threepwood

After going through a few cheap ones, I bought a retracting keychain off Amazon and it has been fantastic. A little bigger than some, but I've had no problems even after visits to salt water, and it only cost me 12 bucks. Here's the link to it.

I've gotta say, the hatchery pond is pretty tough fishing a lot of the time. There are plenty of fish, but they see so much pressure that they're pretty jaded. A very small nymph or egg pattern can work.

Humor me in a thought experiment. I recalled today, while watching salmon leap up the waterfall in Katmai, AK, learning about fish that, when they encounter a dam during their spawning migration, often leap against it trying to get past. I also dimly recall seeing someone post about seeing the fish do this at Glenmore Dam. We also know that the lower Elbow is important spawning territory for Bow River fish. Theoretically, if some sort of fish passage were built at Glenmore (and let's leave aside speculation as to the budgetary and engineering feasibility of this), would it materially affect fish populations in the lower Bow and the Elbow below the Falls? It seems to me that such access might give access to great deal more spawning habitat, although I suppose that juvenile fish descending to the Bow would suffer a good bit of predation in the reservoir. Are there ecological consequences I'm not considering? I know dam removal, in general, is probably better for watershed health but that's not really an option here.

Thanks for the offer - I was out camping with my wife over the weekend so I missed your post. Hope you had a good trip.

Reviving an old thread: so did you make this trip, Porto? I'm interested in making the same journey in my boat, but I'm wondering if it's necessary to have someone familiar with the water along. I'm a competent rower but I have never navigated the upper Bow, and I'd rather err on the side of good judgment. So, can someone who is a decent rower expect to navigate safely from Banff to Canmore on their first attempt?

Yeah, I agree. Compared to the City of Calgary access plan this is fairly timid. I urged them to be aggressive about improving Police and Mackinnons, and to do much more to identify potential access sites around the Highwood confluence.

I've had plenty of luck on the Bow using EN techniques, and a 3wt has been enough to land good-sized fish. Euro-style rods have stiff butt sections, so you get a lot more fish fighting power than you do from a dry-fly twig in the same weight. Cortland makes a good one. I use a 10ft 3wt Redington Hydrogen, but I think you'd be fine sizing up to a 4 if you want that extra power. Just keep in mind it'll also be a bit heavier (and more fatiguing to hold out in front of you all day). You have to pick your spots for EN in the Bow, but you can fish fast, shallow water that indicator setups struggle with. I've also found that using a suspension rig while floating and pulling out the EN setup for stops is a great way to do both if you're in a boat and can bring two rods easily. Check out George Daniel's "Dynamic Nymphing" for some ideas on quick EN to dry-fly changeover setups. He uses a cut-back tapered leader and a tippet ring above his indicator mono so he can swap out quickly if a hatch starts. If you keep some pre-tied rigs on a spool (I use a lindy rig spool that I got from Cabela's for like $2) you can change back and forth quickly.

Try an egg-sucking leech, maybe with a pink bead for the egg to help get it down. If you're using a sinking line then go with a short, heavy leader - 4 or 5 feet of 10 to 20lb fluoro should keep you from breaking off.

I think that Bass Pro one is better suited to softer bottoms. It might work OK (I have one, but use it for stillwater), but you should test it somewhere safe before attempting faster water and rocky substrate. Pyramid-style anchors, or other "super-stopper" types are popular because they work.

Hi all, As the new owner of a drift boat, the time has come for me to consider what shuttle services to use on the Bow. Which services do the FFC community use, and what are their rates and quality of service? Any recommendations or tips would be most welcome.

Just wondering if anyone has been by Fish Creek Park this week to see if the gates to the launch have been opened yet. I was hoping to get a short float in this week.

There doesn't appeaer to be any poll on the page, unless my browser is being funny.

For what it's worth they left the closures on the Elbow below the reservoir intact

I just joined. I encourage the rest of you to do so as well. Let's get a chapter started here and advocate for our interests.

