Merry Christmas to All
It has been a great year for me here in Alberta. Christmas has come and gone once again. Lots of cash spent on gifts and cards and the usual time spent at the mall and other department stores. I was not able to fish the last few weeks due to very cold weather here. The temperature dropped to minus 20 degrees and lots of unwanted snow. I am impatiently waiting for a Chinook to blow in so I can fish once again. I do not ice fish so a Chinook is a warm welcome here.
I was blessed to receive a few gift cards for the local tackle store so I will make my way over to Wholesale Sports and see what’s new to add to my ever growing tackle selection. Variety is good I say! I have been reading a lot since it has been cold, a good fishing book always helps me pass the time and it adds to my knowledge base as well. Every author has a different angle on fishing and some of these books are packed with great information to help me improve the art of spin fishing. I usually buy books on trout fishing as that is the species of fish I prefer to catch.
The 2009 fishing season promises to be a good one again, we have had lots of snow here this winter which makes for a good spring season. Lots of snow equals plenty of water in our rives and lakes. I have just acquired a new video camera and promise to shoot many fishing videos and video tutorials to pass on to you. I am set to buy a large raft for this season so comfort and stability will be yours to fish in. My rates will go up a little from last season so please watch for this increase in price. See the “Guided fishing trips” page of the Blog for new prices in 2009.
I am looking forward to the New Year and the 2009 fishing season. If you would like to book a trip in advance for the prime slots in the season you can do that anytime via the “Guided fishing trip page” of the Blog. As always, all major credit cards are accepted through PayPal. June and July will be the prime times to hook big Rainbows and later in the summer/fall the big Browns will show up. If you would like to fish other rivers close to Calgary, I can accommodate that also. The Highwood and the Crowsnest rivers are good alternatives to the Bow River. So I would like to thank you all for the support in 2008 and the loyal readership. Thanks to those who floated with me in 2008, your business is greatly appreciated. I hope to see you out again in 2009.
Thank you,
~Mike.
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Ive got some fantastic ideas on how to expand into some great guided tours that might be very successful
sent me an email if anyones intrested
plattnerman@hotmail.com
any info on where the river in the city limits is free from ice
im heading out 2morow
Guy
plattnerman@hotmail.com
Author
Hello Guy, the river is not completly iced over but there are many chunks of ice floating on it. Guides will freeze up in less than five minutes and it will be difficult to cast a lure between ice chunks.
Good luck to ya’,
~Mike.
fishing was great at fish creek by 22x bridge 2 small and a 19 which put up a deadly fight. The ice was a minor problem casting around but I was suprised at the amount of action(rapala perch worked the best)
Guy
Author
Yes it was a good day, warmed up quite a bit. I am gald to see the chinook blow in. Ice floating is always MINOR, you just need to get creative with the tackle selection. Glad to hear you hooked up, the winter is the best time for massive trout’s!!!!
~Mike.
Happy New Year Mike!! Folks I am a friend of Mike who in the last 2 years has shared his secrets and Hot spots both from shore and floating the Bow. Mike’s true passion, knowledge and experience of all sections of the Bow is unmatched. Every outing is spectactular with Monster trout to talk about for ever! Mike is truly the Bow river Master as I have witnessed some incredible over sized Whales when fishing with Mike. Looking forward to a great 2009!!
Author
Thanks Dean, what a blast we had fishing the past two years. You are catching on fast my friend. It’s also nice to see your better half fishing with us as well, she hooks the HOGS too folks. Hopefully we can get her into the inflatable and do Police to the Carseland Weir.
In 2009 I will take you on an overnighter, we will camp on an island and get up at 10:30 after a few hour nap. We will fish well into the night and then you will see true Whales Dean, all in the blackness of night.
Thanks so much for your support Dean, we made great memories this past summer and I am looking to create many more with you and your family.
Stay well and stay off E-Bay, I want all that tackle for myself !!!!
~Mike.
