Dec 23

December Fishing on The Bow River

Reprieve From The cold of Winter          PHOTO GALLERY

In the middle of winter here in Alberta where the temperatures have been anywhere from ten to fifteen below zero, we welcome something called a Chinook. What the heck is a Chinook you might ask? Another name for the Chinook is “snow eater” since the warm and dry air quickly melts and evaporates snow away that is on the ground. A popular myth is that Chinook means “snow eater”, as a strong Chinook can make snow one foot deep almost vanish in one day. The snow partly melts and partly evaporates in the dry wind. Chinook winds have been observed to raise winter temperature, often from below -20°C (-4°F) to as high as 10°C to 20°C (50°F to 68°F) for a few hours or days, then temperatures will return to their normal levels.

Chinook winds are named because they come from the country of the Chinook Native Americans: the lower Columbia River, west of the Rocky Mountains. The term originated in the local argot of the fur trade. Chinooks are most prevalent over southern Alberta in Canada, especially in a belt from Pincher Creek and Crowsnest Pass through Lethbridge, which get 30 to 35 Chinook days per year on average. Chinooks become less frequent further south in the United States, and are not as common north of Red Deer, Alberta.

In southern Alberta, most of the winter can be spent with little or no snow on the ground. In Calgary, there is snow about 59% of the time on Christmas, compared to 88% for Edmonton. In Canada, only the West Coast of British Columbia and southern Ontario have fewer white Christmases than southern Alberta. So what does all this mean to a die hard fisherman like me, well quite simply I get to go out and do some open water fishing for a few hours during the Chinook temperatures of plus seven degrees. Last week I did just that, with excellent success fishing for massive Browns.

The ice from the river clears at 12:30 in the afternoon and the fish have only been feeding on insect larva, needless to say these trout are hungry and extremely aggressive. When a large Brown Trout spots a medium sized baitfish moving slowly through his area, he smashes it hard and quickly. The question is where do you find large Browns in the winter months, well I will look for these fish in slow deep holes five to ten feet deep. I also look to find Brown Trout hanging off of seems where the water becomes slower and food slows down and moves toward the fish. One must remember the water temperatures are very cold in winter, fish will move quite slower than they move when the water temperatures are warmer. Slower retrieve speeds and longer pauses between revolutions of your reel will greatly increase your odds of hooking those big Browns. Fishing pressure makes a difference in the winter, I am often the only one out on the river and this factor works in my favor. A Chinook is a warm welcome here and whenever one blows in, you will find me at the side of the river casting colorful minnow imitations and hooking large Brown Trout. Bundle up and do not forget your boots, toque, gloves and that old thermos of hot coffee.

Dec 04

Ice Fishing

Getting Ready For Ice. (Continued)                     

The Gadgets

There is a plethora of neat gadgets that you can purchase to keep you comfortable and warm while out in the cold. The outdoor industry is full of useful gadgets to keep us warm and comfortable, when it’s cold outside. Here are some additions for you to add to your outdoor arsenal. There are so many gadgets I may miss something here, so feel free to add your favorites by posting a comment.

Heated socks might seem like a gimmick, but these wired tubes can help keep your feet toasty and warm in cold weather temperatures. They are particularly handy when out for long-periods with little movement, and can be turned on whenever feet start to get cold.
Like heated socks, air-activated heat packs like hot shots are a lightweight accessory that can be utilized to keep hands and feet warm when standing or sitting for long periods of time.

I keep a headlamp in my outdoor gear year round. It’s particularly useful when walking trails in low light. It’s also useful when I’m trying to quickly pack up my car in the dark, in the cold of a winter evening. I use this headlamp for night fishing in the summer and never take it out of my backpack. These headlamps are fairly cheep and come in very handy at all times and all seasons.

Sunglasses are often forgotten when ice fishing in the winter, but that’s a big mistake and often means either going to the nearest store to buy some, or packing up and leaving. Glare from snow and ice as well as stinging, cold wind can leave you squinting all day and reduce your visibility. High quality sunglasses will protect your eyes from harmful UV rays and blowing wind and ice. Keep a check list of items you will need and tick them off one by one before you leave the house, this way you will be ready for anything mother nature throws at you.

Nov 28

Ice Fishing

Getting Ready For Ice!                                 

Anyone for some ice? No not in your drink, fishing that is! I have put away the fly vest and my favorite summer shorts for another year. This is a time where I almost shed a tear or two because I know open water fishing has ended here in Alberta. I will now have to dig out those winter boots that have been collecting dust and try and find the winter parka that is hiding somewhere or other. We now trade our spinning and fly gear for those plastic contraptions called tip-ups. Here in a province where winter makes up almost half our fishing season, we need to prepare for the ice relatively early compared to some states and provinces. Preparation is a word I have become all too familiar with after painful days of cold hands, and cold feet for hours on end.

