The Bow River - Alberta's Worst Kept Secret

[fishteck]

The Bow River - Alberta's Worst Kept Secret

Alberta Conservation Association's 2021 Fall/Winter Conservation Magazine - page 2021

https://issuu.com/albertaconservationassociation/docs/aca_cm_fall_2021_interactive/s/13737707

AEP discussion group Wednesday November 03, 2021 7PM. Details follow:

https://mywildalberta.ca/fishing/fisheries-management/default.aspx

[jayanderson]

On 10/29/2021 at 8:08 AM, fishteck said:

The Bow River - Alberta's Worst Kept Secret

Alberta Conservation Association's 2021 Fall/Winter Conservation Magazine - page 2021

https://issuu.com/albertaconservationassociation/docs/aca_cm_fall_2021_interactive/s/13737707

AEP discussion group Wednesday November 03, 2021 7PM. Details follow:

https://mywildalberta.ca/fishing/fisheries-management/default.aspx

How come stocking the Bow never seems to be raised as a solution if not the only solution to the declining sport fishery in the Bow river. It's time the Bow get treated for what it is, a polluted tailwater full of non-native fish infected with WD. An on-river hatchery using "wild" genetics taken directly from the river could easily be implemented and should be the number one demand of the angling community that uses the Bow. Fund it using a conservation stamp/endorsement, Surcharge guided days and solicit corporate donations. When one reads the ACA article it's really quite clear that reducing angling pressure will most likely do very little to increase fish population and the decline will continue until nothing remains as the other 4 factors of the "Big 5" aren't changing anytime soon. 

[PAV]

15 hours ago, jayanderson said:

How come stocking the Bow never seems to be raised as a solution if not the only solution to the declining sport fishery in the Bow river. It's time the Bow get treated for what it is, a polluted tailwater full of non-native fish infected with WD. An on-river hatchery using "wild" genetics taken directly from the river could easily be implemented and should be the number one demand of the angling community that uses the Bow. Fund it using a conservation stamp/endorsement, Surcharge guided days and solicit corporate donations. When one reads the ACA article it's really quite clear that reducing angling pressure will most likely do very little to increase fish population and the decline will continue until nothing remains as the other 4 factors of the "Big 5" aren't changing anytime soon. 

Good point, is it possible that low water, warm water, stream degradation due to the flood and poaching on the Highwood is impacting the natural recruitment of rainbow trout for the Bow River? A trial stocking program to restore the numbers could be a good option to offset these potential issues with the Bow's major spawning tributary. Not to mention stream/spawning enhancements for the Highwood would help the Bow, no?

[monger]

Research suggests that recruitment of young fish is not a problem. It is what happens to the 1+ year old fish once they get down into the Bow.

Whirling disease is also not considered to be a major factor considering the level of recruitment

[SilverDoctor]

Like the song says "You don't know what you've got till it's gone".

Certainly there have been a variety of factors for the crash of trout. Back in the early 80's when I settled my family here. The bug life was profuse. Big hatches of a large variety of mayflies would often coat the water. You had to keep your mouth closed or risk ingestion of an unexpected meal. Now large stone-flies like the Skwala's Drakes and Salmon flies are short seldom seen hatches. Not sure if the conditions/water quality have changed so much as to deplete not only these but other bug-life. Lots of studies about trout number but very few on habitat, food sources and minnow populations.

[jayanderson]

On 11/3/2021 at 10:54 AM, PAV said:

Good point, is it possible that low water, warm water, stream degradation due to the flood and poaching on the Highwood is impacting the natural recruitment of rainbow trout for the Bow River? A trial stocking program to restore the numbers could be a good option to offset these potential issues with the Bow's major spawning tributary. Not to mention stream/spawning enhancements for the Highwood would help the Bow, no?

The issues with the Highwood should be included, at the top of the list, for any management plans for the Bow as far as I'm concerned. 

[jayanderson]

2 hours ago, SilverDoctor said:

Like the song says "You don't know what you've got till it's gone".

Certainly there have been a variety of factors for the crash of trout. Back in the early 80's when I settled my family here. The bug life was profuse. Big hatches of a large variety of mayflies would often coat the water. You had to keep your mouth closed or risk ingestion of an unexpected meal. Now large stone-flies like the Skwala's Drakes and Salmon flies are short seldom seen hatches. Not sure if the conditions/water quality have changed so much as to deplete not only these but other bug-life. Lots of studies about trout number but very few on habitat, food sources and minnow populations.

You aren't the only one I've heard/seen commenting on the quality of hatches and the state of aquatic ecosystems on the Bow. Without an abundance of food/insect life it will be impossible for a river to reach a high carrying capacity for a large number of trout. 

[bcubed]

49 minutes ago, jayanderson said:

The issues with the Highwood should be included, at the top of the list, for any management plans for the Bow as far as I'm concerned. 

This was talked about at the meeting. Recruitment from the Highwood is not the problem. Bug life is not the problem. Birds are not the problem.

Each fish getting caught 6x a year is.

I know Albertan's love hearing this phrase, but its time to look in the mirror on our own impacts...