The only way this is a good idea is if we can use existing facilities, even if it means spreading the games across the province, but I'm guessing that's very unlikely. And jpinkster makes an important point about the IOC: you won't find a more corrupt organization this side of FIFA. Look at this list of demands they made to Norway. There are some real gems: "Separate lanes should be created on all roads where IOC members will travel, which are not to be used by regular people or public transportation." "IOC members shall be greeted with a smile when arriving at their hotel." "The IOC members should have separate entrances and exits to and from the airport." "They demand to meet the king prior to the opening ceremony. Afterwards, there shall be a cocktail reception. Drinks shall be paid for by the Royal Palace or the local organizing committee." There are more, and they're all pretty ludicrous. The Norwegians told them to go pound sand, and now the 2022 Winter Olympics will be held in Beijing, whose only other competition was from Almaty, Kazakhstan.

It's my understanding that the Red Deer River becomes a warmer-water fishery downstream of its eponymous city, so I'm not sure you'll find any trout around Drumheller. If you're after bulls you'll need to operate closer to the mountains.

Thanks everybody for the tips and offers. I'll be in touch when the time comes!

That's true. Any potential takers for that option? I row, you fish and tell me what I'm doing wrong (nicely, of course).

I am in the process of acquiring a used drift boat, and since I am a novice I am considering getting a lesson. Anyone on the forum care to share an opinion on who/where might be a good choice for that? I'd like to do it this spring before runoff, if the weather cooperates. And while I'm at it, if anyone else wants or needs a lesson, I might be willing to split one with you (they're often the same price for 1 or 2 people). I'll provide the boat. Send me a direct message.

-I've certainly heard the "head-up" rule of thumb for landing fish, but I just try to land them as quickly as possible now. -I do fight fish a little differently than I used to, but it's more because of gaining experience in not losing them than any conscious effort to change methods. I use lots more side-pressure than I did as a beginner. -I do use a net most of the time. I try to stick with the #KeepEmWet handling guidelines, and by using a net I can touch the fish as little as possible and usually I can keep it in the water while getting the hook out with foreceps.

A message board would not be liable for something a member posted unless there were some other, exacerbating circumstances, not that anything I've seen here approaches the standard for libel (i.e., maliciously posting something both false and materially damaging to another party).

I got this from the Bow Habitat Station. Short version - they're testing the hatchery fish for the disease, and the hatchery and kid's pond are closed until further notice: "As you may have heard in the news, whirling disease has been confirmed at Johnson Lake in Banff National Park. Although not harmful to humans, this disease targets salmon, trout and whitefish. As a precautionarly measure in alignment with our facility's bio-security protocols, the fish at the Sam Livingston Fish Hatchery are being tested for the disease. Public Access to Trout Pond and Fish Hatchery suspended: Until the testing has been completed, all public access to the Fish Hatchery and Kids Can Catch Trout Pond has been suspended. This is a precautionary measure the prevent the potential spread of the disease into our sensitive environment. At this time, there are no estimates to the length of the closure. Updates will be made available as test results are received, and in consulation with experts from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. We're still open! Our Discovery Centre remains open to the public, Tuesdays - Sundays from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. In place of our regularly scheduled hatchery adventures, we are hosting FREE guided programs at 11:00, 12:00, 1:00, 2:00 and 3:00."

They've identified the specific parasite causing the fish kill in the Yellowstone River: Tetracapsuloides bryosalmonae Interestingly, it seems to be evolved from jellyfish, of all things. Montana has closed a huge section of the river. Most of the dead are whitefish so far, but some trout are starting to succumb as well.

The park information office on Banff Avenue sells them as well (near the corner with Wolf St.)

I just bought boots last weekend - I was tempted by a pair of Korkers Buckskins, but this makes me glad I went for the Simms instead. For those in the market, I got a pair of Freestones and like them a lot so far. Also, Iron Bow will price match Bass Pro on boots, FYI.