Bow River Blog – Page 64 – Is Your Fishing Resource For Spin Fishing The Bow River

Dec 20

Merry Christmas Everyone

By Mike Robertson in General Info

My 2009 Christmas Wish List

It’s hard to believe another year has come and gone. Lots of great fishing was to be had in 2009. With winter upon us now the window of opportunity for fishing has gotten smaller indeed. I have only been able to cast a line once this winter with good fishing success. Then it got so cold out that I could only dream. Videos and books have kept my mind occupied but it’s just not the real deal. I have been looking at all the new fishing gear that is making its way out to tackle store shelves. From rods and reels to everything in between. So I thought I would write a short article and let you know what it is I want for Christmas this year.

The new Shimano Stradic is a must buy for any serious spin fisherman, the new design for 2009 utilizes the new CI4 material for construction. Stradic CI4 is the ultimate in lightweight reels designed for the ultra-finesse angler using lightweight fluorocarbon, braided or monofilament lines. From drop shotting to shaky heads and small Texas rigs, this reel has you covered. CI4 stands for Carbon Interfusion with the 4 referring to the number of electrons in the Carbon atom. Ultimately, this means CI4 is reinforced Carbon Fiber. It is over one and a half times stronger than our normal XT-7 graphite and is over 20% lighter. Because it does not contain metal, it is impervious to rust. So, as a result of its strength and weight, we can create an extremely lightweight reel with very precise tolerances. Its cost will be priced at two hundred dollars, but it goes on my list even if it is a little pricy.

Next will be the Shimano Cumara spinning rod, this looks like a very sensitive fishing rod but is also up there in price. Here are the specs on the Cumara. Shimano’s high-performance Cumara Spinning Rods are specifically designed for bass fishing’s most productive bottom bouncing techniques. Whether you’re shaking, dragging, shotting or rigging, the Cumara Spinning Rod is built to deliver maximum feel and enhanced comfort to keep you focused on the bite. The Cumara Spinning Rod features high modulus IM-10 graphite blank construction and is outfitted with Fuji SiC black frame guides, a custom etched butt cap, convenient hook keeper and shaped EVA foam grips. And to make sure the Cumara Spinning Rod is the lightest, most sensitive and innovative rod you’ve fished, Shimano engineered a new custom carbon insert reel seat. The carbon in the reel seat acts as an extension from the blank transferring all signals into the palm and fingers which greatly increases the sensitivity of this rod. You’ll find this increased sensitivity makes a world of difference during slow presentations and deep water situations. The price for this bad boy is 219.00 for the 6 Foot 8 inch fast action rod.

There are a few new colors for certain types of Rapalas. I would add the Rapala X-Rap jointed shad to my tackle box if I were you. Ask Santa to bring you the new colors which are BTO-Bonito. The world record Rainbow Trout was caught with this lure, in this color pattern. Next get the HH-Hot Head which is a hot orange color. And finally the SB-Silver Blue needs to be under the tree this year.

You can buy all this equipment through the Bass Pro Shop link seen above this post. They offer fast shipping and they have what you need in stock when you need it. Bass Pro is offering free upgraded FedEx shipping for orders over 75.00 for the last minute shoppers who need their goods before Christmas arrives. The best thing about shopping on the net is you never even need to get off your sofa.

So these are a few of my must have fishing goodies for Christmas of 2010. Hope you get your fishing equipment you asked Santa for this year and get to chuck out a lure or two on Christmas day. My fingers are crossed the weather warms here and I get to test drive a Rapala X-Rap.

9 comments

Nov 08

Fishing The Bow River For Brown Trout

By Mike Robertson in Lower Bow River

[kml_flashembed movie="http://www.youtube.com/v/bjElDhn6Lco" width="425" height="344" allowfullscreen="true" fvars="fs=1" /]

My friend Andrew and I were out searching for some Bow River trout’s recently. I have been cooped up inside working and just could not turn down the offer to fish. We walked for few miles and selected some prime real estate to fish. I wanted to shoot some video footage for you to see what it is I do when I string up my line. I know most of you already do this and know this information but some people who are new to fishing can benefit from this short video.

Andrew and I started to fish and we were surprised to find we could not catch any fish. It was not for experience or lack of knowledge, just no fish were holding in this area at that time. So we walked down the river to find the Brown trout we were hoping to catch. We came to a deep pocket of water where I have hooked fish before and I launched my minnow spinner far across the river. The first few attempts were unsuccessful and after a few more, fish on baby. I tried to reel him in but he was very sly and smart and spit my hook as fast as he ate it. It was a nice brown trout and I was a little frustrated as this was my first fish I had a chance to land. We fished here a few more minutes and moved further downstream.

I was looking to fish a long stretch of water where two branches of the river converge. We arrived and just my second cast and I was rewarded with a beautiful brown that fought like Mike Tyson for a few rounds until I was able to land it. Powerful bruiser he was. Andrew hooked and landed a few nice rainbows and I continued to hammer some sweet browns.

What an awesome day on the Bow River once again. Please watch the video attached to this post and click HD to watch the video in High Definition. Hopefully I can get back out to the river soon and hammer some more big hogs very soon!

