jpinkster

I had the most remarkable fishing season of my life in 2014. This was only my second every year slinging flies, but I'll never forget this year. Below is my year in photos. Hoping for a few more memories before the snow flies! Bow Prior to this year I had never floated the Bow. My roommate went and bought a boat and that drastically changed. Here are some Bow highlights: Big big cold water pike. This is still my favorite fishing experience, and I'm sure all of you are sick and tired of seeing this photo. Not remarkable from a size standpoint, but look at the fantastic colors on this brown! So great to see so many healthy browns in the river this year. My big brown of the year. Picked this 22" beauty up on a streamer in the middle of the river. Oldman/Livi After another season of adventure I am now convinced that this is probably my favorite area in the entire province. Great season of Bulls and Cuttys again. Not even close to the largest Bull we saw this year, but my most memorable fight for sure. The Bull picked the streamer up right as it hit the surface. Once hooked this gorgeous fish tried to jump up the falls that we were fishing. Heli Fishing - Lake of the Falls Not just an amazing fishing experience, but an amazing life experience. The fishing was average, but we could have gotten skunked and still had an amazing weekend. Let's hope 2015 is just as special!

Reminds me of something similar that happened in July when I was on the Livi. Was floating a parachute adam's through a pool and saw a small cutty slowly come off the bottom to come take the fly. The cutty got about a foot below the fly and got pulverized by a very large bull before it even realized what was happening. I counted it as a refusal and quickly tied on a different fly.

That'll get the heart rate up!

I've lived in Calgary for the better part of 25 years. I'm used to regular sightings of pelicans, loons, mallards, hawks and even the occasional owl. This year I have noticed a new addition to my bird watching collection: cormorants. It seems they like to congregate around Inglewood bird sanctuary and the Southland dog park. I've heard they can be quite destructive to fish populations, but I have yet to see one feeding. I don't remember ever seeing a cormorant before this year, but now they seem to be all I see. Am I alone here, or am I just not looking up enough?

We've had some great luck in the fall as well. I'll be down at Keho this weekend hoping to get into a few gators. I find that you need to get out there 2-3 weeks before the ice comes on. Some cooler temperatures will kill off a good chunk of the weeds and the bigger fish begin to move into the shallows again.

Seeing a comment like this makes me appreciate where I live that much more.

As well as being a top notch guide Kevin is also freaking hilarious.

Last week Bulls were placed on the threatened species list which could be interpreted as a step back. That being said, we also ran into a unusually large amount of Bullies on our trip to the Oldman last weekend. Rumors of Bull trout demise may be greatly exaggerated.

The big guy was caught on a 4 weight. We got the big Bull on the Livi, which was really shocking. I'd expect to find a Bull that size below the Oldman falls, but I haven't seen one that big in the Livi before. We saw one below the Oldman Falls the next day that was easily 30"+.

Took a trip out beyond HWY 22 over the weekend. I was very disheartened early in the week to hear the news that Bull Trout had been placed on the threatened species list for Alberta. I was able to draw some encouragement from a terrific weekend of Cutties and Bulls. We caught close to a dozen bulls over the course of the weekend that spanned from 8" all the way to a 27.5" monster. We also had numerous opportunities to watch Bull Trout chase our Cutties all over the pools, some almost came right on to shore in desperate pursuit! Another tremendous weekend in one of the most beautiful places Alberta has to offer.

Awesome stuff, always like hearing stories about healthy bull trout populations.

September is one of my favorite times of the year to be on the river, you won't be disappointed!

My lovely girlfriend and faithful sidekick planned a heli-fishing trip up to Landslide Lake or Lake of Falls (they won't tell me which) for my birthday. Unfortunately due to the forest fires near Rocky Mountain House, it sounds as though or trip is in jeopardy. Sounds as though the helicopter service has been shut down until the smoke clears, and the hiking path up to the lakes is temporarily closed. We are slated to leave on Saturday, so fingers crossed things clear up over the next few days. Time to start making Plan B!

Someone's been reading Prospecting for Trout

Location, location, location. I've found that I have to look in different areas for the Browns. Muddier bottoms tight against a deep bank have been the ticket to start the year for me. I've found the further downstream you go the more Browns you run into.

The more of these stories I hear the happier I am that I rarely fish alone. It's nice to have a few buddies around.

I really like the point about cutting the line if the fish has swallowed the hook too deep. Being the cheap Dutchmen that I am, I often shed a tear or two when I see a few dollars going down a fish's throat, but it is absolutely worth it. I've had my share of nasty experiences doing unnecessary damage to pike that decide to inhale a husky jerk (little harder to stomach when it's a $15 lure). There is nothing more rewarding than seeing a beautiful fish swim away unharmed after a spirited bout.

Not sure if it's been mentioned already, but having a bailer on board is a must. Unless of course you want to go down with your ship. You'll also need a first mate, and since we are roommates I think I've already staked a claim on that. Hell, I even bought the hat already.

Looks a lot like Carseland.

No sir, mine was more or less intact.

Looks like the otters have found a way to mimic the same face Albertans get from the locals out there!

PS: Is that fish missing an eye?

Hurray for firsts! Caught my first pike on the Bow a week ago also at police (not trying to steal your thunder!): I've been talking to quite a few seasoned Bow anglers and they know that pike like these are in the river, just not used to seeing them this far upstream.

I had a similar experience last year. PMDs weren't working so I tied on an ant as an emerger. Cutties killed that thing, it was great.

My favorite Southern Alberta lake for pike is Keho Lake. Keho is super accessible with a road that goes all the way around the lake. You can fish easily from shore on the north or south banks as well as the channels on the east and west ends of the lake. The monster pike should be in the shallows in the Spring if you can avoid the wind. Alberta record was pulled out of Keho, something like 36lbs.