May Long Weekend Stories - Post Here!

[kungfool]

Hey guys,

 

Thought it would be a great idea to get a May long weekend story post rolling to see how everyone's fly fishing expeditions worked out.

 

For me, the weekend was about having fun with the family, fly fishing some local waters, and of course camping.

 

I pulled my trailer out on Wednesday, and was lucky enough to get out and fish 3 bodies of water while I was there. The first mornings fishing was cold, wet and windy but I was able to land 4 or so decent bows before I packed up and left for camp shivering like a mad man. Hit a different lake the next morning and was alone on the water until 11 which was very peaceful. Had many great strikes and fish fights on leaches, cronies, and even a couple of dries. All caught were between 16 and 18 with just one hitting the 20 inch mark. The only downside to the morning was a pair of fearless loons that literally swim around you waiting to steal fish off your line. Shouting seemed to have little effect.

 

On the third day I was out early on the water again (life is good!). And I knew exactly where I wanted to be on the lake that morning. On the way there I picked up an absolutely huge fat bow. Was just 22 inches in length but was fat as hell (like 6.5 inches from back to belly and 4 inches thick). Put up a long drawn out fight never breaking the surface for about 10 minutes at which time i landed him. Upon arriving at my desired location I noticed I wasn't alone after all! There were 2 Blue Herons, and 4 Loons. This was a good sign IMO. I picked up 8 bows in a 100 yard stretch that were between 17 - 20 inches and lost another 6 or so. I knew I had found the fish and was stoked! I cruised the area a couple of times stopping to cast close to structure and was very pleased to see the fish were happy to cooperate. So after another 8 or 10 more fish I noticed quite a bit of surface action starting to take place, and that the takes were starting to slow a bit. I quickly tied on a dry that looked like the midges that were coming off and started to cast to risers. To my surprise they were not that interested only getting a couple to take the fly dragging it sub-surface once it sank. The light went off! I thought, ya know, they may be more interested in the cronies than taking them off the top. This is when the fun began. I selected a pattern I put together using goose biots, yarn, ostrich hurl and pheasant tail and put it 18 inches below a small balsa indicator. Threw it out and boom, fish on within 30 seconds! This lasted for 4 hours straight! It was incredible, and the most fun I have ever had still water fishing. I have had really good days before, on cronies and other flies but never this good, and never this fast on this particular body of water. I felt like a rockstar when a half dozen or so other water craft rolled up and between the works caught 2 over several hours. I felt a little selfish but what could I do, and besides no one actually asked me what I was using (was surprised). I was expecting someone to ask but no one did. About half of the guys I saw were spincasters so it wouldn't have helped them out anyway.

 

Anyway, it was a great weekend, and I wont soon forget it.

 

Lets here your stories!

[ÜberFly]

I went down to "Writing On Stone Provincial Park"... I know there has been some information presented in previous posts and some FABULOUS photos that Clive shot, but let me tell you, they do not do the area justice (obviously no insult intended Clive, for your photos are spectacular). For those of you that have not been down to that area, please make a point of visiting it in the future. It is an amazing and highly spiritual place!

 

P

 

P.S. I did wet a line for about 5 casts, but to no avail (found out the next day that the water we were fishing was about 4' - 5' deep and my bro-in-law's gear was too basic for that particular water, but we thought we'd give it a try anyway).

[khawes]

Fishing Trip Sunday May 17/09

Bow River: Cushing Bridge to Fish Creek Park

 

The morning was cloudy but the afternoon was sunny with some wind. The water visibility was about 2 feet; lots of green and white algae which had to be picked off of the hooks after each cast.

I believe that most the fish were away for the long week. I nymphed for most of the trip and used streamers a bit. I only had 4 strikes and only landed one 16” Rainbow who put on a good show by coming out of the water about 2.5 feet twice. This fish took a Silver #18 Lightning Bug.

 

 

[reevesr1]

Sounds like fun Kevin! Give those spin fishermen some love. I remember spin fishing being fun too.

[Golfman09]

I was out camping with the family....3 little girls under the age of 4.5.......can't wait til their teenagers..... We pulled into the Cypress park on Thursday to find 10" of snow still on the ground from the storm on Tuesday. Decided the forecast looked good so we stuck it out. Weather was awesome and the kids had a blast playing in the snow in 20 deg. C.

 

Tried fishing Loch Leven but didn't have any luck.....I've seen decent sized Brook Trout on a trip last year but could not locate them this time. Didn't take the float tube along which was a mistake!

 

Came back early on Monday so I zipped out to Bullshead in the afternoon but found things really slow....stripped streamers FOREVER but couldln't find them. Put the chronie and indi on and caught one 19" fatso that looked pretty beat up from the spawn. Then it happened....caught that bloody MUSKRAT......I tried to scare him away and get him to go deep but he kept on going and must have flossed my line while he was carrying other grass and stuff. Fought with him for a while and was able to break him off.......BLOOM, you'll be interested to know that your leech also catches muskrats........I was remarkably calm but really was shocked....usually they seem to know where you line is at and avoid it. This one charged right through without any thought. Hope the little guy does ok.

 

I also did some scouting on Boiler and Belanger Creeks in the Cypress Hills. I'm a bit of a rookie on the stream thing but didn't see too much that looked to be holding fish. If anyone know some water that holds fish around there I'd be happy to hear about it. Its a great place to take the family and we will be back there several time over the next few years.

 

All in all a pretty relaxing weekend.

[126barnes]

Worked Fridat thru Monday with the exception of Sunday afternoon. Did manage to get my oldest son out for a hour of so on a urban pond caught a couple little browns.

 

Not exactly what I was planing.

[trailhead]

I went down to the shack in the Crowsnest, my wife's sister and brother-in-law came along so I got to go golfing all weekend. That being said the river was getting progressively murkier each day.

[darrinhurst]

Didn't do any fishing at all. I did however spend a nice, sunny Sunday afternoon at Kananaskis golfing with the boys.

[kungfool]

Sounds like fun Kevin! Give those spin fishermen some love. I remember spin fishing being fun too.

 

Hehe. I'm not hatin, just not sure how telling them that cronies were working (and maybe what size/color) would help them select a better spinner or spoon.

 

I used to spin fish for trout too when I was a kid so I try to keep an open mind and be as helpful as possible as long as I don't see bait, and/or a fish bonker in their possession LOL.

 

 

<-- this is my riding my high horse.

[Kelsey]

through without any thought. Hope the little guy does ok.

 

I also did some scouting on Boiler and Belanger Creeks in the Cypress Hills. I'm a bit of a rookie on the stream thing but didn't see too much that looked to be holding fish. If anyone know some water that holds fish around there I'd be happy to hear about it. Its a great place to take the family and we will be back there several time over the next few years.

 

 

I hear battle creek below fort walsh is good fishing