Oct 18

New All-Tackle World Record Rainbow Trout

By Mike Robertson in Fishy News

pendingworldrecordrainbow

This is a story I could not refuse to pass along to my readers. I crossed paths with these guys on Bounty Fishing where they have been cashing in on some online tournaments for Walleye, Trout, and other species of the week. I clicked their link to their webpage and also watched their videos on YouTube and was blown away with what they were hauling in. Massive Rainbow Trout from Lake Diefenbaker, Saskatchewan. These twin brothers know how to land monster fish and set all kinds of world records in the process.

Here is their story which was posted on Rapalas E-RapUp which is Rapalas monthly newsletter.

“It’s one thing for us to say that Rapala lures catch big fish, and tell you about World Records that have fallen to the signature wounded-minnow action.

It’s another thing to have new record stories to share year after year, even month after month.

Right after we told you about the new All-Tackle World Record brown trout, word came of a new All-Tackle World Record rainbow trout. Both caught on Rapalas!

These are not fish easily fooled. They have lived for a long time and got bigger than any individual specimen ever caught by anybody, before eating a Rapala, because they were fooled by it.

On Sept. 5, 2009, Sean Konrad of Spruce Grove, Alberta, Canada, battled and boated a 48-pound rainbow trout, claiming the title of biggest ‘bow ever caught. He was fishing at night, slowly back trolling an X-Rap Jointed Shad (XJS13) in Bonito (BTO) color pattern.

The fish, possibly a triploid (a strain of fish genetically altered for optimum growth), is pending certification, but is significantly larger than the existing world record… 43 pounds, 10 ounces, caught in 2007 by… get this… Sean’s identical twin brother, Adam Konrad.

The twins, gainfully employed as auto mechanics, are trophy trout seekers who also guide clients in their quest for the fish of a lifetime. Both world record rainbows came from Diefenbaker Lake, in Saskatchewan. These brothers live to fish, traveling to Montana and other destinations in search of good waters to ply.

We often hear people compare big fish to footballs, but Sean Konrad’s 42-inch long, 32-inch girth, 48-pound rainbow trout makes us imagine that a replica stuffed with padding would make a great king-size pillow, on which we could all dream about catching a fish like that”.

5 comments

Oct 12

Didymo Affecting Many Trout Rivers And Streams

By Mike Robertson in Fishy News

Click and watch the YouTube video above and watch how bad this can affect trout rivers!

What is this problem that is infecting so many trout streams and lakes around the world? I first read about Didymo online in a fishing article stressing the importance of not spreading this disease to other streams and lakes. The article stated that felt soled wading boots was the main cause of the spread. The author stressed that in the very near future felt soled wading boots could be banned. I have never heard of this disease but I have seen signs of it in the Bow River where I fish regularly. So what is it and how can we help stop it?

Rock snot which it is also referred to is algae bloom that cuts off oxygen levels to affected streams and lakes. Algae cells bond together to form large mats, preventing the insects that fish usually eat from living in their natural environment and limiting the food fish can access. “Bad cases cover the bottoms of rivers like shag carpeting and this allows water flow between the water and sediments and the sediments may not receive the proper oxygen exchange,” said Leland Jackson, a professor in the U of C’s department of biological studies. “We’re going to use genetic fingerprinting to determine if it’s native to Alberta or non-native.”

Researchers from Parks Canada and the University of Calgary have teamed up on a two-year study to determine where the Didymosphenia geminata, also known as didymo or rock snot, began growing and stop it from harming the ecosystem further.

How do I identify Didymo?

The alga attaches itself to the streambed by stalks and can form a thick brown layer that smothers rocks, submerged plants and other materials. It forms flowing ‘rats tails’ that can turn white at their ends and look similar to tissue paper. As the ‘tails’ of the algae get longer they become white in color.

How do we prevent the spread of Didymo?

Here are some suggestions to use. All river users are urged to take care not to spread the alga from one waterway to another. Before you leave any river or lake:

Check – remove all visible threads or clumps of weed and algae from gear and clothing. Felt soled wading boots should be paid close attention too as they will carry the most algae.
Clean – soak or scrub all items of equipment for at least one minute with either:

A: Hot (60 degrees C) water, or
B: 2% solution of household bleach, or
C: 5% solution of salt or nappy cleaner, or
D: 5% solution of dishwashing detergent, or
E: 5% solution of antiseptic hand cleaner.

Dry – after cleaning equipment, or if cleaning is not practical (e.g. animals), dry until touch and or dry then leave for a further 48 hours before entering another waterway.
Let’s do our part in stopping the spread of this could be catastrophe in our rivers, lakes and oceans. I encourage you to listen to this pod cast on CBC’s website found here http://www.cbc.ca/quirks/archives/06-07/mar24.html

Rock snot was discovered here less than 10 years ago. Researchers have learned it exists in every river between Red Deer and Waterton and is virtually impossible to kill. The algae has also been found in B.C., Quebec and New Brunswick, as well as parts of the U.S., Scandinavia and New Zealand, the latter of which has lost up to 90% of its fish population in some areas.

Happy Twenty Anniversary

Inner City Bow River Trout Fishing, January 2026

Merry Christmas 2025

Inner city fishing the Bow River 2025

My dearest friend Robert.

Merry Christmas Everyone

Fishing The Bow River For Brown Trout

New All-Tackle World Record Rainbow Trout

Didymo Affecting Many Trout Rivers And Streams

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