toolman

At first it was digital camera's, then I phone vids, then Go Pro cams.... and now,.... DRONES.. Flyfishing sure ain't what it used to be.... Sounds like fun though...

Awesome vid Vagabond. I grew up on the banks of the Restigouche river and travelled its waters many times.from the Rafting grounds up too Indian House. I knew Doug Sharpe and was in his shop many times as I used to grind and supply his cutting tools.

Personally I have not really liked any of these new "switch lines". For nymphing I only use Scandi heads for both single and two handed rods. Airflo Compact Scandi for two handed rods and Guideline Bullet lines for the single hand rod.

Great perspective Dave. It's interesting that some people have such an emotional reaction to a photo of a brown that is a little skinny, but otherwise, seems in very good health. I'm sure many people feel pressured into silence by a few online anglers accusing them of being unethical if they fish in October/November, or if they fish in the winter, or if they use nymphs, or fish the Highwood Confluence in March/early April, or use spin tackle, or a two handed spey rod, or post a photo on a fishing forum, or use a jet boat.... Often, these same folks will complain to anyone who will listen, that "SOMEONE" should "DO SOMETHING" about their latest urgent crisis. Well, I think you know the kind of folks I'm talking about.... On occasion, I have caught post spawn Browns in the winter that looked like the one in the photo that Dave posted, yet on the same afternoon, caught half dozen other Browns from the same pool that were fat and feisty. On yet another day on the water during run off in 2006, I was catching many healthy adult Browns on a section of river, but downstream a few hundred yards at another pool, the Browns were starving in the high flows. I have seen this many times over many years of fishing the Bow. As conditions change on each section of water, the fish will adapt. Some fare better than others. And consider what the starving, travel weary, post spawn Rainbows look like when they return to the Bow in May/early June. They all look very bad. Then they face the high, turbid flows of run off, followed by peak fishing pressure. Then come the low flows of late July/August as the irrigation canal diverts a disproportional amount of water that nature intended to send to the Bow fishies and the additional impact of the many upstream Dams that start to hoard water for power generation and municipal use, at a time when the water temps are dangerously high and oxygen saturation is dangerously low. Especially during the drought years like we had a dozen years ago. Yet, we fish away and our fishery survives. No, it actually thrives. This is the resilient Blue Ribbon Bow that I know... I really don't hear any "Canary in the Coal Mine" in regards to these issues, but it sure seems like some folks are trying real hard to make the "Fat Lady Sing", their song.... It's a familiar refrain....

A big thank you too Dave Jensen for participating in this discussion and taking the time to share his thoughts and experiences . Greatly appreciated and respected Dave. And now, some education and entertainment.... Recognizing and protecting Brown Trout Spawning Areas. Caught in the act....

It can't do any harm to the fishery you say? Well, consider that there will be more than double the fishing pressure on the trout populations downstream of the Deerfoot Extender Bridge. And only one boat launch will be available near the city at Policemans, because nobody will be using the Glenmore or Fish Creek launches. I bet it won't be long before the fish around Policemans and downstream too Cottonwood are going to look like the cutty's from the Livingstone at the end of every season...Scarr faced. And Brent, you mentioned that we should all pressure TU to "Do Something"... What do you propose they do? Re-stock the river? Here is a link to a terrific article: http://afgmag.com/the-second-step-post-flood-bow-river-browns/

Yay... Reason may yet prevail, but unfortunatly it's too late. Sapro may have delivered the final death blow, but there was another major event that occured a year earlier, that likely had a major influence on creating the right conditions for the collapse and demise of our Brown trout... The Trans Alta water Diversion in the summer/fall of 2011. It would be foolish to believe that there would be no negative impacts to the aquatic environment, from the millions of cubic meters of silt, coating the Bow rivers stream bed and extended high, turbid flow rates, post runoff. I have seen major changes in the hatch cycles of many aquatic inverts since then and so have many other anglers who pay attention to these details. I brought these concerns up with SRD back in 2011, but they said that they were not the lead agency on it as it originated in a federal park, (Huh,er what?) ...but they would forward my entomological concerns to Fisheries Canada. That was a WTF moment for sure... After the Sapro outbreak, SRD was likely under pressure to "do something" . Thus the ridiculous reg change. Rick is correct, since the last Fisheries Regulations review was almost 15 years ago, we may have to wait a very, very long time, before we see these waters opened to fall fishing again, if ever. I feel that the general fishing community at large could have been given proper notice of the public consultation meetings and online surveys to get a broader discussion going within the angling community. And how about giving us some data, fish counts, redd counts, etc. Good old fashioned scientific data that SRD says it is using to justifies these changes. Maybe some folks don't want us to see... Maybe a "dry fly only" change in the regs would have been at least a reasonable compromise that would have had the same outcome the PETA crowd were looking for... "to give the trout a rest"

Yes. that's exactly what I said. Open all Highwood tributary streams that are 8' wide, to fish Rainbows on the redds,,,,, hahaha All kidding aside, it is good to see that we have people engaged and concerned for our rivers. Sapro.... http://esrd.alberta.ca/fish-wildlife/wildlife-diseases/documents/SaprolegniosisFactSheet-MAR-2010.pdf SRD info. http://esrd.alberta.ca/fish-wildlife/fisheries-management/prairies-area-fisheries-management/lower-bow-river-sport-angling-regulation-review.aspx

