Bow River Blog – Page 52 – Is Your Fishing Resource For Spin Fishing The Bow River

Apr 16

Fishing The Bow River With My Good Friend Dwayne Parsons

By Mike Robertson in Gone Fishing

North Meets South

A few years back now I met a person from the United States, Sandpoint Idaho to be specific. His name is Dwayne K Parsons. My writing skills were weak at best and I needed a lot of work and help in the writing department. I could fish no problem but when it came to writing about it there was a great deal to learn. By chance this man from Idaho was a writer/editor who wrote for popular fishing magazines in the U.S. He was gracious and offered me his help by editing my unrefined chicken peck’s I called articles. Wow did I ever learn a lot from him in those early days of writing articles for my Blog. I remember him asking me why all the words in my article were piled jointly into one huge disorder of words. It took me back to basic high school English classes.

After working with me for numerous months and helping me with my entries, I was off to a slow start. For me it wasn’t so much about the writing it was more about the fishing and sharing with the world my journeys on the Bow River and elsewhere. Man things sure do change. I realize now to stay around for a long time you need to add content that captivates the reader. Articles that bring the reader with you through written word’s, to the river you are fishing that day. The main intent now is to share my experiences and bring you with me wherever I fish.

I finally met my writing mentor this past Friday night when I met him at his hotel room here in Calgary. We shook hands and greeted each other before we sat down on our computers and shared a few hours doing business for our new website seen at www.youronthehook.com. We planned strategies on who we wanted to interview in the 2011 fishing season and then it was off back home to sleep as we were fishing the Bow River the next day. I picked Dwayne up the next morning at his hotel and then we were off to Policeman’s Flats to jump in Todd’s boat for a rip up and down the murky stained water of the Bow River. We all piled into the Zodiac and burned down river for some Bow River Brown Trout. I wanted Dwayne to catch at least one or two big bow river trout to make his outing a memorable one. We entered a slow deep hole and Dwayne fired his lure into the top of the hole. A few tweaks later and Dwayne was into a huge Brown Trout. He battled hard but the fish battled harder and got off at the boat as we were just about to net the trout. He did however land a few nice rainbows and a Rocky Mountain Whitefish to end his day.

I asked Dwayne how he liked the river and he stated “I will be back for more very soon”. I am grateful Dwayne was able to make it to Calgary and fish with me on the Bow River. What a great day! I am sure this will be the first of many fishing trips together with the southerner. Fish on Dwayne, fish on!

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Mar 25

A Man And His River!

By Mike Robertson in Friday's Fishing Flashbacks

The Journey To Serenity

The alarm clock rings at five in the morning, the sweet sound of music tickles the ears and then you are up and at it. For a trout fisherman who is eager to make the river, five o’clock is no big deal. The knowledge of that first fish gets you motivated like no other type I know of. The river is like a good old friend who welcomes you inside every time you step on its doorstep. That warm feeling of being home overwhelms you. Being away from home too long leaves you unsettled, but once you come home to the river, you know beyond a shadow of a doubt that you belong here! The fish are but just a bonus, like having a grand desert after a good meal.

Your heart begins to beat quicker and your fingers tingle with anticipation. The river has a way of bringing you that particular feeling. After a few moments your heart settles and you begin to breathe deeper inhaling that sweet fragrance of pine and cotton wood which overhang the banks of the river. The water is glowing with the first light of the sun touching the dancing pyramids that flow along the far bank. As you glance to your right a deer spooks and bounces through the foliage away from you into the rising sun. Vapor rises from the river as you unzip your back pack and fetch your first lure. Before you tie up you recess and take in the scenery, the city sure does not look this beautiful! Then you recommence your knot, synching it up tight to the split ring making sure to wet it before it closes firm. You check it and make sure you are good to go.

