Most Memorable 2007 Fish/trip

[monger]

For me it was spending a few days in the tube during the boatman/backswimmer fall in September. Consistent action all day long and then crazy, explosive surface takes for three hours in the evening. My buddy and I were giggling like school girls with how the fish were destroying our flies. Next morning we went out bird hunting for some partridge with a third friend as we made our way to BH. Once at BH the fishing the was again non-stop. We stayed over in the Hat for the night with big smiles from a great day of fishing and laughing. The next day was even better and I started switching flies after every fish just to see how many different hooks these suicidal fish will eat. Nothing like sharing insanely productive fishing with a couple of buddies to store up some great memories. And to top it off, we got to witness our one friend's tube explode when he was in about 4 feet of water. Now that is how you create memories with an exclamation point!

[Glenbow]

Gary,

Terribly sorry for your loss - what a great memoir you have of your time together.

 

Without doubt, 2007 will be for me the year I got to live a dream - to get to New Zealand and fly fish 1/2 way across the world for huge brown trout............and then to land some. I'll never forget this big boy.

 

 

And, the best birthday I ever had, in the best company I could ask for. A dozen fish just like this, with a great fishing buddy/friend to boot

 

 

 

[Gary]

Its great you had the chance to fish New Zealand Glenbow....been my dream for years to go to New Zealand. Hope to get there soon.

Seeing your other pics mind you gives me my fishing new years resolution (same as last years) fish them Kananaskis Lakes

[lonefisher]

Well I would have to say the K lakes day on Glens Birthday was my most memorable day. Started it off with a rainbow that came damn close to 30 inchs.... Stupid me though I started fishing before Glen got there so I never got a good pic of em. Had to hand line that fish most of the way in as I developed a phantom loop between the 1st and 2nd to last guides I'm sure it wasn't there when I was casting but it showed up as soon as I hit that rainbow...... that one still has me scratching my head. Glen did I ever tell you about the grizz that day?

 

But another day that was very memorable was a at MT lorette ponds about a day after it had been stocked...... me and a couple friends were cruisin by and decided to stop. It was a cool early morning and there was no one there. We went over to the pond and found "the school" and proceeded to catch a fish every cast for a couple hours and surprisingly enough there was even a couple of hefty fish in the school (not huge just hefty) about 10 the people started showing up and I let half a dozen random kids catch a couple little rainbows..... Little kids look like their landing 1000 lb marlin even when they have a 6 incher on. Way to funny. By 12 oclock there was likely 25 people fishing this school including 1 old guy with a rod and rig that should have been used for a 1000 marlin..... Rod musta been an inch thick at the base and 10 feet long. He had about a 1 ounce bell sinker that the fish seemed to have trouble even lifting if they did take one of his hooks. There was several groups that were literally filling buckets with fish. It was total anarchy we finally sorta stopped fishing and just watched. Then we left for some Bull trout action at the K lakes.... unfortunately as far as I saw the old guy never did get his Marlin..... I guess this is just one of those places where the fish are not mean't to last. It was one of those days that started beautiful and ended kinda ugly. It would be a really nice place to fish if they made it C&R for the first half of the season and tossed some big fish in there, then they could allow a harvest towards the end of the season....... Gin clear water nice and shallow, great for site fishing some good bug action and very good child and disabled access. If you can catch it a few days after stocking take your kids out for the morning but skip the afternoon.

 

All in all there was way to many memorable fishing trips this year to count...... the crow a couple weeks back,

A half dozen stellar days on Albertas best cutty stream

Another trip with miles and miles of awesome scenery on the MTN streams no one fishs, didn't catch a ton of fish but fished a half dozen streams that I had never heard of which was cool.

Fishin the K lakes with a few different board members was a lot of fun. Saw Bloom tape what I think he said was his biggest rainbow. Watched GGP school me and Glen on the finer points and patterns of K lakes fishing. And discovered something very very interesting while fishin with Beadhead.

Also saw atleast 25-30 griz this year on my trips and probably atleast as many black bears...... Luckily this year only a couple were a bit to close for comfort.

