Fishing After The Flood Your Predictions

[DRock]

So wondering what your thoughts are on how fishing will be after this water recedes. is it gonna be slow this year following a water level drop? Alot of fish must have died from this or are getting washed into the city streets

[Jayhad]

I think if the fish were decimated everytime we had a massive flood there would be no fish..... I am only guessing but I think they can handle this stuff and have for 1,000,000 years prior

[scel]

I dunno. I figure that flood adaptation is factored into 200 million years evolution.

[pipercub17]

I think a lot of them will be stuck in back channels and canals and any low lying areas

this is much bigger than 2005 so who knows what will happen

as soon as its back down to a normal level I plan on floating it

[miked]

I'm kinda curious about this too. I've got a trip planned for Calgary next month. Going for a wedding but plan on spending a couple weeks fishing. Really starting to re think my plans right now. Was planning some time on the mountain streams but I'm guessing the infrastructure out that way will be out for a while making things un accessible.

[dryfly]

Naturally the fish will survive. However, the fish are likley to be skinnier; fewer of them and some will be beaten up.

 

After the 1995 floods, the Crowsnest took 2 or 3 years to come around. (Or was it 4 or 5 years?) It beat the snot out of the fish and one year's crop was lost. It will have an affect for sure. Has to.

 

Some fish will be trapped inland as water recedes and they will die. Some will end up in SK.

 

You may notice a difference later this year and in 2014. On the other hand, sometimes a good scouring will pay off in the long run. Who knows?

 

Clive

[bcubed]

 

Should clear out the sapro anyway...

You're going to see less bugs this season, and likely less fish, but the next couple years could be great. Odds of this years stoneflys being around as they had started to migrate may be significantly effected (and they'll hatch with or without clear water..).

 

2005 was a godsend for the river, and how the river was doing last and this year we may just need it. Just hope we have enough clear water while it's high to push some of the sediment out. Maybe it'll clear out Mallard Point so TU can put some money towards a launch...

 

 

With the pictures I have seen, you won't be launching out of any of the launches. Odds are all of the launches are toast...And those won't be at the forefront of the city and provinces worry.

[monger]

Defienbaker will get a fresh stocking from the Bow

[bcubed]

So will a lot of side ponds!

[Smitty]

Gotta be honest, after seeing houses washed away, and now 4 people missing, I don't care to predict.

 

Sorry to be a "Debbie Downer". I know its a fishing board, and we're inclined to be curious and make such predictions, but I just hope more people don't go missing.

 

Just my thoughts rights now.

 

Smitty

[bcubed]

Gotta be honest, after seeing houses washed away, and now 4 people missing, I don't care to predict.

 

Sorry to be a "Debbie Downer". I know its a fishing board, and we're inclined to be curious and make such predictions, but I just hope more people don't go missing.

 

Just my thoughts rights now.

 

Smitty

 

exactly

[jarett39]

Fish have no doubt evolved to adapt to this, but I still find it amazing they survive looking at the river today... No doubt there will be casualties and it will likely be a slower season once it settles. Just like the forest animals come back from huge forest fires, which help clean out the forest, it will come back, more a question of how long it will take, not if.

 

As mentioned above some fish will be trapped in the low lying areas, with how sprawling this flood is. I remember coming across a small, deep (6-8' deep) puddle jammed with logs on the Crow in 2005, about 50ft from the river... It must of had 20-25 trout trapped in it, a couple of them large ones. I tried in vain for a few hours but I couldn't get them to take anything, nor could I net them, I really wished I could have released a couple of them into the river. I will be sure to look for any pockets of water that could have trapped fish when I am on the river.

[Vitalshok]

Already seen a picture of a whitefish caught in a parking lot I believe .I pray for all us calgarians we will get through this lets keep are heads up and hope everybody stays safe

[Hawgstoppah]

Well if I had to predict anything based on my experiences.

 

1995 massive flooding southern AB and from 1997 to about 2002 or so the crow was simply phenomenal

2005 flooding on the Bow and from about 2008 to 2012 the Bow was simply phenomenal

2013 flooding pretty much everywhere. 2015 to 2019 will be some GOOD years. Have patience!

