rhuseby

Both nice campgrounds and some decent fishing in the immediate area. Etherington Creek itself has cutts, no brookies. Better fishing is probably a bit furthur south in the Oldman drainage, but it gets awfully crowded for my tastes, especially the Livingstone.

Sounds like a great trip. I think I can help you out a couple of you're questions. Unless the rainbows from the Bow are still in the creek, there seems to be very poor fishing on the Jumpingpound. I've personally never known anyone who did well there. That said, someone out there probably considers it the greatest fishery in the province. Barbed wire across the stream is meant to keep cows from wandering up or down the creek. Some ranchers will get bitchy on you, but as long as you leagally accessed the stream and stay within in the highwater makrs, you're okay. I haven't fished the Spray much, but is's probably like a lot of mountains streams. You have to cover a lot of distance looking for the good water, but when you find it the fish are there in good numbers. The top of the Spray, above Spray Lake can be accessed from Mt Shark trailhead in Kananaskis. It's a fair jaunt though, so be prepared. Good job on the first fish.

Always let the law deal with it. Call report a poacher or if you're in K-country phone the emergency center (591-7767, if I remember correctly) and they can radio an officer tout suite. Photos are always good and if you know which vehicle they are in get the plate number. The problem is that a lot of streams and lakes have large parking lots full of vehicles. Always mention the regs to the miscreant (maybe they are just ignorant) but drop it after that. Lousy finish to a great day.

Best stuff in wader world. If it's a big rip, cut out a piece of cloth big enough cover the hole plus at least 1/2" all around. Coat the whole area of the wader with aquaseal, put some on the cloth patch and put the two sides together make sure they stick together well. Then coat the whole thing with a final layer and let dry for a day. Never had one of those suckers break down me. The rest of the wader will fall apart before the patch.

Crowsnest Angler sells them, just off highway 3 as you're going through the pass. I think it's Bellevue, at any rate, just off the highway on the north side, can't miss it.

No, live in Calgary now. Used to do a lot of climbing and ski mountaineering before changing jobs and the knees giving out. Also not thrilled with the increasing cost of getting into national parks, hence the lack of trips fishing there lately. Definitely enjoyed the good times though. Might have to suck it up one more time, just for auld lang syne. An easier but much longer approach for Moraine Creek is down the creek from the lake. Either way, grunt city.

I've used Mustad ever since I started tying over 30 years ago. I've had very few problems with them and prefer them to Dairikis for sure. I find the dairikis very brittle and prone to breaking, a problem I've never had with Mustad, except of course on the old rock backcast. You definitely have to sharpen the Mustads for nymphing but hey when you like a hook!!!!!! I've used Daichi a bit and they are good but I've had quite a few bend open with fish on. Interesting how people have different experiences with the same brand of hook.

All of the above guys are correct as far as where to fish. I grew up in Blackfalds and used to ride my bike down all summer. The goldeye are up around Red Deer from about the May long weekend to just after Labour Day, then they seem to disappear from that stretch migrating downstream. One of the keys with flies is let them drag a bit if the fish seem reluctant. Just a bit of wake makes a big difference sometimes. Fun, fun fish though.

I haven't fished Banff much lately, but I used to have some good luck on cutts at Herbert Lake, right beside the Icefields Parkway, just north of the Trans-Canada. There was a good caddis hatch in August that got them going. Dragonfly nymph were also productive. If you are willing to hike a ways (ie. about an hour) try Cirque and Cephren Lakes. Access is through the Waterfowl Lakes campground north of Bow Lake. Another decent spot in cloudy weather is Consolation Lake near Lake Louise. The only stream fishing I found any good was in Moraine Creek, where the upper stretch is rather meadowy. You have to find parking on the Moraine Lake access road and make a rather stiff hike downhill to the creek, but of course it's the return trip that isn't any fun. I'm not a big river so I didn't fish the Bow much. Hope this helps.