My Trip To The Bow River And Area!

[Kristi]

Well some of you knew I was headed out on a guided trip.. Unfortunately circumstances did not play out as planned. Having said this it had not changed my plans to head out to the Bow and area anyways. If anything it had enriched my experience in all.

 

I am not a pro or will I ever say I am nor will I say that I caught so many fish in abundance. I will say though I will and have lots to learn and repeat!; to take from my experience and learn again so I can move on. I had a blast and it was a riot.. My energies electrified and in tune. There where fish caught and to my dismay and my unpreparedness I lost great photo opportunities.

 

We had fished the Bow, Sheep, Crows Nest, Castle and Upper Old Man River. Water levels where particularly low on several of the rivers.. I had often found that the fish at each particular place we where at would be dancing around me and teasing me. Many many hits but not enough hooking had happened.

 

This is me in the Bow loving every minute up to and after my giving into it! Yes you heard me right I sacrificed some dry clothing and a pack of smokes to the river Gods! Gary had told me it was called "Giving" I call it wearing boots and waders that are toooo big!! HAHA!

These pictures are before and after my whipeout on the Bow

 

 

 

I was a trooper got up and fished it out a bit further until Someone mentioned a break. After the break I had the desire to head back out but did not after eating so much and needing to keep my core warm. I stayed at the truck while Gary had caught the last 40 mins of light.

 

The next day was Sheep River... ooooh and I was totally stoked for that. A most beautiful hike in and out the weather was just right and there was Whitefish a couple of cutty's and rainbows to be seen. My eyes as big as saucers as we came upon a pool! Elated I was happy just to plant my feet there for a bit and put my desire to catching those cutty that would dance with my hook.

 

 

We fished it and move on after being gently let down by the cutty in that pool.

 

 

 

We came across some challenging terrain and some spawning beds in our travels on the river. All of it being beautiful and myself being in awe still.

 

 

Heading back out we came across the same pool and had our luck at a white.

We took off from there as the day had become late and neither of us wearing a watch both unaware of the time. As timing always plays a perfect role we got out in the nick of time as the warm fall rain started to intensify the earths colours beneath our feet. We took a short drive and had hit up several other places on the Sheep. In the rain might I add, it was cool yet mystical and enchanting having steam coming off your body as the rain hits you and you cast for the whites. all was awesome until a stranger broke my MOJO.. by asking questions and saying statements.. =(

We rolled out of there and hit another place on the Sheep but we where skunked. Home time was called.. and decision was made that we would fish our way back to Etown.

I had another plan in mind to be honest... it had to do with me planting seeds of Crows nest and lumbreck into my Partners brain. And of course being the natural; influence that I am the next day we where off to Crows Nest and Lumbreck Falls. Castle River and last but not least the Upper Old Man where a bonus to me!!

The Crows nest River was Beautiful reminded me of when I was a child and spent time there.

 

 

 

 

I Just finished taking a picture of the falls but its captioned me sleeping on the job!! lol

After fishing this area for a bit we then took off to the Castle..

 

The weather was the best thus far out of the three days!! We managed to plant ourselves in a quiet spot on the Castle and fish for a bit in a pool I fell in love with along with the many other pools.. we played and toyed with the bullies in this pool for a while.. and they where not interested in any of it at all. I'm sure they where happy to just play and tease me. We moved on further down the Castle.. fast paced and then would slow in particular runs and pools.

After hiking aways down we walked back up the road and back down to the truck and headed on out. Disappointed that my hooks where being teased and hit on with out hooking a thing I thought it was already time to head home..inwardly sad; I was all in all happy to have the greatest experience one could have in their noobie life of first year fly fishing.

 

I was just about to toss the waders off and I was told that there was one more place...

As I heard this my innards burnt with desire and passion and my blood pulsed with electricity. It was on, I was not gunna be out smarted by my scaled foe.. we where driving and by this time I was pretty tired from all our excursions of ups and downs in and outs of water and river beds and mountains. I have to add though that I managed to stay dry after I had been very closely acquainted to the Bow.

And finally we where here err there oh wait where was it that we where?? Oh yes it was the Upper Old Man in its most majestic. So beautiful I took a moment to inhale it and then we where off..

off to this

 

 

I gathered myself and started casting and before you knew it there was a hook to be had!! The air filled with excitement and smiles where even greater! It was here in this run that the 17inch cutty was caught and here in this run that I lost it off the hook that it was on, as I lifted the line and fish a little to high it had panicked and jumped in this run, trying to dig out my stupid camera!! =( oh well she was a beauty and fat to boot!! Here in this run was caught a beautiful fish!

 

We moved further on and had a great time in the challenging terrain.. Staying dry!!!

