Hockey Night in Canada is on here in Room #3 at the Falls Inn, Lundbreck, Alta. Still only $20.00 a nite (GST included, so real cost is like 18.50). The painted cindercrete walls are too appealing, but they do have cable remote. No phones. Good greasy food at the Alberta Rose Café next door; same owners/operators as last year! Major blizzard between Longview and the Oldman River last night – 4 wheel drive stuff through a foot of slush – 3 hrs. or so from Calgary to Lundbreck. Pick up my rods last night from Bruce Goodall in Calg.; seems like real nice guy – 55 or so, we chat for an hour or so about NZ. Turns out my rods got to go to London, England and then Vancouver before coming home. Still in one piece, though.
Short chat with Vic Bergman this morning – should have stayed longer, but I was anxious to get out. I decide to try downstream from the dam on the Oldman this a.m., Vic sez it was clear and low on Tuesday – they got 6 fish…Vic gives me some directions, and I park at the bridge on the road north from Hwy 3 to “Sunnyview” (?). Try the left bank first, but run out of room. Then Tar and I work up the right bank (much better) – lots of midges and a few BWO’s about, but precious few if any risers in the rising and turbid river (snowed here last night too). I do land a jumpin’ 14” ‘bow in the best pool on #8 or so “short bugger” (previously and erroneously described herein as a “despicable”).
I must say it did feel rather good. Run into a couple of local yokels at the bridge; they’re soaking works/spinner/fly/jig in the bridge pool (and chucking sticks in the pool for their lab cross to fetch at the same time!). They claim that you can get permission to fish the Oldman from the chiefs…hmmm. Some good looking water here. (Note: locals do offer me a cold Canadian, gratefully accepted) (further note: need to tie some midges, both duns & pupae).
