Tue 1 May 2012

Road Trip to Police Outpost Lake

Posted by Vic Bergman under On The Water
Comments Off

On Sunday, I travelled to Police Outpost Lake with my brother-in-law, Paul.  This lake is located southwest of Cardston, about an hour and a half drive from Crowsnest Pass. It’s stocked with rainbow trout. I had not fished here since the delayed harvest regulations were implemented about three years ago, and figured it was time to go back for a visit.

View of Police Outpost Lake

 We arrived just after 9:00 am and within thirty minutes had launched the boat and were fishing. It was a bit windy and cool most of the day, but not enough to make things too uncomfortable. From time to time, the sun would poke through the clouds and it would warm up nicely. We starting catching trout early on and by the end of the afternoon had landed a couple dozen fish, some measuring 18 inches. There were three or four float tubes on the lake and about a half dozen boats. It wasn’t very busy at all, considering it was a weekend. We caught most of our fish on Copper Johns and Glenn’s Leeches, under a strike indicator. There were a few chironimids (midges) hatching, but the fish didn’t seem too interested in feeding on them, at least where we were fishing. Later, we heard some anglers in the float tubes had good success “chronie” fishing. By three o’clock, the fishing tapered off and within an hour we were on our way back to the Pass. We’ll be back!

Paul netting a nice Police Lake rainbow trout

Tags: , ,

 

Tue 3 Apr 2012

Ice-Out Fishing on Lees Lake

Posted by Vic Bergman under On The Water
Comments Off

Lees Lake is a popular fishing spot in southwest Alberta. It’s located along Highway 507, about fifteen minutes from our shop. This lake provides decent fishing for rainbow trout and it’s a great place to fish in spring, once the ice melts. It’s not a large lake and is ideally suited to small boats, pontoon boats and float tubes. The rainbows are typically small to medium size and are usually very cooperative. There’s always a few larger trout around, too, just to make things a bit more interesting. After a long winter, it’s the perfect place to visit. And because it’s close to Crownest Pass, it’s handy.

Sunday April 1, 2012 - An angler in a float tube on Lees Lake.

 The lake had begun to open along shore a couple weeks ago, but cold temperatures returned, causing it to freeze again. While checking the Crowsnest River last Wednesday, I stopped at Lees Lake to see whether there was any change. It was still froze. On Saturday, a couple of anglers stopped in to say they had just passed by the lake and noticed there was some open water at the boat launch and in the small bay along the highway. I headed over on Sunday to see for myself. It was about 3/4 open, and with the way the wind was blowing, it probably wasn’t going to take long for the rest of the ice cover to disappear. It looks like ice-out on Lees Lake will be a month earlier than last year. On Sunday, there was one fly angler on the water in a float tube and another casting from shore. It doesn’t take long for word to spread, once the ice starts to come off. I checked again yesterday and there wasn’t very much ice left anywhere on the lake. Providing Old Man Winter doesn’t return, the lake should remain ice-free. I guess it’s time to put the pontoon boat together.

Sunday April 1, 2012 - Looking west from Lees Lake, toward Turtle Mountain in Crowsnest Pass.

Tags: , , ,

 

Wed 28 Mar 2012

Spring Has Sprung

Posted by Vic Bergman under On The Water
Comments Off

It’s springtime in the Rockies, including here in Crowsnest Pass! We got off pretty easy this winter, compared to last year. I know we’re not out of the woods yet, and anything can happen between now and summer, but it didn’t seem like we received very much snow in Crowsnest Pass this winter. Yet, when you check the Alberta Environment website, their data indicates average to much-above-average mountain snowpack in southwest Alberta. It appears the snowpack is greater north of Hwy. 3, than it is in the south.

The section of the Crowsnest River between Lundbreck Falls and Highway 3 is closed to fishing from April 1 to June 15.

I went for a drive yesterday to check conditions on the Crowsnest River. I stopped in at Lundbreck Falls and chatted with a couple of anglers who had driven down from Edmonton. They were going to fish the day, then head home. They had only been on the water a short time when I caught up with them. One of the anglers mentioned he had already caught a nice rainbow trout. Making a six hour drive to fish for eight hours, and then driving another six hours to get home at the end of the day is what I call dedication. At least, they wouldn’t be going home skunked!

Below are a couple more photos of places I checked yesterday. I also headed over to Lee Lake. About a week ago, there was a bit of open water at the boat launch, but cooler temperatures over the weekend caused it to freeze again. I’ll update conditions, once they change.

If you’re planning to go fishing on the Crowsnest River soon, remember the section between Lundbreck Falls and Highway 3 is closed April 1 to June 15. The section upstream of the East Hillcrest Bridge is also closed until June 16. If you’re in doubt about what sections are open, check the fishing regs. Watch out for ice shelves along the river and fish with a friend.

Yesterday, as I was leaving the parking lot at Lundbreck Falls, a robin flew in front of my truck. I guess spring has arrived to Crowsnest Pass, after all!

The Crowsnest River downstream of Hwy. 3

 

Downstream view of the Crowsnest River from the Hwy. 507 Bridge.