Once the lure is hurled, you loosen up and hone in on the line. You watch that line like a hawk and feel the lure pulsating in your hands. The lure then hits the bottom and quickly grabs your full attention. Just the bottom you think but wait that might be a fish. You stop the lure a few seconds and resume your retrieve, hoping to unite with that first fish but nothing happens. A few more casts in that location and no action. A short walk up the river bank to another location where you view a seam that cannot be passed up. The lure runs down the river bouncing over the shallow shelf and then into the deep water beside it. Sha-bang that first fish can’t resist; a brown trout surfaces before diving back down to the river bed to shake the lure out from its toothy jaws. Not this time as the fish is scooped up in the soft rubber net and carefully admired.

You have now found that sweet spot in the river as another fish has taken that bait. One after another you find victory. Finally after six fish have been landed the fish discontinue their feeding frenzy. It is wise to move along to another piece of real estate and investigate again. The hunter is on the prowl to find his prey. Knowing how to dissect a river is an important piece of the puzzle and an art form in itself. Once you know how to read water you will be rewarded with some colossal fish and your journey will be productive.

It does not really matter if you catch one fish or one hundred, you are home and home is where the heart is. You never want to leave and make sure you are never away for long. The fish seem to call you back. In all seasons and in all temperatures, no one can keep you away. The journey for serenity at last ends when you come home!

Mar 19

Simple Tips To Keep Flying Rainbow Trout On Your Hook

By Mike Robertson in Fishing Tips And Tactics

A Rainbow In The Sky

The old angler says to the young angler as they looked down watching the trout gather to feed above the riffle, “what do ya say we just mosey on down and catch all of them fish in that river”. The young angler is game and accepts the offer. They simultaneously cast out and reel in hoping to strike. The fish are fussy at first but eventually can’t resist the allure of that minnow. Pretty soon the young angler has a high flying rainbow trout. The fish is launching out toward the bright sun. The young angler fights as the old angler stands beside and observes the tussle. Soon the fish is under control as the young angler exerts every ounce of energy to land the fish. What did the young angler do to keep the launching rainbow trout on his barbless hook?

Many times when we hook a rainbow trout the fish goes airborne and gets off leaving us with that empty feeling. It’s especially frustrating when it’s the first fish of the day or the biggest one we have laid eyes on. How then do you keep that rainbow trout from getting off and getting the best of you?

Keeping constant pressure on that fish is part of the recipe for success. If your line goes slack for even a second that fish is gonzo. Examining your line closely will give you the advantage you need and keep your reaction time quick. When that fish goes airborne it is critical that you are able to reel fast and keep the fish on. Keeping the rod tip high in the air will keep a tight line and prevent escape. What you might also need to do is prevent that fish from flying out again after its initial breach. You will turn your rod tip to the side to keep the fish submerged in the water, further preventing the trout from making a second leap for freedom.

Hooks are a big part to keeping your fish on the line. There are different styles of hooks on the market that you can make barbless which give you a way better chance of keeping those high flying rainbows hooked up and locked on. The Triple Grip hook by Mustad features a unique bend that forces fish to hook elbow, making it virtually impossible to throw the hook, and an in-line hook eye point for 100% power with each hookset. Even though you are barbless, the bend in this hook will significantly increase your chances of keeping that feisty rainbow from throwing that hook. It is important to match the hook size with what was on the lure from factory. Many tackle companies tank test lures to make sure they run true and give the perfect wobble right out of the box. If you use a hook that is smaller or larger than that of the factory hook, it may throw off the balance of the lure making the lure work incorrectly.

In many cases there are just days where despite everything you use and try to keep your fish from escaping, they soar out and get off. That’s fishing friends and part of the sport! It is important to observe all rules while out fishing. Some rivers or lakes have a single barbless rule in place which means a single hook is to be used, no trebles and that single hook is to be barbless. Please read and obey all local fishing regulations. Obtain a copy of your local fishing regulations and study that guide. Make sure you comply with the rules.

Mar 03

Hot Lures For Cold Water Trout!