[Lawrence]

I have one day that's stands out, and it was fishing the bow in early september. A buddy and me decided to head out of town but when we woke up and saw that it was pretty miserable out we decided to stick around in town just in case that it got too bad. The weather didn't get any worse than it was but the light rain that came down all day brought on one of the biggest BWO hatch I seen of the year with A LOT of fish keying in on them. Our day was mostly spent down by the extender bridge working the water from downstream of the bridge too all the way up past the islands and caught many fish on (18) bwo's. We also did some nymphing aswell and pulled in more with 18 PT's. Together we easily pulled in 50 to give an idea of the stellar day we had, but honestly more came to hand than that. I can't wait for the next wet rainy day!!

[ggp]

Sorry to hear about your friend, Gary, but glad you were able to share quality time fishing together.

It was great to meet up with Lone Fisher and Glenbow at K Lakes....spent a lot of time on Vancouver Island fishing both salt and fresh water...Caught a nice 20 inch bow on a beautiful Island stream while fishing for sea run cuts and was told by locals even though it was small for a steelhead, in fact that is what it was (my first Steelhead)...Fished the salt for Pinks, and Coho....Pink fishing was not as good as previous years but I still managed to do well....Coho fishing on the other hand was stellar!!! Many fish were caught ranging from approximately 6lb. up to 15 or so lb's....back in Alberta I fished the Bow and caught some very nice browns and bows....I enjoyed meeting and fishing with several board members while on the Bow....the solstice fish out on the Crow was great...fishing was tough but the company was great....my thanks to Lone Fisher and Hawgstoppah and all those that showed up....Gary

[Gary]

thanks everyone for all the kind words...they were very much appreciated

[reevesr1]

Very sorry to hear about your friend Gary, but at least you get to cherish your last trip together. I can't really remember my last trip with my best fishing buddy, who just happened to be my father, because I always just expected there to be more. Wish I could remember it. I very specifically remember the first trip without him. I had told my wife during the week he died that one of the things I would miss most was his phone calls asking me how the fishing was going. During my first fishing trip after the funeral, my wife called to ask how the fishing was going. That's a wife!

 

Anyway, thanks Gary for letting me remember that.

 

My most memorable trip this year was my first day fishing saltwater with a fly rod and toward the end of the day landing a 25" Redfish. Told the story here more than once, but I'll never forget the feeling of that strike as long as I live. I don't think I've ever been more nervous/exhilarated fighting a fish. I remember he almost got me to my backing (remember this is still water) and how I just wanted to get one good look at him. Landing him was icing on the cake.

 

I can only hope this year is as memorable. But since I know how many new friends I've made because of this website it can't help but be. Looking forward to it!

[troutlover]

My best times this year had to be late evenings on the bow fishing at 1am with the beavers and the bats. Hearing the cyotes running by and the solitude. It's someting that fulfills me and gives me energy for the week. There is also a intensity that is added because you hear the fish jump and you feel the fish pull but unless you land it you don't SEE the fish. It blows my mind how many times i've had what had to be a 24" fish turn out to be a bad ass 16" rainbow.

[Glenbow]

I have to add that I am pleased & grateful for each time I got to fish with a board member. For me, I was lucky enough to fish with:

 

Lone Fisher

GGP

Bobloblaw

Missinthebow

Hawgstoppah

Max

LK2

McLennan

Beadhead

Toolman

Mditel

Hydropsyche

Rickr

Rocknbugs

Troutlover

Brownstone

Ladystrange

Zuggbugg

 

 

and I'm sure that my memory has failed me in a few others, and if I have forgotten, please forgive me - the privilege is mine.

[ladystrange]

i think this past few months i have met more people and fished more often than i have in the past few years. i have met some great people, willing to share knowledge and experience. I am looking forward to fishing with more of you this year. special thanks to writer1, dryfly, albannachxcuileag, tango, flytyer and scotfly for help with tying

 

 

so far i have had the pleasure of fishing with and in no particular order. i hope i didnt forget anyone. thanks Max for facebooking me

 

toolman

maxwell

lonefisher

glenbow

playdoh

brownstone

wetduck

bhurt

knotlikely

badger

San Juan Worm

mkankmike

teck

cheeler

wesg

bigbadbrent

sundancefisher

monger

dr bull trout

fisherwoman

 

and people i have met but didnt fish with

silver doctor

TerryH

flytyer

Birchy

hydropsyche

trailhead

 

i know there are a few others i have met through the hook and hackle club but not sure of names and such.

[Maximum]

Salmon fishing in the Queen Charlotte Islands. Not flyfishing but still an unreal experience in an unreal part of the world.