Cam MacNaughton’s housewarming tonight, so I head down to do some poking around the Bow. Best route to MacKinnon Flats? Hwy 2 to Sec. Hwy 566 (Balzac/Kathryn turnoff), then Hwy 9 across Hwy #1 where it turns into sec. Hwy 797. Take 797 to Hwy 22x and go west 1 mile on 22x to the first n/s gravel road, then straight south to the flats. No signs if you go this way (although there is a sign, facing east, on the east side of the road about 5 miles from the river, 3 miles south of 22 x , saying “MacKinnon Flats”). Couple of vehicles with trailers at parking lot (Lise Gunn mentioned moving 2 or 3 guys). River looks pretty good, still snow ice floes on the edges but not bad. Check down at Carseland, everythings’ clear, a few guys fooling around. Not a bad day, but everything still looks pretty brown and muddy. Explore a little down from the Hwy 24 bridge. Note: you can get pretty close to river downstream of farm where Grinnell parked his boats is you follow irrigation canal road up to a gravel pit. I park near the “group use” park and walk in to do a little nymphing. No luck for the hour or so I flog the STW – maybe miss one. Four natives across the river – fishing with boat? They get one good one, anyhow. I carry on with the tour south of the River – check out the Highwood – beautiful valley, although the river itself is pretty muddy. Possibly a good float trip later on when things clear? Note: there is a walk-in boat access just by the “Nature’s Paradise” resort – real collection of hillbilly trailers near the Pat McHugh ranch. This would be about ¾ of a mile from the Highwood’s confluence with the Bow. Check out Policeman’s on the way to town – run into carload of youngster’s with car that has cratered, as apparently did one of their canoes just up from the landing –“it broke in half!” They had a flat tire on another vehicle where they put in at 17th. Couple of dudes in fiberglass boat just pulling out – guess they got a couple on streamers. Off to Cam’s for a couple of scotch! Note: seems to be a lot more ice around the edges further upstream ie. near the Highwood….
