Fall Float Fishing The Bow River 2016

The Chute Désirer

Have you ever woke up and wanted something so bad you could almost taste it? A deep hunger for something that you can get rid of until you have it, or rather in my case, go do it? I awoke a few weeks back and had fish on the brain in big way. I must admit, I just bought a new jet boat so each and every chance I get, I want to be out on the water fishing! A few Tuesdays ago I woke up and immediately started thinking about rainbows and browns, and what lures I was going to use to catch them. In fact, I had to get out there so fast that I skipped breakfast and headed straight for the river, sandwich and drinks in cooler of course! I hurried to pack the gear into the truck, and made the mad dash to get to the river that most fishermen and women know too well. That rushed hustle to make it out on the water before any other boats touch the water, sometimes even before the sun peaks its head above the eastern horizon. Sometimes this works out in your favor when you touch the water, and or when your hook digs and dives under the choppy banks of the river. I sometimes wonder if the birds are looking at me going “wow, that guy is up Early”. We know what they say about the “early bird”.

Driving the speed limit with jet boat in tow, I arrived at the river ready to do battle with the Bow River’s finest. As I crossed the river before my turn-off at Dunbow Road, there was a heavy fog still looming over the river. The nights are getting colder now as fall is setting in here in Calgary, leaving frost on the northern side of the tree trunks, and turning the leaves that nice golden yellow that signifies the turn of seasons. We all know here in Alberta, that there are only so many days to enjoy boating and fishing so an angler must “make hay when the sun shines” as the saying goes.

I pulled up to an empty parking lot of humans, with only a few pelicans flying overhead looking for an early morning meal before heading south back to California. My hands turned cold quickly as I hurried to slip my waders on and tie up my boots. I had to pack on a few more layers then normal as I could still see my breath amongst the thick morning mist. I tied my lures as fast as I sprang out of bed and off I went, emerging myself waist deep into the river. Walking slowly as not to slip on the slimy rocks below, I shoved my boat off into the choppy water at Policeman’s Flats and started the motor to warm the jet and get the oil moving. I had a few places to go and I was in a rush to get there. The morning fog had better ideas and kept me moving slow. I could hardly see ten yards in front of me. I decided to shut the motor off and drift until the sun burned off the haze.

Back in the parking lot I chose to tie the one-two knockout punch as I like to call it, the Live Target crankbait on one rod, and the Live Target black and silver slash bait on the other. It’s good to at least have two or three rods rigged up and ready to cast. Why should you bring more than one rod you ask? The answer is simple, in case you break that one rod. There are other reasons such as having reel issues and blowing your reel up. Take my advice and always bring two or three rods with you when you float a river, it’s a long drive home or a long drive to the tackle shop! I started to drift closer into the bank and chucked the slash bait a foot from the bank with authority and snapped the bail of the reel closed abruptly. I started my retrieve with a few turns followed by a pause and a strong crack of the line in a downward motion. It only took a few seconds after the downward crack and boom, I had a big fish take hold and go airborne on me. At first I thought it was a monster rainbow, but after getting the fish closer to the boat, I could see it was a hungry brown taking my offering for his morning breakfast. What a total trip that was, catching him off the bank and I could not even see the lure land.

The sun was burning off the haze rapidly, it was turning a little past 8:00 Am and I could finally see beyond the ten yard mark. I started up the Yamaha and darted downriver to a side chute. I had caught some big fish here a few weeks previous, so I wanted to head straight there and see what would chow down. I entered the chute from the lower end, as the top end is too shallow for my aluminum boat. I would get hung up at the top if I tried that maneuverer. I turned the corner at the end of the island and headed up to the top where the side channel starts and another channel comes in just below the main dump of water. The water was deep here at the time, which always makes for good fishing if the fish are sitting up top where the water flows into the side channel! I chose my Live Target slash bait rod and picked it hurling the lure into the water where it converges. I started to work the lure with some aggressive slashing movements and no takers up top. I drifted further into the chute I waited for an undercut back to my right shoulder and fired the lure a foot from the back. I clicked the bail wire over and slowly reeled the lure out and boom, I could see the flash of the silver rainbow come out and totally hammer my goods. Breakfast is served Mr. Rainbow! I let the boat drift and glide down the left bank as I released this beauty rainbow back into the water. I prepared my rod for another cast into the right side bank where the water dumps off the back into a deep pocket of water about fifteen yards long. I came up empty at the top but the middle of the deep pocket proved to be the strike zone.

Another twenty plus inch rainbow completely came unglued on my lure. I honestly thought I hit a bottom snag the way this fish hit; it took a second before the fish figured out it was hooked and then came airborne to try and escape. Not this time Miss Rainbow trout.

I decided it was time to fire up the jet and go back to the top of the chute for more. I ended up landing seven fish in this deadly side shoot of the river. It was like I was going up to the burger joint window and ordering up fish one after the other. You got to love those days where everything goes right, and the fish are laying up exactly where they are supposed to be, and not to mention feeding up heavy duty. It was a completely amazing day in many ways, from the silence of the river, to the sweet sounds of birds chirping, and the sights of deer coming off the banks to drink from the river.

I saw Bald Eagles, and Golden Eagles, and pelicans, and deer, and not another soul on the river for hours. The most important thing I saw was BIG FISH. I desire to go back, fishing that river, week after week for more. It won’t be long now till fall is but a memory, and the grips of old man winter is upon us. I get cold just thinking about that!