Fishing - Everything Fishing!

[foshizzle11]

Thanks calgarygringo, good info! I am excited to head out there tonight, we will definitely be bringing our bear spray for this trip. It looks beautiful out there. I guess I'll bring my spinning rod too and see how that goes.

I'll post pics if we catch anything!

[Flacker]

Originally Posted by foshizzle11

Thanks calgarygringo, good info! I am excited to head out there tonight, we will definitely be bringing our bear spray for this trip. It looks beautiful out there. I guess I'll bring my spinning rod too and see how that goes.

I'll post pics if we catch anything!

I haven't fished Cataract for a lot of years, but we used to do well down at the falls, which is about 2-3KM downstream from the campsite. Always held some larger fish. The trail is well established.

Humpies (yellow), and caddis patterns if I am remembering correctly.

Cut my teeth fly fishing that little creek, need to get back out there some time!

[Slanter]

I'd be interested to see what Cataract Creek looks like these days... Heard it may have seen some significant changes due to the flood two years ago.

[troutman]

Fish and Wildlife Officers never experience the same day twice. There’s always something different to see. Take these two fish for instance. The pike (right) had the walleye stuck in his gills and couldn’t spit it back. It had clearly bitten off more than it could chew. Officers found these two while patrolling Winagami Lake.

https://www.facebook.com/AlbertaFish...cement?fref=nf

[calgarygringo]

Yes it has changed again if you havent been there in a few years. These 3 or 4 50 years floods we have been getting change it every time. The last one all the bridges across the creek got taken out and many new holes and paths are there. Just walk up and you will still find fish holding in the deeper holes and runs as they always do.

Originally Posted by Slanter

I'd be interested to see what Cataract Creek looks like these days... Heard it may have seen some significant changes due to the flood two years ago.

[foshizzle11]

We had never been to Cataract creek and thought it was ok. We spent the first day heading downstream and fishing any pool we found. I had a little brook on a couple times but nothing worth keeping.

Fish surfacing a lot. Then Saturday we spent the day on the Highwood at the emergency store, just under and down from the bridge.

I was snake bitten but my boyfriend caught 3, we thought were rainbows but think they might be Dolly's.


He didn't have his phone so he didn't get a shot of the 12" trout he caught. He said all three were the same.
Rainbow or Dolly's?

Today we went upstream of the Cataract creek campground and found some nicer pools, little guys jumping all over but no luck. I had another brook at the base of some rapids jump out of the water for my fly but I missed it!

I would recommend heading upstream from the campground if you head out there for sure. I could have easily spent the whole day out there.

Anyway, our next trip will be to hit up the Highwood closer to Longview. At least between Longview and the Kananaskis boundary.

Has anyone floated the Highwood or kayaked it??

[FLAME ENVY]

Originally Posted by foshizzle11

We had never been to Cataract creek and thought it was ok. We spent the first day heading downstream and fishing any pool we found. I had a little brook on a couple times but nothing worth keeping.

Fish surfacing a lot. Then Saturday we spent the day on the Highwood at the emergency store, just under and down from the bridge.

I was snake bitten but my boyfriend caught 3, we thought were rainbows but think they might be Dolly's.


He didn't have his phone so he didn't get a shot of the 12" trout he caught. He said all three were the same.
Rainbow or Dolly's?

Today we went upstream of the Cataract creek campground and found some nicer pools, little guys jumping all over but no luck. I had another brook at the base of some rapids jump out of the water for my fly but I missed it!

I would recommend heading upstream from the campground if you head out there for sure. I could have easily spent the whole day out there.

Anyway, our next trip will be to hit up the Highwood closer to Longview. At least between Longview and the Kananaskis boundary.

Has anyone floated the Highwood or kayaked it??

Those are Brookies.

Floating the Highwood is not feasible for a variety of reasons, it is a walk & wade stream. The best (and most scenic) fishing on the Highwood is upstream of Longview, some amazing pools with a good shot at a big Bull. It can also be very good in the 4 KM stretch upstream from the confluence with the Bow.

*Bring bear spray if fishing west of Longview, especially this time of year.

[troutman]

First is brook trout for sure. Second probably is too, but might also be a bull trout - I can't see the fin very well.

Rule of thumb - black spots on body is a trout. Brook trout is actually a char and does not have black spots. Bull trout has no black on body or fins.

[JiriHrdina]

Just want to say, I don't fish at all, yet for some reason I really enjoy this thread.
I used to lake fish as a kid - primarily up in Northern Alberta (Cross Lake mainly) and closer to home at Little Bow.
Mainly fished for Pike, Perch and Walleye.
This thread has caused me to think about getting into it again, even just casually.

[PaperBagger'14]

Originally Posted by JiriHrdina

Just want to say, I don't fish at all, yet for some reason I really enjoy this thread.
I used to lake fish as a kid - primarily up in Northern Alberta (Cross Lake mainly) and closer to home at Little Bow.
Mainly fished for Pike, Perch and Walleye.
This thread has caused me to think about getting into it again, even just casually.

This thread was a big reason I started again, and also another reason I'll be up tomorrow at 6:00 am .

[troutman]

“Like many fly fishermen in western Montana where the summer days are almost Arctic in length, I often do not start fishing until the cool of the evening. Then in the Arctic half-light of the canyon, all existence fades to a being with my soul and memories and the sounds of the Big Blackfoot River and a four-count rhythm and the hope that a fish will rise.