Hi Mike, I read your blog regularly, as the only site I’m aware of for spin fisherman on the Bow. In one of your previous posting you asked for feedback from your readers and here is mine. Generally speaking you have a good site however the videos on the Tube are quite poor, there is not really too much to learn or see…With regard to your guiding business I have to say one thing as someone who did float hundreds of times rivers on two different continents a in the last 20 years; get rid of that Sevylor “Fish and Hunt” you have is just a piece of garbage. 15 years ago as a new immigrant to this country, I bought one over the winter and in April I took my wife and put the boat in Bowness park, couldn’t wait longer to go on Bow… 10 minutes later we were both wet from the water entering those 4 plugs on the bottom. Horrible boat all around, short oars, riding high on water so is prone to lateral winds etc, Got rid of it and replaced with a aluminum Jon boat, 12 feet long, very good for Bow. Last year I bought myself an Zodiac, 12 foot also, high pressure boat and floor and simple put there is no comparison with that Sevilor junk. I can stand up (which I do all the time when I’m fishing) even in those 1 foot waves at Mc Kinnon flats, I can knee for hours as the high pressure floor is rigid but has a small flex, and the boat is 65 pounds total weight, I can carry it by myself above my head and reach the water anywhere in Calgary. I paid 8 times more than Sevylor but is worth X100 more, put it that way… Anyway, if I will get a chance to go fishing with you it has to be with my boat!!!
With regard to your fishing style actually I went and bought some Frenzy lures after reading your blog, not too much luck with them, CD9, Panter Martin, 5 diamonds and some lures from DAM in Europe are still my best friends. I can’t believe that you like Rooster as I think they are the worst spinners around, I would like to see yours…Anyway, keep posting on your site, I do read it all the time as long is about fishing (just leave the God stuff for your private life) and I may see you at the Sportsman Shaw in February as I go every year just to meet people like us and see all those beautiful boats and fishing lodges!!! Happy New Year, John, the lonely fisherman.
Author
Thanks John, I respect the feedback. My Sevylor has served me well but I will be upgrading the boat over the winter, a 14 foot inflatable by a company out of Idaho called Saturn Boats. See the new boat I am getting here http://www.saturnrafts.com/uploads/Saturn_Frame.jpg A great deal a just as good as a Zodiac at more than half the cost !!!
As for the Berkley Frenzy’s, sorry to hear they are not working for you. They work awesome for me and those who I have let try them. Ask my buddy Chris how he likes them!!! He slammed some monsters last year on all color patterns. The spinner called a Bang-Tail which looks like a Rooster Tail is a great spinner, white is my favorite color. I guess what works for one person/persons may not work for another. I’d be happy to show you my lure selection anytime.
My videos will be higher quality this year as I recently purchased a great Sony Handy-Cam which will shoot high definition videos. The videos will be more helpful and contain more educating content. That’s the goal year after year, get better one year at a time!!!
To conclude, GOD goes with me wherever I go so like the old saying goes, “Take what you want and leave the rest”.
Thanks for stopping by the Blog, hopefully we cross paths on the river some day this spring.
Have a great new year,
~Mike.
Happy New Year to all!
Mike you do a great job on this site, so much information that a person could spend a day on your blog. I have learned lots from the info you put out, and I hope this year you’ll keep us posted on the dot. And I wish you many happy customers, safe floats and big fish!
John, I come from Europe as well, Croatia to be specific, in my books Mike is very informative and really knows his turf(i never met him, but maybe one day). For someone to go out of their way to keep others informed is a big +, not very many people who are willing to do this, especially when it comes to spin fishing.
Sasha
Author
Thanks Sasha, very much appreciate the kind words and comments like this one keep me Blogging and fishing. For those of you who do not own a Blog, Blogging is hard work with many hours hovered over the computer typing well into the wee hours.
I hope one day you can come out fishing with me Sasha, I would be honored to have you out !! I will always go out of my way to help as many as humanly possible. A book is in the works so there will be many more hours slaving away at the laptop.
Sasha, I hope your new years brings you much success and many large trout.
Here’s to thoughts of spring time !!!!
~Mike.
I guess it turns out we have some mutual freinds (cory helm) I look forward to a few durbies this year
fish on
Guy
p.s I’ll definitly report my catches this week love your site
Author
Hey Guy, yeah small world it is indeed. Cory is a great person. Very nice to catch up with him recently on Facebook. This summer we will all get togeather and slam some massive Bow River trouties.
Thanks for the comment and I look forward to hearing all about your trout’s you catch. After all that’s what this site is all about.
Stay well and happy fishing to you.
~Mike.