Yes I think it is likely that the Whitefish also went through their natural cycle and then conditions changed. Poachers whacking it hard may have contributed somewhat as well. Natural cycles are common in nature with all species of life. For example, Canadian Snowshoe hares run at about a 40 year cycle with peaks followed by complete collapses in the populations across the country. Canadian lynx that rely on them for food also follow their cycle with peaks and collapses in population. Fisheries are no different. From the fish survey done last August, it appears that the river is fine, minus some Brown trout. They will come back eventually when the conditions they require to thrive are right. No need for panic, only patience. If the science showed, even anecdotally, that a river closure for two months would contribute in some measurably signigicant way to the Brown trout recovery, I would totally support it. Personally, I would never target a spawning area while fishing and I mostly avoid wading in the fall. But that's my own personal ethics. I do however try and promote awareness in the fall to fellow anglers about watching out for reds when they wade. As do many fine sportsman on the water. I guess we are having that townhall meeting right now.... hahaha

Yes the zero limit for all species is a great reg. change. I totally support it and it's sad that we waited so long to implement the change. As for the science concerning the impacts of catch and release angling on Brown trout spawning area's, do a bit of searching and you will find that these studies were conducted on many U.S. streams and rivers. All drew the same conclusion. The impacts were neglible across the board. It's an old discussion with new anglers.

A step in the right direction? I realize people have good intentions and mean well, but If the science says it will do little to help the Brown trout population recover, then how is that a step in the right direction? Other than make a a few anglers "feel good" I guess. Sad when we make fisheries management decisions based on people's feelings and personal "ethics" and opinions, rather than using good data and science to support regulations. A similar discussion took place 15 years ago over the Rainbows staging at the mouth of the Highwood in March. There were many wanting the river closed, convinced that it was hurting the fish. They were wrong. An exhaustive scientific study proved it. My thoughs on the whole concerning the Bow river Brown trout demise, is that they may have hit a peak cycle and then conditions changed and the population collapsed. A natural cycle that sometimes occurs when one species peaks, nature steps in and balances it out. Don't worry, the Brown trout population will eventually recover. Funny that I don't see much concern for the demise of our Bow river Rocky Mountain Whitefish. Guess they are not so important to fly fishers so, who cares eh....

I think these proposed closures to protect redds and spwawning/staging area's, really appeals to most anglers, but is it really based on science? This topic has been researched many times and the science I have seen reveals that catch and release angling has very little impact on the reproductive cycle. The section of river now being considered for closure, from the Deerfoot Extender upriver, has many spawning areas that have been fished over for decades, yet historically, the Brown trout populations on this stretch have been prolific. Actually incredible numbers, as in as good as almost any river on the planet. Personally, I feel there are other conservation issues that need to be addressed on the Bow, such as adequate flow rates and riperean habitat alteration/destruction as human developement continues. Really loving the rip rap banks. Can't have enough of those eh. Golf courses and new housing/condo developements along the flood plain are a higher priority I guess. Just my thoughts.....

The flycasting/line science between line size and fly size is: "The mass of the fly should not exceed the mass of the line preceeding the fly." So use the right line as there are many specailized lines available today to cast just about any fly on a 4 wt. Increase the rod weight and you can cast farther and create higher line speeds, especailly important when the wind comes up Yes, you can chuck an oversized fly/nymph rig on a light rod with a general taper line and "get it out there", but you don't really need a fly rod to do that, as you could just use a stick and some twine. In fact, from what I see out on the water, most anglers would be better casters if they did. Although, it's kinda fun to watch the infamous "Bow river chuck and duckers".(unless I'm on the oars, that *hit I take seriously) It's no wonder they go home complaining of sore elbows, shoulders and backs... Rod/Line/Fly imbalance + Poor Casting Technique = Bow River Chuck & Duck technique. All kidding aside, Don points out the obvious, Nothing beats having your favorite, appropriate weight rod, dialed in with the right line for the task. So effortless and efficeint and essential when the wind starts to howl.... And now I return to my winter state of "torpor", until river snouts re-appear for further examination... Fin.

Might simply be late hook sets. When nymphing, set on anything and everything that changes your indie's drift speed or direction. Add more weight to your rig until you start stalling frequently on bottom. Then set man... set... quickly.

Now that's funny....hahahaha

Very nice spey's. Thanks for sharing the pics.

Dry fly only, no cheatin'...

I've been using an Amundson reel bag for the past year and a half that has been to hell and back and it's really holding up well. Can't say I've used the reels in question, but I do know that the local pro staff for Amundson in AB, are first class folks.

Uni knot...

I agree, and those drifters, tubers and tooners keep floating through my water too. They really suck. Jet boaters are always courteous and wave when they pass on the other bank. Ever notice that...

I love Jetboats.....

Update on the Elbow search and rescue. http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/stor...very-elbow.html

It was on the Elbow river. http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/stor...ter-rescue.html

Nice hen in really good shape and looking like she might have a belly full of eggs.

Congrats on the completion of your MD. All the best for the future. Good Luck and good fishing! Greg