Guide Spotlight - Mike Guinn

Now that we're almost to the guiding season we'll be doing a few interviews of our guides. The first one we'll start with is Mike Guinn, who's been around long enough that we're positive that his first drift boat was strapped to a Plesiosaur.

Country Pleasures: When did you begin fly fishing and how did you get started? :

Mike Guinn: I  started fly fishing before you were born,  the summer of 1947and i was given a bamboo fly rod with Pflueger reel,. silk line and gut, yes gut leaders in a wet can and a good supply of flies.   Bill Round was the man who gave me the equipment and I took him to mountain lakes so he could fly fish for the Cutthroats,   It all began at Baker and Ptarmigan Lakes in Banff National Park.



CP: How long have you guided?:

MG: I have guided most of my life, both fishing and hunting, was the youngest Class A guide in the province about the time I turned 16,  Guided fishermen in Banff  National Park until I was 20.   This will be my 30th year full time guiding on the Bow.



CP: What’s your favourite species to throw at?

MG: I like billfish in Salt water and  I always had a passion for large Brook Trout over six pounds, the big brooks are hard to find today so i will have to settle for the Rainbows of Hector Lake.



CP: What has been your most challenging obstacle to overcome while guiding? :

MG: Obstacles are man made for the most part,  I get along just fine with people and the fish so that leaves only weather as a problem, some times nature is a big obstacle.



CP:What’s one of your best guiding moments?

MG: Fishing with Joan Wulff,  a very fine lady and expert caster but she had problems fishing,  Husband Lee was not as good a caster but knew how fish.   I had a great day last summer with a 14 year old girl from Sweden who had all the expensive equipment and knew how to put it together and use it, she lost many big brown trout but landed some rainbow,   I learned at the end of the day she had only ever landed one other fish,  a Perch in Sweden.



CP: What’s next on your “fishing list”? :

MG: I have taken about 200 species of fish on the fly and have counted anything I could catch in the list,  I have not had the chance to cast to a Marlin and hope to get the chance before I die,  I want to whup his butt!



CP: How would you describe your “guiding style.

MG: I am able to adjust to the situation, beginners need help and many older clients don’t want help  but really need it.  The beginner is the easy one but he is not old enough to know it all,  relax and enjoy the day.



CP: Why do you guide? :

MG: It is just so great to be able to spend time on the river or lake meeting new fish and new people .  People become friends and return year after year to share their experience with you, the Guide.



CP: What’s your best advice for a beginner fly fishermen?

MG: Learn to cast, practice on land as well as water and learn the art of line control, you have to learn to use what you have and keep calm when fishing, excitement looses a lot of  fish,  look, listen and learn. ..



CP: What’s your best advice for the intermediate fishermen?

MG: Most people do not realize  how much they can learn from a good teaching guide,   a day or two might seem expensive  but it sure beats all the trial and error most intermediate fishermen go through.   I have been told by clients that I have learned more in one day than I have in the last 3-4 years.  Its called being kick started.

Fly Fishing Schools

2011 will mark our 30th year of teaching flyfishing schools and we hope this year you will join us!

Our Introductory Flyfishing courses are perfect for new comers to the sport as well as the novice anglers. A full day format will give you the opportunity to learn about entomology, reading water, equipment, wading safety, fly casting and much more. Small groups and multiple instructors ensures plenty of one on one!

Our Intermediate Flyfishing courses are the next step for anglers looking hone in on their flyfishing skills. This school details techniques for various angling situations. Its the perfect way to jump start your learning.

One on one casting lessons are tailored to meet your individuals needs. Whether you require a basic casting lesson, wish to learn how to double haul or need help fixing that one little glitch, we can help you!

Corporate and private schools are also available for those looking for something a little special.

Contact us if you have any questions, the schools are booking quickly!

Bow River: The Rising Part II

Part II to Bow:The Rising is up! Plenty more to come. We're all itching to get out! Hope this gets you feeling the same.

