[kml_flashembed movie="http://www.youtube.com/v/EMA_0IPE9XM" width="425" height="344" allowfullscreen="true" fvars="fs=1" /]Gearing Up For the Spring Season
It’s that time again folks, a time where anticipation runs high and hooks are plentiful. Over the winter I have been socking away lots of fishing tackle gearing up for the 2009 fishing season. My tackle box, which is actually a back pack, is overflowing and bursting at every seam. Let’s hope the fish are hungry and looking to eat my new gear. The season the Bow River run off is late, usually by the middle of May the water is stained and sometimes un-fishable. It looks like we will see run off start in the first weeks of June. While the water is dirty and high in the Bow River system I switch my fishing to lakes loaded with Walleye and big Pike. I am going to try and fish places where I have never fished before such as Keho Lake, Badger Lake, and Newell Lake to name a few.
I was however able to fish the Bow River today with great success. I retrieved the Rapala Clackin Rap from my back pack after an hour of fishing with a Countdown. The Clackin Rap worked good for me fishing for Pike so I figured I would see if it would catch trout. Well it catches trout alright, big trout. My first fish hooked today was a monster Rainbow which came to the surface after I battled with it for several minutes. I never landed this fish but I was able to get a reel good look at it before it spit the Clackin Rap and headed back for cover. I estimate this fish at twenty five inches or more. This is a classic tale of the one that got away. Luck would not be on my side today as I hooked two more decent fish, well they felt decent anyway and they both escaped before coming to shore.
I was bound and determined to not let the next trout get away. I walked up and down, up and down the bank over and over again launching that lure half way across the river. You can really fire these lures out there, they are quite heavy. I was working the lure up and down, letting it hit the bottom every so often. Finally I felt a good strike, and then this trout blasted the perch pattern pulling and pulling to break free. I kept strong tension on this fish; there was no way I was letting it get away. I reeled in steadily and she fought me all the way in. I landed her and reached for my camera, I went to turn the power on and my luck today was not good, there was no juice left in the battery therefore no picture.
This was the end of my fishing day; I did try a few more casts with the Clackin Rap on my way back up river but no takers. I put the lure back in its rightful location for another day. I know now that these lures work excellent for trout on the Bow River. I am glad that I acted on a hunch and lowered the boom on some fat rainbow trout. I guess it pays to go with your gut. My camera is powered up and ready for tomorrow’s float trip down the river. Stay tuned for our next Bow River fishing trip, its going to be a good one. Get to your local tackle shop and get geared up!
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Hi Mike,
I’ve been enjoying your blog recently and have been using your advice to catch my first Bow River trout! I’m now addicted and feeling a little regret for not putting in more effort on the Bow in previous years.
When you are casting lures such as the Clackin Rap that you mentioned, what type of current are you launching them into? I have found success in stillwater pools but I’ve found that 3 out of 4 fish that I catch in them are quite small. My confidence wanes when casting into a strong current. Should I spend more time outside of the calm waters?
Thanks for the update on fishing on the Bow River, and, especially for providing some feedback on your use of the Clackin’ Rap. It appears those Bow River fish are going to like it just fine. You mentioned the weight of the lure. Some of the reviews I have heard from anglers down my way is that at $10.00 per lure, they are hesitant to fish it because they don’t want to hang up and lose the lure. However, I know you have to fish where the fish are especially if you are after some big trout. So they might have to settle for a compromise.
First of all thanks Mike, I am glad to hear that your passion for fishing the Bow River has been reignited.
Secondly, I cast my lures in all kinds of water Mike. Water that is moving quickly will hold good sized rainbows at this time of the year. The fast moving water holds lots of oxygen and rainbows and browns love water that is high in oxygen. Reading water is the key to success, try grabbing a book on this topic, it helped me immensely. Cast your lure upstream at the ninth, tenth or eleventh position on the clock. If you are using a spinner let it bounce off the bottom and keep your rod tip high in the air to avoid snags. I like Panther Martins for this application in the number 9 or the 15. This is the most natural type of presentation. Remember the fish are facing upstream.
Do not be afraid to fish outside your comfort zone, you will quickly learn the benefits of doing things you normally would not do. Watch for areas where current is meeting calm water close to the bank, cast your lure in the choppy water and bring it across into the slower water close to shore, look for weeds hanging off the banks if you are floating. Watch your lure at all times and see where you are catching your fish and burn those areas into your memory. Where there is one fish there could be lots more.
I hope this quick reply will help you fish outside the box Mike, don’t be afraid of new water, new lures and new techniques.
~Mike.