Eventually, all things merge into one, and a river runs through it. The river was cut by the world's great flood and runs over rocks from the basement of time. On some of those rocks are timeless raindrops. Under the rocks are the words, and some of the words are theirs.

I am haunted by waters.”

― Norman Maclean, A River Runs Through It

[foshizzle11]

Thanks Troutman, good to know about what to look for on the fish. It is so hard to tell sometimes for us amateurs!

Good to hear guys. We really started to get into this year. I am addicted now and it is all I want to do every weekend. I guess the next hobby I'll need to add is ice fishing. We don't have any gear but would love to start.

If you guys need gear, you can sometimes find gear used that is still pretty good on Kijiji and other online locations. I might do that for ice fishing gear.

Anyway, we still have lots of time for fly fishing, so hopefully I can get out onto some more rivers before it gets too cold!

[troutman]

Trout ID chart on page 2:

http://www.albertaregulations.ca/pdf...tification.pdf

No black, put it back (bull trout).

Trout ID quiz:
http://www.qisley.redearthcreek.com/FishID.htm

[troutman]

Fish and Wildlife Enforcement

Late on Saturday evening, two males, one driving a quad and another driving a motocross bike, encountered two grizzly cubs northwest of Cochrane (about 60 km west near Hunter Valley Road, commonly referred to as Ghost PLUZ or Ghost Public Land Use Zone). They were then both attacked by the mother bear. The attack stopped after one of the individuals was able to pepper spray the mother bear. The two males then travelled on the quad to find help.

One male was seriously injured and transported by STARS to a Calgary hospital, and the second male treated on-site as his injuries were more minor. The incident is under investigation by Alberta Fish and Wildlife.

The area is now closed to the public.

An update on the investigation and the health status of the individuals is expected to be available mid-morning Monday.

Please note details may change as the investigation progresses.

General information on bear safety is at http://aep.alberta.ca/recre…/alberta-bear-smart/default.aspx

[FLAME ENVY]

Originally Posted by troutman

First is brook trout for sure. Second probably is too, but might also be a bull trout - I can't see the fin very well.

Rule of thumb - black spots on body is a trout. Brook trout is actually a char and does not have black spots. Bull trout has no black on body or fins.

They're both Brook Trout. The Caudal fin (tail) on Bull Trout are almost translucent with no dark coloration. Bulls (especially the larger fish) will darken up during the spawn but are normally very silver with light spots in Alberta.

I participated in the Quirk Creek suppression program with TUC some years ago removing non-native Brook Trout. Brian Meagher, who was then the TUC provincial biologist (now with Alberta Fish & Wildlife) had a great exam with many different sizes and species of trout/char to identify. It is likely still available to complete at the TUC office, it is quite fun and educational to do.

[Slava]

In case anyone is curious as to why they would want to suppress the non-native Brooks as opposed to the non-native Rainbows or Browns, its because they are fall spawners, same as the Bulls. While the Rainbows spawn at the same time as the Cutthroats and there is a push to limit that hybridization, the main push that I've seen so far is with the Brooks/Bulls.

The problem with the Cutbow as they're sometimes called is that they can no longer spawn effectively (among other concerns) and same with the Brook/Bull. Overall, the push is to protect the Cutthroats and Bulls and try to protect these native fish though.

One new stocking program of interest is the Tiger Trout. Now when they stock they choose lakes/ponds that are secluded to try to make sure that they can overwinter safely, have enough food and can't interact with the native trout populations. The Tiger trout is a hybrid of the Brook and Brown and although I've never caught one, they look pretty cool!

[foshizzle11]

I found the TUC quiz if anyone is interested.

http://www.tucanada.org/index.asp?p=2164

It is interesting to learn why the biologists are doing these things and why some species are catch and release only. Thank you for posting!

I'll post my score when I am done, see how well I do!

[troutman]

I remember that quiz and the Quirk Creek program.

Just did 39/40, but I don't consider whitefish "fish", so I was perfect!

[FLAME ENVY]

Originally Posted by Slava

In case anyone is curious as to why they would want to suppress the non-native Brooks as opposed to the non-native Rainbows or Browns, its because they are fall spawners, same as the Bulls. While the Rainbows spawn at the same time as the Cutthroats and there is a push to limit that hybridization, the main push that I've seen so far is with the Brooks/Bulls.

The problem with the Cutbow as they're sometimes called is that they can no longer spawn effectively (among other concerns) and same with the Brook/Bull. Overall, the push is to protect the Cutthroats and Bulls and try to protect these native fish though.

One new stocking program of interest is the Tiger Trout. Now when they stock they choose lakes/ponds that are secluded to try to make sure that they can overwinter safely, have enough food and can't interact with the native trout populations. The Tiger trout is a hybrid of the Brook and Brown and although I've never caught one, they look pretty cool!

Another real concern with Brookies is they are prolific breeders compared to other trout species and will readily take over a watershed and out compete native trout for available food. Often in these cases, the Brookie population is also stunted so you have a ton of 7"-9" fish. This is quite common in Alberta where Brook Trout have been introduced.

[foshizzle11]

Hence why in that area of the Highwood, you can keep 2 Brookies at any size. I think we will start doing that more often, not a bad snack to have!

I'll be sure to take better pictures next time we go.

Where can we fish for Tiger trout? I would love to see one of those up close.

Oh, and I only got 80%, 32/40. Some of the lake trout and browns I got wrong. Boo.