Photos- see, we do catch rainbows!!

Bow River Report

Sorry to have been such a while for a report, but we've been in the shop more then we've been fishing. So here's the report from our guides.

The hopper fishing has been ok to stellar, again with some days just being silly compared to others. For what ever reason this is, a good technique is definitly the hopper dropper.With the amount of Boatmen around, we'd highly recommend fishing the boatmen as the dropper, and you're sure to be successful (well, if the fish feel the same way)

Another good technique to try is a streamer with a boatmen being pulled behind it. The jerky motion of a streamer retrieve is almost perfect as a boatmen action.
Good luck out there, stay warm!

Fishing Knots

Knots, the dreaded knots. For some of us its a cinch (no pun intended) and for others it's the worst part of fishing. Whether it's tying on tippet, or trying to string up that size 18 Trico, it can ruin a perfectly good day on the water.
Every fisherman has their own special knot or combination of knots for their system but here's what I feel is one of the easiest combination (from reel to fly), to simplify and reduce the amount of time you spend fumbling around with mono-filament, fly line and backing.

Reel to Backing- Arbor knot

To tie the arbor knot, wrap the backing around the reel spool and tie an overhand knot around the standing line (labeled main line) then tie a second overhand knot on the tag end. Keep in mind that this is the least important knot of your entire system, it will only need to be done once (for the life of the backing which should coincide with the life of the reel) so don't spend alot of time practicing it.

Backing to Fly Line- Albright Knot

This may seem like a nasty little knot but keep in mind if your struggling a local fly shop will probably be more than happy to tie it for you. It, like the arbor knot, will not be tied regularly since it will only have to be done once per the life of your fly line.

To begin, wrap the fly line around itself to create a loop and run the backing through the loop (image one.) Wrap the backing around the double strands of fly line backwards (towards the loop) approximately seven times (this diagram shows four wraps.) Now take the tag end of backing and place it through the loop of fly line (diagram three.) Now this is where a lot of people go wrong, there are two directions that the tag end of backing can go through the loop. The tag end must go out the same way it came in! For example in diagram three you can see that both ends of backing (in blue) end up on the same side of the fly line (yellow), if the backing was run through the loop in the opposite (wrong) direction then the two pieces of backing would end up on either side of the fly line. Once you have completed step three, all you have to do cinch up the knot so there isn't a lot of gap between the end of the wraps of backing and the end of the loop of fly line then pull gently on the tag end of backing, followed by pulling gently on the standing end of backing, alternate doing this until the knot is tight and secure. To finish, clip off the tag end of backing and the tag end of fly line.

Fly Line to Leader- Loop to Loop

Yes the loop to loop, for those that haven't heard it will reduce your knot tying time likely by half, no more nail knot! This knot is extremely simple, all you need is both the end of the fly line and the leader to have a loop. Both commonly come manufactured this way.

Take the fly line and pass it through the loop of the leader, now take the end of the leader and pass it through the loop of the fly line. Tighten up the knot and you have created a square looking, loop to loop knot. To reverse simply push the loops together to loosen then reverse the steps above.

Leader to tippet- Surgeons Knot

This knot is basically a double stranded overhand knot that is wrapped twice through the loop (not once.)

Overlap your leader and tippet material so you have a double strand, then make a simple overhand knot (image one.) Instead of tightening at this point, wrap the double strand through the loop once again (image two) and then tighten (image three.) Clip off the tag end of leader and the tag end of tippet.

Tippet to Fly- Clinch Knot

Thread the tippet through the eye of your hook, if you have trouble many gadgets called threaders exist that can help you do this. Wrap the tag end around the standing line six to eight times. Now you have made a loop back at the eye of the hook (image two), place the tag end through this loop and hold on to it. Pull on the standing line to tighten the knot, then clip off the tag. Important: do not pull on the tag end to tighten the knot, this will you give you a false knot. It will look right but will easily come undone producing a curly end commonly called a pigs tail when it does. If you see this pigs tail it is an immediate indication that you pulled on the tag end not the standing end.

Notes:

Terminology- Tag end refers to the end of material that is extra and has no purpose, it is usually clipped off. Remember not to clip it off as tightly as possible in order to give a bit of extra room for slipping.

Standing end refers to the end of material that is being used to connect.

***When dealing with materials such as mono-filament and fluorocarbon, they must be moistened before tightening. This is because as the knot is tightened it creates large amounts of heat that can weaken your perfectly tied knot. The easiest way, spit on it!

Hope this helps with your knot troubles, and if your still having trouble CP staff is more than happy to give you some instruction.

-C.

Pictures and an Apology

Now that University is on, you might see the blog slow down a little. We'll try to update it as often as we can, but half of the staff is back in school!

Here's some photos that we've taken lately

Brent had a client in his boat land this very healthy "Mc-Trout" as it was dubbed.
Possibly the fattest proportioned Brown that Brent saw all year.
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Possibly the last chance for Cutty fishing this year, Brent landed this very pretty Cutty.
While the day was numbingly cold, the fish were still receptive enough to make the day worthwhile.
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It was a very pretty cutt
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We'll have a fishing report for you tomorrow!

Where have all the vests gone? Part One

Both in the shop and on the river I’m seeing an increasing amount of anglers straying away from the traditional vest and leaning towards alternative options like a backpack, lumbar pack or chest pack, this includes myself. But why!? Vests have long since represented fly fisherman, it was their everlasting emblem, a silly neutral coloured vest with pockets for every nick-nack and accessory an imaginative angler could come up with. Why now do anglers look towards an alternative to the clumsy, heavy, hot, uncomfortable extra layer we call a vest, oh wait!

Manufacturers of fly fishing gear have put their minds to coming up with alternatives that work just as well as the traditional vest but have they succeeded? Well, in my mind the answer is no. There is not an alternative that holds as much gear in as easy access as the vest but there are some great attempts that stand out in their own way.