 

 

Took a break here or there and observed what was going on around us and continued to fish

Took some photo opportunities

 

 

 

And as we launched our hooks the fish continued to bite and continued to play about teasing me and luring me into situations questionable.. But I kept on going filled with happiness that even a child cant explain.. never worried or overly saddened that I didn't get more than the couple that where caught not worried that it didn't dawn on me to bring a camera onto the river until the last day and not worried about what others would say or think cause what mattered to me is that I had walked away with one of the most enriched learning experiences I could ever have. what matters to me is that I am doing it. If any thing I think it bothers the people i fish with more that I dint land more fish.. I just say in time.

This experience had given me different approaches to casting and different waters to cast in and every day I was out I was overwhelmed with new information to reattain. And all the happier to retain it so i could continue on in my learning.

I don't know WHO ever said that fly fishing is a slow and luxurious sport was very wrong.. It is or can be fast paced and I think it to be a sport for Attention Deficit people .. cause at the best of times I couldn't even keep up to the old guy!!

 

~Kristi

[Junior]

Great report, Kristi. Thanks.

[Paulf]

...thanks for sharing your fishing experience, Kristi...very nice looking waters...looks like a great time was had...

[SnoWolf]

Welcome to the wonderful world of fly fishing...

 

Glad u enjoyed your swim....

[DennisS]

Kristi great report & pictures. One of the wonders of flyfishing is the country and the fishing partners your with. To me the fish is the bonus.

As for learning even us veterans learn something new every time we go out.

 

See you wed.

 

Tight Lines Always

Dennis S

[Garhan]

Well done Kristi, "giving" is always good for the soul. It reminds us of all the great things mother nature has endured and what we have taken from her in memory..

[Michael Dell]

Great report. It sounds like you had a great experience.

[dipperdan]

Thanks for sharing Kristie. You covered more water in that weekend then I in my first 20 yrs of flyfishing. I'm envious , Gary would have shown you some wonderful water and taught you proper . I for one, learnt the hard way, reading some and trial and lotsa error. I have many a day were I miss fish , being on the fly or the camera. I think we all learn something new each time we go out, be it about fishing, the fish, the water ,the landscape and mostly ourselves and companions we are with. God I Love To Fish........

[vince]

Way to go Kristi....very good report and terrific pictures. Two things to remember Kristi....part of fly fishing is going for a dunk once in a while and the other is to always wear a wading belt. Glad you had a great time.

 

Vince

[Junior]

Wading belts don't really help; even a quick dunk with a belt will still soak you down to your socks.

[Kristi]

LOL Thanks for the tip Vince!! and thank goodness i wasn't wearing socks!! HA HA.. bear feet and shorts! it was that warm out to do that.. soon tho I'll be packing heavier gear. Jeez I wish i could really keep it simple and go ultra light weight and hassle free!

[dave robinson]

Kristi;

A wading belt is an essential piece of wading safety equipment.

(unless you are wearing neoprene waders which fit very tight and add flotation).

Yes a ducking with a wading belt on will let some water past it and wet you down inside the waders.

But the purpose of a wading belt is not to keep all the water out, but to keep 90%+ out.

Without a belt, your waders can fill with several gallons of water.

At 10 pounds per gallon that adds a lot of weight when you try to stand back up.

And if your are facing feet downstream (which is recommended so you can fend off rocks)

the top of your waders can balloon out like a parachute, letting the current drag you wherever it wants.

Both of these effects can be downright dangerous.

So NEVER wade without a snugly fitting wading belt!

You might get wet inside the waders, but you are way less likely to drown.

[Kristi]

Thanks Dave I know the importance of a wading belt now!! and here i figured it was to keep the oversized waders up on me! LOL *joking*

[Garhan]

Kristi;

A wading belt is an essential piece of wading safety equipment.

(unless you are wearing neoprene waders which fit very tight and add flotation).

Yes a ducking with a wading belt on will let some water past it and wet you down inside the waders.

But the purpose of a wading belt is not to keep all the water out, but to keep 90%+ out.

Without a belt, your waders can fill with several gallons of water.

At 10 pounds per gallon that adds a lot of weight when you try to stand back up.

And if your are facing feet downstream (which is recommended so you can fend off rocks)

the top of your waders can balloon out like a parachute, letting the current drag you wherever it wants.

Both of these effects can be downright dangerous.

So NEVER wade without a snugly fitting wading belt!

You might get wet inside the waders, but you are way less likely to drown.

 

Extremely true comments. My son found that out a few weeks back. Getting a bit wet in your waders is much better than packing 2,3,4, or more extra gallons of water. The belt will allow longer recovery time to get to safety.

[vince]

Junior

 

Comments that followed my post are important....very, very important. Every time I sell a pair of waders I always tell people there are two must do's while fly fishing....# 1 is to always wear a wading belt and #2 is to always wear some form of eye protection.

 

Vince

[dave robinson]

Vince:

Your last comment is bang on.

