Fishing - Everything Fishing!

[foshizzle11]

ya, they were those. Rainbow sides but that red on the throat. We were talking about some others who were fishing there about it.

Quite fun to catch!

[Johnny199r]

Moving back to Northern Manitoba tomorrow. Giant Walleye and Pike abound....can't wait.

[troutman]

Rumor is streams in Southern Alberta will be closed to fishing . . . press release coming.

Maybe something to do with water flow and warm water?

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1627...32859/?fref=nf

[Slava]

Originally Posted by troutman

Rumor is streams in Southern Alberta will be closed to fishing . . . press release coming.

Maybe something to do with water flow and warm water?

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1627...32859/?fref=nf

We better go again soon! Maybe really quickly.

[Slava]

I don't know how legit this is, but apparently here are the breaking news closures:

Alright here we go on the closures:
1) NOTICE: Effective Aug. 11, 2015 the following waters have been closed to all fishing due to high water temperatures until further notice:
2) Belly River and tributaries downstream of Secondary Road 800,
Bow River and tributaries from Bearspaw Dam to Bassano Dam,
3) Elbow River and tributaries below Glenmore Reservoir,
Gorge Creek and tributaries,
Highwood River and tributaries,
4) Sheep River and tributaries,
St. Mary River and tributaries below St. Mary Reservoir,
Threepoint Creek and tributaries.
Maybe more to follow.

[troutman]

This worries me. Is this a glimpse into the future (global warming)?

[Slava]

Confirmed with the link: http://www.albertaregulations.ca/fishingregs/

Yeah, its bad news for sure. I feel for the Bow River guides who just found out that they're not fishing for the next while. The Oldman and others are going to get hammered now, which isn't good either.

[GreenLantern]

Originally Posted by Johnny199r

Moving back to Northern Manitoba tomorrow. Giant Walleye and Pike abound....can't wait.

I've only fished one camp that technically had Manitoba water in it, lake crossed the border, but as an avid northern Sask fisherman I share your excitement.

I don't think many people know the joy of hauling in a hog of a Wall Eye. As a Manitoba boy are you familiar with the Uncut Angling fishing show? It is great entertainment.

For the Alberta folk, I just got back from a week in Meadow Lake Provincial Park. Not a bad jaunt for most of you that are in central or northern Alberta. I've spent a lot of my life in this park at Kimball Lake but this time I made a point of branching out to some of the other lakes. I didn't get any pics (cell phone died first day there and I decided to just leave it dead for the entire week) but Perch, Walters, Pike, Rainbows, Browns, Splake, Cutties, Tiger.. whatever you want that park has it, in spades. The lakes are so crystal clear it is amazing, even the Waterhen River that flows south of the park was crystal clear I was blown away. We stumbled upon some schools of Wall Eye in 3 feet of water probably 20-30 at a time, was a real blast.

One of the stocked lakes is Little Raspberry Lake, a short portage from Kimball or a medium drive down a 4x4 road. No trailer sized boats are allowed here, car toppers only. It is a float tubers paradise and the water is so clear that my depth finder said 11 feet and I could still make out the details on the bottom of the lake, impressive. If anyone plans to make their way into the park shoot me a PM or ask in here and I will give you the details of my research.

This weekend I am headed up to Turtle Lake where they have been pulling out Wall Eye steady, including some 10+ guys so I am excited to try my luck there.

[Angelamc]

Fished the Bow last Sunday, water so low it could have been October. Doesn't help with the water temps I'm sure. So bummed, maybe I'll head to Fernie this weekend.

[troutman]

Continued high water temperatures lead to fishing closures

http://alberta.ca/release.cfm?xID=38...7D842C472EB896

Temporary closures of certain fisheries are needed to safeguard fish populations in areas that have exceeded temperature thresholds.

Low water flows combined with hot weather have resulted in high water temperatures in several rivers and streams throughout Southern Alberta. Angling in these areas presents a high risk to fish populations and may result in mortalities, even when using catch and release practices.

