First Trip Of The Year

[DennisS]

Well finally managed to get out and do some real fishing. I took a few extra days and hit the Clearwater. Was hoping to do the Upper N. Sask but my lodging wasn't home this weekend. So I did the Clearwater on both Monday & Tues. Fished down stream Monday and Up stream Tues at the Hwy 54 bridge.

Water was high and off colour but was fishable. in the morning visability was 3ft or better but by the end of the day down to 2ft. Used streamers all day. Lots of weight and at times still not enough. Used my full sink line with tungsten bead and also a large split shot. Water moving very fast. So lots of fisherman but most went upstream. I didn't catch anything on Monday but it was a good day to be out. While at the vehicle to leave a guy and his wife came by and said they had caught a 16in brown and kept it. Didn't see the fish but he had it in a plastic bag and it didn't look to be that big maybe 14. He said he had lost a bigger one. I thought to myself good if he was going to kill that on also.

Tuesday I cam a bit earlier and started at the bridge and worked my way upstream. Caught a 18in Bull. Very nice fish. It put up a really good scrap. He sure showed why there called Bulls. It just hunkered down and didn't want to come up. Caught on a size 6 black Crystal Cheneille Bugger. That would be the only real action for the day except for my swearing for the rest of the day. I had one of those days where it didn't matter what I was doing or if there iwas one stick bank I would get my line wrapped around it. Almost went home be lunch on a couple of occassions but manage to stick it out.

 

There is still lots of ice along the banks and the river was pretty high but wadable.

Not sure for how much longer it will be fishable until the melt is done. Lots and Lots and Lots of water laying in the fields out in that area.

 

Yes Dan got pictures will post a couple this week some time. One of an actual fish.

 

Tight Lines Always

Dennis S

[flyfish]

Dennis many thanks for the report. Almost seems like one fish too many for the river reports. The Clearwater is registering a soild peak greater than 30 m3/s dischange for pre-runoff, which is very high for this time. Looks like a good time for the streamer fishermen or bait/weight fishermen, nice to hear bull trout is on someones menu. We may get a few days in May before water flows starts its steady increase ( run-off ). Lots of water as well around Stauffer, Parire Creek is high as well. Folks are still skidooing and sking far west of Nordegg, lots of late snowfalls in the mountains. Wading could be dangerous this time of year, watch the waterflows. It will be an interesting fishing season this year. Maybe I should tye a few flies since i don't have any. :-(

 

Cheers Roy..

[DennisS]

Well like I promised here are a picture of my catch and a couple of buddies met in a days travels

 

Yes Roy water high and fast but great to be out.

 

Hope all enjoy these pictures

 

Tight Lines Always

Dennis S

 

 

[dipperdan]

Thanks for sharing Dennis !!!!!

[DennisS]

Not sure what was happening but I had 2 other pictures to post, but they just wouldn't post I will try again either tonight or tomorrow

Some of the critters I met on the Journey.

 

It was really great to get out. Only thing one had to chuck lots of weight for the first outing of the year so needless to say the arm got a good work out,

 

Notice all the ice still along the river yet.

 

The fly in the mouth is a Crystal Chenielle balck Woolly Bugger almost?? I used Llama for the tail instead of the traditional marabou.

 

Tight Lines Always

Dennis S

[vince]

Dennis

 

Thanks for the post and glad to hear you had a good time and fish were caught. I was very impressed to hear that no auto repairs were needed. Pictures were very cool.

 

Vince

[Chadillac]

Nice! Thanks for sharing Dennis. Can't say I'm not jealous. I went out for my first outing of the year to Grotto pond and then the Bow and Policemans Creek near/in Canmore last week. I've never caught a brown before. Still technically haven't, though I did manage to catch a line of someone who broke off. Ended up landing his/her brown. My guess is they were snagged on a rock and broke it off, once tension was off, the hook and bait fell to the bottom where this little guy grabbed it. He swallowed the hook, only the top 1/3rd of the hook shank was visible, clipped it off and sent him on his way. So, I handled and land a brown, but still haven't caught one. This was all at Grotto pond. I missed 2 and snapped one off on the Bow. This was the first time I've fished the Bow as well. I wanna go back. Lots of fish in Policemans, but man are they skiddish! We only had an hour of light, so we got hosed on that one.

[flyrod]

Dennis

thank you for the post , awesome looking fish . It's really great to see you getting out there .

 

FlyRod.