Bow River Drama

[shaps21]

I know everyone has there opinions on what is best for the Bow. On what is the proper Drift boat etiquette, the whole morality of jet boats on the bow. The Spinners and the Poachers. But what if the Bow went to a traditional fly fish only ? no hopper dropper, no split shot bobber combo, no stacking 3 different flies on top of each other and calling it matching the hatch, One fly....then what ? Well then you probably develop some great casters and some great fly fisherman who are less concerned about drift boats, jet boats, taking a photo of a dead tired fish on its side by his/her rod, and can really appreciate casting a perfect dry or cutting down that weighted leader so it sinks to the perfect depth to catch that fish. Maybe make it a 16 an under that can spin and stack flies ?

[ironfly]

No way man. Upstream dry flies to visibly rising fish, only. And 1/4 mile beats with time slots.

 

I think it's great that we can fish with a variety of techniques. I generally fish single fly, but if the going gets tough I'll throw on a bobber and a second or third fly, gladly. It doesn't always work, but many times it saves the day. I don't want to get skunked. You?

 

 

 

 

[Guest 420FLYFISHIN]

i like the regs the way they are but it would be nice to see all C&R from bearpaw down to carsland. This gives people far less excuse as to why they have a fish in their posetion. Or go BC style and make it classified so the regs can be tighter and stricter.

 

but thats just mt 2C

[Jayhad]

Why?

 

wouldn't you rather see the river made C&R, with no bait fishing?

 

What benefit do you think you would see going to single fly?

[reevesr1]

Change to C&R and ban bait completely. Just because I use a fly rod does not mean the Bow should be my unique domain.

[DiabeticKripple]

i like the regs the way they are but it would be nice to see all C&R from bearpaw down to carsland. This gives people far less excuse as to why they have a fish in their posetion. Or go BC style and make it classified so the regs can be tighter and stricter.

 

but thats just mt 2C

 

So you want to pay more money to fish? You then have to buy a license, to buy a license, to buy another license. Useless!

 

I like te way it is, maybe make the limit on trout 0, but still harvest those Rockies.

[Guest 420FLYFISHIN]

JSch - more money to the system = more money to enforcement.....i hope

 

another idea would be no treble hooks but you can still run multiple singles on 1 rapela style

[marcvansluys]

Spinners and Poachers? I know what a poacher is, but what is a spinner? Sounds awful.

 

 

 

[Guest 420FLYFISHIN]

its the fly fish term for when you blow out your elbow and shoulder due to years of casting and now have to chuck spoons to get your kicks. I hear its a terrible disorder.

[jasonvilly]

I would like to see the Bow turned into catch and release only.

 

Those that want to go for freezer food can go to the put and take lakes.

[Gil]

I would like to see the Bow turned into catch and release only.

 

Those that want to go for freezer food can go to the put and take lakes.

I fully agree... The Bow should be a trophy river. I don't agree however it should be restricted to dry only. That just smells of elitisim without purpose....

[pipercub17]

i like the idea of catch and release only

also like the idea of BC style and make it classified charge guys $10 a year to fish it seems to have done wonders for the rivers in bc!

[Birddog]

I also agree with a catch and release system, but you can not make it just for fly guys, it should be open to all legal types of fishing.

[KnotLikely]

I'd like to see

 

- catch and release only

- no bait

- single fly or lure

- single hook, one shank, no doubles or trebles.

[Guest 420FLYFISHIN]

i would personaly hate single fly, no more hopper dropper or tandome streamers.

[KnotLikely]

Single fly, and god forbid, no indicators on flowing waters would force many of us to become better anglers, not necessarily a bad thing for the fish or the angler.

 

 

[DiabeticKripple]

Single fly, and god forbid, no indicators on flowing waters would force many of us to become better anglers, not necessarily a bad thing for the fish or the angler.

 

what about the beginners? they would go a long time without catching a fish and possibly give up. i know when i first started fly fishing i got skunked about 10 times in a row. still cant catch a fish on a nymph even if my life depended on it

[KnotLikely]

what about the beginners? they would go a long time without catching a fish and possibly give up. i know when i first started fly fishing i got skunked about 10 times in a row. still cant catch a fish on a nymph even if my life depended on it

 

 

It's not about making it easy to catch fish, it's about protecting a resource.

 

 

[sstoyberg]

It's not about making it easy to catch fish, it's about protecting a resource.

 

If you are so worried about the resource cut the hook off your fly. Now thats a purist.

Alot of this conversation smells like elitism.

[snuffy]

I think the regs on the Bow are working just fine. How often is it that one even catches a fish small enough to be legal??? The bigger issue, here as elsewhere, is the near total lack of enforcement.

[Castuserraticus]

I think the regs on the Bow are working just fine. How often is it that one even catches a fish small enough to be legal??? The bigger issue, here as elsewhere, is the near total lack of enforcement.

 

Agree with the first sentence whole heartedly. More often than I'd prefer for the second. I think RAP helps the third.