What does a guy/girl really need when venturing out onto an ice covered lake? Here are some of the things I take with me when I decide to scratch that fishing itch. Let’s assume that we are going to be driving right onto the lake and parking within ten yards of the hole we are going to drill.

The Clothing

Clothing will be the most important part of your list as we all want to keep warm and dry as we venture out for a day on the ice. Gloves made of neoprene or polar fleece will be essential to keep your hands warm while jigging or while pulling up your trophy from the depths of the lake. Keeping your hands warm and dry will keep you from packing up and going home early. Headgear that covers the whole head, face and skin is what I prefer to use. Material made with acrylic and Dacron which is designed to keep your skin dry and comfortable is what I use when ice fishing. Proper underwear is highly recommended such as long johns and long-sleeved t-shirts. I use a full snowsuit when ice fishing, snowsuits are fairly cheep and provide maximum protection against the cold and wind. Boots that are lined with heavy duty lining will work best, look for boots that are rated for below -20 Degrees C. Remember you are standing on a sheet of ice and your feet will suffer if you do not have adequate footwear.

The Toys

Most anglers prefer to use ice fishing huts when out on their local lake. Anglers who ice fish and use huts to keep warm and cozy. Some folks build their own ice huts of wood and modify the bottom to either have two or three holes in them depending on the size of the shack. Often the huts are heavy and require some kind of motorized vehicle to pull the shack on and off the lake. How do you get your shack to that perfect fishing spot where the prey are hungry and are willing to take your bait? In Alberta, I see tons of sportsmen using a snowmobile to haul their prized creations to and from their favorite fishing spot. This aids in having to drive a heavy vehicle out on the ice and risk your truck or car taking that dreaded plunge below the ice. Many anglers move their shack from two or three locations on the lake searching for those biting tooth critters. This is where a snowmobile comes in seriously handy and will get you from point A to point B in a jiffy. As most Canadians and Americans are aware of, you need a snowmobile license to operate a sled. A safety course is also very wise to take as a beginner if you are unfamiliar with how to operate a snowmobile. You can take the online snowmobile safety course and certification tests here snowmobile course

Take your Snowmobile Safety Course ONLINE! This interactive, fully narrated Snowmobile Safety course will teach you all about riding your Snowmobile safely and responsibly, and will allow you to obtain your state’s Snowmobile Safety Certificate so that you can go riding on public lands!

The Tackle

Ice fishing is quite different than fishing on the open water and therefore requires a different fishing rod. I know people have a hard time parting with money but these rods are quite inexpensive and they best suit your fishing situation. How many anglers have you seen using that old multi species fishing rod that they have owned since the early eighties? Although these rods may still catch fish, you are at a disadvantage with regards to sensitivity, action and responsiveness. The new rods made from high quality graphite will outperform that old beast any day. Ice fishing is exactly like freshwater fishing where a fisherman needs to have different rod’s and reels for different fishing species and different applications. Line will also need to be considered as the monofilament from the summer will not cut it out in the freezing cold. There are specialty lines available that are designed for cold weather fishing. These new lines maintain their suppleness in severe cold and will not coil up as badly as regular mono will come winter. To be continued

Nov 15

November Fishing On The Bow River

Ready. Set. Fish.                                              PHOTO GALLERY 

I was rushing to complete my daily duties at work so I could find a couple of hours to get out and fish. With the weather being above normal for this time of year, I might as well take advantage of it when I have the chance. I arrived at the river at two thirty and was grateful the sun was shining on my face. I recently went looking for new tackle on the internet and searched Bass Pro Shops online tackle store for hours on end. I do this because there are just certain lures that I cannot get a hold of in my local tackle stores. What I look for is different colors and different sizes that are unavailable here in Calgary, Alberta. I came across a familiar lure to me being the Rapala X-Rap, but on Bass Pro Shops site there are four different colors I cannot buy here. I went ahead and bought four Rapala’s in the color pink.

As I have noticed that there are more Brown’s showing up on the end of my hook lately, I choose to tie this new shiny pink Rapala onto my six pound Berkley Trilene XT monofilament and heave it out into the clear cold water of the Bow River. This is no joke folks, my very first cast with this little gem and wham-o, fish on. I slowly retrieved what at first I thought was a big Brown, but as I began to get a better look at the fish; it became clear that this was a Rainbow Trout.

I guess it pays to do your tackle shopping online these days. The fishing never really slowed down from that point on. I was successful in catching six large Rainbow Trout and three Brown’s that were very decent in their own right. Why you might ask do I shop online for my fishing hooks when I have three major stores right here in Calgary?  It is quite simple, online tackle stores like Bass Pro Shops have different colored lures, they have lures that are smaller or larger than I can get here, they have hooks that I just plain do not see in my local tackle store period. I believe that I have a better chance of hooking into fish as a result of presenting the Trout something they may have never seen before! In summery, you can shop online via my website by clicking the Bass Pro Shop link and find everything your looking for there, or don’t the choice is completely yours.