How to make them a very happy angler on Christmas Day

Here are some of our top selling Christmas Gifts, sure to make them grin.

Simms Early Riser Mugs $29.95
Also Available in Stocking Stuffer Edition includes:fly selection, leader and tippet, floatant and more $44.95

Patagonia Island Hopper Shirts: Island hopping the Caribbean or hopping around the snow mounds? $74.00



Sage VXP: Versatile, lighter and smoother for less $
A reinvention of the XP $535
...more to come, keep an eye out!

Photos- see, we do catch rainbows!!

Fotografs

The high country was fishing well on the 22nd, the water was very cold and a bit high. Some looking up while others refused but were tricked with a streamer. Stimi's, ants, parachute adams, gartside leeches, and prince nymphs should all be in your box if your heading that way.

Bull Trout After School

Here's a few pictures sent in from a couple fishing buddies.
They headed out to a "secret location" looking for some bullies.

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-Nice pics guys, thanks for the email!

BWO- a look at blue wings and olive bodies

Insects are the most common class world wide, nearly one million species are known to date and some scientists speculate we haven't even scratched the surface. Its no wonder we're all a little confused or have misconceptions when it comes to bugs. Most of our problems come from simple misnaming. When it comes to Blue Winged Olives, this often occurs . Often a genus like callibaetis is referred to as a Baetis, when in fact it is a Baetidae (a little harder to say but it's much more scientifically correct.) Below is the nomenclature for those that find it easier to understand. Baetis, Callibaetis, Cloeon and Pseudocloeon's are all in the family Baetidae and are collectively referred to as Blue Winged Olives. Within the family of Baetidae lies over twenty separate genus's and again most of us refer to all of these as BWO's.

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
......Pylum Anthropoda (Arthropods)
................Class Insecta (Insects)
........................Order Ephemeroptera (Mayflies)
..................................Family Baetidae (BWO)
....................................................Genus Baetis
....................................................Genus Callibaetis
....................................................Genus Cloeon
....................................................Genus Pseudocloeon
....................................................(many more!)

And enough of the stupid science, lets talk applicable science. If you would like to become confused I highly recommend investigating this subject further. The multitude of genera and diversity between them can make for an interesting study, I recommend the resource I used here, called "Mayflies. An Anglers Study of Trout Water Ephemeroptera" (see reference at end of blog.)


Baetidae are found throughout North America but predominate in weedy and nutrient rich waters. The nymphs will populate any body of water (stream, river, lake) that offers a cool, suitable environment. They can range from slow sections of freestone rivers to fast sections, gravel runs and riffles to slow moving spring creeks and among shoreline weeds in lakes. The nymphs are excellent swimmers due to their movement that actually resembles a minnow. They are usually pale to dark olive bodied and can vary greatly. Mature nymphs have dark, well developed wing cases and their legs darken to an olive brown.
When ready to emerge, the nymphs swim or float to the surface and shed the nymphal shuck. The surface film provides a huge barrier to the tiny insects, and many never pass through. Those that do must sit on the surface to allow their wings to dry and become rigid allowing them to fly away. During cool weather this takes longer to occur, so duns will float for greater distances on the surface. It is important to note that the naturals float very low in the surface film, with their bodies and tails flush. During this stage we can also fish cripple BWO's.
The Dun (sub-imago) sports two large sail like wings that point upwards and have blueish, grey coloring that can range from light to almost black. Typically within six to twenty four hours following emergence (highly temperature dependent) the duns molt into spinners (imago). If the emergence occurs in the morning the spinner fall usually occurs in the evening while if the emergence is in the afternoon then the fall will probably occur the next morning. Female spinners are usually identical to the duns but males have much lighter bodies, sometimes almost white. During this final molt the wing veins become highly visible called hyaline. After fertilization, the females enter the water after remaining on the stream side for the eggs to ripen, then deposit their eggs on submerged logs or vegetation, and then are washed away. Rarely, the males accompany the females.

Much variation occurs throughout the generas and the following are some of the deferrals from the above information.