It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade. ~Charles Dickens

Tags: , , ,

 

Sat 10 Dec 2011

It’s Not Quite Winter … Yet

Posted by Vic Bergman under F.Y.I.
Comments Off

It’s hard to believe the fishing season on the majority of the rivers and streams in SW Alberta has been closed for more than a month and that Christmas is only two weeks away. Unlike last year at this time, we haven’t had to deal with much snow, at least not yet.  But rest assured, winter is coming. Although there’s not a lot of snow on the ground at the moment, we’re bound to get our first good snowfall sometime before Santa pays his annual visit. We haven’t had a lot of snow, but we’ve sure been receiving a lot of wind lately. A couple of anglers who had been fishing on the lower Oldman, downstream of the dam, stopped by the shop this afternoon to say they had been blown off the water. I guess the 100 km per hour winds made it tough to stand up, let alone trying to casting into it.

Crowsnest River at Highway 507 Bridge

I went for a drive the other day to check water conditions on the Crowsnest River. Ice is beginning to form along the edges, but there’s still plenty of open water in the stretch between the Highway 507 and East Hillcrest Bridges. If you’re planning to check it out for yourself in the coming months, this section generally has the most ice-free, fishable water.

On another note, our 2012 Fly-Fishing Schools have been scheduled. We’ll be offering a couple of Beginner Schools in May and June. In addition, Jim & Lynda Mclennan will be returning next season to instruct a couple of schools. Gift certificates are available for any of these classes, and make a great “stocking stuffers” for Christmas. Click here for information regarding our Beginner Schools. Click here for info regarding Jim and Lynda’s Schools. Certificates are also available for our guided fly-fishing trips. Call the shop at 403-564-4333 or 1-800-267-1778 for more information.

Tags: , , , ,

 

Sat 5 Nov 2011

Fun Night Out

Posted by Vic Bergman under What Are We Doing?
Comments Off

In my last post, I mentioned Jim McLennan was going to be playing at The Tin Roof in Blairmore, Crowsnest Pass. Well … last night was the night and the place was packed, despite the snowy weather. A crowd of 40+ people were on hand to see Jim perform with his guitar. The food was excellent and the audience was treated to some great musical entertainment. Jim played two sets and included some of the tunes from his CD, “Six-String Gumbo” in his performance.

Jim playing guitar. Photo courtesy of Shirley Ann Schwabe.

Jim and Lynda McLennan performing at the Tin Roof, Blairmore. Photo courtesy of Shirley Ann Schwabe.

We also heard from Lynda McLennan, as she performed a number of beautiful songs throughout the evening. As an added bonus, Joe Cunningham, a musician from Pincher Creek, was in attendance. Joe accompanied Jim on a couple of songs, by playing a drum.

The evening flew by and it ended all too soon. We enjoyed a great meal, conversed with friends and had a lot of laughs. We also listened to some great music. A good time was had by all and we look forward to seeing Jim and Lynda return to perform in the Pass again. If you missed out on yesterday’s show, they will be performing at other locations in Alberta in the coming months. You can check out where, by clicking here. If you have an opportunity, be sure to attend. You won’t be disappointed.

Tags: , , , , ,

 

Fri 14 Oct 2011

Jim McLennan appearing at Tin Roof – Blairmore, Alberta on Friday, November 4th.

Posted by Vic Bergman under F.Y.I.
Comments Off

Jim McLennan of Longview, Alberta is a well known and respected fly-fishing personality in Canada and the U.S., but some of you may not know he’s a talented musician, too. He’s as skilled with a guitar as he is with a fly rod. Jim has been playing guitar since he was a teenager and has recently returned to performing solo. Earlier this year he released his first solo instrumental CD, titled Six-String Gumbo. We’ve been playing it a lot in the shop this summer and think it’s great. However, we’re not the only ones who think this way about Jim’s music. Here’s what a few others have to say.  

“McLennan’s the complete player and one who doesn’t second-guess himself as an artist. Hard to believe that making music of this calibre isn’t what he does on a day-to-day basis for a living, but fans of instrumental acoustic guitar pieces will be thrilled Jim McLennan took time to record this impressive collection.”  – Peter North, host of Dead Ends and Detours and Points North

“Jim McLennan has it all – classic rags to Jerry Reed to the Beatles. He’s a full-fledged guitar picker, at home with blues, folk, jazz, and pop. Some hot pickin’ on this CD!” – Stefan Grossman, American acoustic-guitar guru

If you’re interested in listening to some of Jim’s “hot pickin’,” he’s going to be appearing live at The Tin Roof Grill & Bar in Blairmore, Crowsnest Pass, on Friday November 4th. Special Guest: Lynda McLennan. Seating is limited, so don’t delay. Get your tickets today. We have a few tickets available at the shop (ph: 403.564.4333). They can also be picked up at the Tin Roof, or by calling 403.562.7664.

For more info regarding the McLennan’s and Music, click here. 