It ain't broke so leave it alone. I would be very unhappy with a change to BC style rules - just a cash grab with no additional benefit.

We have a fantastic fishery that's somewhat self regulated through report a poacher. With pretty well every fisher carrying a cell phone with camera, how long can poachers stay undiscovered?

[KnotLikely]

If you are so worried about the resource cut the hook off your fly. Now thats a purist.

Alot of this conversation smells like elitism.

 

If you're referring to what I said, not sure how that's elitist? Maybe I should have clarified that I was speaking specifically about the Bow and smaller more vulnerable streams.

 

- catch and release only

Most people already practice this.

 

- no bait

If you're fishing catch and release, bait bans do alot to prevent post catch mortality. Again, most people already practice this.

 

- single fly or lure

There are plenty of juresdictions that already go single hook barbless(fly, plug, spinner, etc.). There's no arguing that a triple nymph rig will put the odds in your favour, but it will also increase the amount of foul hooked fish, fish hooked in the eye, etc.

 

- single hook, one shank, no doubles or trebles.

Pretty much the same as the above, but would eliminate the use of treble and double hooks and 3 sets of hooks on plugs, which if you're fishing catch and release aren't necessary.

 

Single fly, and god forbid, no indicators on flowing waters would force many of us to become better anglers, not necessarily a bad thing for the fish or the angler.

 

I didn't say to elimate indicators, just that if it happened, it would result in many of us becomming better anglers.

 

I'm definitely NOT in favour of a classified system, or limiting rod days.

 

Like I said, not sure how this is elitist. If you want to fish spinners, plugs, spoons on a spinning rod, go ahead, nymphs, classic wets, dries. bait casters, center pin, single, switch, double hander etc. take your pick.

[softhackle]

The regs are fine, enforcement really depends on RAP system and calling in the poachers. I have called in Poachers and sometimes they can get there and sometimes they cannot. I think the worst time of year for poaching from what I see is in June when the river is blown out. I have gone for walks down to my favorite spots and see the poachers with their rods propped up, fishing bait, etc, but you never see them when the "fly fish" crowd is out in force so they know when it is safe for them.

 

Personally, I would support a fly fish only reg, but I would feel for the kids and elder population who want to also enjoy the river. However, one can fish flies with a spinning rod and a slip bobber as well ( kinda like nymping eh?).

 

I think the river has changed dramatically over the past 20 years. It used to be fished lightly with big dumb fish rising everywhere. But with the world class water treatment facilities reducing the amount of nutrients entering the river thereby reducing weed growth (thereby reducing cover) and fishing pressure increasing 100 fold, you have fewer big, more educated fish that are reluctant to grab that bug going perpendicular to the current as they would have in the past. That combined with all the other pressures the fish have to live in has made fishing much more technical.

 

Ok, enough of my half baked thoughts.

 

In a nutshell, C&R, Flyfish only on say from Police to Mckinnon and more education on the RAP program...

 

[sstoyberg]

If you're referring to what I said, not sure how that's elitist? Maybe I should have clarified that I was speaking specifically about the Bow and smaller more vulnerable streams.

 

- catch and release only

Most people already practice this.

 

- no bait

If you're fishing catch and release, bait bans do alot to prevent post catch mortality. Again, most people already practice this.

 

- single fly or lure

There are plenty of juresdictions that already go single hook barbless(fly, plug, spinner, etc.). There's no arguing that a triple nymph rig will put the odds in your favour, but it will also increase the amount of foul hooked fish, fish hooked in the eye, etc.

 

- single hook, one shank, no doubles or trebles.

Pretty much the same as the above, but would eliminate the use of treble and double hooks and 3 sets of hooks on plugs, which if you're fishing catch and release aren't necessary.

 

Single fly, and god forbid, no indicators on flowing waters would force many of us to become better anglers, not necessarily a bad thing for the fish or the angler.

 

I didn't say to elimate indicators, just that if it happened, it would result in many of us becomming better anglers.

 

I'm definitely NOT in favour of a classified system, or limiting rod days.

 

Like I said, not sure how this is elitist. If you want to fish spinners, plugs, spoons on a spinning rod, go ahead, nymphs, classic wets, dries. bait casters, center pin, single, switch, double hander etc. take your pick.

 

I did specify "Alot of this conversation" not just your input.

 

The big question is always where do you draw the line and what is enforcable?

 

Fly fish only? How about Spey cast only?

 

Barbless hooks are already nearly impossible to enforce. Maybe we should add a maximum line strength?

 

No indicators? Dry fly only?

 

No Jets? No more then one drift boat per section per hour?

 

I have alot of ideas that would make my fishing experiance more enjoyable but do they really "protect the resource" or serve the greater good? I doubt it.

[shredneck]

* C&R

* No Bait

* Single Barbless(single shank,single point)

 

Not elitist.... just practical. Go ahead and chuck spinners and raps, just do so with single barbless.

 

bc single barbless