The Baetis Genus nymphs often congregate around weed beds or crawl up plant stems when emerging, though they can still emerge in the normal Baetidae form. Nymphs usually have markings or stripes that are paler than the other body segments. The female Duns are often brighter while the males are more subdued and the spinners have green females and brown males- the spinner fall occurs during the evening.
Callibaetis commonly called the speckled dun, are seen often in Alberta. They prefer lakes or very slow sections of river, so we will find them on the Bow River. Nymphs vary in color greatly, usually taking on the color of their surroundings and have long, slender bodies. The nymphs congregate under weed beds and once out of the surface film usually take only a few minutes to become air born as a subimago, their wings usually have a predominant white vein pattern. The most productive hatches occur on cool, cloudy days when the duns must remain on the water for greater periods of time.

As most of you know, there is a great amount of indecision and scrutiny that occurs in the field of entomology, if there are any mistakes in this writing please let us know. It is better to be proven wrong and be corrected then to be documenting inaccurate information! Your help is greatly appreciated.

All information was taken from either:
-http://www.troutnut.com/hatch/90/Mayfly-Baetidae-Blue-Winged-Olives taken Sept. 20, 2009.
-"Mayflies. An Angler's study of Trout Water Ephemeroptera" Written by Malcolm Knopp and Robert Cormier. Lyons Press (Guilford, CT) 1997.

Picture from:http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.onlinefishinglog.com/images/blog/2006_outdoors/blue_winged_olives.jpg&imgrefurl=http://onlinefishinglog.com/blog/8/Outdoor-Pictures-2006&usg=__N_9amYwLOaI1EsaSSdmqhmrkMeI=&h=600&w=800&sz=54&hl=en&start=17&sig2=BOGRLkWhS9QXyg_45Q9ZkA&um=1&tbnid=kkcsuRg5eafeYM:&tbnh=107&tbnw=143&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dblue%2Bwing%2Bolives%26hl%3Den%26rls%3Dcom.microsoft:en-ca:IE-SearchBox%26um%3D1&ei=qGi2SpbnMYLUsQOjh6XSDA

Shop News

With more students going back to school everyday, its with sadness that CP says goodbye to our youngest employee Zach Southgate once again. Good luck with the upcoming school year and thanks for a great summer!

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Don't forget about our sale on Orvis Felt Sole Boots.

30% off remaining inventory.

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A few Sage Xi2 rods are left on sale!

Only one twelve weight remains!!!!

Remember these rods come with Sage's lifetime, unconditional warranty.

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The One Fly Competition for support of the Childrens Wish Foundation was a success once again.

Thanks to all that participated and donated to this wonderful charity that combines fishing with a great cause!

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Select Fly Lines on sale, some great deals!!

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Mark is back from his Salmon trip to BC, stop in and have a chat about his adventures.

Highlights: a 49 inch Chinook and Marks first steelhead.

5 Hoppers You Should Have In Your Box

Parachute Frankenhopper

One of the more visible hoppers out there.

A great bug for hopper dropper fishing

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Yeager's Neversink Hopper Popper
Throw a mend and splash some water.
A highly realistic pattern,
floats well and is as tough as nails.
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Morrish Hopper
Sculpted foam makes this fly hard to beat.
Lot's of legs, and very visible.
It's a must have.
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Fat Albert
Legs, legs and more legs.
The 'Fatty' just screams eat me, and the fish are much obliged.
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Rainy's Grand Hopper One of the best selling hoppers of all time.
Floats like a cork, and is extremely realistic.
Plus, fish love it.
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All of these flies can be purchased at the shop, and we'll do our best to point you in the right direction. Hot and windy days are common on our rivers, and hopper fishing is hard to beat.

Southern Alberta River Reports

Trico on the Bow

Me and Caity floated the Bow with George Beasley on Tuesday and had a ton of fun.

