extra costs the comes proposed user fees, which the tax activists see as a extra tax. So what do you do? Shut the whole area down and not allow anything? Limit the amount of users? That would just push people into other areas, ie the Castle and the Ram. This is a real tough issue and I don't have the answer. You can try to educate people, but will they listen.

Three stream thermometers, two cell phones, my favorite fishing hat, a full box of flies, a 5wt Sage rod with reel, line and fly. My old canoe and almost my life.

That sucks, I had someone break into my truck over the holidays, they busted the back window. Only minor things got stolen so that was on the bright side, but it definitely makes you more suspicious and conscious of things around you. I can suppose that because they wrote off your vehicle you will be getting a new one. But the insurance companies can be a bitch too, what with deductible and amount of coverage etc. I hope it all works out for you, and as they say; locks only keep honest people out.

Try posting in the trading section on this forum. I picked up a reasonable one for $70. Plus I have seen them at "sale" prices at some of the larger sporting goods places in Calgary, ie Russells and Wholesale. If you are going the mail order route, Cabela has the basic round tube for $65 plus $18 for shipping.

Thought I'd put this in, it takes me back to a peaceful time. I even caught a few fish.

Yeah and those greedy gold companies driving the price up like that. Man I better go and gas up my Hummer so I can burn down to Fernie at 150 Km/H, dam greedy oil companies/

Ms Strange, you are on, I will keep you posted as to tentative departures. And Birchy, you gotta wet wade, keeps everything cool.

I have only one resolution, I want to go flyfishing less by my lonesome. I had too many hair raising experiences while out tramping around.

I think that it was at the confluence of the Castle and the Crowsnest.

I agree with everyone, but will say I can just sit by a body of water and watch things. Sometimes I don't even need a rod to go down to the river. I like to take binoculars and watch the wildlife, if I see some rising fish I put it in the file for future reference. Also I can watch the people I'm with as they fish, it can be very instructional and entertaining. The objective is the fish, but it isn't the result. Happy Christmas to all and may the coming year find you healthy and able to live your dreams.

Well Dave she does exist, though the problem is that she has a list of her own.