FraserN

Wonderful post on what is likely my favorite river. It sure took a pounding when I saw the canyon a few days ago. Lets hope it recovers quickly.

Thanks for the tip. I may get a pair. I am on my second pair of korkers and they are falling apart again after only one and a half seasons of use. I really like the korkers system, but they just aren't durable enough.

As an example. One stretch, where I fished today in Silver springs. The mid stream island is mostly gone, the river is wider and much deeper and slower. Stepping off the bank into what was normally shin deep water near shore is now waist deep for hundreds of yards downstream. The sandstone cliff above my head has lost much of its face. Sandstone boulders, some the size of small cars are jumbled just below on the bank. This place is radically changed, having lost all its inshore structure, it will take years for fishing to recover here.

I have been caught in several storms over the years. The worst was on the the bow near Cochrane, where I almost got struck by lightning. I tend to stick it out and keep fishing. The latest incident was last week on the Oldman, where a nasty storm rolled in and I was trapped on a bar in mid river. I did decide to stop when the lightning flashed all around me. The water had risen from all the rain, so wading the swollen side channel to the bank was fun. I waited it out under a tree. I don't need to catch fish that bad anymore, so it is best to deal with storms by quitting for a while.

Unreal. Some of the boulders are sizable, but no trouble for the flooding river to pick up and deposit miles downstream at policemans.

I really love fishing for Arctic grayling. Am a little nervous about the visitor you may have shared the bank with, though.

Amazing. The river has changed completely.

The flood waters are subsiding up here in Bowness, and the river has changed significantly. Entire areas of structure have been wiped out, and the course of the river flow changed. It will be interesting to see what it looks like when water levels return to normal.

Thanks for the tip, wingshooter. I was wondering how I would ever get to pyramid. I dont want to drive, so the flight and car rental is a good option.

I would love a flyshop in the NW. When bow river troutfitters was up here, I went there whenever I needed supplies. It was convenient. Now, it is a real long journey, because the several fly shops are all down south on Mcleod trail.

Just an incredible story. These legendary trout were thought to be extinct for over half a century. For them to return to their native home in this amazing fishery is simply wonderful news!

Congratulations. I have caught lots of bow river browns, but I still vividly remember the very first one on a rainy june evening at Mckinnons flats way back in 1984. They really are a special fish.

I put the stainless steel screws from rona in the rubber soles of my korkers. They are so hard that they dull a hacksaw blade, but a grinder still takes them down. I just finished my first trip to fish creek park with them. Their still intact with some wear. The studs improved traction greatly, and yet I still slipped and fell once. Man are those bow river rocks just like giant greased ball-bearings.

I use corkies. Most I use have been found lying on the shore. I pick them up and put them on the line where it attaches to the leader. Saves buying them.

"I was just casting and it broke." Maybe it was the wind?

Great photos. The first brown is really a solid, healthy fish. Nice to see.

I really like the first one of the Cutt. Now I have to think about how many months away until I can see one of those fish again.

Actually, RedBeard, it is upstream of the reserve, near priddis. In past years, there were always only Rainbows, but lately the brookies have been showing up. Sadly, I am still waiting for my first cutthroat trout, but I fear that the Rainbows pushed them out years ago.

In the past two years, I have bonked a couple of brookies I caught in the Upper parts of fish creek. I guess it is a start, and I will continue to contribute to this concept this season, also.

Great catch. I have caught a brown that large on spin gear, but never on the fly. It was undoubtedly an older fish, and had a full lifespaan, so I have no qualms about the harvest.

Nice shots. Pictures really don't give the impression of the wind down there, which is actually a good thing.

So do I miss troutfitters when it was near Mcmahon stadium. It seems there is a disproportionate number of stores in the South of the city.

This is why some areas containing sensitive populations should be closed to recreation and development.

Just voted. I have frequented Mallard point in my time. I even caught a small rainbow at the lower end of the channel, once. I hope they get their grant.

The Browns use several sections of the river in these stretches for spawning purposes. I have noticed many redds in the Fish creek area in October over the years, and I have probably accidentally walked on some of them a few times, when tired from wading or distracted daydreaming after a long days fishing. This cannot happen on some key spawning redds (about a dozen or so) I observe and keep track of the Browns activity every year on an ideal spawning stretch in Bowness, precisely because the river is closed in October and November here. Also, the trout above 22X receive just this unbelievable amount of fishing pressure and both the browns and Rainbows need a good, long break to recover and replenish their bodily energy reserves in preparation for the upcoming winter.