Caitlin with a very nice bright day Hopper Rainbow

Here's the reports from Southern Alberta as of late

The Bow River:
The river is fishing well again, especially on dark days. The Trico fishing in the morning has been pretty good, and a non-windy day goes a long way in finding rising fish.
The hopper fishing has been pretty good on overcast days, and the fish are definitely responding negatively to bright days. Find some cloud cover, and you'll find rising fish.

Even with the hot weather, there is no need to heavy nymph to find fish. Hoppers love the hot weather, and fishing a big hopper in choppy water off of high banks, or mid-river slots can definitly produce some amazing fish. A dropper can be added if you like, but we've been taking to cutting off the dropper lately to get closer to the banks and finding more fish on top.

Caddis fishing has been ok, but with the rain we've been getting in the afternoon's and evenings has made it a lot harder to find a substantial hatch.


The Oldman River:
The Oldman is high and has some color. It is very reminiscent of the last week of June, first week of July flows and color. The water is very cold for the time of year, and the fish aren't too happy about it. You'll find the odd rising fish, but the hopper/stonefly fishing has not been great like the previous years. Could take a while to drop, considering how high the flows are right now. Most spots are tough to cross, and I'd reccomend picking your crossings carefully.


The Highwood River:
The Highwood is much higher for this time of year then previous years, but the water is clear. However, the water is cold and can make finding happy rising fish a little harder. Keep walking and you'll be sure to find a few.

A few item highlights - Simplifying your fishing

There's some products in the shop that we feel deserve some highlighting.
Here's a few of them, we'll focus on 'gear simplifying' today:
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Simms Sling Pack:
The sling pack will certainly become a favourite for steelheaders and anglers trying to simplify. It's a no-nonsense pack that gives you quick access to flies and tippets, then swing out of your way. No more tangling running line on that 100 foot cast, and it is built to last (and a price that can't be beat).
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Sage Double Rod/Reel Case:
We sell a ton of these to anglers that are looking to simplify access to their rods. Keep your rods fully rigged up for your next day on the river. Bring the case in a drift boat and you have instant access to your foam-bug rod when the streamer fishing slows.

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Cliff's Super Day's Worth Fly Box:
Midges, Meat, and Mayflies - Oh My! The triple layer design allows you to effectively hold a ton of different sized flies. One of the cooler features is the Magnetic Compartment. Perfect for holding all your small nymphs (or when you're rushing through your box as a 26" brown is refusing your latest creation). It's also a nearly indesructible box.

This box was awarded the Ka-Ching award at the Fly Fishing Retailer World Trade Expo

-Brent

New Books/DVD's In Stock.

We recently recieved a shipment of books and DVDs, newly published and some "oldies but goodies."
Can be a great addition to your library or a present for a fishing friend.

Angling the World by Roy Tanami
-This book features amazing photography and personal essays to document fishing adventures in ten of the world's greatest destinations.



Currier's Quick and Easy Guide to Saltwater Fly Fishing by Jeff Currier
-Everything you need to know about the who's, how's and what's of saltwater fly fishing including gear, knots, casting, flies and general tips.



The Greatest Fly Fishing Around the World by R. Valentine Atkinson
-Fly fishing destinations around the world are detailed through pictures by Atkinson and stories by fly fishing writers including John Gierach and Tom McGuane. This is another must have for any fisherman's book shelf.



Spanish for the Fisherman
-A quick and easy spanish pocket book reference for the fisherman.



DVDs also in stock: Trout Bum I, Trout Bum II, Fish Bum I, Drift, Tarpon, Tying and Fishing Stillwater Flies (Brian Chan and Phil Rowley), Saltwater Fly Casting and Bugs of the Underworld.

-C.

Cutthroat continuation

Oncorhynchus clarki

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Note: A High Stream Temperature advisory was placed between Rocky Mountain House and the Montana-Alberta border on July 28, 2009. Please choose to avoid streams where the water temperature rises above 22º C, carrying a water thermometer can come in handy.

Even if the water temperature is below 22º C please use caution when fishing, taking extra care when fighting and releasing fish to minimize stress.