Hey Mel, you bring up a good point on snags while fishing the Clack’in Rap. What I suggest to your readers is using a stronger test line, I use 8 Lb Berkley XT Monofilament but I could have been using 10- 12 Lb line with this lure. While fishing it that thought came to mind.
I would say nothing less than 10 Lb Mono or 10 Lb Braided with these lures.
Thanks for the comment Mel, I look forward to your next post.
~Mike.
I’ve been using the ol’ school hook, five of diamonds size 8 and I have been pulling in some 15″-20″ rainbows. Caught another this morning bright and early with it. Keep the rod tip down and crank it up once they hit! I’ll try the crankin rap, but for now much success with spoons.
Right on Steve, glad to hear the ol’ school lures are working for you. I love spoons for trout as well, my favorite is the Williams Wobblers in gold or silver.
Try those Clack’in Rap’s, I know they will hook you the monsters you are after.
Thanks for the comment and stop by again soon,
~Mike.
Hey,
So being from the Yukon, and moving out here about 4 years ago, I’ve been looking all over for places to camp/fish close to Calgary where i can slay some fish and camp somewhere where theres no showers or wireless internet. Sorry if I’m posting in the wrong place, but I’m not to sure how the site works yet! Let me know, and if you have some “secret” info my e-mail is ray_magnuson@live.ca. Any info will be put to VERY good use.
Hey Ray, there are some great spots to camp and fish very close to Calgary. One of my favorite spots to camp close to Calgary is at the Carseland weir, there is a provincial campground there and it has no wireless Internet as far as I know. There is no showers there either I don’t think. I like to float the Bow River and then camp at the weir.
There are many more places to camp and fish which are a little more secluded in the mountains which sounds like more of your style. I will e-mail you the info soon.
Thanks for stopping by the Blog and hope to see you again soon.
~Mike.
What do I ues in deep fast water? I live in calgary but i fish over by cockren, still in the bow and thers a bend in the river and the water is realy fast and deap. If you can, email me at tyleva@telus.net
were do i ues spoons, fast slow sallow deep. can you helt me with this?
I just stumbled on your blog and watched this entire video b/c the accents were crackin’ me up! Good stuff!
Looks like you catch some huge trout!
Accents?? What accents??
Thanks Emily, I was just over at your Blog and it looks like you do some serious fishing yourself. Great to see your awesome photos and your writing is top notch. Thanks for stopping by and hope to see you back again soon. I will add a link to your Blog so my readers can visit you sometime .
P.S. Chris, I guess we sound different up here in igloo country.
~Mike.
Thank, Mike. I’ve linked as well so I remember to come back.
and to Chris.. Yes, you all have accents. However, I will admit that I probably do as well. Even though I’ve lost my MN one years ago, but I do still find myself saying things like “You betcha”
I have been fishing the bow for about 2 years now never caught any thing but a white fish and I know why.I fish at bowness park their is way to many people
spooking the fish I know what to use but I dont know where to fish can you guys tell me a good spot so I can catch trophy trout i am 12 years old so it has to be a spot I will catch fish because if i dont my mom will never take me their again so can you please help me out
oh hey and I was also wondering what is the best time to fish the bow
Hey Dario, thanks for stopping by the Blog and your questions. Try to stay away from people as much as possible. Here is the answer to your second question, fish early in the morning or later on in the evening to avoid crowds.
Ask your mom to be patient, some times me and other’s like me go out and fish for two, three or four hours and not catch a fish. Skill and the right hooks will decrease this time frame. If you are in the NW section I cannot really recomend a good spot for you.
Please let me know what area of the city you live in and I will be happy to help you.
Thanks Dario,
~Mike.
I live in airdrie but my mom wont mind driving me to a spot that is an hour or more
oh hey one more thing you know that spot on that one video could you email me the directions to that spot or is that spot to secret
my email is sycodude09@hotmail.com
hey I was wondering if you could give me that spot that you guys where fishing at on that video above this comment
hey its me again my dads birthday is coming up soon and I need to get him a present but the thing is our restaurant burnt down so we dont got a lot of money right now but I want to take him on on of you guys walking trips witch is I think 250 or somthing if you could take of 100 bucks and when our restaurant is back up and running we will give you one free meal so what do you think can you help me out
Hey Dario, this spot my friend and I were fishing in the video is only accessible by boat. We floated the Bow River and jumped out of the boat at a random location and proceed to fish as we needed to stretch our legs.
So unfortunately there is no way in there by car or foot as the land around this location is private land. What I suggest to you is look around the Blog some more, I give directions to some great fishing spots on the Bow River found in previous posts and comments on the site.
I will send you an e-mail regarding your other questions.
Thanks,
~Mike.