To best protect fish populations, the following areas are closed to all fishing until further notice:

• Sheep River from headwaters to Highwood River;
• Highwood River from headwaters to Bow River;
• St. Mary River, downstream of the St. Mary Reservoir and tributaries;
• Belly River, downstream of Secondary Road 800;
• Bow River from Bearspaw Reservoir to the W.H.D. Weir;
• Bow River from W.H.D Weir to the Carseland Weir;
• Bow River from Carseland Weir to Highway 24 bridge;
• Bow River from Highway 24 bridge downstream to Bassano Dam; and
• Elbow River from Glenmore Reservoir to the Bow River confluence.

These closures will also result in the temporary suspension of all Fisheries Research Licences issued in these waters.
Further to the advisory issued on July 30, anglers are asked to continue exercising caution and abiding by safe handling procedures in the following areas:

• Castle River and tributaries from Highway 3 upstream to Westcastle River;
• Oldman River from Racehorse Creek downstream to Oldman Reservoir; and from Highway 2 near Fort Macleod downstream to Secondary Road 509;
• Crowsnest River from Crowsnest Lake downstream to Oldman Reservoir;
• Belly River, downstream of Secondary Road 800;
• Waterton River, downstream of Waterton Reservoir;
• Waterton River, upstream of the Waterton Reservoir including tributaries; and
• St. Mary River upstream, of the St. Mary Reservoir, including Lee Creek.

Alberta Environment and Parks staff is continuing to monitor water levels and temperatures and will issue additional angling restrictions as necessary.

[Flacker]

Terrible news, there goes my float trip this weekend.

Hopefully an anomaly, and not a sign of things to come.

Castle/Crowsnest/Oldman/Livingston, are going to be beyond busy.

[zztim81]

I work in the 'watershed management world' conditions are getting very dire, a couple of the sub-basins down south i work with have received between 30-33% of normal precipitation for the 2015 water year, in the upper St. Marys Basin its the second lowest precipitation on record. The upper Bow basin is a complete joke for water management, even though forecasts were for lower than normal snowpack in the upper bow this year the Ghost reservoir was nearly completely drained in the spring due to the City of Calgary freaking out about the possibility of flooding, in the mean time the peak runoff event had already occurred (two months earlier than normal) and now there is no additional water available for maintaining environmental flows or power generation.

Don't expect the closures to be lifted at all this year, and i also know that biologists have been calling for a complete closure for over a month, and if it wasn't for a strong and influential tourism organization in the Calgary region the Bow closure would have already been in place.

The fishing has been great on a few of my favorite lakes and reservoirs down south! lots of legal Walleye from the St Mary's Reservoir, big browns in the Waterton Reservoir, and some nice large Rainbows are coming out of Police Outpost Lake - just bring about 20 wooly buggers with you.. they tend to break them off all too frequently.

[Angelamc]

Originally Posted by zztim81

I work in the 'watershed management world' conditions are getting very dire, a couple of the sub-basins down south i work with have received between 30-33% of normal precipitation for the 2015 water year, in the upper St. Marys Basin its the second lowest precipitation on record. The upper Bow basin is a complete joke for water management, even though forecasts were for lower than normal snowpack in the upper bow this year the Ghost reservoir was nearly completely drained in the spring due to the City of Calgary freaking out about the possibility of flooding, in the mean time the peak runoff event had already occurred (two months earlier than normal) and now there is no additional water available for maintaining environmental flows or power generation.

Don't expect the closures to be lifted at all this year, and i also know that biologists have been calling for a complete closure for over a month, and if it wasn't for a strong and influential tourism organization in the Calgary region the Bow closure would have already been in place.

The fishing has been great on a few of my favorite lakes and reservoirs down south! lots of legal Walleye from the St Mary's Reservoir, big browns in the Waterton Reservoir, and some nice large Rainbows are coming out of Police Outpost Lake - just bring about 20 wooly buggers with you.. they tend to break them off all too frequently.

Is there anywhere that us regular folk can look up the planned water management plans as they are being planned or happening, specifically the ghost reservoir?

[troutman]

If it is bad in Southern Alberta, what are the conditions in Montana/Idaho/Wyoming?

Montana drought closures:
http://fwp.mt.gov/fishing/guide/waterClosure.html

Heat won't affect Idaho fishing rules, biologists say
http://www.spokesman.com/blogs/outdo...iologists-say/

Montana was the first of the Inland Northwest states to enact hoot-owl fishing restrictions to protect trout stressed by unusually low flows and warm water conditions.