More information can be obtained at:

http://alberta.ca/acn/200907/26590C2C3DCA4-9DDF-CB57-832170F5F31ED1E8.html#

-C.

Caddis on the Bow River

I managed to get out after work when I saw the cloud cover. I walked a lot of water without even stringing up my rod, until I found this little fellow who wanted to play.

And the end result



I fished the same area for a while, before getting some dinner and heading elsewhere.
It didn't take long for me to be hiding under a tree until this passed by. It was a nasty burst of water, but exactly what we need to keep the water temps reasonable.
And my final sight for the day. Not as many Caddis around in the evening as there has been, I suspect that they are still drying off.

Overcast days rock.

-Brent

Trico Fishing the Bow River

For some very wierd reason, the Trico's are already going (2 weeks early!). A very, very weird year ('runoff' in July, Stones and PMD's late, etc).

Here's some video that Mike shot on his point-and-shoot of some fish they found rising.
(Blogger tortures the quality!)

Alberta River Fishing Report Roundup

Heres a report from most of the rivers that we frequent for the last few days.
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Bow River Report:

The Bow is fishing better again, especially on overcast days. The elbow is finally starting to clear up, so we're seeing better visibility each day. All stretches of the river are fishing quite well, and you can still be fishing big foam bugs to great success. Caddis fishing continues to be great, especially with the diminishing PMDs. Look for fish sipping caddis on grassy banks and in foam lines. We should continue to have good caddis fishing and the tricos are starting to show down on the lower end. Should be good fishing for a long time (we hope anyway)
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High Country Report:

The cutty's are finally looking up consistently. The water temps have increased dramatically since the big rain, so the fish are finally happy to be eating on top.Green drakes, Stimulators, Humpies and anything with rubber legs seems to be working extremely well. A caddis tossed over a tough fish usually gets an eat when presented with a solid drift.Be on the look out for bullys, they'll be on the move and killing whitefish like it's their jobs (oh wait, it is!).
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Crowsnest Report:

From the reports we've been getting from the Pass, the crow is fishing extremely well right now. The water has receded and cleaned up at last.Caddis, stoneflies, hoppers and green drakes continue making the fish rise. Using a hopper dropper setup will certaintly have some success on both top and bottom. Don't forget PMDs as they have been fishing well in the evenings as well.

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Join our facebook page for consistent updates on our rivers!

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=90475561761&ref=share

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Last Couple Days on the Bow River and in the High Country

Been a good couple days, including possibly the worst sunburn of my entire life.

I finally got to fish my Helios 3 weight, and it is great for small stream cutthroat.

Get out and get fishing, Bow River fish are turbo charged, Cutthroat are looking up and the Bullys are aggresive. Some of the best fishing of the year!

- Brent

Bow River, July 21

Pretty slow out of the boat, with the water being a wierd color (it seemed like the clarity got worse the later in the day, as well as being not "great" to start with). Getting out and looking for fish produced the most results, with most fish taken on a Caddis dry or nymph. A few fish on the foamies, but not too much action. Best bet is to look for happy fish that are rising, they are out there!

The Elbow was still pumping mud as of Sunday, so i suspect that this is the main culprit still behind the color (the Sheep is clear, as well as Fish Creek). Hopefully it will clean up in the next few days (which it should)

Will post a bunch of pics tomorrow (hopefully!)

-Brent


p.s Don't forget your sunscreen. It's very bad out there for burning right now. Also, with the warm water, don't release a fish till you know it's going to be ok. They may need some extra attention with the higher water temps that could occur with this burst of hot weather.

Highwood River-July 20

Just back from a long day at the Highwood River, fished very well for both Bulls and Cutts.
Clarity is great, Stimulators and good old Humpy's worked well for Cutts while large, light streamers were very effective for Bulls.
More information and pictures will be posted on Wednesday.

We noticed a large amount of evidence of the use of bait (recent use) so remember if you see someone who is illegally using bait call it in, the number can be found on the back of your license.
The more information you can collect, the better this includes license plates, physical description, location and even the type of bait they are using.

-C.