The method I normally use to fish here is a Pickerel rig and a tub of frozen minnows, as bait is allowed here. I’ll tie on the Pickerel rig and bait those #2 hooks with the minnows and cast away.I let my weight hit the bottom of the water then tighten my line up to where I can see if I’m getting a bite then just kick back and relax. I’ve had some incredible days fishing out here at the Valley. I think my best day was a total of 18 – 25 fish and my largest Walleye measured 30 inches in length. The fishing should be awesome here at this time of the year as the water just opened for fishing. Just talking about this place makes me want to get in my car and drive.

 The drive out From Calgary takes approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes, but if you’re a die hard fisherman like myself; you’ll probably get there in an hour. The fishing out here is usually awesome all summer long and be sure you bring enough minnows in case the fish go bananas, because you’ll get those days when the action is non stop. Remember there is a zero limit on the Walleye so handle the fish with great care and please do not keep the Walleye out of the water any longer than absolutely necessary. If you see anyone trying to keep the Walleye here or any other body of water that they are not to be kept please call the Report A Poacher Number at 1-800-642- 3800. Poaching is a serious offence and should not be tolerated by any fisherman.

Well I’m happy to say that I was out on the Bow River floating this past weekend and had a very successful trip. Finally the wind had died down enough so I could float without paddling all the way down the river. The last two times I went out was a complete disaster because the wind was so bad it was blowing me back upstream. Note to self, when it gets really windy stay home and work on the Blog. It’s May now and the water levels are starting to rise as we are getting ready for the run off here on the Bow. I noticed that they have opened the weir at Memorial Drive so we should start to see the run off happen very soon. I took a friend out on the Bow River this past Sunday May 8, 2006 and it was the first time he had ever floated the Bow River. I was hoping he was going to catch himself his first Bow River Trout but it just was not his lucky day. We floated from the Glenmore Trail Bridge to Policeman’s flats on a beautiful sunny spring day

Within the first five minutes of the trip I was in to my first trout, a feisty Rainbow that measured 18 inches in length. I was using the silver Panther Martin spinner and this Rainbow did not want to be on the end of it I can tell you that much. He came out of the water twice but with a little luck and some skill I managed to reel him in. A little further down stream I was in to my first Rocky Mountain Whitefish of the season which I mistook to be a trout. It’s funny how those Rockies can feel like a big trout sometimes, none the less he was still making my rod dance. Sometimes that’s all that really matters for me, to see my rod tip bend over and a scrappy fish on the end of my line; that’s what fishing’s all about. So in total, Five Rockies and the one Rainbow Trout, which is not too bad for a days fishing? My Friend Kevin did not catch anything even though we were both using the same hook, but as we all know that’s what keeps you coming back for more. I promise you’ll get all the fish the next time Kevin. I’ll keep you all posted on the next fishing trip down the Bow River or wherever I head out to next