Pontoonable Streams

[dryangler]

 

As a new pontoon owner looking for input as to streams to fish. I will be travelling solo. Always hear of Stauffer and its harsh wading. Is it fishable from 10' pontoon? How about South Raven or Fallentimber or the Highwood or Sheep or Little Red Deer or Willow or Cataract....etc. Any info appreciated regarding where I should "cut my teeth". Not looking for success just good safe navigating ...I will figure the rest out from there...Regards...Dryangler.

[DonAndersen]

Dry angler,

 

I can't imagine an uglier day than attempting a float on Stauffer creek. A lot of places it is less than 15' wide with many places under 10" of water.

You need bigger water. The Bow, Red Deer, Clearwater, N. Saskatchewan come to mind.

 

Don

[Gil]

Lower Oldman would work. Shuttle service is going to be an issue....

[Rich]

I don't think i would try the sheep as it is a fairly shallow river at quite a few points.

[mtbkr]

Dry angler, I can't imagine an uglier day than attempting a float on Stauffer creek. A lot of places it is less than 15' wide with many places under 10" of water. You need bigger water. The Bow, Red Deer, Clearwater, N. Saskatchewan come to mind. Don

 

Yep, all the ones mentioned here. Also, parts of the Crowsnest and parts of the Castle

[bjbailey]

Some years there are an abnormal amount of logjams, sweepers, etc. on the Clearwater. If you're drifting it, especially solo, be careful. I know guys that don't like to drift it at all, never mind solo.

 

I bet you could do the Ram as well if you put the effort in. I know the Jensens drift it in an inflatable.

[hopdrop]

You're probably not going to make many friends running a pontoon down smaller rivers/streams.

 

If you're just looking to get a feel for things, wait until the ice comes off the loacal lakes/ponds.

 

The Bow isn't that bad in a pontoon. Don't take it out during run off, wear a PFD and concentrate on 'driving' more than fishing your first few trips. You'll be fine.

[Hawgstoppah]

Crow from Lundbreck falls to oldman reservoir is doable in June / July... after that there is a lot of skinny water and anything deep enough to pontoon over would be where the fish are and you'd spook them before getting a shot anyways. Castle is another one to consider from hwy 507 down to the res. Waterton from park gates to bridge at Colony. Most floats other than the Bow will require you and a pontooning buddy to set up your shuttle service on your own

[DonAndersen]

Dryangler,

 

I did a whoops on the Clearwater. From highway 22>Rocky was OK the last time i drifted it. Don't float the upper section. People die in there.

And the main Ram is floatable in some sections. The British Army floated it a lot with only a few rappels over the falls. In the chutes of the Ram bodys's may take months to recover.

Play on the Bow - it is safer.

 

 

Don

[dutchie]

if your new with that 10 ft pontoon boat , my advice is stick to the bigger rivers till you have a handle on it , enjoy the rig and just float a bit till you get a good comfort zone happening , lots of time to fish after ,

 

i think if you went on any of them wee little streams it will just piss you off and really ruin your day , even think about going to a lake , lots of good ones around

[Guest Wrecker]

Think of it this way- you are sitting on a couple of sippers on some intimate water and some yoho comes floating down in a toon...

 

Stick to waters where you can give bank anglers a healthy right of way.

[LastBoyScout]

Right on Wrecker, had to get out of the stream so there was enough room for toons to get by me a couple times, stick to reasonable sized waters.

[wingshooter]

Clearwater is not an option upstream of 22 there are sweepers and log jams all over the place. Ram is also full of drops chutes and hairpin corners log jams and you name it. To pick the water conditions when the fishing is good and enough water to avoid the dangerous spots is key.The NSR has some nasty water you don't want to dump in and loose your gear, fishing is poor to boot from the daily fluctuations from the dam. It always takes longer than you think to make up time on a pontoon as they are pretty slow just ask the gentleman and his wife that we saved in the dark on the Red Deer. They had never been on a pontoon and better yet in the dark. She jumped in the drift boat and I rode her pontoon 1 hour to the take out, they were headed for disaster. Stick to small trout lakes and big rivers like the Bow to fish another day.