Oregon and Washington have both enacted emergency fishing rules for some waters that might help in some cases.
The Idaho Fish and Game Department Panhandle Region fisheries manager explained that Idaho had no plans to impose emergency fishing regulations.

[Angelamc]

Originally Posted by troutman

If it is bad in Southern Alberta, what are the conditions in Montana/Idaho/Wyoming?

Montana drought closures:
http://fwp.mt.gov/fishing/guide/waterClosure.html

Heat won't affect Idaho fishing rules, biologists say
http://www.spokesman.com/blogs/outdo...iologists-say/

Montana was the first of the Inland Northwest states to enact hoot-owl fishing restrictions to protect trout stressed by unusually low flows and warm water conditions.

Oregon and Washington have both enacted emergency fishing rules for some waters that might help in some cases.
The Idaho Fish and Game Department Panhandle Region fisheries manager explained that Idaho had no plans to impose emergency fishing regulations.

I don't really understand how not fishing after 2pm would make a difference to the fish. A fish caught at noon vs 3pm is basically the same thing, or am I reading it wrong?

and am I the only one who had to Google the Belly river? I had never heard of it before, let alone fished it.

[Slava]

I have fished the Belly and caught trout there before.

I assume the heat after 2pm is what they're trying to reduce with that kind of closure though? Maybe there is less stress on the fish that way because they are largely not out of the water in the heat of the day?

[foshizzle11]

Just heard the news at work too, I am a bit bummed about this, sad news for sure.

This weekend we are heading up near Sundre on the James river. Anyone know about that place? Any one fished up there at all??

[zztim81]

Originally Posted by Angelamc

Is there anywhere that us regular folk can look up the planned water management plans as they are being planned or happening, specifically the ghost reservoir?

Unfortunately, its not easy to get operational plans for structures owned and operated by Trans Alta, but you can get reasonably good hydro-graphic data on flows from Alberta Environment and Parks, for the Bow there are few good stations to watch: http://www.environment.alberta.ca/ap...ionID=RBOWCALG
They do have reporting for Storage levels and precipitation mapping but they are even less user friendly for those who don't know what to be watching for.
http://www.environment.alberta.ca/ap...t.aspx?Basin=8

I also know that if you follow the Bow River Basin Council on Twitter or sign up as a member on their website you get occasional updates regarding releases or operations changes. http://www.brbc.ab.ca/

I work closely with folks down in Montana, and they provide a month to month operations plan to all major stakeholders, and i can quickly and easily find out about planning changes in flows or issues like line or canal repairs etc.

[Slava]

Originally Posted by foshizzle11

Just heard the news at work too, I am a bit bummed about this, sad news for sure.

This weekend we are heading up near Sundre on the James river. Anyone know about that place? Any one fished up there at all??

I have fished there and it was OK. The last time I fished there it was only for a few hours by myself and I was walking and had some luck. That was last year and maybe in September (?) and I had some luck on dries. Nothing huge, but not terribly tiny either.

[zztim81]

Originally Posted by Angelamc

I don't really understand how not fishing after 2pm would make a difference to the fish. A fish caught at noon vs 3pm is basically the same thing, or am I reading it wrong?

and am I the only one who had to Google the Belly river? I had never heard of it before, let alone fished it.

The 2pm thing relates to water temperatures, basically the water temperature is the highest (from gradual daytime heating) from about 2pm till late evening and it relates to Dissolved oxygen (DO) levels in the water, the higher the temp of the water the less available DO for fish which are already stressed and then often lost because they cant recover.

I was down the Oldman, upper St Marys, Milk, and Belly river over the last three weeks, average daytime water temps were between 19-23 degrees which is damn near terminal for many trout.

Stay away from the Belly River! I don't need all you Calgary buggers to come mess with my hidden gems, even a poor fly fisherman like myself can have a great time on that river, access is a issue though and i only share secrets with my CP brethren. If you fish it near the border (early season) in Waterton Lakes you have a shot at getting an illusive Belly River Arctic Grayling