TroutPanther

Great news fishteck! Thanks for the update and to the group for all their work on this.

Interesting - I got one smallish brown earlier this year and one rainbow last year at POL that fit the description as well, with kinked/misaligned/humpy rear spines and shrunk tails. Didn't think much of it before all this whirling disease stuff hit the news and I began reading up on it... That said the deformities could have been caused by something else. I didn't take a tissue sample from the poor bastards. Looked like this pic: https://goo.gl/images/pGj0xI

Seems like a real professional.

If anyone is ever looking for an eye opening read on the subject, bottomfeeder (Taras grescoe) is a great book. Beyond salmon farming, it explores bottom dredging, shrimp farming, shark finning, and the bluefin fishery. Really changes your perspective for the better when buying fish.

Maybe a simpler solution would be to allow access to fish creek boat launch from the Sikome side? No infrastructure spend required. 22x - police is already a pretty short float. I agree it's a pain in the ass to have to head all the way up Deerfoot and back down bow bottom, but I don't think a new launch is an answer. I think opening the (in some cases existing) NW launches and a launch just below Harvie passage would be ideal as they would open up new water.

One other suggestion: late in the summer/into the fall, trailing a prince or another boatman type imitation behind a swung streamer can be deadly if the boatmen have started to come off. If not, trailing a soft hackle can work well too.

Maybe the only thing better than getting them to eat a meaty streamer. Let's get out this weekend and find some.

I guess my rain dance (posted in another thread in May or so) was effective... Now I just need to figure out how to do a stonefly dance for when the river clears up.

I've got the pro4x in a 4 weight and really like it for dry fly fishing. It's a sweet stick for the price. Have never cast the 5 weight. Their warranty program is a bit of a pain in the ass - when I bought I had a "wildcard", which was essentially a one-time no fault free of charge replacement guarantee. They discontinued the program (after I had bought!) and they didn't honour the wildcard. I had to pay a good chunk >$100 to get the rod fixed. So you would want to read up on whatever their current warranty program is. That said, it only broke because it got stepped on in the boat. I have broken my 6 weight bvk at least once in every section. It's now a Frankenstein of various blanks.

I totally agree they need to pivot to the middle. Uniting the right, if it means a pivot right, will not earn my vote. I think the federal election showed brand Harper is broken. unless they put someone likeable up as the face of the PC party I would say they don't have a great shot. Why Kenney? Pinkster I would say as a "swing" voter that the PC brand isn't strong, they have some major work to do.

Nice toads! And beautiful shots.

Great news!

It's crazy. I will be fishing the Mo July Long... Would have liked to do the elk drainage circuit and hit a few rivers but no tags left on the wigwam/Michel so screw that BC! Will gladly hit the Mo for some dry fly fishing and maybe even further south to the Yellowstone, conditions and hangovers permitting... Will be welcomed with open arms, smiles, and cash registers at the Craig fly shops and bar... Even if I don't hire a guide to show me how to fish a stimmie! What a concept.

Great news!

I'm guessing about the same as they charge to watch you throw fluffy dries at willing-to-rise cutties... Bring cash! Still think AB should reciprocate somehow, in a way that makes sense for our fisheries and fisheries budget.

Barry Mitchell's Alberta Trout Highway: fishing the forestry trunk road is great. Was my bible when I started out. Good general advice on flies and rigging, and a good description of the rivers, streams from Montana all the way up to peace country.

This makes me super jealous of properly managed river access (I.e. Like the Missouri in Montana)... They have far less people, probably less license revenue, but they do a fantastic job providing launches, access, camping, facilities etc... So where are we dropping the ball? Absolutely crazy for a premier fishery like the bow.

Ffc post of the year award!

Well said. That said, there are times hypocrisy is called for. C&R fishing is a huge example. Protest fish populations so we can exploit them. Yes I beat up the bank to launch my boat - in moderation... I don't have gravel bar fires, park my car, 4x4 exhibitions. A time and place for everything, and I think there is a line some are unaware of where those who are on the know can qualify idiots from responsible users..

Sounds like you earned enough wife points for a whole weekend of fishing

It really is easy enough walking the boat upstream to get to the rising fish opposite the launch... I'd love to see a string of concrete blocks just downstream of the launch area at Mackinnon as well to keep out the hillbilly brigade down there.

I've always thought they should divide the total performance ranking by the price, instead of rating the price on the same scale... But I still find the reviews entertaining, and somewhat useful (turned my attention to the one peice hardy, which is amazing). would love to all 20 rods army disposal to cast though!

Wow - big change from a month or two ago where we were looking pretty well avg. Everyone do their rain/snow dance, mantra, ritual... Thankfully the forecast is calling for some rain, let's hope the higher elevations get some of the white stuff. Just looked at the snow data, this last couple weeks have kicked off the melt at almost all of the higher elevation data points - in several cases 2-4 weeks before the 25th percentile "early" melt: Sount racehorse, little elbow, sunshine, skoki... Limestone ridge is well ahead of schedule as well, as pointed out by the Alberta fishing mag blog. i guess that's the upshot of 3 degree temp at time of posting!

Saw the group above the sue Higgins bridge on Saturday keep a couple fish as we floated by. Called the CO, who told me he is familiar with them and that they do keep fish (mostly whitefish) but he hadn't ever witnessed them with oversized trout or over their limit in terms of numbers. So that was reassuring. Would like to see all bow River trout released but hey, that is a different thread. This group was obeying the regs. I didn't get a call back, and he said he was gonna go check just to be sure, so I'm assuming all was good.

I appreciate the links jpinkster, keep em coming (even if once in a while, like the gas leak in the bow, they may be inconsequential!)