My Kiwi fishing buddy John Pellew was guiding once when he took off his sunglasses "just for a moment to tye a new fly on my line" when his client hit him in the eye with his fly on the backcast. Fortunately the fly hit his eyelid near the corner and the hook didn't penetrate. As it was, his eye was bruised and swollen enough that he couldn't' drive or guide for almost 2 weeks. Without eye protection, it could only take a moment of inattention or one botched cast to permanently damage your eyesight.

[Junior]

Just to be clear, who here has gone for a swim both with and without a belt?

[SnoWolf]

When I first got into fly fishing and belly boating I did not have all the gear. My buddy took me to East pit and put me in his belly boat. I did not have waders so he gave me his rubber ones with the built in boots to use.

When I went to the edge to take a quick break I miss judged the depth at the edge and stood up to soon and the waders filled with water. They ballooned out with about 15 gallons of water and it took everything I had to get out of the lake. It was easy to move in the water but to pick it all up and get out was very difficult. My buddy still laughs uncontrollably any time it comes up around the camp fire..

A few weeks ago when I was fishing the Little smoky with Dennis I added to the laughs around the campfire again. We where coming back from upstream to get ready to leave. I stopped to catch one more before I cleaned up and catch one I did. I hooked a nice one and needed my net to scoop it up since the bank there is about three feet up from the water and is under cut. I took two steeps towards the water and hooked my left foot on something and went head first into the river. I was surprised to find when it came time to take my waders off how much water was in them. There was barely enough to fill one of my wader boots.

A wader belt may or may not be needed but since they only cost a few bucks I think it would be silly to go without one....

 

After I got out and released the catch I cast again and caught another fish. While reeling it in I noticed that another...... Ah well I think I'll save that part for another day...

[DennisS]

Yes Jim that was a great laugh once I realized you were ok. One minute you were there the next you were gone. I think in a lot of ways we learn our lessens the hard way. They end up be funny after it's all said and done. But as Jim says it's better safe then sorry. A little wet is much better then a lot wet or dead.

 

Tight lines Always

Dennis S

[Junior]

Thanks for the laugh, Jim. Having done the float tube dunk myself, it's pretty funny just picturing it. I feel okay about laughing; yeah it's hard to get out, but in order to feel any weight you must have firm footing, therefore no real danger in my opinion. But you're really comparing apples and oranges. I'll bet that your current waders fit you much better, and your methods of entry into the water and surfacing were different in the 2 situations.

 

I'm a big fan of Lee Wulff, so when I first read about his bridge jumping stunt, I had to try it for myself. I went down to the North Saskatchewan on a hot day, and began experimenting. I tried just walking in, simulated falling, dove in, all with and without a belt, using both my old rubber waders, and my breathables. Then I tried cinching up the drawstring at the top of my breathables, and found they bordered on a drysuit. With or without a belt, and no drawstring, the waders are generally squeezed against your body, letting in almost no water, unless you go against the current or bob headfirst up to the surface. The force of the water billows out the torso of your waders, belted or not. If there's enough room at the top of your waders, this is still several gallons. You're still soaked to the bone, and you're at the same level of risk of hypothermia. I'm susceptible to shock from cold water, and a belt doesn't prevent this, for me anyway. A belt makes a difference in the amount of water that gets in, but nothing that counts in terms of safety, in my opinion. The fit at the top of the waders, and the way you move in the water makes a much bigger difference. If you really want to keep the water out, cinch up the drawstring at the top of your waders.

 

This touches a nerve for me, because there is an element of danger to having your waders full of water. My old rubber waders had no drawstring, as most cheap waders don't. But as long as the industry and general public believe the belt does the job, we'll never see that change.

[Junior]

I've also had my share of accidental dunkings. I'm what you might call an aggressive wader. I do wear a wading belt, though; it's there for my bear spray and wading staff.

[dave robinson]

AAhh! Wondered when someone was going to mention a wading staff.

I no longer wade without mine. As I have aged, my leg strength and balance aren't what they used to be.

The wading staff adds just that little bit of extra security to keep me comfortable.

Edited October 5, 2012 by dave robinson

[Garhan]

do think that my son is convinced that his wading belt saved his live on the Red Deer. He said he is now glad that I nag him to make sure it is put on properly and is as tight as possible while still being comfortable. We were out hunting yesterday and I asked him about his experience in some detail. When he was swept under the sweeper, he broke branches could see bottom and came up about 10-15 feet behind the sweeper. He figured that he was down underwater for 2-3 seconds. Thats a long time in current and he also mentioned that there was about 2-3 litres of water in each leg. So I would think the belt limited the water entry which in turn allowed him extra time to recover and get to safety.

[Kristi]

Ok just to be clear Gentlemen!! I did have a belt on but there was no aid in boyancy as it was just one of my leather belts! I was not sopping wet and drenched my clothes where damp in spots. I see the usefulness to them, when it comes to the prevention of keeping majority of water out! My New waders have a wading belt!