[fishinglibin]

This is Johnston Island launch above Carseland Wier. What boat launch? Got this from BRS FB page. Thanks Michelle and Armand

[WyomingGeorge]

We may need to learn to launch Montana-style: wherever you can find a two-track running up to moving water, that's where you drop or retrieve the boat. In Missoula on the Bitterroot there's a "launch" that consists of a flat grassy area and a nearly vertical, 20-foot-high gravel bank. You back the trailer up to the edge, run your webbing line down to your driftboat, then drive forward yanking the boat up the bank and onto the grass, before cranking the boat onto the trailer. All your gear has to come out of the boat first, and when the boat's hull hinges on the edge of the bank there's incredible force on the webbing, so you don't want anyone standing below the boat. But it works.

 

Maybe we'll be able to do similar things up here on the Bow, such as driving as close to the river as possible at Policeman's, and skidding our boats the rest of the way to some new side channel. The tough part will be when the water recedes and new side channels that have punched out the access roads dry out again, then it could be a rather long skid to and from the main stem.

[alan2]

I do hope something gets figured out for launching boats.

I'd rather not share my solo walking and wading experiences with every fisherman who normally sits in a boat. Or else I'll have to walk a lot further than usual. That always helps. A day of walking with a bit of fishing thrown in. haha. I doubt that will ever catch on.

[Gil]

Any update on Glenmore or Police launch?

[bcubed]

Gil, don't hold your breath. Odds are that not one launch survived. Considering how even 22x (which is by far the most protected) was pretty trashed just with high water last year.

 

Launches aren't going to be on the forefront of anyones mind (which is understandable), so we're going to need a serious volunteer effort from this fishing community if we're to have anywhere this year. One of the issues will be a lack of parking areas for vehicles with trailers.

 

 

We will have fishing this year, eventually. We will not have near the infrastructure that we're all used to. Maybe it'll give the cutties a year off..

[reevesr1]

It'll give the cutties some time off for sure. From word of mouth reports, bridges over hwy 40 took a pounding. There is a little stream in BC I love, but you have to cross 4 or 5 bridges to get to it. They got a ton of rain also, and I don't hold out a lot of hope.

[mrmomar]

Launches aren't going to be on the forefront of anyones mind (which is understandable), so we're going to need a serious volunteer effort from this fishing community if we're to have anywhere this year. One of the issues will be a lack of parking areas for vehicles with trailers.

 

Agreed. I'm willing to help out once initiatives get started for cleanup.

[Tungsten]

Where's copper jonny with pics of Police?

if the berm is still there then theres still hope.

[hopdrop]

 

I'm willing to help out once initiatives get started for cleanup.

As would I. I don't know if 6 guys with shovels are going to cut it though, more along the lines of front end loaders, track hoes, bobcats, etc. I'd be willing to pitch on fuel, run a BBQ, ice the beer, run a pump, whatever. Anyone with heavy equipment connections?

[troutlover]

Ive got a dump trailer and a big bob cat i would bring if someone organized a time and date and I think we could find donations for materials but the problem is its not something you can just go do on your own there are regulations that need to be followed and its the type of thing that would have to be run by SRD.

[cpraud]

Troutlover is right about needing permission from SRD, you also need permits from Environment, Fisheries and Oceans and Nav Canada if you plan on touching the water. Policeman's is still a very touchy issue between the actual landowner and Alberta Environment, so it'll be interesting to see what happens down there this time, that is if there's anything left to save. I was the foreman on the crew that built it last time around and at that time I know it was built to withstand another 2005 flood but this is something completely different. We buried thousands of tons of rip rap all along the berm to just before the boat launch but after seeing what happened to the rip rap channel in Canmore I have my doubts. I'm sure keeping my fingers crossed that somehow the area survived, it was one of my most memorable projects and it always made me smile to see how many of you guys actually used it, even though the launch itself is in a bit of a tough place to launch from and who knows maybe I'll get to help rebuild it again.