“The Fanny” or in man language, the waist pack sits on the hips usually in reverse holding all your fishing gear around your lower back. It quickly swivels around for a semi-easy access to pockets and zippered compartments. Just like a vest, the waist pack has compartments designed for fl y fishing paraphernalia, from tippet spool holders to a forceps pocket. The waist pack often holds much less than a vest but as a user of the Sage Lumbar Pack I find this an added benefit since it restricts me to my essentials. For example, there really is no need for seven fly boxes, six sizes of tippet, and every new line nipper on the market but that’s just me, some have the need or the desire to carry a lot of gear with them and in this instance the waist pack may not be large enough. The waist pack also doesn’t have an attachment for a net unlike the vest, this makes the waist pack less useful to the walk and wade anglers. For anglers that often fish from a boat where they are hopping in and out and carrying a boat net, then the waist pack works great. The Sage Lumbar Pack and the Simms Headwaters Series stand out as useful and durable waist packs for the avid fisherman looking for an alternative to the vest.

Part two to come- The chest pack as an alternative to the vest
Part three to come- The backpack and combination chest/backpack

Guide Spotlight - Mike Guinn

September is approaching quickly and our summer is fading, it won't be long till we have to bring out the shovel and winter tires! Make the most of our few remaning days of summer, get out and fish! Whether your a seasoned angler or trying to get into fly fishing, a guided fishing trip can be a valuable experience. A catch of Bow River Rockets and Buttery Browns make the Bow River famous and with good reason.

We employ who we think are the greatest guides in Calgary, and the comments we recieve post-trip have been beyond confirming those beliefs. Our outfitting service employs a handful of exclusive Bow River guides that can be your tour guide to our home waters. Our trips include a full day on the river, a shore side deli style lunch, a variety of beverages and gear if you require it.

Mike with a nice brown and a happy client.

We'll start our guide spotlights (more to follow) with possibly one of the most experienced guide on the river, Mike Guinn.
Mike has been guiding on the Bow River for over thirty years, his experience holds him in high regard in the guiding industry. We'll let our clients comments tell the story.

"Mike was great, very knowledgable and helpful. It was an honor to have been guided by him."

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- Neil Johnson

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"Mike was great! He was extremely knowledgable, lots of fun and had tons of helpful hints and advice. [He] knew the river very well and made the day very enjoyable. We got into lots of fish and [his] feedback and help made the day more productive and fun."

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- Cam Woolnough

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"I was very impressed with the quality of fishing on the river and more so with the guide, [Mike Guinn]."

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- Mike Trainor

If you'd like to fish with Mike or any of our other exclusive, experienced fishing guides time is running out. Bookings can be made via email, over the telephone or in store at:
Country Pleasures Fly Shop and Outfitter.
403-271-1016
#100 Willow Park Village
10816 Macleod Trail South
Calgary AB
info@countrypleasures.com

Stay tuned for more guide spotlights!

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.

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.

Some More Albertan Cutthroat

Went fishing in the afternoon yesterday. It rained like mad, but the fish couldn't be happier. We lucked out on a Green Drake hatch that lasted about an hour, and the fishing was just nutty. Here's some more photos. We'll add the last tomorrow.

A pocket water bully.

Caity's very pretty Cutthroat.

A few photos

A few photos from a rainy, rainy day.
More tomorrow!

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!)

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.

A day of rest

Orvis Rep Doug Best with a Bow River Browny

A simple blog today, we'll be out fishing for the next few days, so the blog might take a stutter till wednesday (it may be fine). Got lots of catching up to do with what the rain did to the river last week!

Will try to get lots of photos (if the fishy's cooperate).

Children's Wish - Bow River Masters. August 23rd, 2009

The Bow River Masters Fly Fishing Derby is a volunteer driven community event run in support of The Children’s Wish Foundation of Canada.
The funds raised directly benefit deserving children living in Alberta and NWT who suffer from
high-risk, life threatening illnesses.
Following a traditional catch-and-release, single day derby
format, points are awarded per fish landed.
An excellent selection of prizes, including a fabulous West Coast Resorts
fishing trip, motivates anglers to do anything within their
means (and the rules) to avoid letting the big one get away.
After a full day drifting the “trophy stretch” of the Bow River,
participants are treated to a closing banquet and an awards
ceremony.

Testimonials speaking to the event’s excellence
abound, but most importantly participants have commented on
the satisfaction they left with knowing their day on the river
translates to delivery of important community services to very
deserving children.


REGISTRATION FEES
$3,000 per angling team or $1,600 per person. Registration
includes meals, guide & boat (if requested) & shuttles. Event
sponsorships are also available.


Stop by the store for more information, and a sign up sheet. Sign up is due by August 3rd. Event runs on the 23rd.

A Bow River Piggo

Greg Moffatt was out with Jeff Peterson yesterday and caught this monster.

Nice fish Greg, especially with the tough conditions.

400kms of driving, for fishing 45 minutes away!

Yesterday hurt. Rain and more rain. Drove down to the Oldman in hopes that the rain would have stopped and the river clear. It wasn't. The rain was still pouring (to the point that the road was in brutal shape).

Seems like the Oldman got the worst of it for weather, as it was pure and utter mud.

Drove upstream a bit and followed the mud, before finally giving up and heading back north.

Ended up on another stream, and headed to a favourite spot, to only have the rain start pouring again on us. Luckily we had a back up plan, and made our way there.

400 km's of driving to end up fishing an area 45 minutes from home.

I guess it didn't suck all that bad. (sorry bout the bad quality, the zoom on the camera aint great)

A pretty good bully on a brand new fly. Makes up for the long drive pretty quickly