Jim McLennan will be appearing at The Tin Roof on November 4th

Tags: , , , , , , ,

 

Sat 24 Sep 2011

September Equinox

Posted by Vic Bergman under On The Water
Comments Off

It’s official, fall has arrived. Yesterday was the first day of autumn across the northern hemisphere, including right here in Crowsnest Pass. You would never know it,  though, judging by the awesome weather we have been experiencing lately. It feels more like summer than fall, that’s for sure. The temperature outside today reached 30 degrees Celsius (86 ºF). Amazing!

The fishing has been holding up really well on our local trout streams. Water levels are good and most streams are in perfect condition for wade fishing. Terrestrial imitations, such as hoppers, ants and beetle patterns, have been producing quite well. Blue-winged olive mayflies and caddis have also been providing decent dry-fly opportunities. 

The Crowsnest River is in great, late summer condition.

 The weather forecast is calling for things to start cooling down over the next week or so. It’s still going to be nice, but temperatures are expected to return to normal for this time of year. I’d be real happy if it stayed like this until Christmas. Then it can warm up, again!

Tags: , ,

 

Thu 21 Jul 2011

July Fishing

Posted by Vic Bergman under On The Water
Comments Off

The fishing is picking up on the rivers and streams in SW Alberta. Although water levels on some of the rivers south of Crowsnest Pass are a bit high at the moment, they’re clear and fishable. The Castle is still a little on the high side, but some of its smaller tributaries are wadeable/crossable and fishing well. The Crowsnest, upper Oldman, Livingstone River and tribs are in good shape and anglers are having good success on these waters.

The rivers and streams in SW Alberta are shaping up nicely

 Insect activity has increased over the past couple weeks and dry flies are working. Hatches include, golden, yellow and lime Sally stoneflies, caddisflies, pale morning dun and green drake mayflies. Good fishing everyone!

Tags: ,

 

Thu 23 Jun 2011

Crowsnest River Update

Posted by Vic Bergman under On The Water
Comments Off

I was able to get out fishing on the Crow yesterday afternoon. Until last week, the river had been high and discoloured, largely due to all the precipitation we’ve been receiving over the past several weeks. All that snow melting in the high country hasn’t been helping, either. The river is still quite high and you probably won’t be able to wade across it for a while yet, but at least the water has cleared to the point where it’s fishable again.

The Crowsnest River remains high but fishable

 When I arrived at the river, I noticed a few adult salmonflies flying about and was hoping that the trout would be on the lookout for these big bugs. We’ve received reports of anglers having some success with large attractor dry flies, so I decided to start with a Stimulator. Over the next hour, I fished some nice water with my dry fly, without success. Not even a look or refusal … nothing at all. Yet, there was more than enough water visibility close to the stream bank, places where you normally expect trout to be holding in these conditions. They just weren’t interested in coming to the top to feed. It was time to change tactics. If the fish wouldn’t rise to the surface to take my dry, I was more than willing to go down to the bottom of the stream with a nymph.

One of the rainbows I caught using a Kaufmann Stonefly nymph

 I switched to a Kaufmann Stonefly Nymph and attached a strike indicator and some split-shot to my leader, then started working a current seam behind a rock deflection jutting out from shore. It didn’t take long, one or two casts,  before I hooked a fish. It got away before I could tell what it was. I moved upstream to the next pool and hooked a couple of fish right off the bat, but they got away, too. Not long after this, I hooked and landed a decent rainbow. I managed to catch one or two more trout after this, before calling it a day. Not a lot of fish came to hand, but it was a great afternoon, nevertheless. I’m sure things will only get better on the river from here on in.

Tags: , , ,

 

Thu 16 Jun 2011

Opening Day – 2011 Fishing Season

Posted by Vic Bergman under On The Water
Comments Off

Today is opening day for the trout streams in southwest Alberta. It’s not uncommon for rivers and streams in this area to be flowing high and discoloured on opening day, and this year is no exception. Temperatures have been cooler than usual this spring, which is slowing down the snow-melt. The cooler weather we’ve been experiencing over the past month is probably a good thing. Conditions could have easily been a lot worse had it been warmer, especially with the amount of rain we’ve received over the past several weeks. Warm temperatures, combined with above-average snow-pack and heavy spring rains, are a recipe for disaster. We all remember what happened in 1995. Fortunately, it doesn’t appear this is going to occur this year. Providing we don’t get too much more rain over the next week or two, conditions should begin to improve shortly. Water levels on the Crowsnest River are beginning to drop and it’s clearing up. Visibility was approximately 2 feet this morning.

View from the East Hillcrest Bridge yesterday, looking upstream

 Even though water conditions are not ideal at the moment, there are a few anglers on the river today. They’re catching some fish, too. One fellow stopped by the shop while I was writing today’s blog to rearm his fly box with woven body stonefly nymphs. He had caught a number of nice rainbows this morning using this fly and decided it might be a good idea to to pick up some more while he was in the area. He was in a hurry to get back on the river and didn’t stay long. I can’t say I blamed him. Now if we could only get some sunshine!

Tags: , , ,

 

Next Page »