Island Camping ??

[troutlover]

Hey, I know that camping on BOW River islands is allowed below the city but what about islands within the city limits? Do the same rules apply? What is the law? How much is the fine?

 

My reason for asking is, with the wier passable now i am planing a float from Bowness to Carseland this summer and i am trying to figure out where i am going to stop for the nights.

Thanks.

[DougC]

I'm pretty sure that it is not allowed by law, but having said that if you were to stay on the east side of the island at the Southland dog park nobody would even know you were there, likewise for the island at Carburn park. It would also be possible to stay right on the eastern shore along the southern edge of the Riverbend/Quarry Park/Douglas Glen area - there is quite a bit of bush along that stretch that not many people head into. I know there are quite a few fire pits and open spots to pitch a tent in there.

[Guest tallieho]

you just have to occupy don't you...

[Guest 420FLYFISHIN]

cant see a problem with it if you are back on the river early in the morning. If you were to stay for a few days you might end up in trouble. The weir is tones of fun to run but a bit tricky in some spots

[troutlover]

Thanks guys I was thinking it is probably against bylaw however i am prepared to work the fine into the cost of the trip if it isn't to much that said i doubt i'll get caught if i do get caught when they are writing up the ticket i'll make sure to ask how much for a seasons pass. Im not super worried about the weir i haven't done it yet but i just figured its like any other white water... hit it rowing and keep rowing hard till your out? Let me know if there is any more to it than that. i may drive down there and have a look before i go through it.

[Jayhad]

Troutlover if you are going to drift from bowness down be aware it is a massive drift, 12hours+(if you are doing some shore fishing) from shouldice park to 17th ave. I've had days where the drift has taken 15 hours.

 

As for the weir good luck, go fast. Don't get caught up in the pools as they really force your boat back up stream, from where the current lets go of your boat and you drop is inches and you don't want to go in any way but bow first. You have to go through correct and be confident you don't need to make any directional changes.... the channel is very narrow and at some points you cant stroke the oars with out hitting and jamming them on the concrete banks. I've done the weir a lot and I'll say it isn't easy especially after doing a 12 hour drift. It took at least 8-10 times before i was confident I wasn't going to destroy my boat.

 

I have taken on water almost everytime going through. Water crashes over the bow and the stern gets A LOT of water coming in if there are three guys equiped for a day. But I do run a low side, I went through with a buddy's clakca fly pod and a fair bit of water came over the stern with just the two of us and that was last day you could fish so water was low.

 

What even makes it more enjoyable is when dudes jump in the water all around your boat for the ride down. One day Tungsten and I were out and right when we breached harvey passage, a guy yells, "F**K these guys" and does a back flip off the wall to inches from my bow. He popped up under my starboard oar, and hooted about how he was going to watch these dudes swamp. Needles to say he made my efforts to row difficult, but the bikinis on the banks make it a little better.

 

Be careful. stay river right at harvey passage and KEEP YOUR PFDs on all day in the city unless you want a boat load of tickets.... trust me. Be prepared, CPS, bylaw, and FD you will stop you and they will ask you where you are taking out, if you have any booze, and for some reason if the oarsman is guiding or fishing.

 

 

As for camping i've thought about this a lot myself, from crowchild down there isn't an island that would be ok until the canals downstream of glenmore. I would stay in the canal islands myself, they are high off the water, there are protected areas where you can confidently leave you boat, but deerfoot noise would suck. yes it is illegal but so is running the weir, speeding, not wearing a pfd in city limits or smoking weed. I think there is no way you could do bowness to christmas tree island in one day. Only thing is if Hawks flys over and they are viewing the are with FLIR they might wonder what you are doing at 4am?

If you have any questions drop me a pm

[SilverDoctor]

Good comment on the PFDs Jay, as for camping in the city stretch remember the cops do have a bot and may spot you.

[troutlover]

Thanks Jayhad great info i have camped on christmas tree island before and the noise from the treatment plant there sucks so the noise from deerfoot would probly suck. I dont really care about getting caught by whomever at worst it's going to be a fine wouldn't be my first not going to be my last. This is still in the planning stage, I have fished the upper BOW quite a bit and seeing as it is really an unproductive part of the river, with smaller fish and the weir seems to take a little more skill than just point and shoot i may reconsider and go 17th to carseland.

[Jayhad]

I dont really care about getting caught by whomever at worst it's going to be a fine wouldn't be my first not going to be my last.

I tip my hat to you, some fish are worth a wrist slap.