By Mike Robertson in Tackle

Which ones are your best trout catching machines?

Every angler has their favorite fish catching lures to put down below the waters surface! With major tackle manufactures coming out with new colors, louder rattles and swim baits that look like the real deal, which lures do you need to make your next cold water trout fishing trip a success? Every angler including myself has that one or two lures he reaches for first from his repertoire. Usually it’s the lure that has produced in the past, or that lure he read about from magazines or books. Most fishermen will buy these lures and fish them with some success. I believe lures need to be tested often and frequently to find out just how good they are! You need to fish them and truly get the feel of every wiggle and wobble that lure has to offer. You need to fish them for more than just one species of trout to find out just how versatile they really are.

So what lures shall we buy and which lures should we avoid? Fishing lures that are made of inferior materials which are durable in cold water circumstances are your best bet! When the water is really cold, cheep lures made of low quality materials will be prone to defects such as cracked bills after bumping the river bottom a frequently. Their hooks are of low quality metals that can and will break off without difficulty. These lures do not look realistic and reek of fakeness to an old wise trout. So they should be avoided and omitted from your selection. Lures made by trusted tackle manufactures need to be added to your list. Lure makers like Rapala, Blue Fox, Panther Martin, Mepps, and many other tackle companies which make high quality materials and work very well under all weather conditions and water temperatures.

Winter fishing can be fun and productive if you have the right tackle. I open my back pack and pull out a tackle tray loaded with Rapala’s. I usually go with a Rapala right off the hop. I like color patterns that resemble the local prey in my river. I know browns eat other browns and they also eat rainbow fry. I select a brown trout Rapala and use it for a half an hour before I switch it out for a new offering. This first half an hour is a test to see what the fish want and how they want it presented. Slow with a twitch, medium speed with a long pause or just cranking it fast back into shore. The Rapala’s I like to fish in cold water conditions are the X-Rap the Husky Jerk and the Original Floater. You can fish these Rapala’s slow which is optimal for cold water trout fishing. The Jointed Rapala is also a sure fire bet for that monster river trout!

The Blue Fox product lineup has great hard baits and spinners for those hungry trout. The Minnow Spinner is a sure fire hookup with fish of all species. I use the minnow spinner in the fall when the water levels are low. I can fish the minnow spinner in shallow water conditions and still hook those monsters presenting a minnow imitation! I also use them in the winter and into the spring season. I have many of these lures in my personal tackle store under lock and key in my basement. These lures are heavily guarded by several snipers ready to fire at will. They work that good!

If I get no action with a crank bait minnow imitation I then choose a spinner. I like the Panther Martin sonic spinners for trout. They have been proven for me to work very well for all species of trout from Browns to finicky Cut Throat trout in high mountain lakes and streams. There are a few ways I fish the Panther Martin spinners. The first way I fish them is the bottom bouncing method. When the water is cold and the fish are sluggish, I cast directly upriver and let the spinner hit the bottom. Once I feel the spinner bouncing off the bottom I lift the rod tip up high and reel according to the speed of the current. The lure skips off the bottom and then back up into the river as I raise the tip higher and increase the retrieve speed. This method works well and looks natural to your prey. The other way I use the spinner is to just cast the spinner upstream and let it flutter to the bottom. Once it hits the bottom I pick it up and reel in slowly letting it hit the bottom once or twice on the way back in. This is sure to get those bruisers stirred up and on the end of the line!

The lures listed are a few choices from my personal fishing arsenal. Buy a few of these pieces and give them a try on your next cold water fishing trip. Success is just a cast away!

Foolin’ em on April Fools day

The First Trip on the Bow River, 2025

The Late February Thaw

Merry Christmas And Happy New Year 2025

Bow River Winter Fishing Tips

Fishing The Bow River With My Good Friend Dwayne Parsons

A Man And His River!

Simple Tips To Keep Flying Rainbow Trout On Your Hook

Hot Lures For Cold Water Trout!

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