[FraserN]

I agree with bcubed. I caught over 100 trout on the Bow this season, and killed at least 2. One was a 15 inch rainbow that took a stonefly nymph in the gills and could not be saved. Up in the Nw stretch, that would be a 3 year old+ fish. The majority of trout I caught were small rainbows and Browns under 10 inches on small flies, so recruitment doesn't seem to be a problem. The young rainbows looked very healthy, so a recovery from whirling disease is likely happening. The main thing is a lack of larger Rainbows caught. I strongly suspect, at least in the city, that they get caught and released too many times, and these bigger fish succumb to the ordeal. As a result of being highly proficient at catching trout on the river now, my impact is affecting the fishery. Next year I have decided to voluntarily fish 50% less days on the river. I would also like to see closures for winter fishing, and during spawning times. It will be interesting to see how they go ahead with management decisions for the river. I do want to see the river, especially in the city stretches, recover to a state it once was in several decades ago.

[bcubed]

Whirling disease is also not a noted problem. We are lucky for that..

[jayanderson]

20 hours ago, FraserN said:

I agree with bcubed. I caught over 100 trout on the Bow this season, and killed at least 2. One was a 15 inch rainbow that took a stonefly nymph in the gills and could not be saved. Up in the Nw stretch, that would be a 3 year old+ fish. The majority of trout I caught were small rainbows and Browns under 10 inches on small flies, so recruitment doesn't seem to be a problem. The young rainbows looked very healthy, so a recovery from whirling disease is likely happening. The main thing is a lack of larger Rainbows caught. I strongly suspect, at least in the city, that they get caught and released too many times, and these bigger fish succumb to the ordeal. As a result of being highly proficient at catching trout on the river now, my impact is affecting the fishery. Next year I have decided to voluntarily fish 50% less days on the river. I would also like to see closures for winter fishing, and during spawning times. It will be interesting to see how they go ahead with management decisions for the river. I do want to see the river, especially in the city stretches, recover to a state it once was in several decades ago.

[jayanderson]

21 hours ago, bcubed said:

This was talked about at the meeting. Recruitment from the Highwood is not the problem. Bug life is not the problem. Birds are not the problem.

Each fish getting caught 6x a year is.

I know Albertan's love hearing this phrase, but its time to look in the mirror on our own impacts...

[jayanderson]

15 minutes ago, jayanderson said:

21 hours ago, bcubed said:

This was talked about at the meeting. Recruitment from the Highwood is not the problem. Bug life is not the problem. Birds are not the problem.

Each fish getting caught 6x a year is.

I know Albertan's love hearing this phrase, but its time to look in the mirror on our own impacts...

I haven't fished the Bow in a couple years now because of it condition. I'm largely in favour of massive regulation change such as seasonal closures, single barbless, etc. Would be highly in favour of a conservation stamp/endorsement/fee increase for the Bow to fund the fishery. All that being stated I'm very sceptical that regulation change is going to have the impact we desire and the things you and the AEP state "aren't a problem" are actually much bigger problems than realized. Whirling disease has been a major problem in every single watershed it's entered into, not the Bow? 

[FishnChips]

Fishtek,

   Thank you for the links. I watched the presentation after the fact as I am travelling. One glaringly obvious theme is that many of the posts after yours must be by folks who have not watched the forum or did not understand it. 
 

   As my best fishing buddy says, I shall ruminate… there is a great deal to think about. 

   I commend the panel for their informative presentation. They were quite disciplined in their approach by focussing on angling pressure, and I am personally wincing a bit. However, it is of course, the most important audience for this initiative. Other factors will be addressed to the appropriate audience. 

 

[eagleflyfisher]

Some info for you all.

a friend did a last of the season float this past Saturday on the lower Bow.
Jensons to carsland.

yes water is crazy low, water is cold, water looks clean.

They floated partially through the back channels above carsland, ( little must be nice etc..) They pulled off to the side at one point and observed more than 40 6-8” dead trout around their boat.

They conversed w a stranger at the launch who mentioned that they saw many dead minnows on their float.

I participated in the meetings held last year covering all the posssible reasons for the low numbers..

I love fishing the Bow and have done so for over 35 years now. 
The past decade has been on a big decline and we haven’t made any changes. 

Remember when the river was closed several years back due too heat& low water, remember how “ hot” the fish were after we left them alone for a month any half.

Maybe a permanent closure for a period of time then a re opening with a new game plan of regulations to protect what we have.

Managing guiding, rec anglers, out of province and country better. 
There has been no mention of the spin casting guides on the river either. 
They cover water like no other and jet boat runs over and over and over. You know, gotta get em all !

Way too much pressure on a crumbling resource. 
 

Anyhow wanted to let u know about the dead fish, and I may be off base on the closure suggestion ?

 

 

[toolman]

Can't see how angling could be responsible for all the dead 6"-8" trout or minnows. Might be water quality issues (low flow, low oxygen, pollutants, entrainment), or possibly disease. Probably should be reported to AEP for further investigation.

Paul Christensen, Senior Fisheries Biologist,

p. 403-851-2149

[eagleflyfisher]

I’ll let him know.