Jan 03

Fishing Trips Gone Bad

Fishing Trips Gone Bad. Story By Ari My Fishing Friend.

The story goes like this. I would just like to give you an update of latest fishing nightmare on Dec 24th, 2007 as you might appreciate this one. I drove to my local lake through a huge and unforeseen blizzard, we arrived at the lake three hours later only to find most of it was under ice, especially the areas where we normally put in our boat. We then went off driving up the mountain in search of open water and a better place to launch our boat.

Well here is where things go from bad to worse, we slid off the road in the middle of nowhere and had to walk three miles to borrow some shovels to dig out our vehicle. After tracking down the shovels, we spent the following three hours digging our car out. I did not go through this not to fish, even if just for a few hours, so we found an area where we walked all gear ( 2 batteries, zodiac, electric motor, food, tackle etc..) 150 yards down a steep slope in deep snow to open water.

It was then I suddenly realized that there was leak in one of the chambers of our inflatable and needed to be repaired fast. I was lucky enough to have repair kit but this took another 30 minutes before we could put the boat into the water. Once in the water the winds suddenly picked up to gale force and before we could get all the gear in the boat there was a good 10 inches of water (from the breaking waves) in the boat. We were sinking on shoreline! A massive wave then hit the boat throwing my buddy over the side into the water, not deep, but very cold! It was only then that logic prevailed and I looked at my buddy soaking wet in the water and said “Today is not a good day to die! Let’s go home and cut our losses!”

With that we packed up all the gear, walked all the way back up the Sisyphean hill with all the gear, and drove the long cold ride home. It was the toughest day of fishing without even wetting a line…….The crap we do for our browns! I am going to re-attempt to fish again tomorrow because it was just NOT meant to be today.

If you have a fishing story gone BAD then send it here to me and I will publish your story here at the Bow River Blog. I will share one of my fishing trips gone bad with all of you in my next post. Stay tuned for my horror story.

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